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Rick's List
Who Watches the Federal Reserve?; Whale Trapped in California Harbor
Aired May 12, 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: Look, this is about getting BP to not only tell us, but also show us what they know. Let's do that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here is what is making today's LIST.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is another report from the front line.
SANCHEZ: Underwater photos give us our first close-up view of the oil flowing from the floor of the Gulf.
Special forces rappel onto a ship filled with pirates. I'm going to tell you if it worked.
Does the Federal Reserve have too much power over your money?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: We are on the verge of lifting the veil of secrecy.
SANCHEZ: Senator Bernie Sanders is giving them hell. He wants to audit the Fed. He and Senator Judd Gregg join me live.
Oh, and R&R. Roland's here, ascot and all.
The lists you need to know about. Who's today's most intriguing? Who's landed on the list you don't want to be on? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why I keep a list.
Pioneering tomorrow's cutting-edge news right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Sometimes, I even feel bad for doing it, but all week long, I have been hammering BP as to what's really going on with this leak that's endangering the Gulf of Mexico, the people, the ecology.
Well, here's what they have shown us up to now. It's pretty much a secondary leak. We're not talking about the big one. And notice the context, that they show us that the leak is being fixed, of course, and you only see the oil in the background.
Up until today, this is all that they have shown us, right? I want you to take a look at this. Today, BP is showing us this. It's the very first part of the leak -- our very first look, as a matter of fact. Have we got it up? All right, there it is. Sorry about that. We had the wrong Chyron up. Still no video, by the way? That's a still. That's a photo, a standard picture.
BP is sitting on the video, even though we have made repeated requests to see the video. This is not their story. It's our story. It belongs to the American people.
Ed Lavandera is down in New Orleans. I mean, he's been the one who's knocking on BP's doors, and I'm going to get to Ed in just a minute and find out how he's done with them, and why it is that they have been so tight-lipped about all of this when it comes to sharing information.
There's another network, by the way, out there, not CNN, but there's another network out there that's reporting that there's less oil actually spewing out from the leak because now, instead of oil, it's natural gas that's coming out, not oil.
Well, that's a great and convenient story for BP, isn't it, especially since we did the story last week about how the natural gas is crystallizing it and it was keeping that cone that they had put there from actually doing its job? It seemed like the perfect story.
But now we're getting this. I want to just share some information with you. What did you guys do with my reading glasses? I want to share this with you. You ready?
This was told to a CNN correspondent, Brian Todd. He sent us this about an hour before we went on the air. There is no -- repeat -- no -- quote -- "no change in estimated flow rate from the well, which stays at 5,000 barrels a day of oil. We have also said that the hydrocarbon leaking from the riser is light and grassy."
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Gassy.
SANCHEZ: Thank you. I'm looking around to see how much of this we have on camera. I can't see that. And, boy, these monitors are hard to tell.
Anyway, he goes on to say: "Our experience with the buildup of the hydrates in the containment dome over the weekend," what I was just referring to," "showed that the flow contains a larger volume of natural gas than we had previously thought."
OK, that's all great, except the amount of oil that's coming out of this is the same amount that we were talking about last week.
Let me bring in Chad Myers.
Many of us read the stories this weekend intimating that there's a possibility this thing is going to stop itself, that, you know what, instead of oil coming out now, we're getting gas. Gas is great. It goes into the atmosphere, and we don't have to worry about what it could possibly do to the Gulf.
MYERS: Right. SANCHEZ: Well, now, thanks to our questions, they're saying, no. We're still getting just as much oil as we have been getting before. Where are we now?
MYERS: Well, there's only such a big pipe. If more natural gas is coming out of that pipe than was before, as is being reported by the other network...
SANCHEZ: Right.
MYERS: ... then there's not as much room for the volume of oil to come out. So, theoretically, less oil is coming out. But that's not...
SANCHEZ: That would be great, if it were true.
MYERS: That's right. Right. And this other report has said, yes, this -- the well is changing now to a nat gas well. We're going to stop losing all -- as much oil. But then BP said, well, wait a minute, we didn't say that. It's still 5,000 barrels a day.
But, if you remember, they were the ones who said it was 1,000 barrels a day at the beginning. And NOAA said, no, this is more than one. We better refigure these numbers. And then they finally agreed, OK, 5,000 is probably a closer...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, there's no question here -- and I'm going to bring Ed into this, but just let me run this by you before I let you go. Is there any question -- and, look, there's nothing wrong with them doing public relations. If I ran BP, I would be putting the best story out, not the worst story out.
But at what point do we need to start questioning the good public relations, as considerable or potential story, message, or media manipulation?
MYERS: I think people know that this is a disaster. No matter how you spin it, this is an ecological disaster. It's happening. It's not stopping, and people and things down there will die because of this.
SANCHEZ: OK. Thank you for saying that.
And let me bring Eddie into this now.
And I'm glad he said that, and Chad has a way of -- and that's why your credible, because you have a way of basically putting things in perspective as they are, not as you wish they were or how others may be reporting it.
Eddie Lavandera standing by, first of all, this video that you showed us, put, Dee, the picture back up, this still, if you will, of the video or of the oil coming out. There it is right there. Eddie, tell us what this tells us or what BP wants us to tell people that this means.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what you're looking at there, Rick, is not video. It's just a snapshot of a video image, basically, a freeze frame that was taken shortly before 1:00 yesterday afternoon.
This is really the clearest and the best picture we have seen in more than three weeks from the oil leak site. And, as you mentioned, we have -- just to give people background, we have been asking for access to this video for weeks. We have put in Freedom of Information requests with the Coast Guard. We have asked them on a daily basis. The response from BP has repeatedly been, we will look into it, we will look into it.
We were told again today -- we know that there's a press briefing going on in about an hour here north of New Orleans. We will see. We were told today there's a chance that this video of it, not just a still image of it, would be released at some point.
And this -- as we have pressed on this, this has also gotten the attention of Congress. Senators have been asking about this in the hearings up in D.C. as well, so it's definitely intensifying.
SANCHEZ: Why is it important for us to be able to look at that video? What is the significance of it? What could it possibly tell us?
LAVANDERA: Well, as we have been reporting down here in Louisiana over the last three weeks, we have come across many environmentalists, scientists who have been telling us that they would have liked to have seen it early on as kind of a marker, number one, just to kind of tell us -- you know, look at the -- the video that we see from there, that maybe there's independent sources on a variety of levels.
Is there someone who might have a better idea of what to do down there, after seeing -- after seeing the video images?
SANCHEZ: That's a good point...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: ... not to mention, not to mention, by the way, if it's a picture with a big flow, then we get a pretty good feel for how much oil is coming out, and we don't have to rely on just, you know, their word for it, whether it's 1,000 barrels a day or 1,000 gallons a day or 5,000 gallons a day.
And, by the way...
LAVANDERA: And more...
SANCHEZ: Go ahead. Finish up, Ed.
LAVANDERA: No, I was going to say, more -- more importantly, I think, the other point that these folks that we have talked to have made is that they would also say, if we had been able to see what it looked like two weeks ago, we would be able to tell, is this getting worse or is this getting better?
As efforts are made to control the leak, we would be able -- we would have a marker, we would have a starting point from which to gauge where we stand on getting this leak under control, not to mention the other bigger-picture criticism is that BP is essentially trying to control the image and the images and the storyline of what's going on here.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: All right, but you're getting ahead of me. Quick question. And I just -- I just want you to know, you have been working this story as hard as anybody, and I know we're tasking you out there with getting answers from these guys.
How hard has it been for you to get this picture, to get the video, and to get information from them? Tell our viewers what your task has been like.
(CROSSTALK)
LAVANDERA: Myself and various producers that are working this story with me, we have been asking BP repeatedly. So, it's not just myself. We have got -- obviously have a team of people working on this.
We ask them on a daily basis. Given that we have kind of established these relationships over the last couple of weeks, it wasn't until this morning where I was kind of surfing on the BP Web site that I accidentally -- it was really kind of an accident. Apparently, these were posted late -- late last night.
And if you go to the BP.com Web site, and you go to an area where they have -- it says response with pictures, and I kind of ended up scrolling down there. About eight or nine pictures down, I just happened to come across these pictures.
I said, oh, look, this is at least the closest we have -- we have been -- we have been looking to. So, I find that kind of interesting as well.
SANCHEZ: All right, Eddie, good job. Listen, stay on them. I mean, that's what we're -- that's what we're supposed to do.
Chad, you wanted to add something to that.
MYERS: I just wanted to say that what I meant earlier is that people have died, the 11 men that die on this, and that other things will die, not that more people will die.
SANCHEZ: No, no, I understand.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: In other words, ecologically speaking. And thank you for clearing that up.
Chad, thank you.
Ed, thank you.
And, obviously, we have made a commitment to stay on this story for you, and we will.
Meanwhile, we're getting pictures from off the coast of California right now. Crews are trying to wrangle a wayward whale. Look at this. Look at this. It's apparently come too close to shore, oh, not one of these again. Remember Humphrey?
MYERS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Remember Humphrey, the wayward whale, the wayward humpback? Apparently, it's trapped in some ropes.
Take that picture full, Dee. Come on. Take that picture full. Take that thing full. Get me off. Get me off the screen, by golly. That's a much more interesting picture than my mug. All right, Chad and I are taking a look at this thing.
It almost looks distressed in some way.
LAVANDERA: Well, they are trying to get a line off this whale. It's entangled in something.
SANCHEZ: In some kind of rope or something, right?
MYERS: Yes. It could be a fish net. It could be anything. It looks like it's on its tail, though.
SANCHEZ: Look at that. Wow. All right, we're going to stay all over this. We will keep that shot up. We will continue to let you know what is going on.
Also, we have got this coming up. Yes, thanks. OK. What you're looking at here is an assault by some Dutch marines. There are pirates on this ship, and these marines are going to go on there. We have got this exclusive video. Wait until you see this, I mean, guns a'blazing, and they take the guys down. That's next right here on your LIST, RICK'S LIST.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
You are about to see for yourself one of the most aggressive strategies used yet against pirates off the coast of Somalia, first the background. You ready?
A group of Somali pirates recently hijacked a German freighter 500 miles or so from shore. Here now, the Dutch military's response. I mean, watch this. Watch this video. You're going to see all kinds of stuff here. You're going to see the marines rappelling onto the ship. The crew of the freighter had locked themselves in a bulletproof room. All right?
The six marines rappel onto the ship. It's called the M.V. Taipan. They're prepared to shoot it up with some of these pirates. But, first, they shoot out the windows of the ship's bridge. There they are on board. The 15-man crew was rescued, by the way, the 10 Somali pirates, every single one of them captured. They totally were caught by surprise.
And this is, by the way, the very first time -- OK, there they are. Just as they finished rappelling, now they get on the very top of some of those freighters. And you hear the shooting in the background there. You actually can see the shells going off the side, first time, by the way, the European Union's anti-pirate mission has been used successfully, by the way, and that they have been able to use this kind of force to recapture a hijacked ship. There you go.
Now this. Who really runs the country? Maybe now, more than ever, the Federal Reserve, certainly in terms of money. Who is watching what the Fed is doing with your money? And you wouldn't believe just how much money we're talking about. That is ahead.
Also, are Republicans considering Arizona for their next convention? And what message would that send? Some are saying good, others bad. That's ahead on the LIST, your LIST, RICK'S LIST. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. Welcome back.
There's that picture again. Let's stay on it. We're trying to figure out what's going on here. These are live pictures, are they not? Yes, they are. And this is off of Dana Point Harbor, about 50 miles south of Los Angeles, right, Angie? It's a whale that has somehow got entangled in some lines or some ropes, and they're trying to see if they can perhaps untangle it.
I want to bring somebody in. Brad Gross is joining us. He's joining us from Dana Point Harbor. He's got some answers for us as to what's going on.
Brad, first of all, as we all take a look at these pictures together, tell us what it is that these folks are trying to do.
BRAD GROSS, DIRECTOR, DANA POINT HARBOR: Well, you see two boats there, and we have got people from the National Marine Fisheries, the Pacific Mammal Center, and SeaWorld on board. All of these people are trained in whale disentanglement.
You will see someone on the bow of the red boat, I believe, with a long pole. It's got a curved hook with a sharp blade on it. And they're just reaching in and slowly slicing off pieces of this line that have been entangled in the whales left front pec fin.
SANCHEZ: Why not -- why not just jump in the water with scuba gear and do it manually? GROSS: Well, they are doing it manually, but they're doing it safely, also. It is a wild animal, completely unpredictable. And they -- their first concern is their safety. They do want to help the animal. And they have helped it considerably over the last hour or so while they're cutting line away.
But it's always unpredictable to put somebody in the water next to an animal that size.
SANCHEZ: OK. Good answer. That makes sense.
The whale looks like it's staying right there at the surface. And, look, I'm not an expert. Maybe you are. Does it look like this whale is threatened in some way or that he's sick in any way?
GROSS: You know, I'm not an expert either. But I have been looking at the whale since Monday. And I can tell you -- what I can tell you is that it was moving very slow. It was very lethargic.
But as they're cutting this line off, we're seeing a lot more motion. It's moving a little faster. It's kind of higher out of the water. So, I'm not going to predict whether it's healthy or not, but what I will tell you is that it's obviously feeling a lot better getting that line cut off of it.
SANCHEZ: Yes. So, best-case scenario, they get the line off. The -- the whale reenergizes itself and just goes away by itself, and we don't have to talk about him anymore.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Worst-case scenario, worst-case scenario, they get the line off and the whale remains to look like he's troubled, and then you have got to go to plan B. Am I right?
GROSS: Yes. And, you know, we have discussed plan B a little bit. We're unsure -- unsure what that may be, but we do have two marine biologists on board the boat. They will do -- they're going to do their best to assess the whale.
But, again, you know, it is a wild animal. It's a whale, and it's completely unpredictable.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
GROSS: So, it gets to go wherever it would like to go.
SANCHEZ: And, hopefully, it will go soon.
Brad, you have been a great help, Brad Gross, joining us from Dana Point Harbor.
We will keep an eye on this story, folks, for you. And as the developments warrant, we will take you back there.
Meanwhile, take a look at this big guy. His name is LeBron James, NBA two-time MVP, some say some of the greatest ever. So, why is he being booed? And he's not being booed by going to somebody else's court. He's being booed at home by his own fans in Cleveland. Why? That's ahead.
Also, what is the Federal Reserve doing with your money? And is it about time someone confronts them, literally gets in their face and asks them questions. Bernie Sanders is just the man to do it. He is joining me live. He's fired up about this. And that's why he's on RICK'S LIST.
Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
You know how much I followed this financial reform debate on this newscast, this effort to make sure that the next financial crisis, A, won't merely sink us all, as the last one almost did, B, won't require another government bailout.
But let me tell you what's happened. The Senate has passed an amendment meant to shine a bright light on the secret dealings of the Federal Reserve. Now, this is important.
I mean, I have mentioned this before. The Fed can toss around trillions of your dollars, right? And it never even has to tell anybody where or how they are using that money, your money. It happened during the bailout. Well, that might be about to end.
And for that, we have to thank this guy right here. Give credit where credit is due, Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont.
Senator Sanders, good to see you, sir.
SANDERS: Good to be with you, Rick.
SANCHEZ: When did you get the idea of seeking an audit? It sounds simple, but it's very brazen, seeking an audit of the Federal Reserve of the United States?
SANDERS: I will tell you exactly when that idea came to me. It came to me in early March 2009, when Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Fed, came before the Budget Committee, on which I serve.
And I said, I asked, Chairman Bernanke, will you tell me and the American people which large financial institutions received over $2 trillion in zero-interest or near-zero-interest loans? I think the American people have a right to know.
And he said, sorry, not going to tell you. On that day, I introduced legislation to mandate that he tell us. Yesterday, we passed an amendment that will have that information up on his Web site on December 1.
SANCHEZ: And you -- you -- I mean, you're thinking, wait a minute, this is my money, our money...
SANDERS: Exactly. Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: ... the people's money, and you're not going to tell us what you're doing with it?
SANDERS: Look, we have huge debates on the floor of the Senate about $10 million or $100 million, where is it going to go, is it a good idea.
This guy, the Fed, has lent out over $2 trillion, and they don't want to let the American people know who has received that money. That is totally absurd. The other thing -- the other thing, Rick, which is also very important. Most Americans don't know what goes on in the Fed, which is an enormous, maybe the most important U.S. government agency...
SANCHEZ: Yes, I would say.
SANDERS: ... playing huge amounts of money, OK? We don't know what goes on, because they operate in virtual secrecy.
For example, during the financial crisis, you had people like the CEO of Goldman Sachs sitting in a room with the Fed arguing in favor of a $182 billion AIG bailout.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you're talking about Lloyd Blankfein, right? I mean...
SANDERS: That's who I'm talking about.
SANCHEZ: And -- and he -- and he was going to benefit from that.
SANDERS: Only to the tune of $12 billion that went from AIG to Goldman Sachs...
(LAUGHTER)
SANDERS: ... 100 cents on the dollar for a company that was about to go bankrupt. How's that? And then you had a guy...
SANCHEZ: So, if he's going to be -- by golly, if he's going to be represented in that meeting, we ought to either, A, have a representative ourselves for the people in that meeting, or, B, at least...
SANDERS: Or open the damn window to let everybody look in.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: The sunshine law, as we call it in Florida.
SANDERS: Exactly.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Let everybody know what's going on.
SANDERS: So, the amendment that I passed is very explicit in saying that those types of conflicts of interest, or what I think and you think are obvious conflicts of interest, are going to be investigated by the GAO, and I think that's a real step forward.
SANCHEZ: You know, the Fed used to be, and still is, a very important part of our government, because they do the things that are necessary with everything having to do with our money.
But have they gotten so big that they are now too powerful? Regardless of all the things we were just talking about, are they just too big and too powerful?
(CROSSTALK)
SANDERS: I think the answer is yes. And I think they're very arrogant.
There was a quote that came out from Alan Greenspan I think five years ago. In essence, what he's saying is, look, you can't open this discussion, in this case, the subprime housing mortgage crisis, you can't open it up to the people. They don't really know what's going on. We -- we, the brilliant people who know all about these things, we should control that knowledge.
(LAUGHTER)
SANDERS: And I think that's just very undemocratic, and I think that's just a very bad process.
SANCHEZ: OK. Well, listen, I think most people in the United States -- it's not my job to say, but if I was to speak for them in terms of how I hear them speak on Twitter and on e-mail, and they talk to me all the time, hundreds of thousands of people, throughout the day -- I would say that most people would pat you on the back and say, way to go, Senator. You're working for us.
And, by the way, it wasn't just you. This passed 96-0. So, kudos. Should you take it a step further? Should you lift the veil on all discussions, like interest rate decisions, for example?
SANDERS: Well -- well, two things that I want to say. From a political perspective, the reason that we were successful -- this is interesting, Rick.
I'm a progressive. I work very closely with some of the most conservative members of the Senate and also conservative and progressive grassroots organizations. So, I think, if you pick an issue which the ordinary person feels strongly about, we can bring people together.
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
SANDERS: Second of all, you know, I think, in terms of monetary policy, I don't know how much you want the Congress to be involved in that.
But I do believe that there is a need for far, far greater transparency at the Fed than we have seen up to now. And we're going to continue that effort.
SANCHEZ: Senator Bernie Sanders, we'll continue the discussion, and we should let our viewers know, we've spoken to Bernie Sanders. He just described himself as a progressive. We're also going to be talking to a conservative. Senator Judd Gregg is going to join us in a little while.
Same discussion in large measure as to how we, the people, through the folks who make our laws, can get a tighter grip or more control on the folks who regulate and handle our money. That's coming up in just a little bit. Stay there.
By the way, take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is a guy -- remember the guy who made the cartoon out of the Prophet Muhammad? Well, he's still paying for it. Look at what happened when he showed up at a university. I'm going to take you through a video.
Also take a look at some new video from the Oklahoma tornado. This is stuff we've just been getting today. You're wondering if that van stands a chance, huh? That's what it's like to be in a vehicle when suddenly a tornado hits. You're going to find out more about this story in just a bit. We've got the details if you've got the time.
We'll be right back with "RICK'S LIST."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back.
If we could, we've got a new update on the story that we're following for you, this gray whale off the coast of California. We have just been told that they have now, with those poles and contraptions off that inflatable, removed 175 pounds of commercial fishing line that was wrapped around the whale.
Boy, no wonder the poor guy couldn't go anywhere -- 175 pounds. And we don't know if they still have, you know, a couple more pounds to go or how much. The plan is to get the lines -- to get the entanglement from the whale and then see if it's good enough to go away by itself or start swimming.
And if it does, then they'll just let it be. If not, they'll go to plan b, which is obviously to bring in some more specialists to see if they can help this poor guy. What a mess. Gray whale on top of the surface there just off the coast of California. We'll stay on top of this story for you until there's a resolution, and then we'll show it to you and we'll report it.
Meanwhile, there's a move in mixed martial arts that's called the "rear-naked choke." Not kidding. It's the truth, right? Well, one fan took this literally and made it as a result on to our list of the best video, which is what we call "Fotos del Dia."
This is Coventry, England, Strike Force at the Sky Dome arena, became "Streak Force at the Moon dome." The fighters were scantily clad and fans were awash in excitement when suddenly a streaker, I said streaker, was stark naked before the fans in the cage.
He jumped the cage wearing black socks and nothing else to the delight and the moans as well of many of the fans.
Also amazing video out of Oklahoma City. All right, this is that tornado that we were telling you about it. It tore right through and tossed this van around like a toy. The driver, his name is Robbie. He was at the wheel. He has spoken to media. Mercifully, he survived to tell this story. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I know it flipped once or whatever. Then I think after that, I just closed my eyes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Isn't that amazing? You ever wondered what you would do?
Well, take a look at this. This is a demolition in Detroit. This is what I feel like doing to my house when repair projects become a disaster. Just kidding, honey.
City officials are taking a bite out of crime and a wrecking ball to vacant houses. They say many of the homes are a haven for violence and criminal activity -- 6,000 of the most dangerous buildings are slated for demolition over the next couple of years.
By the way, the videos we pick, you can see them, too. Just go to my blog, it's at CNN.com/RickSanchez.
SANCHEZ: How did --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A 22-year being in our schools is very much a concern. That's why this has been an ongoing investigation. That's why we have not dropped it. That's why we weren't going to let go until we found out the truth.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: How did a 22-year-old man lead his high school basketball team to the state play-offs? Yes, I said a 22-year-old man. That's ahead on "The List."
And why is LeBron James getting booed by his own hometown? That's trending, and Brooke Baldwin is following it for us. And speaking of Brooke Baldwin, she joins me now, I can't wait to find out about these. Ready to go?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ready to go.
SANCHEZ: We're taking a break and coming back with Brooke.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Time to see what's trending, as in the big stories that people are talking about. And we're going to begin with the big fella, the big fella.
BALDWIN: Yes, you might have heard of this guy, maybe, maybe, LeBron James much? Let me set the scene for you. If you watched the game last night, I'm talking fourth quarter. You've got the Cavs playing the Celtics, eastern conference semifinals, game five, a lot at stake, if you take my point.
Best player arguably on earth here, LeBron James what might be his last game in Cleveland was booed by his own fans on his home turf. Listen to this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the ball knocked out-of-bounds, and it turns over to the Celtics, who have outscored the cavaliers 20-8 to open up an 18-point lead.
(BOOS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: And it keeps going and going. I was reading articles. Somebody said it's like the Beatles getting booed in Liverpool, OK? This is a soul-crushing, 120-88 point game-five loss. He's playing what a lot of people are saying the worst ball of his career. He was three for 14 shooting last night.
Here's what LeBron said afterwards, quote, "It's not a big thing. I played awful, and they've got every right to boo us if they want to. No disrespect to the fans. They've seen us at our highest level and our lowest level. If they felt it was right to boo, so be it."
But you know what. This could be his moment of reckoning. They've got two more games potentially here against Boston in Boston. And either James will bring it or everybody starts to guess where he goes because he can get out of his contract this summer with the Cavs.
SANCHEZ: But there's a part of this story that people aren't getting. I do because I just happened to like the Miami Heat and I watched the Celtics play against the Miami heat.
BALDWIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: And they killed them. The Miami Heat even with Dwayne Wade looked like a bunch of little boys playing against the Celtics. The Celtics are a much better team than people think they are, and I wouldn't be surprised if they take the series and LeBron James is left at home to explain to his fans about it. We'll just leave that on the record.
BALDWIN: He may be. But some of you think about what LeBron James has done for Ohio. There's a pleasedon'tleave23.com. So fair weather fans.
Let me read you the tweets, because we're getting big tweets on the story.
SANCHEZ: Chad Ochocinco.
BALDWIN: Chad Ochocinco says "LeBron James has one bad game and they have an entire segment about his struggles. The man is a human, not a robot." This is from Matt Barnes, "That's why LeBron is the MVP, because he's so important to his team. If he has an off night, his team will lose as they did."
SANCHEZ: I understand you have a bit of a melee to show us.
BALDWIN: Yes, I do, caught on camera, which we like on the rick Sanchez show. Let me tell you the story. It's about that Swedish artist who angered a lot of Muslims by depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a dog, do you remember this, a couple years ago?
He was giving a speech yesterday about the limits of free speech. A whole lot of people speaking up. A dozen of people are shouting and jumped toward him to attack him. The whole thing, as I said, caught on camera. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So, you've got uniformed police.
SANCHEZ: By the way, just to say.
BALDWIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Look at the uniforms on those police officers. Those are cool uniforms.
BALDWIN: You like those?
SANCHEZ: I just think they're different. BALDWIN: There you go. They're different. They're not necessarily U.S. This is Sweden, again. We're talking about Lars Viln. He was the artist. He wasn't hurt. Apparently a police officer was. Two guys got arrested.
It was in 2007 when he had that cartoon depicting Muhammad as a dog which is considered unclean by conservative Muslims, and he has definitely come forward saying I wanted to elicit a reaction with my cartoon to show it's possible to show all religions in a democratic way.
And that's what I have trending this hour.
SANCHEZ: And he did.
BALDWIN: And he definitely did.
SANCHEZ: What do you think about the whale story?
BALDWIN: I'm worried about the whale. He's a whale. That's a lot of fishing line.
SANCHEZ: How would you like to be in 175 pounds of commercial fishing line?
BALDWIN: Poor guy.
SANCHEZ: Lee could barely flap his --
BALDWIN: Fins?
SANCHEZ: His fins there, his pectoral fins or his dorsal fins or whatever fins he has on him.
BALDWIN: Thanks, "Mr. Whale.
SANCHEZ: You got to feel for him. But these guys have done a good job. They've got most of it untangled, and we have our fingers crossed that when they completely untangle him, he can swim away and say bye-bye.
We'll be all over this. We're watching it and we'll see how it finishes up. Hopefully it will be a good and happy resolution.
Meanwhile, Roland Martin is all fired up. Gee, what a surprise. He's fired up about what's going on in Britain, he's fired up about BP, he's fired up about what's going on domestically.
And then there's this guy named Stewart, Jon Stewart, who has made Roland Martin and his attire a thing to behold and talk about. So, when we come back, are you OK if we talk about it when we come back?
(LAUGHTER)
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: No big deal. SANCHEZ: We'll address it, by golly. Stay right there, Roland and "RICK'S LIST"" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": Now, some of you may remember last week I had a little fun with CNN contributor Roland Martin and his decision to appear on television with a look that is best described as, let's call it seductive Don Knotts.
(LAUGHTER)
So, then, then, I see this --
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up, the moment we have all been waiting for, Roland Martin ready to rumble -- why nobody makes fun of his ascots, not even Jon Stewart.
STEWART: What? What? You win this round, Roland.
(LAUGHTER)
It took a man of courage, boldness, and true style to bring back the ascot. Oh, by the way, Indiana Jones gay brother called, he wants his hat back. Boom! Boom!
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: I see you're wearing the ascot.
OLIVER: Yes.
STEWART: Is that in support of Roland Martin? Because I like it. it's nice.
OLIVER: Who in the hell is Roland Martin?
(LAUGHTER)
I'm wearing this because chilly neck breezes are the leading killer of British people.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Who is Roland Martin? All I know is I've had some conversations.
MARTIN: Look at you.
SANCHEZ: I called Larry King and sent emails to Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper, and I had a conversation with Jon Klein, and we I think are real close to making this the official CNN anchor attire. How about that, ladies and gentlemen? Huh?
MARTIN: Look, it works for me, works for me. We're trying to dress this thing up, Rick. Because, as you know, you and I have been going at it for the last three years about ties, you know, and neckwear.
SANCHEZ: Yes. And, you know, my fashion sense is akin to my fashion sense.
(LAUGHTER)
About as much as I know about pop culture. When you watch the -- did you have a -- did you know this was coming, by the way, that Jon Stewart was going to be giving you this kind of grief?
MARTIN: No, nope.
And I tell folks, actually, the whole thing started -- Lou Dobbs bet me last year, I was wearing an ascot when I was filling in for Campbell Brown, I was in the cafeteria in New York, and he said, "I bet you will never wear it on air." I said, do you want to bet? Yes, I will.
And actually that was the fifth time I've worn an ascot on the air on CNN.
SANCHEZ: Lou Dobbs, Jon Stewart, Rick Sanchez, this thing will go global.
Speaking of global, I've been pressing the situation. I want to change the subject.
MARTIN: Sure.
SANCHEZ: I've been watching the situation out in the Gulf of Mexico. It seems to me, I don't know if you agree with me or not, that they are a huge company, in terms of profits, as I have done my research on this. I can tell you they are the fourth biggest in the world in terms of profit, so they're a big company. They can afford the best public relations guys in the world.
And I think they're doing a good job with public relations, but it's starting to appear as if it's also message and media manipulation with BP. What do you think?
MARTIN: I think they have screwed up tremendously, and to sit here and continue to point fingers and say it wasn't our fault.
Look, at the end of the day, this is damaging the ecosystem there. It is wreaking havoc there. People are freaking out in terms of the coast of Louisiana and will it travel to Florida. I've been getting e-mails from members of Congress in Florida, saying how it's going to impact the Gulf of Mexico there.
And so forget all the finger-pointing. Their whole focus should be on getting this cap, getting it fixed, so we don't have more oil leaking out.
SANCHEZ: By the way, Governor Sanford on another story, has confirmed, listen to this, as a matter of record everyone in this room knows exactly who I was with over the weekend. Sanford said, "That is no mystery to anybody, given what I said last summer. As you know, the purpose was obviously to see if something could be restarted on that front."
Sanford is referring to his -- his -- well, his mistress, right, his girlfriend?
MARTIN: His soul mate.
SANCHEZ: Soul mate, thank you very much.
MARTIN: Soul mate.
SANCHEZ: But it looks like the media kind of pressed him because of some questions they asked. What do you make of a governor having to come forward saying I went to Florida this weekend and I hung soul mate?
MARTIN: Obviously, it is still a story because this is what led to him being criticized, almost impeached, his wife leaving him, they're now divorced.
Look at the reality. She went to the White House correspondents dinner with her date. They're now divorced, he's now a single man. He can date whoever the heck he wants to date. But the reason they were asking him this is because this is the same woman.
And so, hey, I say, look, he's a single man now. Do what you want to do, and like Beyonce said, put a ring on it.
SANCHEZ: By the way, mine, look at this, I can take it off. There is no rabbits. But I can then use it as a kerchief as well.
MARTIN: That's not an ascot. That's not an ascot, Rick. I don't know what that is.
SANCHEZ: It's not?
MARTIN: No, it's not. I don't know what that is.
SANCHEZ: Can you send me a real ascot?
MARTIN: I will be sure to put one in the mail because that simply won't cut it. And also Jon Stewart has a package coming his way, because what he wore the other night, trust me, that wouldn't cut it either.
SANCHEZ: That wasn't one either? You set us straight, Roland Martin.
MARTIN: Look, I tell people, it is all in fun. Look, are you upset? No, it's a joke. It is no big deal. Lighten up. SANCHEZ: President Obama did that to me the week before, and I was fine with it too, as a matter of fact. People making -- poking fun of us.
MARTIN: I was there when he cracked on you, and it was pretty funny. It was pretty funny.
SANCHEZ: You and Wolf Blitzer. You're like slapping your knee, they got Rick.
MARTIN: I was there. I was there with an ascot on as well.
SANCHEZ: Roland, good to see you, my friend. We'll see you again soon.
MARTIN: Likewise, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Take a look at this, folks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they could be going after the drug dealers and the drug cartels, they're going after people for driving without a license.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: From our follow-up file, an illegal immigrant thrown in jail for parking her car the wrong way. Is she going back to school or is she going back to Mexico. This is part of an important law being picked up by 26 different states that you may have not heard of.
Also, why is a Hollywood producer asking people to boycott "Newsweek"? Our most intriguing person of the news coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. Time to check the list of the most intriguing people in the news today.
This is one of those showbiz behind the scenes guys, one of most successful television show creators around "Nip/Tuck," "Glee," both his. Today he's angry with "Newsweek" magazine, and he's not alone. His beef is with a "Newsweek" article he says discriminates against gay actors who choose to play non-gay characters.
The article specifically names an actor on his guy's hit TV show "Glee." His words, quote, "This article is as misguided as it is shocking and hurtful. "Newsweek" went ahead and published such a blatantly homophobic article and has remained silent in the face of ongoing and justified criticisms."
His name is Ryan Murphy. He's a TV big shot, and he wants a national boycott of "Newsweek" until the magazine apologizes for speaking up and standing up, at least for his actors. This is Ryan Murphy, today's most intriguing person in the news. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Look at this. What would you do if that was your kid in the corner being beaten by his teacher? I'm going to show you this entire video and then ask you to tweet me and tell me what you would do about it. This is incredible.
And as we follow that, we also follow this. This is off the coast of California, about 50 miles from south of Los Angeles. It is where a wayward whale has been wrapped up in commercial fishing line, and they're trying to free it. They're doing the best they can. They seem to be doing well.
We'll stay on top of the story. As we get more pics -- there's the whale right there. This thing could come to some kind of conclusion in the next hour. So stay with us, folks. We will take you through it. "RICK'S LIST" comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
