Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Romney Enters Political Lion's Den; Judge To Rule On Abortion Clinic; Congressman's Mysterious Medical Leave; Mom Abandons Disabled Daughter At Bar; FAMU President Resigns Over Student's Death; Viacom Blackout On DirecTV; The Most Impactful Moments On TV

Aired July 11, 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: Hi, Suzanne. Thank you so much.

Hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Let's get right to it.

You've got to give Mitt Romney some points here for, certainly, his boldness. He is ceding no ground to Barack Obama. Going after the president's most reliable base, black voters.

(MUSIC)

BALDWIN: The Republican challenger spoke today to the annual NAACP convention there in Houston. And even the Romney campaign, they acknowledge the long odds of winning over the black vote. It is an uphill battle. In fact, take a look at the numbers and you can see it's really more like a mountain. The most recent Gallup poll shows only 5 percent of black voters support Romney compared to an overwhelming 87 percent backing President Obama. But Mitt Romney, he steamed ahead with his speech today and it was going pretty well until this moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to eliminate every non-essential, expensive program I can find. That includes Obamacare. And I'm going to work to reform and save --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now it wasn't all like that. It wasn't all boos. The Romney camp is downplaying the boos claiming there was far more agreement than animosity in that room in Houston. The Republican candidate got a chance to lay out his vision for African-Americans and he took it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: You have to make your case to every single voter. We don't count anybody out. And we sure don't make a habit of presuming anyone's support. Support is asked for and earned. And that's why I'm here today.

Do these five things. Open up energy, expand trade, cut the growth of government, focus on better educating tomorrow's workers today and restore economic freedom and jobs will come back to America and wages will rise again.

Job one for me will be creating jobs. Let me say that again. My agenda is not to put in place a series of policies that get me a lot of attention and applause. My policy will be, number one, create jobs for the American people. I do not have a hidden agenda. And I submit to you this. If you want a president who will make things better in the African-American community, you are looking at him. You take a look.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: All right, let me throw one more number at you and then we're going to have a conversation about that 95, as in it's true that 95 percent of black voters, they went with Barack Obama in 2008. Romney certainly did his best to chip away at that steady, very dedicated base. But was the crowd really listening? Let me bring in Boyce Watkins. He's a social commentator and a professor at Syracuse University.

Boyce, question number one, let me just look at some quick unemployment rates in this country. We just saw the June jobs numbers come out this past Friday. But first, you know, when you look at what President Obama, when he took office in '08, unemployment was at 12.7 percent for African-Americans. Now fast forward to those June job numbers we just got. It is at 14.4 percent. That is more than six points higher than the national average. So, Boyce, the question, when Romney says life has gotten worse for blacks under President Obama, is he right?

BOYCE WATKINS, PROFESSOR, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: He's right according to some measures. The question really is not whether or not things have gotten worse for black America under Obama, because they've gotten worse for everywhere. The question is whether or not Romney can do a better job. And I don't think a lot of people are convinced of that just yet.

I think that Romney's decision to speak to the black community, however, was incredibly bold. I think that it certainly raises the bar a little bit in terms of making black voters feel that there could be a home for them in the Republican Party. Because one of the biggest secrets in black America right now is that you have millions of African-Americans who are looking for solutions. Many of them have conservative values that would be right at home in the Republican Party, but they just don't feel welcome. So I think that Romney made a good move by speaking to the black community.

BALDWIN: So he made a good move. But back to my initial question, did life get worse for African-Americans under President Obama? You said essentially yes, but there's an asterisk by your answer it sounds like. Let me just play another comment from -- let me play another comment from Romney today. This is one that got a bit of a better reaction from the crowd. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: Any policy that lifts up and honors the family is going to be good for the country. And that must be our goal. As president, I will promote strong families and I will defend traditional marriage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So you hear some applause there. Boyce, he's talking marriage, you know, and families. What cord does that comment strike in the black community?

WATKINS: Well, African-Americans are incredibly religious. And one of President Obama's strongest support groups are African-American women who are actually the most religious demographic in America. And so when you talk about gay marriage, you really can't walk into a room full of church going black women and speak about gay marriage without getting some controversy there. So I think that you can win some votes out of that. But really the Republicans are going to have to try harder. It's going to require a consistent, determined effort to say, look, we respect you, we will listen to your agenda. Because there are a lot of African-Americans who feel that the Obama administration has not responded to the black agenda and taken the black vote for granted, but that doesn't mean they're going to run and vote for Mitt Romney. I think that would be a bad assumption as well.

BALDWIN: Well, so OK. OK, he gets some points for his stance on traditional marriage, perhaps. But, you know, look, everyone wants to talk about the economy. We just heard the sound bite where essentially, we've heard this before, Mitt Romney's running through his boiler plate, five ways to fix the economy, during the speech today. But did you -- here's really what I want to know, Boyce. Did you hear him talk about anything he would do specifically to put more African-Americans back to work?

WATKINS: No. No, I really didn't. I -- you know, I heard him say that he would listen to the African-American community, but I think specifics are certainly called for. I think that when you want to appeal to black voters, you have to express an interest and a concern for racial inequality, which a lot of people are concerned about. You have to also talk about the black unemployment rate, which has typically doubled that of white Americans. You can't just say that the rising tide will left all boats. You have to talk about specific policies.

And if you look at the track record of the Republican Party, they really don't have a record of doing things that are appealing to broad numbers of African-Americans. But I believe that if they keep digging home on that conservative issue, when you talk about gay marriage and reproductive rights and all those other things and family values, you'll find that there are a lot of black voters who will at least listen to what they have to say. And if they feel respected, they may have a chance to get their votes.

BALDWIN: But it's more than just talking about the unemployment rate. You want to hear specifics. And I know a lot of other folks, no matter who you are in this country, whatever side of the aisle you're on, I know they want specifics as well.

I do want to talk about education here, because I know a big part on Mitt Romney's speech was on precisely that. And you know the last time he really focused so much on that issue was when, again, he was in another sort of more predominately African-American community, this inner city school in Philadelphia, not too long ago. Where, might I add, he was heckled. So when he talks about ideas, Boyce, like fighting teachers' unions. Do you think he undercuts his own economic message to black voters by doing so?

WATKINS: No, I don't think so. I think that one of the problems that Mitt Romney has is that people just don't believe him. Now if this were a Republican --

BALDWIN: Well, what -- hang on. They don't believe him because why?

WATKINS: Because he really doesn't have a record or a history that shows that he's genuinely concerned about what happens in the black community. It doesn't look like he's really serious about trying to get African-Americans to support him in the next election. And I don't think he's serious. I don't think anybody who analyzes the numbers thinks that there's going to be a significant black turnout for the Republican Party.

However, you can plant those seeds that will lead to maybe in the next election black voters at least feeling that they have a choice. Because in my view, African-Americans are not opposed to the idea of considering Republican candidates. If this were Colin Powell giving the same message, you know, Colin Powell could have very easily had the same effect on that black community that Barack Obama had on the black community because both of these men are equally well respected within the black community, even though they are aligned with very different parties.

BALDWIN: Last question. I have to bring in the president here. Why is President Obama skipping out on the, what is it, the 103rd annual NAACP convention in Houston? I mean is he -- is he taking his base for granted this year?

WATKINS: Well, if you look at the things I've written, I will say that the answer is yes in certain contexts.

BALDWIN: How so?

WATKINS: I think that -- well because black Americans have given President Obama a blank check. They've supported him unconditionally without really asking for much. And what you find is that the White House, when resources are limited, they will tend to put their energy into constituencies that are sort of on the fence before they put them toward the African-American community. And a lot of people are really disgruntled about that.

Now being disgruntled about President Obama doesn't mean that you're going to vote Republican. But we do know that there is that threat of certain people not feeling the same energy for President Obama that they felt back in 2008. So that concern is very real.

BALDWIN: I mean let me -- the energy, this is really my final thought for you, you know, when you think about 2008, the energy, the enthusiasm is so, so pervasive and it's so lacking. It's so lacking this year. And I'm just curious what the tipping point would be for say an African-American voter. You saw the poles yesterday, 47 percent, 47 percent. That was the ABC News/"Washington Post" poll. So many people are still very split. What's the tipping point for an African-Americans voter to say, OK, Mitt Romney's got my vote?

WATKINS: I don't think we're anywhere near that tipping point for a lot of people. You know, being quite honest, I don't think that's going to happen. But I do think that what you have in the black community is you have a lot of political orphans. You have people that don't feel a love or loyalty for either party. They feel that they're disrespected by both parties. And I think that the black vote is up for grabs maybe in the next election. I don't know about this one. But you're going to see some things changes over the next five years.

BALDWIN: Orphans. That's an interesting word to use. Boyce Watkins, thank you so much, from Syracuse University.

WATKINS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And just moments ago, a hearing began on the fate of the only abortion clinic in the entire state of Mississippi. So this judge set to decide whether this clinic can stay open. Back in April, Governor Phil Bryant got a law passed with requirements that would shut down this clinic. Critics say this would absolutely threaten women's safety. This is a huge case. We're monitoring that in Mississippi.

Also, a lot more happening in the next hour. Roll it.

A mother leaves her disabled daughter on the side of the road. No I.D., no direction, and there's nothing police can do.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

A scare in the air.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought we were going to die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Just before landing, an American flight takes a frightening turn.

Plus, where is Jesse Jackson Jr. He disappeared for personal reasons. But some are demanding answers.

History's most memorable moments on television. You may be surprised which ones didn't make the list.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In just a matter of moments, Mississippi's only abortion clinic will learn its fate. It's hanging on, really, by this teeny, tiny thread as a new law is threatening to shut it down. The law now requires abortion doctors to be board certified OBGYNs with privileges at local hospitals. Some say the law is a mere attack on abortion clinics. Others say, no, it's really just about women's safety. And now a judge has to decide. CNN's David Mattingly is at the courthouse with the very latest.

Hey, David.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A federal judge is now hearing arguments over the new Mississippi law that requires the state's only abortion clinic, the doctors there who perform the abortions, that requires them to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. That may not sound like a big deal, but the owner of that clinic says these doctors come from out of state and work here only temporarily through the month and it will be difficult for them to be able to get admitting privileges at a local hospital in a timely fashion. Not quick enough to satisfy the terms of the law as it is.

They're worried that if this law is allowed to stay in effect, that they may have to shut down, closing the only clinic that performs abortions here in the state of Mississippi. Proponents of the law claim that this law strictly wants to protect the health of women seeking abortions in this state. But opponents say it is a political attempt again to attack the availability of abortion services here in Mississippi.

Regardless of how this comes out, quite a few states are watching this. It is already on the books in 10 separate states throughout the country. So there will be a lot of interest to see how this judge decides whether he decides to let this law stand or if he strikes it down.

David Mattingly, CNN, Jackson, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: David, thank you. We'll be watching for that judge's decision today.

Also, they thought they were going to die. Next, extreme turbulence turns a flight from paradise into a true nightmare.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Terror in the skies as (ph) really a freak pocket of turbulence has American Airlines passengers fearing for their lives. This was flight 1780. It was headed from Aruba to Miami, violently thrown around for 15 seconds. Passengers screamed. Many of them not even sure they were going to make it back alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The plane just felt like a huge drop. I was watching the movie and heads (ph) just popped up the entire plane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought we were going to die. It was scary. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course I was sure that I was going to die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Oh, how awful. A dozen people were injured. Five of those were sent to the hospital. American Airlines says nothing showed up on the radar to indicate they were in for such a bumpy ride.

More news unfolding right now. "Rapid Fire." Roll it.

For the 33rd time, or who's really counting, House Republicans forcing a lengthy debate and vote on health care reform. Debate on the floor here, it is nearing an end. And very soon the House is certain to pass a bill to repeal Obamacare. The bill's DOA in the Senate. That's dead on arrival. A Democratic majority, that's why. So what we're watching here live is election year politics playing out there on Capitol Hill. We're going to listen in to some of the shouting very shortly.

A train derailed in Ohio today. Take a look at these pictures from the air. This mile wide section -- this is Columbus -- was evacuated after this train caught fire and an explosion here rocked the area. Clearly, this is the aftermath. On fire for quite a bit of time. These tankers burning were hauling thousands of gallons of ethanol. People from miles away, they reported actually hearing that explosion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was just like -- I don't know how to describe it. It was just a big boom. Like, boom. Like, it was loud.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We sort of ran outside and everything was just on fire. I was nervous. I thought I was going to die.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard a big boom and then I looked up and then I just saw orange and I started freaking out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: No serious injuries were reported, but some people are still waiting to return to their homes at this hour.

A car bomb explodes outside a police academy in the capital of Yemen. At least 10 people killed, 19 others wounded. Police say the suicide bomber saw a group of cadets leaving the main gate today and then set off the blast. The attack is believed to be the work of al Qaeda.

A plan to save Spain from financial meltdown, not going over very well in Madrid. There you have it. Police firing rubber bullets and they used batons on some of these demonstrators there in the streets today, including coal miners marching for help just to keep their industry afloat. And amid all these protests, Spain's prime minister announced he will cut union subsidies, raise Spain's value added sales tax to 21 percent and suspend Christmas bonuses for public workers.

Take a look at this. Dramatic high speed chase here in California. Police, there it goes, spinning around. Police using this pit maneuver trick, tying to stop this suicidal P.E. teacher who's accused of sexually abusing a 14 year old girl. The chase resumed but finally ended when the suspect's truck went flying -- there it goes -- goodness -- flying off the road, bursting through a guard rail and finally ending by crashing into that tree.

A first for the U.S. Olympic team that will be heading to London in a couple of weeks. Women will outnumber men, 269 to 261. Olympic CEO Scott Blackmun calls this, quote, "a true testament to the impact of title nine," the gender equity law. The oldest competitor on the U.S. team, 54-year-old equestrian rider Karen O'Connor. And the youngest, curious, 15-year-old swimmer Katie Ledecky.

Big question on a lot of people's minds today, where is Jesse Jackson Jr.? The answer, no one knows. The congressman basically calls out sick almost a month ago, disappears, and now some of his fellow lawmakers, including Democrats, want to know, what the heck's going on?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A question for you. If you called in sick to work for a month without any explanation, would you expect to have a job when you're ready to come back? Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has been on leave ever since June 10th. His office did announce he was taking a leave of absence due to a, quote/unquote "medical condition." Staffers have vaguely called this exhaustion, but really beyond that, this is a mystery. Jackson has not publicly revealed what it is that he's suffering from. His colleagues, they are now getting impatient. Rick Pearson is a political writer for "The Chicago Trib." He is covering this story for us.

Rick, welcome.

First off, what are you hearing? Are you hearing any kind of information about what's wrong with Congressman Jackson?

RICK PEARSON, POLITICAL WRITER, "CHICAGO TRIBUNE": Brooke, the latest word that we're hearing is that there is a possibility that there might be a statement from his doctors today. But beyond that, we don't know anything more than really when his office first released the news on June 25th that he had taken a medical leave of absence. And that was two weeks earlier. So I think that's what's really causing, you know, a lot of consternation, not just among constituents, but among even some of his own colleagues as well.

BALDWIN: Well, let me get to that. But just so I'm clear, so we're talking about the possibility of a statement, not from the congressman himself, but from his doctors. So as we await that, as you point out, some of his fellow Democrats, they're getting restless with this absence. Here is what the number two Democrat here had to say. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STENY HOYER (D), MINORITY WHIP: I think Congressman Jackson, and his office and his family, would be well advised to advise the constituents of his condition. He's obviously facing a health problem. People get sick. And when people get sick, they miss work. And people -- everybody in America understands that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Congressman Hoyer. Number two Democrat in the House. Also Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, he said something similar yesterday. Really a lot of mounting pressure on Jackson, isn't there?

PEARSON: Yes, and it's especially interesting as far as Steny Hoyer because just yesterday he said that he thought that the Jackson family and the congressman's office had given enough disclosure to people. So, quite a turnaround today.

BALDWIN: And then, in addition to that turnaround, Jackson's office waited two weeks to tell his constituents about his absence. I have to ask, was there any kind of cover-up here?

PEARSON: Well, you know, I don't know about going that far, but I will say that during that time period, that two week period, his office did release various press releases that quoted the congressman and certainly gave the appearance that he was on the job doing the taxpayer's work. So, I mean, that also kind of leads to all of this skepticism.

I mean truly he would think, as an experienced politician, Congressman Jackson's been in office 17 years, that this would be something that an experienced politician would try to get in front of, rather than just kind of leave this feeding frenzy of rumors going on back here in Illinois.

BALDWIN: And that is probably precisely why so many people have so many questions since he has been in office for that long. This is a big if. If, Rick, if this is some kind of mental or emotional exhaustion, then we have to ask, does his absence have anything to do with the fact that Jackson is still, you know, under a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether he tried to buy Barack Obama's old Senate seat from former Governor Rob Blagojevich?

PEARSON: Well, there's no doubt that the last four years have been very difficult ones for Congressman Jackson dating back to that December morning when then Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested at his home on those corruption charges. Congressman Jackson's come under intense scrutiny just a few days before this leave was announced. It turned out that a supportive businessman, who was kind of one of those -- who had been said to had offered Rob Blagojevich's campaign up to $6 million to get Jackson that appointment, he was arrested on unrelated charges to that investigation. But, still, arrested by a federal agent. So, Jackson's people, his lawyers say there's no connection to that at all. But certainly when you look at some of the things that have gone on over these past four years, it certainly may have added into this equation of what's taking its toll on the congressman.

BALDWIN: It's a question. Hey, if those doctors do release a statement today, will you let us know? PEARSON: I will do that.

BALDWIN: All right, Rick Pearson, "Chicago Tribune." Rick, appreciate it.

A mother cares for her severely disabled daughter until she just can't do it any longer. So what does she do? She leaves her daughter in a different state at a roadside bar. And, guess what, police say they can do nothing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: On this show, it has really become a mission to report the stories that we demand we can do better. And victims who often have the toughest time speaking up for themselves as we have found are children.

In today's case, the victim isn't a child in years, but it is clear she can't take care of herself. She is 19-year-old Lynn Cameron. She has cerebral palsy, doesn't know her name, has a vocabulary in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 words.

This is all according to police in Tennessee. So they say on June 28th, Lynn's mother left her at a bar and went back home to Illinois. The mother, Eva Cameron, spoke with our affiliate, WVLT, about why she did it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVA CAMERON, MOTHER WHO ABANDONED DAUGHTER (via telephone): When I didn't get the help I need from Illinois somebody said why don't you go to Tennessee. They have a good health care system. Then her id card got lost and she became a Jane Doe. It wasn't supposed to happen that way.

The thing is, we thought it was -- we just thought it was -- she just needed to go to the bathroom. We don't drink. It's all a misunderstanding and hoopla over nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So legally she is accurate. This incident did not break laws because Lynn is an adult, 19 years of age. Her mother isn't facing any charges and she signed a statement yesterday declaring what Lynn is now in Tennessee.

So on the phone with me now is Assistant Chief Stephanie Smith of Careyville Police. Stephanie, I know we just heard a little sound bit, I just want to ask you. What did Eva Cameron tell you as far as why she left her daughter at a bar?

ASSISTANT CHIEF STEPHANIE SMITH, CARYVILLE, TENNESSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT (via telephone): She said that she just couldn't deal with her anymore. She didn't want her and if she had to take her Kentucky would be dealing with her.

BALDWIN: And what did you say back? We have been pointing out this is legal. She didn't break laws because she is over the age of 18.

SMITH: That's correct.

BALDWIN: What did you say back when this mother said she couldn't handle her anymore?

SMITH: I believe I had to swallow my heart because it sunk. I couldn't stop her. And she signed a statement that said she wished that Lynn would be awarded the state of Tennessee.

BALDWIN: What does that mean? By being awarded the state of Tennessee, what does that mean?

SMITH: I'm assuming that it means that we take custody of her and care for her.

BALDWIN: Back to this daughter, this 19-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy. When she came out of this bathroom left in this restaurant and the mother left, was she nervous? Was she frightened? Did she understand at the time that she was left?

SMITH: No, ma'am. She didn't. She has the mental capacity of I would estimate a two to three years old. She didn't know what was going on.

BALDWIN: So what happens to her now?

SMITH: She is in a facility that specializes in her situation and they have been caring for her. And quite frankly, I believe she is in the best place.

BALDWIN: Took a deep breath and swallowed your heart. I'm sure you have -- have you ever had something like this happen to you?

SMITH: No, ma'am. Myself and my chief of police, we just sit back and we scratched our heads. We cried because it's just a sad situation. What do you do? We have never seen anything like this. We have never had anything like this and we pray that it never happens again.

BALDWIN: Assistant Police Chief Stephanie Smith, I thank you and I'm sure many people are scratching your heads as well. I just want to tell you this.

That Eva Cameron, the mother, she told an Illinois newspaper, "The Northwest Herald" that she has another disabled child and caring for both was too much.

And the story made the irking news, maybe outrage, but it also highlights just how difficult life is for these caregivers. With that, I want to talk to senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.

Because I'm sure a lot of people, parents, non-parents, they hear the story and they think what? How can you leave your child? I don't care if she's 9 or 19 or 29 who leaves a child, an adult at a bar, but at the same time being a caregiver is extraordinarily difficult. ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I know as a mother, when I heard the story, I thought how can a mother do that to their disabled child who is an adult but really isn't an adult?

But, you know, without passing judgment on her, we put that aside, it is extremely difficult and so I'm going to give you some statistics to show the kind of stress that caregivers are in.

When you take a look at caregivers, one in three suffers depression. That is a very high rate. They suffer twice the rates of chronic illnesses.

And 55 percent say they have no choice, but to take on this role. Nothing else they can do with this person they are taking care of.

BALDWIN: So caregiver, I mean, the name itself, they are giving care. Who cares for them? Can they get help?

COHEN: You know, you would hope that they could but it is kind of tough. So for example, if we take her situation, you know, Lynn might qualify, let's say, from Medicaid as a disabled individual.

But Medicaid tends to pay for things like hospitalizations and doctors visits. They don't often pay for caregiving. That's much harder to get.

So even if she had Medicaid, her mom would still likely be stuck doing all of that caregiving by herself. That's a difficult situation to be in.

BALDWIN: People who are watching and I know there are a lot of caregivers out there, where can they get information and get help?

COHEN: If you go to cnn.com/empoweredpatient, we have a link to an article I wrote about how to care for the caregiver because caregivers get sick because they are giving care and they need help.

BALDWIN: They get lost in the equation. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

COHEN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: If you woke up this morning without your favorite TV channels, you are not alone. A big corporate battle means millions of TV watchers are out of luck. Is this a sign of things to come?

And news just in to us here, a huge development in the hazing case involving one of America's most famous universities.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We have just learned the president of Florida A and M University has now resigned. His resignation coming just as a lawsuit is filed against the school today for the death of Robert Champion during a band hazing incident.

Martin Savidge is watching this one for us. The letter, what, from President Ammons in your hand, why, why did he resign?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what's interesting, I just looked at the letter, which was delivered to the Board of Trustees. He makes no mention of the hazing incident, which of course, the family of Robert Champion says took his life.

He says he is resigning. It was his honor to serve as president of the university for five years. He will be stepping down to begin his retirement, but he also says he's going to serve as a professor on staff. But again, no mention of the --

BALDWIN: The name Robert Champion is not in that letter.

SAVIDGE: Or why and any of it. That comes about on the same day the family files a lawsuit.

BALDWIN: Now there has been pressure on this man, Mr. Ammons, really since November, since the death, the head of the band stepped aside, but the president had not until now.

SAVIDGE: No, had not. And then of course, the timing could not be considered coincidental, but he steps down on the very day that this wrongful death lawsuit is filed on behalf of the family of Robert Champion.

And what is interesting here is this lawsuit maintains that there is a long history of hazing that has taken place at this university dating all the way back to 1983 involving the famous band.

And as a result 1983, 1998, 2001, 2011 and October, just a couple of weeks before the November 19th incident that took Robert's life. So what the lawsuit contends is that, look, everybody at this university knew hazing was a problem and little or nothing was done about it and now their son is dead.

BALDWIN: Martin Savidge, thank you.

SAVIDGE: You're welcome.

BALDWIN: Twenty million DirecTV customers woke up today with, did you really miss this, no Jersey Shore. No Spongebob. No daily show. Shortly before midnight last night, DirecTV stopped carrying more than two dozen Viacom channels, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon blacked out.

It's all because these two companies were unable to settle a month- long contract dispute over carrier fees. Alison Kosik, OK, so this has been an impasse and no one called bluff and so we had the blackout. Any agreement in sight?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: No. Game of chicken going on as we speak. You know what? In a blog post, Viacom said it is ready to talk at any time. DirecTV says, you know what, we have been willing to get a deal done, but still nothing, silence.

This, of course, is all about money. A seven-year-old contract between both sides expired. Viacom wants to raise rates to what it says is a couple of pennies a day for subscriber.

But they asked DirecTV and it says, no, no. That equates to a 30 percent price hike, an extra $1 billion. Now DirecTV had previously said, listen, we are willing to offer an olive branch here.

We're willing to continue carrying the channels while we work this out, but they say Viacom wasn't on board with this idea. One analyst we talked to said part of the problem is that if Viacom caves and lets DirecTV continue paying a lower price.

It may have to do the same thing for other cable providers like Comcast. Now Viacom can't afford that, but DirecTV just doesn't have a lot of wiggle room to compromise here -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Just making these channels go black just seems so drastic, but we will see if they can work something out. I'm sure people want their Comedy Central and MTV back. Alison, thank you. Thanks very much.

Made by hand, fits like a glove, one of the dresses by the master mind of Chanel, Alina Cho. Tough gig for Alina this go around. Gives you an exclusive back seat pass next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: This Saturday you get to go behind the scenes of the fashion world with CNN. Our Alina Cho gets this crazy exclusive access to top designers like the artistic director for the fashion house of Chanel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the only cameras allowed inside Chanel's Paris design studio, we get a glimpse of Karl Lagerfeld few see.

The Chanel maestro at work just hours just before he unveils his latest couture collection to the international press. The clothes you see here will soon be on the run way, but never in a department store because couture dresses are custom made.

UNIDENTIFIED MLAE: It's something that's made by hand and what fits like a glove.

CHO: With the most expensive fabrics and details so intricate, a single dress can take hundreds of hours to make.

STEFANO TONCHI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, W MAGAZINE: Couture is the place where you hear and see it first.

CHO: Couture elevates a brand like Chanel even though many fashion houses lose money or break even doing it. At Chanel, he says couture makes money.

(on camera): What is the cost of a dress?

KARL LAGERFELD, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, CHANEL: It depends. It goes from $35,000 to $200,000.

CHO (voice-over): For one piece of clothing.

GLENDA BAILEY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, HARPER'S BAZAAR: What you see on the runways is like no other. This is museum quality.

CHO: So who is buying couture?

LAGERFELD: Second wife (inaudible) and they all have model size bodies.

CHO: And younger these days you say.

LAGERFELD: Average is 30 to 35.

CHO: And more international.

LAGERFELD: It's completely different.

CHO: And these clients aren't discriminating.

LAGERFELD: You put a dress on the actress for the red carpet she sees a photo of the dress they want to have the dress.

CHO: Yes because for all that money he says the client wants a dress nobody else has. So for Chanel and you what does couture represent?

LAGERFELD: The top of crem dela crem.

CHO: Alina Cho, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: I'm still getting over that $300,000 for a dress thing. You can watch Alina's special. We hope you do. Beautiful clothes Saturday afternoon 2:30 Eastern Time.

They are the moments that are certainly seared in your memory. Major events that played out on television and kept you glued to the TV set, but stayed with you as markers in your personal history.

This new survey from Sony Electronics determined the top 20 most impactful moments on TV. These are the number five top five. Number five the death of Osama Bin Laden. Number four, the "Challenger" space shuttle disaster.

Number three, the O.J. Simpson verdict. The top two on the other side of the break including the legendary you probably watched him talking about these stories, the Larry King next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are back. I know you have been thinking about this. The top two most impactful moments on TV, number two when the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina. The number one most impactful TV moment devastation from September 11th, 2001. Obviously, that number one moment no surprise. I tweeted this out and so many of you agree that 9/11 certainly was the number one most horrible memory that you remember where you were on that day.

Here you go, Nick tweeted this, 9/11 live on TV in my tech Ed class my senior year in high school will never forget that. The survey, again, this was done by Sony and Nielsen. They determine the top 20.

So we've gone through top five, here are a couple of others on the list. You can see O.J.'s bronco ride. Number six the Gulf Oil spill. Number nine Whitney Houston's death, Saddam Hussein's capture.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy. That all made the list and just a couple of more for you rounding it out, the Oklahoma City bombing. The L.A. riots, Rodney King beating and the Casey Anthony verdict.

So someone who has talked me through a number of these historic stories, Larry King, host of "Larry King Live" on CNN. Larry King, how are you, sir?

LARRY KING, FORMER HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE" (via telephone): Brooke, how are you?

BALDWIN: I'm doing well. I remember watching you. I remember where I was watching the O.J. Simpson bronco ride you were on TV for quite a while I know talking about that one. What do you remember about that? What on this list stands out to you?

KING: I was in Washington. I was on the air just about to go off the air 9:45 on the east. We headed the local -- suddenly they told me it was on the loose.

I sat there in Washington with the feed of L.A. and a map of L.A. in front of me. I knew O.J. well so I knew the participants. Just as it hit midnight is when they hand cuffed him in his house.

BALDWIN: I remember where I was watching that play out on TV. What do you think is the common thread among all of these major, major stories that brings people with their families and their friends in front of the TV for potentially hours on end?

KING: That's the magic of television. It can do that and it takes you right to the moment. I guess, the first ever big moment was before cable news and before anything was of course the John F. Kennedy assassination, which was not live on television, but the killing of lee Harvey Oswald was.

We saw the man come from behind and shoot him in the stomach. All of that was live. It was incredible. These stories never leave you. They gravitate inside your soul.

It is part of what we do. That was a momentous night because that changed it. In all of these years you are part of the scene and the public is right there with you. Nothing tops 9/11.

BALDWIN: Nothing and hopefully nothing will. You mention Bobby Kennedy. There were a number of other things that happened or bits of coverage that didn't make the list. I want to look down.

Someone tweeted me Neil Armstrong's one small step not on the list. The pope assassination attempts not on the list. In terms of the entertainment world we thought it was interesting Whitney Houston's death made the list, but Michael Jackson's did not. Why do you think?

KING: That is very surprising to me. I am a music fan. I love music. I would think Michael Jackson's death. I think it was the bigger surprise in that it was momentous. Whitney Houston was big, big, big. Michael Jackson was bigger. I am surprised at that.

BALDWIN: We were surprised at that.

KING: Michael Jackson's death surprised, shocked and hitting more of the world instantly especially young people I would say Michael Jackson's.

BALDWIN: Final question to you, Larry King. The future here I know so many people are getting their news from the internet. What do you think will change in terms of getting people in front of their television sets for a major moment that would take them not going to their lap tops or smart phones or to television? How might those moments be different?

KING: I can't predict the future. I'm joining the internet. I'm just looking at to me it is all -- as of now television is the place. You would go to television.

However, with Twitter and all the rest you can get it from a million sources. Let's say I'm on the street now. I don't have television. I had my iPad and I connect to it.

With me it don't matter where you are you would be addressing this story. You could be addressing the story. The only person who couldn't would be someone driving the car would have to hear it on the radio.

Everyone would know it instantly through sources. It is all this incredible, what it must be to be young today. What an adventure.

BALDWIN: Larry King, thank you so much. Good luck with your internet venture, by the way and yes, it is amazing how things are changing.

KING: Thanks. Thanks, Brooke. We will see you see. Thanks, dear.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Thank you. Thanks, Larry.