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Rick's List
Israelis and Palestinians Clash in Jerusalem; Health Care Reform Firestorm
Aired March 16, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Here's what's making the LIST today.
Protesters who don't want health care reform converge on Washington.
Palestinians clash with Israelis in Jerusalem, and Netanyahu gets more heat. Is he endangering U.S. soldiers?
Republican Dick Armey rips into Republican Tom Tancredo.
Why did White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers really resign?
And look at these videos, a flying horse, a rock slide, and a bloody protest.
Back to health care, a new way to pass it, by deeming it so. Have Republicans deemed in the past?
The lists you need to know about. Who's today's most intriguing? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why I keep a list, pioneering tomorrow's cutting-edge news right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Topping our national news list, a U.S. senator from Delaware is asking for prison time -- prison time -- for the Wall Street crowd that caused our economic collapse. We are all over this, as are you.
But we begin at the very top of our international list, more heat for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who may be overplaying his hand, according to many insiders.
First, the pictures. This is what is going on in East Jerusalem today, as Netanyahu insists that he has the right to build more Israeli settlements in the disputed land. The militant group Hamas declared a day of rage.
This is what's been going on, on the streets of East Jerusalem, 91 people wounded thus far. Palestinians say they're also angry at other recent actions by Netanyahu's government, including the reopening of a controversial synagogue. All right, I want you to keep that in mind as you watch these pictures, and as I steer the story back to us, back to this country. I want you to understand now the story behind the story. You know about the blowup between the Israelis and Washington recently, right? Vice President Joe Biden, there to visit, there to promote peace. What happens?
The Israelis announce a new settlement that was bound to spark outrage, and they did it while Biden was still there. In case you haven't heard, this is what folks in the White House are saying, in public, about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: And this was an affront. It was an insult. But, most importantly, it undermined this very fragile effort to bring peace to that region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So, this is now where this whole thing started -- Biden's trip to Israel, right?
Well, there's an explosive report that's now circulating today that says, the problem actually goes much deeper than this. I'm going to read you part of this report now. This is from a Web site of a very respected publication.
It's called "Foreign Policy." The writer is author Mark Perry. He's going to be joining me, by the way. We have reached out to him. He's going to be joining us here in the next hour.
But, in the meantime, let me tell you what he's written about. Follow with me, if you would, here, Robert. This is fascinating.
"On January 16, a team of senior military officers from the U.S. Central Command arrived at the Pentagon to brief Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The team had been dispatched by CENTCOM commander, General David Petraeus, to underline his growing worries at the lack of progress in resolving the issue.
"The 33-slide, 45-minute PowerPoint briefing stunned Mullen. The briefers reported that there was a growing perception among Arab leaders that the U.S. was incapable of standing up to Israel."
These are U.S. military officials who are talking about Israel's policies affecting our military. I will read on. Let's go down here, Robert.
"The January Mullen briefing was unprecedented. No previous CENTCOM commander had ever expressed himself on what is essentially a political issue. The Mullen briefing," Perry writes, "hit the White House like a bombshell. The Obama administration decided it would redouble its efforts. And maybe the most important line, down here, look at this. "David Petraeus sent a briefing team to the Pentagon with a stark warning: America's relationship with Israel is important, but not as important as the lives of American soldiers."
Joining me now is my colleague, who has had a lot of experience around the world covering stories like this.
Jim Clancy, what do you make of that article written by Mark Perry, who, incidentally, we should disclose...
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ... has ties to Palestinians.
CLANCY: Well, he worked for the Palestinian Authority as an adviser.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: But this is not what he's saying.
(CROSSTALK)
CLANCY: But he's not doing that anymore.
SANCHEZ: He's not?
CLANCY: No.
SANCHEZ: But this is not what he's saying. He's reporting what happened in that meeting between these top U.S. military officials.
CLANCY: That's right. He's a top-flight journalist.
SANCHEZ: He is?
CLANCY: Yes. And he doesn't source it, which makes me a little uncomfortable, but at the same time, boy, he's not somebody that is very often wrong. And obviously these aren't the kind of leaks that you can source very easily without burning your sources.
SANCHEZ: We have known for a long time that there are people in the U.S. government that have warned administrations, hey, be careful. Don't play just one side, because then you're going to make the Arab countries mad.
But what makes this different is, we now have troops in that part of the world. And if I'm hearing these guys correctly, Petraeus and Mullen and others, what they're saying is, if Israel doesn't watch themselves, they're going to endanger the lives of our troops that are already there in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
(CROSSTALK)
CLANCY: The reality that David Petraeus, as military commander, sees here, Rick, is that al Qaeda is using the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as a means of advancing their recruitment procedures, the enthusiasm that people have.
Every time a scene like this is shown, they can say, we're the ones that stand up for that. This is what the Americans have year after year endorsed. And, you know, you're right. Mark Perry, General Petraeus are hardly alone in all of this.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, there's other people who are reporting that there's a problem -- well, as a matter of fact, I think I have something I can share with you from today. Let me share you this.
This was Petraeus today. He was testifying on a Senate hearing where he was being asked about this information. He says, again: "Israeli- Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Al Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support."
This isn't Jim Clancy saying this. This is Petraeus...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: ... testifying.
CLANCY: It's not just a perception. Let me give you a flash brief here from CNN International. Take a look at this. These are two top- notch analysts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMI KHOURI, JOURNALIST: You know, this American-Israeli situation is a crisis that's been in the making for several decades. At some point the United States has to decide whether it has an independent policy in the Middle East that reflects American national interests, or the U.S. simply as it has simply for the last 30 years or so more or less reflects what the Israelis believe or the right wing in Israel believes is in the best interests of Israel and is implemented mainly through very powerful and effective pro-Israeli lobby groups in Washington.
STEPHEN WALT, PROFESSOR, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: What President Obama is doing, or trying to do, is very much in Israel's interests. He's trying to push a two-state solution that will prevent Israel from ultimately becoming an apartheid state.
And the groups in the United States and Israel that are now attacking the administration don't have a long-term plan. It seems to me the only way you avoid the apartheid outcome is to get a two-state solution. And having Israel continue to build settlements is contrary to that particular goal.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CLANCY: All right. Now, you look at that, what he had to say, and he's really being very clear about it. That is, this isn't even in Israel's interest here.
The U.S. is going to be tested. Will it stand up or not? We are going to find out. We are going to find out next week when Hillary Clinton goes to AIPAC. Now, that's -- AIPAC is the Israeli lobby. But, really, it represents the hard right wing that is standing in the way of any progress in these proximity talks.
SANCHEZ: But this is interesting, because, I mean, as a journalist, what I'm looking for, is there a storyline here? As you hear Mark Perry write it, they had this briefing with CENTCOM officials and Mullen and General Petraeus.
Then, after that, Biden goes to the Middle East. He meets with the Israelis. And then, interesting, because Perry goes on to write, "Did Obama, the president, get together with Biden, the vice president, and say, OK, we have to double down on this now?"
He writes, and I will read you this part, and I swear I will stop reading to you. I don't want to sit here and be here reading on the air. "The vice president told his Israeli hosts that since many people in the Muslim world perceived a connection between Israel's actions and U.S. policy" -- now, this is Biden talking to the Israelis -- "any decision about construction that undermines Palestinian rights in East Jerusalem could have an impact on the personal safety of American troops fighting against Islamic terrorism."
It's a -- it seems to me -- and I think that's why this is a big news story today -- this is a constant message that basically has many steps and we're continuing to follow it along the way, a message I have never heard before from the United States.
CLANCY: Not from the U.S. military, not from someone that high up saying the political leaders have to get to their act together to support the troops.
And Perry makes another great point. The Israeli lobby is powerful, like the gun lobby is powerful, the attorneys lobby is powerful. But the most powerful lobby, if you will, in all of Washington is the U.S. military. The American people aren't going to stand for a situation -- when they hear this is happening, they're going to stand up.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: One final question. How much does this elevate the heat on Benjamin Netanyahu, who I understand from reading periodicals inside Israel is already getting a lot of heat from Israelis?
CLANCY: He's getting heat from Israelis, but you know what? I think he perceives -- another analyst told me -- Loretta Napoleoni says he perceives Barack Obama as weak, possibly only a one-term president.
SANCHEZ: Huh.
CLANCY: And he's prepared to risk all to stand up to him.
Remember, it's his own domestic right-wing political support. The settlers swept him into office. He needs to support them, and there's that factor here, too.
SANCHEZ: This is a heck of a story.
CLANCY: Who is going to blink first? That's the big question.
SANCHEZ: Yes. It's a heck of a story. And with Petraeus now, you know, chiming in and saying, look, whatever you guys do, just be damn careful that you don't get my guys hurt, and I think that's what Petraeus is saying.
CLANCY: Well, from the American viewpoint, that's issue number one.
SANCHEZ: Wow.
All right, hey, thanks, Jim.
CLANCY: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Appreciate you making time to come down here and join us.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: As Speaker Pelosi put it, nobody wants to vote for the Senate bill, but anyone who believes they can send this bill to the president without being tarred by it is absolutely delusional.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Mitch McConnell going on -- going off on Nancy Pelosi for wanting to use a peculiar strategy to pass health care. But guess who used the same strategy to increase the nation's debt in 2005? Republicans. That's ahead.
Also, a 4.4 earthquake hits south of Los Angeles. What's going on with earthquakes? Chad Myers sitting right next to me, and he's going to be taking us through that in just a little bit. At least it was just 4.4, right?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. But it was a rude awakening this morning in the middle of the night.
SANCHEZ: I bet it was...
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ... 4.4 at 4:00. We will be right back.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: Hey, Rick. It's Emily from North Carolina.
Barack Obama needs to stop giving Israel any foreign aid whatsoever unless and until they follow international law and stop the illegal occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
You know, small earthquakes usually do not make the news, especially in Southern California, but given what's been going on around the world recently, when we heard early this morning that there was a 4.4 earthquake near Los Angeles, we immediately started to pay a lot of attention, so I have asked Chad to join us out here so he can take us through this.
Let me just ask you the very first question, because I am concerned. I saw that there was an earthquake in Haiti. I saw that there's been earthquakes, many of them, off the coast of Chile. Is there more activity going on, tectonically speaking, and does that mean we should be a little more concerned about what could happen in California?
MYERS: Maybe. Maybe a little bit. I typically don't go there and say anything's related when that they're far apart time-wise, but you know what? You crack your neck and the middle of your back kind of cracks and maybe your lumbar cracks eventually, too.
The whole world got a little bit out of shape with that big 8.8 out in Chile. So, things got moved around a little bit. This is just the Whittier section of the Elsinore fault. This thing shakes a lot.
SANCHEZ: The what fault?
MYERS: The Elsinore fault.
SANCHEZ: Elsinore.
MYERS: Elsinore fault.
SANCHEZ: OK.
MYERS: One of the longest faults in Southern California, almost 100 miles long, all the way from where it was, the Whittier section, which where it shook today, west of L.A., almost all the way down to San Diego, right along the fault line. Didn't shake very much, but it could, it could shake up to a 6.5, up to a 7.0, maybe if it gets all the way let go, but right now only that 4.4.
There you go. You see Pomona. There you go see Pasadena to the north, L.A. there to the north and then to the west of where that arrow is and there's the red dot.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Down to about 15 seconds. But isn't this all about where it hits? It's not when, but where?
MYERS: It's all about what it hits under, absolutely. People are living on dangerous places. They know it's going to happen someday.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, don't live near dangerous places?
MYERS: They're everywhere.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: That will be $50, said the doctor, right?
I appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN ANDREWS, ESPN: I'm at the angry stage right now. I'm mad. I appreciate the judge today and what he could do -- 30 months isn't enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That's ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews. She wants the man who stalked her, literally following her around the country, checking into hotel rooms next to her, putting peepholes and making -- you know half the story. She wants to make sure he is more severely punished. We will bring you her story.
Also, a dramatic U.S. senator wants the Wall Street guys who caused the financial collapse of our economy thrown in prison. How's that for retribution, Christopher Dodd?
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: Hey, Rick. It's Janie (ph) from Florida.
I think it's a terrible thing to do, that you shouldn't have to go through a back door to use these kinds of ways to get a bill passed. The Congress should be able to pass a bill or defeat the bill and have it stand on its own merits and not try to pull tricks and fool the American public into thinking that the bill has more support than it actually does.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Time for the Yellin list. Throw the bums in jail. A Senate Democrat is saying his own party's line to clean up Wall Street doesn't so far enough.
Jessica Yellin is joining me now. She's in Washington.
Jessica, we talked about this yesterday. Senator Chris Dodd unveils his plan to prevent another financial meltdown. He's got trouble on the right. We know that. There's Dodd now. He's got trouble from the Republicans. That's expected.
But now he's also getting trouble on the left. There's this senator named Ted Kaufman, who apparently is saying, look, round these guys up and put them in prison for what they did.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Ted Kaufman is basically the tip of the spear, the leading member of a group of Senate Democrats who feel that the bill needs to do so much more than what it's doing and needs to go much further to rein in Wall Street.
Some, while they won't say it outright, are hinting that they almost think it's not worth passing any kind of bill at all if it's just going to be a fig leaf to give the Senate cover and say, oh, look, we tried to clean up Wall Street, when they think it really didn't.
We could get into specifics, but the bottom line is, they think it doesn't do enough to stop those risky practices and doesn't do enough to protect consumers, Rick.
SANCHEZ: I called Ted Kaufman's office.
YELLIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: And he's coming on this show tomorrow, so maybe you and I can get together and ask him some questions.
YELLIN: That would be great.
SANCHEZ: I would appreciate that.
YELLIN: I would love it.
SANCHEZ: Let me tell you what he said. Let me read you this. You ready?
"We must identify, prosecute and send to prison the participants in those markets who broke the law. Their fraudulent conduct has severely damaged our economy, caused devastating and sustained harm to countless hardworking Americans, and contributed to the widespread view that Wall Street does not play by the same rules as Main Street."
I don't think he's going to have a tough time getting Americans to agree with him.
YELLIN: Maybe not get Americans to agree with him, but I don't see that kind of law getting passed, or pushing any kind of legislation on that. What you have to remember is that Senator Kaufman, the reason he can be so outspoken is because he's not running for reelection. The guy has kind of got nothing to lose. He's free to speak his truth, and that's what he's doing. Folks who are in there and have to run for reelection, don't expect them to be as outspoken as he is, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Why? Because they need the money from those guys on Wall Street for their campaigns?
YELLIN: Some need the money. Some want to present a more -- quote -- "respectable" position. They don't want to seem like bomb-throwers.
SANCHEZ: But the guys on Wall Street did screw us over. They actually did create things that were nothing but harmful to our economy, and they most likely knew what they were doing at the time they were doing it. It may not have been illegal, per se.
YELLIN: That's the debate.
SANCHEZ: But, God, it was wrong.
YELLIN: And the other thing is, who was minding the regulators? If it wasn't illegal, it was the job of the regulators to crack down and say stop pushing the law.
The only people who can watch the regulators if they are not doing their jobs are these very senators on the Banking Committee who are passing this bill and you got to ask them, why weren't they speaking up sooner?
SANCHEZ: If I can tell you that I can loan you money because I have a AAA rating from Moody's, and it turns out that I actually have a BBB rating...
YELLIN: Or D.
SANCHEZ: ... aren't I defrauding you? Isn't that fraud? Because that's what happened.
YELLIN: Well, and one of the questions is, some of the measures in this bill don't change that very much.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
YELLIN: They don't change the rating agencies all that much.
SANCHEZ: All right, let me ask you about something else. There's this huge story going on today in politics.
YELLIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: And I want you to tell me what it's all about. There's apparently a term deemed, D-E-E-M-E-D, not demon, as some people are saying, where you can literally pass legislation without voting on it.
Nancy Pelosi is apparently thinking about this. I did a little homework and found out this is what the Republicans used in 2005 when they passed the law to increase the debt. So it's been used before. But what is it?
YELLIN: OK. Basically, it's a way for -- you know, the Senate bill is very unpopular in the House for a lot of people.
SANCHEZ: Right.
YELLIN: So, it's a way that they have to get the Senate bill through the House. It's a way to stick it almost behind another provision that they like better, so that they're getting it through the House, but they're not taking a direct vote on the unpopular bill. They're taking a direct vote on the amendments or the revised version of the bill they like better.
SANCHEZ: That's -- well, hold on. Angie's telling me we got a tweet coming in I want to share with you. By the way, as I'm listening to you, I'm thinking that the Democrats are acting in a cowardly way, because they are coming up with something that allows them to do something without having to put their name on it, which is something my dad always told me not to do.
But watch this. "All House phones and 75 House Web sites malfunctioning due to high number of health care-related calls."
YELLIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: "Story up in a sec."
This is a reporter from "Roll Call."
YELLIN: Dana Bash is actually...
SANCHEZ: His name is Daniel Newhauser.
What do you know about that? Is that true?
YELLIN: Dana Bash is reporting the same thing. She was visiting with a House member and when she was there, she was reporting that their phones were ringing off the hook. People cannot get through. It's insane right there right now, super busy, according to Dana.
SANCHEZ: Because people are mad about this deemed thing?
YELLIN: Yes. And let me explain it. This is how I understand it, sort of Rick. This is one way of thinking of it.
SANCHEZ: Please.
YELLIN: When you're -- this sounds crazy. When your dog needs to take a pill, but they don't want to eat the pill, you put the pill inside like a biscuit or something the dog likes better.
SANCHEZ: Oh, my God. That's a great comparison.
(CROSSTALK) YELLIN: You get the bill, the pill in, but you don't have to eat it directly. That's sort of what they're doing.
SANCHEZ: Yes, my wife does it. We do that with Gordo, as a matter of fact.
YELLIN: Gordo.
SANCHEZ: Yes, I get it. I get. Yes, he's a big old rottweiler. Good explanation.
YELLIN: OK.
SANCHEZ: Good conversation, as usual. I'm glad we had it.
YELLIN: Good to see you.
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much, Jessica. Tomorrow.
All right, Michael Steele is going to join me Thursday at 3:30 Eastern. I thought I would mention that now as a caveat to that discussion, because obviously much of what we just discussed is going to be discussed at that point.
Also, today, this. All right. This is the situation right now in East Jerusalem. We are pressing forward with this story and have invited the man who actually wrote the story on foreign policy. Are U.S. military leaders upset with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions? Is he possibly endangering U.S. troops by his actions?
More information on this is coming up in just a little bit. And I want you to stand by as we as we drill down on this.
Also, the most incredible videos of the day include a flying horse, a rock slide that a man crashes into, and a bloody protest that I'm going to take you through. And when I say bloody, I mean bloody. The most intriguing news person of the day is also coming up. In fact, we will name that person next.
Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: Hey, Rick. This is Mary from Texas.
I want to know what American people do not want health care? Please tell me the ones that Boehner and Graham are talking about. Is it already the rich people that have health care, or is it the selfish individuals that don't want us to have it?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Well, I don't know what people want or don't want, but I know what's going on right now in Washington. The phone lines are jammed in the U.S. capitol. We've been following this story and we've got new information. Phones and e-mails are going nuts on health care. If you get a busy tone or error, please keep trying.
This is from representatives, elected officials and journalists whose tweets we've just seen. We've checked them out. Our own Dana Bash who is always working the stories in Washington, D.C., has told us that she's confirmed that this is true, that is really going on right now. So, we'll keep you apprised of that develops.
It is now 30 minutes after the hour of 3:00, eastern time, of course. One woman, a Catholic nun holds enormous power in her hands when it comes to the stalled health care proposal. She makes "The List" today as the most intriguing person in the news.
Born in Washington, D.C., she's a nurse and a hospital administrator, and now she has shocked and frustrated the Catholic Church which she serves by getting behind the Senate's health care bill.
But she's not there alone. This nun heads up the Catholic Health Association, which speaks for hundreds of hospitals across the country. She's going along with the bill's language, which some Catholics say could possibly provide some kind of funds for abortions, even though the church isn't going along with it.
Her words, we quote, "This is an historic opportunity to make great improvements in the lives of so many Americans. Is it perfect? No. Does it cover anyone? No. But is it a major first step? Yes." She's Sister Carol Keehan. Her groups support of the bill will give it a major boost when it hits the House where several pro-abortion rights lawmakers, Democrats, say they will shoot it down.
Sister Carol Keehan, the most intriguing person in the news today.
Here's a question for you -- why did Social Secretary Desiree Rogers really resign from her White House gig? Was it something your mother taught you to do that she didn't?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came around that curve right there, I noticed you all, and I didn't even see that thing -- that rock fall there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Oh! I guess he didn't see it either. How would you like to try to pass on the right of this road? Get your dancing shoes on, folks. "Fotos" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. Brooke Baldwin is with me, and she'll be checking in just a moment and preparing her "b-list" for us.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're going with "b-list"? SANCHEZ: Yes. It's what folks on twitter want.
BALDWIN: We'll talk.
SANCHEZ: You stay right there. In fact, let me take you somewhere else. You've seen plenty of roadblocks, right, but none like this one that we're about to show you. It's time for "Fotos."
We did that together, very good. Knoxville, Tennessee, Mother Nature set up a little roadblock, a little rock slide. The driver here screeched to a halt just in time to avert a complete disaster. Yes, tell that to the bottom of his car.
BALDWIN: Yikes!
SANCHEZ: It caught a nasty bump. It happened on a stretch of road locals call "the dragon." Drivers love the hairpin turn and breathtaking scenery, but the dragon's fire took the breath out of this motorist for the wrong reason. Luckily no one was hurt.
BALDWIN: He's OK.
SANCHEZ: How did we get such clean video of the driver? A news crew happened to be shooting the aftermath of the rock slide when the best shot of the day came barreling right into focus.
BALDWIN: You got to love it when it happens. I love it.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Whoa, to Thailand now -- no, it's not V-8 in those plastic bottles. I'll show you what it is. It's not tomato juice either. It's blood, it's human blood they are pouring all over.
Protesters drew it from their own veins and squirted it into jugs and poured it on the ground. Why? They want the prime minister to dissolve parliament and new election. Their goal was to collect enough blood to douse his office, and they did. They poured the crimson jugs out in front of Bangkok's government house. It oozed underneath the white gates. You might say they sweated blood to make their voices heard.
BALDWIN: I can't look at it.
SANCHEZ: Isn't it amazing?
BALDWIN: You've heard the expression "when pigs fly." How about horses? How about horse?
BALDWIN: We love this story today.
SANCHEZ: This is like Mr. Ed taking a joy ride. The Air West Helicopter Company flew to the rescue of the stranded steed today in Buckeye, Arizona. The horse named Colorado was stranded on a small island in the Gila River for four days, and then somebody helped him. He got caught up in some strong currents on Friday. His rider was able to escape, and after his high-flying exit, maybe Colorado will take on the moniker Pegasus.
BALDWIN: Pegasus.
SANCHEZ: You got it!
All right, and Brooke Baldwin's with me.
BALDWIN: OK.
SANCHEZ: And I understand you have a little caveat.
BALDWIN: Yes, a little bit of caveat. This is a fantastic video. This will likely be Rick Sanchez's new ring tone. You are all about Lady Gaga. Here is it, called "Telephone." You recognize that gal, Beyonce. So I want to be straight and honest. It's clear here that CNN erroneously reported on Sunday afternoon the video had been banned by MTV.
SANCHEZ: It wasn't?
BALDWIN: Not at all. MTV called back. So you know what MTV, we owe you an apology. They begin airing "Telephone" on Friday.
SANCHEZ: I knew all about it. I could have told them.
BALDWIN: You are hip and all about it.
SANCHEZ: Not!
BALDWIN: He's like "Who is Gaga?"
SANCHEZ: We thank you for that. And "b-list" is coming up.
BALDWIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Those are stories everyone needs to know about
BALDWIN: Yes, got a list.
SANCHEZ: Meanwhile, take a look at this -- protesters converge on Capitol Hill today. They're urging Congress to kill the health care bill. We're going to show you what happens when these groups get in Washington.
Also, a horrible accident on a South Carolina beach. Folks, a plane lands on a man who was sunbathing. How's that happen? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
On the list of unforgettable travel experiences, and not the good type, we have all-air travel horror stories today. It is time for the "b-list," "b" as in Brooke Baldwin, and she's here to take us through it. What do you have?
BALDWIN: The first story on my list is this story out of -- it originated in California, and basically this trip was supposed to take five hours to go from LAX to JFK in New York.
SANCHEZ: Right.
BALDWIN: Instead it took 16 hours. And who is the last person you would want on that flight if you are Virgin America?
SANCHEZ: Somebody really smelly?
BALDWIN: No, not somebody really smelly, Rick Sanchez. You don't want a CEO of a social networking website, because what are they going to do the entire time?
SANCHEZ: I get it. I thought who would you want sitting next to you.
BALDWIN: Anyhow, you don't want somebody posting updates throughout the entire flight, because, guess what --
SANCHEZ: Bad PR.
BALDWIN: Absolutely. And this is David Martin I'm talking about, the head of a Web site called contain.com, and he posted these updates from his iPhone the entire time. I want to play a snippet of it. This is when he's six-and-a-half hours in to the flight from LAX to JFK.
SANCHEZ: Sitting on the tarmac?
BALDWIN: No, this is when they were circling JFK, because this weekend they had hurricane-force winds and so they couldn't land. So they are circling and they start to run out of fuel. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After about the 30-minute point the captain will then make the decision based on the safety for all of us on board whether we will be diverting or whether we will continue to hold for a little bit longer.
As soon as we have more information, we'll definitely let you know. Please bear with us. We are trying to give you the best information we have. We do apologize, but unfortunately Mother Nature is not playing real nice with us tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I don't know if you could hear the baby crying.
Let's look at the map and explain how the whole thing happened. They go from LAX and end up going to Newburgh, New York, because of the bad weather around the New York City area. They end up sitting on this tarmac in Newburgh, New York, for four and a half hours waiting for the weather to get better.
In that time, that's when it's up to the airline, Virgin America, they said they ran out of food two hours in. And according to the reports and the tweets, they were rationing out Pringles potato chips. They did have some water, but David Martin said the crew started to snap at the passengers.
Finally in the 13th hour JetBlue sent buses, so the passengers are bussed down to New York City and they finally got home at 2:00 a.m., but because Saturday night into Sunday, daylight saving time, it ended up being 3:00 a.m.
I do want to emphasize that Virgin America has very much so apologized and, in fact, we have a full screen from the CEO, David Kush, and I want to read it to you. In addition to reimbursing everyone for their flights and giving them 100 bucks credit, he says, quote, "You also have my personal commitment that we will learn from this experience and use to it become a better airline."
SANCHEZ: I suppose they should. Let me ask you one question. Did the toilets back up?
BALDWIN: I didn't hear the toilets backed up, I head they worked.
SANCHEZ: I tell you one of the fascinating stories on your list. This stories out of Myrtle Beach.
BALDWIN: It's awful. This is out of Hilton Head, South Carolina. Over the weekend, or rather yesterday evening reports of a single- engine plane, there is the aftermath, it went down on the beach. It tried to land on the Hilton Head airport, the propeller fell off the airplane. But the horrific part of the story is --
SANCHEZ: The propeller fell off the plane, causing him to lose control of the plane.
BALDWIN: Exactly, emergency landing on the beach. On the beach, though, you have a 30-year-old guy jogging along listening to his iPod, so didn't hear the plane coming. Plane comes from behind and kills this guy.
SANCHEZ: So, he's jogging on the beach. And suddenly out of nowhere, a plane lands on top of him and kills him.
BALDWIN: Yes. How awful. Awful.
SANCHEZ: Wow. And there is a lesson in this and I tell this to my kids all the time.
BALDWIN: What's that?
SANCHEZ: This thing about people living their lives with little things inside their ears and listening to your music real loud.
BALDWIN: Are you getting on your dad's soapbox?
SANCHEZ: I am turning into my dad, because --
BALDWIN: It's true, because on the subway, you need to be aware, on the subway, wherever you are.
SANCHEZ: I see people riding bicycles, I see people driving their cars, I see people walking and jogging with those things on, and that's not smart. Not to take anything away from this guy, god bless him, he died and everything. But you know?
BALDWIN: OK.
SANCHEZ: You got one more thing?
BALDWIN: Yes. Tiger Woods' fans, check his website, huge news today.
SANCHEZ: He's coming back.
BALDWIN: He will be back at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, net month -- huge deal there.
SANCHEZ: I'm surprised he didn't do it secretly, because according to Augusta rules you don't have to say anything.
BALDWIN: Well, maybe after everything that's happened Tiger's all about transparency maybe now. We shall see.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Yes. Thanks so much for that.
BALDWIN: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN ANDREWS, ESPN REPORTER: What happens after the videotaping? What happened if I had walked out of my hotel room and I'd seen him there? Was he going to do something? Yes, I think he's a sexual predator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews wants the guy who followed her, stalked her all over the country, to do serious time. Should Mr. Peephole be punished more severely for what he did? That's next.
Also, she weighs 600 pounds, and she wants to weigh more, much more. That makes her special enough to make our "Special List." We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. Topping the list of top celebrities in the news on our victims fighting back list today, Erin Andrews, the ESPN reporter who was secretly shot naked. She went to court yesterday in Los Angeles. She faced Michael David Barrett. That's the 48-year-old man who would call hotels and get a room next to hers. Then he would alter the peephole with a hacksaw and shoot video of her while she was in her room in her private time, nude video of her that he then posted on the internet for the entire world to see, video that he tried to sell to celebrity gossip site TMZ.
In court papers, prosecutors said that Barrett posted as many as ten different videos of Andrews online. They also said that Barrett had posted videos of another 16 unidentified victims that he also followed around or stalked. After court, Andrews talked about what she would tell others who have been victimized like her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREWS: I don't know if there's any words of warning because I never knew that this was happening to me for the many years that he was doing this. But I think the one thing that I would tell them, because it was written to me as I didn't -- you didn't do anything wrong.
And I had to deal with a lot of people saying that I deserved this or that I played to a certain crowd to deserve this. The 16 other women that got this didn't deserve this. The other women that he was searching on the Internet didn't deserve this. So you need to know that you didn't do anything wrong.
Second thing is, despite questions about how do you move on with your life, you're a victim. You should be allowed to live your life. You shouldn't have to go and hide when that's what you want to do.
But unfortunately, you have to deal with it by yourself. And like one woman wrote me in a letter, "I hate to say this to you, but welcome to our sorority." And it is. No one understands it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Barrett was sentenced to two and a half years in prison ever after making a tearful apology in a courtroom. Barrett, who never had a problem spying on Andrews behind the safety of a hotel room peephole, this is interesting, folks, never actually looked her in the eye.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSARIO DAWSON, ACTOR: If you live here in the United States, no matter what your status is, you deserve to be counted and you deserve to be represented.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: She and I have worked on several projects together. Why should undocumented immigrants fill out their census form and tell the government their whereabouts? That's Hollywood bombshell Rosario Dawson. And she has an answer for us. We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Our top story. At the very top of our list, Palestinians are clashing with Israelis in Jerusalem, and Netanyahu, the prime minister, gets even more heat.
Here's the question raised by some U.S. military officials -- is he, because of his actions against the United States, possibly endangering U.S. troops?
Also, a high speed chase in Phoenix today. It lasted 30 minutes. The ending is as unexpected as anything we've seen around here in quite some time. We'll show it to you. Stay right there.
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