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California Wildfire; Best Actor Nomination; Christie Probe; State of the Union Seating; Interview with Sens. Udall & Murkowski

Aired January 16, 2014 - 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, everyone, I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Happening right now, this fast-moving wildfire is just devouring homes near Los Angeles. Three people have been detained by police in connection with these fires. This fire so fierce it is just burning out of control. Look at the smoke here in this mountainous area. Several schools are closed. Mandatory evacuations are underway. Right now people are just trying to gather up whatever possessions they can carry and get out of here.

I want you to listen here to the helicopter pilot. This is Larry Welk with our CNN affiliate KTLA, as he is monitoring the wildfire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY WELK, HELICOPTER PILOT, KTLA: This area over here on the west side of the fire, still, dozens and dozens of homes right in the flame's path and then hundreds more that could be affected by the burning embers.

This house is going to be a total loss. The roof has actually collapsed. The flames, very active at this point. As we move into a clear spot, we can actually get a great shot of this fire here and it is, unfortunately, consuming this house from top to bottom, left to right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I want to bring in Casey Wian. He is there for us in Azusa, California.

And first, Casey, it's one thing to see the fire from, you know, from overhead, but can you just put this in perspective for us, how big is this?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, Brooke, the numbers are saying are 1,700 acres. That's as of about 15 minutes ago. But this fire is continuing to spread. So I've got to believe it's a little bit bigger than those official numbers. They've got a minimum of 500 firefighting personnel fighting this fire. You can see some of the flame on the hillside there. Some of those flames a little while ago coming as close to 100, 150 yards to some of the homes in these neighborhoods.

Obviously that's the main concern for firefighters right now who continue to drop water and fire retardant from both fixed wing aircraft and from helicopters. They're very concerned because temperatures are going to go up this afternoon, perhaps as high as the high 80s. And there could be winds 25 miles an hour or more. Obviously, if they don't get this fire knocked down before those conditions change, it could be a very, very big problem.

You can see this house right here. This is where the Figueroa (ph) family lives. There's about a dozen folks inside this house. They're not leaving. We got video of them a little while ago actually praying that their house would be spared and that firefighters would be able to protect them. This family has been here more than 40 years.

BALDWIN: Wow.

WIAN: Obviously they do not want to leave. They want to stay. But we're going to have to see how this fire performs throughout the rest of the day to see if they'll be able to keep their home. So far so good, but a lot of this depends on the weather's performance later today, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Casey, let me ask you about that fire. I mean I can understand not wanting to leave a home you've had for decades and decades, but we can see the fire over your right shoulder and their homes not too far from that. I mean what will it take for these people to leave?

WIAN: Well, I think they - they say that the matriarch of the family does not want to go.

BALDWIN: Wow.

WIAN: In a lot of these situations in southern California, we've seen it over the years, homeowners will stay and fight these fires with garden hoses to try to save their homes. Law enforcement, fire personnel don't recommend doing that. They strongly caution you not to do that. They tell you they won't be able to protect your home if you stay and do that. But some people will still try to save their homes up until the very last possible second.

Right now the winds, Brooke, are very, very calm, so there's not a huge concern that this is going to come rushing down here right now. But if you don't get this under control soon, this afternoon it could be a much bigger problem, Brooke.

BALDWIN: You hear those helicopter buzzing overhead. Casey Wian, we'll stay in close contact with you there in Azusa, California, with those flames. Thank you, Casey.

The prelude to Hollywood's biggest night is what everyone is talking about today. The Oscar nominations are out and you can bet that this year's show, you will want a ring side seat when some tinsel town power houses duke it out from the historic epics to true Hollywood stories come to life on the big screen. And this year's nominees tackled issues about AIDS, about slavery, financial scandals and excess, and the performances were phenomenal and groundbreaking. Many actresses, actually, over the age of 40 finally getting acclaim for worthy roles.

Take a look at the list with me. To the nominees we go. Best actor nods include Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew McConaughey, among a few of them. To the best actress category we go, Amy Adam, Sandra Bullock, Dame Judi Dench, Merrill Streep. By the way, this is her 18th nomination. This is an Academy record for a performer. Cate Blanchett. And the lineup for best picture includes "Gravity," "American Hustle," 10 nominations each.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Houston, Dr. Stone (ph). You need to focus. Losing visual --

SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTRESS, "GRAVITY": (INAUDIBLE). I can't breathe!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Grab a hold. Grab anything.

BULLOCK: What do I do? What do I do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dress, because I think the neck line's a little plunging.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rayon (ph), the whole purpose of this study is to determine if AZT (ph) is helping people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Any, you know there ain't no helping me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you say that again. Just the way you said it. Just the same way.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR, "THE WOLF OF WALL STREET": I don't know what you're talking about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, come on, you know what I'm -

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no, I said we shouldn't do any of it, Evan (ph). You know I said that. So now I support Richie (ph). He's got vision. Do it heavy (ph) or don't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, some say John was a (INAUDIBLE). Some say John was a (INAUDIBLE). But I say John was a preacher called (ph) and my Bible says so too. I say roll Georgia (ph) roll. Roll Georgia roll. My soul will arise in heaven, Lord, (INAUDIBLE). Hallelujah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That final clip there, "12 Years a Slave." I'll be talking live with the director, Steve McQueen, in a matter of minutes. But the man's face you just saw, the star of this extraordinary film, Chiwetel Ejiofor, well, we have a personal connection there. Recognize the gal on the left side of your screen? Surprise to a lot of us today. His sister is our business correspondent, Zain Asher, and so here is what happened when Zain got the news this morning. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAIN ASHER, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: He's been acting for, you know, over 20 years. And though to finally see, you know, a recognition for his work is just -- I can't even describe the feeling.

CAROL COSTELLO, ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEWSROOM": Awe! Have you talked to - oh, Zain, I'm so sorry.

ASHER: Sorry. I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: No, I totally understand. No, we get it.

ASHER: I've never cried on TV before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Zain Asher joins me now. And I know I e-mailed you earlier, but, I mean, first of all, congratulations to your brother. But second of all, there was this collective "awe" in the CNN newsroom when we watched you, I mean, just truly emotional, proud for your brother. Have you talked to him?

ASHER: Hey, Brooke, yes, I have. I talked to him this morning. And, you know, it's - there's just so much - just everyone is so excited, so emotional, so overwhelmed at this because we have been waiting for this a long time. You know, my family, we're originally from Nigeria and growing up my mother didn't have running water. She lived in a tiny village in Nigeria and so for her to get running water, she would have to fetch it from a stream. And so -- and boil it so that, you know, she wouldn't - you know, because it was very unhealthy, obviously. And now to see her son nominated for an Oscar is just unbelievable.

But I want to say that it is kind of a sad day as well because my father isn't alive anymore so he -- he can't see this. You know, Chiwetel -- some people know this already, but when Chiwetel was 12 years old, he was in a car accident with my father and everybody in the car died apart from Chiwetel. And so, you know, he has that chance that he was given, that chance at life that he was given. He really has gone on to make the most of it. And so - and so --

BALDWIN: Zain, oh my goodness. You're going to -- I need tissues here. I mean this is unbelievable.

ASHER: Yes.

BALDWIN: And so you lost your father. You tell the story of your parents growing up and the situations they faced. Tell me more about your brother. I mean, I think I heard you earlier, though, talking about how he just so wanted this. This was in his bones growing up. How in his room he was reciting "A Fellow."

ASHER: All the time.

BALDWIN: Oh. ASHER: I mean he wasn't - he wasn't a normal kid in the sense that, you know, he wasn't, you know, always going out partying. It really was, from morning till night, Shakespeare, reading plays, reciting stuff. And my mother would always get upset because he would scribble Shakespeare on the walls of his bedroom -

BALDWIN: Uh-oh.

ASHER: And my mother would have to go and - I know. My mother would have to go and paint over it all the time. And so it was just like hard work and dedication and it's a true testament to me that when you -- if you work hard at something, hard work most of the time, if not always, eventually will pay off. It may not pay off when you expect it will, or in the way you want it to, but eventually it does because one thing I would say about my brother is that he worked so hard at this. And it's taken 20 years to get this kind of recognition. But it certainly is well-deserved. He doesn't do it for the money. He doesn't do it for the - for the nominations or the awards. It really is in his blood and it certainly is a true passion of his.

BALDWIN: Our heartfelt congratulations, Zain Asher, to your brother.

ASHER: Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: And may I add, you're not doing so shabby yourself here, business correspondent at CNN. So your mother and I'm sure your father from someplace very, very proud of their children.

ASHER: Yes.

BALDWIN: Zain, thank you.

ASHER: Very, very proud.

BALDWIN: And coming up, for the first time in U.S. history today, a controversial set of lethal drugs were used to kill a man. And the scene got disturbing fast. We'll tell you what happened there.

Plus, two senators from both sides of the aisle are about to come on this show and pitch a plan they hope will lead to some peace in Congress. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: And now some of the biggest stories in a flash. "Rapid Fire." Roll it.

Just a short time ago, the state of Ohio executed a man who had raped and killed a pregnant woman back in 1994. But we learned that Dennis McGuire's execution may not have been pain-free. That is something his lawyers had feared. You see McGuire died by a drug combo that has never been used in lethal injections before. We are told McGuire made snorting and choking sounds which lasted some 10 minutes. States are scrambling to find new drug protocols because the usual lethal injection drugs are simply not available anymore. McGuire apologized to the victim's family before he was executed. More on that at the top of the hour.

In Washington, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosting college presidents and education leaders at this White House summit. The goal here is to improve college opportunities for low income and disadvantaged students. The president is concerned. High tuition making college just unrealistic for a lot of families in this country. But just a short time ago, he said more young people will get the help they need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And, today, more than 100 colleges and 40 organizations are announcing new commitments to help more young people not only go to but graduate from college. And that's an extraordinary accomplishment and we didn't pass a bill to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He also did mention his wife's birthday tomorrow. Michelle Obama turns the big 5-0.

And "Girls" creator and star Lena Dunham gracing the February issue of "Vogue" magazine. A lot of people love the choice. "Vogue" usually features thinner models or stars. But now the magazine has a more relatable, realistic woman on its cover. Lena Dunham is wearing Burberry in the cover photo and she wears Alexandra McQueen and Prada to the spread, just to name a couple of the designers she is sporting there.

At this hour, a panel in New Jersey is believed to be preparing the first subpoenas for aides and former aides to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Christie did speak this morning, there he was, on the Jersey shore as this panel convened in Trenton in an effort to find whoever it was who ordered that mysterious traffic study. You know the one that clogged highways and side streets last September. Of course the theory is it might have been some sort of political payback and it's brought a lot of heat upon Governor Christie and he did acknowledge that once again today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: There's all kinds of challenges, as you know, that come every day out of nowhere to test you. But I want to assure the people of New Jersey of one thing, I was born here, I was raised here, I'm raising my family here, and this is where I intend to spend the rest of my life. And whatever test they put in front of me, I will meet those tests because I'm doing it on your behalf.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: John King in Washington. John's our CNN chief national correspondent.

And, John, we'll get to the subpoenas in a minute, but first let's get to what Senator Jay Rockefeller in Washington said. He actually issued this statement. And he said, that the Port Authority records he has examined contained, quote, "zero evidence that the purpose of the lane closures back in September was to conduct a legitimate traffic study."

And, John, we have been, you know, choosing our words very, very carefully here. We always do. But at what point can we just go ahead and say, you know, once and for all, that this propertied study that caused the crazy traffic jams was bogus?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think we can, Brooke, until we're proven otherwise. There are several other investigations underway. We'll see if any evidence comes forward to justify this quote/unquote traffic study. But all the evidence we have right now is that it was done, it was orchestrated. The papers were - it was put on paper that this was a traffic study in an effort by top aides to Chris Christie, his liaisons on the Port Authority, to hide what they were doing. To hide a political vendetta. To cover it up is what the state assembly panel that you just mentioned, that's issuing the subpoenas today, is looking into.

So all - there's nobody now who's coming forward and saying, this was a traffic study. This was a legitimate study. We'll see where the evidence takes u, but it's also a reminder now - you just - that's a United States senator, Jay Rockefeller, who just issued that statement. Congress is looking at this. Federal prosecutors are looking at this. Two state investigative assembly committees in the senate and the assembly are looking at this. That means this could go on for months, even longer, Brooke. So far there's zero evidence tying it to Governor Christie, but it will be a distraction at a minimum.

BALDWIN: Let's get back to the subpoenas because a bunch of people will get subpoenaed, perhaps even beginning today. And that will include names we've discussed, Bridget Kelly, the former deputy chief of staff who sent that cryptic e-mail back in August that read, and I'm quoting her, "it's time for some traffic problems." Will Kelly, will others testify in public? I mean how will this work? Will this be a closed door thing followed by leaks that we then report on? How does that work?

KING: Plans are for a mix of private and public testimony. We saw how the public testimony went last week before the new special council was named where you had David Wildstein from the Port Authority, who was involved in this traffic study, he took the fifth. He refused to say anything.

BALDWIN: Over and over and over.

KING: Right. And so the question is, does everybody else do that? The committee plan to call Bridget Kelly. They plan to call other top Christie aides. I'm told, Brooke, they also plan to subpoena the governor's body guy, the person who travels with him, carries his bag, you know, puts the speech up on the podium -

BALDWIN: Wow.

KING: Because, the committee says, it's been told that the governor often uses his body guy as the intermediary in communications with his staff. And one of the questions is, did the governor ask for this? Did the governor know anything about this? The governor says no and there's no evidence to contradict the governor right now. But all indications are that this is going to be a very serious, through investigation that gets to everybody around the governor and again the resolution authorizing this committee, Brooke, no one says it will take this long, but if necessary the investigation expires January 2016.

BALDWIN: OK.

KING: Fasten your seatbelt.

BALDWIN: That's a significant - that's a significant date. There in Washington, where you sit, House Speaker John Boehner came to Governor Chris Christie's defense today. He said Christie apologized. He said it's time to move on. But we're told that Christie himself believes that he is in for, as you point out on multiple levels, a lengthy investigation. Do we have any idea how long this could go?

KING: We don't. That, obviously, there's a U.S. attorney's looking into this. They tend to move relatively quickly. But again, when people start getting lawyers, when - and there's nothing wrong with getting a lawyer, even if you've done nothing wrong, if you're in an -

BALDWIN: But it slows it down.

KING: In an investigation like this, you want to get a lawyer. So I'm not criticizing anybody for hiring an attorney.

BALDWIN: Yes.

KING: But it does slow things down because attorneys are by practice and by training, cautious. So some times --

BALDWIN: That's why you pay them the big bucks.

KING: It takes - it still (INAUDIBLE) there's a lot of money involved too and that's not actually - it's not a laughing matter. I remember when Bill Clinton was president and a lot of his aides were called before, you know, investigative panels that they had - you know, they don't make a lot of money and they had to pay their own attorneys. So this is not a laughing matter if you're a mid-level government official and you suddenly get called before a grand jury or called before an investigative panel. It can cost you a lot of money.

But there's no question, this is going to take months. The question is whether it spills for months into next year. The governor doesn't want that because he wants to move on. He wants to put this behind him. He wants to prove that he did nothing wrong.

BALDWIN: And he wants us to move on as well, right?

KING: Well, he knows we're not going to.

BALDWIN: Yes. KING: He fired - look, he fired his deputy chief of staff. He fired his top political aide. He has acknowledged himself how serious this is. He's hired attorneys to help his office deal with this. So he understands the stakes here.

BALDWIN: OK. John King, as always, thank you very much for us there in Washington.

KING: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up, we will stay on politics for a second. Two senators, one from the right, one from the left, talking about crossing aisles, about how on this show they will come and for me, and for all of you, pitch this plan they hope will lead to some peace in Congress. So stay tuned for that.

Also, are we safe anywhere? A lot of Americans this week rattled after shootings in a movie theater, in a school and now a grocery store. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: It has been called the worst Congress in U.S. history. So dysfunctional, a divorce mediator actually headed to Capitol Hill convinced that her 25 years of experience in helping warring couples just might help. And our chief congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, actually talked to her as she was walking hall to hall to hall handing out pamphlets to help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL BAILEY, DIVORCE MEDIATOR: One of the people found out that the other one had given them a sexually transmitted disease.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And you were able - able to bring them together?

BAILEY: I was.

BASH: one of her lines really stands out.

BAILEY: Rigid principles obstruct problem solving. If this is too subtle for you, then you probably shouldn't be running our country.

BASH: In divorce, at one point the couple came from a place of love.

BAILEY: Right.

BASH: Here, they never loved each other.

BAILEY: That's true. They never did. But like a couple with a child, they should be motivated to take care of the American family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A divorce mediator. Dana Bash, thank you. So apparently, according to this attorney, she thinks perhaps we're at the point where this divorce mediator needs to help Congress. So, why not look then at seating arrangements as well. Joining me now, Mark Udall, Democratic senator from Colorado, and Lisa Murkowski, Republican senator from Alaska.

Senators, good to see both of you. Welcome.

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R), ALASKA: Thank you.

SEN. MARK UDALL (D), COLORADO: Thanks for having us on.

BALDWIN: So, I understand you two have an exclusive announcement to be made on this show because both of you are calling for your peers on both sides of the aisle here to sit with a member of the other party, this is for the upcoming president's State of the Union Address. And, Senator Udall, first to you, because you came on this show a couple of years ago after an enormous tragedy actually in this country with this proposition then. That was after the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Here you were in 2011.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UDALL: But this isn't war, this is politics. It's about governing our country. And it just struck me that the symbolism of this would be enormously helpful, particularly in the wake of what happened in Arizona.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, Senator Udall, you talked symbolism then. Right now, you know the deal where you are, the Senate can't even get bipartisan cooperation for this long term unemployment benefits, for, you know, some 1.4 million people. So let me just say what's on so many people's minds. You guys have already tried this. I mean the last two years have been horrendous. Why do you think sitting together, Senator Udall, will improve anything?

UDALL: Well, the people I represent in Colorado expect me to keep working at this, Brooke. Senator Murkowski and I are friends. We've worked together. This is a time to reset the agenda, if you will. And I know Lisa will speak to this. But this is a serious speech. It's a speech to which we should listen. And it's a night when we can reconnect with our colleagues based on the fact that we're Americans, we're United States citizens. And so we're going to keep trying. I know Senator Murkowski feels the same way. But we're going to get through this. The country's divided. We reflect that. But it's coming (ph) on us to be a little bigger than that, to be leaders, to remember in the end that we are Americans.

BALDWIN: OK.

MURKOWSKI: And we need -

BALDWIN: Yes, go ahead, Senator Murkowski.

MURKOWSKI: Something more important. Maybe it's even more important right now -

UDALL: Yes.

MURKOWSKI: Because it has been a very divisive year. There has been a rather extraordinary political gridlock. But if we can't demonstrate through the simplest of acts, talking to one another, sitting next to one another at a very important speech, if we can't even do that, then really the public should give up on us.

But I think it is important to send those small and perhaps subtle messages. There are efforts that are ongoing every single day where Republicans are talking to Democrats and we're trying to work things through. It isn't reflected in the media, in the newspaper, but it is important to know that we haven't given up trying. We should not give up.

BALDWIN: And I think we, the American people, appreciate that. But let me ask, do you think, to either of you, do you think that there is any single group there on The Hill who will say, no way, I'm not playing along with the seating charts.

MURKOWSKI: Sure, there's individuals.

UDALL: Well, yes. Look --

BALDWIN: Who? Who?

MURKOWSKI: I don't think it's important to single out who they are.

UDALL: Yes. Yes.

MURKOWSKI: I think there are some people who are saying, you know, I'm just so mad at the other guy right now. Well, OK, that's fine, but we're not asking -

BALDWIN: Why not? You could - you could bring (INAUDIBLE) on CNN and we're going to be watching closely when we cover the State of the Union.

MURKOWSKI: We're not - we're not asking that these people, you know, sign on to your legislation. We're just saying, be civil to one another. Be respectful.

UDALL: Yes, sit down and get to know that person a little bit. I know when you sit in the chamber and you feel the import of history and you feel the opportunity that's always there for us as Americans, it's a little easier to get to know that person sitting next to you. And I know Lisa and I, when we've sat together, we've compared notes. We're actually made some legislative strategy agreements. And that can happen. Because again (ph) this is a business based on personal relationships. It's a business based on wanting to work together. And I think our states particularly demand that of us, Alaska and Colorado. We have high mountains. I've climbed in Lisa's state. She's skied in my state. And you can always find those connections if you just take a little bit of time. That's - BALDWIN: I hope that the sense of connecting is pervasive through the Capitol where you are and we will look for you when we cover the State of the Union to be seated together where we will look for action, bipartisan action, in the months to come.

MURKOWSKI: Relationships take work. (INAUDIBLE)

BALDWIN: I understand.

UDALL: That's right.

BALDWIN: Senator Murkowski and Senator Udall, thank you so much with the announcement. Appreciate you from Washington today.

MURKOWSKI: Thank you.

UDALL: Thanks, Brooke.

MURKOWSKI: Appreciate it.

BALDWIN: Coming up, shares of Best Buy plummeted 30 percent this morning, and this is just the latest retailer in big, big trouble. JC Penny, Macy's -- will we soon see the end of mall shopping, like, the actual going to the malls in person? Will we see an end to that?

Plus this giant tiger stalked and killed seven people in just the past two weeks. That tiger, by the way, is still on the loose.

Back after this. You are watching CNN.

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