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Rick's List
Arizona Immigration Battle; President Obama Pushes Wall Street Reform
Aired April 23, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I have been covering news for a long time. I will tell you, folks, I can sense when a story is coming to a head.
And situation going on right now in Arizona with this immigration debate and the law that they're about to pass, take a look at what's going on. All right, this is part of the protest that's been taking place today.
As a matter of fact, you know what? Stay with this, if you can, guys, because we're now being told that the governor may be coming out and giving a statement real quick. Remember, the governor's going to -- has a decision to make here.
As we look at the protest pictures, this is being shot by affiliate KPHO. It's more than 1,000 students. Apparently, they're all students. They have been walking out of class. Apparently, five high schools are involved. You know how they're talking to each other? You know how they planned this protest? These are all students who are upset with people who want to put a law in place in Arizona that essentially goes after illegal immigrants.
But what's interesting about this is that the kids have used social media. They have used Facebook and they have used Twitter to organize and somehow spread the word about their protest.
We're all over this story. And we're going to be talking to both sides of the controversy. Remember, if you watched us just a couple of days ago, you heard my interview with Senator Pearce. He's the one who's asking for this bill be passed.
And we're going to be talking to FAIR today. We're going to be talking to LULAC today. We're expect to hear from politicians. We're expecting to hear from the governor. If she signs this bill, essentially, if she essentially comes out and she signs this bill, it would make the state able to crack down on illegal immigrants, by -- police would be able to ask people that they suspect are illegal immigrants to show papers to prove that they're here legally.
Now, I have the actual bill. Before we do anything else, I'm going to stop right here. I want to take you to the rest of what we have on tap. Then I'm going to come back, go back to these pictures and take you through this story. This thing's really going to unfold, folks, so stay right there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here's what's making the LIST today.
Hours spent online, thousands of files downloaded, XXX material at the Securities and Exchange Commission?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You almost can't believe it. As the alarm bells were ringing in the economy, they were surfing porn on your dime and your time.
SANCHEZ: Don't they have anything else to do, like do their jobs?
An octopus goes after a diver's expensive equipment. Who wins this one?
And a concerned dad upset with a principal's choice of a special guest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guess who was at film day? T.I., the rapper.
SANCHEZ: Wait until you hear the principal's snarky explanation.
The Pentagon's spat with one of America's most prominent Christian leaders.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love the people of Islam. I just -- the religion is what I have the problem with.
SANCHEZ: Why are Franklin Graham's views too radical for the Defense Department?
And proving, once again, dogs are not only man's best friend. They're darn smart, too.
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: Yes, welcome back. This is your national conversation. This is your list. This is RICK'S LIST. I'm glad to be able to serve you with this.
And here's the latest on that situation that we have been following. The countdown, folks, is on in Arizona. This story is developing, and now it's drawing heat from both sides. These are protesters outside the state capitol.
An hour or so from now, we understand that the governor will have some type of announcement about this bill. Remember, she has roughly about 24 to 48 hours to sign this bill, kind of a do-or-die thing in Arizona -- there in Arizona.
She's under a lot of pressure. Protesters outside her office have been showing up, as you know. Let's just take you through the provisions of the bill, because, you know, it's interesting. As you look at this bill -- and we have been reading through it -- I have been reading through it with my staff and kind of marking it up.
We -- probably what we all should do is get some kind of clarification on exactly what the bill would actually do, but, in principle, it would make it a state crime to enter Arizona illegally.
Well, most of you are saying, duh, it's already a state crime to enter any part of the United States illegally. Well, this bill would require people to ask people that they suspect are illegal immigrants to show papers to prove they are here legally.
Now, that gets a little iffy, because there are some, Jonathan Turley among them, who say, well, there's a possibility now you're infringing on constitutional rights of other people who happen to live in Arizona.
President Obama came out today, the president of the United States. Nobody -- we thought maybe he may mention this, but he would probably do so somewhat tepidly. Instead, he says failure to reform federal immigration laws opens doors to irresponsibility by others, referring maybe to this? Listen up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.
In fact, I have instructed members of my administration to closely monitor the situation and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So, here's where we are. Now you got the president involved in this.
The governor -- that's Jan Brewer -- said last night she would do whatever is best for the people of Arizona. And there we see some people who have been protesting, by the way, not all from Arizona.
I have been checking on these protesters, and we understand some of them have come in from California, from Los Angeles.
Alia Rau is a senior legislative reporter for "The Arizona Republic." I imagine this is at the top of the fold for you guys for the last couple of days.
Let me start you with what the governor may or may not do. Is there any indication at this point, has she tipped her hat -- tipped her hand at all on this thing?
ALIA RAU, "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC": Not at all. We're basically waiting for the 1:30 press conference that she's having off site from the capitol, which is a little bit interesting.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: That's 4:30 our time, by the way.
RAU: Yes.
And then we don't have no idea, though I think it could go any way.
SANCHEZ: You know, I'm just wondering. As I go through this bill, I'm trying to figure out whether it really does what some in the media have purported it to do. And I'm -- look, I'm going to read right here, all right? I'm looking at it.
It says, line 20, page one, "For any lawful act made by a law enforcement official, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of that person."
Once again, "for any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official" -- do you know what that means? Because I don't.
RAU: I think we're all still trying to figure that one out. There's definitely very differing opinions as to what it may mean.
And I think we in the media are going to have to wait and see what...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, yes, because the question is, when they say a lawful contact, well, a lawful contact could mean, you know, you run into a guy walking down the sidewalk, or are they saying a lawful contact means you have to have contact with someone committing a crime before you have a right to ask them, oh, hey, by the way, are you in the country legally?
RAU: That's exactly the debate. You have got bill opponents who said -- say, yes, because it says reasonable suspicion, you could stop somebody walking down the street. The proponents say, because there's that legal thing, they have to be stopped, you know, for another legal purpose.
SANCHEZ: Well, and if that's the case, is it that big a deal? As Pearce described to me here two days ago on the air, the guy who wrote the bill, the senator, the state senator, he said to me, no, you can't just stop anybody anywhere. It has to be someone in the commission of an act of, you know, a ticket or -- or -- but you're telling me, even there, even "The Arizona Republic," even there in Arizona, nobody's been able to nail this thing down yet?
RAU: That's the ongoing debate is, what is it going to look like? Brent Wilkes is joining us as well. He's with the national -- he's a national director with LULAC. That's the League of United Latin American Citizens.
I can't imagine your organization is anything but teed off about this bill, right? You guys are -- I imagine you guys are going to come out and say, this just ain't right?
BRENT WILKES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS: Rick, if the governor signs this bill or allows it to become law, she will make Arizona a pariah state in a 21st century democracy.
She will be leading us down the road of Jim Crow and even the gestapo, because people will be stopped and if they don't have their papers, well, then they could be subject to arrest.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, but wait.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: No, no, no, wait, wait, because here's the point. And I don't get it yet. I'm reading -- have you read the actual bill that I'm holding in my hand? Have you read it?
WILKES: Yes, I have. Yes, I have.
SANCHEZ: OK.
When you came to this -- do you deduce from this paper that I have in front of me here that a police officer can stop anybody he damn well pleases any time he wants if they look like they could be illegal because of the way they're dressed or the way they look or their skin's a little browner, whatever?
WILKES: Or they happen to be Latino.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WILKES: Yes, Rick, exactly. I think -- exactly what that says, people -- someone like Joe Arpaio is going to take it and he's going to set up roadblocks. He's going to detain anybody he thinks is an immigrant and ask them for their papers. And if they don't have their papers, happen to be with them, they're subject to arrest.
(CROSSTALK)
WILKES: That's Nazi Germany. That's not the United States of America.
SANCHEZ: Hey, are you a lawyer, by the way?
WILKES: No, I'm not. But our attorneys are going through this right now. We're going to file against this if the governor does sign it or allows it to become law, because it is unconstitutional.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, I tell you what else is in here. And it kind of -- yesterday, the media was reporting that there was also a harboring measure here, that if you're caught moving somebody or transporting.
I have gone all the way through this. I haven't found that. Have you?
WILKES: Yes, it's in there. There's a provision that if you are knowingly transporting somebody who is undocumented, that -- even if you're a relative, that you're subject to arrest. And I just think that's incredible.
I mean, if your own parents are out of status...
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WILKES: ... and you're a legal citizen child and you're driving them somewhere, you're also breaking the law. It's just incredible.
This is a gestapo. This is -- when we're trying to take the rest of America in a post-racial atmosphere, Arizona is going in the completely wrong direction. And it's shocking.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WILKES: It's a whole circus atmosphere, and we're going to put a stop to it, Rick, I can tell you that.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, I know. I know.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, listen, our job is to get to the bottom of what the hell this thing really is, all right? That's what I'm paid to do as a journalist.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, I'm looking at this bill, and I'm not sure -- I will read you this right now before -- I know my producer's trying to wrap me. But, look, this is page eight. It is unlawful for a person who is in violation of a criminal offense to press -- to transport, or move, or attempt to transport or move an alien in this state.
So, what they're saying is, I think -- I'm not a lawyer -- if you have committed a crime and you're caught in the middle of committing a crime and you happen to be also transporting somebody with you who is an illegal alien, then they have a right to ask that person questions.
It's a little different than just anybody who's driving down the street who happens to have somebody in their car, they can stop them and say, hey, are you transporting an illegal immigrant, right?
WILKES: Well, I disagree, Rick. I think it is opening the door to calling...
SANCHEZ: OK.
WILKES: ... anybody who happens to be transporting an undocumented immigrant a smuggler and prosecuting them under those -- under those laws. And I just think that's totally incorrect, because a family member...
SANCHEZ: Yes.
WILKES: ... or an acquaintance or somebody who is a neighbor, that's not, you know, somebody that's normally targeted with these kind of laws.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, look, we're looking at a whole bunch of people there who disagree -- who agree with you, I should say. We're going to be joined in a little while by members of the state and FAIR, you know, the organization who helped write this legislation, interestingly enough.
And I should tell you that some of those protests that are taking place are students, some of them who spent the night out at the capitol as well.
This story's growing, folks, and as we get more information, I will -- I will certainly bring it to you.
My thanks to you, by the way, for bringing us this information and for sharing LULAC's position on this. My thanks to you.
Now, next hour, I'm going to be talking to the representative of a group that helped craft the Arizona immigration bill. Bob Dane is from FAIR. I mentioned that organization just a little while ago. That's the Federation for American Immigration Reform. He's going to be joining me here.
Look, they want more laws like this one. And I want you to stay right there, because he will continue the conversation with us. This is your list, RICK'S LIST.
On our outrage list today: regulators, regulators, as if they hadn't messed up enough according to most experts we talked to, watching porn on government computers while the economy tanked. That's ahead.
And then oil, have you seen these pictures? Look at this, oil pouring out of the Gulf of Mexico after that huge drilling rig sinks. What about the oil already on the surface? How soon could it be before it reaches the coast? How big of an effect is this going to be? I'm going to talk live to the Coast Guard. You will hear their response. We're coming back, folks. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Boy, I told you a little while ago this is one of those hot stories. You can almost feel it. You know, you have been doing this long enough. You know when people are going to be picking...
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Ali Velshi is sitting next to me now. You almost know when people are going to be picking up on a story., because there's good arguments to be made from both sides, but it's also the type of story that is -- that brings an ire, an emotion...
VELSHI: Passionate, absolutely.
SANCHEZ: ... for everyone.
VELSHI: Yes.
SANCHEZ: So, Angie told me, well, obviously the Twitter board is going crazy.
VELSHI: Sure.
SANCHEZ: Shoot the Twitter board. "Something is technically wrong."
We (INAUDIBLE) about 5,000 people.
VELSHI: Yes, something is technically wrong. It's also the people trying to comment on this.
SANCHEZ: Everybody is trying to get in on this. And everybody has something to say.
VELSHI: Whether you're there or not, whether you're in Arizona or not.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: It's an important story. And the folks arguing from a constitutional basis make a good point. But folks who are saying, look, you know what it's like to live in a border state and have to have illegal immigrants crossing over, they make a great point. It's an interesting story. We're going to be all over this thing, folks, and the governor is going to come out and tell us what she's going to do.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Take a look at this as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somehow, I don't think this is what mom had in mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Why do we see -- why do we see commercials for Victoria's Secret and other lingerie ads, but we're not allowed to look at that ad?
Did you like that ad?
VELSHI: Sure.
(LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: Wasn't I here talking about financial reform? You've got the wrong guy here.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: No, it's Lane Bryant. It's a Lane Bryant ad. This is a whole interesting story here.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: They sell bigger clothes.
SANCHEZ: Settle down, will you?
The president says reform is in the best interest of the financial sector.
VELSHI: That's what I'm here for.
SANCHEZ: Why should we care? I mean, think about that. Is the president of the United States running interference for Wall Street? Is that what we want him doing? Ali Velshi's here. And he and I may have a disagreement about this. I don't know. But we're talking about it. This is your national conversation, your list, RICK'S LIST.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. You talk about hot- button issues, how about financial reform?
Ali is going to be here to take us through this, and what we're talking about, this is interesting, because, in many ways, it's what you tell me, that you wait to see what's going to happen Monday, because they're going to have a test vote to see how this thing is going to go.
VELSHI: Yes, see if it can pass the Senate, yes.
SANCHEZ: Exactly.
Now, this vote to start debate should give us a pretty good idea as to whether reforms might pass and in what form. Now, that's Monday. And, obviously, we're going to be all over this thing. Let me take you back to yesterday, though. This is something that made me think. This is President Obama. He's talking to Wall Street bankers, right? Remember, everybody covered this thing? I was working on my book. I wasn't here. But take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I'm here because I believe that these reforms are, in the end, not only in the best interests of our country but in the best interests of the financial sector.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: He just said that reform is in the best interests of the financial sector, translation, Wall Street. And that made me wonder, unless you work on Wall Street, who -- who gives a hoot? I mean, why is the president of the United States...
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Go back.
SANCHEZ: Go ahead.
VELSHI: Rewind to September of 2008, when there was a massive credit freeze, and we were saying companies couldn't raise money, they couldn't get credit.
And do you know how many people said to me, who cares? And they wrote to their congressman and they called them and they said don't pass this bailout bill. I don't need to be rescuing those fat cats.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VELSHI: Fast-forward. Two months later, we're in the deepest recession we have been in, in generations. We have lost jobs. When the financial sector doesn't do well, and money isn't flowing, it's like who cares that oil isn't going to all the parts in your car?
The fact is, we live in a world that exists for money and our financial sector is how we spread that money around to companies that need loans and hire people. So, we do need to care. We have to make sure that, while we're mad at them, we don't shut them down. That happened with the credit crisis. And we paid the price.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Is this president in any way indebted, is he linked to Wall Street inextricably?
VELSHI: I don't think any more than any other elected politician is. They all get loans -- they all get donations from workers.
SANCHEZ: Yes, campaign funds, yes.
VELSHI: Campaign funds. SANCHEZ: They're lobbied.
VELSHI: They're lobbied.
SANCHEZ: Right.
VELSHI: I didn't think he's any more or any less.
But we are all connected to the financial sector. So, I think what he was saying wasn't, this is good for you at someone else's expense. He was saying, you think this is bad for you and good for Main Street. It's good for Main Street and it's good for Wall Street.
SANCHEZ: But it's hard to be an American right now and not feel put upon by these SOBs in many ways.
VELSHI: Totally right. Totally right. Totally right.
SANCHEZ: So, I want you to listen to this. You and I have talked about these Moody's ratings that, suddenly, they bundled a bunch of mortgages, and they got AAA or AAAA ratings for something that wasn't worth junk.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Listen to Carl Levin talking about the role of the rating agencies today. This is out of the Rick Sanchez playbook, by the way. Let's listen to it together.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Hit it, Rog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: The credit rating agencies were operating with an inherent conflict of interest, because the revenues they pocketed came from the companies whose securities they raided. It's like one of the parties in court paying the judge's salary or one of the teams in a competition paying the salary of the referee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: OK. Now, it happened, right?
VELSHI: Yes, totally.
SANCHEZ: It happened. All right, here's the better question. Is this new legislation, have you had a chance to take a look at it to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again?
VELSHI: Well, there's lots -- this is a bit like health care. (CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: ... things?
VELSHI: Well, there's a bill that passed the House in December and then there are two bills in two Senate committees. So, the Senate is going to have to reconcile that, pass one of them, then they're going to have to reconcile them both.
So, the Senate bill is actually tougher than the House bill. But to answer your question specifically, there's a whole lot of stuff that happened in the last two years that is not addressed by this legislation at all.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Great. Wonderful.
VELSHI: But what could change, Rick, again, you deal with this in your book, which is fantastic, when it comes out...
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VELSHI: ... is that there just isn't a mood of -- there hasn't been a culture of regulation on Wall Street for more than 15 years, so this may just impose the idea that even if you don't change laws, get the cops out there and start getting them to enforce the laws.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: You have seen cities where the murder rate goes down just because cops start walking around. They didn't change any laws. Murder was always illegal.
SANCHEZ: And then there's the regulators. And, boy, have we got a story for you on that.
Thanks, by the way. You got to catch a flight. Get out of here.
VELSHI: Have a good weekend. Yes. All right.
SANCHEZ: See you later. Thanks for stopping.
VELSHI: Yes, no problem.
SANCHEZ: I want to show you some of these pics coming in from Arizona. We have been all over this.
These are young kids for the most part. I was just hearing something there, guys. That wasn't for me, right? OK. Good. So, we're going to be all over the Arizona story. We're expecting the governor is going to be coming out in less than an hour now and she's going to be either telling us she's going to sign this bill or she's not going to sign this bill. A lot of anticipation on both sides, and we're going to have it covered for you.
Also, what were some at the SEC doing? This is what I was just alluding to with Ali. These are regulators, folks, and right during the financial meltdown, would you believe they were watching hours and hours of porn? That's coming up.
And then something we watched yesterday that was amazing, as part of what happens in England. And someone tied to English politics is our most intriguing person of the day. Who is it? Can you think? Can you help us? Stay there. You will find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right. Let me tell you what's going on. We're expecting the governor of Arizona. She's going to be coming out, you know, let's just say an hour from now. It could be a little bit less.
And she's expected to say whether she will sign or not sign this bill, which is going to put, you know, the crunch on illegal immigrants in the state of Arizona and allow police officers, arguably, to stop and detain people who may be suspected of being illegal immigrants. And that's where this thing gets a little weird, at least from a constitutional standpoint, and in its defense.
So, folks, this thing's developing still, and as we get information, we're going to be sharing it with you.
What I want to do for you now, though, is I want to check one of my lists. This is the list for the most intriguing person in the news today.
This guy wants to be the prime minister of Great Britain, even if he has to get there American style. Here's what I'm talking about. The top candidates for the job are doing something un-British. They're going on television arguing the issues, and darn well doing it, jabbing, name-calling, parry there, a little thrust here.
Folks, it's a political debate on television, and British politicians have never, ever done that before. Last night, second of the three planned debates, and our most intriguing today is a come- from-behind winner, if you believe most viewer polls so far in the U.K.
Read this. "TIME" magazine says he's -- quote -- "from the relative obscurity of third-party politics to the top of the ratings, as Britain's most popular political leader since Winston Churchill"? Wow. No pressure there.
Show him, Rog. He is 43-year-old Nick Clegg, leader of the always also-ran Liberal Democrats. British press calls his sudden popularity Clegg-mania. But his real test comes May 6. In other words, the deal ain't sealed yet, folks, Britain's Election Day.
Nick Clegg for his performance and his -- well, his clippings, he's today's most intriguing person in the news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guess who was at school today? I said who? And they said T.I., the rapper.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: A principal angers parents when he talks about President Bush's alleged cocaine use. Talk about a non-sequitur. What is this all about?
Also, a dramatic fight in a liquor store. It's a young robber with a gun, holds up the liquor store. An elderly neighbor tries to take him down. How's this thing end? We're going to take you through it.
And then we're expecting Arizona's governor to come out in just a little bit, and when she does -- when she does -- we'll let you know what decision she's made regarding the immigration bill. This is being followed all over the country.
You stay there. It's your national conversation, your list. "RICK'S LIST." I'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I know people in offices all over America, including some of the offices up in New York -- let put my computer down here for you, Brooke.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: People can see you.
BALDWIN: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: They look forward to this moment every day when we do "Fotos del Dia." Do you know why?
BALDWIN: Why?
SANCHEZ: Because they dance. They love the music.
BALDWIN: Like you've been dancing all day today?
SANCHEZ: I've been singing and dancing.
BALDWIN: He really has.
SANCHEZ: I really have. We'll tell you why later.
A robber sticks up a liquor store and he robs one tough guy who doesn't seem to take any guff from him, how's that?
BALDWIN: That's good. SANCHEZ: And surveillance camera captures it is all. You've got "fotos."
Here we go. Cautionary tale for potential criminals everywhere -- change your ways or you might run in to Richard Riley. He heard a gunshot at his neighborhood store and he went to check it out. Robbery in progress. Richard, age 69 --
BALDWIN: What?
SANCHEZ: He doesn't back down, not this guy. No way. He puts up his dukes.
BALDWIN: Look at him.
SANCHEZ: Here comes the with guy with the baseball bat. The robber's dazed, ruined. He runs away. It's all caught on camera. The police arrested the suspect. Who is the crime buster here?
BALDWIN: Richard Riley.
SANCHEZ: Richard Riley, that's right, baby.
Boom! OK, this is how smart kids have fun.
BALDWIN: Oh, yes, why?
SANCHEZ: Letterman used to do this.
BALDWIN: That was a piano.
SANCHEZ: He's throwing pianos off a roof. It's a springtime edition at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
BALDWIN: Right, right.
SANCHEZ: Since the early 1970s. This year the annual piano was a two-for.
BALDWIN: A baby grand?
SANCHEZ: Yes. Maybe they are, like, no good anymore.
BALDWIN: OK.
SANCHEZ: Damaged, I don't know. Why do they do it? We don't know why they do it. Something about the deadline for dropping spring term classes. It's obviously complicated. College kids!
BALDWIN: Maybe it's their catharsis.
SANCHEZ: OK, from smart young people to not-so-smart young people. Los Angeles police are looking for these young ladies, suspects in three home invasions.
BALDWIN: These are the knock-knock burglars. SANCHEZ: Is that what they're called?
BALDWIN: Yes, because they are knocking on doors?
SANCHEZ: Go it. Nobody answers the door. Do you know what they do? They break in. Obviously these two didn't know there were security cameras at the house and the knock-knock didn't work. Smile, ladies, police have your faces. And we have you on "Fotos del Dia."
BALDWIN: "Fotos del Dia" --
SANCHEZ: Why are there so many bombings in Iraq today? Dozens are dead, we understand, more than 100 are injured. Some are saying the government and Iraqi security forces just aren't doing enough to protect them. Is it a result of the recent killing of two Al Qaeda leaders? That's ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mom always said beauty is skin deep, a smile is the best makeup, and it's what's underneath that counts. Somehow I don't think this is what mom had in mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Now, does the woman in this ad look like you, maybe your wife, maybe your girlfriend? Why are some networks banning this ad just because it shows some curvaceous --
BALDWIN: Curvy curves.
SANCHEZ: Lane Bryant.
BALDWIN: Plus-size clothing line.
SANCHEZ: That's a beautiful woman.
BALDWIN: You like that? Oh, my goodness.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Should I have not said that?
BALDWIN: We'll cover the ad. We'll talk about what people say.
SANCHEZ: You got it handled?
BALDWIN: I've got it handled.
SANCHEZ: Stay there. Brooke's got it handled. We're coming right back.
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SANCHEZ: Time for the "Brooke Block," and this one has to do with curvy ladies.
BALDWIN: Yes, we're talking curvy ladies with Sanchez. SANCHEZ: This is a legitimate controversy.
BALDWIN: It absolutely is. We're talking about Lane Bryant, the -- stop smiling. Oh, my goodness.
(LAUGHTER)
Lane Bryant is the plus-size women's clothing maker. It's a huge controversy over this latest lingerie ad. I want you to watch so you can be the judge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mom always said beauty is skin deep. So, smile, it's the best makeup, and it's what underneath that counts. Somehow I don't think this is what mom had in mind. Introducing new intimates, exclusively at Lane Bryant -- so sexy, so not what mom would wear. Nobody fits you like the new lane Bryant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: I mean, it's not for me to judge, but do you know what, you've seen worse.
BALDWIN: Worse?
SANCHEZ: Well, more skin in the ads.
BALDWIN: Yes, absolutely.
SANCHEZ: The question is they don't want to --
BALDWIN: And it may be partially skin. First, let me get to what lane Bryant said. They have the entire website, and they are essentially saying the ad was rejected by several networks based on the size of the model.
They say FOX with "American idol," ABC with "Dancing with the Stars," and they say, hey, do you know what, we'll air the ad but you need to edit and we're pushing it back to the very end of the programs.
Lane Bryant says the ad is sexy and not salacious and shows a curvy lady. And they said, quote, "What we didn't know which the networks which regularly run Victoria's Secret and Playtex advertising are the very shows who would object to a very different view of beauty."
To be fair, I picked up the phone and talked to FOX. FOX sources said they will be running the ad in the last few minutes of "American Idol" next Wednesday. They said, yes, they required video edits just like they have some of the Victoria's Secrets ads.
And if you think about "American Idol," the last few minutes is when everyone is watching because everyone is voting. But Lane Bryant said it's the weight issue. SANCHEZ: I like the fact that these women look more like women than the ones, what did you call them, waifs?
BALDWIN: Waifs.
SANCHEZ: They look like boys, little skinny things.
BALDWIN: So there you go.
SANCHEZ: I'm informed.
BALDWIN: You are informed.
SANCHEZ: What else you got?
BALDWIN: This is a story. You got kids. Your kids go to school, they have school assemblies, and when you have speakers, you think they will be nice and inspirational, right?
What if you find out that that school speaker is a convicted felon out of prison, serving community service, coming to talk to your kids as part of that assignment. Would it matter that that's the Atlanta rapper T.I.?
That is precisely what happened at a Georgia middle school early in March. And I want to talk to two parents on the phone who are a little perturbed over this. Tom and Candy Myers, they're on the phone with me from Hendrick County, Georgia. Guys, you there?
CANDY MYERS, RAPPER VISITED DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL: We're here.
BALDWIN: All right, so when your kids came home, first things first, you didn't know T.I. was the speaker. The kids come home, what's your immediate reaction?
TOM MYERS, RAPPER VISITED DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL: We're just trying to figure out why.
BALDWIN: What's your frustration? What's the issue with T.I.? The fact that he's a convicted felon?
TOM MYERS: Well, I think basically, his background, you know, if he walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's usually a duck. And I don't have an issue with T.I. per se other than the fact that I don't think he's appropriate for my middle schoolgirls to be inspired by.
SANCHEZ: Did they confront --
BALDWIN: So, you reach out to the principal, right?
TOM MYERS: Yes, I sent the principal an e-mail on a Sunday after that. Basically I was just questioning whether or not he was an appropriate speaker and that in the future that he would -- or the school would ask for parental permission to go to assemblies depending on who the speakers were. Let us make that decision. BALDWIN: Now, he gets back to you. And the principal says this. I want to share this. This is the full screen. This is what the principal who writes "I thought about asking the guy who snorted cocaine and got arrested for DUI when he was 30 to come and speak to our kids, but President George W. Bush was not available."
SANCHEZ: Whoa.
BALDWIN: Candy --
CANDY MYERS: Yes.
BALDWIN: When you saw the e-mail, what did you think?
CANDY MYERS: I was absolutely shocked because all we were asking was from here forward to give us the opportunity to choose who we wanted our children to be exposed to.
BALDWIN: This is the school you told on phone earlier where you had to give permission, what, for a -- for your kids to see a movie involving the holocaust, correct?
CANDY MYERS: Correct. The week before we actually had to sign a piece of paper to allow them to see a picture about a factual historical event.
BALDWIN: So, you thought you should have some input about some of the speakers that come and speak tour to your kids, right?
CANDY MYERS: Exactly. That's all we were asking for.
BALDWIN: So now, where does it stand?
TOM MYERS: We've been talking about with the superintendent and the chairman of the board of education. Had they addressed this thing back before the 15th of April, it probably would have never gotten this far. But it seems like all they want to do is just kind of sweep things under the rug.
And I spoke with the superintendent earlier this week and asked him when we might have some type of resolution for this, and he said they would get to it soon. And I asked them if it was going to be the end of the week, the end of the month, or the end of school.
And when he basically said we'd probably get to it by the end of school that kind of made me feel like they just really didn't care what we thought.
SANCHEZ: I'll tell you, what a story. Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention, Brooke, especially that comment, huh?
BALDWIN: I reached out to the principal. I did hear back from one school official saying, you know what, the program was a bullying initiative, and they thought he was a good speaker.
SANCHEZ: We want to thank them as well for sharing their story. BALDWIN: Tom and Candy for sharing their story.
SANCHEZ: We'll see you in a little bit.
BALDWIN: See you.
SANCHEZ: What is this dog running from or running to in the middle of an Alaskan wilderness? And why are police on his tail? And in the end what will they find? It sounds like the next episode of "Rin Tin Tin."
CANDY MYERS: Why is it every time I sit up here you make a little --
SANCHEZ: Because you're such a little kid.
CHETRY: I'm 30.
SANCHEZ: What was the SEC doing during the financial meltdown? Would you believe cruising sex sites? Regulators! That's next.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
A programming note for you. We should let you know that the governor of Arizona Jan Brewer will be coming out shortly. She's going to be making a statement. We expect that she's going to address whether or not she's going to be signing this bill that's going to crack down on illegal immigrants in the state of Arizona.
It's being questioned by some lawyers and also by some immigration groups as well. We talked a little about that earlier. We'll be talking about that in ten minutes.
And obviously when the governor comes out, you'll see it live as it happens here. There are already protests on the streets, today, and we'll be taking you through this story.
Meanwhile, I want to show you some pictures because I think they're as cool as anything we've seen in a long time. This is about underwater photography. It can be very Zen until an octopus swipes your camera. Here's the question. Do you go after the camera or do you get the heck out of there? We'll answer that.
But first, did you hear about the guy who downloaded porn eight hours a day at work on a computer you paid for, while he was being paid to be a regulator to make sure the guys on Wall Street weren't screwing around with our money? Unbelievable. We're going to be sharing that story with you in a little bit. Stay with us.
I'll be talking to Stephanie Elam. She'll take us through it. In fact, do I see Stephanie there already?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm here. SANCHEZ: As if regulators didn't have enough problems. Stay there, Steph, we'll talk about it when we come back.
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SANCHEZ: Topping our "outrage list," like Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burned, Wall Street's watchdogs, the regulators -- oh, my goodness. And we said so much about these types of stories. This time, allegations they were surfing porn while the economy crashed.
One lawmaker already is jumping all over this. Look at our representative, Darrell Issa. He's been on this show. He and I have had a couple of go-rounds. Senior SEC staffers fiddled while Wall Street burned. His spelling is as good as mine. His misspelling is unbelievable, but we know what he means.
Everybody is talking about this. Stephanie Elam is to. She's watching it for us. You know, it's funny. It's silly. It's goofy. It makes you think these guys are goofballs. They're not all goofballs. A lot of them are very responsible. But this doesn't help the cause, does it?
ELAM: No. And this is when you hear about checks and balances and the reasons why the government is the way it is. Sometimes you have to take those checks and balances on the internal side as well, because what the SEC has found out, this is through their own internal probe, that there were 33 employees or contractors who were using their work computers, laptops computers, to go ahead and access pornographic content, sexually explicit content.
This all happened over the last five years. But of that period, 31 of them were in the last two and a half years, so really when we were going through the bulk of the recession, that's when most of these little infractions were made.
Then on top of it, a lot of these people doing it, they were making really good money.
SANCHEZ: They were just checking once in a while, though, right? It was like a mistake. It was kind of like a hit or miss, right?
ELAM: No, no, no.
SANCHEZ: No?
ELAM: Nothing like that. Would you like an example?
SANCHEZ: Yes, give us an example, by golly.
ELAM: How about the senior D.C. attorney who, ahem, was looking at porn for eight hours a day. And because that was so much, he filled up his hard drive. He then kept boxes of CDs and DVDs in his office. He's since resigned when this came to light.
We have the accountant who was blocked 16,000 times in one month, but then found a way around it by going to Google images to bypass the filters. This person got a 14-day suspension.
And I should also tell you, Rick, it is not just men. There is at least one woman who was trying to access pornographic sites nearly 1800 times on her SEC laptop in a two-week period.
SANCHEZ: And I imagine the SEC has come out already and said, oh, this couldn't happen. This has to be a mistake.
ELAM: No. No. They're saying they found it through their own internal investigation. The I.T. department -- it is a work computer, folks, so they can see what you're doing even if you're on a laptop at home. They alerted it.
We actually have a statement from them that we can show you basically saying that they're still in the process of investigating this and that each of the offending employees has been disciplined or is in the process of being disciplined. Some have already been dismissed.
But if you think about it, there are 33 employees we're talking about here. There are 3,600 employees at the SEC. This is not like everyone at the SEC was looking to have online fun. It is not that widespread, but still pretty embarrassing.
SANCHEZ: By the way, it may be the worst kept secret in the entire world -- no matter where you work, folks, yes, your company looks through your e-mails and legally has a right to.
ELAM: Thanks so much, Steph. You think those guys would know.
All right, take a look at this. This dog puts Lassie and Rin Tin Tin to shame. We'll tell Brooke who Rin Tin Tin is in a little while. You just have to watch this story unfold. I swear. It will make your day. Stay there. Come back. I'm about a minute from telling you this. We'll be right back.
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