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Family Huddles in Bathroom; Without Power in Indiana; Zimmerman Arrested; Latest in the Rob Ford Scandal

Aired November 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: It is great to be with you here on this Monday. I'm Brooke Baldwin, live here in what remains of Washington, Illinois.

I want you to take a look behind me. We can pan in so you can see what reality is like for the 15,000, population 15,000 or so people here in Washington, but specifically for this neighborhood.

Let me tell you, I just walked two miles just to get here. The security, the police, the sheriff's deputies, it's that tight because they want to keep people, those who should be here, here, and those who should not, out.

Just a short time ago, the National Weather Service confirmed this tornado here that ripped through the city of Washington, as, in fact, an EF-4 storm with wind of about 190 miles per hour at those peak wind speeds. But really, it was the string of tornadoes that wrecked havoc in communities across this Midwest section of the country Sunday.

But Illinois here really took the brunt of the storms. Six people died.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's on the ground. It's on the ground!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And you can see from video after video, we have thanks to you, our iReporters, the chaos captured on cell phones. The timing of these tornadoes actually may have been a blessing because the storm here hit the city of Washington, Illinois, Sunday morning. So many of the town's 15,000 inhabitants were at church. One woman says the winds swept her home and everything in it right away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE CRUMRINE, TORNADO VICTIM: I don't really think it's hit home. The house was on the other side of the garage, and it's - it's just completely gone. I had two pet. One is still missing. We're hoping that somebody -- somebody's got her. And -- but we were all OK. I know there's been other tornadoes and tragedies in recent years that were horrible, too, and you always watch TV and say, oh, that would never happen to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That is what I've heard from several people who live here and lost everything.

Once again, we are on the ground live in Washington, Illinois. I know that the governor here in Illinois, Pat Quinn, was just here in Washington. Just spoke about the heroic actions of so many in his state today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. PAT QUINN, ILLINOIS: He was only six years old. His name was Brevin Hunter (ph). And he heard the sirens. And he told his mother, we better get to the basement. At first she was saying, well, we'll do it a little later. He insisted. He said, when we're in school, we are told, when you hear the sirens, get to safety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: In neighboring Indiana, a state of emergency for the town of Kokomo has been lifted, although schools do remain closed today. And joining me on the phone, not too far from where I'm standing, from Peoria, Illinois, is Jeanette Kendall. She is the executive editor of "Times" newspapers and the editor of "The East Peoria Times-Courier."

So, Jeanette, I know you're on the phone with me. I've got to tell you, I was - I was up and on a plane at 5:00 this morning and it was your editorial in the newspaper that was the first thing I read about your experience here. What, you were sitting with your parents at a diner here in Washington. You were just asking your mother, you know, what you would do, where you would seek cover, if a tornado were to hit, and then tell me what happened.

JEANETTE KENDALL, EDITOR, "THE EAST PEORIA TIMES-COURIER" (via telephone): Yes, we heard the siren go off. And we started discussing where we would go or what we would do because the restaurant doesn't have a basement. So my mom said she would hide underneath the table or in the bathroom. And then not 10 minutes later, someone screamed out, there it is. And we all looked and there was the tornado coming toward us. So --

BALDWIN: There was the tornado coming toward you. Forgive me for jumping in. We're just - we're looking at some of the pictures. I just want to explain to our viewers. These are photos that you took of the damage and the destruction after the fact. But, please, continue where you were, including where did you go? The bathroom of this diner?

KENDALL: Yes. We went to the bathroom. I just took off and I went to the woman's bathroom with about 15 other people. And I sat on the floor and put my arms over my head. And I did not know where my parents were. They ended up in the men's bathroom. So it was very frightening.

BALDWIN: I can't imagine how terrifying, not knowing where your parents are in that moment. The power is out. People are holding one another. People are very emotional. Finally, you find your parents, you hop in the car. You want to make sure, you know, their horses are OK. And tell me about what you see on the ground.

KENDALL: Well, when we first left the restaurant, I saw a piece of splintered wood at my feet right when I walked out the door. And I picked it up and looked at it and thought, I wonder if this is from the storm. I had no idea the devastation that was just down the road.

We got in the car. We took a right. Immediately we were blocked. We couldn't go any further because there was a telephone pole crossing two lanes of traffic. And next to that in the other two lanes of the road was a big canopy from a gas station. So we had to turn around in the McDonald's parking lot and there were power lines down, which was very scary. So I had to drive back east, going down the road the wrong way. And then we continued to try to find our way out of town to get to my mom's house on the outskirts of Washington. And it took us about 45 minutes, when it normally would just take a few minutes to get home. Along the way --

BALDWIN: I have to say, you and - no, go ahead.

KENDALL: Along the way we saw all kinds of devastation. You know, we turned one corner and saw a whole neighborhood leveled. And we just put our hands over our face and said, oh, my God, and my mom started crying. And, you know, this was the stuff I've only seen in movies. It was very surreal.

BALDWIN: People I've talked to in my drive into Washington have all said to me, Brooke, you know, we never thought that this would happen here. We have grown up hearing the sirens, but never actually had a tornado like this. I just wanted to quote the last line of your piece this morning which was, this is a time when we need to help our neighbors in any way we can.

Jeanette, how are you doing that today?

KENDALL: Well, today, we're covering the news. We're getting the information out there. We have five weekly papers. We come out on Wednesday. We'll have extensive coverage in our "Washington Times Reporter," you know, ways people can help, what's going on. I mean, obviously, right now, the authorities just want people to stay away. They have all the volunteers that they need.

BALDWIN: They do.

KENDALL: We're also checking FaceBook, making posts there. You know, there's a lot of lost pets. People are gathering up photos that they're finding and posting those on FaceBook. So we're going to, you know, be a communication tool to let people know what's going on.

BALDWIN: A conduit to help those people find those loved ones, find those photos, mail, pets.

KENDALL: Yes.

BALDWIN: Jeanette Kendall, thank you so much. Best of luck to you and your crew at "The Times" newspaper.

KENDALL: Thank you.

BALDWIN: The National Weather Service is still assessing what exactly hit Kokomo, Indiana, neighboring Indiana here. And whatever it was had the power to strip roofs from buildings and cause brick walls to crumble. But, I mean, when you look at this, in all this wreckage, the people there say they're incredibly thankful. George Howell is a couple hundred miles away from me in Kokomo, Indiana, to explain why.

George, set the scene for me and tell me why they're feeling thankful today.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, thankful because when you consider what happened here, when you consider the strong winds or maybe it was a tornado, still yet to be determined, but when you consider what came through here, it is amazing to realize that no one was seriously injured. No one was killed in this storm.

You know, just about an hour ago, I drove down the road here where you saw some storm damage. And, look, there are businesses that are gone. They're leveled. There are homes that are destroyed. And today, just as you're seeing there in Illinois, people are picking up the pieces and starting over. I'm not sure how it is there for you right now as far as the winds, Brooke, but here on this side in Indiana, the winds are picking up. You have to keep your eye on debris like that. That used to be a fire station, by the way. When the wind kicks in, that debris does pick up and there's always a concern about debris flying around here.

The governor came out here. He toured this area. And, you know, I asked him what his impressions were, what did he take away from what he saw, the stories that he heard? I want you to take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. MIKE PENCE, INDIANA: Here in Kokomo, it's possible this community took the hardest hit. We were in a neighborhood not far from here, and a father who had actually constructed a tornado shelter in his backyard told me of seeing a large wedge just past the trees. Marble- sized hail. He moved his whole family into the underground chamber in the backyard and within seconds the tornado struck his home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So, Brooke, again, you know, it really is just incredible to realize what happened here and how this community, in many ways, was spared when it came to the loss of life. We know that the mayor has lifted that state of emergency that was in place, so people are back on the streets. And today, Brooke, it really is all about picking up the pieces and starting over.

BALDWIN: Yes, you know, I keep hearing from so many people that they are thankful it happened on a Sunday. I think back to the last tornado we covered, Moore, Oklahoma, and that school that comes in the middle of a school day.

George, thank you so much in neighboring Indiana for us.

Coming up here, we're going to take a bird's eye view of the devastation in the Philippines recorded with a drone. It's a pretty unreal perspective of the damage you just have to see. It's not like anything you've seen yet in terms of the coverage there.

Plus, Toronto's embattled mayor, Rob Ford. The hits keep on coming. And his new TV show. You heard me right, TV show airs tonight. We'll go live to Toronto next for more on the mayor.

And, of course, back here in the United States, we are bringing you a look at the destruction from the disaster zone here in Washington, Illinois, and beyond. Coming up, standing not too far from me is the mayor of this city, Washington, Illinois. You will hear the stories he will share of survival. Stay with me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And so I - I go outside and I heard this like -- it's like a train. Like a loud train. I said, this isn't right. I said it's not thunder, it's not - and it just kept coming. It kept coming, coming, getting louder.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Back here live in Washington, Illinois. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Pieces, someone's siding, more than 400 homes destroyed here because of this EF-4 tornado that ripped through just yesterday, late morning. We're going to bring you much more here from really what remains in Washington. And also we'll talk to the mayor of this city in just about 15 minutes from now. But first I want to send things over to my colleague, Don Lemon in New York, with some of the day's other top stories.

Hey, Don.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, Brooke, it's unbelievable, and the sad stories coming out of there. Thank you again. We're not going to go far away from that story, but we do have some other news. And this is just breaking. It's just in to CNN. He can't seem to stay out of a police station or out of the news. I'm talking about George Zimmerman. He has been arrested in Florida. For the very latest now, we go to CNN's Alina Machado in Atlanta.

What do you know?

ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, we just heard about this. This happened at around 1:00 this afternoon. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office says that they arrested George Zimmerman after responding to a disturbance call. We know that Zimmerman was transported and booked at a correctional facility in Florida. But beyond that, the details of that disturbance we don't know. Authorities are expected to release the arrest report and the 911 call very soon in this case. So hopefully we'll learn more.

And as you mentioned, this isn't the first time that George Zimmerman has made headlines since a jury found him not guilty in the Trayvon Martin case. Of course, we will continue to follow this breaking story throughout the day and bring you more details as we know them.

LEMON: Yes, so, Alina, all we're getting now from Seminole County is that he was arrested. It was a disturbance call. And they haven't released any other information yet?

MACHADO: No other information at this time, Don. All they've said, again, as you mentioned, is that he has been arrested, that he is in custody, and hopefully we will learn more details when they release that 911 call and also when they release that arrest report. We don't even know at this point who was involved in this disturbance. So hopefully we'll get those details very soon.

LEMON: Yes, I hate to keep questioning you, and you may or may not know, do we know if it was his home, if it was someone else's home, if his wife was involved, any - anything?

MACHADO: We don't. What we do know is that it was at a home - at a place in Seminole County. But beyond that, again, Don, details are very, very few right now.

LEMON: All right, Alina Machado working this breaking news story for us. Again, George Zimmerman -- George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the Trayvon Martin killing, has been arrested in Florida on a disturbance call. More details to come on CNN.

And coming up, I want you to check this out. This is damage from the typhoon in the Philippines. Look at that. It's recorded by a drone. An unbelievable perspective that you have to see.

And a routine traffic stop turns into a police chase with bullets flying. A mom on the run with a car full of kids. That story later. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are back here live in Washington, Illinois.

And I just wanted to show you -- you know, when we talk about the winds here and we talk about how we know from the National Weather Service that this tornado here yesterday was an EF-4. You see the siding, the metal siding wrapped around that tree, that just shows you, because at the -- at the highest, it was about 190 miles an hour. And behind me, just an entire field of debris. I was actually just texting with my field producer, because I have never experienced -- I've covered a number of tornadoes and just incredibly strict. And they should be, in terms of getting people in and out of these areas.

I walked two miles. My producer is walking two miles just to get here, to bring the story to you because they want to keep folks, potentially looters, they want to keep them out. And I want to bring in two people here on the fly. Forgive me, but this is live television. This is just what we're going to do. I'm just going to grab my microphone.

Step on in ladies.

I'm Brooke with CNN.

Your first name is?

JAMIE: Jamie.

BALDWIN: Jamie.

MARCIE WARY: Marcie Wary (ph).

BALDWIN: Marcy.

And so we've been looking and hoping to talk to people.

Do you all have homes back here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um-hmm. Our home was right over there.

BALDWIN: That one right there?

JAMIE: We just bought it at the end of March.

BALDWIN: Where were you yesterday when the storm hit?

JAMIE: In the basement.

BALDWIN: It's been incredible. I've talked to a lot of people who, thank goodness, have basements.

JAMIE: We're lucky to be alive.

BALDWIN: You're lucky to be alive?

JAMIE: Um-hmm.

BALDWIN: What are you all doing today, walking around?

JAMIE: We're just trying to recover what little we have. So it's really frustrating that this whole parking lot is media and we can't get our friends in to help us save what's left.

But...

BALDWIN: Well, I will tell you that they have stopped us coming in trucks. So we are -- we are walking in to try to be able to talk to the two of you. I apologize for taking up part of this parking lot.

But when you look back at this, just look with me.

When you look at it, it looks like somebody's Christmas tree down, siding wrapped around -- I mean it's -- there are no words.

How do you feel looking at it?

JAMIE: It's -- we had a beautiful, wonderful neighborhood with neighbors. And it's just gone. We were drinking coffee and enjoying our Sunday morning.

WARY: It's heartbreaking. I don't -- I don't even own a home here, my sister does. But it's just completely heartbreaking.

BALDWIN: What do you want people to know?

People who don't live in places that have -- I know a lot of people here have heard the sirens for years and never thought a tornado would hit. Other people, you know...

JAMIE: Take it seriously. I was taking a bath. But when I heard the siren, I went downstairs. And so I learned a lesson in humility in a towel when the tornado hit so...

BALDWIN: Are there items, other than yourselves and your lives -- why are you here?

Are you trying to comb through and find the photos or yearbooks?

JAMIE: Well, yes. But we came back for my husband's clothes, because we just wanted to see if there were some clothes and some things of family members that we have lost recently and jewelry items.

BALDWIN: Jewelry.

WARY: Her wedding photos that she just, you know, they just got married and...

BALDWIN: You just got married?

JAMIE: In May.

BALDWIN: Congratulations.

JAMIE: We actually -- my cousin just contacted me on Facebook because someone found on -- and put it on Facebook on a Web site, Soul Mates, Jamie and Daniel. And I said that's ours. He gave it to me for Valentine's Day. And it was in Joliet, Illinois. So we're hoping...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: That is many miles away. And that's the...

(CROSSTALK)

JAMIE: We just want it back.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: -- about the winds. The wind speeds that many, many towns away, people are finding these items, you know, you're trying to recover pets and then put them back to rightful owners.

Just for people who want to help, how can they?

JAMIE: I think everybody is so kind, that's all. Really, I mean we have all -- everybody has lost everything. And that can be replaced with insurance and everything. So I think just be kind and understanding.

WARY: Probably also contact the Red Cross.

JAMIE: Absolutely.

WARY: We were just at Crossroads Church not too long ago. And they have, you know, a station set up there with warm food and clothes for people that are in need. You know, my sister, of course, has family members, you know, where she can go, but not everybody is that lucky to have shelter.

BALDWIN: Absolutely.

WARY: And, you know, since so many houses were affected, you know, so many people are in need right now.

BALDWIN: Absolutely. And it's incredible. Actually, I think the churches in these communities that come together to help folks like you. And also, go to our Web site, CNN.com/impact.

We tried to put a list together of the organizations who are helping.

Thank you.

I am so sorry what happened, but I'm glad you're OK.

JAMIE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you, ladies very, very much -- Don Lemon, ooh, that puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

LEMON: It really does.

BALDWIN: It really does.

LEMON: She said she was humbled, you know, in a towel. And sometimes you walk away. And the gentleman who was on CNN earlier said -- said it best. I walked away with my life and that's really the best thing that I can expect out of this, right, Brooke?

BALDWIN: It's the most important thing.

LEMON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Yes.

LEMON: All right, we're going to get to some other stories.

Brooke, we'll get back to you in a moment. Thank you very much.

Let's talk about Toronto's crack-smoking, vulgarity- dropping mayor. It's a big night today. His reality show "Ford Nation" debuts. The Sun News Network has released a clip in which Ford challenges the 44 members of the city council to take drug tests.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ROB FORD, TORONTO: And I'll do a drug test, an alcohol test right now. What -- and I put a motion forward that every counselor do it, too. I know people party on the side. I know lawyers, doctors. Everybody has a good time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who else on the council that you know has done it?

Anybody on the council?

R. FORD: I'm not going to name names.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?

Why not?

Your name is out there.

Why not?

R. FORD: Because it...

(CROSSTALK)

R. FORD: -- let hem vote on it and see who comes forward and who doesn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So the show airs in Canada. But U.S. viewers can see Rob Ford tonight in a one-on-one interview with CNN's Bill Weir. He tells Bill here never lied about smoking crack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So that shows that...

R. FORD: No, no, I didn't say that. No I didn't say that. You're wrong. Your absolutely wrong, what you said. They said, do you smoke crack and are you a crack addict?

No, I don't smoke crack and I'm not a crack addict.

Have I? Yes, I have. So that's what -- I didn't lie. I don't -- I don't smoke crack. I haven't smoked crack in over a year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So see the full interview, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

Ford's big night follows another demoralizing day. Today, city council -- the city council is voting whether to strip even more of his powers as a leader of North America's fourth largest city.

CNN's international correspondent, Nic Robertson, live in Toronto for us.

Those are live pictures there of the council.

And now there's Nic live so, Nic, the city council, what are they trying to do today, because the members already took away most of his powers on Friday.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they're trying to take away his right to be the chair of the executive committee, his right to be on other committees, his budget, some of his staff. They're still doing it.

And we're looking at right now, the mayor is actually speaking right now. This has been an incredibly contentious session. His supporters are planning a rear guard action right now. One counselor who supports him said, look, let's get a doctor into the council chamber here to say that Mayor Ford is -- is good enough to carry on with his job.

We're certainly seeing, on the floor today, his brother stand up for him.

Listen to this exchange his brother had with the speaker in the council.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG FORD, TORONTO CITY COUNCIL/MAYOR'S BROTHER: Have you read The Toronto Act?

(LAUGHTER)

D. FORD: Have you read The Toronto Act?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, counselor, we have.

D. FORD: And could I ask that?

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's our daily bread and butter.

D. FORD: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: You know, they're getting into uncharted territory. The city councilor has got legal representatives in there. One of them was asked -- asked the question. And she said, well, I really don't know. I've only been appointed this case in the last hour-and-a-half.

So it really is an uncharted territory. And what Doug Ford, Counselor Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, is saying -- and I asked him about this. He is saying that this is unconstitutional.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. FORD: What is happening today is an overthrow of a democratically elected mayor, illegally. This is what you see in Third World nations. You don't see this in Canada. You don't see this in the United States. You don't see this in the UK. We're talking about a Third World nation overthrow here.

ROBERTSON: Why doesn't he, to avert this situation, take your advice, their advice, just step back and get some help for a short time and come back?

D. FORD: Well, (INAUDIBLE)...

ROBERTSON: Doesn't that avert the situation?

D. FORD: You know something, no, it wouldn't avert it, because the ship has already left the dock and there is...

ROBERTSON: But you...

D. FORD: -- there is no rule...

ROBERTSON: -- you think that your brother did allow the ship to leave the dock by not taking the opportunity...

D. FORD: Personally...

ROBERTSON: -- when it was presented.

D. FORD: You know something, personally, he's made a mistake. We will rehash this for the next hundred years, folks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Well, I don't know about 100 years, but it's certainly going on. It's going on with intensity and it's going on here right right now. And we still don't know if some of those powers will be stripped away. But we know which way the council is likely to go if they get the chance to vote -- Don.

LEMON: All right. So whatever you've experienced as a correspondent -- and you think the story is going to go, it's probably going to take the opposite direction there, Nic Robertson. So buckle down, my friend.

Thank you very much.

Coming up, caught on camera -- police officers in New Mexico shooting at an SUV with children inside.

Why did they respond the way they did and why did that mom speed away?

That story is later on CNN.

But next, more of the devastation from Sunday's tornado.

Brooke Baldwin live in Washington, Illinois.

Four hundred homes were damaged in that city alone.

Brooke is going to speak with the mayor of Washington, right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)