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Currents Could Send Debris Hundreds of Miles; Flight 370 Families Demand Raw Data; Ferry Crewmember Hailed As Hero; Pope Cold- Calls Catholic Woman on Easter; Georgia OKs Expanded Concealed-Carry Law; Stocks Struggle for Momentum

Aired April 23, 2014 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour, you're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

And right this very minute, Australian police are holding a piece of metal that could be part of Malaysian Air Flight 370. It washed ashore near the Australian town of Augusta about 180 miles south of Perth. It is large, part fiberglass, torn, lots of rivets.

If it is from this missing plane, and that is a very, very big if here, it will be the first physical trace of the Boeing 777, and that means the wreckage then would have washed up far from where searchers believe this plane might have gone down, where this here, the plane's black box, had possibly been sending out those crucial pings in the southern Indian Ocean.

Have one of these black boxes here. This is obviously if they find some sort of piece of wreckage, hoping to reverse current and figure out where this is and find out what happened on board that plane.

So we got that. Joining me now, CNN's Jennifer Gray, just to talk about the currents in this part of the world. And so this object, again, may be part of the plane, may not be, about 1,200 miles away from the current search area.

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, well, when this first happened, remember we talked about these ocean gyres all the time --

BALDWIN: Trash. The trash.

GRAY: Yeah. We were talking about it non-stop. And it is possible. It may be difficult for it to have happened, but anything is possible at this point.

BALDWIN: Show me how.

GRAY: So let me show you. On the graphics we do have these gyres, and this is what we have been talking about over the past several months, and these gyres you see flowing in these directions.

And the main gyres that was flowing down to the south was a very, very swift moving one, and that's one that we were talking about early on, non-stop. And so if you look a little bit closer, though, that surface area, you can see that there is more than just those.

We have some that flow from west to east. We have some that go from north to south. This is that search area. This is where the potential crash could have happened.

And so it could be possible that these caught up in one of these other currents, and if you look at the distance, say for instance this traveled about one-mile-per-hour, in 47 days this would have traveled roughly 1,200 miles.

And if you look at the distance, that's almost exactly to a "T" the distance from the possible crash site to where this washed on shore.

Of course, there are so many different over things that you have to look at. We have all of these little eddies that go every which way in the Indian Ocean, and this is one of those other things that we have been talking about for the past couple of months.

And so this would definitely have impacted the distance and the time of travel. So what could have made up the distance? Wind. And if you remember, we were talking about Tropical Cyclone Gillian just right after the crash happened, less than two weeks later.

This was a Category Five storm. We were talking about 160-mile-per- hour winds, and so this would have moved any debris in so many different directions. It would have moved it very, very quickly.

And any little piece of debris, Brooke, would have had an object sticking up out of the ocean, it would have acted almost as a sail, and so these winds pushing it 100-, 160-miles-per-hour could have moved something very, very quickly and a very, very far distance.

BALDWIN: Could have done it, and it should be pretty quickly whether or not they'll be able to identify whether or not this was a piece of the plane or not.

Jennifer Gray, thank you so much.

And as we, of course, talk about the possibilities in this story, you have to think about those families, these desperate families of Flight 370 with passengers, loved ones, sons, daughters on board this 777.

They are sick and tired of -- they're calling them lies, lies they're getting from these daily briefings from the Malaysian government. They want Malaysia to hand over raw satellite data, among other things they want, used to calculate the search areas.

Steve Wang, whose mother was on Flight 370, talked to "NEW DAY'S" Chris Cuomo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Why do you think they're not giving you the information? STEVE WANG, SON OF FLIGHT 370 PASSENGER: I am not sure. Maybe they just don't know. They cannot understand the calculation from Inmarsat, so they are afraid that when something was found, something wrong was found, they are making such a huge mistake.

CUOMO: You also had a list of 46 questions, many of them were basic, about serial numbers, cargo manifests and things of that nature.

The Malaysian authorities to our understanding have answered none of them. Why do you think that is?

WANG: Yes. Well, that is the question. They must have covered up something or want to hide something.

You know, some of the questions are totally not confidential. It is just a fact. It is -- like the serial numbers. I don't know how it could influence the investigation, but they just give the answer that it is still under investigation. It is just like a (inaudible) not an answer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Malaysian officials say they have nothing to hide and that the data is part of an ongoing investigation.

Let's talk about what is happening in the frigid Yellow Sea waters off of South Korea now, the search for remains, the death toll now rising to 159 people. More than 140 others are still missing.

And while these crewmembers -- and by the way, that number today is up to 11, 11 crewmembers detained, under arrest, in connection with this sunken ship, one young crewmember being hailed a heroine today.

Witnesses say 22-year-old Park Jee Young handed out life jackets to passengers as the ferry started to take on water and sink and helped them escape. And when she ran out of life jackets she rushed to the next floor to get more.

And someone asked her, why aren't you wearing a life jacket? And her response? Crewmembers would be last, and she had to help the others first.

Now her body lies in a South Korean funeral home. People are sending flowers with messages like "We will always remember your sacrifice."

CNN International's Amara Walker joins me now. And it's -- you know, with all these stories of these crewmembers being detained, truly, she is so young, giving others life vests, knowing that she would potentially go down with the ship.

AMARA WALKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, she is being remembered for her courage and for her selflessness, and survivors -- the surviving passengers tell CNN that this young woman, Park Jee Young, literally laid down her own life so others could live, and they estimate that she saved approximately 50 lives because of her heroic actions.

Now those passengers spoke to CNN from their hospital beds, and this is what they say happened.

Now, as the ferry begun listing to one side, the wall of the ferry became the floor. And there was an open door that presented a huge gap between the passengers and the exit, and that gap was too big for them to step over.

So Park Jee Young, she took control of the situation. Her fellow crewmember got on the microphone. She told passengers not to move while Park forced her way to that door. She closed it shut, locked it, and then guided the passengers across the closed door and out to the exit.

Now one passenger calls it the "bridge of life" because that one move by Park saved so many lives, and survivors tell CNN that Park was standing near the exit. They're not sure why she didn't make it out alive, but as you mentioned, Brooke, she was last seen without a life jacket.

And I should also mention that Park dropped out of college after her father passed away a few years ago. And she took on this job on this (inaudible) ferry to support her family.

And surviving passengers say if every crewmember on the ferry would have been as brave as she was, the death toll would have been much lower.

BALDWIN: And it's not just her story. You've been going through other stories, other examples of heroism.

WALKER: Yeah, South Korean media, there are reporting that other -- there were several other crewmembers who say saved their lives.

And according to one South Korean media report, two crewmembers actually went down into the cabin while the ferry was sinking to tell everyone to get out, contrary to what was being told over the loudspeaker. And these two crewmembers never returned.

Another report that I saw on South Korean media, crewmembers, several of them, taking off their life vests, giving it to other passengers because there just was not enough to go around on a specific floor on the ferry.

Now CNN has not confirmed these stories, but, Brooke, I would imagine that we're going to hear a lot more of these stories of bravery and sacrifice in the coming days.

BALDWIN: No one found. No bodies found in the cafeteria where they were hoping. No air pockets Still 140 missing.

Amara Walker, thank you so much.

Coming up next here on CNN, Pope Francis, did you hear about this? Making a surprise phone call.

We're live in Rome to explain what this could be about and the broader significance, of course, within the Catholic Church. Also ahead, the governor in the state of Georgia signing a sweeping gun bill into law today, and critics are calling it the "Guns Everywhere Law." We will explain that, coming up.

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BALDWIN: So a Catholic woman who has been married 19 years got a pretty unexpected blessing over Easter, a personal phone call from, of all people, the pope.

She wanted to be readmitted to receive holy communion. And why is this interesting? Because this is actually her husband's second marriage. Translation -- he's been divorced.

Joining me now from Rome to talk about this, CNN Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher.

And Delia, first, I mean, let's talk about the phone call in and of itself. Surprise! Happy Easter! This is Father Bergoglio on the line.

What did he tell her?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's say first, Brooke, that the Vatican won't confirm the contents of the conversation.

They do say that a phone call was made. We have seen the pope do it many times before, just pick up the phone and call someone who's written a letter to him, and that was the case of this woman from Argentina who wanted clarification on her situation of being married to a man who was divorced.

And the pope said that she could receive communion. And he said that it's not wrong for a divorced person to receive communion, which is technically within the bounds of church law, because the Catholic Church says a divorced person can receive communion. A divorced and remarried person cannot.

And that's why this is so significant. You know, it's a hotly debated issue right now in the Catholic Church. It's one Pope Francis really wants to focus on.

BALDWIN: Let's talk about that, because unlike his predecessor, really, Pope Francis continues to make headlines, it seems, for his more inclusive tone, you know, preaching compassion, whether it's about gays, same-sex marriage, and here we have this.

So, what, Delia, what signal do you think he's trying to send when it comes to divorce in the Catholic Church?

GALLAGHER: Well, look, last year on the papal plane, he was coming back from Brazil, and he said he thought on this question of divorced and remarried Catholics that it was a moment for mercy.

So clearly he has already set a tone on this question about the direction he'd like to take. The problem is that it is a question of church teaching. There are a lot of bishops and cardinals who have more to say on the issue, and Pope Francis has been one who has posed as the collegial pope, the pope who wants to take into account what everybody else thinks.

So, if he has come out and said to a woman that she can receive communion ahead of the church actually changing their teaching, then that is going to, A, influence debate within the Catholic Church, and also from a public-relations perspective, give the impression that the pope has said OK to something which has not yet been confirmed by the Vatican.

But it's a clear signal from him anyway as we've seen throughout the first year of his ...

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GALLAGHER: ... does want the issue addressed,

Brooke?

BALDWIN: How about that? Delia Gallagher, live for us in Rome, Delia, thank you.

Coming up, we have to talk about this new law just signed into the books a couple hours ago in the state of Georgia allowing guns into bars and churches, even school districts. Could allow some employees to carry firearms.

We'll talk about that and the criticism, coming up.

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BALDWIN: Well, guns are now allowed in churches, and in bars, and in school zones in the state of Georgia. You can even take a gun into some government buildings and even in some parts of the airport.

Roughly a half million Georgians can do this because they have these permits to lawfully carry concealed weapons.

And just about four hours ago, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed this controversial bill into law.

Just to be crystal clear here, though, churches and bar owners can still decide not to allow guns, and patrons then have to follow that decision.

Let's talk about this with Greg Bluestein. He's a political reporter with the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," joining me in studio. Good to see you again, sir.

GREG BLUESTEIN, POLITICAL REPORTER, "ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION": Good to be here.

BALDWIN: First, you were in Ellijay. This is a town some bit outside of the capital of Atlanta. Set the scene for me. (Inaudible). BLUESTEIN: Yeah, it's a north Georgia town, very conservative district. There were hundreds of people there, many of them wielding guns, themselves.

Even hours before the event began, there were dozens of people there, waiting. That's how excited they were that this bill was finally going to be signed into law.

There's been an effort that stretched over years to get this bill passed, and it took an election-year cycle for it to get finally signed into law.

BALDWIN: I was wondering about the politics of this whole thing myself.

You have, just reading about it, some state lawmakers, of course the governor there signing it.

And this is what the NRA said, just reading your piece in the "AJC." "This may be most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history." And this actually didn't go as far as some wanted it to.

BLUESTEIN: Yeah, there are some very strident pro-gun rights groups out there that wanted it to go even farther. They wanted it to include provisions to allow campus carry, people to carry their guns on college campuses, as well as in the capitol building and behind some security structures.

So they wanted the guns in capitols, as well.

BALDWIN: So then on the flipside, no protesters in Ellijay, but protesters in the capitol, right?

BLUESTEIN: Yeah, there was a protest across the street from the capitol this morning at 11:00. There was dozens saying this will lead to another cycle of violence, more bloodshed, more problems.

BALDWIN: Call this the guns everywhere law. Gabby Giffords, Representative Gabby Giffords tried to block this. What would -- how has the governor responded to criticisms that it would lead to more violence?

BLUESTEIN: He said today that this is a bill for law-abiding citizens, help protect law-abiding citizens, it will have no impact on those who don't have permits because they don't have permits in the first place. The law enforcement community has raised very big concerns about this.

BALDWIN: For example?

BLUESTEIN: There's a provision in the bill that basically arms police officers for being able to check the permit of people unless there's probable cause to do so.

Some law enforcement officers are worried, sheriffs are worried they won't have grounds to stop people if they're walking around with a gun in their pocket. BALDWIN: I'm curious, how are pastors responding to this?

BLUESTEIN: Pastors, a lot we have talked to are also concerned with it. For pastors to opt in, at first the bill would have been opt out which meant unilaterally --

BALDWIN: Automatic.

BLUESTEIN: -- guns would be allowed in.

Instead it's an opt-in. Law enforcement officers aren't concerned about the church element, but of course, the courthouse element, gun allowed in courthouses ahead of the metal detectors and other security provisions there are concerns from city officials, local officials in that provision of the bill as well.

BALDWIN: I don't know if you know the answer to this, but when you think of the law, is this a first as far as all 0 the locations you could legally carry a gun in the nation?

BLUESTEIN: The gun-rights folks say that other states, including Vermont, that are more libertarian, and have longer-standing rules, we're playing catch up to them. Georgia is, that is.

But there's concerns that this will lead to even more looser restrictions in the future, like the capitol, like campus-carry, like other provisions, down the road.

BALDWIN: Wow, Greg Bluestein, thank you so much for reporting on this.

BLUESTEIN: Thanks for having me.

BALDWIN: And the hustle back from Ellijay for us to join me in studio, I really appreciate it, from the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution."

Coming up next here, we are just minutes away, seven minutes away, from the Closing Bell. We'll take you live to the New York Stock Exchange.

There she is, Alison Kosik, standing by. Got some news when it comes to tech stocks, next here on CNN.

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BALDWIN: Hear about this one? New York City police department facing backlash after encouraging tweets using the #MyNYPD.

And while some of the responses have been positive, the hash tag was filled with pictures appearing to show police brutality, like this one showing officers holding a man on the hood of a car here. The tweet says, "Free massages from the NYPD. What does your police department offer?"

The NYPD says the tweets are helping start a dialogue between the police and the people. After a six-day win streak, investors hoping stocks would continue to gain ground. Instead, it turned out to be a lackluster day on Wall Street. The Closing Bell about two minutes away here, so let's go there.

Business correspondent Alison Kosik joins me at New York Stock Exchange. And, Alison, what happened today with the numbers?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know what? We saw stocks really stay in the red all day, Brooke, because of mixed earnings reports from companies, also a lousy housing report, all that keeping stocks in the red.

We found out that new home sales plunged 14.5 percent in March. It was a big disappointment because the housing market typically improves around now, when it's spring. We're just not seeing it yet.

So, with the Closing Bell about to ring, oh, in about two minutes, we are seeing stocks pull back after several days of gains, not too terrible, though, with the losses, I mean, especially when you consider what April's been like.

Quite the roller coaster ride for stocks, you know, April started out with big losses, but we've seen stocks kind of come back lately, just not today, Brooke.

BALDWIN: What about Facebook and Apple, specifically, Alison? They're reporting earnings.

KOSIK: They are. Right when the bell rings, you can expect those earnings to come in at any time. And what investors want to know is can these two companies deliver?

If you look at Facebook, shares up 13 percent so far this year. Apple shares, yeah, they're down six percent, but some are wondering, at $524 apiece, they're wondering if that stock's overvalued.

So what these earnings do is give us a better idea of how companies are doing. They're important for a couple of reasons. For Apple, you think about its products, they're not cheap. So if sales are good, it shows consumers are feeling confident. They're out there, spending.

As far as Facebook goes, investors really want to know if this company's raking in revenue through its mobile ad revenue. That's something that's really keeping Facebook moving forward.

Right now we are seeing Facebook shares down a little over two-and-a- half percent at $61 apiece, so you are seeing Facebook shares sort of at an elevated level and investors really want to know if those shares could be overvalued, as well.

Brooke?

BALDWIN: And there we go with the applause, the Closing Bell. Alison Kosik, great to see you, thank you so much, at the New York Stock Exchange. Always just a quick reminder, if you ever want to check out interviews we've done on this show, just go to the Brooke Blog, CNN.com/Brooke.

And that does it for me. See you back here tomorrow.

In the meantime, let's go to Washington. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.