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Rick's List

BP's New Public Face?; Connection Between Judges and Big Oil?

Aired June 18, 2010 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: OK. He stayed out in the cold for us. The least we could do is let him say that.

Michael Holmes, good to see, buddy. We will see you back here in Atlanta. I know you're on your way back. Thanks so much, buddy.

All right. Well, while that's going on there, this continues to happen here. Oil continues, folks, every single moment of every single day to gush into the Gulf of Mexico. We are on day 60 of this oil disaster, and BP is trying to finesse its message.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES (voice-over): Making the list:

First, it was this gaffe.

TONY HAYWARD, CEO, BP GROUP: But I would like my life back.

HOLMES: Then came the grilling on Capitol Hill.

REP. HENRY WAXMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: They're going to have a hard time reaching conclusions if you stonewall them, which is what we seem to be getting today.

HAYWARD: I'm not stonewalling.

HOLMES: With appearances like that one, it's no wonder BP's image has taken a hit. So, could this be the new face of the company?

DARRYL WILLIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESOURCES, BP AMERICA: We will carry out our obligations to mitigate the environmental damage and economic impact of this incident.

HOLMES: He's an American. He's from Louisiana. Good call, BP?

A CNN special investigation: What is the connection between some Gulf Coast judges and the oil cases they're about to hear?

And awaiting the ruling on a female version of Viagra.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The company has a lot to gain, but women have more to gain.

The lists you need to know about. Who's most intriguing? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why we keep a list, pioneering tomorrow's news right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: We're at top of the hour here on RICK'S LIST. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes sitting in for him today.

Day 60 of this Gulf oil disaster, BP now increasing the amount of oil it is siphoning from the Gulf. That's great news. But there is a nasty side effect. The cleanup workers, as they continue to burn off this oil, you see these black clouds of smoke soar, carrying with it soot, volatile gases, and other toxic byproducts. Who knows what's in there?

This brings questions about health risks now to emergency workers and wildlife. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1,200 workers helping with the overall cleanup effort. Federal officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or agency have issued a memorandum insisting on proper safety equipment for all cleanup workers.

When reached by CNN, spokespeople for two companies helping with the effort, Global Industries and Boots & Coots, would not say if workers were taking special precautions to protect against the smoke.

You might have heard reports as well today on the BP front that the CEO, Tony Hayward, he is about to -- quote -- "get his life back"? Not exactly. One day after he was hammered by Congress, an interview on Britain's Sky News left kind of the impression to some that Hayward was now being pulled off of Gulf disaster response.

The interview with BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg -- you're seeing him there -- this was the other day in front of the White House after his meeting with the president -- well, he sounded to some in this interview with Sky News as if Hayward was being replaced right now by Bob Dudley.

Dudley is BP's managing director. Dudley is here in this video touring the Gulf Coast, the Louisiana coast in particular, with Governor Bobby Jindal. We called BP to try to clear this up, and they tell us that nothing in fact has changed, Tony Hayward still in charge of the initial response.

Dudley, again in the video, will take over BP's long-term response to clean up when the initial phase is over. BP, meanwhile, putting a new face on its P.R. campaign. It's BP America vice president Darryl Willis. You might have seen him testifying before Congress earlier this week. Now take a look at him in BP's newest commercial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, BP AD)

WILLIS: They're fishermen. They're shrimpers. They're laborers. They're deck hands. They're people who work in restaurants. These are the people of the Gulf Coast who need our help.

I'm Darryl Willis. I oversee BP's claims process on the Gulf Coast. BP's got to make things right. And that's why we're here. I was born and raised in Louisiana. I volunteered for this assignment because this is my home. I will be here in the Gulf as long as it takes to make this right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Well, BP's timeline for stopping the leak with relief wells remains still some time in the middle of August.

And, again, we are on hour two now, time for us to pick up the pace a bit of today's LIST for those of you checking in. There have been over 200 lawsuits filed over the oil disaster in the Gulf that started 60 days ago. Sometimes, when a case becomes as massive as this one, a big company will ask for a single federal judge to oversee the lawsuits.

And that is exactly what BP has done. They call this judge- shopping. But, in the case of BP, there is an added dimension.

Here now, CNN's Abbie Boudreau with a report from our Special Investigations Unit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT (voice-over): This man, Lynn Hughes, is the federal judge in Houston, Texas, that BP would like to supervise all of the lawsuits filed against it.

(on camera): Essentially, Judge Hughes could make decisions worth billions of dollars to BP. And that's cast a spotlight on his own financial ties to the oil and gas industry.

(voice-over): Judge Hughes owns land that produces oil, land that he leases to oil companies. He gets annual royalties from whatever they pump out.

In 2008, the most recent records available, he received royalty payments from ConocoPhillips between $50,000 and $100,000, royalty payments from Sun Oil of $15,000 or less, and royalties from an oil company called Devon Energy of less than $15,000.

Records dating back to 2003 show Judge Hughes received hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties from more than a dozen energy companies.

Judge Hughes has said he is transparent, that all of his personal investment and finance information is online for anyone to see.

CHARLES GEYH, INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW: When you take it together, is there a concern that a reasonable person fully informed of all of that might say, look it, he's not just a judge who happens to be dabbling; he is in effect a participant in the industry he is trying to judge?

BOUDREAU (on camera): Judge Hughes also travels to speak at meetings held by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Now, he doesn't get a fee for speaking at those meetings, but it does pay his accommodations, his travel, and expenses.

In 2009 Judge Hughes presided over a case involving Devon Energy, one of the companies that pays him royalties. But he didn't disclose that information at the hearing. The company ended up winning and was awarded $3.9 million.

GEYH: The best practice that's out there and I think what judges across the country are encouraged to do is, when there is any doubt, that put some sunshine on the problem, turn your cards face up, to mix metaphors, and basically make it clear to the parties what your potential interests are.

BOUDREAU (voice-over): Which brings us back to BP and why it would like Judge Hughes to oversee the oil spill lawsuits. BP told us -- quote -- "BP believes that Judge Lynn Hughes, to whom the first filed federal case in Houston was assigned, is an appropriate choice to provide oversight of these cases."

GEYH: This isn't a rank-and-file case. This is a case involving a couple hundred cases involving the biggest oil disaster in the history of the country, where we ought to be especially concerned about public confidence in the judiciary.

BOUDREAU (on camera): CNN examined Judge Hughes' rulings on oil and gas cases going back three years. In fact, he ruled in favor of oil companies just a little more often than he ruled against them.

Lawyers who know Judge Hughes tell CNN he is fair and tough. But environmental attorneys say even the request by BP to have this judge sit on the bench is -- quote -- "outrageous and unseemly."

Abbie Boudreau, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Meanwhile, we told you earlier about some of the confusion that had to do with whether or not Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, was out or not.

Well, he's not. He is still in place right now on this initial response. But word is getting out, and plenty of people are commenting out there online, including our own Donna Brazile.

Check out this one that she sent, she put out not too long ago -- quote -- "BP must put someone on deck who respects safety protocols. Tony, you will get your life back. We won't rest until the gusher ends and Gulf cleaned" -- again, from our Donna Brazile.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Tell me, how many drugs do you have for men with sex problems?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Currently, three prescription medications, Viagra, Levitra and Cialis.

COHEN: And how many drugs do you have for women with sexual problems?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Currently, no prescription medications.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: That's a heck of a question there from our medical correspondent.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: But wait. He might not be right. An FDA panel just wrapped up a daylong hearing to consider a drug that would work like a female Viagra pill. Did the drugmakers get approval? That's ahead.

Also, a tornado sweeping through Minnesota, check that out. What was left after the funnels passed? And there were several. That's next on our roundup list.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, now we have our roundup list for you.

And coming in at number one: President Obama meets with construction workers in Columbus, Ohio, part of launching what the White House calls recovery summer. The president was on hand for a groundbreaking project. This particular one is touted as the 10,000th highway project funded by the president's still controversial, in some circles, stimulus plan.

Number two on this list: Tornadoes hammered the Northern Plains. Take a look. More than 60 were reported in Minnesota and North Dakota -- three people killed in Minnesota. Twisters destroyed several homes, uprooted trees, blew over power lines, and ripped the roof off a high school.

Number three on our list: A convicted killer in Utah executed by firing squad. This happened overnight. Ronnie Lee Gardner's life ended just after midnight. He was convicted of murder in the 1980s. He is the only person, only the third person in the U.S. to die by firing squad in more than 30 years.

And take a look at this, a tweet from Utah's attorney general. It says -- quote -- "I just gave the go ahead to corrections director to proceed with Gardner's execution. May God grant him the mercy he denied his victims."

Again, that's from Utah's attorney general, and he's tweeting about giving the go-ahead to that execution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHNNY COLT, MUSICIAN: We're in a sea of oil. It's everywhere. I'm on the front deck of this boat. We're surrounded by it. It's every direction.

Hold that...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Yes, a rock star, he is taking the Gulf oil spill to heart. He is dropping everything to document the disaster and get others to help. We are going to be talking to an original member of the Black Crowes. He is right here in studio with us. And I believe he brought along a job application. He's going to be working for CNN soon, it sounds like.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: We will be talking to him in just a second.

Also, an FDA panel ruling on a drug to help women boost their sex drive, a female Viagra of sorts. We're live outside the hearing, and we will bring you the decision. That's just ahead.

Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: And welcome back to RICK'S LIST.

Want to share a bit of what you have been saying out there about this BP story, several tweets. We will share as many as we can right now. Let's go to the board here now.

The first one says: "Folks, boycott BP products, but not the stores that sell BP products. BP does not own those stores. Don't hurt the neighbors" -- that, of course, a response to a story we did a short time ago talking actually to one of these BP -- one of these independent station runners.

Someone else saying here, Kris Lynch saying: "I realize boycotting BP gas won't hurt them. So, how do we hurt them? How -- we affect them in a significant way?"

A lot of people right now looking for that answer.

Another here from Jeff C.J.: "Only effect a boycott could have is jobs lost by the people who work at BP stations across the country. Not the time for that."

Also, one more, from Greasy -- why are you making me say Greasy Tators? But that's his handle. Greasy Tators says, "I wouldn't stop at BP if it was the last gas station on Earth."

So, you see kind of the range of opinions coming in from you, our viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The paperwork that we were given after receiving the specimen, there were some inconsistencies in what they said was in the container vs. what we found.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: What they found? A case full of human heads, full. We're talking dozens of them. That made the trending list today. That's just ahead. We will explain.

Also, what does a rocker know about cleaning up the Gulf oil spill? Well, Black Crowes' bass player Johnny Colt, he is back from the Gulf with some powerful video and some insights about the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. He's coming up with us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Gary from South Georgia.

And I just wonder if the politicians have forgotten that 11 people died on that oil rig. It's not all about just the oil in the water. And it's not all about money. It's about lives, too.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HOLMES: Welcome back to RICK'S LIST.

We have all been touched by the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. But the oil spreading across the water and the animals covered in the oil have struck a real chord with Johnny Colt. You might recognize him as one of the original members of the rock band Black Crowes.

Or maybe you might be a little...

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: You laughing at the picture there?

COLT: Yes.

HOLMES; Didn't know we were going to pull that out, did you?

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: Also a bass player for Train. Johnny Colt's latest work, however, has been in the Gulf, witnessing and documenting the worst oil leak in the country's history.

And he is here with us.

(CROSSTALK)

COLT: I need to start wearing an outfit from the first picture when I report. That will...

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: That will get some attention.

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: Do we still have that picture? We will put it up.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: While we continue to talk about other things, I will continue just to make fun of the picture a little bit, but -- but good to have you here with us.

A lot of people have been affected by what we're seeing in the Gulf -- and, again, the picture there -- but how do you go from...

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: How -- no, seriously, how do you go from that guy to the guy who has now been moved to the point that you're trying to do something down in the Gulf?

COLT: I think the common denominator -- common denominator would be the idea of individualism, you know, and being a creative.

Just, as an individualist, you go out and create your own world, and as a creative, it's about an approach toward life. And as you mature and things change, you begin to find your place in community. It's natural. You have kids. You start to see the future a little differently.

And I actually survived those early years in a rock band, which I wasn't sure that I was for a while.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: And I have been around long enough now to just become more sensitive as a person as a whole.

HOLMES: More sensitive to that stuff. You're starting to collect -- quite frankly, I mean, would you call yourself a journalist now? No, you're not affiliated with any organization necessarily, but are you a journalist?

COLT: Yes. I have been a huge fan of photojournalists my whole life. James Nachtwey is a huge hero.

So, when I was young, Jimmy Page was like a musician hero. But as soon as I started playing in bands, it became photojournalists that were rock stars to me.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: Right. So, as I moved forward, I was really inspired by a guy named Zoriah, and I have moved into being an independent journalist, absolutely.

HOLMES: Now, a lot of people say, is this just a hobby? Because, again, I hate to go back to the picture, but people remember you and know you as -- as that guy, a rocker.

COLT: Right.

HOLMES: But you want people to take you at this point seriously. And are you having a tough time right now maybe trying to get some access to certain things, or trying to get certain interviews set up, because people might just think you're down there for a hobby?

COLT: Well, I will answer that in two parts.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: One, I don't get paid to go cover these stories.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: And I don't get paid when I turn these stories in. There is no economy changing hands.

So, I just follow the story and try to be true to the story itself. So, if that's a hobby, then -- then yes. The second part of that is, I actually find that people, because I am an independent, are happy to speak to me.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: I don't know if it's the way I look or my past, but they are very disarmed and they're very welcoming. I think I have given them no reason to feel any other way than that.

They love the idea I am completely unaffiliated with anybody, although most of my material goes up through the iReport process here at CNN, which is fantastic.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: Citizen journalism is...

HOLMES: Thank you for that, by the way.

COLT: Citizen journalism is a lot of what -- what -- what people are calling it online. I don't care what you call it. You're either an activist or an inactivist. You're either -- you know, social change comes from passionate individuals. And I'm just trying to do my part.

HOLMES: Now, what would you say in going down there -- and we're seeing some video from some of the reports you have been doing. What -- in your reporting down there, what are you learning about this whole disaster, and what have you been reporting that, quite frankly, you can step back and say, you know what, I'm not seeing this on CNN or that network or that network? Do you think you're finding things down there that you're not getting from the other news outlets?

COLT: I have got to tell you, I have seen so much, it's overwhelming. I'm not really sure where to start, so why don't I just...

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: ... go to this footage right here.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: What you're seeing is an absolute exclusive. This is a group of gentlemen, Darryl Carpenter and Otis Goodson. They're contractors out of Walton Beach, Florida. I have been following their story.

They're called the hay men. They put up a video about them using hay to collect oil, and it blew up on YouTube. I have gone with them for three weeks. These men have gone to great expense to try to get a test of new materials to clean up -- alternative materials to clean up oil in the ocean.

They were invited to come to Grand Isle. They brought a tractor trailer full of hay, airboats, skimmers, and when they got to Grand Isle, the mayor, who I interviewed previously, Mayor Camardelle, said no.

They were asked to come to Orange County -- Orange Beach, Alabama. They showed up there. Then the mayor said, well, you can only test a few materials on the beach, because the Coast Guard doesn't want you out there.

So, the sheriff of Walton County, Sheriff Adkinson, was given a stand=down order by the Coast Guard, and he said, on whose authority? They produced documents from BP. Sheriff Adkinson said: I don't work for BP. And that is a violation of my state's constitutional rights, for them to be obstructing me. So, I'm going to ignore that mandate and send these guys out to test the water.

It was day before yesterday, and what you saw on that film footage was Darryl Carpenter and Otis Goodson using a number of different ideas...

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: ... to test whether they could clean up oil. They have already got a great idea that it will work in the marsh and that it will work in the back bay. But out in the deepwater was the big challenge, and they used a lot of materials to -- some of them worked well. Some of them did not work as well.

HOLMES: Now, we have -- and it sounds like you are running into what we have -- because we have had quite a few people on, quite frankly, and we have let them test their stuff right here on live television.

COLT: Yes, absolutely.

HOLMES: And they're being turned away by BP. It sounds like you're finding the story and went out there and saw that as well.

Before we let you go, tell me, what -- what's next for you down in the Gulf? What is your mission? What is the next step? What are we going to see next from you? And what is that overall goal you hope viewers out there will see?

COLT: The footage you just saw, when we finished, the oil actually hit Destin Beach 12 hours after that.

HOLMES: Right.

COLT: I just got a call from those gentlemen, and the sheriff of Walton County has given them permission to take all those materials and go right on to the beach.

These are the only people doing it. Walton County has been ahead of the program the whole way. Sheriff Adkinson has been out front. I'm heading down there as soon as we're done with this. I have got to edit a little bit of footage. I am a one-man operation...

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: ... unless Harold Sellers, my cameraman, comes with me.

So, I have got to film it, shoot it, do the story, edit it, and try to get it done. It's a lot of work. So, catching up editing, and then I'm going to right back.

HOLMES: Well, we -- we appreciate the help. And you have given us plenty. You have given us stories, and we continue -- we will continue to look for them on iReport.

COLT: I will say, one thing that stands out...

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: ... is our individual responsibility on this issue.

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: You know, not qualifying BP's behavior at all...

HOLMES: Yes.

COLT: ... but we do need to look at our -- each person's use and how oil affects our life.

HOLMES: We have heard that, that -- a lot of people making that life. I think that's a longer debate. Right now, we want to stop this thing and certainly want to clean this up, but we have got to look at ourselves. And a lot of people are making that point as well. Johnny Colt...

COLT: Thank you, sir.

HOLMES: ... good to have you in here, really. Good to have you with us.

COLT: Appreciate it, T.J. Holmes

HOLMES: And continue to work.

Thanks so much, buddy.

Well, stay with us here. Another story we're keeping an eye on, maybe, is that guy the next senator from South Carolina, Senator Alvin Greene? An unlikely candidate, he has already overcome two big hurdles, but is he ready to face or even debate the Senate veteran, Jim DeMint? That's ahead.

Also, red, naked, and up in a tree, which of those would you prefer not to be?

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: Now, that we have your attention there, stick around. You are going to see a guy who is all three: naked, red, and up in a tree.

They made me do this story today, I swear.

Stay with us.

(LAUGHTER)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, folks. Our photos of the day. And it starts with the baby that's got moves.

Let's go right to that beautiful baby footage in today's "Fotos."

I'm sorry. There's just something unnatural about this.

No matter what, I guess it's funny. It's a shame in some regards as well. But this is a kid out of Brazil, and they tell me this is the real thing.

But this kid's got a little too much rhythm to be in diapers. But let's let the man do his thing for a second.

(MUSIC)

I don't know. Is that Photoshop, somebody? I hope it is.

All right. We'll keep up with him and his dancing career. That's a star in the making, no doubt about it.

We're going to move over to Pennsylvania now.

That's not bear country is it? That's Steeler country. But this is a bear in Pennsylvania.

A state trooper got a call. A resident flagged him down, rather, to get help catching a black bear.

The bear already made his way past the shopping center, an auto parts store, and then into a residential neighborhood. We do not know how this story ended.

However, also, art? Is this all it takes now? So, I'm an artist. All I've got to do is paint myself, get naked, and climb on a tree. And I assure my bosses here at CNN, I'm not going to do any of that.

But this is what's going on here. One of our iReporters caught this guy in Paris. He is buck naked, he has painted himself red. He's in a tree.

This is not a protest. This is all in the name of art, Brooke, I'm told.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't know. I saw you with some red paint on the other day.

HOLMES: You did not see me.

BALDWIN: I'm putting two and two together, friend.

HOLMES: You did not see me with red paint.

But, again, this is art now. We're told this is all you have to do. Maybe I just don't get it. I'm not an artsy kind of -- I don't get any art, really, to be honest with you.

BALDWIN: Not into the art thing.

HOLMES: Yes.

But you can see all of our "Fotos." And if you want to see this one again, it's posted for you, CNN.com/ricksanchez.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About half of the women noticed significant benefit on their desire, on their satisfying sexual activity, and a decrease in their distress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: We've got your attention now, don't we? Drug makers want to help women improve their sex lives, but will an FDA committee approve a new drug? After a day of hearings now we have the answer. That's ahead.

Also, an airport cargo crew has a problem on their hands -- a shipment of dozens of human heads.

Brooke Baldwin, you can blame her for this one. OK?

BALDWIN: No.

HOLMES: That story is just ahead, along with Brooke.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. Brooke Baldwin always keeping an eye on what's trending here on RICK'S LIST.

You've got a list of your own, and this is a heck of a way to start your list off here.

BALDWIN: Yes. I was tweeting this morning and saying, "Don't read this while you're eating your Cheerios." This is tough to listen to.

But imagine this -- let me paint a picture for you. Imagine you're an airline worker, right, and you have this cargo, and it's coming off your plane. And you know with security these days, you want to double, triple check the labeling and the packages.

And you see something, and you think, hang on a second, this labeling isn't looking quite right. So, what do you do? You open it up.

What do you expect to see? Not human heads.

I'm talking dozens of them, somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 to 60. This happened last Wednesday at Little Rock Airport.

HOLMES: What, my home state?

BALDWIN: Your home state. Yes, sorry about that, friend.

Anyway, so these airline workers said, whoa. They called police, and apparently the company these heads were intended for, they say the purpose was purely medical. But the coroner in Pulaski County says, hang on, this could be a little bit more nefarious.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARLAND CAMPER, PULASKI COUNTY CORONER: There's a need and a want for human body parts. There is an underground market for these things. And we want to make sure that we haven't stumbled upon some type of underground market.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: But here's the thing. Again, they don't know. So I definitely reached out to the company they were intended to.

It's called Medtronic, and the spokesperson told me that these heads were to be used, actually, by neurosurgeons studying ear, nose and throat procedures. But again, this is under investigation.

You know, Arkansas Health Department, the coroner, even the CDC involved. So, right now, those human heads are sitting in a fridge at the morgue.

HOLMES: OK. An underground market? I thought there was an underground market for things like kidneys and lungs and transplants.

BALDWIN: Well, those are body parts, as are heads.

HOLMES: There's a market for heads?

BALDWIN: Hey, apparently so.

HOLMES: There's a market for heads. All right.

BALDWIN: Fascinating.

HOLMES: Let's turn to some other folks now who have their heads on, but some would argue if they have them on straight.

What's happening? Did Hillary Clinton here let something out of the bag?

BALDWIN: Yes. I think she kind of shined the spotlight on what's going on with regard to the federal government in that controversial law in Arizona.

And CNN has just learned -- in fact, this afternoon -- I want to get this news to you. CNN has learned that the Obama administration, the lawyers, are indeed planning to file a legal challenge to Arizona's controversial immigration law. That is according to a senior administration official.

And as, T.J., you said, this all may be put on the spotlight today after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came forward in an interview in Ecuador recently, and she said, "And the Justice department under his" -- "his," being President Obama -- "direction will be bringing a lawsuit against the act."

Now imagine if you are Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and you hear that interview from Ecuador. What would she be thinking?

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JAN BREWER (R), ARIZONA: That is just totally outrageous, that the people of Arizona would have to get this information vis-a- vis a blog from the president of our country, from Hillary Clinton in Ecuador, that they are going to sue us without coming straight to the state of Arizona and notifying me personally. It's outrageous and it's unacceptable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So you heard her. She says it's outrageous.

By the way, CNN did indeed check with the Justice Department -- "Are you planning on filing suit?" They wouldn't confirm.

They are insisting, "The department continues to review the law." But, again, that senior administration official that gave us that information said that this federal challenge would be filed in federal court in Phoenix, T.J., a day before the law goes into effect, which is July 29th.

HOLMES: All right. They don't make too many mistakes. Chances are she knew what she was doing.

BALDWIN: Yes. Chances are they know, and what a way to find out, Ms. Brewer. But, yes, there you go.

HOLMES: All right.

Brooke Baldwin, such a range of stories for us today. All right. Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: Thanks.

HOLMES: Well, coming up here, we're going to turn to South Carolina again. Despite some dubious credentials, this man, Al Greene, he remains South Carolina's Democratic Senate candidate. He goes by "Alvin Greene," by the way.

So, why are some backing him? What's next? We'll check out our political list.

Also, men have had Viagra for dozens of years now. Why are women still waiting for their version? And is a new treatment for sexual dysfunction for them about to be approved?

That's next.

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HOLMES: We're going to turn now to our health list for today. And making that list, women hoping for a female version of Viagra.

Well, are they going to have to wait much longer? An FDA advisory panel was looking into that.

Want to turn now to our Elizabeth Cohen, our senior medical correspondent. You are there. You have been with this committee that just reached a decision. Tell the women of the world, what was that decision?

COHEN: The decision was not to recommend approval for what's being called the first female Viagra. Or, I should say, what would have been the first female Viagra.

This panel of experts, they were meeting in the room behind me. It's done now. They're cleaning up. And they voted unanimously that this drug was not ready for prime time, it was not ready to go on the market.

They said the efficacy data just wasn't there. It just didn't appear that it really worked very well.

HOLMES: That was their logic. You said it was a unanimous decision as well.

Isn't this drug being used in some other places? Why is it they looked at the data and said there wasn't enough to make it OK here?

COHEN: That's right. They did trials in this country. They did trials in Europe. And the efficacy data was just -- it just wasn't as strong as what these experts would have liked to have seen.

Let me give you the numbers, because I think when you see them you'll understand what I mean, T.J.

The drug is called Flibanserin, and they gave it to women who had low desire. They had problems with low libido.

When the women were not taking it, without Flibanserin, they were having, on average, 2.8 sexually satisfying events per month. Then when they took the drug, on average, they were having 4.5 sexually satisfying events per month.

Now, when you look at it, there is not a huge difference, specially since the placebo effect might have explained some of that in there and not the drug. So, these experts said, You know what? The data is just not there. They told the company that makes this drug, go back to the drawing board and see what's going on. See if you can come up with something better.

HOLMES: You know, later on I'm going to ask you what a sexually satisfying event is. But in the meantime, just tell me right now, last question, are there any other drugs like this, similar to this, that maybe are in the works and we could see another one sometime soon?

COHEN: Yes, there is another drug company that's come out with a gel that women just rub on their arms every morning, and it has testosterone in it. And I know we think of testosterone as something that men need for their sex drive, but women need it, too. So that'll -- that is still in clinical trials. That will go in front of the FDA in the next couple of years. HOLMES: All right, the next couple of years.

Elizabeth Cohen, I know some people at least had some high hopes for this one, but safety first. All right.

Elizabeth Cohen, we appreciate you, as always. Thanks so much.

A no-go right now on this so-called new version -- this female version of Viagra.

Also, is the oil spill swamping the president's other priorities? You know, there's still the economy, Iran, Afghanistan. All competing for his attention, and that makes Wolf Blitzer's list.

We're checking in with him next.

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HOLMES: Meanwhile, President Obama, he is multitasking. He has to. He's the president.

He is trying to keep other parts of his agenda afloat while also managing the oil crisis. For example, today he visited workers in Ohio, made a speech on the Recovery Act.

The question is, is he succeeding in all this multitasking? That's the question at the top of Wolf's list.

Wolf, hello. Sir, good to see you, as always.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi.

HOLMES: And you know what? No matter what's happening, you're the president of the United States and you've just got to learn to multitask and you've got to juggle things.

BLITZER: He's got so much going on. Every president has a lot going on all the time.

He has got, of course, the oil disaster in the Gulf. He's got economic issues. He is highlighting the unemployment problems in Ohio today. That's one of the key battleground states. He's visited Ohio a lot over the past year and a half. He'll be visiting there a lot more between now and 2012, there's no doubt about that.

But given all the economic issues and the domestic issues, the global issues, the confrontations, potential, with Iran, with North Korea, what's happening in the Middle East, there's no shortage of issues this guy has to juggle. So, you're absolutely right. He's got a lot on his plate.

HOLMES: But are we seeing any indications, Wolf? Are you seeing anything that shows that, certainly, the White House is conscious of the possible criticism? Some saying you need to focus more on the economy. Some saying you need to focus more on the oil disaster.

It is certainly clear that they are aware of what's happening out there, and they're trying to put, quite frankly, the best face they can on both of those situations.

BLITZER: Yes. Well, they're trying to concentrate on everything. That's why there is a big bureaucracy, a big executive branch of the government. But there is a limited amount of hours each day the president can do things on.

Until that leak is plugged in the Gulf of Mexico, and that cleanup really shows some signs of improvement, he's going to be forced to show that he's on top of it, and spend a lot of time dealing with that. Remember, this is the worst environmental disaster in our history.

He is the president of the United States. He's got to rally the troops. That's part of his job.

HOLMES: And part of rallying the troops, did you sense as well -- I talked to Candy Crowley about this the other day, as well -- or Gloria Borger, I should say. Did you sense that this was a win, frankly, for the president, to be able to come out and say that we got BP to put up this $20 billion? That was the first bit of action he could point to, to say that he is getting something done when it comes to this oil spill.

BLITZER: Yes. It was a nice comeback from what wasn't necessarily all that successful of an Oval Office address Tuesday night.

The next day, though, he was able to announce a $20 billion deal with BP, another $100 million dollars BP was setting aside for laid- off oil workers. Not just BP oil workers, but others involved in the moratorium, some of that deepwater drilling that's going on in the Gulf.

And then he got that nice apology, if you will, from BP, even though it was disappointing the next day, yesterday, Thursday. Tony Hayward didn't exactly come forward with a lot of answers to specific questions.

All in all, though, the president was able to show something for his work. The key, though, will be to see if the oil stops. If it stops flowing out, and if the cleanup shows some significant progress, that's what the American people want to see. Everything else is sort of a sideshow.

HOLMES: You hitting on some of this stuff at the top of the hour?

BLITZER: We'll be all over all of this and a lot more. There's a lot of news happening today.

HOLMES: All right. We will see you in about seven minutes.

Wolf Blitzer, Wolf's list.

Good to see you, as always, my friend. Thanks so much.

BLITZER: Thank you.

HOLMES: Well, the most talked about Senate candidate in the country, he won, and now has won again.

We're live in South Carolina with the latest on Alvin Greene.

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HOLMES: Barring the unexpected -- and don't count that out either -- the name "Alvin Greene" will appear in November on ballots in South Carolina as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. His face, familiar already, and now expect to see more of Alvin Greene.

The man you see here now, that's Vic Rawl. Greene defeated him in the Democratic primary a week ago Tuesday.

Yesterday, Rawl tried to persuade a party panel to rescind Greene's nomination. He claimed there were problems with voting machines and other irregularities, but the panel voted against him, 38-7.

That means Alvin Greene is in. He's the guy.

You probably know by now Greene is a political novice, unemployed, didn't barnstorm the state campaigning, didn't set up a Web site. And there is also the matter of a felony porn charge to which he says he is not guilty. Still unclear how he won, but he did.

CNN's Peter Hamby is back for us now in South Carolina. He's on the line with us.

Peter, always good to talk to you. I know you know South Carolina and know it well. And this probably left you scratching your head as many of the strange things we've seen, but this one is pretty strange.

But it sounds like now Democrats are accepting the fact Alvin Greene is their guy.

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: That's right. They really -- you talked about this hearing yesterday. Rawl's campaign couldn't really come up with compelling evidence to overturn an almost 20-point victory for Alvin Greene.

They said that there were potentials for glitches in the voting machines, ,but they didn't provide any evidence. So, at the end of the day, the members of the Democratic Party executive committee really had no choice here, because if they did decide to overturn this election, or hold a new primary election, you know, other campaigns would say what about us? So, it would have set a really difficult precedent for the party. So, yes, Alvin Greene appears to be the nominee. He won't be officially certified, though, until August 16th.

HOLMES: All right. So, we'll hold our breath until August 16th, but we have been watching this on a national level and reporting this on a national level.

But there in South Carolina, what is the consensus -- or, you know what? There probably isn't one. But what do people feel happened here? How did he win?

HAMBY: There are so many theories going around. I've been spending the last three days picking anyone's brain -- people on the street, consultants, Republicans, Democrats.

Everyone has an idea about how he got on the ballot and how he won. There are theories that his name sounds African-American. That theory doesn't exactly work, because the name "Greene" is spelled with an "E." According to statistics in South Carolina and voter records, that means the person is more likely to be white. And if it's spelled "Green," without an "E," that person is more likely to be black.

So, that theory doesn't really hold water. And there is another theory that he was simply first on the ballot.

The bottom line is neither of these candidates were really well known statewide, and it's possible that people entered the voting booth and said, I'm not really paying attention to this race, and they checked the top name. That seems to be the most plausible theory so far.

HOLMES: Wow. We're talking about a matter of an "E" and somebody being listed first.

Peter, is anyone taking this, quite frankly, as a teachable moment, as people like to say? I think so many people out there have gone into a booth and they checked all "D" because they were Democrats, or all "R," because they are Republicans, not knowing who those candidates are.

Are people talking about, we need to inform ourselves and educate ourselves before we step into a booth, because, quite frankly, something like this possibly could happen?

HAMBY: There are people that I've talked to, and there have been some wonderful articles written about this race just talking to voters in South Carolina, and you are exactly right. There are many people who went into that booth and didn't know who they were voting for, and they regret it. Because even though Vic Rawl didn't really have much of a chance against Jim DeMint in November, Alvin Greene doesn't have much of a chance either.

That said, Alvin Greene is now probably the most famous Senate candidate in the entire country. So, who knows? Maybe he'll get even more votes in November than Vic Rawl would have if he had won. HOLMES: Well, Peter, we will see. And I guess maybe they're just banking on him being listed at the top of that ballot next time, too. He won't be though, because DeMint, the "D" comes before the "G."

Peter Hamby, we appreciate you. Thank you for sticking with us here on RICK'S LIST.

Now time for me to hand this thing over to Wolf Blitzer and "THE SITUATION ROOM."