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Sandusky's Wife Attends Trial; Russia Sending Warships To Syria; Wildfires In Colorado; Accused of Killing Daughter's Pimp; Terrorists Killed In Drone Strikes; U.N. Official: Civilians Killed In Drone Strikes; Velshi: Economic Storm Is Brewing; Jerry Sandusky's Wife In Court

Aired June 19, 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: Hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We want to begin here with this developing story out of Afghanistan. An American military base breached. We're told at least eight insurgents somehow got inside the security perimeters. They say inside the wire at the outpost near Kandahar. Take a look at the map here. If you know the background here, you know the Kandahar area has become really a hot spot for militants. We do know shots rang out. Seven of the insurgents are dead. No U.S. soldiers were killed. But there is word the insurgents possibly might have had some help here from Afghan security forces. We're live at the Pentagon with that story coming up.

But first, to Pennsylvania, because the person who we presume knows Jerry Sandusky better than anyone may soon take the stand in his defense. Jerry Sandusky's wife Dottie is at the courthouse today. One of the very few times we have seen her since this trial began. I want to go straight to CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti.

So, what are the chances, Susan, that either we hear from Dottie and/or possibly Jerry Sandusky himself?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, both are possibilities, but certainly on this day all signs point to, at the very least, hearing from Dottie Sandusky because, as you said, she was seen entering the courthouse late this morning and she hasn't been here before the opening day. She hasn't heard any testimony after that. She stayed away from the courthouse. So the fact that she is here indicates that this might be the day she takes the stand to defends her husband.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: As we await that possibility, just talk to me about some of the witnesses we've heard from thus far defense wise.

CANDIOTTI: Well, it's been an important day for the defense. At this hour, finally they have gotten to hearing from that expert witness you've been hearing about since the beginning. They are putting on a psychologist who is beginning his testimony, his expert opinion, diagnosing Jerry Sandusky as suffering from a histrionic personality disorder. That is to say it's a way the defense has said to explain some of these flowery, describe as love letters to his alleged victims in which he tells them how much he loves them.

Now, the judge gave an important instruction to the jurors right before his testimony began. He told them that what you are about to hear from this witness is not to explain or excuse any attempt to perform an act. In other words, it is up to the jury to decide whether they accept -- whether this diagnosis would explain away in any way why Jerry Sandusky wrote these letters.

Brooke, we also briefly heard from two investigators who worked on this case. And the defense used them to try to say that they were encouraging, coercing, coaching alleged victims to say that they were sexually assaulted by Jerry Sandusky. They denied it.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: I just also want to pause and call attention to what you are surrounded by right there in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Susan Candiotti. I've never noticed so many camera tripods. It seems like today, more than any other day we have talked to you, just really speaks to the media presence, obviously, and the interest in this particular trial. And part of the next question, though, speaking of media, is, of course, who could forget, those of us who watched that Bob Costas, you know, Jerry Sandusky interview, really right after this news broke last year. He gave this interview to NBC News. I know a portion of that was not aired on television. That's now making waves. Let's just take a listen to part of this interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB COSTAS, NBC NEWS: So it's entirely possible that you could have helped young boy "a" in some way that was not objectionable, while horribly taking advantage of young boy, "b", "c," "d" and "e." Isn't that possible?

JERRY SANDUSKY: Well, you might think that. I don't know. And in terms of my relationship with so many, many young people, I would guess that there are many young people who would come forward -- many more young people who would come forward and say that my methods and what I had done for them made a very positive impact on their life. And I didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that I've helped. There are many that I didn't have -- I hardly had any contact with who I have helped in many, many ways.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: What an interview that was, Susan. Do we know if any part of that will be used during this trial?

CANDIOTTI: It's impossible to say right now. Prosecutors won't talk about it because of the gag order. However, it appears that the only opportunity prosecutors might have to introduce this, and they're the ones that subpoenaed this tape from NBC News, it would be as part of their rebuttal case and only, only if there were an opening given to them by the defense. In other words, if Jerry Sandusky, for example, himself took the stand, this might be something they would play back.

And you mentioned seeing a lot more tripods. Well, actually, it's because, of course, things are winding down and everyone is wondering whether Jerry Sandusky himself will take the stand.

BALDWIN: Yes.

CANDIOTTI: But if he decides, if he decides to tell his story, he's going to have to face, of course, some tough cross examination by prosecutors.

BALDWIN: Indeed he will. Susan Candiotti, thank you so much for us in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

I do want to turn now to Syria. We are now getting word that Russia is getting ready to deploy ships, plural. CNN foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty is going to join me live here from the State Department.

This is a big development. I was listening in to part of that Pentagon briefing. And from what I understand, there are three, is that right, three military vessels in route?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brooke, that is what they're saying. That the Russian military is ready, preparing to dispatch three vessels with supplies and possibly personnel, the Pentagon says, to their base. That would be the base in Syria. They say there's no indication that they're being sent for any other purpose, but that the military, the Russian military, has already acknowledged that they are re-supplies and it's also for force protection at that base.

Now, the only confusing thing about this, Brooke, in a very confusing story of all of these ships, is that before the Pentagon spoke, the ministry of defense said we have a ship. They mentioned a Kaliningrad ship, from the Baltic Sea, which they say is not going any place. It is not re-supplying, according to another spokesperson.

So there's a lot -- still a lot of denial about what these ships are doing. And, in fact, the defense ministry of Russia is saying that this false information was meant to escalate the situation in Syria, not reflect reality. So I think we have to be really careful about all of these reports.

BALDWIN: Right.

DOUGHERTY: I mean, you know, bottom line, it appears that the worst case scenario, which would be that Russia is joining the fight, is not taking place. I mean that seems to be the case. But are they going to supply their people and bring some type of supplies into that base, Tartus, in Syria? Perhaps. According to the Pentagon, they're getting ready to.

BALDWIN: Yes, it's a valid question and I am sure intelligence sources are watching those ships very closely. In the meantime, on the other side of the world, you have Mexico, you have the G-20 Summit happening in Los Cabos. And I know that, you know, yesterday the president met with the president of Russia today. He's meeting with China's Hu Jintao at the summit. So something that actually caught my eye, I was reading "The Daily Beast" this morning and I caught -- saw an article written by this Harvard professor actually arguing -- you know, a lot of questions. Well, what happens with Syria, who intervenes. And he actually argues it should be China. Let me read part of this article to you.

Quote, "in terms of geopolitics, China, today, is the world's supreme free rider. China's oil consumption has doubled in the past 10 years, while America's has actually declined." He goes on. "Yet China contributes almost nothing to stability in the oil-producing heartland of the Arabian desert and barely anything to the free movement of goods through the world's strategic sea lanes."

So, you know, look, reality time. Is it realistic, Jill, for China to get involved? Why would the U.S. even want China, this merging, really, super power, to take on this kind of role in Syria? Should it not be the U.S. or some other nation in that part of the world?

DOUGHERTY: Well, I think you have to say what kind of role, because that article, if I read it correctly, was talking about military action.

BALDWIN: Yes.

DOUGHERTY: And nobody at this point is talking about military action. And certainly having China involved would be very different from the way things are normally done. It's usually NATO that takes actions like this. And they're not even talking about it.

Now, that said, the U.S. simply wants China to do a couple of things. They want them to join the sanctions, carry out the sanctions against the Syrians and do whatever they can to bring about this political transition. In other words, have Assad step down and go into some type of democracy.

However, as was pointed out at the briefing, they don't have the influence militarily or any other way that the Russians do. So it's really the Russians, more than the Chinese, that are necessary.

BALDWIN: Jill Dougherty at the State Department. Jill, thank you.

And we have really, here at CNN, for the past 15 months been reporting on the slaughter in Syria that's been escalating recently. More than 10,000 killed since the crackdown began. And sometimes just one single piece of video really brings this story home, like the one we're about to show you. So you're going to see a man who has just returned to his home and finds it destroyed reportedly by government rocket fire. And his reaction really says it all.

(VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: You don't have to speak the language to understand the under devastation this man is experiencing. You heard the gunfire just outside of his home. This is a fact of life in today's Syria. And as always, I have to stand here and point out to you that CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of this video, and that's because the Syrian regime has restricted media access to that country.

A lot more coming at you this hour. Watch this.

Someone is demanding answers from President Obama over drones and how they're used to hunt and kill terrorists. And that someone is from the U.N. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

Only five minutes to save themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just incredible it can go that quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: After a dramatic escape, this family gets some awful news.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're two blocks away. White Dodge Caravan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Inside that van, a convicted pimp. And he is about to get busted. CNN's along for the ride.

And, the conditions are right. An economic storm could be coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI VELSHI, CNN: See, I'm going to tell you the truth about the economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Ali Velshi reveals what the president and his challenger won't.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I want to show you some pictures here. This is Egypt, where we are told the crowd is growing into the thousands. Now, many of the demonstrators, they are in Tahrir Square right now to support the Muslim Brotherhood, which is claiming victory in Egypt's runoff election. But so is the other side. In this new twist today, the other candidate, the last prime minister to serve under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, says he, in fact, won the election. We're watching those pictures in Egypt.

Meantime, back home, it is the most destructive fire in Colorado history. And as flames are closing in, dramatic video of this family outrunning the flames. They had a mere five minutes to get their belongings and get out.

(VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Wade Cecchinelli and his wife Cindy wondered for days if their cabin had been spared. And then, just listen to them tell it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY CECCHINELLI, LOST HOME TO WILDFIRE: It was just like a punch in the stomach. I mean, I just remember bawling. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be there. It's going to be black sticks. But we have our lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: They have their lives, not the cabin. Look at the smoke. You saw the rainbow, Chad Myers. Hot temperatures, gusty wind expected today. Obviously a huge issue for those firefighters battling the High Park Fire.

Chad, I mean, just talk to me -- we talk so much about the different challenges that face, obviously, these, you know, incredibly heroic and amazing firefighters. But you said it's almost like a double whammy because the winds now -- the winds are going this way.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: There's a weird thing going on today. There's a cold front that's coming down to Fort Collins, and it's already there. Winds are out of the northeast. But the cold front has not made its way to the fire yet. I'm going to draw a blue line to kind of give you an idea. Now, there would be little points on it like that if it was really a -- but, anyway, here's the idea.

What's going to happen here for a while today, the winds are going to come in from behind the firefighters, from the southwest, where as to the northeast, the winds are already blowing in that direction because the cold front has passed. You know, like when cold fronts pass, winds change direction.

BALDWIN: Right.

MYERS: So there's this combing right here over the fire line and the firefighters today may not know which way to run when the winds shift direction. And the winds are shifting all day. The fire has burned now 59,500 acres. That's pushing, at this point in time, 100 square miles. No real chance of any significant rain.

And that's probably good because, look at this, this is a picture I took out of the NOAA website from a NASA picture. Here's where the rain is in a thunderstorm. This is exactly what happened. This isn't the lightening strike, but this is exactly what happened. A strike came out of the thunderstorm, hit a dry spot that was not getting rained on and that's what caused the fire. One lightning strike now has destroyed almost 100 square miles of beautiful forest land and homes.

BALDWIN: And now homes, lives threatened.

MYERS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Chad Myers, thank you. We're thinking about you in Colorado.

An alleged gang member, a possible pimp, now dead. Police say a teenager's parents are to blame. They are now behind bars on $2 million bond each.

And just a quick note for those of you. If you are heading out the door, please keep watching CNN. Grab your mobile phone. You can do so there. You can also check us out on CNN live from your desktop. That website is cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A San Francisco couple behind bars after allegedly tracking down and then killing the man they believe is their daughter's pimp. Police say the couple traveled to Los Angeles and shot him in his car. The couple admit they tried to rescue their daughter, but adamantly deny the murder charges. CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin is on the case with us here.

And, Sunny, we're learning -- here's the thing. We're learning that this may not have been the parents first alleged -- we have to couch it -- alleged attempt here at killing this man. Is that correct?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: That's right. I mean if you look at the criminal complaint from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, they claim that they have significant evidence, Brooke, that this was their second attempt at killing who they believed was their daughter's pimp. The complaint says that the first attempt was on May 27th and that that attempt failed and that this second attempt was successful and that they allege that her father shot this young man, this 22-year-old man, who they suspected was her pimp, from a car not too far from their home.

BALDWIN: We have heard now from this couple's attorney speaking out. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC SAFIRE, COUPLE'S ATTORNEY: They were faced with every parent's nightmare and they tried their best to protect their daughter. And here they are, they end up getting arrested. It's very overwhelming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now, the couple is not admitting to this crime. But my question is, could this be an instance of, you know, self-defense on the part of the daughter or self-defense of others? Could that fall under that category?

HOSTIN: It doesn't read that way. And, let's face it, I think many people can understand a parent's frustration in a case like this where you have your 17-year-old daughter who hasn't been at home and who you believe has been -- being prostituted by this 22-year-old pimp. But in my view, when I look at the facts as alleged in the complaint, this does not appear to be self-defense. It doesn't appear to be the defense of a third person, which sometimes you hear about. And that would be legal under the law. But at this point, given the allegations, it does not appear that that fits what the DA is alleging.

BALDWIN: OK. Sunny, thank you.

HOSTIN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: He ran for president and he is from Massachusetts. And now Senator John Kerry has a whole new role as in playing Mitt Romney. We're going to tell you what that's all about.

Plus, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, back on Capitol Hill, grilled over that $2 billion loss. But, as lawmaker scold him, they say, it's not the money that's making them angry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: More news unfolding right now. "Rapid Fire," roll it.

Encouraging signs from talks to form a government in Greece. This is now day two here. Power sharing talks among three political parties. Party leaders are expressing hope that a pro-bailout government can be put together an put together quickly. Greece will have to make severe budget cuts to meet the terms of a recent bailout.

And the nation's top prosecutor could be held in contempt of Congress. But the vote scheduled for tomorrow might be postponed. This House panel says Attorney General Eric Holder withheld documents they want on that fast and furious scandal last year, a botched operation that allows guns to reach Mexican drug gangs. But the panel's chair, Representative Darrell Issa, has offered to postpone the contempt vote if the attorney general turns over those documents. A meeting between the two men is scheduled to start in just a couple of hours from now.

Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers student convicted of spying on and intimidating his gay roommate, completes his sentence and is released from jail. His roommate, Tyler Clementi, killed himself by jumping off a New York bridge in 2010 after learning Ravi had set up that web-cam to spy on Clementi's private encounters.

JP Morgan's chief grilled on Capitol Hill again today. I'm talking about Jamie Dimon. You know he's under fire for that trading loss in the ballpark of $2 billion earlier this year. Well, federal regulators are investigating these risky trades that actually led to that loss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. SEAN DUFFY (R), WISCONSIN: Many of the American taxpayers are concerned when big banks go bad, they're left holding the loss. It's one of these philosophies where, oh, we have capitalism on the way up where you and your firm make a lot of money when do you well, and when you fail, we have socialism on the way down.

JAMIE DIMON, CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, JP MORGAN CHASE & CO.: I completely agree with the fact that taxpayers should never pay for a big bank failing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Jamie Dimon testified his firm is not too big to fail and that JP Morgan can be regulated. But, he said, but it's not possible to ensure the firm will never make a mistake.

And, have you seen these sneakers? Take a look at this. This is this new Adidas sneaker. Not -- you'll see the sneaker again in a minute. Here it is. It features rubber shackles. This picture's gone viral here. You can forget, though, ever seeing them on sale. The company has now bowed to criticism that these high-tops somehow evoke images of slavery and has called on plans no longer to sell them here. Adidas insists it meant no harm, that the shoe designer simply had a quirky and light-hearted style.

Senator John Kerry now has a new job. That being, be Mitt Romney. When President Obama starts practicing for the upcoming presidential debates, Senator Kerry has been tapped to play the role of the president's debate opponent, Mitt Romney. President Obama's senior strategist, David Axelrod, says Kerry is an expert debater and is the best pick for the job. The president and Mitt Romney are scheduled to debate three times in October.

Attacking suspected terrorists from high above. The U.S. admits to using drones in several countries and now one United Nations investigator wants President Obama to justify the killings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I want to take off a list of some of the dangerous terrorists we no longer have to worry about today starting with this guy, Abu Yahya Al-Libi.

He was the number two man in al Qaeda and he is dead. He was killed in the drone strike the first week of June. Next, Mohammed Al-Quso, killed in a drone attack. He was once in connection with the deadly bombing of the U.S. warship "Cole."

And of course, we all remember this guy, Anwar Al-Awlaki, AQAP, dead, killed last summer in a drone strike in Yemen. Atiyah Al- Rahman, Al Qaeda's operation chief also killed last summer and also killed in a drone strike.

The list goes on and on. It also included Sair Amas, reformer, al Qaeda finance chief killed in a drone strike. A United Nations official is warning the U.S. about assassinating terrorists using these drones.

His name is Kristof Hynes. He is the special repertoire on extrajudicial executions. Richard Roth there for us at the U.N. and what is this official's specific complaint?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristof Hynes is a special investigator for the Human Rights Council in the field of the special execution summary justice. The U.N. has had many of these positions over the years.

Hynes and his predecessor, Philip Olsten, have both said that the United States is coming up to the limits of legalism regarding the drone strikes killing people.

They fear there's no accountability. There's no responsibility for casualties or lack of follow up investigations to what has happened. They don't come out and just say it's illegal.

Today in Geneva, Hynes said potentially illegal United States action. So they have been on the record consistently that the U.S. in its policies is perhaps not just doing self defense, but carrying the field of arm conflict a little too far. Of course, the United States disagrees with that judgment.

BALDWIN: Well, if you're saying he said today, potentially illegal, what is the legality, Richard? What's the legality concerning the targets assassinations, you know, taking out a terrorist without giving her or him the right to defend themselves in court? What's the law?

ROTH: Well, we've seen since 9/11 come up, this huge gray area where the U.S. according to the U.N. investigators are saying trust us and the U.N.'s legal people in terms of investigating summary executions and extrajudicial killings are saying, look, we can't trust some country because where is the limit.

Any country could start doing this. One minute it's self- defense. The other time we don't know. They have no evidence given as to why some leader was taken out by a drone from thousands of miles away.

As the post 9/11 war exists and terrorism continues to be fought in the shadows, I'm not sure there is a legal, clear doctrine that one side can claim they are right and the other is clearly wrong.

The U.N. is not officially lobbying this accusation though they keep saying it at these conferences and these reports say they required to follow these U.N. events.

BALDWIN: Do you think, perhaps, the result of this is some sort of clarity because you mention this gray area? Do you think this complaint will go anywhere, Richard?

ROTH: I don't think barring any catastrophic events where some world leader happens to be taken out. The U.S. is ready with its veto in the U.N. Security Council regarding any U.N. matters and that's likely to bar any type of international U.N. action regarding U.S. tactics in the field.

BALDWIN: Got it. Richard Roth for us at the United Nations. Richard, thank you.

Question, is America addicted to technology? Some celebrities are pushing for young folks in our country to abandon Facebook. Take a little less time on Twitter.

And singer/songwriter Keri Hillson is one of them. You're going to hear what she wants and why she has a special gas with her today in the studio live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We're all guilty of spending too much time online now and then. What about teenagers? Take a look at this recent study. We found that teens devote an average of seven and a half hours each and every day to entertainment media, much of that time being spent on the internet.

But the search engine "Bing" is aiming to change that and in the process get young people involved in their young communities. I want to welcome, I know our chairs are kind of turning. We're having some issues.

This is the lovely Keri Hilson. It's so nice to meet you, singer/songwriter and Alyssa Likness, nice to meet you as well. Let's just begin with why we're here. There's this huge opportunity tomorrow, right, at a Georgia High School to help to do something. Explain.

KERI HILSON, SINGER/ACTRESS: Yes, we will be at Osborn High School tomorrow. We're both here to just combine, do something.org and bing.com. They are launching a program called the summer of doing. It's to encourage the youth like herself and like myself.

BALDWIN: Of course.

HILSON: It's really a program that encourages the youth to do something. During the summertime is the best time to do something in your community, do something good.

BALDWIN: Now Lizzie, I've read your graduating high school at 16. So maybe this doesn't apply to you, but to other who is maybe spend extra time on the computer, not on their school work or helping the community. Why do you want to help this? Why do something at this school?

ALYSSA LIKNESS, STUDENT VOLUNTEER: Well, I think it's really important because youth are the main people that can make the difference. A lot of young people, like myself, don't realize that.

Because they think I have to be a certain age or certain things to make a difference or give back to my community and that's not true because if you get together with your friends and pick a cause you want to help out with.

And you can use "Bing" and search for volunteer opportunities, you can do anything because all you need is heart and dedication to make a difference.

BALDWIN: How old are you?

LIKNESS: I'm 12.

BALDWIN: You're 12.

HILSON: She told that she has formed a business. I answered, are you still doing that. She said we've expanded.

BALDWIN: How did you get a fire in your belly to want to do something?

LIKNESS: I think my parents are a big inspiration for me becuase I really started my business because I saw what they went through. They had a really big weight loss journey. I was really inspired by that.

When I heard about do something, that really helped launch my business. I was able to use that to start cooking classes in my community with my web site.

BALDWIN: I like how she rolls that as well, very, very nice.

Now obviously you have a web site as well. We know all about your music and I'm a music nerd. I have a music question in a minute. You're from Atlanta.

HILSON: That's right. Born and raised.

BALDWIN: I know you've done so much as far as the music world. Growing up, what did you do in terms of giving back to my community?

HILSON: My mother was very integral and making sure that we understood the importance of giving back. We would feed the homeless many Saturdays. We had to pack the lunches in brown paper bags.

There were so many things that she allowed us to do or allowed us to experience. It was in tandem with our church. I'm super excited that bing.com/doing and find activities that sound fun to you in your community.

BALDWIN: How did waking up at those ungodly hours on the weekend when you were a youngster. How did that impact who you are today? Setting an example for someone like Alyssa.

HILSON: It gives your life a purpose. You may not realize that when you're young. But it really does -- give you just a sense of appreciation.

BALDWIN: A grounding.

HILSON: A grounding and a humbleness that you wouldn't get if you weren't being so selfless if you weren't thinking about yourself for that day or however long. So I really thank my mother because that's really transpired into something beautiful in my adult life.

BALDWIN: It's awesome.

HILSON: Yes, lent my celebrity and my likeness and my doing to many causes and this is one that's a lot of fun.

BALDWIN: Alyssa, final question for you. For young people who are watching right now, what would you tell them if they're hanging out on the sofa getting iPhone thumb, you know, not getting out there, not doing what you're doing. How do you get them off the sofa?

LIKNESS: I think the main problem is that people don't realize how easy it is. I mean, you don't need a lot of resources to make a difference.

Whether it's just getting some friends together and going to a local animal shelter and helping out for day and doing what I did, which I would sell my local baked goods at a farmers market.

I just think it's really important to figure out what you like because you're not going to have fun if you don't like it. If you don't like it, then you're not going to want to do it.

BALDWIN: Great point. OK, Ms. Music thing. What's next for you?

HILSON: What is next? I've actually gotten my first couple roles in the movies. The next one is "Chronicles of Riddick." It's a sci-fi movie with Vin Diesel. I'm super excited about that. I'm working on my third album.

BALDWIN: Very good, very good to meet you and you. Good luck tomorrow.

HILSON: We're going to be painting the hallways with inspirational messages myself and a bunch of volunteer, Alyssa's age through college. It's going to be a whole lot of fan. Good luck, ladies.

Coming up here, as Keri just talked about one person small deeds can have a very big impact. You too can have an impact on the world. Just go to cnn.com/impact for more information.

As the crisis in Europe unfolds, the conditions are right for an economic storm. It could be coming right here to the U.S. Ali Velshi has now crunch some numbers and he reveals what you will not hear from President Obama or Mitt Romney. Don't miss this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Markets, they are up today. You can see for yourself, all that green. As the crisis in Europe unfolds with each hour that passes, you've heard about Greece. We've been talking about Greece. You've heard about Spain, 25 percent of the people out of work. Their crisis is affecting us. Today Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his team are meeting to discuss what more they can do, but Ali Velshi explains what they can do to help us. An economic storm is brewing.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You probably heard everything you have need to know from these two guys about the committee and how they plan to fix it. What if I told you they are both misleading you about how they can fix it?

I'm going tell you the truth about the economy. I'll tell you what the candidates aren't telling you about what is and what is not within their power. But first, I'll tell you about a storm that's raging in the distance. It's heading to our shores. It's an economic storm. I understand the economy. The U.S. economy is driven by the confidence of its citizens. The customer, who is the American consumer, is always right.

If they think things are slowing down, it will become self-fulfilling because will stop spending. Businesses will stop hiring. And the economy could grind to a halt. Let me tell you what I'm talking about.

Here's the good news. We've had 20 straight months of job growth in the United States. The pace of that growth is slowing. For the last five months there's been fewer jobs created each month than were created in the month before.

But jobs are being created, not lost. That should make people feel better, not worse. Let's talk about your homes. The home prices in the United States are probably at or near their bottom. The shadow inventory of homes is lower.

Foreclose are up, but those are a new way from the robo signing scandal. We're probably near the end of this thing. Fewer homes, less inventory makes it a good time to buy and if you're buying a home at a 4 percent mortgage interest rate or lower on 30-year fixed mortgage.

The rate has much more impact on the total price of that house over the course of owning it. Mortgage rates are at record lows right now. How about gas prices? When they are up, they're like a tax. It causes you to pay more money for the amount of something you bought before. Those prices are down. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.52.

We hardly had a winter. Americans saved a lot of money on home heating bills. The problem is none of this is pushing consumers to spend. Without consumer confidence another recession looms. Already, we have a jittery stock market.

The S&P 500, the broadest representation of stocks that you probably own if you have a 401(k) or an IRA down more than 5 percent over the last three months. We're seeing record lows in treasury yields.

That's because the smart money doesn't want to take risk and it's parking itself in U.S. government bonds. What is that Smart Money so nervous? Because of Europe. The potential collapse of European buying power if the euro breaks up.

Europe is an economy the size of the United States. The worst things get there, the fewer goods and services they buy. Let's not forget about the fiscal cliff that lies ahead in Washington. Some tax cuts are expiring. Some benefits are going away at midnight on December 31st, if Congress does nothing. Happy New Year.

Congress may be the one body, by the way, which you have some influence over, which can avert the disaster. But I have a better chance of growing an afro by December 31st than Congress has of getting its act together. This is not the time to be discussing cuts. You Democrats, this is not the time to be raising taxes.

BALDWIN: Good luck with that hair growing. Ali Velshi, thank you. By the way, we'll keep you updated on that Bernanke meeting.

Developing now, we are getting new word that Russia is sending ships to Syria. This is a huge develop amid tensions between Russia and the U.S. over Syria's specifically.

Plus, Jerry Sandusky's lawyers are not saying if the coach will take the stand or not, but we know his wife is on the witness list and at the courthouse for the first time since the trial began.

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BALDWIN: The Jerry Sandusky team is calling witness after witness to testify they have never seen the coach behave inappropriately toward children. There's growing speculation that his wife or perhaps Jerry Sandusky himself will soon take the stand.

"In Session" correspondent, Beth Karas joins me now live outside that courthouse. Beth, I know just because they are on a witness list doesn't mean they have to testify. What about Dottie Sandusky, when might we know?

BETH KARAS, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: Well, good afternoon, Brooke. I think we may know very soon because today is the first day that anyone has seen Dottie Sandusky at the courthouse. She arrived earlier today.

She was not in the courtroom as of a half an hour ago when I left the courtroom at the break. A psychologist was still on the stand to be cross examined. But I would not be surprised if she takes the stand after him.

We don't know for sure. Nobody can confirm it. I've asked some of the attorneys who are in the courtroom, but not trying the case, and they don't know either. I think she may be on the stand today. They also said court may go over today so court with wrap up tomorrow.

BALDWIN: Tell me about some of the witnesses we have heard from today? What was the theme?

KARAS: Most of the witnesses primarily character witnesses testifying to Sandusky's reputation for truthfulness and being a law- abiding citizen. They did not ask specific questions about do you know him to molest children?

Nothing like just his reputation of being an upstanding member of the community and everyone has stellar things to say about him. But there were a few other witnesses.

For example, a character witness to say that one of the accusers, number four, he was the first witness to testify has a reputation for being dishonest and embellishing things.

The defense has been going after number four in a couple of other ways as well. There was the psychologist who testified this afternoon that Sandusky suffers from histrionic personality disorder to explain the letter, which were written to accuser number four.

He read some of the letters and excerpts to say this is man that didn't want to lose the attention of number four and wanted him to remain loyal. He didn't want something more than that.

BALDWIN: In 60 seconds, Beth, I mean, this histrionic personality disorder, how strong did that defense seem today in court?

KARAS: Well, it really only goes to the letters that were written to number four, one of the eight accusers who took the stand. Say a jury buys it, that he has histrionic personality disorder. It neutralizes the letters.

Take the letters out, it doesn't mean that the other corroboration that number four had like the gifts that Jerry Sandusky gave him and his testimony alone is neutralized.

But the defense has been attacking number four because of the character witness to say he was dishonest and they also challenged two Pennsylvania State Police Officers who interrogated saying they suggest that he embellish his story. Don't know if the jury will buy it but the defense went after number four today.

BALDWIN: OK, Beth Karas, thank you.