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Obama's Role in the Race Debate; Alleged Bulger Victim Found Dead; Heat Wave Chokes Northeast and Midwest; Forced To Evacuate; Pennsylvania Man Adopts Partner

Aired July 18, 2013 - 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: New today, Trayvon Martin's parents ask President Obama to review the case against George Zimmerman. But will it make a difference?

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

As the extreme heat blankets America, thousands forced to leave everything behind as flames erupt.

A gay man adopting his partner, all to avoid the steep inheritance tax. Wait until you hear this story.

Plus, today is the day. Whitey Bulger's hitman takes the stand and faces the reputed mob boss.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow!

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BALDWIN: And a mom and her four-year-old daughter diagnosed with cancer within days of one another.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're in a better position because we can all be together.

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BALDWIN: And here we go on this Thursday. Great to be with you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Top of the hour. I want to begin with the parents of Trayvon Martin, breaking their silence and calling for action. They have been understandably quiet since George Zimmerman was acquitted of killing their son. But now they're opening up about Saturday night's verdict. Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, said that she was watching the news, like I know millions of you did as well. And when she heard those two words, "not guilty," she said she was both shocked and stunned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SYBRINA FULTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER: I was in a bit of shock. I thought surely that he would be found guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter at the least. But I just knew that they would see that this was a teenager just trying to get home. This was no burglar. This was somebody -- somebody's son that was trying to get home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You both -

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You were stunned by the verdict?

FULTON: I was stunned. Absolutely. I - I - I couldn't believe it.

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BALDWIN: All week America has debated the verdict and the message it sends, especially to some African-Americans who believe Zimmerman racially profiled Martin. The teen's mother says that sends, and I'm quoting her, "a terrible message."

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FULTON: Is this the intent for the justice system to have for victims? I mean they're sending a terrible message to other little black and brown boys that you can't walk fast, you can't walk slow. So what do they do? I mean how do you get home without people knowing or either assuming that you're doing something wrong? Trayvon wasn't doing anything wrong.

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BALDWIN: Trayvon Martin's parents are speaking tonight to Anderson Cooper. Set your DVR now or watch it live with the rest of us, 8:00 Eastern. Please, do not miss that. The parents, along with their lawyer, say they want President Obama, they want the administration to review this case. In part, they want to know if following an unarmed 17-year-old is legal.

The president, as we know, has sent a statement calling this a tragedy, calling for calm, and for everyone to respect the verdict, but has yet to speak publicly about that.

Meantime, I want to let you know, just a short time ago, there she is, the first lady in Chicago today making this public appearance, speaking to students affected by violence. We listened to the whole thing. We listened to the Q&A. She did not mention the verdict, at least not yet.

So joining me now to discuss whether the president should even step in on this case, spark some kind of national dialogue, I have two gentlemen here, CNN political commentator and host of "The Ben Ferguson Show," Ben Ferguson, and CNN political analyst Cornell Belcher.

So, guys, welcome. Good to see both of you. BEN FERGUSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thanks.

CORNELL BELCHER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Thanks for having us.

BALDWIN: Cornell, let me begin with you because, you know, we were listening to the first lady. Here she is, in Chicago of all places. A place that knows violence all too well. Were you surprised that Michelle Obama didn't mention anything about race, about this verdict, or is it even her place?

BELCHER: Yes. You know, I think we have to understand what a difficult situation it is to be the first black president, because I think, to a certain extent, you are asked to go above and beyond what other presidents have been asked. I mean George Bush could just be president. Barack Obama has to be president plus to a certain extent.

And this is - and I really - I want you (ph) to understand the razors edge that he walks. On one side you have minorities saying the president doesn't do enough specifically for minorities and he doesn't speak enough to those issues. He gets pressure there.

But on the other side, on the right, you have people who are saying the president, in fact, does too much for minorities. And we just saw a campaign in 2012 where group after group tried to say that the president was just looking out for African-Americans and race baiting. And the problem is, if you - if the president dives into this issue, it immediately becomes polarized and it could be more harmful than, quite frankly, than helpful.

BALDWIN: Ben, you're on the right. You've been watching all of this.

FERGUSON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Do you think it is the president's place? And let me - let me push it one step further. Let's say if the president sort of jumps into this fray, how should he discuss race specifically?

FERGUSON: Well, I - you know, discussing race is one thing, but discussing this specific case is something totally different. And the president already injected himself into this case by saying, if I had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin. And that is not the job of the president, because the job of the president is an incredibly tough job and part of it is to realize the power and the influence you have, can he go around and should the president go around commenting on cases all across the country where people's lives are affected, people are killed, raped, murdered in this country.

Look at all the murders in his hometown of Chicago. More than 400 young African-Americans have been killed in Chicago since Trayvon Martin, the night that happened. He has an obligation, a duty, as president to not put himself in these situations to comment on specific cases because when you do, people in the justice system are going to react differently to these cases because the president may be showing that he has influence there. And when you see the president do that, you're going to react to it and that's not fair to anyone in this country. BALDWIN: You know, we're talking about Chicago. And I have to ask, you know, why isn't there -- we have seen absolute national outrage over what happened in Sanford, Florida.

FERGUSON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Not just from last Florida - last February, of course, but since Saturday night. Why is there not national outrage each and every day over what is happening every weekend in Chicago, Cornell?

BELCHER: Well, I think there's an opportunity here. I mean I know a lot of us want to look at the legal system and say we want to look for the courts to answer this. But the truth of the matter is, all those people who are protesting and marching, I'm for vigils, I'm for protests, but we have to organize. I mean we have to go out and organize. You know, do a hoodie registration drive and unless - and actually take a page from my friend on the right, what the Tea Party did. You know, take your protest and organize it and apply political pressure.

If you don't like the law - the Stand Your Ground laws, you know what, there are state legislators, there are city council members, you know, put pressure on them, challenge them in primaries. Do what the Tea Party did, challenge them in primaries. You'd be surprised at how few votes you need to actually win a state senate seat.

BALDWIN: What about, though, prominent African-American leaders? You know, folks who fought during civil rights?

BELCHER: Yes.

BALDWIN: Folks whose voices we hear today,

Ben Ferguson, I read a tweet from you pretty recently that was pretty scathing on what their role should be.

FERGUSON: Well, I mean, there's some people that are involved in this case and I'll be blunt, because they see it as a political opportunity to interject themselves and become more popular with their own brand. This case has become so much bigger --

BALDWIN: Give me an example. Be specific.

FERGUSON: Well, I mean, look at - look at just the moments that we've had from NFL football players saying that George Zimmerman won't last a month -- or a year before the hood catches up to him. The wide receiver Cruz said that. Beyonce is helping expand her brand when she has a moment of silence. They probably weren't watching the case and they're not respecting the law, but they see an opportunity here because of a tragedy and the fact that everyone's covering it to then interject themselves without even probably paying attention to all the actual facts because it's good for their brand and it brings more people to their attention, to their audience. And that, to me, is the biggest travesty of all because if Beyonce's going to have a moment of silence, why isn't she involved with youth violence, gang violence, and all the youth that are getting killed in her hometown or Chicago or Atlanta or Memphis or D.C. or anywhere else in the country? And she's not.

BALDWIN: Do you think that's fair, Cornell?

BELCHER: Well, no, I think it's unfair, but I also think it puts a light on the problem with discussing these issues in our country because the moment you do, it's like a third rail (ph) of culture. You might - and the moment you touch it, it becomes problematic.

But here's what the real cost of our inability to have a conversation, a real conversation about race is. Trayvon Martin is dead because we've been kicking the race can down the road and have been unable to have a real conversation about race. And it's literally killing our kids all across America. Trayvon is dead today because of our inability to have a real conversation about race.

BALDWIN: It's tough to have a conversation.

FERGUSON: See, I just -

BALDWIN: It's tough to have the conversation. It's frustrating for me. I feel like we're round and round in circles. I have to end it here. Gentlemen, thank you so much. Ben Ferguson and Cornell Belcher, I appreciate it.

Speaking of the president, we should tell you today he is singing the praise of his health care law. President Obama using a White House speech to tout the Affordable Care Act. Here he points to a New York state report that finds insurance rates will drop next year.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: New competition, new choices, market forces are pushing costs down. Just yesterday state officials in New York announced that average premiums for consumers who buy insurance in their new marketplace will be at least 50 percent lower next year than they are today.

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BALDWIN: The administration faces deadlines to put the law into place as Republican lawmakers continue to try to repeal it.

And now to the big board we go. Take a look with me where the Dow, folks, is on the verge of a new record. Earlier, the Dow hit a new high in real-time trading. You can see it is up in the green, up 80 points. Got about a little less than two hours to go in the trading day. We'll continue to obviously watch the markets here to see if the Dow closes above the record 15,484. We'll see if that happens at 4:00 straight up.

Coming up next here, the trial of reputed Boston mobster Whitey Bulger. A potential key witness found dead in Massachusetts. Police are investigating. We're going to go straight to the courthouse in two minutes. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: Got to tell you about this bizarre twist today in the trial of reputed south Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger. This potential key witness, his name is Steven Rakes, an alleged extortion victim who had been waiting decades to testify against Bulger, has been found dead on the side of the road in Massachusetts. National correspondent Susan Candiotti is outside the federal courthouse there where Bulger is on trial.

And, Susan, before we get to today's goings on and some of the colorful language uttered in court, tell me first, how was Rakes found?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he was found by a jogger. We're hearing this from authorities who tell us that a jogger passing by the street on Wednesday, yesterday afternoon, in a town called Lincoln, which is about 20 miles from here and a good 20 miles or so from where Steven Rakes lived, saw the body there.

Now, authorities are telling us that there were no obvious signs of trauma. The medical examiner's office is conducting an autopsy. Obviously the police, the district attorney's office and federal authorities well aware of this. Everyone is looking into it to figure out exactly what happened. But it is yet, obviously, another bizarre twist.

Could he have been a key potential witness here? The thing is this, Brooke, just a couple of days ago, on Tuesday, prosecutors dropped him from their own witness list. And friends who knew him said he really wanted to testify.

Also, there are people wondering, could he have committed suicide? But those who know him say, absolutely not. That's what they tell us.

So was there a hit involved? No one knows. But, again, it's making us wonder and it's yet one more thing we're -- another colorful chapter of this trial to say the least.

BALDWIN: Speaking of color, Susan Candiotti, I tell you, I've been following your reporting, the tweets that have been coming out of this courtroom. As I understand it, as the jury was leaving, there was -- the former partner of Whitey Bulger, Steve Flemmi, mouthed a colorful phrase to Whitey Bulger. I know you can't say it on television, but I think it really speaks to sort of the tone in the courtroom.

CANDIOTTI: Sure. And, of course, it's not the first time something like this has happened. But this key witness, Flemmi, was -- had just taken the stand. He wasn't on very long before they broke for the day. But as his testimony had ended, he was getting off the witness stand. And Whitey Bulger was seen to mouth an expletive to Flemmi. Flemmi mouthed an expletive, excuse me, to Whitey Bulger. And then Bulger mouthed, "really"? Or there was a back and forth there just mouthing and that was the end of it. But it made everyone sit up and take notice.

BALDWIN: I bet.

CANDIOTTI: But then court ended for the day.

BALDWIN: What a dramatic way to end. What an incredible trial to be following inside that courtroom. Susan Candiotti, we so appreciate you in Boston for us.

And let me let you all know, coming up next hour, I will be talking with one of Bulger's former gangsters about this man who was found dead. So don't miss that. Top of the next hour.

Meantime, coming up next, a heat wave across much of the country. In some places it is turning deadly. All of this as a wildfire is burning out of control in southern California. Coming up next, I'll speak with one woman who lost her home last year and is once again waiting on pins and needles to see if her home survives this one, next.

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BALDWIN: Days of blistering heat are now taking its toll across the northeast, the Midwest. I know you're feeling it. The misery has spread really as far west as the Dakotas. In Washington, D.C., the humidity makes it feel that much hotter. Emily Schmidt back at it again for us in the heat there along the beautiful National Mall.

And when we were talking yesterday, all I could think about, this is the perfect time for tourists in Washington. And here I see a bunch of people behind you, not fun.

EMILY SCHMIDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, you know when you're in Washington, it is really part of the landscape. People gather rain or shine to come here to talk to lawmakers about what they believe in. Once the permits are issued and the plans are made, well the weather can't change it. And that's what happened here.

And what you see behind me, a group of people who say they're here to talk about civil rights in China, human rights in China. And they happen to have this scheduled during what is a heat wave in Washington. Feels like more than 100 degrees out here but they are still going to be marching.

The same thing happens, as you said, when the tourists come to town. People been planning that for a long time. They come to see the sites. So we met one woman today who had to come up with a plan to help her friends who had come in from Connecticut. They started out early to see the White House today. Then they decided to cool off in a fountain. One of the women told me, when it's this hot, a spur of the moment decision can really pay off.

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NANCY THIBAULT, WASHINGTON RESIDENT: The more he splashed me, the funnier he thought it was. And at first you want to say, don't splash. And then, oh, splash me, it feels so good. So, no, it's fun. It was good.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SCHMIDT: You know there are some real headaches that come with this heat. We know on Metro, the mass transit system here in Washington, they're allowing people to carry water. Usually they don't. But because it is so hot, they're making that concession.

Also, we have learned Amtrak had said on the northeast corridor, stretches all the way from here in Union Station in Washington up to Boston, they have put up some speed heat restrictions. They're telling people who are traveling that today, expect the trip's going to take 10 to 20 minutes longer. Just a sign of how things are slowing down in this extreme heat.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Feel for the folks who have to work outside, that have no choice. Emily Schmidt, thank you very much in Washington.

And from the heat to this raging fire we go. This is forcing thousands of people from their homes in California. This is southwest of Palm Springs. This wildfire just blew up over the past 24 hours. Casey Wian is there in California as folks are struggling just to try to, you know, stay safe, try to protect their homes.

What are you hearing from folks there, Casey?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, people very concerned. You can see behind my left shoulder, Brooke, this dense, dense, thick smoke. That was not there an hour ago. The winds have shifted a little bit.

We're in the community of Idyllwild, which is under a mandatory evacuation order right now affecting about 4,000 homes, about 6,000 people. So far firefighters have been able to prevent any significant damage from this fire, which has been going on since Monday. It only lost six homes and one commercial building. No loss of life. But they're very concerned right now because of the hot, dry conditions that are here.

We're talking about temperatures of 99 degrees today. Relative humidity only about 5 percent to 10 percent. So the winds aren't real high, but it's really, really dry and there's a lot of fuel back there where they're fighting that fire.

Now, what are they doing to keep those homeowners safe? They've got 3,000 personnel fighting this fire, including 17 helicopters and a dozen fixed wing aircraft. Those were just able to get up in the air within the last hour or so. They're hoping the winds stay calm so they can get this fire under control. Right now only 15 percent contained, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Casey Wian in Idyllwild, California. Casey, thank you.

Coming up next, a same-sex couple in Pennsylvania decides to adopt. I'm telling you, this story is like nothing you have ever heard before. Why one man decided to adopt his partner. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: OK. So now to a story about love and taxes that could have ripple effects really across this country. It's similar to the lawsuit Windsor versus the U.S. That is the landmark case which led to the Supreme Court to return - to recently overturn, forgive me, the Defense of Marriage Act. So remember what was at the heart of that suit? It was the inheritance tax issue. It was Edith Windsor. She initially had to pay $638,000 after her wife died because the federal government didn't recognize their same-sex marriage. So we now know she's getting the money back, but now another same-sex couple is avoiding some inheritance tax after one partner adopted the other. You heard me right, adopted the other. The men want to remain anonymous, but here is CNN's Sara Ganim.

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SARA GANIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't be fooled by the Supreme Court's decision to throw out the Defense of Marriage Act. Hundreds of thousands of guy couples still can't get the benefits of being married in their home state. John and Gregory, a couple in Pennsylvania, are among them, but they found a creative loophole. John, age 65, adopted Gregory, age 73.

JOHN, ADOPTED PARTNER: We have a great house. Nice property. And we've built that together and enjoy it together.

GANIM: State law in Pennsylvania says that when one of them dies, the other would have to pay a steep 15 percent inheritance tax to be able to keep all of those things. They've been together 45 years and didn't think that was fair.

MARIANNE RUDEBUSCH, ATTORNEY: To have to then pay inheritance tax on something that is already really yours somehow just doesn't pass the smell test.

GANIM: Attorney Marianne Rudebusch hit the books looking for legal options and came up with adoption.

JOHN: The judge said absolutely. There's no legal reason why I should not approve this. And I signed it - signed the adoption papers and looked at me and said, congratulations, it's a boy.

TED MARTIN, EQUALITY PENNSYLVANIA: I've heard of situations, on more than one occasion, sadly, when one couple - one part of the couple has died, you know, they've been locked out of a home.

GANIM: Ted Martin is with Equality Pennsylvania and he understands exactly why Gregory and John did it.

MARTIN: A place like Pennsylvania, still the only state in the northeast where you can still fire someone for being guy or evicted them from their apartment or deny them a public accommodation. So in a lot of ways, you know, people have to be smart.

GANIM: For this couple, it was a last resort. They didn't want to leave the state where they've lived their whole lives, but they don't believe they will live to see same-sex marriage legalized in Pennsylvania.

JOHN: And it's sad we can't call it a marriage in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but it is a really amazing relationship.

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BALDWIN: And now Sara Ganim joins me to talk a little bit about this.