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Rick's List
Iran Erupts in Violence; President Obama Cozying Up to Big Business?; U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Wounded in Suicide Bombing
Aired February 11, 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: As we approach the end of the 3:00 hour, it is time for one of the segments many of you like the most, the list you don't want to be on.
Spot three is going today to musician John Mayer, who is a Grammy winner and renowned playboy that dated both Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston.
However, he's writing more apologies than songs today. Why? For using the N-word in an interview with "Playboy" magazine. He talks about how he's so famous he never has to be wait to seated. And here is how he describes how black people love him, something about him getting a hood pass.
"Someone asked me the other day, what does it feel like to have a hood pass? And, by the way, it's a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you would call it an N-word pass."
By the way, talk about kiss and tell, he also tells the interviewer about what Jessica Simpson is like in bed. Let's just call him Mr. Classy.
All right, let's do number two now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MAYER, MUSICIAN: ... into a wormhole of selfishness and greediness and arrogance, and thinking that, if I just continue to be speedy and witty and pull together as many facts, words and phrases as I could, that I could be clever enough to buy myself another day without thinking that anybody would finally pin me down and say, you are a creep.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now number two, and it is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich digging a hole, trying to correct his mistake on "The Daily Show," only dug himself in deeper. Gingrich ranted against the Obama administration for reading the underwear bomb suspect his Miranda rights.
Jon Stewart then pointed out the Bush administration had one it with shoe bomber Richard Reid. Well, that's when Gingrich said Richard Reid was an American citizen.
Wrong, Mr. Gingrich. Richard Reid was a British citizen. Then Gingrich tries to correct himself and screws up again.
Here's his tweet. "On 'Daily Show," was wrong regarding shoe bomber citizenship. Was thinking of Jose Padilla. Treating terrorists like criminals wrong, no matter who is president."
So, it's wrong to treat terrorists like criminals. OK. Guess who said that was OK when President Bush did it with Jose Padilla? Newt Gingrich, number two on the list you don't want to be on.
Here's what else we are going to have for you coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here is what making the LIST.
Ten churches burned in Texas. Who is starting the fires?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Disbelief and shock.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is our hometown, and people are coming in, destroying churches. This is not right.
SANCHEZ: What is behind this? We are on it.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If these folks want a fight, it is a fight I am ready to have.
SANCHEZ: Why is the president excusing -- quote -- "savvy businessmen's" Wall Street bonuses?
Iran reaches a milestone, and there is violence in the streets again.
Record cancellations. Why is Washington still not open for business?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, of course, we all get freaked out, but we hope that will be one of the lucky ones to leave.
The lists you need to know about. Who's today's most intriguing person? Who's on the list you don't want to be on? You will find out as our national conversation on Twitter, on the air continues.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to RICK'S LIST. I'm Rick Sanchez.
All right, we told you that, at the top of the hour, we were expecting a news conference from Meridian, Idaho. That's where the Central Valley Baptist Church group apparently is going to be briefing reporters on the latest on those 10 missionaries that are stuck in a jail inside Haiti. There had been some preliminary information that there's going to be some movement on this story, that, in fact, there is a possibility that the 10 Baptist missionaries might actually get bail set. We just talked to our correspondent in Haiti. And now he seems to be diffusing that somewhat. He has talked to sources there who are part of the justice system in Haiti. They say it might not happen after all. So, this thing is a little up in the air right now, folks.
When that news conference happens in Idaho, I'm going to take it you to it right away.
Meanwhile, we have got breaking news as well. All right, here's the situation as it is going on right now in Afghanistan. Five U.S. soldiers, five U.S. soldiers have been wounded, seriously, we fear, after a suicide bomber somehow got into their sleeping quarters. He was in uniform. And he detonated a bomb.
We think the guy was wearing some kind of Afghan border police uniform. At least, that's the preliminary information that we are getting from sources there on the scene.
Let me do this. We are going to do two things for you. First of all, I want to bring you up to the date on the story itself and I want to also bring you some analysis on what may have caused this.
Let's go to Fred Pleitgen. He's standing by right now in Kabul to fill us in.
Fred, give us the -- give U.S. the X's and O's on this thing.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN BERLIN BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Right.
Yes, well, this happened at a U.S. combat outpost in Eastern Afghanistan in Paktia province. This is right on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a very dangerous area, also an area with a lot of Taliban activity. And one thing that you said, obviously, was very disturbing about all this is that apparently the suicide bomber was wearing a uniform of the Afghan border police.
The border police in Afghanistan guards the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. They also work very closely with U.S. forces down there. So, certainly, there has to be an element of trust between the U.S. forces and the Afghan border police down there. Now, we are not exactly sure how he managed to get on that base. Was he allowed to be on that base? Was he officially someone who was from the Afghanistan border police?
Or was this a forged Afghan border police uniform? Certainly, faking uniforms has been a major issue. Now, this of course comes at a very important time in Afghanistan, Rick, as of course U.S. forces are doing more to partner with the Afghan army, with the Afghan police to try and get the situation under control there. And it means the Americans have to be able to trust the Afghans.
And, of course, it also comes on the eve of what could be the largest offensive in Afghanistan since the start of the war. We have been looking at the -- the troops mounting there near the town of Marjah in Helmand Province. And what is going on at the same time, Rick, is that a lot of civilians are fleeing that area in anticipation of that offensive.
We talked to some of those refugees. Here is what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The children are cold and weak. Their father, not sure they'll survive. But Abdul Khaliq says the appalling conditions in this refugee camp outside Kabul are safer than his hometown Marjah, which he fled in anticipation of a massive NATO and Afghan Army offensive against the Taliban.
"I borrowed some money and just took my family," he says."I left everything I own in the village."
He shows us photos of family members he says were killed in preliminary skirmishes between NATO forces and the Taliban.
(on camera): NATO is urging the people in Marjah to stay in their villages but many are not willing to take their chance. They are making their way to refugee camps like this one.
(voice-over): The Afghan government says more than 100 families have already fled the Marjah area since the U.S. began advertising Operation Moshtara, which NATO says will be the largest offensive conducted against the Taliban since the beginning of the war in a bid to win back control over the strategically important town of the Helmand Province. And more are piling into the refugee camp every day. Even as cold weather, snow and rain are softening the mud wall structures turning the entire place into a mud pit. This man, who only goes by the name Besmullah says he fled his village outside Marjah 10 days ago.
"The Americans should not bomb and shoot Muslims for no reason," he rages."First, they should investigate whether they are Taliban or civilians. They are oppressing the Muslims for no reason."
The refugee camp's elder says he's trying to help the new arrivals.
"The main problem is they don't very tents or food," he says."All we can give them is some firewood."
Abdul Khaliq has escaped the bullets and bombs. And yet he sits in a mud hut in the cold wondering if his children will live another day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: Rick, the main fighting force for the Marjah offensive is going to be made up of U.S. Marines. And they are going to be fighting side by side with Afghan security forces. And, of course, they have to be able to trust those Afghan security forces. They say it is going to be a very dangerous operation. And certainly news like the kind that we have gotten tonight of that incident at that combat outpost is not something that is going to forge that trust very much -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Yes, yes, no doubt. Fred Pleitgen, thank so much for bringing us up to date on that story, unbelievable, when you consider that -- when you consider that there's now a possibility that, as we start training the Afghans, we make our own soldiers more vulnerable to attack because of the carelessness, Chad Myers, in some cases, or the fact that you are now putting out all these uniforms...
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Mm-hmm.
SANCHEZ: ... and it is harder to keep score, who is a good guy and who is a bad guy. I mean, that's just the fact of the situation. On the other hand...
MYERS: And they also...
SANCHEZ: ... we have got to train them.
MYERS: And they know our tactics after we train them.
SANCHEZ: Exactly.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Exactly. Yes, that's part of the problem.
Let me tell you what else we got coming up here. First of all, straight ahead, our reporter in Idaho, the home base for the missionaries in jail in Haiti. The pastor there just briefed reporters. We are going to check in with Dan Simon on that. I think -- in fact, can we him right at the next -- let's go to our correspondent -- when we come back, after this break, we are going to talk to our correspondent who was there and was briefed by the folks in Idaho. We want to see if we can try and nail down this story, what's going on with these folks.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: There's Dan Simon now -- Dan coming to you in just a little bit.
Also, take a look at this.
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
SANCHEZ: This is what's going on in Iran, huge pro-government rallies. Where are the protesters? Did the government follow through on its crackdown threats? Yes. But it did that in the past. This time, it seems to work.
And then Chad is sitting right here right next to me, and he is going to tell you that the weather is kind of wacky.
Tell them where it snowed today.
MYERS: Dallas and Shreveport, and more on the way. Atlanta is going to be chaos.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Dallas. It snowed in Dallas. Figure that out. And they are not getting snow in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics.
MYERS: Look at it coming down.
SANCHEZ: This is Dallas. Vancouver is sunny.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right, let me set this scene for you.
Roger, if you have got the shots of those folks, those Baptist missionaries from Idaho who are in that jail in Haiti, put that up. I want to talk about the plight that these folks are going through right now. There they are. They're in a jail in Haiti. And what they did -- or what they're charged with doing, which is taking children out of the country without permission, is so serious an offense, that they are not supposed to get bail.
Meanwhile, a judge there has 60 days to decide what he's going to do with them, whether -- just because there are charges against them does not mean they will be prosecuted. A judge now steps in and says I will prosecute them or I will not prosecute them.
We expected there was going to be news on this story today. There was a -- we were hearing reports out of Haiti that there was a chance that they were going to actually set bail for these folks and let them return and go back to the United States. Then that seemed to be falling apart.
Now we hear there is a news conference in Idaho from the church where they came from where officials there briefed reporters.
And that brings us to Dan Simon. Let me take to you Dan Simon.
Dan, you were there. I'm curious as to what they said. Where is this story now?
SIMON: Well, Rick, you know, when the church scheduled this news conference for 2:00 local time, it was expected that we would know something about this group in Haiti. Everybody woke up this morning, at least from the family's perspective, thinking that there was a good chance that their relatives were going to hop on an airplane and make it home, only to find out that the case is still very much in limbo.
For these family members, they have been living a nightmare since this all unfolded 13 days ago. The pastor at this church -- his name is Clint Henry -- he addressed the microphones just a short time ago really to bring the media up to date on where things stand from their perspective. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PASTOR CLINT HENRY, CENTRAL VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH: Media reports continue to suggest that the release of our loved ones is imminent.
At the present time, we still have not heard any official word about this. As soon as we receive reliable confirmation of release, we will let you know.
Until such time, the family continues to pray and wait for that all-important phone call. Our confidence continues to remain, both in our faith and in the attorneys that represent our people. We understand that judicial proceedings take time. And even though we wanted them home yesterday, we will be just as glad to have them home tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
SIMON: So, Rick, these folks clearly have no idea what has been happening. They have been getting daily updates from the secretary of state's office, FOX News the Idaho congressional delegation. They have been trying to talk to the folks in Haiti.
I spoke to one husband yesterday, obviously deeply worried about his wife. His wife has a leg infection from some mosquitoes. And so, look, you know, this has just been an awful situation. And they are just hoping to get some sort of resolution quickly -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Let me just check and see, because I think Angie (ph) sent me -- Angie Massie (ph), do you hear me? I'm looking at my e- mail right now. Did you send me something from -- what time did you send this thing? I just want to go on the record.
On the record, attorney general -- got it right here.
Listen, let me share something with you and them, since they are curious to see what we are finding out. This is what I learned just a little while ago.
This print is so small.
From Joseph Maines (ph), attorney general in Haiti: "It is impossible for us to get through the dossier today. The earliest we will send it back to the judge is Monday. There is no ruling so far."
Did you hear that, Dan? This is what we just got from Karl Penhaul, our guy down there in Haiti.
Again -- let me read it to you again: "Impossible for us to get through the dossier today. Earliest we are going to get to -- this case to the judge is Monday. There is no ruling so far."
So, it sounds like whatever we thought was going to happen today ain't going to happen today. It looks like this thing is falling apart. SIMON: And when the pastor addressed the microphone, he clearly did not know that now we are looking at Monday as a possible resolution day for this case.
And, Rick, let me just bring you up to date. For people who have not been following this case all that closely over the past couple of weeks, let me just sort of set the stage for you. This is where this mission originated from, behind me. Here's the Central Valley Baptist Church.
The idea was really formulated about two years ago, from one of the church members. Her name is Laura Silsby. You have probably heard her name in the news over the...
SANCHEZ: Right.
SIMON: ... past several days.
She and her nanny -- she and her nanny came up with this idea two years ago to go help some Haitian orphans. They actually spent time down in Haiti, wanted to build this orphanage in the Dominican Republic. And then the earthquake happened, and they realized that they needed to accelerate this goal of setting up this orphanage.
So, word came out, spread throughout the church: Does anybody want to go on this mission? Several church members here volunteered to go, and as well as some members from a nearby church in Twin Falls, Idaho. So, you had this group of 10 come together. Aside from Silsby and her nanny, who -- they're the ones who came up with the idea -- nobody really had any idea of what was going to happen there.
And -- and they basically volunteered to go a few days before they hopped on an airplane. So, in terms of...
SANCHEZ: What a story.
SIMON: ... of the logistics and how all this unfolded, they were pretty much in the dark, according to their family. And, of course, that's what they're trying to sort out in Haiti, who knew what, what decisions were made, et cetera.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Can you imagine if -- if that is indeed the case? You know, hey, you want to go to Haiti and help me out on something? Sure, I will go down there and help you out. Next thing you know, you are in a Haitian prison. I mean -- and you don't -- you weren't even sure what you were there to do to begin with.
Wow.
Good stuff, Dan. Thanks for catching us up on what's going on with this story. Appreciate it.
All right. We -- we -- we know this is a big story that we are going to be following throughout the course of the day. This is what's going on in Iran. It is a historic week. And, obviously, for that reason, they are in the streets. However, this time, the government really was able to clamp down on the protesters, more so than what we have seen in the past, the latest from the Iran deck -- desk is coming up. And, by the way, this is all -- as it happens, we are going to bring it to you.
Also, he's one of the most intriguing people in the world, maybe one of the most intriguing the world has ever known. So, it is only fitting that he makes our list today. You will definitely know who this is. Find out why he stands out, as our LIST scrolls on.
And, yes, there's chatter. He's standing right -- sitting next to me, and he is going to bring you up to date on what's going on with the weather. Had to push him one block.
Is that all right with you?
MYERS: Bryson, Texas, nine inches of some new snow in the past six hours.
SANCHEZ: Bryson, Texas?
MYERS: Uh-huh. More in Tarrant County, too.
SANCHEZ: We will be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right, let's go to Mr. Chad Myers now, because, remember, yesterday, he and I were sitting around...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: ... talking about everything that was going on in Washington...
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ... and Philadelphia and New York. And you figured, well, you know, they are supposed to get snow. Those are Northern cities.
Today, he is talking about a city that is getting snow that's not usually getting snow, right?
MYERS: You know how they say 15 minutes of fame? Dallas usually gets three minutes of winter, according to Ed Lavandera.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: They have got it all in one day.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: And it is still coming down.
KDAF, hey, DFW, you have now broken your record one-day snowfall total of all time.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: It sounds like yesterday in the East Coast, 6.2 inches of snow on the ground in Dallas. Sherman, you're getting it. And there's no end. It is still back out there on I-20. I assume I-20 is a wreck west of Fort Worth. So, stay home or stay at work.
Boy, and all this is headed to Atlanta. And I don't know if you have seen Atlanta in the snow. It is nice and quiet, because everybody is stuck.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Hey, you just mentioned Ed Lavandera.
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Show -- Robert, pull out. Show him that tweet that Ed Lavandera just sent. This is Ed Lavandera. As you know, Ed, he's a great guy. He's our -- he's our Texas correspondent. He roams around Texas and covers stories.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: "Snow in Dallas is so confusing. Winter is only supposed to last three minutes here. I'm in hiding until it is all over."
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: As -- as are other people there, I imagine.
MYERS: You know, I -- it is supposed to be four to six. They have already have got 6.2. I could see Dallas somewhere in that area picking up 10.
SANCHEZ: What's going on at the airport? Is DFW going to shut down, or is shut down?
MYERS: No. No. They are still moving.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Really?
MYERS: And that's a relative term. Yes, because the ground is still fairly warm. They drive back and forth on the tarmac, on the runways, and then they do braking tests with cars and they -- or trucks. And they see if you can brake OK. As long as the braking OK, they can still get...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: That's how they figure out...
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: All right. So, this thing goes from Dallas to what? I imagine Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, all the way through?
MYERS: Jackson, Mobile, Montgomery, into Birmingham, and Atlanta for tomorrow afternoon. And not like Atlanta doesn't have its problems on a Friday afternoon commute anyway. But I'm not even going to try to get home tomorrow.
SANCHEZ: So, you are telling me, when we get out of work, you and I...
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ... we are going to drive home and in potential snowfall?
MYERS: No. I'm telling you, you are getting a room at the Omni, because you are not getting home. I think...
SANCHEZ: Can you call my wife and kids?
MYERS: ... because you're south of town, literally, south of Atlanta -- it makes no sense, but south of town, we will get six inches of snow, where, downtown, we will get four. Where I live, on the north side, we will only get two.
SANCHEZ: Right. It sometimes snows more in Peachtree City than it does in Alpharetta.
MYERS: That's what is going to happen.
SANCHEZ: It is weird.
MYERS: Can I show you some aerials from Frederick, Maryland?
SANCHEZ: Please. I'm here to be entertained.
MYERS: Because these are -- you want to talk about chaos. This is Frederick, Maryland. We just got these in. How would you like to be in that car...
SANCHEZ: Wow.
MYERS: ... or even think about getting that car out some day?
You know what the great news is? People are saying, hey, you know what, I should have been in D.C., but I got out of town. My car is at the airport.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: Your car is covered. When you get back, you have the beautiful job of digging yourself out. And...
SANCHEZ: I went to school in, as you know, the University of Minnesota...
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Proud Golden Gopher that I am. You went to Nebraska.
MYERS: I did.
SANCHEZ: Both of us in windy -- we -- I remember being taught, if ever you are going to travel distances in the winter, you should always keep certain things in your car, because, if that were to happen to you, they would help them -- help you survive.
MYERS: Correct.
SANCHEZ: Simple things, like, right, a book of matches, water, can of tuna. I mean...
MYERS: Crazy things like old tin cans of coffee...
SANCHEZ: Right.
MYERS: ... when coffee used to come in a tin, with a candle in it, and you can keep your hands around the candle. You don't to just burn a candle in your car, because then it dumps over, and you catch your car on fire.
SANCHEZ: And then you close your windows and that would keep enough heat in the car to get you through the night.
Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
MYERS: Stay -- stay inside.
SANCHEZ: Good stuff, good pictures.
All right, speaking of pictures, have you seen what's going on in Iran? We have got some pictures I'm going to be sharing with you in just a little bit. Let's just say that they had another bloody situation over there, with people getting beat. We are going to show you the up -- our Iran desk that we have set up to monitor this.
They are trying to keep us in Iran from sharing the news with you. But we have found a way to get it to you. And that's what we are going to do when we come back, including the video.
Stay there. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We are so glad so many of you are joining us now every day around 4:00 for RICK'S LIST. I know we are new for you, many of you, because we have only been on for a couple of weeks. But I just want to know that I'm glad you are here.
Ivan Watson is here as well. He is joining me from the Iran desk. There he is. And he and I are going to take you through some videos right now and give you perspective on this story.
First of all, let's show them some videos, Ivan. And you can chime in here whenever you want to...
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure.
SANCHEZ: ... about what's really going on.
WATSON: That's a pretty big security presence on the streets in Tehran today.
SANCHEZ: Yes. That's a difference today, isn't it? The Iranian government really was able to clamp down, right?
WATSON: Huge presence of these riot police out there.
And, you know, I wanted to bring to your attention a report, a firsthand report, we just got from a woman who was one of the protesters who was downtown in the square, in Freedom Square today. She was an opposition member. And she says -- quote -- "A sense of confusion and even anger prevailed among the supporters of the Green Movement."
That's the name of the opposition.
"It was hard to distinguish the supporters of the government from the protesters. Most of us didn't take out our signs. We were mixed with everyone else. I felt very frustrated. Did we go to the protest to increase the number of the pro-government people?"
There was a lot of confusion there, Rick, among the opponents of the government on what to do.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Well, you know, it -- look, man, it looks to me -- and let's just call it what it is. Look, I come from a communist country. And nothing makes me sometimes more -- feel more patriotic than a people rising against something they see as intolerant.
And when we have seen that in Iran, we have felt good. But to call it what it is, truth be told, it looks to me like today the government outsmarted the protesters. I mean, they really beat them down.
WATSON: And what we are hearing from some of the opposition Web sites is -- is the opposition castigating themselves, saying, we messed up. We were not organized enough.
And look at the odds, what they are facing right now. I mean, you have got the entire apparatus of the Iranian state. This is with huge oil profits, with a -- it's basically a police state that's been organizing for this very day, trying to make sure that their celebration would not be hijacked by these tenacious opposition leaders.
SANCHEZ: Well, and let's -- let's talk now how about the government used this, because this is important. Here is what Ahmadinejad did today. He basically went on TV and said that he was going to seize the occasion and announced that Iran now has -- is a nuclear state. He said that they have produced their first batch of highly enriched uranium.
You would think that would trigger alarm bells in Washington and make Obama and the -- his -- President Obama, I should say, and his administration all but freak out and say, oh, my God, let's run for the hills. But, instead, I want to you listen to the reaction from Washington. This is Robert Gibbs responding to Ahmadinejad.
Play this, Rog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Iran has made a series of statements that are far more political than they are. They're based on politics, not on physics, OK?
The -- the Iranian nuclear program has undertaken -- has undergone a series of problems throughout the year. Quite frankly, what -- what Ahmadinejad says -- he says many things and many of them turn out to be untrue.
We do not believe they have the capability to enrich to the degree to which they now say they are enriching.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
Stay with me here, Ivan, because I want to bring a guest into this conversation. This is interesting.
Joining me from Washington is Elham Sataki, reporter for the Voice of America.
Who do we believe? We have got Ahmadinejad saying, yes, we now are a nuclear state and we have enriched uranium to the point where we are real close. And then you have got -- and then you have Robert Gibbs out there saying, nah, we are calling the bluff. It's not true. They're not even -- they are bragging. He's lying. He's lied in the past. He's lying again.
Who are we to believe, Ms. Sataki?
ELHAM SATAKI, VOICE OF AMERICA: Well, hi, Rick.
I'm -- I'm actually happy that we are starting the interview with this, because one thing that all the people in Iran are very, very afraid of is -- and one thing that they talk about is that this nuclear issue and the nuclear talk is overshadowing the human rights. The problems that people have in Iran, they are they worried.
I mean, they are trying their best to be heard loud and clear.
SANCHEZ: Ivan...
SATAKI: And -- and you know that the democracy -- they want democracy. They want, you know, the woman's rights, the religion -- freedom of religion, freedom of speech. These are the things that they are after. And they are beaten up -- and they are constantly being, you know, put in prison. And --
SANCHEZ: Well just, I have two things for you. First of all, before I ask you this question, let me ask you -- let me try to nail you down on the one I asked you. Because I feel like we kind of glossed over that. Do you believe as someone who studies Iran more than most of us do, that the Iranian government is indeed on the brink of being a nuclear state or is already?
SATAKI: Well, the question is that -- is the Iranian government, is the government that you can trust -- everything that they say?
SANCHEZ: You can or cannot?
SATAKI: Can you?
SANCHEZ: I wouldn't think you could. I wouldn't.
SATAKI: There you go. You have your answer.
SANCHEZ: Well, let me ask you this then given that. Is -- did the protesters overreach today? Is it akin to, let's say, fourth of July celebration in the United States that protesters then tried to overshadow given that most Iranians, feel like getting rid of the Shah, whether they are on the right or on the left, or whatever they are, was a good thing for the country? Was this the wrong place to have this protest?
SATAKI: Well, at the time that is what they thought that -- that's what they wanted to reach. At the time. 31 years ago okay but what happened for the past 31 years and what is going on is that some people, they are second-guessing it. That is -- that was the right thing to do or not is that -- but the fact remains that what they reached is not what they were asking for. They believe -- some people are talking about the revolution was hijacked by, you know, Islamic Republic which was --
SANCHEZ: Is that -- Ivan, is that the sentiment?
IVAN WATSON, IRAN DESK: I think what -- very interesting point here is that a lot of the leaders of the opposition movement were actually architects of the Islamic revolution in 1979. Meer Hossaien Hasabi, he was the prime minister all throughout the 1980s and what he was trying to do was to lay claim to the same holiday to say that this is our country. This was our revolution, we want to be there, too, in the streets. And the security forces stopped him from being able to go to Freedom Square to join the state sponsored demonstration.
SANCHEZ: So this --
WATSON: And he actually beat up his wife from what we are hearing from the opposition website.
SANCHEZ: So that means this ayatollah, in the minds of many of the protesters, and President -- pardon me, Ahmadinejad have indeed taken what they believe was rightfully theirs. Hijacked their movement. That's what you are saying.
WATSON: That is definitely when some of the opposition leaders are saying. But some of the people on the grounds from the grassroots folks, they have moved beyond them and started to say you know what, no more Islamic Republic of Iran. We've heard them today chanting Republic of Iran.
SANCHEZ: The Democracy.
WATSON: They are -- they are disillusioned, they don't believe in the Islamic Republic system anymore, this theocracy.
SANCHEZ: Down to about ten seconds. Sataki, Ms. Sataki would you -- would you confirm that -- is that how you see it as well?
SATAKI: Yes. Yes. That's how it is. Because -- that is where the -- freedom of religion comes. And that -- you know, when they want just -- when they -- Islamic republic that -- Islam -- whether there is any kind of religion in front of the public, then it causes trouble, problems.
SANCHEZ: So they want almost an American-style Democracy in those cases then. It's very interesting. Well thank you to both of you for being with us. Ms. Sataki, my thanks to you and Ivan Watson as usual. Thanks for taking us through some of these moments that we have been watching unfold today in Iran.
Meanwhile, this --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich --
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SANCHEZ: The perils of public speaking. We have all been caught tripping over our words. Yes, me, too, many times. I'm going to show you how this senator climbed out of the hole that he had dug for himself. And it was deep.
Also ahead, Texas on alert. There is an arsonist that's targeting churches on the eastern part of the state. Residents are on edge and we are trying to figure out what's behind this. Who would do this to churches? Rick Baldwin has been tracking development of this case. And she's going to sit next to me in just a little bit and take us through -- ten churches folks, burned in Texas. Ten churches, ten churches. Stay right there.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. The world headquarters of CNN and this is "The List."
He said that he was ready to die to see his dreams come true. Today he is 91 years old. And he is celebrating an anniversary. One of today's most intriguing. Today marks 20 years since a racist regime granted him his freedom. It has been more than a quarter century in prison. He came and later became South Africa -- South Africa's first black President. You have figured the out. Congratulations. Nelson Mandela stayed true to his vision on racial equality and helped bring change that was a long time in coming. He helped smash the apartheid system and brought a better life to millions of people. Nelson Mandela, for those reasons and many, many more, is today's Most Intriguing.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Former Illinois Governor Rod Blag -- Blag -- Blagojevich.
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SANCHEZ: What did he say? Spit it out, why don't you, yeah. We are going to tell you what the congressman was trying to say. Trust me, a whole lot of people tripped up over their own words. Stay with us. Coming right back.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. ABC news is reporting that former President Bill Clinton has been transported to a New York hospital. It's all the information that we are able to get right now. ABC reporting that the former president has been transported to a hospital.
We know that, in fact, the President, William Jefferson Clinton, has been embroiled in what has been, you know, obviously the kind of situation that would be difficult on any man. And that is the situation in Haiti where he has really thrust himself upon the recuperation of that nation after the earthquake.
As you know, President Clinton under his own term had an affinity for the Haitian people when he tried to remove Raoul Cedras, who was the leader, strongman, at the time and replace him with a Democratic government. Sent troops into Haiti and had since then developed a kinship with the Haitian folks. That's why just recently after the Haitian earthquake he was the very first to contact the White House and set up not only a fund where he coaxed or joined former President George W. Bush to set up a relief fund but then literally became a proxy himself traveling to Haiti to assist in the earthquake relief.
So the president being for the better part of the last month involved in all things Haiti flying back between Washington, D.C., and Chappaqua and Port-Au-Prince, apparently we have just learned that in New York, as I understand, the network report is that the President has been taken, transported to a hospital where we are at this very time trying to figure out from you what his condition is. You can, obviously, rely on us. You can probably see behind me right now -- if you can get a shot, the entire CNN operation right now, all the folks you are going to see behind me in the wire services and many of the folks that are working national desks, and international desks, are working the phones, to try to confirm this and what we are going to do is stay with this story rather than move on and try to see if we can even nail this down or maybe get some perspective from one of our correspondents in Washington or perhaps talk to one of our CNN analysts and contributors. As you know, as you know, many of the folks that work here at CNN were part of the Clinton administration. Paul Begala, if you are listening right now, we haven't had a chance to get a hold of you, do me a favor and give me a call. Give us a call here on TV. As well as Carville himself. What have you got?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As everyone is working to get us information, I just want to remind the viewers that it was Bill Clinton, President Bill Clinton, it was six years ago that he underwent that quadruple coronary artery bypass, that was September of 2004. Again, we don't know why he is headed to the hospital. And we have folks behind us working to confirm that. Just to remind people we remember the pictures --
SANCHEZ: But take us through that. Give us the details on that.
ANDERSON: Let's see.
SANCHEZ: That's the information that's relevant and may come into play.
ANDERSON: I have the information just -- exactly, just reminding us of his condition six years ago. He had this operation, it was up in New York. I believe it was New York Presbyterian Hospital. They described the different methodology used for his surgery. We remember -- the folks that were covered the Clinton White House at the time in Washington, the McDonalds, and then afterwards this was a reality check for the President at the time. He's completely done a turnaround as far as his exercise and diet routine.
SANCHEZ: Right.
ANDERSON: Because of the surgery six years ago.
SANCHEZ: Especially the diet routine.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Became part of his whole persona the way he changed.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Changed. This is -- this is a President who has more in keeping with Presidents like Jimmy Carter for example. Created a post presidency, a legacy.
ANDERSON: Philanthropic. SANCHEZ: Yes he has. And I don't think that anyone on either side of the aisle would disagree that he has been very concerned not only with what happens in the United States -
ANDERSON: Haiti.
SANCHEZ: But what has been going on in the rest of the world as well.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
SANCHEZ: He -- he's not been -- he has not been a President who has decided to sit back and as he's more than entitled to, play golf, relax, rest, spend time with the family. He really has been very, very much involved and I think his recent actions in Haiti has -- have probably brought that to the forefront as much as anything we have ever seen with President Clinton. We know he has been residing in Chappaqua. Just outside of New York, an area not far from Westchester New York, and we know that, you know, like every other man, including myself, there's a lot of family issues that obviously often get involved. His daughter Chelsea -
ANDERSON: His daughter is getting married.
SANCHEZ: She's getting married. And that's -- you know, that's something that's important. Look, we -- let me just be as honest with you as I possibly can at this point as we bring you this story. All we know right now is there is that there is a network reporter, a former President Bill Clinton has been transported to the hospital. We know from perspective what he has done in the past and that he had medical problems related to his heart. As you said -
ANDERSON: Correct.
SANCHEZ: Quadruple --
ANDERSON: I got this, quadruple coronary artery bypass.
SANCHEZ: Right. Are we to leap to any conclusions at this point, given -
ANDERSON: We can't.
SANCHEZ: We can't and we won't because we don't know.
ANDERSON: Let me jump in. I just got this piece of information in -
SANCHEZ: Go ahead.
ANDERSON: My ear his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, just at the White House an hour ago for a scheduled meeting. So she was in Washington while this is all happening. Do we even know what hospital? What is ABC reporting?
SANCHEZ: Well, I don't know. The -- it is probably also important to share this. Let's just say, all right, hold on.
ANDERSON: We are listening.
SANCHEZ: CNN can now confirm John King -- our correspondent, has confirmed for us that, that in fact, President Clinton has been hospitalized with chest pains. So that gets us a little closer to what's going on now. We have heard that. But we didn't have another source on it. So we didn't want to go with it. I think maybe you can sense from the conversation Brooke and I were having that that may have been part of the background of this story. But not anything that we were able to nail down.
And now I can say unequivocally that CNN can report that the former President has been taken to the hospital, suffering from chest pains in new York city. Do we have any information about where the hospital is? Where he was at the time he was taken.
He was in New York. But we don't know any specific part. Was he -- we don't know if he was back in Chappaqua at the time -
ANDERSON: We don't know -
SANCHEZ: Or anywhere close to the city or his offices, of course, in Harlem.
ANDERSON: Well just looking back, a little bit of background in terms of his heart condition at the time. Again I'm holding a piece of paper six years old. But it has do with the quadruple operation. He was saying that some of this is genetic. And I may have done some damage in those years when I was too careless about what I ate. So he went on to say without this surgery, he says there was virtually 100 percent chance I will have a heart attack.
SANCHEZ: Wow. That's prophetic. Sanjay Gupta is our medical expert. Probably one of the best in the business. I understand that they are miking him up as we speak and soon we will be able to get Sanjay on the phone. Sanjay will able to take -- by the way, a personal side to the story for Sanjay as well. Sanjay Gupta interned at the White House and knows Bill Clinton and known him for years. And also, happens to be someone who, as we all know, knows a lot about this particular medical condition. So Sanjay, obviously, is invaluable in a situation like that for us here at CNN. I was told by our folks here in the control room by Angenette and Angie that he's running to a camera right now to get on the air with us to take us through what he knows and to give us on the perspective on this.
For those of you joining us, as you report information like this, often what happens in news, cable news in particular, is that someone tells someone and someone tells someone else and start turning off the TVS and many of you have been turning on the services and haven't heard me say this yet.
Let me say it one more time. CNN can now confirm that former President Bill Clinton has been taken to a New York hospital suffering from chest pains. The man who nailed that down for us is our own correspondent John King. And he joins us now via phone. John, thanks for joining us. What do you know at this point?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very few details. But I do know from two sources who are familiar with this and close to the former President confirm that Bill Clinton has been hospitalized in the New York City area. Both sources say after experiencing chest pains. The degree of that and whether he has suffered a heart attack or just had chest pains is unknown to us. Do know from two sources close to the former President confirm he is hospitalized after experiencing chest pains. Remember, he had a heart attack in 2004. He was 58 years old at the time. And of course, he has monitored his health since then. The only other thing we know at this time is we try to get more details, we know that the White House has been informed of this. Former President, of course, secret service detail with him. Which is tradition that if the former President becomes ill in way, that the White House is usually informed quite quickly.
SANCHEZ: Because he has a secret service detail with him at all times would it be fair then for us to assume in his situation, perhaps more so than the rest of us, John, that they usually would be able to get to him right away? He's less apt to be spending time away from these fellows?
KING: We obviously don't know the details of where he was. At the time he experienced these pains but without a doubt, he not only has the secret service detail with them. They have access and quick communication to any local station-- we know he is in the New York area. They are familiar with the way to get things and already have contingency plans wherever the former President is in the world before he goes anywhere. Even if it is in the office in the Harlem office every day. They know the routes to the hospital, they have arrangements for things like that. And so he would have much quicker access and much more security to help him get access, of course, snowy conditions in the area in all that. Even as we don't know the details, we know that a former President of the United States, secret service detail, can get anywhere he needs to go faster than any of the rest of us.
SANCHEZ: John, I know that he has offices in the area of northern -- the northern part of the city there. Around Harlem. And I also know this he still has a home in Chappaqua. But I heard you say that he was treated in the New York City area which would lead one to believe he reply have been in his office at the time. Or doing something near the office. Right?
KING: I don't know where he was. I just was told that he was in the hospital in the New York City area. I don't know exactly where. And you should know he's also the U.N. special envoy to Haiti and it has been in the news quite frequently as you noted and made a couple of trips down Haiti. And so he is often at the United Nations. And so this former presidency office is in Harlem. But that's one of the hard parts in the early minutes after we learn such things. We don't have exact details. We want to be careful.
SANCHEZ: We have indeed -- we have indeed noted that, John. We thank you though. John, do me a favor. I'm going to go to Sanjay Gupta now. That gives you a chance to work your sources, as I know you are as good as anybody we have on our staff of doing so. If you learn anything else, can you get back to us? We appreciate it.
Meantime, Sanjay Gupta is joining us now. Sanjay, I believe is still in Haiti. We have been getting him on the phone. He was just on moments ago. But we understand now that we lost him. We lost the phone connection with Sanjay moments ago. You were going to bring something up.
ANDERSON: I was just -- if we still have John on the phone. John, are you with us?
SANCHEZ: I think he may have checked out. I'm sorry.
ANDERSON: My question -- I'm curious. Since, you know, that he had mentioned the heart attack or this operation six years ago -- I'm just simply wondering if after the fact if the former President had any kind of issues or if it was more or less a clean Bill of health.
SANCHEZ: You know, that's a great question for Sanjay, Sanjay literally talks to the President from time to time. I know he has because he -- he -- told me so. And he joins me once again on -- by phone. I think we have him. Sanjay, are you there?
ANDERSON: You have him?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'm here.
SANCHEZ: Sanjay, I'm sure you have heard the news. I know you are far away. The President of the -- former President of the United States has been taken to the hospital. All we know is he was suffering from chest pains. We don't know any of the details at this point. We don't know what the circumstances were. Give us your take on this situation. Given your relationship with the former President and your expertise as a doctor.
GUPTA: Well, there's no doubt that in the case of former President Clinton because of his history of heart disease and obviously the bypass operation, it is of heightened concern. And so any time someone has chest pains, people are going to be concerned about this in his case, even more so. Having said that, you know, the things that can cause chest pain are -- there's many things that can do that. And I think that typically what happens and in this case. Start to evaluate somebody. And try to rule out, if you will, bad things first. For example, inadequate supply of blood to the heart. Yes Rick.
SANCHEZ: Sanjay, I'm just going to interrupt you for a moment. I hate to do so, man. But I understand that we now have now got more information coming in on the former President being taken to the hospital. And it's Candy Crowley this time that may have something to add to the story. Candy, come on in, if you would, and let us know what you have.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rick, we are just confirming from other sources that in fact, what John has already reported. As you know, we all judgment open the phones at this point and try to find out. SANCHEZ: Right.
CROWLEY: Just confirming what you heard, of course, that the former President somewhere in the New York area was experiencing chest pains. Was taken to the hospital. Again, obviously doctors looking at him and trying to figure out what's going on. As Sanjay was beginning to tell you, there are many things this could be but with someone particularly former President who has a lot of attention around him and has been working hard lately, that this is someone that they would immediately regardless of whether they might wave off the chest pain, take to the hospital. That's -- we are still where we were and working on it.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I know. I appreciate that Candy. Stay with us Candy. Any time you want to chime in while we have this conversation, there's no reason why we can't all get through this moment. Understand what exactly is going on with the former President. Let's go now -- I'm hearing in the become ground here that we just got a confirmation of maybe where the hospital, where he is. ABC news -- if one of you guys back there can nail that down, bring it over to me, about the hospital where it actually is. If we -- are we reporting it? No. All right.
ANDERSON: 168th street and Broadway.
SANCHEZ: 168 Street and Broadway, is that Presbyterian? Columbia -- according to ABC news, the President has been taken to Columbia Presbyterian. On 168th. Is that right? Back to Sanjay Gupta. Give us a sense of where you are on the story. And tell us from a medical point of view how much more vulnerable this President was, given the fact that he had an episode before. And from your relationship with him, whether he had been pretty much taken care -- taking care of himself.
GUPTA: Sounds like he got good care, obviously. This is back in 2004, I believe. When he had his first operation and you may remember, I think, September, in fact, Labor Day weekend, I remember, Rick, 2004.
Then a few months later he did have a slight complication where he had a fluid buildup in his lungs and required a second operation and in march of 2005. But I will tell you, you know, I have seen him several times since then. And obviously he has been seen around the world a lot since then. Most recently in Haiti. Where I am now. And seems as though he is doing well. He keeps an active schedule. Busy guy. So I don't think there was, at least from casual observers, like I am, most people, there was no -- I think clues that he was having any sort of problems. But again, I just want to reinforce that chest pain is -- it is a -- somewhat of a vague term medically. It raises a lot of concerns especially in someone that has a history of heart disease. What this means for nurses and doctors, everyone who is caring for him right now, sounds like you said at Columbia, that's where he had his operation.
There is a whole battery of tests, there are some interventions that are probably being done right now to really sort this out. And the answers will come back pretty quickly Rick.
SANCHEZ: Yes and we have some pictures now. Apparently, we are hopefully going to be able to turn around. Did you catch that router there Brooke?
ANDERSON: I just know it was WABC was the affiliate -- it's live (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hospital.
SANCHEZ: Router 201 if you got -
ANDERSON: There we go -
SANCHEZ: These are the first pictures coming in now from what -- Presbyterian hospital. 168th street, that's that north side of New York. Remember, his offices are in Harlem. This is very close to Harlem. This is the upper west side or Upper East Side. I'm -- actually --
ANDERSON: Harlem is upper west.
SANCHEZ: Right. So it's Columbia Presbyterian hospital where according to reports, the President has been taken after suffering chest pains. This would be the Washington Heights part of New York city. And those are some of the very first picture we get now.
ANDERSON: Is Sanjay still with us --
SANCHEZ: Condition unknown, by the way, condition unknown, go ahead.
ANDERSON: Is Sanjay still with us?
GUPTA: Yes, I'm still here, Brooke, yes, Rick.
ANDERSON: My question -- and I'm no doctor, but I'm wondering, if I had this kind of history with heart disease, as you mentioned and six years later, I'm experiencing chest pains works this simply possibly be precautionary that I should get myself to a hospital or my we be more alarmist?
GUPTA: Well, you know, I think anybody who has chest pains, especially someone who is a man of a certain age and most likely had -- to have problems -- heart disease is the biggest killer of men and women in the country. So chest pain is the red flag. I think that in someone that had -- what I'm trying to say, even if you haven't had heart bypass surgery in the past, having the problems.
ANDERSON: You got to the hospital.
GUPTA: Taken to a hospital. But I think to your point, even more so, in someone like the former President who had this operation, I think six years ago --
ANDERSON: You are right, Labor Day, 2004.
GUPTA: Yes. So you know that's what they do in the hospital right away. You know, they -- EKG, tests familiar with. Measuring the electrical conductivity of the heart, abnormalities, blood work, chest x-ray as well in case there is something more due to the lungs.
SANCHEZ: We have a statement coming in from his office. Let me see if I can get that to you right now. Let me get to this right now. Let me open it up. And it says statement. Here we go. This is from Douglas Band. Counselor to the former President of the United States. Today President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest.
Following a visit to his cardiologist, following a visit to his cardiologist, underwent procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. President Clinton is in good spirits and will continue to con the work on the foundation and Haiti's relief and long term recovery efforts. Goes on to say that in 2004 the President underwent a successful quadruple bypass operation for -- to free four blocked arteries. All right, there you go. That's the official announcement coming from the former president's office. I'm Rick Sanchez. Let me take it over to you now to Washington, D.C. and the "Situation Room." Here's Suzanne Malveaux to take you the rest of the way. Suzanne, you got it.
