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President Obama Meets With Vladimir Putin. Autopsy Performed on Body of Rodney King. Greeks Decide to Keep Euro Temporarily. New Evidence in George Zimmerman Trial Revealed. President Obama Names Potential Ambassador to Iraq. Olympic Gymnast Dominic Moceanu Discusses Traumatic Traning.
Aired June 18, 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 now roll it.
Hour two here. Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
Unfolding this very second, Syria expected to be big issue here when President Obama and Russian President -- President Vladimir Putin sit down here for this meeting face-to-face starting two hours ago. They are in Mexico at that G20 summit.
And I want to go to Dan Lothian, our White House correspondent, who is covering that and other things there, of course, economic- related and not.
Tell me about this meeting, though. Do we have a readout yet? Was it long, short?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right.
Well, the meeting, as you pointed out, we believe lasted for about two hours, at least from the time they went in to the time that it ended. And so we believe that they were having their discussion throughout that entire two-hour period. But we are getting a short readout of what the two leaders discussed.
Obviously, they discussed Syria. They talked about a need to come up with some kind of solution to end the violence and to prevent a civil war. In addition to that, they said that they wanted to work with Kofi Annan to find a solution. That was very important as well. We expect to get a lot more on what took place in that meeting, but Russia obviously an important player in dealing with Syria because, as you know, the U.S. has been able to get a coalition together to put pressure on Assad to step aside, but Russia so far has vetoed two U.N. resolution sanctions against Syria, unwilling so far to use that tough language to call for him to step aside.
And the U.S. is trying to prod Russia into embracing a kind of Yemen solution, where a leader steps aside, the violence ends, and then there's some reform that begins to democracy. And so that's the very latest here. We expect to get a lot more on what these two leaders discussed, but obviously Syria a key, important issue during that meeting.
BALDWIN: Absolutely. As soon as you get any more information, Dan, we'd love to hear about it. Dan Lothian, thank you.
I want to keep talking Syria here because we heard now from Senator John McCain. He is talking about the growing bloodshed inside Syria. He's making serious claims about outside help for the government there. In fact, he spoke just a little while ago in Washington.
I want to go straight to the Pentagon to correspondent Barbara Starr with a little more here.
Barbara, what exactly was the senator saying? I know he's talking about the ship perhaps headed toward Syria. Who is on the ship?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon, Brooke.
Indeed, he is talking about some Russian ships believed to be eventually headed for Syria, several ships that U.S. intelligence is very watching carefully. Getting some stability into the Syrian situation now is vital. And the feeling is, the Russian are not helping.
I want you to listen very quickly to what Senator McCain had to say about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: And now we hear reports today of even actually Russian troops being possibly moved into Syria vs. people who are basically without any real means to defend themselves.
It's not a fair fight. It's not a civil war because all the military strength is on one side and not the other. At least we ought to give them a chance to have a fair fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Now, there is a Russian ship that the U.S. is watching very carefully. It currently is in a Black Sea port in Russia by all accounts, but they believe it's been loaded up with a number of weapons, munitions, and indeed several sources tell us possibly, possibly a small number of troops. Nobody believes at this point here that they are Russian combat troops.
That must be clear. They believe possibly a small number of troops to reinforce a Russian facility in Syria. But they are watching another ship that has Russian helicopters on board. They believe they have succeeded in getting that ship stopped by canceling its maritime insurance.
It will have to turn around and go home. So, all of this now in play, a number of things being watched. But the bottom line is that there's a growing feeling that the violence in Syria escalating and the Russian card is going to be very important here, Brooke. BALDWIN: Right. You mentioned U.S. intelligence watching the ship very, very closely. We will continue following your reporting. Barbara Starr, thank you so much from the Pentagon.
STARR: Sure.
BALDWIN: To Greece. Greek voters have sent a signal that, hey, they are upset, but maybe not yet ready to chuck the euro, a return to the old drachma, and perhaps default on their debt.
They're still in this huge mess, but they don't have a government. But the center-right party that finished first in election Sunday is now trying to piece together this governing coalition to keep things from really just going off the rails there.
Richard Quest live for us in Athens.
And, Richard, just as briefly as you can, explain to me what's at stake here for the United States as the Greeks are trying to put together this government.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it's very simple what's at stake for the U.S.
It's the lack of confidence that would happen if Greece falters. If Greece falters, look, all right, this country alone is not going to bring down the United States economy or indeed the European economy. But if the Greek economy falters, then that will have a contagion effect perhaps in Spain, in Italy. It will have a serious effect elsewhere in the Eurozone.
And that is the link to the rest of the world, because as Europe would then falter and since Europe is the U.S.' single biggest trading partner, you can see where this goes. You are classically looking at dominoes falling.
BALDWIN: Yes. No. And one of those dominoes, as you mention Spain, which is a huge deal, and we should be talking about Spain, and I'm going to ask you about that in a moment.
But I just want to -- we keep reading here this -- conventional wisdom aside, that the Greeks' debt calamity, it's not their fault, that it's the fault of forces much, much bigger than them. It's the E.U.'s fault. It's the Germans' fault. Can you explain that logic and is that even -- is that accurate?
QUEST: Yes, there are two ways that argument falls through.
The first is, over many years, the Greeks spent and didn't really have good books and didn't really worry about how they were going to pay the bills. So, from that point of view, it's the Greeks' fault. However, over the first five to 10 years of the euro's life, policies were being generated for the biggest economy, the strongest economy, and that of course is Germany.
In U.S. terms, it is as if the Fed was running monetary policy for New York, California, and Florida because they were the states that needed the most help. As for Mississippi and Alabama and Illinois, well, they just got swept up along the way.
Now, that has happened in the U.S., sort of, at growth periods and in recessions. And that's what happened during the growth period. So when the Greeks say it's the Germans' fault, what they mean is the Germans were the biggest beneficiaries over the good years of growth.
BALDWIN: Got it. Got it.
And going back to your analogy with the dominoes falling, we're talking Greece. Got to talk about Spain. We were just talking this past Friday talking about creditors putting the squeeze specifically on Spain. Now, today, it's gotten worse.
Does Europe, do they just, poof, solve all these problems at once without all these countries cracking and bringing the whole house of cards down with it? How does that happen? How does that work?
QUEST: You do start to wonder at what point it all gets too much and they get swamped by the sheer complexity. We're not there by any means.
The ECB, Europe's equivalent of the Fed, still has a lot of ammunition that it can fire direct down the throat of this crisis if it needs to. So we are quite a long way from that. But where we are and where we are seriously is what I might call the lost decade, the sort of sclerotic, slow, sludging growth that Europe is destined to suffer maybe for the next few years. That's the biggest worry, because, frankly, we're already there.
BALDWIN: Sclerotic, slow, sludging death, let's hope to avoid that, Mr. Quest for us in Athens. Richard, thank you very much.
A lot more headed your way this hour. Dee (ph), roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: It got buried in the news, but for the first time, the White House is revealing this secret operation targeting terrorists, and it's not where you think. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.
(voice-over): Two weeks ago, he walked the stage at his graduation. Today, he's gone, shot to death, and as police look for his killer, there's now word this young man was targeted.
Plus, I will speak live with Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu who unveils a family secret and emotional stories of abuse.
And a CNN exclusive: It's rare Bruce Springsteen does interviews, but on this "Music Monday," you are going to hear his candid comments when asked about anger in America.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: A coroner conducted an autopsy today on the body of Rodney King. He was found dead in his swimming pool just yesterday pool at the age of 47.
This of course -- as you know, this is the Rodney King that's burned into brains across country, the infamous 1991 beating by four LAPD officers who were acquitted the following year. The riots that followed just tore the city of Los Angeles apart and changed race relations in this country forever.
King certainly had his demons. He struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. And the whole reason he fled police that night back in 1991 was because he was on parole, feared a DUI. And that was hardly the only incident.
Bob Forrest is a drug counselor who worked with Rodney King on VH-1's "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sober House."
And, Bob, I know you all were friends. And before I get into my questions here, we were talking -- full transparency, you and I were just talking in the commercial break. And you told me the last time you saw Rodney King, you guys were out on water and you said he was a great swimmer. He saved you.
BOB FORREST, DRUG COUNSELOR: Yes. Yes. This was years ago.
We were out fishing in two different boats. And he -- my boat capsized. And he got me up out of the water. He jumped into the water, got me up into his boat. He was an excellent swimmer. So, this is just shocking and weird to hear drowning.
What I immediately suspect is he had battled with alcohol and drugs for sure, as we all know. And the last time I saw him was about three months ago. We went fishing. He was struggling with his sobriety and was very honest with me. And he was just -- he was just an amazing gentle -- I got to know him through the show. And all the things you think Rodney King is and then, when you meet him, he is the gentlest, kindest, bright, philosophical, just an unbelievable guy.
BALDWIN: Yes.
FORREST: And I got the news yesterday and I just cried. It was just awful.
BALDWIN: I'm sorry you have lost your friend.
And just to be clear, we still don't know obviously exactly what it was that killed Rodney King yesterday.
FORREST: Yes.
BALDWIN: Police say that there were no signs that he was intoxicated. But there are reports out there that he was drinking and smoking marijuana before he died.
And you sort of alluded to this, that he had had struggles. You all would wish to sort of talk through things. Does that sound though consistent with the Rodney King you knew, sort of always struggling?
FORREST: He was always honest. That's the thing you look for in an addict that you're working with or trying to help, is he was so brutally honest about how he felt. He felt like he was in this position in society that he really didn't know what the right thing to do was.
And there was no blueprint as to what to do. And so he battled with alcoholism. And as -- I asked him one time, why do you like coming here? And we would sit and fish and we never caught anything. And he would say, it just makes me think of my dad and I just feel good sitting here.
And we would just sit and fish.
BALDWIN: Let me share a clip with our viewers. This is from "Celebrity Rehab" where you visited. This aired November last year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORREST: The fact is, your drinking is going to kill you. It is. It killed your dad. It's going to kill you.
RODNEY KING, STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTION: Yes, but, I mean, I'm not drinking nothing like I was drinking before, throwing up and all that stuff.
(CROSSTALK)
FORREST: Not yet or not now, or now you got a new girlfriend and things are going good and you beat this case and whatever. But you know the thing. It goes around and around.
KING: I know -- I know what you're saying, though. It is serious.
FORREST: You need to stop drinking today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Bob, there you are pretty recently warning him that his drinking...
FORREST: Yes. Yes.
BALDWIN: What is that like to hear that again?
FORREST: You're just battling the disease of alcoholism, and it just -- it sometimes wins. It's so sad.
BALDWIN: His problems, though, they didn't begin with the beating in '91. What -- he mentioned his father. What did his demons really come from?
FORREST: It was a traumatizing alcoholic household when he was growing up. And alcohol -- I always think of alcohol as his primary drug of choice.
And that was his real demon. And the use of drugs and all this stuff that happened early in his life, it was something that he never really became a passionate drug addict, if you want to put it that way. Alcohol was always his thing.
BALDWIN: Yes.
Bob Forrest, thank you for joining me and talking about your friend. Again, I'm very sorry. Bob, thanks.
FORREST: Thanks.
BALDWIN: Police say a porn star killed and dismembered a friend, then mailed body parts to politicians -- now a big development here. He's on the move.
Plus, this is something that got buried in the news, the Obama administration revealing something for the very first time. It's a secret operation. You are going to hear the target and the location next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A lot more news developing, "Rapid Fire." Roll it.
A huge admission from the White House. It has been conducting anti-terrorist attacks against al Qaeda in Somalia and Yemen for the past six months. Both countries are known for significant terrorist activity. You can see al Qaeda and Yemen here. These attacks were previously classified.
The Canadian porn star accused of killing and dismembering a friend is on his way back to Canada after being arrested in Germany. He's Luka Rocco Magnotta accused in the death of Jun Lin. Police say Magnotta mailed one of the victim's hands and one of his feet to Canadian politicians.
The elections are over in Egypt, but the power struggle is not. The Muslim Brotherhood claims its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, and -- is its new president. And while the current ruling military council is promising to hand over control, it's keeping much power for itself now that the parliament is dissolved.
An off-duty New Jersey police officer may have lured fellow officers into a standoff in Pennsylvania. Here are some of the pictures from those hours here. Police got this call about an argument. And when they arrived, they found a note that said the suspect had 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All apparent indications is that is correct. He was anticipating our arrival, anticipating our response, which made it even more difficult and more dangerous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Police say Richard Klementovich barricaded himself in his house. The standoff lasted for nearly 10 hours. Klementovich is jailed under $1 million bond.
Six dates, five days, Mitt Romney's bus tour pulling into its next stop this hour, Dubuque, Iowa. He's trying to connect with voters in the six states that President Obama won back in 2008. Many potential vice presidential picks are joining him here on the bus tour, including Senator Rob Portman and Congressman Paul Ryan.
George Zimmerman and his wife allegedly talking code in jailhouse phone calls, all about money. You're going to hear them next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Jailhouse phone calls released today between George Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree in the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
Now, the calls here, they detail the couple's alleged plan to move huge amounts of money from one account to the other. This state used this information to argue that Zimmerman knew he had money when he claimed he was too broke to post a high bond to get out of jail.
CNN's George Howell has been all over this story.
So, with this audio, what do we hear on it?
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We hear this couple for the first time. We hear them talking about how to manage their money. Now, prosecutors alleged that they are talking in code, basically trying to conceal the amount of money that they have.
We have an audio clip. Let's listen to it. We can talk about it here on the other side.
BALDWIN: OK.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, DEFENDANT: In my account, do I have at least $100?
SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: (INAUDIBLE) deposited at least $100? No.
G. ZIMMERMAN: How how close am I?
S. ZIMMERMAN: There's like $8
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eight dollars and sixty cents
G. ZIMMERMAN: Really? S. ZIMMERMAN: Like $8.00 and like 60 cents or something.
G. ZIMMERMAN: I thought you said there was like 300 total?
S. ZIMMERMAN: Uh-uh, no, Ken inflated it.
G. ZIMMERMAN: Oh, OK, so total, everything, how much are we looking at?
S. ZIMMERMAN: Like $155.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HOWELL: OK.
BALDWIN: OK.
HOWELL: So, you hear $155. You hear $100. Prosecutors basically say they're talking about a lot more money. They are talking about the thousands of dollars that they had, at least $135,000 that George Zimmerman raised through his online accounts. They believe that's the money they are talking about.
BALDWIN: That's the code they are referencing, but speaking more in dollar -- instead of adding more zeros.
HOWELL: Yes. Yes.
BALDWIN: As far as -- what do we deduce as far as the couple themselves?
HOWELL: You hear -- in these audio recordings, you get a sense of this couple -- she says that he would be great role model. She's looking up to him. And they are also very optimistic about getting through this, moving past it and being better off after it's all said and done.
BALDWIN: What is next for Zimmerman? What does it mean for the case?
HOWELL: At point, we are expecting the next hearing, Brooke, on June 29. And that's when we will hear George Zimmerman's attorney make the case to give him bond. Again, that bond was revoked after his attorney told the court that he had so much money that he did not tell the judge about before.
BALDWIN: OK. We will talk about it then.
HOWELL: Thank you.
BALDWIN: George Howell, thank you.
When is the last time you made something? A sculpture, a dress, a rocket? You are about to meet man whose mission is to make more makers.
Dale Dougherty says all of us were born makers and he's made it his business to get us working. This is part of "THE NEXT LIST."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DALE DOUGHERTY, MAKER: One of the things that happens in making is that we are gaining some control over the world we live in. This world is awfully complex. And it's hard sometimes to figure out, what are the building blocks? How do you get going? How do you get started? You can have impact today. You can do things today and encourage yourself to participate to build things and make things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Just into here at CNN about the man President Obama wants to name ambassador to Iraq. It involves revelations of some bad behavior.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: As we mentioned before the break, we got some news just into us here about the man President Obama wants to name as ambassador to Iraq. It involves revelations of some questionable behavior.
I want to go to Kate Bolduan. Kate, we're talking about Brett McGurk. What's the latest?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This name might not be familiar to many of our viewers, but it's a very important position that he's been nominated for, to be the president's pick to be the next ambassador to Iraq.
But we have just confirmed from the administration that Brett McGurk has withdrawn his nomination to be the next ambassador of Iraq.
I'll read just in part, Brooke, the statement coming from a spokesman to the National Security Council, Tommy Vietor. He says in an e-mail not only do they greatly appreciate Brett's years of service, but he says that Brett has proven himself to be a skilled diplomat willing to take on some of the toughest challenges at the toughest times in a difficult region, but goes onto say, "While we regret to see Brett withdraw his candidacy, there's no doubt that he will be called on again to serve the country."
You well noted that he has been under intense scrutiny recently, coming under fire and really under intense scrutiny, as I said, for a few things, most notably, recently, some flirtatious e-mails exchanged with a "Wall Street Journal" reporter while they were both working in Iraq in Baghdad around the time of the Iraq war.
These two did later marry, but the revelation of these two exchanging flirtatious e-mails is probably the best way I should describe it, that has had many senators, many Republican senators calling into question his leadership style and management style.
But there have also been other concerns about his management style that have been raised. Six Republican senators on the Senate foreign relations committee have written a letter to President Obama just last week, calling on the president, urging the president to withdraw the nomination himself because they're calling into question his leadership and his involvement in what they call the "botched" status of forces agreement, the negotiations of post-war Iraq that had been going on and his involvement in that.
So quite a bit of controversy around this nomination. A very big job. A setback for the administration's policy overseas in Iraq, as well as a tough go for an administration as this really simmering controversy has been going around for weeks now.
BALDWIN: So quickly, Kate, with him now withdrawing his own name, do they go back to square one.
BOLDUAN: It's kind of back to the drawing board. To this point, Brett McGurk had been moving through the process of getting his nomination considered in Congress. Just this week his nomination was to be voted on in the Senate foreign relations committee.
Clearly, they're not getting to that step. He's now withdrawn his nomination and will never have the chance to have that vote that or a full vote on the Senate floor. So now it's back to square one for the administration, in terms of trying to fill that very important post.
BALDWIN: Kate Bolduan, we appreciate it, live for us from the Hill.
BOLDUAN: Thanks, Brooke.
BALDWIN: She was the youngest member. She was 14 back in 1996 on the U.S. gymnastics Olympics team, but now in her book, Dominique Moceanu reveals alleged abuse and a shocking family secret.
There she is. It's so nice to meet you, Dominique. We'll talk after this quick break.
Just a quick note for those of you, if you're heading out the door. You can keep watching. We hope you do. Keep watching us here on CNN from your mobile phone. Keep watching CNN live. Just pop open your desktop and go to CNN.com/TV. CNN.com/TV.
Dominique Moceanu, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: When the devil came down to Georgia, no one had any idea of the darkness that truly hid inside one Olympic star. Charlie Daniels' song played as 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu wowed the world with that floor routine. Who could forget it, 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta?
As the youngest member of the women's team, folks, she was 14. She walked away from the games with a gold medal, but so much of her life behind the glory was far from golden.
Now, she tells it all in this book. It's called "Off Balance." It reveals Moceanu's very dark personal life from an extremely domineering father to her tumultuous training to this huge secret, hidden by her family and she's good enough to join me now.
Dominique Moceanu, it's such a pleasure to meet you. I just want to get right to it. You say that, back in the day, if you didn't do well in practice, your trainer, who is so famous, Bela Karolyi, would call your father and then what?
DOMINQUE MOCEANU, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL GYMNAST: They used my father as a medium of abuse. They would threaten me with that in the gym, so that would intimidate me to perform.
But, unfortunately, it had the opposite psychological effect. It made me feel very alone, very isolated and very insecure. I had to deal with those emotions as a teenager and I didn't quite understand why I felt the way I did.
But after years of now maturing and realizing what had been going on wasn't what it supposed to be, I've finally been able to find my voice and have the courage to talk about it and hopefully help others. I hope that my story helps others.
BALDWIN: I hope it does, too. When you talk, though, about Bela Karolyi calling up your father and this abuse, can you be specific? We're talking physical abuse?
MOCEANU: Yes, there were times when they would humiliate me. For example, they would use name-calling such as "fat" and "piggy" and also "a balloon," "Easter egg."
They weren't terms of endearment because they used the terms when they felt I was gaining weight. In the gym, they would publicly weigh me in front of other people and humiliate me about my weight and things like that.
And that was very awful for a child because they drove the childhood love that I had for the sport right out of me. And that's heavy because I resented a sport that I once loved and that's not how it's supposed to be.
BALDWIN: You talk about how, when you were 14, you weighed something like 70 pounds and they made you weigh in front of your team, which was humiliating. How has that humiliation manifested itself in your own personal life?
MOCEANU: I think for many years my self-esteem had been chipped away at because I was losing self-confidence by the very people who are supposed to uplift me and help lift up my confidence.
And it took me a long time to realize that not only were there a lot of things wrong with me, but there with were a lot of things right with me. And I realized that I can use my voice to make a good positive change by helping others say, hey, you're not alone.
I've gone through it before, but let's make it better. Let's talk about things and lets put it out there. Because there are a lot of hard truths in women's elite gymnastics that aren't packaged and pretty, but it doesn't mean we don't need to talk about it.
BALDWIN: Talk about the power of the written word, these stories that you're telling in this book, but I do want to say, doing our due diligence, we contacted the Karolyis.
Let me read what they exactly told us. "We have known Dominique since she was a young gymnast and wish her only the best successes as she goes through life."
In these interviews you've been doing, Dominique, with this book, have you heard anything from them or is your contact with them just totally over?
MOCEANU: We don't have a relationship. We haven't for a long time. I think the first time I realized I was a commodity was when they abandoned me at the Olympic games in '96 in Atlanta.
There was no goodbye, no good luck in life and no congratulations. So I realized then that I was a means to an end and it took a long time to understand why and figure it out, but I realized that I don't need that in my life.
And I want to move forward with the people who love me and their statement is not shocking, but, if you look carefully, they never deny the treatment and I think that speaks volumes.
BALDWIN: These stories, it's only part of the book and I think what shocked me so much is the story about -- we're going to take a quick break, but there is something, this secret within your family. This moment that left you frozen and really has now changed your life forever.
We'll talk about that on the other side of the break. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: She was part of "The Magnificent Seven," the American female gymnasts who dominated the 1996 Olympics games in Atlanta. Dominique Moceanu were the name with pride, but now, she's revealing some of the darkness that goes behind the gold here.
I want to bring her back in. We talked about your coaches here, but talk about a "wow"-moment for you. You revealed in your book, what happened with this letter you got. It was rainy, cold December day. You're nine months pregnant. Tell me about this letter, Dominique.
MOCEANU: Yes, I received a letter from a young woman in December of 2007. I'm fully pregnant and very hormonal, but this letter was telling me I had a sister that I never knew existed. She was born without legs and given up for adoption at birth and my parents never proceeded to tell me.
Perhaps it's a carryover from communist Romania. My parents weren't always very good about communicating and expressing their feelings or their pasts.
I'm sure that was a time that hurt them very deeply, but the moral to this story is there's a positive ending and I've reconnected with the young woman who shares my DNA with my youngest sister and her and we're all enjoying our sisterhood now.
BALDWIN: Here she is. She writes you this letter. You were her idol and then to find out that you're her biological sister. What is that relationship like now and do you harbor anger towards your parents?
MOCEANU: I forgave my parents a long time ago. I really wanted to make it right for Jennifer, Christina, my youngest sister and myself. I wanted to make the sisterhood a clean slate from the beginning and I think it was important for me to forgive my parents because I can't imagine what that must have been like for them.
And I think in order for all of us to heal and move forward, forgiveness is very important in life. Although it may not have been some of the choices that I might have made, I have to understand that they came from a different world, culturally.
And in essence and in retrospect, they made a better decision for Jen because she had an amazing family who adopted her and loved her unconditionally. And because she hasn't had leg, she's been able to break every barrier you can imagine and do things people never thought she may be have been able to do.
So I'm proud to call her my sister. I'm really excited for the new adventure and journey that's in store in front of us.
BALDWIN: It's just an amazing part of your whole book. Your book is "Off Balance." Dominique Moceanu, thank you. Best of luck.
MOCEANU: Thank you. Thank you very much.
BALDWIN: Let me take you back to some news here. As we were reporting, President Obama, Russian President Putin were meeting, this closed door meeting. We have a little bit more detail as they were speaking to one another during that summit down in Mexico.
Let me just get to some of the details here as we look at this video. We know that Putin spoke first. President Obama said they had a candid, thoughtful and thorough conversation on a range of issues, obviously talking Syria. That was mentioned last, we're told.
President Obama says, quote, "We agreed. We need to see a cessation of the violence and that's a political process that has to be created to prevent civil war."
We're working on turning around some of that sound for you. And I know Wolf will have that for you at the top of the hour on "The Situation Room," more details and sound from this closed-door meeting between Vladimir Putin and President Obama in Mexico.
Now to this, a CNN exclusive. It's rare that Bruce Springsteen ever does interviews, but on this "Music Monday," you'll hear his candid comments when asked about anger in America.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Let's go to Wolf Blitzer with a quick preview of "The Situation Room." I know you will have the sound on this closed-door meeting between Vladimir Putin and the president..
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Apparently, a tough meeting indeed. I just read the joint statement that they released. They're trying to paper over some of their major differences, a real significant difference, Brooke, as you well know, Syria and what the Russian is are doing in Syria, what the U.S. wants done in Syria, Russia using its veto power at the U.N. security council to block any military assistance to the opposition in Syria.
John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate armed services committee, the Republican presidential nominee four years ago, is so angry right now at the Obama administration.
My interview with Senator McCain, that's coming up in "The Situation Room." He really goes after the president and what he sees as the lack of action as far as Syria is concerned.
One other interview we've got coming up in the 4:00 p.m. hour, former Democratic congressman, Artur Davis of Alabama, was the one who seconded the nomination of President Obama at the Democratic convention four years ago, a real staunch Democrat.
Guess what? He's no longer a Democrat and he says he's not even going to vote for President Obama's re-election. He's going to vote for Mitt Romney. And he's here in "The Situation Room" to explain why he has made that decision.
So we have a lot of news coming up.
BALDWIN: We'll stay tuned, sir. Mr. Blitzer, thank you very much. See you at the top of the hour.
But now to this. This is really a rare treat on this "Music Monday. The clip you're about to see is from a Bruce Springsteen commissioned film. It's called "Wrecking Ball." It centers on a rare press conference the rocker did with this group of European journalists earlier this year.
And so one of the rocker's archivists edited this movie and music and video from Springsteen's archives are interwoven through the whole thing. So this week "Wrecking Ball" makes its exclusive American debut and, for you, a sneak peek.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... from "The Guardian" in London. Can I ask you about anger? Do you feel that anger that we've had so much of in America over the last four or five years? That anger that has been mostly channeled into the tea party?
Does that anger get to you? Does it get into your core as well? Is this a kind of album about channeling that anger in another way?
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, MUSICIAN: I think our politics comes out of psychology and psychology, of course, comes out of your formative years. I grew up in a house where my mother was the primary breadwinner.
My father struggled to find work. I saw that that was deeply painful, created a crisis of masculinity -- let's say -- and that was something that was irreparable.
The lack of work creates a loss of self. Work creates an enormous sense of self, as I saw in my mother. My mother was an inspiring, towering figure to me in the best possible way and I picked up a lot of the way that I work from her.
She was my working example, just steadfast, just relentless.
But I also picked up a lot of the fallout when your father doesn't have those things and that results in a house that turns into quite a bit like a mine field.
I kind of lost him and I had a lot of the anger that surfaced in my music from day one comes out.
As I got older, I looked towards not just the psychological reasons in our house, but the social forces that played upon our home and made life more difficult.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Wow, it's so rare you hear and see him, this window, so raw. Todd Leopold, CNN.com writer/producer, what is the significance of the film?
TODD LEOPOLD, WRITER/PRODUCER, CNN.COM: Well, you know, it's rare, first of all, that Bruce gives a press conference. This is unusual as it is.
BALDWIN: It's hard to get an interview with the man. I tried when he came through.
LEOPOLD: Very, very difficult.
BALDWIN: Forget it.
LEOPOLD: And what's more is this was shot in a theater in Paris and you can see it's a small group of journalists sitting in the orchestra level, a very intimate setting, and I think that inspired Bruce to go a little deeper than he normally would.
BALDWIN: And this anger here that's pervasive in "Wrecking Ball," is this something sort of new for him?
LEOPOLD: No, I think if you go back through his catalog, there's always a lot of anger. Even the stuff he talked about with his father, these things that he used to bring up ... BALDWIN: Crisis of masculinity, he says.
LEOPOLD: Yes, going a little farther.
He's brought some of these things up in concert. The generation gap used to segue into growing up about that, but I think this is a lot sharper because I think he's making a parallel between what he went through and what his family went through in the late '60s, the era he's talking about here, with what families are going through today, struggling to get jobs.
BALDWIN: And he relates.
LEOPOLD: Absolutely.
BALDWIN: He relates.
BALDWIN: Absolutely.
LEOPOLD: What is it, do you think, that is so fascinating about this man?
BALDWIN: I think it's because ...
BALDWIN: Is it his story?
LEOPOLD: I think that's part of it. Here's a man who came from a working class background, was promoted very heavily as a new Dylan. Everyone's always looking for the new spokesman for the generation.
And he's managed to -- I don't know if "surpass" is the right word, but certainly overcome that really and become his own kind of spokesman. An American bard, he's been called and I think that's the kind of thing that people still fixate on.
The comments on the story that we have on CNN.com have been really animated, let's say, so he still brings out a lot of energy.
BALDWIN: Let's just remind everyone, they can read your piece, of course, on CNN.com and our domestic viewers can actually watch the film in its entirety only on CNN.com.
Tom, thank you so much. We appreciate it.
That's it for me here in Atlanta at the CNN World Headquarters. I'm going to pass it off to my colleague, Wolf Blitzer. "The Situation Room" begins right now.