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New Videos Add To Taxpayer Scandal; Guillen Apologizes For Praising Castro; Cuban-American Group: Fire Guillen; Report: Tulsa Suspects Confessed; Police Car Shot Near Crime Scene; Zimmerman Site Seeks Donations; Mega Millions Winners Claim Prize; Bush Hosts Economic Tax Forum; Obama Selling "Buffet Rule" On Taxes; Marlins Suspend Manager Ozzie Guillen; Brush Fires Burn Along East Coast; Marlins Suspended Manager Ozzie Guillen; Marlins' Guillen Faces Critics
Aired April 10, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: David Foley is a deputy commissioner at the GSA, which is supposed to safeguard how your tax dollars are spent. Today, he is on administrative leave and we are learning more about the growing cost of that conference.
Administration officials say the agency's spending increased starting during President Bush's tenure. Eight years ago, the overall cost was about $94,000 when the event was held in Portland, Oregon.
It more than tripled two years later in Oklahoma City then it doubled in 2008 when New Orleans was the host city and of course, the big shindig in Vegas, the one that's getting all the attention now. The taxpayer cost, more than $800,000.
CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hoping to limit the political damage, the Obama administration headed out to selective media outlet an hour's worth of new embarrassing GSA video over the holiday weekend.
Among this see it to believe it clips, government workers appearing to mock the president for his green jobs initiative. It is yet another submission for a video awards ceremony, which CNN first reported on last week.
A talent show at a lavish 2010 GSA convention in Las Vegas, which cost taxpayers over $800,000. But House Oversight Chairman, Darryl Issa, says the administration conspicuously omitted a key part of this video, evidence he says, GSA employees were making these videos during a taxpayer funded work day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was amazing. Was there anybody in Region 7 that wasn't in that thing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they didn't work on Friday, the chances are they weren't in the video.
BASH: Still, what the administration did release is damaging. In this video, a man dressed as an angry clown makes fun of government meetings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think meetings are good to have in between breaks.
BASH: In this one, government employees mimicking the movie "Office Space" appear to destroy government property. At the Las Vegas conference where the videos were played, listen to this brazen boasting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I pretty much promised to deliver and over-the-top, unforgettable, team-building experience. How did we do on that one?
BASH: That's Jeff Neely, an acting GSA administrator for the Pacific Region. Here he is on the event's red carpet, yes, a make- belief red carpet at a government conference.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am wearing all Armani. I think what I would like people to take home is to dispense with the notion that what's done in Vegas stays in Vegas and to really lead with what's done in Vegas needs to be shared with everybody.
BASH: What is this government employee's talent?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a talent for drinking margaritas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now how is it the GSA gave you that talent?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my commitment to our go-green initiative.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Dana Bash joins us from -- it is just hard to watch, isn't it? It is like insane. What's the GSA's response to this?
BASH: You know, Carol, at this point, they are just basically hitting cut and paste every time a new video comes out. It is almost the exact same thing that we heard from the GSA last week when the first video came out.
They're saying that these videos reinforced the complete lack of judgment at the 2010 conference and the agency, quote, "continues to be appalled by this behavior."
COSTELLO: OK, so we know congressional hearings are going to begin what, next week? I mean, when exactly will they begin and can we all listen?
BASH: Yes. They are going to begin on Monday, the first day that Congress officially returns from its spring break. The House Oversight Chairman, Darryl Issa, already released his witness list. It is going to be a who's who of these videos.
The guy you just saw in the bow tie talking about the fact that he was wearing Armani, probably kidding but still. He is a regional director for the GSA. He is going to be among those who will be testifying.
Dave Foley, who we learned yesterday, has been placed on administrative leave. He was the one giving out the awards in that fake talent show, the first video we saw last week. He will be there as well as the inspector general.
He, of course, is the one who did all of these investigating about 11 months ago. So he really has the goods, so to speak, on all this. But Democrats are going to really push on the spending that you talked about at the beginning of this during the Bush administration.
COSTELLO: It has all become political now, right? I am sure you will be in those hearings next week. So you have a fun week next week. Dana Bash, thank you.
A lot of anger this morning in Miami after Marlins' manager Ozzie Guillen praised Fidel Castro. In South Florida, that is something you just don't do.
Cuban-American groups say they are boycotting the Miami Marlins until they fire Guillen. The Miami Dade Commission chairman is calling on Guillen to resign.
The Venezuelan-born skipper told "Time" magazine, quote, "I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but he is still there."
CNN's John Zarrella covering the story in Miami. Guillen already apologized for his comment. It seemed heartfelt to me.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think everybody thinks it certainly was heartfelt, but will that be enough to satisfy the Cuban-American community. Carol, there is one thing, maybe the worst possible thing.
Certainly, it ranks right up at the top of things you do not say or cannot say in Miami is you respect Fidel Castro or you love Fidel Castro. And that's exactly what Ozzie Guillen did.
To put this all in perspective, the Miami Marlins moved to Miami. They built a brand new stadium on the site of the old Orange Bowl right in the heart of Little Havana.
They have gone out and are trying to rebuild the fan base. They wanted to be that Latin-American fan base. The city of Miami, Miami-Dade County taxpayers, are the ones that shelled out the majority of the more than half a billion dollars for this new stadium.
Here is Ozzie Guillen basically, you know, just dropping this hand grenade in the middle of the Marlins effort to do all this. So it set off a firestorm. It has been the subject of talk radio for the past couple of days.
He is being asked to be fired by many people in the community here. They are stomping on the Marlins pennant in downtown Miami in Little Havana. So it has not gone well for the franchise that's only played one game in the new stadium so far so a lot offense-mending to do -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Wow. Didn't the Marlins management know this about Ozzie Guillen? Because it certainly not the first time he has said that upset people.
ZARRELLA: Yes, clearly, they knew who they were getting when they got Ozzie Guillen. In fact, here are a few of his past transgressions. In June of 2006, he calls a columnist a homosexual slur. He is find and took sensitivity training.
In May of 2010, he calls an umpire an expletive. He is fined $7,000. In April, just last year, 2011, he is suspended for two games for tweeting during games. Now, he is a big tweeter.
We all know that, but the fact is you cannot have any electronic devices by Major League baseball rules in the dugout during a game. So those are just three. The list goes on.
But this one is really at the top. One thing interesting, Carol, he has never been apologetic in the past for anything he has said or done. But in this case, he has been very contrite in asking, putting out the Maya Kulpas. So we are going to see how it plays.
COSTELLO: I know. He is flying back from Philadelphia on an off day. John Zarrella, thanks.
We are going to go live to the Marlins Park in the heart of Miami's Little Havana to hear what Ozzie Guillen has to say. We expect his comments to come your way around 10:30 Eastern.
Also this morning, there are reports that the two suspects in the Tulsa shooting spree have confessed. According to the "Tulsa World Newspaper," 19-year-old Jake England and 33-year-old Alvin Watts now admit to the series of attacks.
Four shootings left three people dead and two others wounded. They are being held on $9 million bond as prosecutors consider filing hate crime charges. All the victims were African-American.
Now let's turn to Sanford, Florida, the site of the Trayvon Martin shooting. This morning, authorities say bullet holes were found in a police car parked near the scene where the teenager died. Martin Savidge is in Sanford. So Martin, tell us more.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, this is a police car that had been parked in front of the complex where Trayvon Martin was killed. It has been there for a couple of weeks. There is not a police officer in it. It was more like, you park the vehicle and it was a message to anyone in the neighborhood that the police presence was there. It is parked directly in front of an elementary school. So the fact that sometime overnight shots were fired. There are some reports as many as six shots pumped into this vehicle. Nobody was injured. The city here is still working on their press release to give us further details.
But that is what has happened. And of course, we are already talking about a community that is very much jittery about waiting for the decision to come from the special prosecutor here. So an event like that overnight is not going to help people's nerves in any way, shape, or form -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I bet not. You know, we are also learning about a web site that George Zimmerman has started. On it, I just want to read a bit of what's on it to you.
He says, as a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately my entire life.
This web site's sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries. He is also asking for donations to help his defense fund. So Martin, do we know how much money he's raised?
ZARRELLA: Not as yet. There's a counter on that web site. So whenever you go on to the web site, you can see how many people have hit it. Even early this morning and I'm talking about 5:00 a.m. when I was looking at it, you could see the numbers were jumping at a fairly good clip.
Now that isn't the number of contributions, just numbers of eyes that are coming on the page. But if they are getting any kind of numbers just close to, that is far as donations insignificant.
Now reportedly last week, there was a donation that went to George Zimmerman from Texas for about $10,000. It came from a specific group.
There are other reports that say that the money has been pouring in from places all around the world. We've reached to the man who's running the web site. We're still waiting to hear back from him. It is doubtful though that we are going to get any specific tally. We will see, maybe.
COSTELLO: Maybe. Martin Savidge reporting live from Sanford Florida.
Just within the last couple of hours, we have learned more about those record Mega Million lottery jackpot winners. There were three winning tickets sold in Red Bud, Illinois, in Ottawa, Kansas and in Baltimore, Maryland. No winning ticket claimed in Illinois.
In Kansas, a winner came forward last week. Just a couple of hours ago, the mystery was finally solved in Maryland. One ticket shared by three winners, all public school employees. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN MARTINO, MARYLAND LOTTERY DIRECTOR: One of them works two full-time jobs. Another has a part-time job and a third has two other part-time jobs. All of them indicated that they would continue and the teachers said that they all plan at this point in time to remain public school teachers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So let's head to Baltimore to find out a little bit more about these lucky three amigos. Athena Jones is in Baltimore. What more do we know?
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you mentioned, they are calling themselves the three amigos. I believe we have a picture of the giant check they hid behind. You'll notice they even have on gloves to make sure that no one can see any identifying characteristics.
They all want to stay anonymous. We know that they work together in the public school system. One was an elementary school teacher. One was in special education teacher and one works in administration.
They all decided to pool their money -- this was the first time that they decided to pool their money together buying $60 worth of tickets. Incidentally, those other 59 tickets, they won one more dollar so that's in addition to the nearly $35 million they will be taking home after taxes.
Now all three said that they plan to invest some of the money and also buy homes. One talked about taking a tour of Italian wine country, another going backpacking across Europe with their brother and then another paying for his children's education.
So they all plan to work. That's one thing lottery officials kept bringing up. They seem very proud about the fact that this really cheerful, humble group came in. They said, we are going to keep working.
We are too committed to our kids to stop working so a few nice details of three happy people here in Maryland. We don't know their names, but at least we know a little bit more about what they do -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And we do know their friends and that they are going to share the jackpot winnings, which brings me to Merlande Wilson. We all remember her, the McDonalds worker, the mother of seven, she said she had the winning ticket and she couldn't find it, but was not going to split the winners with her co-workers at McDonald's. What's up with her?
JONES: Well, thankfully, I mean, we will never know what caused her to make those statements, but she is not the winner. We know that for sure from lottery officials. These three individuals are the only winners of that ticket in Maryland. No one else did.
Now, of course, these three people have been watching TV all last week. I mean, they went to a financial planner. They have been talking to lawyers. They are trying to go about this the right way and to not be discovered.
Maybe some of that media attention from last week helped them make that decision. We were even told by lottery officials that they were kind of snuck in, because there had been people outside staking out the building in here. Some little interesting details coming out -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Athena Jones, thanks so much.
President Obama heads to Florida to push a bill named by a billionaire, Warren Buffet. More about that proposal and how it could impact you?
Plus wildfires along the east coast scorching everything in its path. Any relief in sight. We will have details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Former President George W. Bush is hosting a conference with some of the nation's top economic experts. They're focusing on tax policies and improving economic growth for small businesses.
In a rare public appearance, Mr. Bush said raising taxes on small businesses would hurt the people creating jobs. President Bush also wished the current tax policy wasn't called the Bush tax cuts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: If you raise taxes on the so-called rich, you are really raising taxes on the job creators. I wish they weren't called the Bush tax cuts. They are somebody else's tax cuts. They are probably less likely to be raised.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Obama, of course, has his own ideas to rev up the economy. He is on his way to Florida, a swing state, to push the Buffet Rule.
By now, you know, what it is. Many wealthy people pay less in federal taxes than the average American. Remember when Mr. Obama said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle class households. Right now, Warren Buffet pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. (END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Democrats called the Buffet Rule fair and will push for a Senate vote on Monday. Republicans call it a gimmick. So who is right? Let's ask CNN Money's, Jean Sahadi. Jean, welcome.
JEANNE SAHADI, CNN MONEY: Hi, Carol. How are you doing?
COSTELLO: I'm good. First off, what do millionaires pay now?
SAHADI: Well, it depends on how they earn their income. If they make salaried income like doctors might or some lawyers might, they are going to pay, you know, 35 percent top rate.
Their effective rate will be much higher than people have heard say Mitt Romney's rate is or any other big investor's rate. That's because some millionaires get most of their income from things like capital gains, dividends, tax-free bonds.
So it is those people for which this "Buffet Rule" is targeted according to the White House. It's where people can manipulate their income or structure their income and plan their taxes to lower their bill as much as possible by converting their income to capital gains or to get tax free income.
COSTELLO: Because they are taxed less on those things.
SAHADI: Yes, but --
COSTELLO: Go ahead. Finish.
SAHADI: A lot of millionaires. Most millionaires pay a much higher effective rate than Americans. It is a misnomer to say most millionaires pay less. There are 25 percent of millionaires that pay less than 10 percent of people in the middle income groups. That's what President Obama was referring to. That's the group he is trying to target.
COSTELLO: OK, so how would the "Buffet Rule" change things?
SAHADI: Well, the bill that the Senate is going to vote on next week or the procedural vote they are going to take would basically say millionaires, people that make more than $1 million should pay at least 30 percent of their income in federal taxes.
So they would assess how much those folks pay to income and payroll taxes. They would give them a break for their charitable deductions and they'd say, does this equal 30 percent your tax bill?
If not, you pay the difference. That's how that would work. The Tax Policy Center estimates that about 35 percent of people in the million and up group would pay more taxes relative to what they do today under the "Buffet Rule" that the Senate is considering next week.
COSTELLO: Gotcha. Jeanne Sahadi, thanks for making it clear. We appreciate that.
Of course, that's our talk about the question today. We want to know your opinion on the "Buffett Rule." So the talk back question, is the tax on millionaires a gimmick or is it necessary? Facebook.com/carolcnn, facebook.com/carolcnn. Please comment and I'll read some of your responses later on in our show.
A bit of breaking news to tell you about. We have been talking about Ozzie Guillen, the manager for the Miami Marlins. We know he told "Time" magazine that he respected Fidel Castro. That caused a firestorm in Miami.
People were stomping on the pennants, the Marlins Pennants. They were calling on the Miami Marlins to fire Ozzie Guillen. Well, the Miami Marlins have made a decision and decided to suspend Ozzie Guillen for five games.
John Zarrella is in Miami. He will have more on this at the bottom of the hour. Also Ozzie Guillen is expected to hold a news conference at 10:30 Eastern Time. We will bring that to you live as well.
But for right now, we know the Miami Marlins have suspended manager, Ozzie Guillen, for five games.
Onto other news now. Karl Rove's "Super PAC" is about to release a flood gates on the wave of negative ads slamming President Obama. So how do you declare war on a guy's likability? We'll run that by our "Political Buzz" panel.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Ozzie Guillen, the manager of the Miami Marlins, now knows his fate. Breaking news to tell you about. Let's head to Miami and check in with John Zarrella. What have the Miami Marlins decided?
ZARRELLA: Well, the Marlins have decided, Carol, to suspend Ozzie Guillen, the new manager of the Miami marlins, for five games. Now, we will have to see. He is going to hold his news conference in about six or seven minutes at the stadium.
We are going to have to see how this plays in the community if it is enough. In the Marlins statement, I am going to read a graph from it here. It says the Marlins acknowledge the seriousness of the comments attributed to Guillen. The pain and suffering caused by Fidel Castro cannot be minimized, especially in a community filled with victims of the dictatorship.
So the Marlins again going out and at least acknowledging the fact that what Guillen had said was clearly the wrong thing to say, particularly in Miami, as many people in this community have said to me.
That what people have to understand is that Fidel Castro is to the Cuban community their Adolf Hitler. It is clear and simple as that. Now, whether any more action is taken against Ozzie Guillen, whether Major League baseball does anything, whether this satisfies the community, is still the question that has to be answered -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, John Zarrella, we are going to break away. We know that Ozzie Guillen is expected to talk at the news conference in about 5 minutes.
When he does, when he gets behind that podium, you can see the Miami Marlins organization getting ready for that news conference. When Ozzie Guillen enters the room and begins speaking, we will bring that to you live. We will take a break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: A news conference called by Ozzie Guillen is scheduled to start any minute now. He created quite the uproar when told a reporter, quote, "I respect Fidel Castro."
Moments ago, the Marlins suspended Guillen for five games. We will bring you the conference live once it starts.
In Washington, more embarrassment and another casualty in that wasteful spending scandal of the General Services Administration. David Foley is a deputy commissioner at the GSA, which is supposed to safeguard how your tax dollars are spent. Today, he is on administrative leave. Senate and House committees plan to hold hearings on the agency's spending next week.
Three public school employees in Maryland have cashed in a winning ticket from that record Mega Millions drawing. As you can see, they want to remain anonymous. Each will pocket about $35 million after taxes, but they say they will not retire from the school system.
Brush fires are burning across north eastern states are keeping firefighters pretty darn busy. Look at these amazing pictures. Flames have popped up in several areas of Florida, dry and windy weather, blamed for fueling these wildfires.
Rob Marciano is here to tell us more about these. So fires are burning from what, like, Connecticut, Maine, Florida?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, even as far north as Massachusetts so the entire eastern seaboard. We had such an incredibly warm and at times dry winter into the first month of spring. And that's created quite a problem. Big problems in Long Island, they've said there's a state of emergency now in Suffolk Country. Two homes have been burned there --
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Rob Marciano is here to tell us more about these. So fires are burning from what? Like Connecticut, Maine, Florida?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes even as far north as Massachusetts. So the entire Eastern Seaboard. You know, we've had such an incredibly warm and at times dry winter into the first month of spring. And that's created quite the problem. Big problems in Long Island they've said there's a state of emergency now in Suffolk County, two homes have been there. And we saw a fire burning out there near -- near Brookhaven. In Connecticut, this is a dramatic video shot yesterday. This fire broke out about 6:00 p.m. near Milford, Connecticut, obviously near the Metro North tracks there where they had to suspend service. Also did some evacuations in some -- some of the businesses along the post road there at Route 1.
New Jersey, the Tabernacle and Woodland areas, they saw fires burning. Look at that I mean, this is like stuff you see out west with big tall pine trees getting fires and flames going up 50-100 feet up there. Firefighters not used to doing this kind of work. Kind of like that fire to protect home they're doing a good job of it out there. This is the second major brush fire in Jersey in less than a week.
And in Florida we showed you some of these pictures yesterday, this is some fresh video though. The county line part near Jacksonville and also near Fallujah County and Daytona Beach, fires burning there ferociously. Miami and Dade Counties, as well a brush fire broke out near the turnpike yesterday and dense, and black smoke there creating some problems.
This from the warm March part of that; this is the problem there over 15,000 warm temperature records just for the -- just for month of March and then the winds yesterday, check out some of these numbers; 60-mile-an-hour winds in High Point and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. And there are your red flag warnings from the Metro area, or Tristate area of New York City all the way down into the Carolina.
So today we'll see winds again Carol and not a whole lot of rain in the forecast. The winds will continue, I think, through the week. There may be a renegade shower in some of these spots and especially in New England. But other than that, still dry and still windy.
COSTELLO: Ok we're going to pray for rain man.
MARCIANO: Yes, ma'am.
COSTELLO: Thank you Rob.
MARCIANO: All right.
COSTELLO: Let's head back to Miami where they're preparing to hold a news conference from Miami Marlins Ozzie Guillen, the team's manager is expected to speak at any time. As we've been telling you, he's been suspended by the Miami Marlins for five games for telling "Time" magazine he respected Fidel Castro.
Something that made the community in Miami oh not so happy. In fact it made them unbelievably angry.
John Zarrella is also in Miami; he's been covering this story. Tell us the community reaction, John. JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you have to understand a couple of things, Carol. If you're -- if you're from Miami, it's the worst possible thing that he could have said, A. Coupled with the fact that they have a brand new, more than half a billion dollar stadium paid for by taxpayer dollars from the city of Miami and Miami- Dade County primarily. The stadium is built in the heart of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.
And the team was trying to rebuild or build a brand new fan base out of this Latin-American community. In fact they brought in Ozzie Guillen. One of the main reasons they brought in this Latin-American manager was to be the centerpiece, one of the centerpieces of this rebuilding, of this attraction of the Latin-American fan that they did not have when the stadium was 20 miles further north on the Miami- Dade/Broward County line.
And so this has been disastrous for the Marlins as they set out on this whole new effort to -- to again start basically with a new name, Miami Marlins, not Florida Marlins and with all these other new pieces in place -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, the interesting thing too is Ozzie Guillen was in Philadelphia, the Miami Marlins are on the road. They had an off day and he decided he had to come back to the City of Miami to say something. Because even Ozzie Guillen who is known for saying outrageous things, I mean, he -- he one time expressed support for Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, right?
So he's known for saying these outrageous things. But even he realized he might -- might have gone a step too far. And he decided to come back from Philadelphia, which makes me believe he was talking to Marlins management and they were discussing possible punishments all along.
ZARRELLA: Yes I don't think there is any question about that. And the Marlins knew they had to do something. It was not going to satisfy the community for them to put out a statement, any kind of statement, even saying, well, Ozzie Guillen was absolutely wrong. We understand the community. They had to do something punitive to Ozzie Guillen.
And you know for the first time, you mentioned, he said things in the past. Outrageous all -- many, many times but he never apologizes for anything. And in this case, not only has he apologized a couple of times already, he has done what most sports writers have told me is pretty much unprecedented. He is flying back on a team's off day to apologize again to a community.
Now, the question is going to be is this enough? The Marlins certainly hope it will be enough to finally put the fires out and put this to bed but, you know, unfortunately, it is that phrase, we are going to have to wait and see. There is no other way to explain it.
COSTELLO: You had a list of some of the infractions that Ozzie Guillen was, well, for lack of a better term, guilty of in the past. Can you run those by us again? ZARRELLA: Yes. Yes it -- back in June of 2006, and this is just a sampling, he calls a columnist a homosexual slur. He is fined and took sensitivity training. In May of 2010, he calls an umpire an expletive. He is fined $7,000. April of 2011, just last year, he is suspended for two games for tweeting during a game and again, it's against Major League Baseball rules to have any kind of electronic devices in the dugout, be it a cell phone, a Blackberry, anything. So he's -- he is fined for that.
But you know in none of those cases, in fact, in the one case, where -- where he is --takes sensitivity training, he comes out afterwards. And I've heard him quoted talking about how, I taught the guy who gave me the sensitivity training. I was teaching him some things. So he never apologizes.
COSTELLO: Unbelievable. Well apparently this thing is running late as they always are. It's a packed room in Miami at this news conference. When Ozzie Guillen takes that podium, we're going to go back to Miami and bring you his comments live. John Zarrella, thanks for dancing with me.
ZARRELLA: Yes sure.
COSTELLO: And you'll be back with us soon. We're going to -- we're going to take a break and be back with our "Political Buzz" panel. Actually, we're going to do "Political Buzz" right now. So here we go.
"Political Buzz" is your rapid fire at the best political topic of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock. Playing with us today: Democratic strategist, Robert Zimmerman; Dean Obeidallah with the Arab-American Comedy Festival; and Georgetown professor Chris Metzler, he's -- he leans right.
First question and welcome to all of you.
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, FOUNDER, ARAB-AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL: Thank you.
CHRIS METZLER, PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: Thanks Carol.
COSTELLO: I'm exhausted from the Ozzie Guillen thing. Any who first question, "W" is back. He explained why he has been so quiet the last few years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you get out of office, it's kind of a daunting feeling. I mean you've served, you've given it your all and all of the sudden, you've got some years ahead of you. And I have decided to stay out of the limelight.
I mean I had plenty of the limelight. I don't think it's good frankly for our country to undermine our President. I don't intend to do so. But I do intend to remain involved in areas that I'm interested in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And one of the topics he's interested in is the economy. Last hour, he spoke about ways to build it up. So guys when it comes to advice on the economy, do you turn to George Bush -- Robert?
ZIMMERMAN: Well, you know, there is a Keynesian economic theory that was used to summarize his speech today. It's called chutzpah. I mean are you kidding me? Unless the Democratic National Committee flew him to give this address, I don't know anybody that wants to see George W. Bush talk about the economy. You certainly don't hear the Republican presidential candidates ever quote George W. Bush or talk about going back to the days of the Bush administration.
Of course, what you have to be mindful of is they are all doubling down on the Bush economic theories of tax cuts for the top tier earners and taking for it from and paying for with middle class cuts.
COSTELLO: Chris?
METZLER: Well, actually, I'm glad that "W" is back. We've missed him. But specifically --
ZIMMERMAN: Speak for yourself, Chris.
METZLER: Specifically to the question of the economy, I think actually yes, here is what you lean on him for, to understand that you don't use gimmicks in order to improve the economy. The problem with the Bush economy was that he allowed the Democrats to --
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: Oh Chris, I'm sorry. Ozzie Guillen has finally entered the room in Miami. Let's listen.
OZZIE GUILLEN, MANAGER, MIAMI MARLINS: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)
COSTELLO: All right. So Ozzie Guillen is going to give his apology in Spanish, probably for -- probably that's a smart thing to do.
But of course, you can't understand it unless you're lucky enough to speak Spanish. We're going to have a translation. We are going to have someone listen to this. They're going to translate it for you. We are going to go to a break and we will be back with what he said.
Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We are going to continue our political buzz segment now, your rapid-fire look at the best political topics of the day. Playing with us today, on the left, Democratic strategist Robert Zimmerman; in the middle, Dean Obeidallah with the Arab-American Comedy Festival; and on the right, Georgetown professor, Chris Metzler.
And yes, Ozzie Guillen is still speaking Spanish but we're getting it translated.
Ok. On to the second question though. Polls show voters like President Obama but many do not approve of how he is handling his job. Still voters generally vote for the person they like. So the question is how do Republicans combat Obama's likeability -- Chris?
CHRIS METZLER, GEORGETOWN PROFESSOR: I think if this is a question of substance over style and that's exactly how we do this. What we have to do is, I think you are going to see Governor Romney coming out and portraying himself as he is, as the person who can ultimately fix the economy in the long-term and not just in short spurts. So I think that's one way.
The interesting thing to me is that, you know, All of this so-called lack of likeability is based on the fact that Romney is rich. Ok, all you guys who hate the one percenter so much, you want to be in the one percent.
COSTELLO: Dean.
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, ARAB-AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL: I just want to say to the other question, Carol, I miss George Bush, like Chris does because I am a comedian. I really miss that guy.
Getting back to this question, it is going to be tough. To me President Barack Obama is this likeable mix between Denzel Washington and Harry Potter, you know. Like, he is a cool, black guy but he's a nerdy, geeky guy in there. A lot of people like.
And you know what, ironically this is usually the problem the Democrats have with Al Gore, Dukakis and John Kerry. People didn't feel that warmly about them so Democrats had to appeal to people's issues and logic. You know what; when logic and emotion collide, emotion wins every time, visceral reaction.
People like President Obama. It is going to be really hard -- and I'm being object -- really hard for Republicans to overcome it.
COSTELLO: And Dems are hoping President Obama is the boy who lived -- along the Harry Potter, line that is. I couldn't resist. Robert?
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, it is important to remember, with polling, likeability is your first step. If the public doesn't like you, doesn't relate to you, then they are not going to build the trust and confidence to listen to your proposals about issues.
I think President Obama is more than just likeability. There is a trust and polling reflects this in terms of how he's speaking up for middle class agendas. Speaking up on international affairs and the record that he puts on the table.
Yet, Republicans can make this a very competitive race; ironically, Republicans don't recognize that. Democrats may be a bit too confident they can make it competitive by focusing on the economy and focusing on their positive agenda.
COSTELLO: Ok. Now, for your buzzer beater, 20 seconds each. Third question, the fallout from the GSA Vegas bash keeps falling out. We are seeing more videos from the infamous 2010 conference. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think my role is to make it as challenging an environment for the others as I possibly can. It only makes them a better employee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Ok. The angry clown was part of the $800,000 plus government tab. Maybe he was cheaper than the happy one. I don't know. Anyway, will cash for clowns be a political liability for the Obama campaign -- Dean?
OBEIDALLAH: It looks like a show from the adult swim network. That's amazing. I want to see more of the clown. I'm not kidding you, Carol. I hope we get more footage of it.
They spent $800,000, the GSA, in Vegas. I guess the slogan in Vegas is what happens in Vegas gets paid for by GSA. I think if there is any connection with President Obama, the guy in the clown suit, yes, it is a problem. Barring that, this fades away. The economy is the number one issue everyone says, unemployment issue, jobs issue.
ZIMMERMAN: Look, these videotapes are just vile and disgraceful but the reason it is not going to be an issue in this campaign is because President Obama has a credibility and trust factor that is going to supercede this. No one sees this as a reflection on the administration.
And yes, it will be a partisan talking point. We Democrats tried that with Reagan, during the Reagan administration with the $400 toilet seats that the Pentagon bought -- didn't work. Won't work this time.
COSTELLO: Chris?
METZLER: Yes, I actually think it is going to be a problem because I think it starts to erode that trust. The interesting thing for me is that they actually didn't need to spend all that money for a clown, a comedian, and a mind reader. All they had to do was to go over to Congress and ask them to do it for free because congress is made up of clowns and comedians. COSTELLO: Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Thanks for playing today, Robert, Chris, and Dean.
Sorry for the interruption. We are still translating Ozzie Guillen. I am sure you all will stick around for that.
METZLER: Take care.
COSTELLO: Bringing jobs back to Detroit by opening the city up to a whole new world. We will show you how a group of businessmen are turning the Motor City towards technology.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Marlins manager, Ozzie Guillen suspended for five games for saying he respected Fidel Castro. He is now speaking English at that press conference. Let's listen.
OZZIE GUILLEN, MANAGER, MIAMI MARLINS: I think they made that decision. To me, it is a pretty sad decision because I would have led the (inaudible) to play pretty good baseball right now. I'll not be there for them and that's very important for me to be with the club but that decision has been made.
I respect that decision. I will take it, whatever they want me to do and I cannot complain about anything because right now, I am not in a position to complain or disagree with what they think about me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you mended these fences with the Cuban- American community?
GUILLEN: Pardon me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you mend this fence with the Cuban- American community?
GUILLEN: What does amend mean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you repair your relationship?
GUILLEN: You know what; it is not what will happen today. It is what will happen in the future. It is what is going to happen in the future. I expect to be here for a long time. I live in Miami. My family is in Miami. I will do everything and I will do everything to try to make it better.
I will help Cuban community, Latino community, like I always do. I hope I get better and people understand my situation but I am willing to do everything in my power to help and believe, I will help this community like I always do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ozzie, (inaudible) when you look at this room and the people outside and you hear everything that's been said over the last few days over your comments, what is your reaction to that? GUILLEN: Very embarrassed. Very embarrassed, very sad, because in this room, when I sit in this room in the past, unfortunately, it was all good. It was opening day. Everybody was happy. Every question I was asked was very positive.
Now, I'm sitting here a few days later very embarrassed and very sad in my part because -- it is a funny thing. I told, next time I am going to see this room with this many people, it will be with the (inaudible) trophy next to me. Unfortunately, it is not.
And like I say, I apologize to the peoples here. Outside, whoever is looking at me, I am very, very, very sorry about the problem, about what happening. And I will do everything to make it better. Everything in my power to make it better.
(OFF MIKE)
GUILLEN: I am not going to be paid for the five days. That's the last thing I think about right now. Money to me right now is nothing. I think I can fix my problem with the community. That's more important to me than the suspension or the money.
(OFF MIKE)
COSTELLO: Ok. We are going to go to John Zarrella, because he heard the top of this news conference when Ozzie Guillen was addressing reporters and the Miami community in Spanish. What did he say, John?
ZARRELLA: Yes, you know, Carol, not a surprise that he would start in Spanish, because that is the community that he certainly offended the most with his remarks. What Ozzie Guillen said was, that he, quote, "betrayed the Latin community" and, quote, "asked for forgiveness with my heart in my hand".
He said that he apologized to all of America, not just people in the Miami-Cuban community, Latin-American community but all of America. Of course, we heard what he said then in English reiterating.
And Carol, as you and I both know, this is a different Ozzie Guillen than you have probably ever seen before. He was contrite. He answered the questions respectfully that are being asked of him. In many cases in the past, he would have just fired back and not taken any of this. In this case, a very, very different Ozzie Guillen -- Carol.
COSTELLO: What was interesting too, he said he is not being paid for these five days and he's not thinking about money. He really wants people to believe him when he says he believes what he is getting in punishment from the Miami Marlins. He also said he realized that it will take a long time to repair the damage within the community. And he also said he was embarrassed.
And you're right. Ozzie Guillen, I have never heard him say he is embarrassed about anything. ZARRELLA: No, no, absolutely not. But clearly, he understands that there is a lot at stake here. He has got to rebuild the bridges with the Miami Cuban community in particular. He has got to start doing it immediately. I would not be surprised if you don't see him out in the public in Little Havana on quite a few occasions in the near future -- Carol.
COSTELLO: John Zarrella thanks so much. We're going to take a break. We'll be back with your "Talk Back" responses after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We asked you to "Talk Back" about one of the big stories of the day. The question today: "Are you for or against the Buffett Rule?"
This from Paul, "The Buffett Rule is more about principle; it's not a gimmick. But it also isn't a solution. The tax code is overly complex and hides immeasurable levels of corruption and shady deals."
This from Chris, "When someone can show me that our government will not continue to spend more than it takes in, then I will agree to increase taxes on the rich. Good luck."
This from Will, "Look, if the Oracle of Omaha says drinking tea made from cow manure will make me a better investor, I am going to do it. Ignoring his ideas is about as dumb as telling Marlins fans they get discount tickets on Fidel Castro's birthday."
Thank you for your responses and keep the conversation going, Facebook.com/carolCNN.
Stories we are working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.
At 2:55 Eastern, President Obama pushes for the so-called Buffett Rule. It would make the wealthy pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes.
At 5:00 p.m. Eastern, the other "Titanic" memorial cruise sets sail from New York City. And at 6:30 Eastern, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton holds a Trayvon Martin round table to discuss the lessons learned from his life and death.
The next hour of NEWSROOM starts right now.
