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Violence in Syria Escalates; Standoff at Southern Methodist University; Tony Blair Testifies on Murdoch; Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties; AOL Squatter

Aired May 28, 2012 - 15:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to the top of the hour here on this Memorial Day. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

A warning now, because we're about to show you some very disturbing images out of Syria. For the last 15 months, Syrians have been under bloody, relentless attack by their own government.

But this weekend, an entirely new level of bloodshed, 49 children massacred, 49. Mourners carried one of the small corpses there in protest. It has pushed Syrians now to this breaking point. You can just hear the pain in the voice of one witness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Did the infant carry an RPG? Was he a fighter? He was a baby. He had a pacifier in his mouth. What was his guilt? Why was he killed?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: This happened Friday in the town of Hula. The slaughter claimed a total of 108 civilians, including all those children.

And in response here, the U.N.'s point man on Syria, Kofi Annan, was in the capital city of Damascus today saying the killers need to be held accountable.

I wanted to bring in Arwa Damon. She has covered Syria inside the country. She is now live in New York.

But, Arwa, with Kofi Annan's visit, do we know what exactly happened? And also all these stories now of 49 children slaughtered, what's happening?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It really makes your skin crawl, doesn't it, Brooke?

And we have managed to get through to one activist who was describing how he was seeing a child with its head blown off. And he was one of those individuals who had been filming the various YouTube videos that we have been combing through, many of them quite simply too horrific to show. And he was talking about how, as painful as it was, at the same time, he was desensitized to the violence. And that just gives you a very slight idea of what it is that people have gone through, other survivors describing how security forces, pro-government thugs, they're claiming, came through the town, dragged women by their hair, threw everyone into a room as if they were sheep and then open fired on them quite indiscriminately; 49 bodies were counted by the U.N., all of these children under the age of 10, with a total, as you were mentioning there, of 109 who were killed.

Now, Kofi Annan again arriving in Damascus, meeting with the Syrian foreign minister, trying to stress the importance of bringing about an end to the violence, of holding those responsible accountable, of the need to implement a six-point peace plan.

But ever since this peace plan has even begun to, hypothetically speaking, be implemented, it really has not materialized. And we're just sighing this ever growing-cycle of violence. And it's not just the massacre that took place in Hula on Friday. We also had a very high body count, dozens of people killed in Hama, dozens more killed today.

BALDWIN: But when we talk about Kofi Annan, and we talk about how he wants to hold these people responsible, who do they hold responsible? Is anyone claiming responsibility for this horrendous massacre?

DAMON: Well, we have that usual tit-for-tat finger-pointing that is transpiring, with the Syrian government saying that this was the work of armed terrorist gangs, elements of al Qaeda backed by foreigners, with the opposition firmly saying that this is the work of the Syrian regime.

U.N. monitors on the ground were saying that many of the wounds that they saw, the shelling, the gunshot wounds would have been possibly carried out by the Assad army in and of itself, the U.N. not coming out and fully placing the blame on the regime, again, stressing the need for both sides to lay down their arms.

But what we have at this point in time with such a level of brutality taking place is the Free Syrian Army, that armed rebel unit, now coming out and saying this cease-fire is absolutely completely dead. And they're calling for renewed attack against government positions.

And what you have is this situation in Syria rapidly barrelling down this road of potentially absolutely no return. It most certainly seems as if there's going to be an incredibly, tragically bloody summer, Brooke.

BALDWIN: It's horrendous. Arwa Damon, thank you.

Just into us here today at CNN, new video of another tragic scene. Flames break out inside this shopping mall, killing at least 19 people; 13 of them are children. This is happening in Qatar. This is near Saudi Arabia. As soon as we get any updates as to why or how, we will pass that along to you.

Also want to get you now to Dallas, Texas, live pictures here. We are told a man -- you see this crane in the middle of your screen? There is a man, we're told, inside the cab of this crane. This is hundreds of feet high above the campus of SMU, Southern Methodist University.

Police say he threatened officers and is believed to be armed with a pistol.

Ed Lavandera works out of our Dallas bureau.

Ed Lavandera, tell me where you are and do we know if for sure that this guy is still sitting in the cab of this crane?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He is still sitting inside the crane.

I'm at a vantage point about half-mile or so away and I can clearly see into the crane, which is about 200 feet above the ground. And this is an area on the southern edge of the Southern Methodist University campus where new student dormitories are being built.

And this is actually happening between the SMU football stadium and the new George W. Bush Library which is in the midst of being constructed. So this is an area of the campus that is under a great deal of development and change.

But there's -- a local report here suggests that this is man who was being chased by Dallas police after a previous incident. And he made his way on to the grounds here and scaled to the top of this crane. And for the last hour or so, Brooke, I have been watching him just sitting there inside the crane.

You can see him moving around looking -- looking down and just, I guess, killing time at this point. Dallas -- it's not really clear whether or not Dallas police have been able to establish any kind of communication with him. They're operating under the guidance that perhaps he is armed and has a gun up there. And whether or not he's willing or capable of using it is not clear.

Dallas police have also put up what appears to be one of their helicopters and have flow around a couple of times around that unit where -- in the top of that tower where he is.

BALDWIN: Yes.

LAVANDERA: Clearly, they're trying to figure out whether or not he is armed.

According to SMU officials, he had given police an indication that he did have a gun, but Dallas police are still trying to figure out whether or not that is still indeed to be true, and if that's the case, and then trying to figure out exactly how they're going to get him down from there.

BALDWIN: My goodness.

So you're telling me there is some sort of Dallas police helicopter, but we're not for sure on the ground. But at some point, they will try to communicate with him, try to get him down. And perhaps they will come up to get him.

Ed Lavandera, as soon as you get any other updates, obviously pass them along as we're trying to figure out exactly who this individual is and why precisely he wanted to wander up inside this cab of this crane. Ed, thank you.

One of the closest people to the pope behind bars today for allegedly spilling secret, but which ones?

Plus, my interview last week with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council definitely caught some fire last line. I asked the conservative leader last week whether he would ever go or had been to the home of a gay couple. Now one equal rights group has invited him to dinner because of our interview and he's responding.

We are about to speak live with the woman who sent him the invite.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Oh, to have a seat at this dinner table.

The leader of this LGBT rights group inviting one of the loudest opponents of same-sex marriage to visit her home and break bread with her family.

This all started last Thursday when I interviewed Tony Perkins, the leader of the conservative Family Research Council, and I asked him this question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Have you ever been to the home of a married same-sex couple, Tony?

TONY PERKINS, PRESIDENT, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: I have not been to the home of a same-sex married couple, no.

BALDWIN: If you were ever to do so and you're sitting cross from them over dinner, how would you convince them that their life together, either two men, two women, hurts straight couples? What do you tell them?

PERKINS: Well, first, Brooke, we don't make public policy based on what's good for me and my family or you and your family or...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: I am just asking on a personal level.

(CROSSTALK) PERKINS: But we're engaged here in a discussion about public policy and what's best for the nation, not anecdotes or what one couple likes...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: But this issue is -- it is personal. It is personal as well.

(CROSSTALK)

PERKINS: But that's not how we make public policy.

Certainly, there are some same-sex couples that are probably great parents, but that is not what the overwhelming amount of social science shows us.

BALDWIN: Why do homosexuals bother you so much? Would it be fair to characterize...

(CROSSTALK)

PERKINS: They don't bother me.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: They don't bother you?

PERKINS: No.

BALDWIN: Not at all?

PERKINS: I am not going to be silent while they try to redefine marriage in this country, change policy, what my children are taught in schools and what religious organizations can do. I am not going to be silent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, after hearing that, the head of the LGBT group called the Family Equality Council sent Perkins a letter.

I want to read part of it for you. They said, -- quote -- "I come to you with this sincere offer. I would like to extend an open invitation for you and your family to visit my home and have dinner with my spouse and children with the full hope that you will witness the love that exists in our families."

And Jennifer Chrisler is the woman who sent that particular letter.

Jennifer, welcome.

Before we talk, I just want to read something that we got from Tony Perkins today -- quote -- "My wife and I will be glad to respond when we receive the invitation to find a time that works." So it sounds like he's ready to accept. Did you expect that?

JENNIFER CHRISLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL: Well, that would -- well, you know, no, in all honesty, but we would be delighted to welcome him into our home and to have him spend time with me and my spouse and our twin 10-year-old sons and, depending on when we can schedule it, perhaps a newborn.

But we would be happy to have the conversation with him. So -- and to really let him see a glimpse into the lives of the one million gay and lesbian parents who are raising two million children in this country today.

It's not one family here or there. It's a significant number of kids we're talking about.

BALDWIN: So, Jennifer, though, why write the letter? Why invite him to dinner? What's the goal? Do you believe that anything Perkins sees in your household with your female spouse and your two, about to be three kids could make him reconsider?

CHRISLER: You know, I really do.

You know, my experience is, is that when our families actually spend time with people who may not know us, who haven't had a chance to meet us, they actually do soften their hearts.

I don't think that I will change his mind, but I do think we might be able to open his heart a little bit. And I have had this conversation with lots of people who may not be in the same place that I am about these issues, and I hope maybe we can move him just a little bit.

And it was a genuinely sincere offer. I teach my own 10-year- olds that if you're having a problem with somebody, if you don't understand them, if they don't understand you, then talking to each other is the first step.

BALDWIN: Sure, but here's the what-if.

CHRISLER: So I wanted to invite him.

BALDWIN: Here's the what-if, Jennifer. What if he doesn't open his heart? And you have these 10-year-olds, Tom and Tim. Are you at all worried about letting your 10-year-olds meet someone who so much opposes your way of life?

CHRISLER: Well, the reality is, is that children with same-sex parents experience that phenomenon in many different ways.

So whether he comes into my home and has dinner with us -- and I expect he would be a polite guest in our home. They hear what these groups have to say. And that is part of what really incenses me when I hear these conversations and I hear the head of the Family Research Council talking about me and my life and my kids, the lives of many like mine, and he doesn't even know who we are. I find that really outrageous and frankly so disingenuous on his part.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Here's the but. And I challenged Tony Perkins and I have to challenge you; 31 states, Jennifer, have constitutional bans on same-sex marriage, 31, including we saw recently North Carolina becoming the latest.

If you have so much support for your cause, why do voters in these 31 states keep putting these bans in place, do you think?

CHRISLER: Yes.

I mean, look, polls are continuing to show the ever-growing trend that people support loving couples being able to have the freedom to marry, to support one another...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: But not in those 31 states.

CHRISLER: Right, not in those 31 states yet.

BALDWIN: What do you make of that?

CHRISLER: Well, I think people are going through an evolution.

I think we have seen our own president and our own vice president go through this evolution. And one of the things that they talked about quite clearly that helped them in that process was knowing committed same-sex couples raising kids and seeing the love and the bond and the commitment that exists in those families.

And that was really the intent behind the invitation is to just let him witness that.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: It could be that, and they could open their hearts. But it could be something else. And to that point, if I may, let me play just one other part of this interview with Tony Perkins. Here's what else he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERKINS: They don't have a right to redefine marriage for the rest of us. They don't have a right to take away my religious freedom. They don't have a right to step between me and what my child is taught. That's what's happening. That's why people are getting involved. And that's why this issue will not be resolved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A lot of people agree with him that -- the religious freedom argument -- you know, at its core, marriage is a religious institution. Is it fair to legally require someone like Perkins to change his religious views? That's very personal.

CHRISLER: No.

Nobody is asking him to change his religious views, the same way that when I take my children to Sunday school, as we do, my believe is that ours is not to judge and really that what my kids should be taught is the golden rule.

And so we're not asking him to change his religious views.

(CROSSTALK)

CHRISLER: But what is fair and what is right is to give equality to these families who need them and really deserve them to protect each other and their children. We're talking about the civil institution of marriage.

BALDWIN: He would perhaps, though, argue and others in the country perhaps in these 31 states that you are asking them to change their religious views, because they believe it is a religious institution that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and that's it.

CHRISLER: And they have the freedom to believe that, the same way that I think we should have the freedom to be married in the churches that welcome us and affirm way, and to have our government recognizes those relationships, in the same way that we recognize the marriages and relationships of opposite-sex couple through government policy.

BALDWIN: Final question to you, Jennifer, and that is this. I asked Tony Perkins at the very end of that why homosexuals bother him so much. So it's only fair to ask this. So, flipping the question around, is there something about evangelical Christians that bothers you?

CHRISLER: Not at all.

What bothers me is when people who haven't taken the time to know me and to know my children and to know my values talk about me and then espouse hateful rhetoric that my kids hear, that the children like them hear. And that's what -- as a mother, I'm just so troubled by that. And I thought, well, maybe an invitation to dinner, maybe breaking bread together might soften him just enough that that's not the world my children have to live in anymore.

BALDWIN: Jennifer Chrisler, if and when that dinner happens, I would like to hear all about it. Thank you.

CHRISLER: We will let you know.

BALDWIN: Thank you so much.

Scandal inside the Vatican? One of the people closest to the pope, his butler, is accused of spilling secrets, and, as we what was revealed, new reports there could be more people involved here. And it is a rite of passage perhaps for some bachelorette partygoers, young women having a good time, sometimes to go to a gay bar. Now one bar owner says, don't come to my bar. Is this hypocritical? Let's ask him live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Could the butler really have done it?

The Vatican is crossing off suspects in this sensitive document leak. There have been reports that a cardinal or a woman were under investigation. But, today, a spokesman for Pope Benedict firmly denied those reports.

However, the pope's personal butler is now sitting in a Vatican holding cell right now. Paolo Gabriele is very close to the pope, oftentimes seen actually riding in the Popemobile.

But now he's suspected of leaking confidential papers to an Italian journalist. Investigators arrested Gabriele after finding documents in his own apartment.

Eric Marrapodi is the co-editor of the Belief Blog right here on CNN.com.

And, Eric Marrapodi, how in the world would this butler get these papal documents and why is he the one who is suspected of leaking them?

ERIC MARRAPODI, CNN PRODUCER: Brooke, there are few people in the world with the kind of access to the pope than Paolo Gabriele had.

He is his personal butler. That means he has got access to the pope's room, his meals and most importantly access to the pope's private desk. And that's where a lot of documents are thought to have come from, these very sensitive documents that came out.

They were published just a short time ago in Italy in a book by that Italian journalist called "His Holiness" and they detailed lots of stuff, interactions between the pope and some of his top aides and some of the highest-ranking cardinals at the Vatican.

The Vatican called the book's publications criminal. Brooke, at the very least, it's embarrassing.

BALDWIN: Do we know more than that, as far as what could have been in these documents, correspondences?

MARRAPODI: We do.

We know that the documents dealt with some allegations of corruption and of money-laundering, things that go from the mundane to the damning. We also know that they deal with some quid pro quo between Italian celebrities trying to get an audience with the pope, and many, many more things, including a lot of insider gossip at the Vatican. BALDWIN: Now, the Vatican denies a cardinal is under investigation, but this could go, I understand, much, much higher than this butler, yes?

MARRAPODI: Yes, absolutely. It could go all the way here to Washington, D.C.

One of the letters that was released was from the pope's ambassador to Washington. His name is Carlo Maria Vigano. Now, let me read to you what he said to the pope. He says: "Holy Father, my transfer at this time would provoke much disorientation and discouragement in those who have believed it was possible to clean up so many situations of corruption and abuse of power that have been rooted in the management of so many departments."

So there you see, the pope has asked him to be transferred to Washington, D.C., and he fights it. It doesn't get much higher than the pope's ambassador to Washington, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Wow. Eric Marrapodi, thank you very much.

By the way, I just want to let everyone know you can follow the stories in the Belief Blog there on Twitter @CNNBelief. Eric, thank you.

MARRAPODI: You bet.

BALDWIN: And now to this. Sorry, ladies. Time to pack up your costumes, your crazy hats and your cocktails and take that bachelorette monkey business to another bar.

That's the message that is coming loud and clear from the owner of the Abbey. It's a gay bar in West Hollywood. The owner has now put a ban on bachelorette parties. The reason? He says it's not fair for people to come in celebrating getting married in a room full of people who can't.

That bar owner, David Cooley, joins us live now from Las Vegas.

And, David, so your bar, as we mentioned, it is in West Hollywood. Thank you for talking to us. I know you're on vacation in Vegas.

Tell me first about the decision to ban these women, ban these bachelorette parties at your gay club. Why?

DAVID COOLEY, OWNER, THE ABBEY: Well, especially at this time, it's -- we're coming into summer season.

June starts the kickoff of all the weddings and so forth. And we were getting more and more requests for bachelorette parties. And we were having anywhere from six to 10 a week. And it's great to see my straight women coming in, celebrating with their girlfriends a day that they're going to have fun and drink and tease the go-go boys and go-go girls and have a big day of celebration before their wedding day. And as I kept seeing this, it was hurtful to me, being gay, as well as my clientele, that we cannot have that same type of a celebration. And it's not that I'm discriminating against the women coming in. It's just a ban against bachelor parties.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Let me jump in because I can hear people hearing you say that...

COOLEY: Sure.

BALDWIN: ... and saying, hang on a second. That is absolutely what this is, is discrimination. The whole stance you're taking is about equality. And if you're banning the heterosexual, you know, pastime of bachelorette parties from happening in your club in West Hollywood, on a level, it is discrimination.

COOLEY: Well, it's a ban against just the celebration itself.

I have been discriminated -- gay men and women have been discriminated all their lives. We would love to have the same equality, the same rights that every straight person has, where they could have a celebration and go out and have a party, knowing that this is their day to -- celebration before they make that big commitment of marriage.

Unfortunately, as a gay man, I don't have the rights. And it's hurtful. So, for the straight women coming in and having that bachelorette party in a place knowing that most of my clientele, being gay, doesn't have that same right, it's hurtful.

BALDWIN: And not only is this something -- this is this ban that is happening in your own club and it's a private club, and you're allowed to do this. This is something you're trying to make happen across the country, yes?

COOLEY: I'm really asking for support from other bars and club owners to support our decision to ban the rights to have the bachelorette parties until the day that it would be great that we open up the doors and say we can have bachelor parties and bachelorette parties and feel equal as the women are doing right now.

BALDWIN: David Cooley, we will follow up and see if this takes on and we will get some feedback.

I'm curious, viewers. What do you think of this? Tweet me @BrookeBCNN.

David, thank you.

His fans definitely want him, but now so do police. Officers say they want to question the Biebs, Justin Bieber and girlfriend, Selena Gomez, as well.

And traveling at the speed of sound, supersonic speed without an aircraft, folks, this has never been done before. One man is trying.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Thousands are waterlogged without power, "The Biebs" is accused of coming to fisticuffs and jumping out of a capsule from the edge of space on this Memorial Day.

Let's play "Reporter Roulette."

We begin with meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras. Hello.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hello.

BALDWIN: Tropical depression now, Beryl.

JERAS: Yes.

BALDWIN: So, downgraded but still a lot of rain.

JERAS: Right. Yes. So, the wind event for the most part is over and done with. We will have to watch out for flooding. And we have been seeing a fair amount of that in the northern parts of Florida and Georgia.

We go over here to the magic call, show you what I'm talking about. The system kind a stalling here right across the state line and some of the heaviest of rain has been focused in the big bend area here just south of i-10 and just west of interstate 75 affecting Loreauville reporting four inches of rain in just the past four hours.

Now, we need rain here so, it is not necessary a bad thing. But if it gets too much in a short period of time, yes, it will runs off and I'm not quite as hopeful. We are also seeing some stronger thunderstorms along the i-4 quarter. In fact, eastbound lanes have been closed in this area, and that is because of an accident that we think could be related to some of this rain.

Look at the numbers. Highest one we could find, Palm coast, Florida at just over five inches and could see an additional one to three on top of what you already have. There is a storm system currently off to the right. Still going to be dealing with this through the Carolinas, Brooke, probably as we head to the middle part of the week and that is because the storm is going to curve back and move back over open water.

BALDWIN: OK. Jacqui, thank you very much.

JERAS: Sure

BALDWIN: Next here in "Reporter Roulette," we are going to talk about Justin Bieber. Not just fans, but (INAUDIBLE). They want to hear from this young man.

CNN's Kareen Wynter joins me with the story and Phil. And so, what is going on? Why do investigators want to talk to him? KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: I have to say, first of all, it is hard to imagine, pop star and teen sensation Justin Bieber putting someone in the hospital, not real Justin. But that's exactly what one man is alleging. The Los Angeles county sheriff's department confirmed to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" that a man has accused Bieber of physical battery after an incident Sunday afternoon in Calabasas, California, that by the way is just worth a ballet.

Now, deputies, Brooke, say the man who is a photographer said he was taking pictures of the Bieb and girlfriend, Celina Gomez that happened outside of shopping center when the alleged altercation occur. Bieber and Gomez, they left the scene before deputies arrived.

Now, the man complained of pain. He requested medical attention. He was taken to a local hospital by the fire department, treated and released. And we don't have a whole lot of details as to what is exactly trigger the incident, but the matter is now being investigated as far as a response from Bieber regarding this accusation. This allegation reps for the singer, Brooke, have no comment.

BALDWIN: Kareen Wynter, thank you.

Next on "Reporter Roulette," CNN's Brian Todd for us, live in Washington. We are talking about this, big feet. Tell me about fearless Felix. What's he trying to do?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fearless Felix, Brooke. You know, with NASA ending the shuttle program, with the future of man's space flight uncertain, this could be what we really needed to get us all pump up about space exploration.

We recently spoke with Felix Baumgartner. He is an Austrian daredevil who later the summer is going to attempt the longest ever free fall from the highest ever altitude. That is 120,000 feet above sea level, more than 22 miles up. To get there he has to get into a space capsule and be pulled to the edge of space with get to the edge of space in a massive balloon. Once, he gets to that altitude, he just steps off. They will spend about five and half minute in free fall then his parachute will open up when he is still about 5,000 feet up. This is all sponsored by Red bull. This is called the red bull stratus project.

But this altitude free fall marks, not the only record he is going to break. No one has ever broken the speed of sound accelerating with just the human body joust side a plane or a spacecraft. But if this jump goes as plan, he is going to break that mark, going 690 miles an hour, Brooke.

Felix Baumgartner, remember the name. This is going to happen later this summer, we hope.

BALDWIN: Five and a half miles of free fall on hash tag. No thank you.

TODD: Yes.

BALDWIN: Brian Todd, thank you.

And that is our "Reporter Roulette" here on this Monday.

He is starting up his own company. But it was camping out at AOL headquarters gone also for weeks, eating, exercising and sleeping on the sofa.

ERIC SIMONS, AOL SQUATTER: One day, I was walking out, there is this couch and I was like, I could totally sleep on this couch.

BALDWIN: He will join me live to talk about his squatting adventures. No matter what he did was actually illegal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: What's trending today? This is what is trending. The man who never left work even after his job has ended. Eric Simons has become to be known as the AOL squatter and here is why.

For two months, he lived inside the offices of AOL, dodging security, using the gym, using the showers, figuring out just exactly how little money he could get by not spending. So, what could you actually eat on $30 a month?

He was trying to go to the startup company that is education service. And that is the reason he first landed this gig at the AOL headquarters in Palo Alto, California which was supporting this program to help education business venture.

Just the money for the program that run out, but Simons did not want to go back home to Chicago. So, what did he do? Let's ask him.

Eric Simons joins me, live.

So Eric, What I understand is this was a couple of months. You're basically couch-surfing at AOL. How exactly did you pull that off?

SIMONS: You know, I was - at that time, I was actually I was working on the offices because they told me a lot to do. And so, you lose you up like in the morning I would go and workout and take a shower. And every day at 10:00 a.m. they would out, you know, cup and noodles ramen. They have like trail mix and a whole bunch of snacks. But also, other start-ups would cater in food. And would always leave leftovers and up for grabs for anyone to take. So, I usually just did that.

So, I was pretty much living there for the most part except I just - I would sleep in there. And so, what I had, I moved out my apartment because I ran out of the initial venture capital that I raised from the magical 12. I just tried to sleep on my friends couches but they are fall for the net month of so. And so, I just ended up sleep on their couches.

BALDWIN: Sleeping on the few couches that you were able to avoid security in doing so, third hours of the night. I understand, taking shower is receiving laundry matt on--- please forgive e. This isn't one of the headquarters, just one of the campuses of AOL.

I understand you just went through $30 a month? How did you pull that off?

SIMONS: I mean I wasn't paying for rent. I wasn't paying for the water. Most of the food was being provided by other companies leaving leftovers. So, I was literally eating scraps.

I think - one of that, you know, like for thanksgiving, I went to Boston market and had my thanksgiving meal there. So, I would have gone crazy if it was just continually eating scraps. But it was almost entirely food was that $30.

BALDWIN: We sat here and read your story. We kind a wondered, did you do anything illegal? Let me just read. This is what AOL's David Temkin told us. Quote, "He was always our intentions to facilitate entrepreneurialism in the Palo Alto office. We just didn't expect it to work out so well."

So, I don't know if they are mad at you or they are mad at you. Do you face any legal action for sleeping on their sofas for how many months?

SIMONS: You know. I can't speak for them. I haven't talked to them directly about this yet. I mean, it's certainly a great area. I mean, AOL has gone to great lengths to help entrepreneurs and start- ups like myself, to connect and have a place to work along like-minded individuals. And so, that's the only reason I was able to get in there in the first place is that they've been extremely helpful with giving us place to work and even giving us resources like a gym and all that good stuff.

So, I think this is certainly frowned upon. And at the time, it was just, you know, I had to make a decision, you know, if I didn't do that, you wouldn't have been able to build this product. I wouldn't have been able to launch it and get the large amount of traction that we did.

And so in my opinion, I think at the end of the day can, the net good of this product that we are building is going to have a very meaningful impact on the educational system. And I think AOL sees that. But again, I can't speak for them.

BALDWIN: Well, let me just jump in because, you know, your badge just so happens to keep working, right. That doesn't necessarily mean, you should still be staying there and sleeping and eating their food. But, as you point out, your perseverance paid off. Your start-up as class connect. You were able to get $50,000 because of it.

Do your investors know this whole story about you squatting at AOL?

SIMONS: Yes. I mean, you know, the initial 50,000 was kind of the starting point. We are looking to raise $500,000, which we're closing in on right now. But, I mean, you know, if you were to invest in a company, would you invest in someone that, you know, close a shop and went home, or would you invest on a person that, you know, kind of against all odds really just kind of figured out a way to pull everything together when everything was stacked against them.

And so I think that's why by we have been receiving a lot of investor interest because, you know, the team we are assembling here is ready to go to great lengths to make this company successful.

BALDWIN: Well, I know you are 20. You were 19 at the time, certainly showing the squint sensual entrepreneurial characteristics. Good luck to you. And as you say, it is frowned upon though.

Eric Simons, thank you so much for us.

SIMONS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: One man trying to stay in the White House, another trying to move in. But both president Obama and Mitt Romney took a break from their campaign today on this memorial day to honor America's fallen troops and the moments, we will share them with you. They will give you chill.

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BALDWIN: If you were with us this past hour, perhaps you heard this right here. President Obama called the initial treatment of the Vietnam vets a national shame. Thos were his words. He spoke at a very warm Washington ceremony minutes ago. The Vietnam memorial, the wall as it's known and launched this multiyear tribute to the men and women who served in Vietnam. He said this tribute is long overdue. Here he was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You are often blamed for a war you didn't start when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor. You are sometimes blamed for misdeeds of a few.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: When the honorable service of the many should have been praised. You came home and sometimes were den graded when you should have been celebrated. It was a national shame, a disgrace that should have never happened. That is why, here today, we resolve that it will not happen again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was President Obama speaking just a short time ago. Also today, Mitt Romney just concluded his own remarks, also on the subject of Memorial Day and the United States military. Let's listen to some of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have to courses we can follow. One is to follow the pathway of Europe, to shrink our military smaller and smaller to pay for our social needs. And they, of course, rely upon the strength of America and they hope for the best. If we were to follow that kind of course, there would be no one to stand to protect us.

The other is to commit to preserve America as the strongest military in the world, second to none, can no comparable power anywhere in the world. We choose that course in America not so that we just win wars but so that we can prevent wars because of strong America is the best deterrent to war as there ever has been invented.

(END VIDEO CLIP0

BALDWIN: Mitt Romney there, speaking in San Diego today. There is word Iran is involved in assassination plots targeting American diplomats. We have those details.

But first, each and every week, CNN's Doctor Sanjay Gupta profiles innovators from really just all walks of life, all filled with endeavor. His program is called "the Next List." So, a preview this next Sunday, he looks at David Peterson who created this new language for one of television's most popular shows. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are a kind of wandering tribe in this kind of imaginary world that (INAUDIBLE) in his book he has been created. That is first and foremost warriors.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We took George Martin's bestseller series. And in George's books the (INAUDIBLE) speak their own language and we thought we could create that fictional language for a few lines and we tried to do that and it sounded like (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where I came in. I created the language for the dust rocky and worked as a translator on the show.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He got more of a skeptical. But, once we actually got the language that David Peterson created, and we saw the actors performing the lines, there was no question; it made a huge difference in those scenes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: U.S. investigators are working a lead on an intricate plot to assassinate American diplomat. The plot actually traced back to Iran. The Washington post his reporting this scheme took shape over more than a year. It is apparently part of the plan to retaliate for the killing those four scientists linked to Iran's nuclear program.

Iran has viewed the U.S. and Israel of being behind those deaths. And among the targets here this alleged Iranian plot U.S. embassy staff and family members in Azerbaijan, Iran's next to a neighbor. But Iran apparently abandoned the plot. The screens were suddenly agreed to those nuclear talks. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair testifying what is the relationship of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. How the British media put pressure on Britain's most powerful local leaders and I will tell you, things got hefty.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A heckler bursting into testimony today by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, all this happened during the hearing on the phone hacking scandal that Rupert Murdoch's news core. Before and after that interruption, Blair found himself right on the spot.

CNN's Dan Rivers is in London for us -- Dan.

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, it was another consummate performance by Prime Minister Tony Blair. He was tanned and looking relaxed as he spent all of four hours being drilled talking about the nature of his relationship with the world's most powerful newspaper baron Rupert Murdock.

He described it as a working relationship denying that he or any of the other politicians had gotten cozy, but perhaps submitting at that time that relationship had became unhealthy saying that there was need to reform in a way the media felt with politicians. He did, though, admit that he felt it was necessary and right that he flew half way round the world in 1995 to meet Rupert Murdoch at a conference in Australia and his top executives but denied that he ever trade a changes in policy for favorable coverage for Rupert Murdoch's tabloid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I don't know of a policy that we changed as a result of Rupert Murdoch. But, I'm not saying that he is not a top figure in the media. Well, of course, he is. And of course, we are aware of what his views are. And that's what I say part of my job is to manage the situation so that you didn't get into a situation where you are shifting policy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS: He did admit at one point that perhaps he failed to tackle press regulation during his ten years as prime minister, but said it was a difficult issue that may have pushed other more substantial issues off the agenda putting him in the middle of a media firestorm.

He also admitted that perhaps at times politicians had gotten too close with Rupert Murdoch. But said that he would help move justice never ending considering how the press could be better regulated to stop that kind of thing happening in the future. But as the most dramatic moment of the day was just before lunch when a protester burst into court 73 and accused Tony Blair in being completely (INAUDIBLE) saying in part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, something that Tony Blair insisted on immediately reputing on the record -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Dan Rivers, thank you so much London. Speaking of the U.K., I'm about to have a fly in a couple of days to London because there's a big event this coming weekend, and we plan to bring you all the incredible festivities live from London. I'll be there. Piers Morgan will be with me for the queen's diamond jubilee. That's the celebration of 60 years of Queen Elizabeth on the throne ever since 1962. Amazing.

Live coverage begins this Sunday, 11:00 eastern. I will be back here in two hours sitting in for John King tonight on "JK USA." But for now, let's go to Jim Acosta. He is in for Wolf.

"SITUATION ROOM" begins right now.