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Rick's List
Scott Roeder Found Guilty of Killing Abortion Doctor; Where Are Stimulus Dollars Going?; President Obama Meets With Republican Lawmakers
Aired January 29, 2010 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Next, this guy. He's also on "The Bad Dad List", right side of the screen.
David Johnson made 90 videos teaching the proper technique for smoking marijuana, rolling joints, using a bong. He posted it on YouTube. His kids are in the videos. They're smoking up, too. You think police saw them with kids in the room smoking marijuana, teaching them how? Of course. He's arrested. He's on the list.
Next hour, number one on "The List That You Don't Want To Be On". You will want to stick around for that one.
Scott Roeder guilty, guilty of first-degree murder. Now, we just learned that a little while ago. Here's the thing, though. Roeder never denied that he did it, and he did the thing that lawyers say you never, ever do. He took the stand in his own defense.
Brooke Baldwin has been following this story, like the rest of us, watched this trial all day long.
You know what is interesting, Brooke? When I was watching a little bit of this yesterday, just before our show, I noticed that he was really holding up pretty well on the stand.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.
SANCHEZ: He wasn't nervous. He didn't seem to be breaking down. In fact, he was filled, it seemed, with certitude. Still, it didn't work out for him, did it?
BALDWIN: No.
You know, he was the only witness called by the defense, Scott Roeder himself. And a lot of people, Rick, really talking today that, even when the verdict was being read, he sat without emotion.
But here's a number for you, 37 minutes. That is all the time it took for this Kansas jury, Wichita, Kansas, to convict anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder of first-degree murder this morning. In case you missed it, watch as the verdict is read.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the case of the State of Kansas vs. Scott Roeder, case number O9CR1462, we the jury find the defendant, Scott Roeder, guilty of the crime of first-degree murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Now, not only did the jury find Roeder guilty of murdering one of the nation's few late-term abortion doctors, Dr. George Tiller, but they also convicted him of two counts of aggravated assault for threatening to shoot two church ushers.
Now, Roeder, as we mentioned, took to the stand just yesterday and admitted that he had, yes, murdered the 67-year-old doctor as he sat in church last May. Why did he do it? He said to protect unborn babies. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you kill him?
SCOTT ROEDER, DEFENDANT: The lives of those children were in imminent danger. If someone did not stop George Tiller, he was going to continue, as he had done for 36 years prior to that time. If someone did not stop him, they were going to continue to die.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you dispute any of the evidence that's been presented by the state?
ROEDER: I do not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Very clear, was he not? He says no.
Dr. Tiller's family said the verdict was just. As for Scott Roeder's family, they came out with this statement right after that verdict was read.
I want to read you the final portion of it. They said -- quote -- "At this time we hope that George can be remembered for his legacy of service to women, the help he provided for those who needed it and the love and happiness he provided us as a husband, father and grandfather."
Rick, Scott Roeder faces a mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole on that murder charge, but prosecutors are hoping he will get this hard 50 -- that's what they're seeking -- that would double that mandatory sentence before offering a chance of parole -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: You know, it seems like, in this case, even if the jurors had agreed, even if the jurors had strong convictions about abortion, as obviously he did, it looks like he left them no alternative. I mean, the law is the law, and he admitted essentially to murder, right?
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm. Right, right, absolutely.
You heard him -- point-blank, you heard the prosecutor say, do you dispute any of these charges? And he said, no. And that is what the jury was left with.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BALDWIN: And the prosecution said think long and hard about what you heard Scott Roeder say on the stand before you come to your final answer. And, well, that's what we heard this morning after 37 minutes -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Fascinating case.
Brooke Baldwin, glad you were able to take us through it.
BALDWIN: Sure.
SANCHEZ: Have a great weekend...
BALDWIN: You, too.
SANCHEZ: ... if I don't see you again before the end of this show.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Also, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is the West Coast Times Square.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Does the Sunset Strip deserve a face-lift on your dime? Actually, it's more like $1 million. We're going to crunch the numbers in our Stimulus Project.
Also, we told you about the man who opposed gambling for Alabama, but then went across state lines and gamble in Mississippi? Does that sound kind of hypocritical to you? Well, he resigned. Who beats him on "The List That You Don't Want To Be On"? I am going to tell you.
As we go to break, showing you some of the sights and sounds -- do you want to see what Elvis Presley looked like in the 1950s in pictures that perhaps most people have never seen before? There he is. This is amazing.
That's Elvis Presley, folks. That's him in like the early 1950s, in fact. The collection in this place is kind of amazing. It's like a fun walk in a place.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: You know, the president went and spoke with Republicans today. He was at their retreat, kind of a brazen move by the president. We have been reading the reaction from Republicans. They have been tweeting their reactions. So I showed you a couple of them earlier that weren't really all that nice. This one, though, is. Let's put it up. And you will be able to see exactly what this buddy -- this person, this Republican, is tweeting after meeting the president today. And there it is.
He is saying -- in fact, I'm going to have to turn around to look at this one. "Great to be able to ask the president a question." This is from Jason Chaffetz. He says, "I appreciate his openness and hope it continues."
There you go, a positive message from a Republican after being visited by the president of the United States. We will continue checking those tweets for you, making our access your access.
Meanwhile, this. After almost a week, this -- this dog has finally landed back in his owner's arms, but what took so long? We're going to explain that for you.
Also, she's been around politics, is a mother and a bestselling author? Who is she? You are going to be finding out next.
And, as we go to break, you know, I have got to tell you, I'm enthralled by this whole Elvis Presley thing, pictures most people have never seen. This museum has gotten its hands on these pictures.
So, let me show you this one now. See that right there? That is Elvis Presley. This is 1956, now. He's in Chattanooga. This is right during the heart of the civil rights movement. And here he is at a lunch counter. You know that lunch counters were a big part of the controversy surrounding the civil rights movement, part of the folklore at the museum of the Grammys here in Los Angeles.
I'm Rick Sanchez. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We call it MIP. Time for "Most Intriguing Person".
She has battled cancer since 2004, and now she is conceding defeat in a marriage that lasted more than 30 years, mother, bestselling author and wife of a famous North Carolina politician, Elizabeth Edwards, one of the week's most intriguing.
Just days ago, her husband, John Edwards, confessed to fathering a child with his mistress. This Wednesday, Elizabeth formally separated from him -- quote -- "She wants to put this difficult chapter behind her."
Elizabeth Edwards, today one of the most intriguing persons of the day.
Welcome back. All week long, CNN has been drilling down on President Obama's multibillion-dollar stimulus plan. Why? Because it's your money, and we feel like you as Americans should know exactly what's going on with your money, how it's being spent. Is it creating jobs?
So far, we have come across some unlikely recipients of our tax dollars, including one...
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: ... not too far from where exactly we are today.
CNN's Kareen Wynter is here now with some of the details.
All right, go ahead. Set this thing up for us.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, you know, Rick, you think -- you talk about Los Angeles, right?
SANCHEZ: Right.
WYNTER: And you hear face-lift? like this is a different type of face-lift. This is actually a $5 million beautification project, but some of that comes from the federal stimulus fund.
We're going to roll the package in just a second, but you're going to see why some Republican members of Congress call this downright foolish.
SANCHEZ: Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER (voice over): Business owner Mikeal Maglieri has seen it all here on the world-famous Sunset Strip, a tourism magnet of trendy restaurants, bars and nightspots like Maglieri's family-owned Whiskey a Go Go and Rainbow Bar and Grill.
MIKEAL MAGLIERI, SUNSET STRIP BUSINESS OWNER: It is the West Coast Times Square. It's where everyone comes to either see someone or be seen. There are a multitude and into the hundreds of major artists that started right here on this Strip. WYNTER: Artists like The Doors, Fleetwood and Jimi Hendrix -- just some of the iconic acts Maglieri says over the decades helped turn his bars into bustling hot spots.
While his business has come a long way since the 1930s, when the Strip was changed from a dirt road to concrete, Maglieri says the city's most popular boulevard needs a makeover.
A six-month beautification project is under way with plans to replace aging sidewalks and repave the street with asphalt made from recycled tires.
MAGLIERI: It needs a face-lift because the economic times are so tough for everyone. They're trying to make it where, OK, we're going to clean the street up, make it more conducive so we get more foot traffic.
WYNTER: And Washington is footing some of the bill. Just over $1 million of $5 million being spent on the project is from federal stimulus funds.
JOHN DURAN, WEST HOLLYWOOD CITY COUNCILMAN: It is jobs and salaries and people being able to provide for their families.
WYNTER: Money well spent, says West Hollywood City Councilman John Duran.
The city estimates the project has created or saved at least 20 jobs so far. But some Republican critics in the Senate have balked at the beautification, ranking it number 4 on their top ten stimulus bill projects to remember as foolish.
(on camera): So those critics in Washington who believe using the money in this way is nothing -- equates to nothing more than waste. What's your response to them?
DURAN: That's very short-sighted. I mean, really what it's about is money changing hands. The stimulus money into cities like West Hollywood allows us to sort of improve our local infrastructure here in a way that attracts more tourists, means more people in hotel rooms, means hotel workers keep their jobs, means restaurant workers keep their jobs, money keeps moving around.
WYNTER (voice over): More than money, Maglieri says it's about maintaining an image for a strip that's just as famous as the stars who built their careers on it.
MAGLIERI: It's an image. Keep it alive. It's something that needs to be done.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: Kareen Wynter, CNN, West Hollywood, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Now, I'm looking at this, and I'm thinking, we have shown an awful lot of stuff that doesn't really create a lot of jobs for Americans. This is one of the good ones.
What we're talking about is creating something close to like the WPO, something like that we had after the Great Depression, for example, somebody with a hammer, somebody with a saw, somebody with a drill, somebody who can do actual work with their hands.
This created jobs, I imagine -- you tell me -- for...
WYNTER: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: ... people, for Americans with their hands, right?
WYNTER: Absolutely. Rick, we were out there. We walking the Strip with the councilman. And as we were doing that, there were construction crews literally getting their hands dirty. This is a prime example of what the Obama administration said they wanted. They wanted shovel-ready programs. They wanted to put people to work immediately.
SANCHEZ: There should more of these. There should more of these. WYNTER: But we have to remind people this is a $5 million project. Just a portion, $1.1 million of federal stimulus dollars dedicated to that...
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WYNTER: ... but, again, 106 people working who may not have been.
SANCHEZ: Say that again. how many?
WYNTER: One hundred and six people.
SANCHEZ: One hundred and six. One hundred and six...
WYNTER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ... new jobs.
All right, ka-ching. That's one of the good ones.
WYNTER: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Thanks for bringing it to you.
WYNTER: Thanks, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Nice -- thanks for having us in your town, too.
WYNTER: Welcome to L.A. You have got to come back more often.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: We like it so far, trust me.
Also, this, the president is a star at the GOP retreat. That's not something you say every day, is it? Or was he really a star? We're going to talk about those strange political bedfellows with Wolf Blitzer coming up.
Oh, and should we show them the suit one more time? Let's show them the suit. This is the suit that we're going to try and convince Wolf Blitzer into wearing on his next show, that suit which was worn by an entertainer at the Grammys. Kanye West wore this.
Wolf Blitzer will be next, if Tom Foreman doesn't beat him to it.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: We will be back. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. RICK'S LIST is coming to you live from Los Angeles. Happy to have you.
Listen to these words: a pack of lies, coward, should be in prison for murder. I want you to guess, who is this member of the British parliament talking about with those words?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE GALLOWAY, BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBER: The chief perpetrator of a very big crime is just a few yards from us inside this building. And I didn't want to lose the opportunity of shouting my feelings about him as he went in.
However, like the coward that he is, he snuck in through a back door before light, and avoided us today. He can run, but he can't hide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Wow. Coward. He can run, but he can't hide. Think about that. That member of the British Parliament is talking about Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, George W. Bush's biggest ally in the war in Iraq.
And it may have been that alliance that has cost him with many of his own people. We told you about the commission investigating how and why the British government went along with the war. Well, today, they got around to questioning Tony Blair.
Nic Robertson standing by for us in London.
Before we get Nic's reaction on this, Nic, you, me and our audience, let's listen to this piece of sound from the questioning of Tony Blair today. Let's take this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This was about six months from September the 11th. And one major part of what President Bush was saying to me was just to express his fear, actually, that, if we weren't prepared to act in a really strong way, then we ran the risk of sending a disastrous signal out to the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is about pointing a finger at a former leader. This is about an accusation. It's about a confrontation.
Take us through it, if you would, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rick, this is an inquiry that's had before it government ministers, legal advisers to the government, even generals, people who were involved in the run-up to the Iraq war.
And, of course, everyone has wanted to hear from British Prime Minister Tony Blair, because the accusations have been -- and they came out again in the inquiry today -- that he really didn't involve his whole cabinet, that he involved only a small number of people in making his decisions. He didn't listen to his lawyers. He didn't involve them at the right time. So, everyone really focusing in on him and his answers. And one of the really big questions today was, when he met President Bush in 2002 in Crawford, Texas, did he say something to him in private to the effect of, it doesn't matter if we don't find WMD, we're still going to go to war with you, we will still support you?
What Tony Blair said was, what he was saying in private to President Bush is what he was saying in public, that he would support the United States. Of course, Tony Blair is a very polished and well-practiced politician, and he stuck to his guns all the way through this inquiry session today.
Six hours of questioning, and he never really deviated from everything he has said in the past. So, here he was, on the stand, not giving any clues away, really.
SANCHEZ: Well, let me ask you about that, then, because it sounds like what you're saying is -- and this gives us a better understanding -- what you're saying is that the British people want to know whether he knew there weren't WMDs or did not know there were WMDs, which implies then that they would be willing to excuse him if he was to say, "I sent our troops because I thought there were weapons of mass destruction there."
So, let me ask the question this way to you, Nic. Is there any evidence to suggest that at any point he knew there weren't WMDs, but still sent his troops in, which would be the real problem he would have with his own people there, right?
ROBERTSON: It would be.
And, you know, the strength of Tony Blair's position is that he categorically believes that there were weapons of mass destruction. OK, he might have had a misunderstanding about this whole 45-minute issue of not being ballistic missiles, but battlefield weapon systems being readied in 45 minutes, which was part of the case that he put to the British people for going to war.
But he absolutely, categorically says he believed -- and he's very convincing when he says this -- and nobody has really been able to chip away at that -- that he believed those weapons were there.
And you know what he also went on to say when asked about it? Even in hindsight, even now today, knowing that there aren't -- that there weren't weapons of mass destruction there, would he have still wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein? And his answer, despite all the costs, yes.
SANCHEZ: Interesting. Interesting.
Nic Robertson following that story for us. We thank you, Nic, for bringing us up to date on something that's being followed, obviously, not just there in England, but all over the world.
We're also going to be bringing you this story. Take a look at this. It has to be a smoker's paradise, kind of like a Home Depot or a Wal- Mart for stoners? That's right. You heard me. This is a pot superstore, marijuana superstore. Is this the way of the future? That story is ahead.
Up next, also, a dog strays from home. Thanks to an ice floe, he was stuck in a real jam. Unbelievable piece of video.
Now, here's something you don't see every day. We're going to bring you a story that ends with a good ending. That's coming up as well in two minutes. Stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: You know what's neat about being in Los Angeles? Just about everywhere you look, you see a pretty vista. Everything is so pretty around here, especially on days like this, when the visibility is just, like, 100 percent, right? I mean, it's that clear.
Look at that and s many others that we will be showing you.
Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. I am live for you today in Los Angeles.
Quick, name something that you would expect to spot in the middle of the sea. Maybe a whale? Some dolphins? But a dog? Let's do "Fotos."
This dog on some very thin ice, an ice floe in the Baltic Sea. He had already floated 75 miles before the crew of a Polish research ship saw him. They lowered a pontoon, lured him into the edge, and grabbed him, or else he probably would have been killer whale meat.
The dog has made himself right at home with the crew. They saved him. For now, they're calling their new mascot Baltic. Talk about a catch of the day.
And from here in Los Angeles, the most famous dog in this town. You know the mutt, airlifted from floodwaters last week. He's finally reunited with his owner. What took so long? Well, the rescue was aired live all over TV, milked by some of our competitors for more than an hour. But, somehow, this 70-year-old grandmother missed it. She wasn't sure where her German shepherd was, until a friend took a closer look at the rescue on YouTube.
She picked up Spiky (ph) from the shelter. And get this. She had another dog there as well. He too was missing. Well, now they are all reunited. She's now bought a new lock for the gate whence the dogs escaped.
Good idea, grandma.
Skaggs Island, California. It's not the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but we will take it. The Navy said the water tower had to come down. So, it did, all 12 stories of it. The top of the tower looked like a giant water balloon, so we were hoping for a humongous splash, but guess what? It was empty. Unfortunately, this one went down with a whimper, instead of a bang. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: The president reaching out to the GOP on their home turf. Does he get a handshake, or does he get a slap?
Coming up, Wolf Blitzer is going to be taking us through this very interesting, intriguing, you might say, meeting between the president and some of those Republicans.
And there's Dan Simon. You're not going to believe what story he's covering today. He's at a -- you might call this the Wal-Mart for smokers.
It's a superstar -- well, he's a superstar. It's a superstore for smokers.
What's going on out there, Dan? What is this? Are we talking about marijuana?
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rick, I can tell you, no effects of the recession at this place. I can tell you that.
A lot of people coming here buying things like buckets, hoses, containers. All these things are for your garden, but people aren't growing tomatoes, I can tell you that.
We're going to tell you why some people -- and you alluded to it -- some people in this community calling it the Wal-Mart of weed. That coming up in just a few minutes -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: The Wal-Mart of weed. OK. Can't wait to see what this one's all about.
Dan, stay right there. We'll be with you in just a moment.
We're going to take a break, and as we go to break, I'm fascinated by these new Elvis Presley pictures that haven't been seen before. I want to show you Elvis Presley kissing a young lady he had just met in a luncheon, just before he was about to perform on stage.
Now, remember how they tried to censor him for wiggling his hips? Imagine if they had seen that. He never would have performed.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back to Los Angeles. I'm Rick Sanchez.
The federal government relaxed its policy on medical marijuana users a couple of months ago. Speaking of California, as long as you follow state law, the feds will not bust you, they say. Well, the people of California have taken the state's medical marijuana law and they've run with it, so to speak.
CNN's Dan Simon is in Oakland, where there's a new business which openly caters to the home growers of medical pot. This is the first of its type, and here's Dan to tell us about it.
Dan, take it away.
SIMON: Rick, just like any store, you've got your products on display. You've got your liquid humus. I'm not quite sure what that's used for. You've got your earth juice. And then over here you've got some more elaborate contraptions.
Some of this stuff can be quite expensive. All of this -- and you can see some people a bit camera shy, understandably -- all of this so people can grow marijuana in their homes. This store just opened, and we were here as they got the place ready for business. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIMON (voice-over): One last coat of paint before the grand opening. It's a business that aspires to be the retail king of marijuana growing.
(on camera): It's a 15,000 square foot warehouse. And when you come in, you can see all the products on display to grow marijuana.
You have all of your chemicals over here. To my right you have all the soil. You've got the containers, you've got the lights. It's really sort of a one-stop shop to get your supplies to grow marijuana.
(voice-over): Twenty-five-year-old Oakland entrepreneur Dhar Mann thinks he's got a winning concept with a store he's called iGrow.
(on camera): There are other stores that sell hydroponics equipment, but they don't necessarily advertise that it's for growing marijuana.
DHAR MANN, OWNER, IGROW: Other stores -- and I've walked into other hydroponics stores -- if you discuss the magical "M" word, they'll actually ask you to leave their store. So they don't allow any sort of discussions regard cannabis.
SIMON: It's one thing to buy the equipment. It's a whole other thing to actually know how to use. Well, here they think they've figured that out.
They've got a group called the Grow Squad. Best Buy, they have the Geek Squad. Here they have the Grow Squad. A team of people are going to be in this room ready to answer all of your questions in terms of how to grow marijuana.
(voice-over): They'll make house calls, too. And if you're in need of that marijuana I.D. card required both to grow and purchase marijuana, the store offers another added convenience. (on camera): Down this hallway that we're about to go through, you're actually going to have a doctor on staff who's going to be here first time, who will do physicals, whatever you need, to get that card.
MANN: Exactly. We wanted to make it really simple, just because a lot of our customers are also wheelchair patients. So we just thought it would be very accessible to have somebody on site and, again, offer the full-service solution that we're aiming for.
SIMON (voice-over): That full service even offers classes on growing marijuana like a computer store that teaches you how to use your PC.
(on camera): Well, here they're doing the same thing. Just substitute marijuana for the computer.
So you bought all your equipment and you know what you're doing. At the end of the day, you can have a room that looks like this.
(voice-over): C.J. Miller is a proud member of the Grow Squad. We're on the ground floor of his townhouse. He candidly admits making a killing selling his crop to local dispensaries.
C.J. MILLER, GROW SQUAD: The average is about $40,000 to $45,000 every eight to 10 weeks.
SIMON (voice-over): Or, as he says, $250,000 a year for growing cannabis. That's right, iGrow is hoping to lure customers who hope to make a different kind of green, as in cash.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIMON: Well, Rick, we are in the lighting section of the store. And as I said, a lot of people coming through here.
Look, if you were going to get a basic setup, it's not inexpensive. It's about $1,000 for the basic setup, and that will run you up to maybe $20,000 if you're going to have a more elaborate setup.
We were here yesterday when they opened the doors. They had balloons, the whole thing. It kind of looked like -- Rick, it sort of looked like the day after Thanksgiving, people rushing into a mall. There were that many people here trying to get their goods to grow marijuana at home. It was unreal.
SANCHEZ: As my daughter Savannah would say, "Whatever." Welcome to the future, I think.
Dan Simon, good report. Thanks for filling us in about that.
By the way, a few minutes ago, when we were telling you about the breaking news story, the guilty verdict that was handed down to Scott Roeder in his murder trial -- we always like to be real honest about stuff like this -- we made a mistake. We incorrectly attributed a statement that had just been released to the Roeder family, when in fact it was a statement that was released by the family of Dr. George Tiller, the Kansas doctor shot down in a Wichita, Kansas, church last May.
We regret the error. Glad we get a chance to clear it up, and want to make it right.
So, again, here is the statement in reaction to Scott Roeder's guilty verdict. And again, just to be clear, this is from the Tiller family. Here's the words. Let's put it up for you so you can see it.
"At this time, we hope that George can be remembered for his legacy of service to women, the help that he provided to those who needed it, and the love and happiness he provided us as a husband, as a father, and as a grandfather."
Again, those words from Jeanne Tiller and family, talking about Dr. George Tiller.
Once again, we regret the error.
Meanwhile, let me tell you about somebody who is sitting right next to me right now. She ranks as one of MTV's Vide Music Awards' most nominated female artist ever. She joins me here next. I'm going to start talking to some of the folks who are going to be at the Grammys.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is Jody Watley.
And also, we're going to be talking to somebody who makes ladies swoon as well. Jared Leto is going to be joining me in just a little bit.
So, the singers are here, and that doesn't include me.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right. Here we go. Time for the entertainers.
I'd like to introduce you to Jody Watley. She is a Grammy-winning singer, also the founder and CEO of her own company, Avitone Records.
And I'd like to also introduce you to Jared Leto. He's the lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars. Interesting.
He's the son of missionaries who -- by the way, this is interesting -- all right? This is one of those anecdotes that makes for a good story in the middle of a story -- missionaries who spent time in Haiti when he was just a little boy.
That's cool.
I'd like to welcome the both of you here.
JARED LETO, LEAD SINGER, 30 SECONDS TO MARS: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
SANCHEZ: I'm glad you're here.
Now, this whole social media thing is important. You know, I was doing it before it was cool. I want you guys to know that.
LETO: Of course you were. I expect nothing less. Are you kidding me?
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: No, it's very nice that you guys invited me. And I can't wait. We're starting this thing in probably about another half hour or so, this panel discussion that we're having. I'm honored to be a part of it.
How is it making a difference in the entertainment world? I tell people it's a community that never existed before. How is that community affecting you guys?
JODY WATLEY, SINGER: Well, as an artist, it's great to connect with the fans. As a member of The Recording Academy, it's great. We're doing all sorts of unprecedented fan interactions with the Grammys, Grammy.com, and it's great.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Does it change them from fans to something more important? Because when we hear the word "fans," we think, oh, she's the star and there's the fans. I kind of think of the people who I talk to on Twitter with not so much as fans, but as just kind of friends.
WATLEY: It's a community, yes.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
LETO: I think it's an evolution. It's an extension of the past.
And what's exciting about it to me is when the online meets the offline. And I've said before and I'll say it again, that we've all had this crazy nightmare view of the future where we're just connected to our computers and there's no interactivity between each other. But what I kind interesting is that the digital world has actually created a sense of community and connectivity with each other, with the artists. It's a great way to have direct communication with your audience out there.
SANCHEZ: That's exactly right. There was a time when Americans, where people anywhere in the world, would sit around in their balconies and have conversations. They would invite neighbors to the front porch and they'd have deep, meaningful discussions.
Along came television, along came radio, along came mass media, along even came the Internet. Because before we had social media, the Internet was just people listening about other people's products. It was one-way communication.
Social media provides places for people to catch up again, to talk to each other. In many -- I know a lot of it is garbage and there's people out there who use it for trivial things, but there are also people having meaningful conversation that I think will affect us in many ways.
And it's affecting the music industry, is what you're here to say.
WATLEY: Absolutely. And I think even with charitable causes -- for instance, with the tragedy that just occurred in Haiti -- I mean, right away social media was at the forefront of fundraising, you know, texting.
The music industry itself is changing, and it's less middleman distortion. You know, if you want to hear directly from your audience to say, hey, what do you think about this song, or I'm going to be in this town, you know...
SANCHEZ: Are you guys, as entertainers -- you're an actor and a musician. Are you saying that people are really buying into this, or is it a fad?
LETO: Well, it's an interesting word, "buying into it," because I don't think necessarily that success in the social media world translates to physical success or selling tickets or CDs or tickets to a film or anything.
SANCHEZ: And if you look at it as a gimmick, it won't work.
LETO: No.
WATLEY: Right.
SANCHEZ: It's not a gimmick.
LETO: It's more about the quality of the interaction you have with your audience out there, if that's what you're interested in. As an artist, I think obviously we're not corporations, we like to share our stories, we like to share our art, we like to have direct communication.
SANCHEZ: Which makes it more personal.
LETO: Yes. And it's a privilege as well to be able to speak to an audience out there. And I think that...
SANCHEZ: All right. Let's move away from social media. We're only down to a minute in this interview.
Tell me about the Grammys. What are we going to expect this year? What's going to be different? Why is this so important?
LETO: I have a prediction that Mozart is going to just kick some ass. It's been a long time coming.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: A long time, indeed.
LETO: You know? I mean, where's that Lifetime Achievement Award?
SANCHEZ: Would it be the Fifth Symphony that would do well this year?
LETO: I don't know. That's a pretty good one, though.
SANCHEZ: This thing is magic for this town.
WATLEY: It is.
SANCHEZ: I mean, you can already tell there's an energy in this town. The Grammys are here, we're ready to go.
Why is it so special?
WATLEY: Well, we're all fans. Artists are fans, fans of fans. And again, the Grammys...
SANCHEZ: That's interesting. It's the one time when even the artists can be fans.
WATLEY: Absolutely.
LETO: There's such a history. It's such a huge part of the culture of this city. If you look over, you see Miles Davis, you see Michael Jackson.
SANCHEZ: Oh, I know. Don't start me. Don't get me started. I've been walking around this place and I can't stop looking.
LETO: Yes.
WATLEY: Which I'm looking forward to, the Michael Jackson 3-D tribute.
SANCHEZ: There you go. And I've been looking at Elvis' stuff and I'm just totally freaked out by what he looked at when he was about 19 years old. Unbelievable.
Thanks, guys. You know, this is a great conversation. Appreciate it.
WATLEY: Thank you.
LETO: Thanks, Rick, so much.
WATLEY: Thanks for having us. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: And we'll get ready to go in just a little bit here as well.
LETO: Appreciate it.
SANCHEZ: All right.
My thanks to Jody Watley and to Jared Leto.
And now, up next, the Democratic star of the GOP retreat. It's a given.
Who are we talking about? We're talking about this guy, the president of the United States. He goes to hang out with the Republicans where the Republicans hang out amongst themselves. It's kind of weird, but it was very bipartisan, and we'll tell you how it turned out.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Let's check in with Wolf Blitzer now. I've got something to show him as well, before we start our segment with Wolf.
Do me a favor. Show Wolf this suit that we want to get for him. I think he could anchor the news wearing something like this.
That is the electric suit. It's responding to the sound of my voice.
Is that cool or what? I think Jon Klein should put one on order right now.
And the glasses, those eyeglasses? That was worn by Kanye West at the Grammys in 2008.
What do you think? You want to buy into this, Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: I don't want it, but I will be happy to watch the Grammys Sunday night. I love watching the Grammys. They've got some great songs out this year.
You're going to be there, right?
SANCHEZ: I'm going to be in Los Angeles throughout the weekend, so...
BLITZER: You've got to go to the Grammys. You've got to go to the Grammys.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Just don't think it will work out.
Hey, talk about people getting attention for themselves, here's the president of the United States today, showing up among Republicans. And this is what's interesting -- usually Democrats, whether they're presidents or not, aren't invited to this. Right?
What do you make of this? How did it go for the president amongst all those Republicans at their retreat?
BLITZER: I thought it went well for both sides. I think they made good points.
The president made his points, the Republicans asked really good, tough, strong questions, put the president on the spot, and he answered directly. There was no mincing of words on either side.
And you know what I really liked? I loved the fact that there were TV cameras allowed inside and we could carry it live here on CNN, and see what normally what happens normally behind closed doors, happens in an open session like this. The fact that there were TV cameras there, that was great. I was really happy.
We're going to, by the way, have some extended excerpts for those of our viewers who may have missed what happened. It was a remarkable show on both sides. We're going to have some extended chunks coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
SANCHEZ: That's great stuff. Look forward to it, Wolf.
Have a great weekend. And thanks for letting me tease you with the electric suit.
Wolf Blitzer.
Well, we told you about the man who won't make Father of the Year after he's caught on camera allegedly smoking marijuana and giving tips about smoking marijuana to one of his kids. Well, that tops, but something tops that.
We'll explain. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez in Los Angeles.
We're here because we've been invited to do a panel with many of entertainers about something we know a little bit about, social media. And we're at the Grammy Museum, where there's a lot of fans who come here -- well, thousands and thousands of them -- to see stuff that you would never see anywhere else. There's some of the peeps now, some of the folks looking at some of the exhibits here of how rock and roll and music and the Grammys were born, and continue through today, especially Sunday night.
All right. Before I go, though, I want to reveal for you who is at the very top, because we do this every day at the same time. Just before I toss to Wolf, I tell you who is numero uno, who is number one on "The List That U Don't Want 2 Be On."
All right. Let's start with a recap.
Who's on the list already? David Barber. He job was too keep illegal gambling out of Alabama, and then he won a bunch of money gambling in Mississippi. He resigned. Something about hypocrisy.
Next, dope-smoking dad David Johnson made instructional videos with his kids on how to smoke marijuana, and he posted them online.
Hey, David, policemen, they watch YouTube videos as well.
Which is why he went to jail and also found himself on the second base of "The List That U Don't Want 2 Be On."
So, who is number one? That guy, with the "Who Dat?" T-shirt that he's wearing. Well, not that guy in particular, but any man, woman or child wearing, selling, dealing, trading, swapping or even saying those two words, "Who dat?"
Huh? Really? Who dat?
It's a branded part of what is left of the original saying, "Who dat sayin' they're gonna beat them Saints?"
Well, the NFL says the words "Who Dat" are trademarked as their property. Yes, that's right. The NFL says they own the words "Who Dat" when used in football or Saints context, and they're slapping a cease and desist order on shops and vendors and T-shirt makers.
Legal types say they're not sure this stuff will even stick.
To the NFL, they say, come on, No Fun League. Get these T-shirt people off "The List That U Don't Want 2 Be On."
Big game coming up. Wolf Blitzer standing by, now. He's in THE SITUATION ROOM. We're in Los Angeles -- we're all over the place.
Here, now, Wolf Blitzer.
