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Rick's List
Tax Cut Stare-Down; New York Jets Face Sexual Harassment Claims; Kanye West Performs at VMAs; Tax Cuts Big Topic As Midterms Loom; Hispanics Around Country Feel Under-represented; Republican National Committee Members To Travel the Country Campaigning to Win House of Representatives
Aired September 13, 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: And hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Good to be back in Atlanta. We're going to be on the road again real soon, but here we go with what is making the LIST on this day, a lot of stories that we could put on first.
There's sports, sexual harassment, how pro athletes should treat women assigned to report on them. This is a story, by the way, that has been generating a lot of buzz all over the country, on Twitter, certainly on the Internet and on radio and television as well.
And here's why we're talking about this. Let me break this down for you, in case you -- in case you haven't heard. The NFL is now investigating whether the coach for the New York Jets, Rex Ryan, a member of his staff, other coaches on the team, and many, many of the players behaved extremely inappropriately toward a female reporter who was working for Mexico's TV Azteca while they were at the Jets training facility.
All right, there's the reporter, OK? Her name is Ines Sainz. She was at the Jets practice camp this weekend. She was there to do an interview with one of the few Latino quarterbacks in all of the NFL. That would be, of course, Mark Sanchez.
But according to reports, members of the Jets coaching staff and the team started deliberately overthrowing passes, so they could be near her. OK. That continued for quite some time.
But then it continued some more. And then they continued doing it, to the point of being obnoxious. Also, according to the team, according to reports there, the team started then -- when they went into the locker room, they saw her there and starting hooting and hollering and, well, according to some that were there, just embarrassing themselves and the female reporter.
This all happening just as Sainz, this female reporter, was walking into the locker room. Now, a lot has been made of what Sainz said on her Twitter page about what happened Saturday.
Today, she's saying that, look, she wasn't offended. We have got a picture, by the way, of what her Twitter page looks like. There she is, attractive young lady that she is, obviously. But did that call for the players behaving this way?
And even if the players did, shouldn't the coaches, shouldn't some of the NFL officials, shouldn't somebody have pulled them back and said, OK, guys, enough?
Well, there are some things going on with this story that I want to bring you up to date with. And to do that, I'm going to -- I'm going to that enlist the help of "USA Today" sports columnist Christine Brennan, who is good enough to join us here once again.
I want to take you through a couple of things. We have got a couple of statements here, Christine, which kind of let viewers know why this thing has gotten where it is.
First of all, this is a complaint from the Association of Women in Sports Media. Here we go.
Rog, have you got that? Let's put that up. I will read it to you as you look at it at home here. Ready?
It's: "AWSM, the NFL, the Jets have been in contact since Saturday evening regarding this situation. Both the NFL and the Jets were responsive to our concerns and are investigating the matter. We are awaiting the results of the investigation and further action from the NFL and the Jets. AWSM remains steadfast in its longstanding commitment to ensure all women in sports media are treated respectfully, equally and professionally while working in the locker room."
All right, Christine, what -- what is the gist of this complaint? What -- what -- what did the Jets do wrong here?
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, "USA TODAY": Well, Rick, if the stories are true, it's -- it's a dreadful way to treat a reporter who is credentialed, male or female, on your practice field and then in the locker room.
And I was the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media. I'm very proud of our group and very proud that, once again, we're standing up for equal access for a woman reporter. A woman reporter doing her job should be treated properly.
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
BRENNAN: And I'm very glad, Rick, that the NFL and the Jets are looking into this.
SANCHEZ: Well --
BRENNAN: This is something that has happened over the weekend.
SANCHEZ: -- let --
BRENNAN: And while, by the way, there have been hundreds of -- maybe even 1,000 women that are covering sports today for newspapers, radio, TV, many in locker rooms yesterday in the NFL, college football on Saturday --
SANCHEZ: Yes. Yes.
BRENNAN: .. Major League Baseball over the weekend, you know, and there were no incidents.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And there's even women doing play-by-play now who, by the way, do fabulous jobs at it, and especially at the college level, because I happened to catch of those games this weekend.
But, Ms. Sainz, Ines Sainz, who, by the way, I should let the viewers know, we have just reached out to her. And she's going to join us here at 4:00. So, we're going to, I believe, have the first interview with her.
From what I understand her to be saying, she doesn't believe, herself, that it was a big deal. What -- what would you say to her?
BRENNAN: Well, she was there. So, I would say to her -- my first question, Rick, to her would be, what happened? I would ask her a question, because we don't know. And I know that's part of the process here that the NFL is doing to investigate something that is very serious, and a big issue for women who are, of course, allowed in the locker room and have been for 25 years in the National Football League.
SANCHEZ: But what does it say? But what -- Christine, what does it -- what does it say that it seems, at least at -- at this level -- and we will work our way through this a little more when I have a chance to talk to her -- but what does it say that it seems some of the women who were there and even some of the men who saw it were more offended than she was?
BRENNAN: I don't know, Rick. That's a very good point.
And that's -- you know, this story is -- is obviously proceeding. And you are doing some excellent reporting to get her. I'm anxious to hear what she has to say.
I will say this. Veteran reporters who were there Saturday afternoon at the Jets practice obviously were the ones who reported this and reported what happened. And if in fact Rex Ryan, the coach of the Jets -- they play tonight -- in their -- one of their last practices before their -- their opening season in the NFL season, if he was involved with this, I think that's something that everyone should care about.
The owner of the team obviously cares very much about it. So, while I respect completely what Sainz is saying and how important her words are, there are veteran reporters who have already been on the record reporting what they saw happen, and that's why the NFL is investigating.
SANCHEZ: Well, here's what the NFL is saying. I think we have got that statement as well, Rog, right? Do we have that? Go ahead and put that up, so the folks at home can see it.
"Our NFL policy requires our teams to conduct media training with players yearly, and professional conduct with media information is also provided, including addressing females who cover the NFL and the policy they need to be -- that they need to be treated the same as their male counterparts as far as respect and appropriate conduct goes."
That's Greg Aiello. He's the NFL spokesman, a guy I'm -- I'm familiar with, and I'm sure you're familiar with, too, does a very good job at what he does. But this is a -- this is a bit of a pickle for the NFL.
They're really in a very uncomfortable situation, especially on the heels of this being the first week of the NFL.
You know, there's a part of me that says, you know, guys and gals from time to time are going to act out and they're going to behave somewhat foolishly. And it's not dangerous behavior. It's just kind of stupid behavior.
And some folks would understand that. Where it seems to go beyond the pale, I believe -- and this is the question that I have for you is -- when Rex Ryan, the head coach gets involved in the prank, and when some of the other coaches get involved in the prank, and, from what I understand in reading the story, some players that weren't even part of that drill came over and started getting involved in the prank, almost kind of like a piling-on atmosphere, and then when they go into the locker room and it continues there with the catcalls, et cetera, it's almost like boys, you know, will be boys, but, at some point, an adult has to stand up, right?
BRENNAN: Oh, I would think so, Rick.
And ,again, we don't know this. That's what the NFL is investigating, exactly what did happen. But you have nailed it. You're absolutely correct. If this was going on -- consider for -- I know sports is fun for so many people.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Right.
BRENNAN: And it's fun for me, all these years of covering it.
But it's also, a practice field and the locker room is the workplace for many, many reporters, men and women who do their jobs every day without incident, and, of course, for the players themselves, who, by the way, have grown up with their sisters playing sports next to them, the girl next door playing next to them.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BRENNAN: They're very used to having women reporters around them.
That's why this -- if it's true, that's why this incident is so stunning and such a -- a news story, Rick. But I think that's important, that, for those of you who work and love what we do covering sports for the newspapers, TV, radio stations, Web sites around the -- the country, that's our workplace and that's the workplace for the players. We respect that completely.
I always have and always will. That's also the workplace for the men and women who are reporting on those teams for the millions of fans that are out there who can't wait to hear the news about what's going on with that team.
SANCHEZ: Well, and as we continue to follow up on this story, I'm sure there's a lot of different perspectives. I have been hearing them here at work today. You should have seen our editorial meeting this morning.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: We had people essentially weighing in on the story, and -- and a lot of people with some interesting perspectives on this, just as I'm sure a lot of Americans are looking at this story and going, but, well, wait a minute. How about this and how about that?
We want to let this story play out. And that's why we're -- we have invited Ms. Sainz to join us here at 4:00. And, you know, we will ask her some of the questions that you have been raising here on Twitter as well.
Christine Brennan, you represent your industry very, very well. Thanks so much for giving us this perspective, this reportorial perspective. And we will wait and see again how this thing plays out.
Thanks once again.
BRENNAN: OK, Rick. Thank you very much, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Appreciate it.
Republicans and President Obama are in the middle of a fierce stare-down over tax cuts, but it appears that somebody just blinked -- or did they? Yes, we're going to be all over this thing.
By the way, he's one of the president's toughest critics, and the president has been hammering him lately, to be fair. That's ahead.
And then people are still missing in San Bruno, California, and there's some new tape that coming in. Wait until you see the video taken just as the explosion began.
That's next right here -- RICK'S LIST back in Hotlanta. Glad you're here with us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
And hundreds of people are now finally being allowed back into their homes after this deadly natural gas explosion and fire near San Francisco International Airport. Four people are dead, another four still missing after the gas line ruptured Thursday.
It destroyed 37 homes. Can you imagine being a part of something like this? And it was like that, no warning, just boom.
I want you to take a look now. We have got some surveillance video. This is from a grocery store, and this is on the night of the explosion. Watch. These are -- this is right across the street, right? Panic struck after the 60-year-old natural gas pipeline just burst into a ball of fire.
And it -- these people inside this grocery store are convinced that a 747 has just gone nose down right into their neighborhood. They're afraid to go outside, and they're all running around, looking to see what's going on. This is Lunardi's Market in San Bruno, California.
Customers rush out the door as soon as they hear that the gas line has ruptured. Some of them are so shocked by what they see, they actually run back inside the store. They're afraid to go outside.
I mean, as you -- as you look at this, those are the ones that run outside. We also, I think, have some shots of the folks around. Look at is this. Look at the people hitting the ground. Some people around where the cash registers are all start -- they hit the ground. They cover their heads and they get on all fours and start -- and start trying to get under some of the cash registers and some of the desks and some of the merchandise itself.
It's amazing to watch some of this.
All right, now let's go on to some of the other tapes we have for you. We also have some amazing home video of the fire right after the explosion. Now, as you watch this, let me prep you for it. This is a man on the balcony. He also was looking over this neighborhood just as the explosion begins.
And he's about to describe to people who are still in his house, who he's telling, don't come out here; it's getting too hot. Apparently, the heat is starting to register on himself and on the balcony, so he can't stay out there very long, but he can't stop himself from going out with his camera, getting video, and then going back in and then going back out again.
Now, watch the story as it unfolds. I'm going to zip it and let you watch this for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is that? Is that a plane crash?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That's it? I thought it was 50 seconds. OK. We will go with 10. Walter McCaffrey shot this home video just moments after the explosion. He had one hand on his video camera and the other hand on his phone to tell his wife and three children not to return to San Bruno.
The McCaffreys are just one of the 293 families allowed back into their homes Sunday for the first time since the blast. Another 84 were not allowed to return to the neighborhood because their homes were destroyed, have extensive damage, or are inside the police investigation perimeter.
By the way, the McCaffreys say, looking at the resulting damage is surreal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER MCCAFFREY, EYEWITNESS TO EXPLOSION: Just looking at all this, I mean, I -- I -- I saw all this from the news. But being and the first time and coming up here looking at all of this, it was -- there's no words. I can't really explain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So we spent 10 seconds showing the actual story and 15 seconds with the talking head. Somehow, I think we should have done that the other way around.
I apologize to you, the viewer. I told you we would be letting -- we would be letting -- we would be allowing you to see that for yourself. And -- and we will later on in the 4:00 show, also tonight at 8:00.
Now, according to a Pacific Gas and Electric document obtained by CNN, the pipeline at the heart of the fire was deemed to have a relatively high risk and likelihood of failure. Investigators say they may not be able to determine the exact cause of the blast at least for months.
Again, we're going to have more on this story as it comes in. We expect there actually may be other video as well, and you will see it here on RICK'S LIST.
Now this: The world has waited a year to find out what would happen when Kanye West and Taylor Swift came back to the Video Music Awards. Would she accept his apology? Would he embarrass himself again, as he did last year, after he was called out by even the president of the United States? It's trending. It's on Twitter. And Brooke Baldwin is going to be all over it. That's ahead.
Also, Jessica Yellin is in Delaware, the Tea Party's next battleground. Sarah Palin and the NRA have been backing that candidate who apparently wants to do away with the Republican who's there.
The battle between Tea Party candidates and Republicans continues. Where is it going to lead? That's next on Yellin's list. Stay right there.
This is RICK'S LIST.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Here's this continuing developing story about big Tea Party candidates literally trying to take down or take out big-name Republicans.
I mean, at the top of our political follow-up list tonight, the Tea Party is making inroads again, and this time, it's in Delaware. After helping push through the candidacy of Joe Miller in Alaska, a story that we were all over before anybody else was, the Tea Party Express has turned their attention now to Joe Biden's old Senate seat.
Not finding congressman Mike Castle, Republican, conservative enough, the Tea Party is now pushing candidate Christine O'Donnell in the Republican primary.
And Jessica Yellin is all over this primary for us.
I mean, this -- this is interesting, because, you know, once again, you have got a guy like Mike Castle. Most people think Mike is, you know, a respectable Republican, conservative enough, especially considered for his region. I mean, we're talking about a Republican from the Northeast. We're not talking about an Arizona Republican, for example. And yet they want to crush this guy.
What's going on?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's a middle-of-the-road Republican in a state that's pretty middle-of- the-road, and he's very well known and popular statewide, Rick.
But he -- but, tomorrow, when the primary is held, only Republicans can vote. Democrats and independents cannot vote in it. So, it's a closed primary, and this year, you know what has happened to moderate middle-of-the-road Republicans. They have largely been targeted by these Tea Party candidates.
And the latest development is that Sarah Palin has now recorded a robocall for Castle's opponent, Christine O'Donnell, which she's broadcasting on the radio here. And it essentially accuses -- quote -- "establishment Republicans of being desperate" and trying to smear O'Donnell with unfair -- quote -- "vicious personal attacks."
So, it's -- it's become very personal, very mean, in a state that really is not used to this kind of harsh campaigning. It's very new to Delaware voters.
SANCHEZ: But -- but you know what's interesting about this? I mean, if you really put this in perspective, Ronald Reagan would be taken out of the mix by some of these more far-right Tea Party folks.
Richard Nixon would never have become the president of the United States. I mean, there -- there's really a move that comes not even right of center, really far right, pushing out the guys that are closer to the middle, which means, when they do have a general election, they probably will get the support, or I imagine they're thinking about this -- and I don't know if we have done any reporting on this -- would it be harder to win some of these elections, in Delaware, for example --
YELLIN: Right.
SANCHEZ: -- if you have got somebody who is on the far right, as opposed to the middle --
YELLIN: Right.
SANCHEZ: -- or evenly, you know, right-of-center?
YELLIN: I will make two points.
One, I suspect many Tea Party activists would disagree with you on Ronald Reagan, because Reagan is a hero to many of them. And you can quibble about whether his policies actually square with what they say now.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, you could start --
YELLIN: -- hero to many.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, you could --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: You could --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: I mean, we -- we would quibble back with immigration, for example. Ronald Reagan would say -- Ronald Reagan would be called by anyone in the Tea Party today a pro-amnesty Republican. That's what he would be called.
YELLIN: Hmm. And -- and I'm sure they would be -- I'm sure they would be happy to quibble with you over it, Rick.
(LAUGHTER)
YELLIN: But --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, they couldn't.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: It's the policy.
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: I also know that --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: I mean, they -- they couldn't. He's the guy --
YELLIN: Well, they --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: -- who actually did that.
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: Everybody sees history the way they want.
SANCHEZ: All right. Go on.
YELLIN: The -- the point that you're making, which is that, are these -- some of these candidates unelectable, is actually a point that some Tea Party groups are concerned with?
You know, Dick Armey, FreedomWorks, that very active national umbrella group that supported a lot of Tea Party candidates, his group says, no, they're staying out of this and they're not going to back Christine O'Donnell, this Tea Party candidate, because they don't think she's electable. There's just too much and too many reasons why they don't think she will win.
So, that's an unusual wrinkle this election season. And there are a lot of Democrats who are excited about the prospect of O'Donnell winning, because they actually think that means Democrats would hold the seat statewide.
Democrats agree she is not electable statewide. So -- so, she's a risky gamble for the Republican Party.
SANCHEZ: This is going to be -- yes, this is going to be interesting to watch. And we're going to be all over it tomorrow. And I always enjoy having a conversation with you.
Thanks so much. Can we do it again?
YELLIN: Me, too.
SANCHEZ: You're not --
YELLIN: Yes.
SANCHEZ: You're not mad at me or anything, are you?
YELLIN: See you tomorrow. Or see you tonight.
SANCHEZ: And you don't -- you -- do you ever get mad at me?
YELLIN: No.
SANCHEZ: OK. Good.
I --
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: I don't get mad at you, Rick. I like talking.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much, Jessica. Appreciate it.
Did anything on last night's music video awards top last year's outrageous stunt by Kanye West? The stars tried their best and we have the most memorable moments, including the debut of Lady Gaga's -- oh, my goodness -- Lady Gaga meat dress. That's right.
Brooke Baldwin is standing by to tell us all about Lady Gaga's meat dress.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Talk about your fashion statements. Someone thought it was a great idea to create a T-shirt with a slogan that compares illegal immigrants to -- I don't even want to say this. It's trending. And Brooke is going to bring it to us in just a little bit.
There's -- look --
(CROSSTALK)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What, so I get to say it?
SANCHEZ: So, you get to say it.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Awesome. Great.
SANCHEZ: How are you?
BALDWIN: Hi.
I get mad at you. I want to be contrarian.
SANCHEZ: Nothing wrong with that.
BALDWIN: No, I'm just kidding.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: -- the love.
SANCHEZ: Mad is good. Mad is good. Ask my wife from time to time.
We're going to be right back.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, it's "Trending" time.
Spent a nice week last week in New York, the two of us.
BALDWIN: Good to be back on home turf.
SANCHEZ: Nice to be back on home turf, just as the weather starts to turn here in Hotlanta, as in not so hot.
BALDWIN: I know. It felt like fall, as in not so hot, feeling lovely.
SANCHEZ: How you doing?
BALDWIN: Hi. I'm well. Did you have a good weekend coming home --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: -- do a book signing?
SANCHEZ: Fantastic. Fantastic.
BALDWIN: Good.
SANCHEZ: Book signing was -- I want to really thank the folks out in Long Island --
BALDWIN: Long Island.
SANCHEZ: -- for coming out and --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Fabulous.
SANCHEZ: And we had a great -- and that's going to be on C-SPAN, by the way, which is nice.
BALDWIN: Aren't you a biggety-wig (ph)?
SANCHEZ: Biggety-wig (ph). I love that.
So, what you got?
BALDWIN: All right, two -- two items on the agenda. If you weren't watching football -- I imagine somebody here was last night -- there was something else on TV, the Video Music Awards with MTV. And I think the best -- I read all these different articles -- the best headline, if you will, "L.A. Times," they put it this way: "What would she wear and what would he say?" The she, Lady Gaga, the he Kanye West.
Let's start with Gaga. First, she racked up eight moon men. Those are VMA awards -- called attention to military's don't ask, don't tell policies, but, really -- look, let's be honest. She's always trying to outdo herself with all her costumes and her costume changes. Take a look at what she's wearing.
This was the meat dress. Yes, you remember we were talking trending a couple days ago about how she was on the cover -- I think Japanese "Men's Vogue" wearing a meat bikini. Now she's upgrading to a meat dress.
So, I was wondering -- perhaps you were as well -- why meat? I read this interview. Apparently, Ellen DeGeneres interviewed her after the VMAs and said, what's up with the meat?
She says, according to Gaga: "We have to fight for our rights. Soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones. I'm not a piece of meat" -- thus, apparently the meat.
SANCHEZ: OK.
BALDWIN: OK.
SANCHEZ: I think I get it.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Ellen said, maybe next time, try a veggie bikini.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Also part of the VMAs you have Kanye West, Taylor Swift. We all remember what happened last year. Kanye famously jumped up on stage, interrupted Taylor Swift.
SANCHEZ: Got called out by the president.
BALDWIN: He got called out by the president, as a matter of fact, so a big sort of cultural moment.
SANCHEZ: Called him a jackass.
BALDWIN: I think he did. This year Taylor Swift actually sang a song some say alluding to Kanye. The lyrics "32 and still growing up. Who you are is not what you did. You are still an innocent."
Kanye did close out the show, apparently opened to a bunch of boos and in the end got a standing ovation. So the meat dress is certainly trending.
SANCHEZ: "Meat dress" and Kanye West. By the way, Kanye West spent almost a year apologizing for this thing.
BALDWIN: I don't think some people would say apologizing. Kind of went away laying low. He was on BET performing.
SANCHEZ: Not quite enough is the general --
BALDWIN: Some say not contrite enough.
Next, let's talk about this national retail chain. You heard of Spencer's Gifts. There are 600 stores nationwide. It's a novelty store selling gag gifts and T-shirts that may make your mom blush.
But this one particular shirt you're looking at. Here is what it says. It says "Illegal immigrants are like sperm. Millions come in but only one little bleep actually works." Yes, in stores. One man saw the shirt recently in a Miami mall, called to complain it was racist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very un-American. It's not something that I would personally wear or any of my friends would personally wear. Take it off the shelves. Take it off the shelves and take it off permanently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So I called and actually was able to get Spencer's Corporate on the phone with me. They told me they had actually been selling that particular shirt for something like five months but in the last couple of weeks definitely received a number of complaints especially from California he told me.
They have it in California and Maine. They pulled it off the shelves there. But as of yesterday this particular shirt was still being sold in south Florida. But some are offended, some not so much. Listen to this woman.
Oh, oh, come on, lady. Here's basically what she said, look, freedom of speech. If they want to sell that kind of shirt they can. But others say no, no, no. Now Spencer Corporate said they're yanking them from all of the store shelves.
He told me that some of the T-shirts they sell touch on hot button political issues. This certainly was one. Not meant to offend but certainly enough were offended to call and complain. The T-shirt is no longer.
SANCHEZ: It's not only offensive. It's ignorant. It's stupid. It's ill-informed. It's all of those things.
BALDWIN: It's all of those things.
SANCHEZ: But here's the catch. In this country, you're allowed to be stupid. You're allowed to be ill informed. You're allowed to be ignorant, as ignorant as you want to be, and don't get arrested for things like that. And you can stand on the street corner and say all the stupid things --
BALDWIN: Or wear that T-shirt. But if enough people call and complain because of those words we can --
SANCHEZ: Then that's a market issue. Arkansas parentally they're responding to the market issue.
BALDWIN: Nationwide.
SANCHEZ: We'll let the peeps talk.
BALDWIN: And they are. Thanks.
SANCHEZ: Good stuff.
We're going to check in with you at the top of the hour, by the way, when we're going to be talking -- have you heard what's going on.
BALDWIN: We have gotten her top of the hour.
SANCHEZ: Everybody is talking about this story involves the New York Jets and this reporter from Mexico who according is to many people there and according to press reports was not treated fairly by members of the Jets, members of the Jets staff, coaches, et cetera. So -- but she didn't seem to have a big problem with it.
BALDWIN: And that's the crux, I think, part of the issue. She thinks perhaps it was funny, not so offended. But is that OK? If you're a woman and you're getting cat calls or balls coming at your head --
SANCHEZ: Have you reported?
BALDWIN: I've been in a locker room. I've interviewed basketball players. And it's different being a woman in there.
SANCHEZ: And would you feel offended if -- I imagine you would.
BALDWIN: You just have to be professional. And you expect that professionalism directed at you as well about.
SANCHEZ: That's what's going to make it so interesting. Can you join me for this?
BALDWIN: I would love to.
SANCHEZ: I'd like your perspective. It's a date. Top of the 4:00.
BALDWIN: Deal.
SANCHEZ: You've all heard boxers boast about how they will dominate an opponent. One fighter has taken it to an extreme. He's comparing his victory to a gang rape. That puts him at the very top of the list that you don't want to be on. That's ahead.
Also, a house gets a sunroof with a little help from a speeding car. Well, how did that happen? That's next right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. This is "RICK'S LIST." So glad that you are here. I know many of you are just getting home from work on this Monday.
Remember the guy who chucked a pair of shoes at President Bush? Guess what -- he's got competition. Let's do "Fotos."
Here we go. It's a guy protesting Greek austerity measures. He hurls a shoe at his own prime minister Saturday. He misses his target but didn't go down without a fight. This guy is actually a doctor, but his stunt was a prescription for trouble. Police arrested him, his daughter and another man. And there you go -- on the ground saying, "I'm innocent."
Fairburn, Georgia. Every now and then you see a car crash into a house. It happens. But I don't think very often you see a car crash through a roof. A roof? How does that even happen? Here's how. We're told that a speeding careened into a driveway and flew 35 feet through the air before crashing through the back of a bedroom ceiling.
Get this. One family member got out of bed just minutes before this happened. Hello!
Boston. If you catch an alligator in Florida it's no big story, right? It happens all the time. But what about a gator in Boston? You heard that right, Boston. That's a story. A boater saw this reptile sunning itself in the Charles River. Police called in a wildlife specialist who captured it. Good news for the gators, experts say it would have died if it hadn't been caught. So now it will be sent down to my backyard, south Florida, or the Everglaes, or who knows where.
That's "Fotos." You can see them for yourself whenever you want at CNN.com/RickSanchez.
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SANCHEZ: Hey, I want to introduce you to someone. Give me a two-shot. This is Sebastien Castro. Nice to have you here. Appreciate you being here. This is what we're doing, folks. Sebastian is going to take us through what he has learned, this being Hispanic Heritage Month. We sent him all over the country, five city tour.
SEBASTIAN CASTRO, CNN EN ESPANOL: Indeed. I went first to Miami and New York, Chicago, Phoenix and L.A. looking for Hispanic opinion across the country.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you were tasked with talking to young people who are Hispanic in America just to get a sense of what they're talking about and what they're thinking about.
Let's start at the very beginning. I imagine the big elephant in the room would be immigration, the policy, Arizona. What do young Hispanics -- do they feel put upon?
CASTRO: They're feeling angry, a lot of them. They feel like they're being watched often, especially when I went to phoenix and L.A. where obviously you have a lot of Mexican immigrants in these areas. And they felt like they're being watched. A lot of them told me how their friends had been stopped on the street for no reason whatsoever even though they had legal status. So there is tension among students.
SANCHEZ: Angry and feel tense. I get that. Are they moved politically? Is it a political movement in the colleges or something they're too busy passing exams --
CASTRO: There's definitely been some sense of activism among students. Some have joined local student organizations to provide community service and get active, talk to their representatives on Congress. And there's a sense of people want to do something. They want to get their voices heard.
SANCHEZ: That would be a backlash for Republicans, right? Since they're the ones usually identified with that movement.
CASTRO: Definitely. Surprisingly, though, I also faced support for immigration law among Hispanics from legal immigrants.
SANCHEZ: Hispanics are not monolithic. I imagine it had a lot to do with where you are. I would guess Arizona and maybe California are very fervent in their resentment about this policy, right?
CASTRO: Definitely, especially also I got a lot of opinion on people who were placed as Mexicans when they were of other Hispanic descent. This girl told me about her story when she went to North Carolina and she was actually kind of racially profiled as a Mexican. And when the people found out that she was actually on Colombian descent she started making friends.
SANCHEZ: Really? They accepted her more as a Colombian instead of Mexican.
CASTRO: Yes, that's funny to me.
SANCHEZ: Now, my hometown, Miami, the sentiment there is very different, right?
CASTRO: People felt like they were at home in Miami. That's what I got from most students. They said I've been to North Carolina and Georgia and up in New York and usually what people tell me is, you know, I'm in Miami --
SANCHEZ: The Spanish are empowered in Miami.
CASTRO: They have a lot of representation. A lot of people who I met in California were from Georgia, surprisingly. And they were telling me that they had moved here for job opportunities and that they felt like there wasn't enough representation for Latinos.
SANCHEZ: These were young college students. Young bucks like yourself. Do you know what that means, young buck?
CASTRO: Young buck like the deer? Well, I am a young buck but I'm giving it my best.
SANCHEZ: A young buck. I love that. Sebastian, thanks so much.
CASTRO: Thank you for having me.
SANCHEZ: We'll do it again.
Two top Republicans changing their tune when it comes to the tax cuts. Does that mean that the wealthiest Americans will end up paying more? How about the middle class? Will they be spared? This is the argument going on between the president and John Boehner, and we'll get into that in just a little bit. Stay with us.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. This is "RICK'S LIST."
At the top of our follow-up list, the debate over tax cuts for the middle class and the wealthy. Last week President Obama, he made a speech in Ohio. Recall? It seemed like a message both to the American people and to a certain House minority leader. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: To most of you, I'll bet this just seems like common sense, but not to Mr. Boehner and his allies. For years Republicans have fought to keep these corporate loopholes open. In fact, when Mr. Boehner was here in Cleveland, he attacked us for closing a few of these loopholes and using the money to help states like Ohio keep hundreds of thousands of teachers and cops and firefighters on the job.
Mr. Boehner and the Republicans in Congress said no to these projects, fought them tooth and nail, though I should say it didn't stop a lot of them from showing up at the ribbon cuttings.
Let me be clear to Mr. Boehner and to everybody else. We should not hold middle class tax cuts hostage any longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So after this relentless attack from the commander in chief, which everyone was taken aback by, somewhat. Here was a president giving a speech and naming a name. Representative Boehner then sent this tweet on the air. It was his first reaction to the president and he chose our show to do it. It was so significant in fact that even Jon Stewart put it on his show -- of course by making fun of me, but that's just how he does things.
This is what Boehner wrote. "If POTUS is serious about jobs he should cut spending to '08 levels and listen to his former budget director and freeze tax rates." Somewhere along the way, Boehner must have had a change of heart because this weekend he went on some of the Sunday talk shows, and listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I'll vote for them. But I've been making the point now for months that we need to extend all the current rates for all Americans if we want to get our economy going again and we want to get jobs in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right, look who is here. Eric Erikson is joining us once again. Retstate.org, Right?
ERICK ERICKSON, REDSTATE.COM: Dotcom now.
SANCHEZ: Every time I think I've got it. Glad you're here. What do you make of this tit for tat?
ERICKSON: It looks like the president on Friday may or may not indicated he's will to compromise, and Boehner on Sunday may or may not have been willing to compromise.
SANCHEZ: This is tough for Republicans because first of all how can Republicans argue against tax cuts? That's their bread and butter.
ERICKSON: Boehner's comment frankly was kind of dumb because you have a lot of blue dogs Democrats in Congress telling Pelosi we want everybody's taxes extended. And then Boehner opened the door on Sunday, Mitch McConnell apparently did it today, and Republican are scratching their heads, saying what are these guys doing? We're winning.
SANCHEZ: But does it make sense to give tax cuts to people who are that wealthy who, as the president said, probably won't spend most of it because they don't need to because they're so wealthy?
But here's the big argument that the president raises. It's going to cost $700 billion. So we're going to have to borrow $700 billion to give a tax cut to wealthy people.
ERICKSON: This is the problem that I have with the rhetoric on this. No, it's not going to cost anything. It's just the government is not going to get that money.
SANCHEZ: So you're borrowing?
ERICKSON: You're going to have to borrow it one way or the other. I've never met poor man write a paycheck. Why not let people who create jobs keep them. These people -- it may only be three percent of the people affected by this. But Jerry Connelly sent a letter out saying that these people represent 30 percent of the economic activity. SANCHEZ: Here's the problem.
ERICKSON: There is no problem.
SANCHEZ: Hold on. Hold on. You have Republicans constantly saying we're over-borrowing, we're increasing the deficit. We're screwing things up for our children and grandchildren in the future, but it's OK to borrow $700 billion to give to wealthy people. It seems like a paradox.
ERICKSON: Cut spending. That's the Republican position is cut spending. We're spending outrageous amounts. We still have TARP money out that hasn't been spent but it's still out. Bring that money back in.
SANCHEZ: We're not talking about that money. Do you borrow to give? It's like, I'm going to give you a present.
ERICKSON: Listen, we don't have to borrow if we don't spent money.
SANCHEZ: It's like this. Eric, I'm going to give you a wonderful present. But I'm not going to take it out of my pocket.
ERICKSON: What we're doing now is saying we are going to give to all of these American people. Why are we doing that to begin with?
SANCHEZ: Good point. There you go again. Good points.
ERICKSON: Good to see you.
SANCHEZ: Appreciate it. It's the kind of conversation that people are having all over the country. It's a good thing. We'll get you back. Erick Erickson, redstate.com
Iran is asking for $500,000 to release an American hiker, a hiker who is sick with a lump in her breast. So when could there possibly leave. And should there even be a price tag? Or does that seem just totally unfair? That's what a lot of folks are asking today. Stay right there.
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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. Here we go, big topic on twitter. Did the New York Jets as a football team, as an organization, harass a female reporter, and were the coaches a part of this? In just a couple of minutes we scored the very first exclusive interview with the reporter who was at the center of this.
Ines Sainz, she's a reporter from Mexico and she was the one who was, according to others that were there, to be fair, not necessarily herself, besmirched perhaps by some of the players who were there. We're going to find out what really happened, an exclusive interview coming up at 4:00.
Also, Paul Steinhauser is going to stand by for us in just a little bit and he's going bring us the latest world in politics. He's handling the political ticker. You can see that he's dotting his i's and crossing his t's as we go to break. Here is Paul. This is "RICK'S LIST."
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SANCHEZ: It is time now for a "CNN equal Politics" update. And for that we turn to Paul Steinhauser, who is with the best political team on television. In fact, Paul is one of the best of the best, did you know? Here we go. Tell me what is going on. What is crossing right now?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Rick, thanks for that. I pay you go money to say that, seriously.
On the CNN political ticker, tax cuts, tax cuts. It's all about tax cuts. It's the hot issue here in Washington but also everywhere on the campaign trail. Just a couple hours ago President Barack Obama was criticizing Republicans. They want to extend the Bush era tax cuts to all Americans. The president and Democrats only want to extend it for those make $250,000 or less.
The president of an event in Fairfax Virginia in the backyard of a private residence saying, listen, we can't afford tax cuts for everybody. It will bankrupt the country.
And on the political ticker, Sarah Palin talks about a presidential announcement. What the heck is she talking about? Well, this happened on September 11th at an event in Alaska when she was with Glenn Beck. He asked when she would make the announcement if she's going to make it. She's a possible contender, maybe, for the presidential election.
She didn't sound smart, but she didn't say that. She said, I'd make it on Alaska's KHWL radio station, "The Bob and Mark Show." Crazy stuff. Maybe she was joking.
The third item on the ticker, here's our Mark Preston.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, Rick, the Republican National Committee, they are gassing up the bus. They are going to head to 48 states. They are kicking it off on Wednesday. Michael Steele says he's going to eat on the bus, sleep on the bus. And the goal, Rick, is to try to help House Republicans take back control of the majority in the House.
In fact, Rick, they are calling it the "Fire Pelosi" tour. This is what they are wearing. Michael Steele showed us this hat last week -- or, rather, last month. A lot of folks are upset about it. But Michael Steele could be coming to a neighborhood near you.
SANCHEZ: Wow, I like this team politics. We get the both of you, as they say.
Now, what was that again there? "The Mike and Rob Show" in Alaska? Can somebody book me on that show? I've got a book to sell. Sounds like the -- the what? "The Bob and Mark Show."
PRESTON: "The Bob and Mark Show" on Alaska's KWHL, Rick.
