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Papers Shine Light On Clinton White House; Armed Men At Ukraine Airports Trigger Tensions Between Russia And United States; Kerry Kennedy Acquitted In DWI Trial; Southern California Braces For Mudslides; Two Men, Two Dogs Saves In Swift Water Rescue

Aired February 28, 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: I know someone who hops on the treadmill every morning, Wolf Blitzer, thanks -- later. Good to be with you on this Friday, everyone. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We begin this hour with presidential archives. Yes, maybe not the sexiest story in the world usually, but let me tell you this one is different because it involves a former first lady and secretary of state who could be, let me emphasize could be, gearing up for a presidential run all of her own.

Right now, the world is about to learn a whole lot more about how the White House worked under President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton's name. Definitely is coming up. Just a short time ago, his library released more than 4,000 pages of memos and really this could shed light on everything from the push for health care reform to the early struggle against al Qaeda.

Now these papers could also have an impact on the next race for the White House. The memos will give us insight into Hillary Clinton as first lady and could provide some juicy details for her opponents to use a little later.

Also just keep this in mind here, this is just the beginning, from 33,000 pages could be released over the course of the next month. So let's talk about this and what we are learning. Our chief political analyst, Gloria Borger joins me and our senior political correspondent, Brianna Keilar.

So ladies, welcome. I realize we are talking pages and pages and pages, and so I don't expect all of you to have gone through all of this just yet. But Brianna Keilar, let me begin with you because tell me what you've seen just so far.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what I have seen and we have about a dozen people here at CNN who are going through these documents right now. What we are seeing so far is just kind of pulling back the curtain and showing us some color I guess you could say on how this White House handled negotiations over health care reform.

And also some interesting tidbits about then First Lady Hilary Clinton. I will tell you. We are not expecting documents today that have anything to do with the Whitewater scandal or with Monica Lewinsky. Those are expected in the coming days. But today 4,000 to 5,000 documents including some about health care reform, one that we found particularly interesting was from a presidential adviser who said, you know, we've talked already to people who are engaged in this.

Like the AMA and insurance companies, but you know what, let's invite them to the White House and use the aura of the White House. They are trying to win over some of the stakeholders and talking about having town hall meetings to sell health care reform to regular Americans.

It's like something you saw in the Obama administrations without maybe something out of their playbook they stole. Since I teased you with it, a few interesting colorful bits that have to do with Hillary Clinton. One from her then chief of staff, Maggie Williams, who is talking about using outreach on internet.

I didn't put -- in there because the memo actually says it talks about internet. "People" magazine is considering using internet because it just shows you how new --

BALDWIN: The internet --

KEILAR: Exactly. It shows you how new it was at that point and then it also talks about courting the press, having her aides court the press and sharing anecdotes about the then first lady to try to humanize her.

BALDWIN: Interesting. So, so far, listening to all these nuggets and Brianna, I want your analysis too. Gloria, is there anything here thus far that could make those in Camp Hillary nervous looking ahead?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: No, not anything. You know, it just seems like history continually repeats itself. If you look at this history, Hillary Clinton was a first lady very engaged in policy, trying to sell health care reform.

And one of the documents that we have come up with that our SWAT team has come up with is a document that talks about what the Republican response to health care reform is going to be. It talked about how Republicans would support the individual mandate, which is of course something that wound up in President Obama's health care reform bill almost 20 years later, right.

So I'm looking and reading this and seeing a lot of this same stuff come up over and over again. I think maybe they are using or tried to use internet, Brianna, the way this White House is trying to use the Twitters. What do you think?

KEILAR: I think so. You know what, I would say, Brooke, though, is one of the things if you are Hillary Clinton that you don't want to do and we saw this recently with the Blair documents coming out. She didn't want to relive the 90s. What she wants to do really --

BALDWIN: Who really does anyway? KEILAR: -- but Republicans certainly do, right. When it comes to Hillary Clinton is she leads the pack so much with Democrats. She doesn't want to do that. She wants to look at her time in the Senate. She wants to look to her time at the State Department. If she is going to declare that she wants to run for president.

That's what she wants to focus on and as we look at some of these documents, obviously -- I mean, I don't know, what do you think? I think that if anything comes down about Monica Lewinsky or Whitewater that can be turned into something by Republicans.

BORGER: Sure. Look, Rand Paul is already trying to raise that to show his Republican base that he's not afraid of the Clintons. That would be plural. One way in which Hillary Clinton would not mind reliving the 90s is reminding people what the economy was like then. I don't know that these memos are going to document any of that.

But you know, every time something like this occurs and maybe there is a bad reminder she can also say, well, you know, when we were in the White House, you know, things were going pretty well in the U.S.

BALDWIN: She doesn't need those documents to remind Americans exactly how great it was and how great it could be potentially under her. Ladies, get back to your reading, will you? You have a lot more to get through. Gloria Borger, Brianna Keilar, thank you very much.

And today, a not guilty verdict in this high profile case as jury today acquitted Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy and niece of JFK, of driving while under the influence of a drug. Kennedy testified that yes, she took a sleeping pill accidentally before crashing into a tractor-trailer in July of 2012.

No one was hurt in the accident on that New York interstate. She would have faced up to a year in jail if convicted. More on the case shortly and a little bit of analysis to see if maybe if just the Kennedy name factored into the outcome here. We will talk to Jane Velez-Mitchell coming up.

Ahead here, did Kerry Kennedy's celebrity influence the jury. As I mentioned in this sleep driving case, that's coming up and whether the wrong pill defense will become popular here.

Plus actor, Seth Rogan rips lawmakers who is either left or didn't bother to show up for his testimony on Capitol Hill as he was talking about his mother-in-law suffering Alzheimer's disease. Does he have a point? We will get into that.

Also people bracing for mudslides in the west, brand-new video just in of this dramatic rescue. We will play it for you in its entirety. Stay here.

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BALDWIN: I want to take to you now to Ukraine and a basic theory of military strategists here. Think about it, if you are about to invade, the first place you top the takeover to target the airports. So there is little wonder the United States is intensely watching men in uniform with guns patrolling here outside these two airports in Crimea. That's a heavily pro-Russian region inside the Ukraine

The fugitive president went on TV today and we are going to get to that in just a moment, but first the Ukrainian defense chief said the men at these airports are Russian forces and his troops have kept some of them at bay without violence.

It's not clear exactly who these armed men are working for, but there is certainly no doubt potentials here are familiar. Russia poised to dominate the U.S. warning it not to. The bigger overarching question, is the cold war about to flare up in the 21st Century with Ukraine as its trigger point.

On the record, Russia has told Secretary of State John Kerry that it will not violate Ukraine's sovereignty and wants normalcy. Secretary Kerry stressed just how delicate this whole situation really is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: All parties will avoid any steps that can be misinterpreted or lead to miscalculation or do anything other than to work to bring peace and stability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And Viktor Yanukovych the fugitive Ukrainian president who fled the country on Saturday said he is not going to turn to Russia to get back into power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIKTOR YANUKOVYCH, FORMER UKRAINE PRESIDENT: Nobody overturned me. I was compelled to leave Ukraine due to our direct threat of my life and my nearest and dearest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let me turn now to CNN's Diana Magnay from Simferopol Airport in the Crimea region of Ukraine. Diana, just tell me what's happening there now. Tell me about these Russian troops who are increasingly moving in.

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Michelle, we don't know exactly who they are, but it is hard not to assume they are Russian troops. They are highly organized. They are everybody arm and they are appearing in more and more numbers in more and more places. I was in the airport in Simferopol as you say today there were many of them there. They are not wearing military insignia. Their vehicles that they have been traveling around and don't even have number plates on them.

When you say where are you from, are you Russian, they won't speak to you, but they have appeared at the airports where they seemed to be operating alongside local pro-Russian self-organized groups, to try and take control or to control the airports.

We also have reports now that they are surrounding the state television broadcasting company here in Crimea. Peacefully as they have been at the airports, but they do have a presence surrounding the state broadcasting facility.

And we also know from one of the private channels run by the Crimean ATR that masked gunmen tried to encircle that building also. So you see they do seemed to be closing around in many areas of Crimea -- and also (inaudible) support the Russian helicopters, we believe (inaudible) fly over.

BALDWIN: All right, Diana Magnay, thank you. Thank you very much.

Breaking today, this jury finding JFK's niece, Kerry Kennedy not guilty of driving under the influence of this drug. It is unusual for a case of this kind just even to be tried before a jury. It took them just over an hour to reach the verdict. The case stemming from an incident that happened in July of 2012. Kerry Kennedy said she crashed her SUV after taking Ambien by mistake and she spoke outside the courtroom today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY KENNEDY, ACQUITTED OF DWI: You are right, I am totally and completely blessed. I have an amazing family and extraordinary friends and so much support. I really did have great, great lawyers. Most people don't have access to that. We need to take a hard look at our criminal justice system in the United States to make sure that it really is just and that everyone in our country has true access to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell joins me now. Jane, we will get to the Kennedy name factor in a minute. But first, I mean, this is odd that we are talking about the DWI case. When you heard acquittal, were you surprised today?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: No, I wasn't surprised. I think Kerry Kennedy even referred to the system of justice in her remarks. You could argue that she walked away from this scot free precisely because of who she is. Let's put somebody else in the same situation. Let's take an African-American man from an inner city. He is not driving a Lexus.

He is driving erratically, weaving through lanes and side swipes a tractor-trailer and ends up slumped over the wheel and then when the cops come up, he says, you know what, I took that pill by mistake. I was on the way to the gym. Do you think he would get the same benefit of the doubt?

I doubt it. I got to tell you, Brooke, last night on my show, I talked to an African-American man. He was pulled over for dui. He was arrested. He was taken to the station. He was held. He was investigate. You know when he blew a 0.00. She referred to herself. If we are going to give the benefit of the doubt to people, let's give it to everybody. Not certain person.

BALDWIN: Looking down at my notes. It was Kennedy's lawyer saying she wouldn't have been charged if she hadn't had her last name. That's what her attorneys are maintaining. A lot of people are wondering like you are saying. This totally would have been a different case if the iconic Kennedy name was not involved.

MITCHELL: Right, I think she made a reference to not everybody has great lawyers. That sort of a variation on what I'm saying. I also think, Brooke, this is an incredible opportunity to take a look at the dangers of Ambien. I respect the jury's decision. I'm not saying she has a problem with Ambien, but the prosecutor did point out she has been taking Ambien for ten years.

BALDWIN: That's the conversation that people are having. I feel like when everyone is talking about the Kerry Kennedy case, it's like, well, wow. I remember when I took Ambien, not me, I have never actually taken it, but I've heard stories. It's crazy.

MITCHELL: Yes and here's the thing. The number of emergency room visits as a result of Ambien had skyrocketed in the recent years. This is a very serious problem. I believe you can get addicted to Ambien. I talked to an addiction specialist today who said he's taken people through Ambien detox. Any time you use a drug, you develop a tolerance.

You also used it for the wrong reasons not just to go to sleep, but you use it addictively. So I'm not suggesting she's an addict, but I am saying this is an opportunity to have a national dialogue about the real face of addiction, which is prescription pill addiction in America today.

BALDWIN: I agree. I hear you can get a really nice night of sleep, but there are also many things people don't even realize they do when they are on this drug. Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you so much. Awesome point. We watch you each night 7 p.m. on HLN.

Now to this, this is a site many in California have not seen in quite a while. Rain. Rain leading to flooding, forcing to rescues of people. As you see here, their pets. We will show you some more incredible video and some of these dramatic rescues ahead.

Also in Mississippi, how about this one? A funeral home was about to start embalming a man when the body bag started to move. Yep. You heard me right. The funeral director will explain what happened next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: While Southern California may be the center of attention this weekend because of the Oscars, many are keeping a very close eye on the much needed rain that is finally blanketing the area and that's because with the state's historic drought conditions add to that threat of wildfires, the threat of mudslides and flash floods are very, very real. Forecasters are predicting up to five inches of heavy rainfall across the L.A. basin. You have the eastern foothill communities of Glendora and Azusa already under a mandatory evacuation. People are racing to protect their homes with sand bag, concrete barriers before packing up and getting out of there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED HEINLEIN, HOMEOWNER: It looks like Niagara Falls after the next 2 inches of rain. Once it gets dark and the rain starts, nobody should be here. This stuff comes down quickly and unexpectedly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Take a look at this picture. This is actually from NASA. A before and after shot of Sacramento's Folsom Lake. This was 2011 and you can see the comparison. In 2011, 97 percent full on the left side of your screen and on the right side, 17 percent full.

It's amazing here. California lawmakers just signed off on nearly $700 million in emergency drought relief and Kyung Lah, our correspondent is live in Glendora right now. Kyung, wow. Tell me where you are and what people are telling you.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in the foothills of Glendora. They know that the rain is coming and the mud is coming, and they are trying to do the best that they can to cope. This is actually, Brooke, the very first break, a very, very first break that we've had from the rain all morning. It was about midnight when it really started raining.

Just a couple of inches so far here and look at the mess it's made. This is just one street corner. You can see there is a ton of debris. All of this stuff that came from the foothills. When you get out of the way, what they are trying to do is shovel it out of the way. Back up. You can see where it's coming from, all of this water is from the burned area.

As you look up towards the hills, that whole area was the Colby fire. You may remember just a couple of months ago about 1,800 acres burned and so what's happening now is those hillsides simply cannot hold the water that is coming down. The water is coming as well as all the debris with it.

If you just take a look at what I'm surrounded by here in the street, you can see for yourself it's all charred wood, charred debris. That's why they are so concerned, Brooke, as we get more and more rain throughout the day. The residents are being urged to evacuate though many we have found are simply not doing that.

BALDWIN: That's what I wanted to ask you. I mean, in situations like these, often times, you are banging on doors and trying to find people. I'm just curious of the neighborhoods that you have been to, how many people are not going anywhere.

LAH: Well, the residents who are here are here. If you look up that way, see all those people over there. They are saying -- I am going to swing you over this way. We are actually parked on the driveway. You can see the teenage girls are here as well as are their parents. A lot of people are actually toughing it out.

When we remind them that they are supposed to evacuate. This is a mandatory evacuation for a thousand people. They all say, we'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.

BALDWIN: OK, we'll keep an eye on it with them. Kyung Lah in Glendora, thank you so much, Kyung. Rising waters already have led to rescues in the Los Angeles area. I mean, case in point, this piece was pulled for you. CNN affiliate, Kay Cal, reports firefighters rushed to pull two men and their dogs. This is the L.A. River.

The group was trapped because of the swift waters during this heavy -- one of the many heavy rain storms. At one point, they were all stranded on a fallen tree in waist deep water, but it looks like they are hopefully A-OK now.

And in Washington, actor, Seth Rogan is ripping U.S. senators for skipping out on his testimony on Capitol Hill this week. But our correspondent on the Hill, Dana Bash, said you know what, he's not that special. We will get some insight for you into what lawmakers think when celebrities roll up on Capitol Hill.

And speaking of celebrities, race car driver, Jeff Gordon, donned this disguise to pull off a high speed prank. Do not miss what happened after he hit the throttle. That's next. You are watching CNN.

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