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New Scandal over Soldiers' Photos; Missing N.C. Soldier May Be in Danger; Secret Service Probe Turns to Brothel; Warren Buffett: I'm Fighting Cancer; Obama's Plan to Reduce Gas Prices; "Time" Names 100 Most Influential People; Rent the Sun by Leasing Solar Panels; Moyer Oldest Ever to Win MLB Game; "Linvitation"

Aired April 18, 2012 - 09:00   ET

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

ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Soledad. Thank you. Good morning. I'm Zoraida Sambolin, Carol is on assignment. Happening right now in the NEWSROOM, breaking news.

New pictures of U.S. troops in Afghanistan posing with the bodies of suicide bombers. This morning the military in damage control.

Suspicions and concern. Fort Bragg, North Carolina, today looking for one of its own after a mysterious disappearance. Where is 23-year-old Army Private Kelli Bordeaux?

Scandal shocker. Brand new details this morning on that widening Secret Service investigation. We're now learning the agents will take lie detector tests. We're live in Colombia with that story.

Ted Nugent, not backing down after his controversial comments about President Obama. New reaction from the rocker himself now calling Obama's appointments communist czars.

And the most influential. Bashar al-Assad, Tim Tebow, Adelle, "TIME" magazine's big list of moguls, breakouts, icons, pioneers and leaders. Brand new this morning. And we're talking to the editor.

And Lin-vitation. The New York Knicks sensation possibly heading south to the College of William and Mary, not for basketball but for a date at the senior formal.

NEWSROOM begins right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

SAMBOLIN: We begin with breaking news. A new scandal is erupting for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. They are photos showing U.S. soldiers posing with and mocking the bodies of suicide bombers.

First two disclaimers here. CNN has not independently authenticated the photos and second they are graphic and we have blurred them for you.

These images published on a "Los Angeles Times" Web site, just about 90 minute minutes ago are more than ghoulish. Previous scandals like this had fueled violent retaliation against U.S. troops. Given the high stakes the "L.A. Times" defends its decision to publish saying, quote, "After careful consideration we decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan, including the allegation that the images reflect a breakdown in unit discipline that was endangering U.S. troops."

Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon.

And, Barbara, military leaders condemned these images, we understand, even before they became public. Tell us what you know.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zoraida, that's right. Early this morning, long before "The L.A. Times" came out we started receiving statements from top officials in Afghanistan and even from the spokesman for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta who is now traveling in Europe. His spokesman, George Little, telling us, quote, "An investigation that could lead to disciplinary measures is under way. Anyone found responsible for this inhuman conduct will be held accountable in accordance with our military justice system."

So clearly they have every reason to believe these photos are legitimate. They believe they were taken in 2010 in eastern Afghanistan by members of the 82nd Airborne Division being involved in this incident. That's what "The L.A. Times" reported. The military not pushing back on those details. An investigation under way.

You know under the Geneva Convention, it is not permitted obviously for any kind of degrading or dehumanizing behavior towards corpses in a war zone." So this all was a violation of military regulation if it's proven.

One of the wrinkles here could be, this may involve young troops who may no longer even be in the military. They may be out now in the civilian world. But one more time we see these kind of situations. You know there have been a number of them. I think we can tick through some of them for you. We saw a couple of years ago in southern Afghanistan the so-called kill team. They were posing with dead bodies.

There have been other incidents. There have been incidents where that Marine Corps video, the Marines were urinating on dead corpses. We had the incident of the Qurans being burned and riots breaking out after that and most recently the tragic death of 17 Afghan civilians allegedly at the hands of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales.

So these incidents have continued across Afghanistan and have really come to pose a very sensitive challenge for U.S. commanders in that war -- Zoraida.

SAMBOLIN: A threat on both sides actually. As we look at the pictures, Barbara, we actually see some of the faces there of the soldiers. Have any of them been identified? STARR: Well, we don't know, Zoraida, if the U.S. military itself has been able to figure out yet exactly who they are. But I can tell you from past examples sadly they usually are pretty quick at determining it. Go back to that Marine Corps video of Marines urinating on dead corpses. Within a couple of days the Marines had nailed down exactly who those guys were.

The fact that they were wearing sunglasses, that their faces were obscured, the military has a way of looking at those uniforms. They know the insignias, they know where these people are serving, 82nd Airborne in Salvo Province in 2010 in Afghanistan. They are likely to be able to figure out exactly who they were.

SAMBOLIN: And Barbara, I just want to put that picture up again if we have a moment. I don't know if you can see it or not.

STARR: I can.

SAMBOLIN: But we are showing -- OK. So we are showing the faces. We're showing a blurred image. And if you could explain to us what that blurred image is, please.

STARR: Well, by all accounts, according to the "L.A. Times," this is the body of a dead insurgent. Looks and appears to be that they are holding up his legs. But let me point out to our viewers another very interesting element in this photograph. So many times this involves U.S. troops. But if by all accounts you see Afghans in that photo.

Look at the man on the far right, in the dark jacket with the lighter blue/gray uniform and cap. That is a traditional dress potentially of local Afghan security officials or Afghan troops. I have seen that uniform many, many times. We do not know the identity of this Afghan man but that's a very typical uniform worn by Afghans. So it may be that we see a situation here where both U.S. and Afghan forces were involved in this.

SAMBOLIN: All right. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon for us. Thank you very much.

And also this morning, another story involving Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Police are searching for 23-year-old Army Private Kelli Bordeaux. They fear that she may be in danger. She was last seen Saturday morning leaving a bar with an employee.

Her family says she got spooked during that ride and told the driver to let her out before she got home. Bordeaux was reported missing on Monday morning when she failed to report for duty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVIA COX, SISTER OF MISSING SOLDIER: She's an amazing soldier. Being a soldier to Kelli is something she wouldn't jeopardize for anything. Missing work is not something that is in character for Kelli. Her friends and family love her very much. If anybody knows anything, please contact the Fayetteville Police Department. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SAMBOLIN: The Army says Bordeaux sent a text message saying, "got home safely." but the family believes she never really made it back to her apartment. Local police have searched that apartment and Bordeaux's vehicle.

And now the scandal involving Colombian prostitutes and the Secret Service. Agents have a sworn duty to take a bullet for the president but apparently investigators have little trust in their word. Lie detector tests are now being ordered for the officers who range from newbies to longtime veterans.

CNN's Athena Jones is at the White House.

And Athena, the administration is defending the agency and the director. Tell us about it.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. As you know the president has been back in the states for more than a week. But of course questions about this are going to continue as the investigation unfolds. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked about this in yesterday's briefing. And he said that the president has confidence in the director of the Secret Service, Mark Sullivan, that he acted swiftly -- he responded quickly in response to this incident and that he's taking part in this investigation that's unfolding.

And so they are really standing behind Director Sullivan. I should mention that on the other side of the aisle at least one Republican representative, Peter King, who was the chairman of the -- of the Homeland Security Committee on the House side, has said that he doesn't hold Mark Sullivan responsible for this at all.

And has also reiterated that support saying that he's acting quickly. And Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, has just commented on this just a few minutes ago in a radio interview. He said that the president has confidence in the Secret Service as do I. And I believe that the right corrective action will be taken here.

Romney went on to say that of course everyone is disappointed in what the -- what the Secret Service has alleged to have done, these members over in Colombia -- Zoraida.

SAMBOLIN: All right, Athena Jones at the White House for us. Thank you very much.

In just about 10 minutes from now we'll talk to Miriam Wells with "Columbia Reports." That is the world's main English new sorts on Columbia and she'll give us the view from within the country.

And it is nine minutes past the hour. Here's what else is happening this morning.

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is riding some new momentum this morning. He's boasting new endorsements from the top Republicans in the White House and the Senate. John Boehner and Mitch McConnell respectively. And the support appears to be growing outside the beltway as well.

According to a CNN/ORC poll, 44 percent of people questioned say they have a favorable view of the presumptive nominee. That's up 10 percentage points from February.

And billionaire Warren Buffett says he feels great and is downplaying his diagnosis of stage 1 prostate cancer. The legendary investor notified shareholders of his condition yesterday and told them it is not life-threatening. He says he'll begin daily radiation treatments this summer.

And as early as today George Zimmerman could have a new judge in his murder case. The "Orlando Sentinel" is reporting Circuit Court Judge Jessica Recksiedler will step down. The attorney defending Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin shooting made the request because the judge is married to a partner in the firm of local attorney Mark Nejame. He is providing legal analysis to us here at CNN.

And Ted Nugent isn't backing off what he said about President Obama and his administration. The rocker, NRA activist and Romney backer said he'd be either dead or in jail if Obama is re-elected. That part of his rant reportedly got the Secret Service's attention. Nugent says he didn't threaten anyone and he slammed his critics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TED NUGENT, ROCKER/ACTIVIST: I'm a black Jew at a Nazi clan rally. And there are some power abusing, corrupt monsters in our federal government that despise me because I have the audacity to speak the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAMBOLIN: Well, the Romney campaign put out a statement saying the candidate believes everyone needs to be civil.

Another rocker isn't ranting. He is relieved and thankful. Tom Petty and his band The Heartbreakers had their hearts broken when someone stole five of their guitars, three of them were vintage models from the 1960s. Police in Culver City, California, found all of them, they arrested and booked a security guard for grand theft.

And across much of the south it may be too much of a good thing. The region is getting much needed rain but the downpours have been so strong and the ground so parched that some areas are now dealing with flooding.

Meteorologist Rob Marciano is in the Weather center.

Be careful what you pray for, right, Rob?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, often you get it all at one time, Zoraida.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SAMBOLIN: OK, thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: You got it.

SAMBOLIN: And coming up, brand new details this morning on that widening Secret Service sex scandal and investigation. We're now learning agents are being offered lie detector tests and had visited a brothel. We're live in Colombia with that story.

And also, a million dollar lottery winner is charged with welfare fraud. Michigan officials say she kept getting benefits along with her winnings.

And billionaire Warren Buffett reveals he has prostate cancer. How advance it is and how he plans to fight it. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Checking our top stories in THE NEWSROOM.

"The L.A. Times" just released on its Web site gruesome photos which we have blurred showing U.S. soldiers posing with body parts of Afghan suicide bombers. "The Times" says a soldier provided the photos. The U.S. military is condemning the release and conducting an investigation.

GSA officials face a third day of grilling on Capitol Hill beginning in the next hour. A Senate panel takes up wasteful and lavish spending by the government agency and its fiscal budget for 2013.

And a million dollar lottery winner has been charged with welfare fraud. Amanda Clayton is accused of failing to report her earnings to Michigan officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EULINE CLAYTON, AMANDA CLAYTON'S MOTHER: When I spoke with her, she said she called the welfare office and they don't return your phone calls. So, what are you supposed to do?

REPORTER: So, she tried to report it?

CLAYTON: She tried to report it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAMBOLIN: Clayton faces two felony counts.

And we'll find out today the third and final winner of that record $656 million Mega Millions jackpot. The lucky person will receive a check for $218 million. The big presentation will take place in the small town of Red Bud, Illinois, at 11:00 Eastern.

And a Colombian brothel is now at the center of a prostitution scandal rocking the Secret Service. A source tells us 11 agency members already under investigation went to the play club. Their clearances have also been pulled.

I'm joined now by Miriam Wells, with "Colombia Reports". It is the world's main English news source in Colombia.

First of all, welcome. Thank you for being with us this morning.

MIRIAM WELLS, MANAGING EDITOR, COLOMBIA REPORTS: Good morning, Zoraida. Hello.

SAMBOLIN: Hello.

So, what can you tell us about this brothel?

WELLS: Well, Zoraida, Cartagena has long been a prostitution hub in Cartagena. So these kinds of destinations are extremely common. Prostitution is legal in zones in the city, which is where these types of destinations are found.

It's a typical strip club with added services. Men can go and watch women dance. If they can't anything extra, they can pay to take the women out of the club back to their hotels.

Although this is being portrayed as a seedy destination in the U.S. and European media, actually, by Colombian terms, it's not. The drinks are expensive, around $20 to $75 a bottle. Dances cost $40. That's expensive by Colombian standards.

What else about the club, it hosts different types of theme parties. You got t-shirt parties, beach parties, women dressed as school girls, bunnies, there's a giant shower where the dances were performed and you can hire private rooms which are described as nice and comfortable for the best moments of your party.

SAMBOLIN: OK. There are reports that the Secret Service members not only visited that brothel but revealed their identities. Do you have anymore information on that?

WELLS: Well, Zoraida, yes. As we know, there are reports that the agents and soldiers bragged to the women that we're with Obama. We're here to protect him. There's no more reports coming out on whether that's true.

But it looks like we might find out more given new news that the women that were taken back to the hotel left their Colombian identity documents with the hotel reception. That's quite a common practice in Cartagena where prostitutes are allowed to enter hotels between hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

So, now that Colombian investigators have those details, we have U.S. investigators in Cartagena right now checking out the details of those identities and looking for the women.

So hopefully, should they be found they'll be the ones that can tell us just how much Obama security was compromised with any information the men gave them.

SAMBOLIN: Now, I know that you say that you were surprised at how brazen the Secret Service members allegedly were. Can you explain that and why?

WELLS: Well, I mean, I have to say I wasn't surprised that prostitutes were being engaged by members of the Secret Service. I know, they believe their reputation, you know, for very important reasons they have extremely high standards of behavior, but I think it's naive to believe that those aren't broken.

And -- but I do think it was extremely brazen in the days before Obama even arrived. The first official visit to Colombia and they take 21 women back to the hotel where they are staying. I mean, that's a level of audacity I think would shock anyone.

I mean, Colombians, I have to say, aren't surprised. Gringos or American tourists have a strong reputation here as coming to the country solely to take drugs and sleep with women, particularly prostitutes. And Colombians I have been speaking to aren't surprised by what the U.S. agents did. (INAUDIBLE) They say they sleep with prostitutes.

As far as they are concerned, this isn't embarrassing for Colombia. This is embarrassing for the U.S.

SAMBOLIN: All right. Miriam, interesting to see the perspective there in Colombia. We appreciate it. Miriam Wells with "Colombia Reports" -- thanks for your time.

A health care for billionaire investor Warren Buffett. He says he's now fighting cancer. His prognosis is coming up.

And two men want to take this guy to court. He's the executive producer of "The Bachelor." They claim race plays a role in who gets on that show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Billionaire Warren Buffett revealed he is battling prostate cancer. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO says it is stage one and was spotted earlier.

Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us this morning.

Thanks for being with us.

Buffett and his doctors say they're going to begin radiation treatment in mid-July. It's stage one, early detection. What's the prognosis?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Zoraida, his prognosis is excellent. If you look at men diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer, 99 percent of them are alive five years later. And that's because prostate cancer grows very, very slowly and stage one means that it hasn't left the prostate. It's really well contained within the prostate.

So his prognosis really is very, very good.

SAMBOLIN: Now, he said he was starting his treatment in the summer. What kind of treatment will he be getting and I suppose it's OK to wait that long?

COHEN: It is OK to wait that long. It's not clear why he's waiting that long. But, you know, doctors we've talked to said that it's not a terrible thing to wait that long.

He's going to be getting radiation. So, that's not an uncommon treatment and what happens is that he'll go in about once a day for five days a week and you get the radiation and most men are able to carry on their daily lives and go to work and whatnot. Often, they really don't feel much of an effect.

And so, this radiation again is every day for five days. And so, it does, you know, curtail your ability to travel. That would be about it.

SAMBOLIN: You know what, Elizabeth, we just put a graphic up -- I suppose it was showing different options and treatment from prostate cancer. Can you talk to us about those?

COHEN: Yes, let's talk about those.

So, there are many different treatments for options for prostate cancer. So, there's radiation, which is what he's doing. And then, surgery, which is what some men do. They just have the prostate gland removed.

And also, there's something called watchful waiting. And, Zoraida, this surprises a lot of people. Sometimes when men have stage one prostate cancer, they don't do anything. They just have the doctor watch the cancer. See how it is doing and that's because treatment for prostate cancer can do more harm than the cancer itself.

The treatment like radiation that he's going to be getting, that can cause incontinence, it can cause impotence, and some men say I don't want to mess with that. This cancer probably isn't going to do me any harm. I'll just watch and wait and see if it gets worse.

Now, it's hard to make these decisions about what to do. If you go to CNN.com/EmpoweredPatient, we have an article that explains all of the different options and all the thinking behind what options to choose.

SAMBOLIN: And his options, the ones that he chooses, anything to do with his age at all?

COHEN: You know, this is an option that is often chosen by older men. He's 81. Younger men sometimes try to do surgery instead. So, it does have something to do with his age most likely.

SAMBOLIN: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, as usual, thank you very much for the information.

COHEN: Thank you.

SAMBOLIN: All right. We're following breaking news this morning for you. New pictures of U.S. troops in Afghanistan posing with the bodies of suicide bombers. The military is now in damage control.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Opening bell ringing on Wall Street. Stocks set for a lower open today as investors wait the wait the latest round of corporate earnings.

And checking top stories, "The L.A. Times" has just released gruesome photos on its Web site which we have blurred. They are showing U.S. soldiers posing with body parts of Afghan suicide bombers. "The Times" says a soldier provided the photos to them.

The U.S. military is condemning the release and also conducting an investigation.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says he'll begin radiation treatments this summer for his newly discovered prostate cancer. He told shareholders he feels great and that his stage one diagnosis is not life-threatening.

GSA officials face a third day of grilling on Capitol Hill beginning in the next hour. A Senate panel takes up wasteful spending by the government agency and its fiscal budget for the next year.

And with gas prices up nearly 19 percent this year, President Obama is unveiling his plan to help consumers and put an end to a practice he says is driving those prices higher.

Christine Romans joins me.

And we're always talking about this, right? Is it a ploy, is it a tactic, is it election year?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It is an election year and gas prices are high. And so, the president is voting into -- you know, is tapping into voter anger about those high gas prices and trying to say, look, we're going to hold speculators accountable for driving up gas prices.

Whenever you see gas prices going up, you have people complaining about speculators. So, how much does speculators drive up prices?

Well, the St. Louis Federal Reserve took a look at those economists there, took a look at the big run-up from 2004 to 2008, remember, with record above $4 a gallon and said that 15 percent of that rise was oil speculation.

The number one driver for oil prices: world demand. The world wants to be like the United States. They want to grow big middle classes. People are using energy a lot more energy, fossil fuels. That's the big reason why oil prices are higher.

But the president is specifically targeting manipulation and speculators. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can't afford a situation where speculators artificially manipulate markets by buying up oil and creating a perception of a shortage and driving prices higher, only to flip oil for a quick profit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: So, what the president wants to do, he wants to limit positions for speculators. He wants to go after manipulators. Two different things: speculators are a normal part of doing business in a very big, oil market around the world.

Manipulating is a different thing altogether and he wants more power for the commodity futures trading commission, the CFTC, which monitors all of this and of course, his critics are saying, mostly Republicans are saying, drilling more, we need more supply. We don't need to go after speculators. We need more supply.

So, you are seeing two different world views and sharp contrast in an election year over this issue. And all of these things the president is talking about, any kind of legislation, it is, of course, a divided Congress. Not expected to go anywhere.

SAMBOLIN: So, my big question becomes: what do we do? Right? Because we're kind of caught in the middle.

ROMANS: And that's a really good question, too, because we already seeing Americans adjusting how they behave. We are driving fewer miles. We are taking more public transport.

In the most recent year, 10.4 billion trips on public transport in the U.S. That's the highest since 2008. That's a lot. We're driving more fuel efficient cars and smaller cars.

Slowly, slowly, people are adjusting because I guess people feel like high gas prices could be here to stay.

SAMBOLIN: It becomes a game changer for us, doesn't it?

All right. Christine Romans, thank you very much as usual.

It is 33 minutes past the hour. In our next hour, I'll get some reaction to the president's plan from petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan. That is coming up at 10:15 Eastern, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And this police dog is literally taking a bite out of crime. Take a look at this. How one Kentucky carjacker's joyride came to an end. That's ahead for you.

Plus, Pippa Middleton may be in hot water over that gun incident in Paris. But one magazine says she is as important as President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A look at "TIMEs" list of the 100 most influential people in the world is coming up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Modern buildings have degenerated into boring boxes and all the quality that makes the space inhabitable is this like onslaught of machinery that pumps air and light into the building. So, what we're interested in is what you could call engineering without engines. That essentially we use contemporary technology, our capacity to simulate and calculate the performance of a building to put the attribute into the actual design of the building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Two men accused reality TV's the "Bachelor" and the "Bachelorette" of intentionally excluding people of color. Now, they plan to sue.

"Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer is in New York with all of the details.

A.J., break it down. What is this about?

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Well, Zoraida, a couple of would-be bachelors say that they were given the brush off during their interviews to be on the show because they're black. One plaintiff is Nathaniel Claybrooks. She's a former college football player who most recently for the minor league Nashville Storm team. The other is Christopher Johnson. He is described in the news release as an aspiring National Football League player.

Claybrooks and Johnson both are African-American will seek class action status for this suit according to their lawyers, and they are saying that the lawsuit will be filed in a U.S. district court today on behalf of all persons of color who have applied for the role of the "Bachelor" or "Bachelorette," but been denied the equal opportunity for selection on the basis of race.

So, Zoraida, obviously, it's going to be very interesting to see who else comes forward here and exactly how big this thing gets.

SAMBOLIN: It is interesting, because they argue that over a combined total of 23 seasons, neither show has ever had a bachelor or bachelorette of color.

HAMMER: And we asked ABC about that. The network is not commenting right now.

But can you imagine the discovery process in this case? From what I have seen, the internal e-mails that people at ABC have written about the show could become available to the defense and, Zoraida, we know how people aren't always very careful about what they write in their e-mails. So, it could lead to some pretty embarrassing revelations down the road.

SAMBOLIN: An interesting reading.

So, you are also following the drama on "Dancing with the Stars." There were dueling dances last night. Explain.

HAMMER: Yes. It's a new format for the show. The judges actually get a chance to make the final decision. Last night, it was Jaleel White versus Gavin DeGraw. They did a dance off.

Now, Zoraida, the show implements this kind of change to avoid the shocking eliminations that we sometimes see on these shows where people who are really the fan favorites all through the season suddenly get eliminated.

SAMBOLIN: I could watch this forever. I never get to watch it because I'm asleep. So, I appreciate having it on. Thank you.

HAMMER: You're welcome.

SAMBOLIN: And thank you.

A.J. will be back with us in the next hour with more showbiz headlines, including shocking revelations from a "Desperate Housewife." Vanessa Williams revealing she was molested as a child and that is just a beginning.

And what happens when you combine a carjacker and member of a canine unit from the local police? We're going to show you what happened just ahead.

And where can you find Syria's Bashar al Assad, Warren Buffett, and Claire Danes in the same place at same place at the same time? It's kind of a hint there. They're all part of "TIME" magazine's 100 most influential people for 2012.

We'll talk to the assisting managing editor about what it took to make the cut.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Forty-three minutes past the hour.

Checking our top stories:

"The L.A. Times" has just released gruesome photos on its Web site which we have blurred. They are showing U.S. soldiers posing with body parts of Afghan suicide bombers. "The Times" says a soldier provided the photos.

The U.S. military is condemning the release and conducting an investigation.

And we're learning more about the Secret Service prostitution scandal. Eleven members are being offered lie detector tests after reportedly going to a brothel in Colombia ahead of the president's trip there. They are also accused of bringing prostitutes back to their hotel rooms.

Top of the hour to you, GSA officials face a third day of grilling on Capitol Hill. A Senate panel takes up wasteful and lavish spending by the government agency and looks at its fiscal budget for 2013.

A Kentucky police chase ends with some help from a four-legged friend. Look at this. Officers say a carjacker stole a woman's SUV and after stopping was attacked by a police dog. Officers had to cut through that suspect's shorts to set him free.

He was treated for dog bites and then he was hauled off to jail.

And a rescue crew will resume efforts today to free this gray whale after it began caught in fishing lines off of California. Part of that line was around the whale's fin and also in its mouth. That has been freed. Rescuers say that the whale is actually in good health.

And it is that time again. "TIME" magazine has just named its 100 most influential people in the world for 2012. Take a look at the cover. "TIME's" editors pare down a long list of names. Some you have never heard of before. Others you might be tired of hearing of.

Rana Foroohar is "TIME's" assistant managing editor.

And, first of all, is that list in any particular order?

RANA FOROOHAR, TIME ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR: We put it in categories. Moguls, leaders, visionaries, you know, to groups of people depending on the type of influence that they have.

SAMBOLIN: All right. So the list is super varied. Adele is on there. Both Obamas along with Mitt Romney, Benjamin Netanyahu, Warren Buffett and then you have people like Claire Danes, Pippa Middleton and the woman who created Spanx. So can you define influential?

FOROOHAR: Well first of all, she's one of my personal favorites, I will say.

(CROSSTALK)

SAMBOLIN: Mine too, mine too by the way.

FOROOHAR: First female billionaire. There's a lot of women on the list this year as well. You know influence can come in many different shapes and forms across a variety of fields -- economics, politics, arts, culture.

The way we think about influence is someone who is really paradigm-shifting in their area. And also it's important for the influence to be lasting because in the age of social media influence is easier than ever to achieve. But it also very ephemeral so we try and look for people whose influence has legs.

SAMBOLIN: So you mentioned women, right? There are a lot of women on the list this year probably more than ever before.

FOROOHAR: Yes.

SAMBOLIN: Is that coincidental?

FOROOHAR: I don't think so, I think this has been building for a few years now and it really reflects the increase in female political and economic power. It's growing exponentially across the world. We have a lot of female leaders both abroad and here at home and a lot of business leaders which really reflects the fact that as we have in a recent "Time" cover, you know women are the major earners now and they have more economic power.

SAMBOLIN: We think of Pippa Middleton who has been in the news a lot lately. How do you separate the famous or the notorious from the influential?

FOROOHAR: Well, we do have some notorious rogues in our rogues gallery. And by in large most of the people who make the list are on it because their influence is in some way positive. But it doesn't have to be. You know we have certain autocratic leaders, we have -- we have as I say our rogue gallery.

So influence can come across a wide variety of field. There's a big party. And we invite a lot of people to join.

Yes actually let's talk about some of those. Syria's Bashar al- Assad, North Korea's Kim Jong-Un on there. Mullah Mohammed Omar of the Taliban are on there as well. So not a popularity contest.

FOROOHAR: Absolutely not a popularity contest. Influence doesn't have to be positive. These are important leaders that are changing world events and shifting paradigms abroad. So it's important that they be on the list.

SAMBOLIN: Ok and I thought this was interesting, you have the readers vote on the top 100 and they chose the Internet hacking group Anonymous. Did that one surprise you?

FOROOHAR: It did a little bit. I mean, you know, when you think about it, maybe not because again in the age of the Internet and in the age of social media people can grab influence and do with it what they will. I think that that really reflects this.

SAMBOLIN: And then the burning question is the person of the year on this list?

FOROOHAR: Well, our person of the year this year was the protester and while that person is not on the list, it's not one person, there are a lot of people who are involved in protesting for women's rights abroad, for education for children, so in a way yes. In terms of next year, I'm not going to reveal that.

SAMBOLIN: Wow, that's what I wanted to know.

FOROOHAR: It's too early.

SAMBOLIN: I figure you work on that very, very early. All right, Rana Foroohar thank you.

FOROOHAR: We start. We start.

SAMBOLIN: Yes I know.

FOROOHAR: Thank you.

SAMBOLIN: Thanks for joining us today. We appreciate it.

FOROOHAR: Thank you.

SAMBOLIN: So it's a huge decision for a college senior.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here's the deal.

This is it. This is the moment that will change our lives forever.

Senior formal, I got to thinking, who am I going to take?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAMBOLIN: Oh my goodness. How about Knicks star Jeremy Lin? Wait until you hear this student's video "Linvitation"; that's coming up in sports.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: Are you tired of being totally dependent on your electric company? Solar panels are a simple green solution and they're now more affordable with leasing. Photo Journalist Floyd Yarmouth (ph) has more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VADIM POLIKOV, PRESIDENT & CEO, ASTRUM SOLAR: Solar power is making power from the sun. It is creating electricity that the sun shines down, converts into electricity here on the home and it's going to power this home.

Solar power is a green energy because it basically uses no fuel; it just takes the power from the sun. Doesn't emit any gases, any carbon dioxide, any pollutants.

The sun shines, it sends energy through photons, those photons hit the solar panels, convert into electricity, the electricity travels into your electric box and from there it's powering all of the devices in your home. If you actually produce more solar than you use, you're going to send a little bit of that back out to the grid and your electric meter will actually spin backwards. You get a credit for that time from your electric company.

At night when you're not producing electricity, you're pulling the electricity from the grid. So most homes are hybrids. They have a part of their electricity from these relay company and a part from solar.

The affordability of it has really gotten to be on a different level in the last several years. Leasing opens up a whole new class of consumers that just weren't available to solar. They may want to go solar, they may want to go green, they may want to be more independent from their utility company, but they didn't want to spend the money.

LOUIS STACHOWIAK, HOUSE OWNER: I'd like to be able to produce my own electricity if I could. So the best thing I could do is put solar panels up. I'm hoping to save 40 percent to 50 percent on my electric bill. With the lease, the maintenance on it is going to done for the next 20 years. I don't have to worry about it, it's being done. It just made sense, economic sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAMBOLIN: High gas prices got you fuming mad? President Obama's blaming oil speculators. He wants more federal supervision of oil markets. But would that help or hurt you at the gas pump? And what about the oil companies? We'll talk with a senior petroleum analyst that's in our next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SAMBOLIN: We are just about to wrap up the first hour of NEWSROOM, but before we head to Jeff and today's "Big Play" report, I want to hand over the reins to my colleague, Don Lemon in Atlanta. Good morning to you Don.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Everything old is new again. Look at us working together again. Zoraida and I are --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: -- old pals from Chicago. We worked together many moons ago. Good to see you, Zoraida. Have a great morning ok.

SAMBOLIN: Thank you. You too.

LEMON: Jeff Fischel is here. Jeff, you know, Jamie Moyer is giving hope for us old guys. I love it. I love it.

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORT: You know, you didn't just win one for the ages, he won one for the ageless. The 49-year-old Jamie Moyer gets to win. He becomes the oldest Major League pitcher to ever win a Major League game. He was masterful against the Padres. No earned runs and seven innings. The Rockies go on to win. Jamie won his first Major League win June 16th, 1986. Six of his Colorado Rockies teammates were not even born yet. He was hurt all last year and many thought he would just retire, but he says the only thing he has ever done and he can still live the dream so why not. Congrats to Moyer.

Ozzie Guillen back managing the Marlins after a five game suspension for his pro Fidel Castro comments -- there is Ozzie. He apologized again before the game. No formal protests outside the park. Attendance was small at last night's game.

Marlins star Hanley Ramirez sent the fans home though happy with a mammoth three run homer that broke the tie in the eighth inning. That set off that hideous homerun sculpture out there in the outfield. They just (inaudible). Trying to come out with a name for it --

LEMON: What is that thing?

FISCHEL: We showed it off the other day how it swirls around. Fish beat the Cubs 5-2.

You know, the NFL schedule is out. Here are the games fans are already buzzing about. Opening Sunday night game, Broncos hosting the Steelers. It's a rematch from last year's play-offs except the Broncos now have Peyton Manning at quarterback instead of Tim Tebow.

Cam Newton and the Panthers head to Washington where we expect the Redskins will have Robert Griffin III as their new quarterback.

And how about this for Thanksgiving day. Two teams that just don't like each other very much -- the Patriots and the Jets.

LEMON: What teams like each other.

FISCHEL: Well, you know. The Patriots and Jets have a special kind of rivalry. They save that for each other .

And speaking of getting nasty. Last night, NHL playoffs, Raffy Torres for Phoenix, vicious hit on Marin Hossa. Torres left his feet, had contact with Hossa's head. Those are no-nos in the NHL. It should have been a penalty. Hossa was taken to the hospital, later released and sent home. The game decided in overtime.

Coyotes player Mikkel Boedker, he throws it into the net; there you see Hossa on the ground. There's Boedker, right in and that's what wins it. Phoenix takes a 2-1 lead in the series.

Finally --

LEMON: Oh no. Don't say it. Don't say it.

FISCHEL: A Linvitation -- yes we do.

Lina's a senior at the College of William and Mary. She's a fine student. She is asking New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin to a senior formal. She and Lin may not have much in common on the court as you'll see here, she's not much of a hoops player. But she did make a creative video which includes an assist from her college president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYLOR REVELEY, PRESIDENT, COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY: Come on down to William and Mary, Jeremy. Come see the beauties of the colonial capital and meet our women.

LINA, STUDENT: Thank you President Reveley. So there you have it. Jeremy, will you be my date to the formal?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISCHEL: all right. We don't know -- we don't know if Jeremy Lin will say yes or not, but we do know the William and Mary president is very proud of the women on his campus.

LEMON: Did he just say meet our women?

FISCHEL: He did. He did say that.

LEMON: Linough already.

FISCHEL: See, you had to do it. See you couldn't hold back.

LEMON: All right. Take it easy.

The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.