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Latest GOP Presidential Polls, Endorsements; Abused Gymnasts Work to Stop Others; Who Would Be Romney's V.P.?; Obama Speaks on Big Oil

Aired March 29, 2012 - 10:59   ET

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

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's a great day to enjoy the Rose Garden.

Today, members of Congress have a simple choice to make. They can stand with the big oil companies, or they can stand with the American people. Right now, the biggest oil companies are raking in record profits. Profits that go up every time folks pull up into a gas station. But on top of these record profits, oil companies are also getting billions a year -- billions a year in taxpayer subsidies. A subsidy that they have enjoyed year after year for the last century.

Think about that. It's like hitting the American people twice. You're already paying a premium at the pump right now. And on top of that, Congress up until this point thought it was a good idea to send billions of dollars more in tax dollars to the oil industry.

It's not as if these companies can't stand on their own. Last year the three biggest U.S. oil companies took home more than $80 billion in profits. Exxon pocketed nearly $4.7 million every hour.

And when the price of oil goes up, the prices at the pump go up and so do these company's profits. In fact, one analysis shows that every time gas goes up by a penny, these companies usually pocket another $200 million in quarterly profits.

Meanwhile these companies pay a lower tax rate than most other companies on their investments, partly because we're giving them billions in tax giveaways every year.

Now, I want to make clear. We all know drilling for oil has to be a key part of our overall oil strategy. We want U.S. oil companies to be doing well. We want them to succeed.

That's why under my administration, we have opened up millions of acres of federal lands and waters to oil and gas production. We have quadrupled the number of operating oil rigs to a record high.

We have added enough oil and gas pipeline to circle the earth and then some. And just yesterday we announced the next step for potential new oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic.

Now, the fact is we're producing more oil right now than we have in eight years and we're importing less of it as well. For two years in a row, America has bought less oil from other countries than we produce here at home for the first time in over a decade.

So American oil is booming. The oil industry is doing just fine. With record profits and rising production, I'm not worried about the big oil companies.

With high oil prices around the world, they've got more than enough incentive to produce even more oil.

That's why I think it's time they got by without more help from taxpayers who are already having a tough enough time paying the bills and filling up their gas tank.

I think it's curious that some folks in Congress who were the first to belittle investments in new sources of energy are the ones that are fighting the hardest to maintain these giveaways for the oil companies.

Instead of taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's never been more profitable, we should be using that money to double down on investments in clean energy technologies that have never been more promising, investments in wind power and solar power and biofuels, investments in fuel efficient cars and trucks, and energy efficient homes and buildings.

That's the future. That's the only way we're going to break this cycle of high gas prices that happen year after year after year as the economy is growing.

The only time you start seeing lower gas prices is when the economy is doing badly. That's not the kind of pattern that we want to be in.

We want the economy to be doing well and people to be able to afford their energy costs.

And keep in mind we can't just drill our way out of this problem. As I said, oil production here in the United States is doing very well and it's been doing well even as gas prices are going up.

Well, the reason is because we use more than 20 percent of the world's oil, but we only have 2 percent of the world's known oil reserves.

And that means we could drill every drop of American oil, but we'd still have to guy from other countries to make up the difference. We'd still have to depend on other countries to meet our energy needs.

And, because it's a world market, the fact that we're doing more here in the United States doesn't necessarily help us because even U.S. oil companies are selling that oil on a worldwide market. They are not keeping it just for us.

And that means that if there's rising demand around the world, then the prices are going to go up. That's not the future that I want for America. I don't want folks like these back here and the folks in front of me to have to pay more at the pump every time that there's some unrest in the Middle East and oil speculators get nervous about whether there's going to be enough supply.

I don't want our kids to be held ho hostage to events on the other side of the world. I want us to control our own destiny. I want us to forge our own future.

And that's why as long as I'm president, America is going to pursue an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, which means we will continue developing our oil and gas resources in a robust and responsible way, but it also means that we're going to keep developing more advanced homegrown biofuels, the kinds that are already powering truck fleets across America.

We're going to keep investing in clean energy like the wind power and solar power that's already lighting of homes and creating thousands of jobs.

We're going to keep manufacturing more cars and trucks to get more miles to the gallon, so that you can fill up once every two weeks instead of every week.

We're going to keep building more homes and businesses that waste less energy so that you're in charge of your own energy bills.

We're going to do all of this by harnessing our most inexhaustible resource, American ingenuity and American imagination. That's what we need to keep going.

That's what's at stake right now. That's the choice that we face. And that's the choice that's facing Congress today.

They can either vote to spend billions of dollars more in oil subsidies that keep us trapped in the past or they can vote to end these taxpayer subsidies that aren't needed to boost oil production so that we can invest in the future. It's that simple.

And as long as I'm president, I'm betting on the future. And as the people I have talked to around the country, including the people who are behind me today, they put their faith in the future as well.

That's what we do as Americans. That's who we are. We innovate. We discover. We seek new solutions to some of our biggest challenges.

And, ultimately, because we stick with it, we succeed. And I believe that we're going to do that again.

Today, the American people are going to be watching Congress to see if they have that same faith.

Thank you very much, everybody.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The president of the United States there, repeating his case for rolling back tax breaks and subsidies for big oil.

He and his fellow Democrats are saying it's nonsensical to subsidize an industry making, as he said, historic profits.

But the industry and its Republican allies say that gas prices will only go up if oil companies are taxed more.

So, the president is speaking out today because a Senate vote is pending on a bill that would actually strip away some $2 billion in nearly taxpayer support for BP, Exxon, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips.

Now, it may pass the Senate, but it stands no chance of reaching the president's desk.

All right, we're also learning more details today about that night that Trayvon Martin was killed, including from George Zimmerman's father.

Zimmerman's dad is adamant that his son had no choice, but to defend himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S FATHER: Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of "you're going to die now or you're going to die tonight." Something to that effect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

As you can see, he wanted to protect his identity.

We're also getting a glimpse of Zimmerman the night he shot Trayvon. This is actually surveillance video from inside the Sanford police headquarters. You can see the police examining Zimmerman.

It's important to note that according to police reports, Zimmerman had a bloody nose and was bleeding from the back of his head at the scene.

We'll have more on this in about 15 minutes.

Well, it's good to have friends in high places, especially elder statesman and rising Senate stars. Just ask Mitt Romney.

He's picked up the support of Florida senator, Marco Rubio, a favorite with the grassroots and tea party-types.

And later today former President George H. W. Bush will share the stage with Romney in Houston to offer his official endorsement.

It's the latest chapter in Romney's effort to finally close the deal on the Republican nomination.

Well, the JetBlue pilot who freaked out more than halfway through a cross-country flight on Tuesday is now charged with interfering with the crew that he once led. Clayton Osbon is suspended from his job and getting medical treatment for battling, ranting, banging on the cockpit door, and scuffling with the flight attendants and passengers who held him down until that flight made an emergency landing in Texas.

It was bound for Las Vegas from New York City.

Osbon could face prison time if convicted on the federal charge.

Well, no indication of terrorism at the Philly airport this morning. A man trying to catch a flight was taken into custody after security officials discovered that was carrying what they described as an unknown homemade device.

Police say it appears he left fireworks in his backpack. No flights were delayed.

She was the international face of violent crimes against women in Pakistan. Now we have learned that she's jumped to her death leaving behind a suicide note and a warning to some of you that you might find the following picture pretty disturbing.

This is Fakhra Younus and she suffered horrible injuries when her husband, a prominent politician, poured acid all over her body while she was sleeping.

That attack happened 12 years ago and made headlines around the world.

She endured more than three dozen surgeries to repair her face and body.

Her husband, by the way, was acquitted of that attack.

Well, Fakhra jumped from a six-floor building in Rome where she had been getting treatment.

Homes lost. Lives lost. Now, more than 4,000 acres scorched. And yet that wildfire burning across Colorado is just barely contained this hour.

All of this because of an intentional or prescribed burn.

Up next, the state's forest service is facing scrutiny. Should they have started the fire? And the question -- what are they going to do now?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A so-called prescribed or controlled burn is the very definition of a calculated risk. Every so often, states prone to wildfires choose to set fires deliberately to clear out what would otherwise be fuel for future disasters.

Well, sometimes they do it to starve fires that are already raging nearby and, once in a great while, something goes horribly wrong as what has happened on Monday in Southeast Colorado.

Embers from a controlled burn just a few days earlier blew across a containment line and now more than 4,000 acres are scorched, 27 homes damaged or destroyed, and still the fire is just 15 percent contained.

Reporter Eric Lupher from our CNN affiliate, KMGH, is at the command post where Colorado's governor will be holding a briefing next hour.

Eric, what's the latest?

ERIC LUPHER, KMGH REPORTER: Well, a lot is expected to happen today.

Of course, Colorado governor, John Hickenlooper, expected to fly over the fire scene in a helicopter to check out the damage.

Of course, he just got home from Mexico. He was talking about economic development there. He arrived at Denver international airport last night, very anxious to get here and check out the damage here in the Colorado mountains.

He also plans to speak with firefighters and also, most importantly, the evacuees and those who have lost their homes.

Of course, plenty of questions for the governor once that happens.

PHILLIPS: Yes, and let me just ask you a couple questions. We actually were we were supposed to talk to the fire division supervisor for the Colorado State Forest Service. We're still hoping that he calls in.

So, Eric, if you don't mind rolling with me for a minute here, now that the state is not going to set anymore fires until this is fully investigated, what are you learning and what are your sources telling you with regards to these controlled burns?

Is it possible that because of this there could be an effort to put a ban on these?

LUPHER: Well, right now, there will be no controlled burns. That's according to the governor here in Colorado until they figure out this, until they investigate this latest fire.

The governor wants to make sure, though, and let people know not to jump to any conclusions. He wants to get answers. He wants experts to figure this out.

But, right now, no controlled burns as this fire continues to burn, just 15 percent contained.

PHILLIPS: And there's a number of investigations taking place. Any idea exactly what happened, if there's somebody or a group of individuals that could be at fault here? Do you know anything about the investigations that are taking place into how this even started?

LUPHER: Well, those are all good questions, but the Jefferson County sheriff's office is remaining very hush-hush on that.

They are trying to be safe with those kinds of questions. Right now their focus is to get this fire out.

Of course, we're dealing with high winds. Winds have picked up here maybe 10 minutes ago. It's not a horrible wind, but it's just enough that it could flare up this fire.

And we have all these evacuees, 900 homes already evacuated, 6,500 homes on standby to evacuate.

And something to mention, this weekend it's supposed to be very windy on Saturday. Temperatures in the low 80s, which is not typical in late March/early April here in Colorado.

So, right now, the focus to get the fire out and get folks back home.

PHILLIPS: All right. Eric is with our affiliate, KMGH. Eric, thanks so much.

Well, Trayvon Martin's mother says it's icing on the cake. New surveillance video of George Zimmerman the day he gunned down the unarmed teen.

But does his appearance that day tell the whole story? Zimmerman's father says no way and now he's speaking out.

The new video and the interview coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, the story just keeps getting more complex. Trayvon Martin's death, George Zimmerman's claim of self-defense, and what really happened that night. Who attacked whom?

Well, new details are surfacing today. More people are coming forward, including Trayvon's girlfriend who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin when he got shot.

And George Zimmerman's father. Take a listen to what he told our affiliate, WOFL, as he asked to have his identity protected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S FATHER: Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of "you're going to die now or you're going to die tonight." Something to that effect.

He continued to beat George and, at some point, George pulled his pistol and did what he did. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And then there's this, George Zimmerman at Sanford police headquarters in handcuffs the night he shot Trayvon.

Now, the surveillance video doesn't show a close-up of Zimmerman, but you can see police examining him.

Now, keep in mind, according to the police report, Zimmerman was, quote, "bleeding from the nose and back of the head."

But Trayvon's family and supporters are quick to point out what you cannot see in this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYBRINA FULTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER: When we looked at the video, it was obvious that there were no visible injuries. There was no blood on his shirt.

So we have concluded just by watching this video that there may not have been any injuries at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Martin Savidge has been following all the developments from the ground there in Sanford, Florida.

So, Marty, how has George Zimmerman's attorney responding to Trayvon Martin's parent's claims right now?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that would be Craig Sonner and he's got a difficult time because many people believe what they see.

And what you see there is not any real obvious injury to George Zimmerman.

Here's how he tried to, well, put it into context.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG SONNER, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: It's a grainy video. I do, however, if you watch, you'll see one of the officers as he's walking in, looking at something on the back of his head.

The video is very grainy and I'm not sure that it has, as far as being able to see the injuries that were recently sustained and then later cleaned up.

Clearly, the report shows that he was cleaned up.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SAVIDGE: It is important to note that video is several hours after the incident and, yes, George Zimmerman had been attended to by paramedics. PHILLIPS: And, Martin, I mean, here in the police report, it says that Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and the back of the head and that he was placed in the rear of the police car and given first aid by the Sanford fire department.

So have police said anything about whether he was cleaned up or if he changed his clothes?

SAVIDGE: No. They haven't. They say that he was attended to and clearly his wounds were not so bad that he need to go to the hospital at that particular time.

Regarding his clothing, the clothing that you see George Zimmerman wearing coming into the police station there is the same clothing that witnesses say they saw George Zimmerman wearing directly after the incident took place.

So we do know that the police have confiscated his clothes, but it does not appear that they have confiscated them at that particular point when we see this video, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. We're also hearing more from Trayvon's girlfriend who was on the phone with him when he was shot.

What is she saying about Zimmerman and that night now?

SAVIDGE: Well, you know, that's what's so interesting about this whole storyline is that you've got two people on the telephone.

You've got George Zimmerman on the line to 911 and then you've Trayvon Martin on the line with his girlfriend at about the same time and he is describing to her this rather sketchy individual who is following him and clearly upsetting him.

Listen to the girlfriend as she gives the account.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

TRAYVON MARTIN'S GIRLFRIEND: He was walking fast. When he say that this man behind him again. He come and said he looked like he was about to do something to him.

And then Trayvon come and said the man was still behind him and then I come and said run.

Trayvon said he looked crazy. He looked like he crazy.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: And just a little detail to point out to you. You've got Trayvon Martin as describing George Zimmerman as looking crazy.

At the same time you have George Zimmerman on the line to the police and he's describing Trayvon Martin as looking like he might be on drugs.

So you've got these two kind of immediate analyzations and you wonder how that could have played into the tragic consequences.

PHILLIPS: Martin Savidge in Sanford, Florida, for us. Thanks so much.

You can join Soledad O'Brien when she hosts a special town hall, "Beyond Trayvon: Race and Justice in America." That's Friday night at 8:00 and 10:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

Coming up, horror stories of alleged physical and sexual abuse at the hands of a champion gymnastics coach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell you to get on all fours and kick you in the stomach to where you were physically lifted off the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He would be tickling me at the stoplight or something of that nature and his hands would reach down and go into my privates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, the women he coached talk to CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right, now, it's time for our "Travel Insider."

As CNN reporters and producers, we often have the inside scoop on some pretty great places to go. This time around, Kareen Wynter takes us to one of her favorite spots.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, everybody. Welcome to my neck of the woods, Sherman Oaks, California, in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley.

All right, everyone who knows me knows I have the biggest sweet tooth ever and when I get the killer cravings, I just have to make a run here to Blizz Frozen Yogurt for some of my favorite treats.

Let's dig in.

Here in L.A. there seems to be a celebrity tie-in to almost everything and Blizz is no different.

It's owned by Dr. Paul Nassif, renowned plastic surgeon and husband to Beverly Hills housewife, Adrienne Maloof.

Blizz is known for its frozen yogurt, but crepes, smoothies, and waffles are also on the menu. In fact, I'm going to give you a little taste.

All right, I'm no expert in the kitchen, but today I'm going to show you how I like my crepes with a little help from Tom. And then we use the spatula. All right, we've got half of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perfect.

WYNTER: Voila. Now we go in for the kill. Some of my favorite toppings, Chocolate and, of course, raspberry sauce.

They're ready. Let's go.

And this is my favorite part. Time to dive in.

Delicious.

Kareen Wynter, CNN, Sherman Oaks, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, it appears the Republican party is getting in line and getting behind Mitt Romney, two new major endorsements for the frontrunner as he sprints for the finish line.

But some new numbers out show that Mitt's got a major hurdle once he gets there and his name is Barack Obama.

"Fair Game" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: News polls and big-name endorsements are always "Fair Game." Let's talk names and numbers with CNN contributor, Maria Cardona, and Georgetown University associate dean, Chris Metzler.

Guys, let's get right to CNN's newest poll. If the election were tomorrow, it looks like President Obama whoops Romney. An 11-point gap, 54 percent to 43 percent.

Maria, this may look like a slam dunk for Obama, but if you look at history, for example, April 2004, George Bush trailed John Kerry by eight points and he was reelected.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely, Kyra. Certainly, the White House understands this better than anybody. And these are great numbers. Of course, I love them. I love talking about them. But the election isn't tomorrow. It is in eight months. So what this president is focused on is continuing to talk to middle class families and working class voters about how he's going to continue to create jobs, continue the trends that are positive that voters are now feeling, continue to focus on economic growth.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney, the only thing he knows how to talk about is how rich he is, how many car elevators he has, and how many NASCAR owners he knows. And that's why his negatives are plummeting. That's not a trend you like if you're the presumed front runner for the GOP going into this election cycle.

PHILLIPS: Chris? CHRIS METZLER, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATE DEAN: Well, the good news is that the election is not tomorrow. That's excellent news. At this point, the president has had a long runway here. He's had no primary opponent to beat up on him. No opponent to define him. None of that has occurred. So there's plenty of time for Mitt Romney to make this up. So it's not as bad as it looks. There's a lot that's going to be done in the time coming up. He's the presumed nominee. At this point, what just needs to happen is the other folks need to get out of the way.

PHILLIPS: You say it's not as bad as it looks, but this is what I like to call the "who loves you baby" poll. 56 percent love the president, but only 37 percent are digging Mitt Romney.

Chris, that's got to be a cause for concern for the Romney campaign.

METZLER: Yes, it's a cause for concern, but there's still time. And so in terms of, you know, people -- he hasn't helped himself with some of his comments and gaffes, but at this point, I think you're going to see a kinder, gentler, more personable Mitt Romney.

(LAUGHTER)

And I think we have time to do that. So give us the opportunity to do that. And I think you'll see the numbers move around.

PHILLIPS: Maria is shaking her head.

(LAUGHTER)

CARDONA: Here's the problem with my dear friend Dr. Metzler's theory.

(LAUGHTER)

Mitt Romney is not an unknown. He's been running for five years. The more that voters learn about him and know about him, the less they like him. So time, while Dr. Metzler likes to say is on his side, it's probably not on Mitt Romney's side. The more he opens his mouth, the more that his negatives grow. And President Obama, regardless of where his approval ratings are, the one thing that remains consistent is that voters like him and voters think that he understands the issues that they are going through. That is the trend that you do like going into this presidential election cycle.

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about the endorsements that I mentioned early on. Just tie in one more poll here. CNN poll, 56 percent of Americans still blame our economic problems on President Bush. How much do you think his legacy is going to continue or is going to hurt the GOP ticket come November? Chris?

METZLER: Well, I don't think it's going to hurt it because I think he actually has a wonderful legacy. So I don't think it's going to hurt it. I think it's an asset. President Obama came into office essentially blaming Bush, and so that narrative has begun to stick. So we get that. Now it's the opportunity though for Romney to say, here are the things that I'm going to do. What Romney has to do is be very specific about what he is going to do. He can't simply say I'm better than the president. He has to be specific and tailored in his message. And again, time is on our side. I don't know how to sing that song.

(LAUGHTER)

But there's a song "Time is on Our Side," or something like that.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: He always brings in the music, Maria.

Before I let you go, Maria, meanwhile, we have been talking about Senator Marco Rubio endorsing Romney and Papa Bush going to endorse Romney this afternoon. So what do you think, Maria? Is the establishment trying to rescue Romney? And if so, is it going to work?

CARDONA: These endorsements, more than anything, are symbolic. It's kind of like it's about time that these folks get behind Romney. And, yes, they are trying to rescue him because they also see the same numbers we're looking at, Kyra. They are very anxious that their presumed front runner is not going to be somebody who is going to be a strong competitor against President Obama, especially in terms of likability.

Now let's talk about the number you just mentioned in terms of the economy and most Americans still blaming George W. Bush. The fact that the father is coming out is not going to help that. It's going to remind everybody what George W. Bush's legacy was, which was ruining this economy. And the second thing is that Mitt Romney's policies, the ones that he's putting forth, will take us exactly the same route that George Bush's policies took us to. Not something you like going into this presidential election cycle.

PHILLIPS: We have to leave it there, guys.

Thank you, Maria.

Dr. Metzler, I'm sorry. We'll have to continue this conversation next time.

Thanks, guys.

CARDONA: Thanks, Kyra.

METZLER: Absolutely. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Coming up, they say that they were choked and pinned against the wall, kicked and sexually abused, all at the hands of their coach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'll never forget that the words he whispered in my ear at that time was, this is what you want and this is what all the girls want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now decades later, the girls, champion gymnasts coached are speaking out about alleged brutality. Their stories next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Former Los Angeles gymnasts as young as eight allegedly tortured, burned, and sexually abused by their coach. Decades later, their former mentor, this man, Doug Boger, is no longer working with kids. These young women, now adults, are back together, only this time working to stop him and others from abusing young gymnasts.

CNN's Casey Wian has their stories.

I have to warn you, some of the details are graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNE MALVER, FORMER GYMNAST: I have a burn here on my finger from a cigarette burn that he gave me.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is Doug Boger their former gymnastics coach.

SABRINA MAR, FORMER GYMNAST: He used to pin you against the wall and choke you.

WIAN: They were girls as young as eight, members of Boger's unique Flares gymnastics team, now coming forward with horrific accounts of abusive training methods.

JULIE WHITMAN, FORMER GYMNAST: Tell you to get on all fours and kick you in the stomach to where you were physically lifted off the ground.

WIAN: For some that was just the beginning.

Charmaine Carnes says she was eight when the physical abuse turned sexual abuse.

CHARMAINE CARNES, FORMER GYMNAST: I would ride with him in the car to a meet. Then he would be tickling me at the stoplight or something of that nature and his hands would reach down and go into my privates.

WIAN: Kimberly Evans says she was 13 when he asked her to his apartment to retrieve equipment.

KIMBERLY EVANS, FORMER GYMNAST: He just unzipped his pants and put himself in my mouth. I will never forget the torment of that. WIAN: Anne was 11.

MALVER: He disrobed me and forced himself inside of me. Even though I was screaming out in pain and screaming out for him to stop, he wouldn't. And I'll never forget that the words he whispered in my ear at that time is, this is what you want and this is what all the girls want.

WIAN: During the 1970s and '80, Doug Boger was a young charismatic former champion gymnast turned coach. Now in his 60s, he denied the allegations of abuse to CNN's Denver affiliate KCMC.

DOUG BOGER, FORMER GYMNAST COACH: I was not abusive to them. I didn't do anything wrong.

WIAN: Julie Whitman was one of Boger's stars.

WHITMAN: Some days it was fantastic. And other days it was kind of a living hell.

WIAN: She's now leading a group of women pressuring gymnastics to adopt tougher sanctions against abusive coaches.

WHITMAN: Six years ago, I observed he was still coaching. I kept seeing his name and I thought to myself, I can't let this man continue coaching.

WIAN: In 2008, she contacted USA Gymnastics president, Steve Penny, who encouraged her to speak with former teammates. Several Flares gymnasts wrote letters detailing alleged abuse. USA Gymnastics began an investigation in 2009.

STEVE PENNY, PRESIDENT, USA GYMNASTICS: The biggest challenge with this particular case was that it happened 30 years ago. And not only that, but that he had been acquitted by a court of law.

WIAN: In 1982, Boger was charged with child abuse and battery based on allegations by two gymnasts, but a jury acquitted him. Perhaps most shocking, the parents of two of the women now claiming abuse helped finance his defense.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were warned about the man in the van with the candy. We weren't warned about the coach, the priest, or the teacher.

WIAN: CNN reached Boger by phone, but he had no comment on the allegations. We continued to get his side of the story, but he has not responded to phone calls, e-mails, messages, or a knock at his door.

In 2010, Boger did respond to USA Gymnastics, calling the accusations "fiction developed to do harm to my professional career."

Boger does have supporters, including gymnast, Aubree Balkan, whom he coach to world championships in 2005, '07 and'09. She says she neither witnessed nor experienced abusive behavior by Boger. AUBREE BALKAN, FORMER GYMNAST: I obviously don't want to believe it, but all I can share is the good experience I had.

WIAN: USA Gymnastics concluded their investigation in 2010 placing Boger on their permanently ineligible coaches list.

WHITMAN: We thought we removed him from the sport, but we find out months later, he's moved to Colorado Springs and gotten a new job.

WIAN: Boger was then coaching at a non-USA Gymnastics member gym owned by a coach once convicted of a sex offense involving a gymnast. Although Boger has since been fired, abusive coaches are free to continue training young girls as long as they don't work at a USA Gymnastics-sanctioned facility.

MONICA LENCHES, FORMER GYMNAST: I want to see the students are not allowed to compete.

WIAN: USA Gymnastics do not have the authority to regulate private businesses that are not members and it says barring gymnasts who train under banned coaches would violate federal law.

PENNY: I fundamentally believe that the majority of our people are doing things the right way and that the majority of our kids are in a very, very safe environment.

WIAN: Changes have been made changes, including background checks, baring non-member gyms from posting sanction events, and implementing a participant welfare program defining abuse. And USA Gymnastics publishes its list of banned coaches on their web site.

Doug Boger is no longer coaching, but these women say that's not the point.

MALVER: This is about a group of women not wanting anymore harm coming to children for the sake of becoming a competitive athlete.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: The women say much of the alleged abuse happened here, down those stairs. Doug Boger's gym was located in the basement of this church. Recently, some of the women came back here for the first time and say, even after 30 years, some of them felt nauseous, sick to their stomach just returning to this neighborhood. One said she felt an overwhelming sense of dread -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Wow. Do we think that these claims could lead to new criminal charges?

WIAN: Very unlikely. The statute of limitations has run out on these charges long ago. That's one of the changes that these women would like to see, is child abuse is treated the same as a murder, no statute of limitations.

PHILLIPS: Before I let you go, I'm curious. Where were the parents during these times where these young girls were allegedly abused?

WIAN: Very interesting and very critical part of the story. The parents were actually asked to sign agreements that they would not observe or be in the gym when workouts were going on. It was a condition of them joining this gym. And it's something that all of these women now say, many of them are mothers themselves, that they would never agree to.

It was something that was pretty standard back then. There were some parent who did try to do something. One of them, Richard Reardon, his daughter was a gymnast who was abuse and experienced physical abuse. He said he reported these incidents to other parents, to law enforcement, and confronted Doug Boger himself. Nothing was done about it.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Casey Wian, appreciate your reporting.

Still ahead, many parents asked and now Mattel has listened. The newest Barbie on the block. The company's big announcement.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We're digging into details of a startling new report on autism in America. The Centers for Disease Control estimate one in 88 American third graders have some form of autism spectrum disorder. Now, that's a 78 percent increase from a decade ago, and for boys the rate is even higher. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins Don Lemon just minutes from now with much more on these new figures and some possible reasons behind them.

All right. Let's talk about the doll many young kids around the world love -- Barbie. Mattel is coming out with a new friend of Barbie's, a bald doll, complete with hats, wigs, and other accessories. Mattel says it will donate and distribute the dolls exclusively to children's hospital, directly reaching girls who are most affected by hair loss. They will be available next year but will not be sold in stores.

$500 million, that's the estimated value of the Mega Millions Lottery now, and tickets, as you can imagine, are selling like crazy. And you still have time to buy yours before tomorrow's drawing. And your odds for winning the jackpot, 176 million to one. Got a better chance of getting struck by lightning than winning that $500 million. By the way, this jackpot is the largest in U.S. lottery history. The winner will have the option of receiving $19.2 million a year for 26 years or a $359 million single payment. Good luck.

Mega millions is something Newt Gingrich could use just about now. His campaign is out of money, and it's running out of time. Up next, what the billionaire casino mogul behind the former speaker is saying about his chances now.

But first, a quick look at the market. Dow Industrials down 83 points. A string of weak economic reports and disappointing jobless claims have held back investors. That's your stock market update. More from CNN after a break. Now to the song we just can't get out of our heads today.

ANNOUNCER: "The Beverly Hillbillies."

(MUSIC)

PHILLIPS: Yes, it's an all-time classic. Unforgettable for so many of us. And the man behind that famous banjo, well, the great Earl Scruggs, legendary blue-grass icon whose picking style helped shape 20th century country music. Scruggs passed away Wednesday of natural causes at the age of 88, but listening to his music, watching his fingers go will never leave us. Fans say that the banjo was reborn because of Scruggs and his mad skills. So here is a tribute to you, Earl, a bluegrass pioneer rock star.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's be honest here, Mitt Romney is not very funny, but when it comes to talking about a V.P.

Don is laughing.

This was a pretty good one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I haven't actually put a list together at this date. I'll choose David Letterman. Help us both out.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: There you go.

Peter Hamby joining us from Washington.

All right, jokes aside, who do you really think Romney will pick if he gets the nomination?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Pretty tough on Romney there. He's kind of funny sometimes. Maybe unintentionally.

PHILLIPS: Really? Then give us a few examples, Peter, please.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMBY: I'm not going to say anything negative about Mitt Romney, as an objective reporter here.

PHILLIPS: Of course. HAMBY: Talking about V.P.s, certainly Romney says he hasn't made a list, but everyone in Washington is talking about Marco Rubio at the top of the list. His endorsement of Romney last night thrust his name out there once again.

Look, Romney -- there's no perfect candidate for Romney. He has three problems. He has to fix his relationship with the conservative base and he has problem with women and Independent voters. Those things can change as the election approaches. But there's no perfect pick to kind of shore up those votes.

But the list right now, you look at Rubio; Bob McDonald, the governor of Virginia; Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor; Rob Portman, the Ohio Senator; maybe Paul Ryan, the House budget chairman. Those are the top picks. But again, Kyra, there's no one perfect out there.

Rick Santorum has floated his name generously as a potential vice presidential pick. That's one that I do not think will happen. A lot of Republicans don't think that's going to happen either -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right, Peter, thanks so much.

And thanks for watching, everybody. You can continue the conversation with me on Twitter, @KyraCNN, or on Facebook. CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with our Don Lemon.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much, Ms. Phillips.