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Amidst Protests in Chicago, NATO Summit Discusses Future of Afghanistan; Dharun Ravi Gets 30 Days in Jail for Bias Intimidation; 3 Climbers Dead on Mt. Everest; John Edwards Verdict Watch; Notre Dame Sues Obama Administration; NAACP Backs Same Sex Marriage; "El Loco" Accused Of 49 Murders; Boat Fueled By Sun; Booker Walks Back Campaign Slam; Second Obama Ad Targeting Bain; Joplin Rebounding From Tornado; Strauss-Kahn Faces Gang Rape Accusations

Aired May 21, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Suzanne, thank you so much.

Hello, everyone. A lot happening this hour. First, gripping moments inside a court as this particular college student is learning he's going to be facing 30 days behind bars for spying on his roommate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I want is justice. Many people are watching and I'm asking the court do the right thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was watching him helplessly. All I could do was just hug him and cry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't heard you apologize once.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: After the judge ripped this young man, Dharun Ravi, he sentenced the former Rutgers student. The question we're asking today, is the sentence fair? Much more on this in just a moment here.

But first, protests, protests all in the name of peace. Not so much. In Chicago violent clashes between police and protesters in Chicago over the weekend. At least four police officers and several protesters with injuries. The context here, all of this in the lead- up today into NATO, the summit here, NATO in Chicago. We have CNN correspondents covering every angle of this story. We want to begin, though, with our chief White House correspondent, Jessica Yellin, for us, in Chicago.

Obviously, Jess, Afghanistan a big, big focus of the summit.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brooke. And today it was the central focus. Essentially all these countries coming together and saying they have broad agreement on the exit strategy from Afghanistan and maintaining some responsible, as they like to phrase it, presence there, beyond 2014 in terms of providing some financial support for the country. In a declaration from Chicago today, they described it as "irreversible," the security transfer to the Afghans, and agreed in this declaration that the Afghans will be taking over combat control by 2013, in the middle of 2013, and that the majority of foreign troops will be out by the end of 2014.

I think we have a sound bite from President Obama from earlier today. If we do, we can play that now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today is also an opportunity to ensure our hard-won progress is preserved. The strategic partnership agreement that President Karzai and I signed in Kabul ensures that as Afghans stand up, they will not stand alone. Today, we can agree on NATO's long-term relationship with Afghanistan beyond 2014, including our support of Afghan security forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: And, Brooke, while U.S. officials were adamant they did not come here with the intention of simply raising money from other nations, they did actually want to raise the money from other nations. And so far they've been quite successful in getting commitments.

Elise Labott, our foreign affairs reporter, has already confirmed that they got commitments of more than about $1 billion for the year after 2014 from other nations. They're looking to raise $1.3 billion. So that's already a long ways toward that goal.

BALDWIN: OK. So more than a billion thus far. And we've known about the president's plan with regard to Afghanistan. Learning a little bit more today. But did the summit in Chicago, Jessica, did it take on a different significance when they were talking Afghanistan?

YELLIN: Well, it's quite meaningful because all of these nations, Brooke, are looking to try to wind down their commitments there. It's not a popular war here in the U.S. And arguably it's even less popular in many of these European nations.

So there's a combined sense of relief for all of these countries that they can -- for the leaders of all of these countries that they can sort of band together in agreement, despite their differences on exit timing and strategy.

The French, for example, the new leader of France saying he wants to get out sooner than had been originally planned for them. But they have all found a way to accommodate one another's differences and find ways to hang together and also find ways to exit the country and this war in a way that allows each of them to say that they're not abandoning Afghanistan.

The one standout disappointment is they have not found a way to open up supply routes in Pakistan. They're still negotiating. This is an ongoing sticking point. Negotiating because Pakistan is not letting the U.S. use supply routes there. They're charging the U.S. an exorbitant amount of money. They're asking an exorbitant amount of money to use those routes. And that remains a standout sticking point.

The president of Pakistan will be leaving this summit, we understand, without a bilateral meeting -- without a meeting with the president of the U.S. because he continues to demand too much money for this request -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK. Jessica Yellin for us there, covering the summit in Chicago.

Outside those closed doors, it has been downright nasty when you are looking at police and protesters and Chicago police trying to hold the line this weekend, at one point getting part of a gate, look at that, part of this gate thrown at them. Fighting back, batons bashing, protesters clashing. Injuries reported on both sides.

Look at this. Also this. You see that? It appeared that a protester was clinging on to the front of that van, Chicago police van. Let's go to Ted Rowlands. I know he has been in the thick of this for days here for us in Chicago.

And, Ted, tell me, is it quieter today?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Brooke. We just got an update from Superintendent Garry McCarthy here in Chicago. There was a large group of protesters that were planning to spend the day at Boeing, to "shut down Boeing." And they only spent a few moments there. And they're now on the move through the streets of Chicago. We're watching them move through the streets.

The police at this point are allowing them to march and they're actually facilitating this unplanned march. We believe that these protesters are headed to President Obama's re-election campaign headquarters, which is across the downtown area. They're about a mile away right now.

But, again, according to the superintendent, they're letting them march. And there hasn't been any trouble as of yet. However there are legions of Chicago police officers on guard and out in the streets right now just in case something happens like we saw yesterday. But so far so good today.

BALDWIN: OK, Ted, keep watching it for us. We'll come back to you, Ted Rowlands, thank you so much.

Let's remind all of you, Wolf Blitzer, he, too, is in Chicago. In fact, he's interviewing the president of the Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, at this very minute. He's going to join us next hour with a preview, talk a little bit about what they discussed, if news was made. And then, of course, watch "THE SITUATION ROOM" for his exclusive interview later on today.

Got a lot more for you in the next few hours. Watch this.

The college student who spied on his roommate stands before a judge and learns his fate, but there are several gay rights activists who now say, go easy on him. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): Tragedy at the world's highest peak. Three climbers die on Mt. Everest as dozens flock to the top.

Plus...

WILLIE NELSON, MUSICIAN: I found out that all you have to do to be a legend is live a long time.

BALDWIN: The one, the only Willie Nelson. You'll hear what the "Redheaded Stranger" told me inside his tour bus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Dharun Ravi secretly used a Webcam and watched his roommate be intimate with a gay lover. Now Ravi is going to be the one who will be watched here by jail guards for 30 days. A judge in New Jersey sentenced him just hours ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE GLENN BERMAN, MIDDLESEX COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT: I heard this jury say guilty 288 times and I haven't heard you apologize once.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I know you know the story. Ravi's roommate was 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers student who ultimately jumped off the George Washington Bridge in September of 2010, distraught that Ravi and others spied on him in his own dorm room, seeing Clementi basically making out with another man.

Ravi was convicted in March of spying and bias intimidation. Before the sentencing today, the court first heard from the mothers of both Clementi and Ravi, and the one thing these two women shared were tears for their sons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANE CLEMENTI, MOTHER OF TYLER CLEMENTI: Why didn't his roommate just request a roommate change? Why was he so arrogant and so mean- spirited and evil that he would humiliate and embarrass Tyler in front of his dormmates, the very people Tyler was trying to meet and become friends with? How could they all just go along with such meanness? Why didn't any one of them speak up and stop it? .

SABITHA RAVI, MOTHER OF DHARUN RAVI: My 20-year-old son already has too much burden on his shoulders to face for the rest of his life. I strongly believe the honorable judge will give him a chance to try his best to lead a normal life. I'm hoping and waiting to see that at least as any 20-year-old would. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Both of those mothers there not too longing ago. I want to bring in the editor-in-chief of Out Magazine, Aaron Hicklin. Neither family obviously very happy with the sentence today. We'll get a bit little more reaction in court. But I just want to welcome you. And first, I know you wrote this piece, "The Editor's Letter: Set Ravi Free," on out.com. So we now know he's going to get 30 days in jail. What's your reaction to that? Fair?

AARON HICKLIN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, OUT MAGAZINE: First of all, my heart goes out to the Clementi family. I think it would be very easy here to confuse the victim and the perpetrator. There is one perpetrator here, and it's Dharun Ravi, and there's one victim here, and that's Tyler Clementi.

I do think if you set to one side Tyler Clementi's suicide, which was not what the court was empowered to be looking into or to determine, 30 days is, I think, a fair sentence for bias intimidation, which is what this court was set up to judge.

BALDWIN: Especially when you think about he could have faced 10 years behind bars and possibly deportation back to India. You wrote this piece. And I want to quote you here, because this really resonated when I read it.

"It does beg questions around what purpose his imprisonment would serve." His being Dharun Ravi. "Does it honor Tyler Clementi's legacy? Will it prevent other kids from killing themselves? If you think the answer to these questions is no, as I do, we should have the compassion not to wreck another life as some kind of atonement for the one that was lost."

You say it would not have been justice, it simply would have been revenge. But a lot of people, including people who follow me on Twitter, they are furious. They say the judge should have thrown the book at him.

HICKLIN: You know what? Ravi did a terrible thing, a stupid thing, and an offensive thing. Sadly it's also a commonplace thing. Unfortunately there's a huge disconnect in our universities and our schools between children and young adults who feel like outsiders, and the kind of tribal mentality and instinct that guides the majority.

This isn't an isolated experience. And I think it's unfortunate that in the minds of the public and possibly the jury, Tyler Clementi's death has become conflated with the case of bias intimidation.

The fact is, nobody, not a doctor, not a psychologist, certainly not a jury, and neither parents can understand what drives a young person to take their own life. I think it's too simplistic to suggest that there's a simple cause and effect here.

Ravi will live for the rest of his life with a question of whether he contributed in any way to Tyler Clementi's state of mind. But I think that's punishment enough. The real question here is, how do we challenge bullying, especially bullying LGBT students in universities? (CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Let me jump in because I do want to ask you about that. Forgive me, but I do just want to play a little bit more from inside the courtroom today. Again, this is emotional. This is from Tyler Clementi's brother. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CLEMENTI, BROTHER OF TYLER CLEMENTI: He could have never known the viper's nest he was walking into, nor could anyone in my family have imagined a situation so horrible and cruel that he would need to be protected from. With Dharun Ravi as his roommate, my brother never could have had a chance of having a happy and comfortable first semester at college.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You know, Aaron, you point out in your piece, and I think to your point you're about to make, at least this story thrust the national spotlight on teen suicides in the gay community, but ultimately the world has lost a young man and what is one to take away from this?

HICKLIN: First of all, sadly the world is losing young men and women all the time. Suicide is an illness and it's a complicated and terrible thing. And I don't think in any way it takes away from that, to question whether Dharun Ravi should have been standing trial potentially with, at one point, a 10-year sentence.

But the fact is that this did spark a national conversation and a really important conversation. In the days after Tyler Clementi's suicide, there were many other suicides actually that came into the media spotlight of young LGBT teens and other teens as well, of course.

I think there's a preponderance for the majority of suicide in high schools and universities to be LGBT student, but certainly not all of them. This is an epidemic. And we are now addressing that.

BALDWIN: And it begins the conversation. It begins the conversation. Aaron Hicklin, I thank you. And I hate having the conversation and I don't want to report on any more of these but, you know, the fact of the matter is, we may be, but at least we're talk act it. Aaron, I appreciate it. Thank you so much. From Out Magazine.

HICKLIN: Thank you.

BALDWIN: A trek to the world's highest peak ends in tragedy. I'm going to talk to the man who became actually the first American to reach the summit of Mt. Everest twice. He's going to talk to me about the thrill of the climb and living through the so-called "death zone."

And just a quick not for all of you, if you're headed out the door, you can keep watching us. We hope you do. Just grab your mobile phone, or if you're at work, you can watch and work at the same time. We're all good multi-taskers, aren't we? Just go to cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Lost on the highest mountain in the world. Reports now that two people are missing at this hour on Mt. Everest after three people died there this weekend. They had already reached the top. It was actually the trip down the mountain that proved deadly.

Everest, by the way, is more than 29,000 feet high, nearly as high as cruising altitude for planes. At the summit, the air only has one- third, one-third of the oxygen you get on the ground. And the wind at the top can be as bad as a Category 1 hurricane, just to give you a little perspective in case you haven't been on the summit of Mt. Everest.

But every year, people like David Breashears make the punishing climb. And, David, you have done this five times, reached the summit, which is amazing in and of itself. But as we talk about the loss of life here over the weekend, I understand that the summit area of Everest is called the "death zone." Why?

DAVID BREASHEARS, CLIMBED MT. EVEREST SUMMIT FIVE TIMES: I think the main reason is, pure and simple, because of the elevation, once you leave 26,000 feet to make the climb to the summit at 29,000, 28,000 feet, you're in a region where there's so little oxygen, it's hard to function properly, storms can come upon you very quickly.

And I think another aspect of this that should be mentioned is that there's a tremendous drive at this point, after months on the mountain, to reach the summit, which affects decision-making. And that alone is enough to call it the "death zone."

BALDWIN: I know you sent us some pictures. Perhaps we can throw them up. Because as you mentioned, the oxygen is very thin, and there are pictures of people with these oxygen masks. So you're breathing in. Here you are, not with the mask on at this moment, you know, posing for this picture, but with these three people died actually upon descent.

So they had been to the summit. How is that dangerous? You would think by the time you get up there you're fine, and then, you know, you're fine going back down, but in fact that's not the case. Why?

BREASHEARS: Principally it's because people treat the summit as the finish line. They put all of their energy into getting to the top, and then they have this euphoria, it's a moment of great triumph, and then one has to get back down to the safety of the high camp or you will surely perish at night at those elevations and those temperatures without the safety of a tent and the protection of a warm sleeping bag.

So it just doesn't work, putting all of your energy into getting to the top, and not saving very much, if any, for getting back down to the high camp.

BALDWIN: I understand part of also a complicating factor was it was pretty populated over the weekend, something like 150 climbers were trying to reach the peak. Someone described it as a traffic jam.

Explain -- I know you either at different camps, different altitudes, and ultimately there's a traffic jam between that final camp and the summit. Why does that make things more difficult? Do people linger and they're not supposed to?

BREASHEARS: I think what happens is that if is there is a traffic jam, hard to believe on Earth's highest point, then people can be delayed attending or descending. What happens is we're in what's called the "weather window" right now. It's a period to when all the camps are in, all of the supplies are in, the fixed ropes are ready.

And they're waiting for an abatement of the jet stream winds. So what one has is a tremendous number of climbers from a multitude of climbing teams trying to reach the summit at the same time.

Nevertheless, the climbers, you know, they should be able to make it back down. The way...

BALDWIN: Do you think, David, final question, with these two that are still missing, is it survivable?

BREASHEARS: I would have to know more about their condition and about the weather conditions, but let's just say it's not a very good prospect for either of them. I won't be surprised to find out if they perished in the night.

BALDWIN: I understand one of them is even a Sherpa, so they certainly know the mountain backwards and forwards, it just perhaps speaks to the danger and perhaps for poor weather, to your point, at the summit of the mountain over the weekend. David Breashears, I thank you so much, incredible, five times to the summit of Mt. Everest.

Still to come, one of America's most famous colleges is suing the Obama administration, and Notre Dame's fight is all over birth control.

Plus, for 12 hours, the inmates rule a prison. Look at the smoke. As riots break out with two dozen people held hostage inside.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If it's interesting and happening right now, "Rapid Fire," roll it.

Here we go, day two of trading, a second disappointment for Facebook, the stock sliding below its initial offering price, 10 percent drop here. Investors traded more than 80 million shares in the first 30 seconds of the trading here on Friday. Checking the numbers. It's up 92 points here. Just about an hour and a half away from the closing bell. The Dow and the NASDAQ up today.

Also this, 12 long hours of drama as inmates take control of a prison. This happened -- this is in Mississippi during a riot. One guard is dead. More than a dozen people hurt. And the sheriff says at one point some 25 people were held hostage, though it's still not clear exactly what caused the riot in the first place.

And at this very second, jurors in North Carolina are deciding the fate of a man -- this man there, wanted to be the most powerful person in the world, we are on verdict watch in the corruption trial of John Edwards. Did he use campaign cash to cover up his affair with his mistress? If the jury decides he did, Edwards could spend 30 years behind bars. Obviously if anything breaks you're going to hear it right here first.

And one of America's most famous colleges is suing the Obama administration. Notre Dame filing a lawsuit over part of the health care law, the part requires religious organizations to provide employees with insurance that covers birth control. The Catholic Church says that violates its teachings.

They are not using the term same-sex marriage instead the NAACP says it is supporting marriage equality.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSLYN BROCK, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, NAACP: When people ask why the NAACP stands firm for marriage equality, we say we've always stood against laws which demean, dehumanize or discriminate against any person in this great country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: President Benjamin Jealous says it's a civil right and thus a matter of civil law.

El Loco, the drug lord believed to be behind 49 mutilated bodies left on a highway was arrested in Mexico. El Loco's real name is Daniel De Jesus Elosondo Ramirez.

He is the local leader of Zeta cartel. Military officials say he abandoned corpses under the orders from the cartel's top man. It's a bloody play for power against the Sinhaloa cartel.

And here's a vote. It makes environmentalists smile. We were looking at the Solar Star, 100 percent solar powered boat. It looks pretty sleek there in the water. The engines are silent unlike gasoline- powered vessels. As for speed, the Solar Star can go up to 15 knots or about 17 miles an hour.

President Obama's re-election team focusing on Mitt Romney's former employer, Bain Capital. Again, it has Mayor Cory Booker speaking out then revising his speech a bit.

We're going to speak live with the Obama surrogate who tweeted video of Booker's clarification and if you know the show, it is "Music Monday." Check this out, I sat down with Willie Nelson on his tour bus. He reveals to me what he did on the roof of the White House. And yes, it involves pot.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: Cory Booker trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube today. The mayor of Newark, New Jersey is a surrogate for the Obama campaign, but he went way off book on NBC over the weekend, slammed attack strategies from both sides.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR CORY BOOKER (D), NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: This kind of stuff is nauseating to me on both sides. It's nauseating to the American public. Enough is enough. Stop attacking private equities. Stop attacking Jeremiah Wright. This stuff has got to stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now, within hours of that interview, Booker posted this nearly 4-minute explanation of his comments on YouTube. The Obama campaign then tweeted out a 35-second edited version of that. Here's the gist of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOOKER: I believe that Mitt Romney in many ways is not being completely honest and is using it to shape his political interesting not necessarily including all the facts of his time there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Why don't we bring Ben Labolt, the press secretary for Obama 2012. Ben, welcome. Question number one for you, did anyone from the White House or the 2012 campaign reach out to Booker, make him reel his words in?

BEN LABOLT, PRESS SECRETARY, OBAMA 2012: We did not. These are his own views in the video as he himself says in the video. He made absolutely clear that the discussion of Mitt Romney's private sector tenure was legitimate.

The central premise of his candidacy is his tenure as a corporate buyout specialist. Mayor Booker said an examination of that record is entirely appropriate. That's what we've done.

We went back and look at it. It turns out that he profited off of bankrupting companies and outsourcing jobs. The question we're asking is that, is that the economic philosophy the American people would like to see in the oval office.

BALDWIN: Hang on because I know Cory Booker, look, he is a rising star and Democratic Party's superstar on Twitter. The guy has got something like more than a million Twitter followers. You're telling me no one within the Obama 2012 campaign, in any way reached out to Cory Booker to fix this?

LABOLT: He released that video of his own volition. We did not ask him to do so. We did not, no.

BALDWIN: OK, OK, why not just tweet out the link to Booker's original explanation that the 4-minute explanation versus the edited 35-second clip?

LABOLT: Well, Mayor Booker released that full video to his followers. The portion of the remarks that we flagged specifically discuss whether or not this discussion of Romney's private sector tenure was appropriate.

This is the central rationale for his candidacy. This is his record that he's put forward to the American people. So we're comparing that record, one of the profiting off of bankrupting companies and outsourcing jobs to the president.

Somebody that believes that the success of the economy should be measured by a thriving middle class, investing in the middle class, an economy where hard work and responsibility are rewarded and everybody plays by the same set of rules.

Those are not the tenants of Romney economics and this just doesn't extend to his time at Bain. It extends to his time in Massachusetts. Massachusetts ranked 35th out of 50th in job creation when he took office and dropped to 47th. That didn't happen by accident. It happened as a result of his policies.

BALDWIN: Forgive me, I understand what your campaign is trying to achieve. But just in terms of the tweets, I guess, is what I'm asking about, the 35-second versus the 4-minute.

I just want to play for our viewers, part of Booker's explanation that it's not actually in the version that you tweeted out. Here you go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOOKER: I was very frustrated this past week when I saw people dredging up the Reverend Wright, an already discussed issue from many, many years ago and trying to bring it to the center stage as a way to undermine and attack our president. I've also expressed some frustration of attacks in other areas as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So the other area that he's talking about is a reference to the Obama ads attacking Romney on Bain. And aren't you then mischaracterizing his statements to make him look, in your 35-second clip that he's criticizing just Romney and not both campaigns?

LABOLT: Not that all. That video is available to all Americans. You certainly played it on your show. Listen, the fact is that this election will come down to an election between two candidates, two records and two visions for the country.

The record that Mitt Romney has asked us to evaluate is his tenure as a corporate buyout specialist. So we went back and looked at the transactions that he worked on.

He was there from buyout to bankruptcy. The company was loaded up with debt. Workers were laid off, 250 workers in Marion, Indiana, the plant that we focused on today, but 1,500 workers across the country. And the fact is that regardless of what happened with the company itself, Mitt Romney and his partners maximized their return on their investment rather than investing in the long-term health of company itself without any --

BALDWIN: Let me just jump in. Because Booker said as part of this ad you're talking about today, the today ad, he's saying stop attacking private equity.

This morning, you mentioned the ad. Obama campaign releases new ad. This is Bain's involvement with its office supply. Here's part of the ad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me, Mitt Romney takes from the poor, the middle class and gives to the rich. It's just the opposite of Robin Hood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every person that's on the lower scale right now wants to work to the middle income. And they'll work their tail off in this country to do it. And if Mitt Romney is in charge, I don't know if they'll get the opportunity at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The last guy we just saw, I know you know who is. He's Randy Johnson. I'm just telling everyone else. Democrats actually used Johnson during the race back in 1994, the race against Ted Kennedy.

And so conservatives like Ann Coulter accusing Johnson of leading this labor strike in '94. And they say that's the real reason the company went down the tubes. This union strike.

I was reading "Business Week" that ultimately called the bluff, closed the plant and laid off the workers, but it was the union that took it down.

LABOLT: Well, this company was able to survive in good times and bad. But the fact is Bain came in, acquired it, loaded it up with debt and that's when you saw all these issues start.

And certainly, the management practices changed the moment Mitt Romney and his partners came in. All the workers of that plant in Marion, Indiana were laid off. Security guards were placed at the door.

They had to reapply for their jobs and accept a package of stripped down benefits. So we're not questioning the private equity industry as a whole. We're questioning what lessons and values Mitt Romney took from that experience.

And whether that's the economic philosophy you would like to see in the oval office. That's not an economy built to last that focuses on the middle class.

BALDWIN: Final question to you, just a yes or no answer, is Randy Johnson on your payroll? It's been reported that the DNC actually pays him to fly to rallies, yes or no?

LABOLT: He is -- he's not on our payroll. He's certainly spoken out on behalf his experience with Mitt Romney. And certainly those transportation costs to those events have been covered.

But Mitt Romney had an absolutely devastating impact on his community and his family and absolutely, he's been out there highlighting the story across the country.

BALDWIN: Ben Labolt, thank you.

LABOLT: Thanks for having me.

BALDWIN: Massive tornado rips through a Missouri town wiping out homes, businesses, the high school. Students, did you realize this? They've been attending classes in a mall this past year in Joplin, Missouri.

Tonight, the president will be addressing the graduating class. We're going to talk to one of those seniors about her most difficult moment this past year.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: One year ago this week, damage and destruction span really as far as the eye can see. I'm talking about Joplin, Missouri just devastated so many people, so many places including the high school in absolute ruins.

Joplin suffered a direct hit from that massive EF-5 tornado. A 161 people were killed, hundreds others injured, but one year later, students are proving that not even Mother Nature can set them back because tonight is graduation.

And joining me from Joplin High School Senior, Siri Anchan. Siri, congratulations to you first and foremost, I know you're smile, you're excited. And President Obama headed to Joplin to speak at your commencement tonight. What do you want to hear him say?

SIRI ANCHAN, JOPLIN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR (via telephone): First of all, thanks for having me. Above all, I just want to hear him so congratulations. You made it. It's been a long year.

Obviously, we need to remember everything that's happened last year and how much people have struggled to get through it. But at the same time, it's our graduation and I would like to hear a big congratulations.

BALDWIN: I have a feeling you'll be getting that in spades. But you mentioned, it's been a long year. I know the tornado totally took out your high school.

I understand you guys have been set up over the last year as part of this mall, the only mall in town. All your textbooks gone. If you can point to just one day, one example of just the toughest moment this past year for you, what was that? ANCHAN: I think maybe the toughest day was the adjustment. It was actually the first day or even the first week of school when both the teachers and students were trying to get used to the new building, the entirely new style of learning and just, you know, school at a place wed never been to before, I mean, North Park Mall.

BALDWIN: The principal said you all had to grow up very quickly the night of the storm. I'm sure, though, the tornado really brought you all together, how so? I know high school can be a pretty cliquey time, but I imagine that was all gone for you this year?

ANCHAN: Yes. One thing that our principal pointed out is that we really only had like one or two fights this year. Because I think that fact that we're a group of young adults who endured a really traumatic experience brings us together. So all these petty high school drama takes a backseat to the bigger picture.

BALDWIN: Good. It should. Final question to you, I know you're headed a couple of hours down the road, University of Missouri, Kansas City. What do you want to do?

ANCHAN: I want to be a physician.

BALDWIN: Excellent. So we'll soon call you Dr. Anchan. Siri, thank you so much. Good luck and congratulations.

Coming up, money, sex, power and allegations of gang rape? Power banker Dominique Strauss Kahn once again being investigated in a sex case, this time it involves prostitution in Washington, D.C. and his lawyers say it's merely a smear campaign.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: It has become known as the Carlton affair. Allegations of former International Monetary Fund Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn participated in a prostitution ring and we are now hearing he may also have taken part in a gang rape.

Atika Shubert is following the story for us today from London. And Atika, in terms of these allegations here, what do we know?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it just gets worse for him. The prosecutor hasn't given a lot of details. What we do know is it involves this prostitution ring bringing over women from Belgium into France and apparently, flying them to Washington, D.C.

And this is where that alleged gang rape is supposed to have taken place. But his lawyers have strenuously denied any wrong doing on behalf of their clients.

In fact what they said was, quote, "that he has never committed acts of violence or had any relationship whatsoever without the consent of his partner."

So he's still going to have a lot to explain going forward. This investigation is still continuing -- Brooke. BALDWIN: Atika Shubert, thank you. Now this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Is it true you rolled a joint on the roof of the White House under President Carter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I rolled it before I got up there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Willie Nelson, were you not afraid of getting caught?

That answer, also other revelations from the one and only Willie Nelson. I sat down with the redheaded stranger inside his tour bus before a recent show. Don't miss this interview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Every so often with my job I have to stop and pinch myself, especially when it comes to some of my "Music Monday" interviews. Today's artist is no exception.

He's known for his braids, his bandannas and his Texas roots laid back way. He is Willie Nelson and just recently, I boarded his tour bus right before one of the shows.

Obviously, we talked music. He strummed trigger, his 50-year-old guitar and I got an answer to a question I thought was merely myth. On this "Music Monday" I give you the Willie Nelson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: You are almost 78 years young. Does the legend status sit well with you?

WILLIE NELSON, SINGER: Well, you know, I found out that all you have to do to be a legend is live a long time. Never heard of a young legend.

BALDWIN: I read that you're quite the jokester.

NELSON: I don't know who could have told you that.

BALDWIN: That when Johnny Cash would call you up in dire straits, you would tell a dirty joke or two.

NELSON: He would call me when he wanted to hear a good joke. I always had a couple. I don't know. It just something -- I guess the performer is kind of the ham. If you're not singing, you are ear telling jokes.

BALDWIN: You're from a small town in Texas. You picked cotton.

NELSON: Yes, baled hay, pulled corn, all of that.

BALDWIN: And you sang along the way.

NELSON: All of us singing in the field. That's where I first learned about different kinds of music, working in the fields there in Texas. And there were some Mexicans over there singing their Spanish songs.

Lived across the street from some Mexicans and grew up in that music. And I hear it in my music all the time and there were a lot of black people working the fields, picking cotton along with me. And I learned a lot of their music.

I heard -- it was like an opera out there in the cotton field hearing one guy sing a line over here and another one answering over here, learned a lot about communicating.

BALDWIN: How did that influence who you are so many years later?

NELSON: Well, I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do. I was picking cotton one day alongside the highway there that runs through Abbott, Hillsborough, Waco. A big Cadillac came by, windows rolled up, air conditioning going.

And that's when I decided there's got to be after better way. So I started thinking about how I could take the music. And it was just natural to start playing in the clubs around that area.

My sister played at church and got a little criticized later about playing in clubs at the same time I was teaching Sunday school.

BALDWIN: Ultimately, you get to Nashville and what was that experience like for you? Because it wasn't like you just became a star.

NELSON: Not really, no. Not really. Well, Nashville was an education. We had always believed and been told that's where you go to sell your music. There were a few places in Dallas maybe.

If you're a Texas musician and you want to make it, or a writer and you want to make it, you've got to go where the core was. And it was and still is in Nashville.

I lived there for a long time, had a lot of success there. Wrote some good songs there, made some good friends.

BALDWIN: These are the Willie Nelson hands. These have played countless songs.

NELSON: Yes, it can tell me you.

BALDWIN: Tell me about Trigger. How old is he?

NELSON: He's about 50 years old.

BALDWIN: Whoa! It's a he? He's been through a lot? Is it true you rolled a joint on the roof of the White House under President Carter?

NELSON: No, I rolled it before I got up there. BALDWIN: Willie Nelson -- were you not afraid of getting caught?

NELSON: I should have been.

(WILLIE NELSON PERFORMING)

BALDWIN: Oh, Willie Nelson, what a privilege.

If you want to see, you want to retweet that interview or any of my other "Music Monday" interviews, just go to my blog, CNN.com/Brooke.