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Rick's List

Neighborhood Inferno; Interview With Ines Sainz

Aired September 13, 2010 - 20:00   ET

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

RICK SANCHEZ, HOST: All right, folks. Here we go. I'm Rick Sanchez.

Wait until you see these videos that we're getting out of San Bruno, California. People just as this fire and explosion takes place in their neighborhood are totally freaked out. You're going to see it on video.

First, though, let's take you through our rundown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here's what's making THE LIST in primetime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Now, the first pictures of what really happened when a neighborhood near San Francisco exploded. Were warnings not heeded?

Which professional athlete is trivializing gang rape? I'm calling them out.

Which NFL team is being investigating for mistreating a female reporter? J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INES SAINZ, REPORTER, TV AZTECA (via telephone): Women deserve respect in any profession.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: My exclusive interview with the women at the center of this controversy.

What does Michael Moore have to say about Ground Zero? We'll hear it.

And how does a car fall from the sky on to a house?

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Boy, we've got a lot to get to tonight. But before we do anything else, there are some new developments that are coming in from the story out of San Bruno with the explosion and the fire. This is that quiet San Francisco -- well, was a quiet San Francisco suburb -- that was suddenly flattened by this deadly explosion and fire just a couple of days ago.

Here's the new information, or part of it. Pacific Gas and Electric is now saying it's going to pay out $100 million. That's $50,000 per household, and that's on top of what all those people get on their insurance settlement.

So, here's something you've got to see. These are brand-new pictures from the moment of the explosion. Go ahead, hit that, Rog. And I'm going to take you through this.

First, we're going to start out with a gas station, right? It's just a couple of blocks from where the explosion took place. It's gasoline. So, there's a fear with the other gas that it could be a problem. The tape is silent.

Witnesses say the blast sounded like a plane crash, which makes a lot of sense since San Francisco International Airport is a few minutes away. You can see it only took moments for it to spread and guys at the gas station head out of there as quick as they can.

All right, now let me show you something else. This is Lunardi's Market, all right? Now, take a good look at this. You see those people? They're running for the exits

What they're describing is that, apparently, something just made this sonic boom. They all believe it was a 747 that was crashed in their neighborhood and they don't know what to do. As you can see here, some of them run left, some of them run right, some of them head for the door, look outside, get freaked out, run in back -- run back into the store.

Watch this. Watch this -- as the people open the door and then eventually, they start making their way back in. There's the situation. You even see the people who fall -- look right there at the right part of your screen. See that guy who throws himself under the cash register? Puts his hands over his head, stays on the ground, and then he starts asking himself, why I'm on the ground? Eventually, he even gets up.

Here are some more home video. Now, I want you to watch this one for yourself, because it's got sound on it. This is a home video shot by a guy named Walter McCaffrey.

Moments after the explosion, he hears the boom, runs out to his balcony. He's got his camera on him, right? He starts talking to other people who are in his house, like his wife, telling her to stay away. He starts describing the heat and the sensation of what he feels while he's outside on the balcony.

I want you to listen to this for yourself. Let's play it and I'll be quiet so you can hear it. Here it is. Hit it, Rog.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETE)! What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) was that? Did a plane crash? Ah! The flames are too hot! Oh, my God. Ah!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Can you believe this? You're asking yourself, my goodness.

He's looking at this out of his balcony. He says the heat is too much, but he stays there. He can't stop himself from recording it. Many of you would probably have just taken off, right?

Now, let me bring you up to date on this. The Red Cross has been working nonstop to try to help the victims of San Bruno. We followed them, by the way, in our emergency management list, of course, wherever there's a story like this. They tweeted me today with their updates on their efforts.

Let's go to that if we possibly can guys. Let's go over here, Mark.

"American Red Cross workers handing out snacks, drinks, and cleaning supplies, providing mental health consultation to residents in San Bruno today."

Imagine what you would feel like if your town just blew up one day. Well, that's what some of these folks are going through.

Here's another one. Go to the next one, if you can.

"We sheltered about 200 people through last Saturday. All shelters near San Bruno now officially closed."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: I admire Hillary Clinton. And yes, I would love Hillary Clinton's endorsement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Did we hear that right? A Tea Party favorite is saying that she would welcome an endorsement from Hillary Clinton.

Jessica Yellin's going to join me with the big interview that she did tonight. She's going to share that with us -- the night before the contentious Delaware primary, which so many folks are talking about because it pits a Republican against a Tea Party-backed candidate. Where have you heard that before? Also, I talked to this beautiful sports reporter from Mexico, forced into the center of a sexual harassment investigation by the NFL against the New York Jets for the way she was treated. And those who were most appalled were other reporters who were there and watched it happen.

All right. Lots to go through on this story, so stay with us, because we're going to take you through it. You'll see it only right here. This is RICK'S LIST.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back, everyone. You know that we do lists. I'm Rick Sanchez. So glad that you're here.

It's time now for the most important political stories in the news tonight. This too is the list.

John Boehner -- he may have dug a hole for himself this weekend. He comes in at number five.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), MINORITY LEADER: If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I'll vote for 'em.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: John Boehner says that he will vote to extend the tax cut for middle class Americans, even if it doesn't give a break to the very rich. Well, that's not the Republican position on this. That's, in fact, the president's position on this. John Boehner is agreeing with the Democratic president? Question mark?

Well, it appears other Republicans aren't going to have that. Eric Cantor, as you know, is the number two House Republican. He's saying tonight he'll fight any effort to raise taxes on, quote, "investors."

Ditto, as it were, from number three House Republican, Mike Pence. Pence is saying he's against increasing taxes on, quote/unquote, "job creators."

And here's the thing, the action on the tax cut, it's not in the House. It's not with Boehner, Cantor, or Pence. It's in the Senate where Republicans could use a filibuster to block the tax relief for 97 percent of country.

Here now is political story number four. This one involves Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Well, tonight, McConnell is saying that he will introduce legislation stating that no one -- no one will pay higher taxes next year.

What McConnell's not saying is whether he'll block tax relief for the middle class if the wealthy don't get it as well. So, this gets us back to John Boehner. The White House has noted this wedge between him and the other top Republicans, as I just explained, so what is the Obama administration doing? It's trying to drive that wedge even deeper.

Here's Press secretary Robert Gibbs. He sent us this tweet. He says, "Boehner versus Cantor, Boehner versus McConnell, McConnell versus McConnell, why hold middle class tax cuts hostage to the Republican disagreements." And he starts with "disarray," as you see there.

All right. Here is political story number three.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY BROWN (D), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I mean, Clinton's a nice guy but who ever said he always told the truth?

(CHEERING)

BROWN: You remember, right? There's that whole story there about did he or didn't he?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Why is Jerry Brown picking a fight with Bill Clinton? Talking about lying and bringing up Monica Lewinsky?

Brown's apparently miffed at something Clinton said when he and Brown were running for president almost 20 years ago. That Brown had raised taxes when he was governor of California.

Well, now Brown's running again, his opponent, Meg Whitman, is saying the same thing, and she's saying, if you don't believe me, just ask Bill Clinton. So that's how it's come full circle.

Here is number two. This remains the most talked about race in the country. Have you seen the latest numbers in this race? It's Nevada that we're talking about here.

Here we go. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, 46 percent of the vote. Republican challenger, Sharron Angle, backed by the Tea Party, 44 percent of the vote. Talk about nip and tuck. That two-point margin is well within the poll's margin of error, which means this one could go either way and possibly down to the wire. And we will be on it.

So, what is the most important political story in the news tonight if it's not those? Well, the Tea Party is planning to rough up another Republican, even if it ends up costing them. And guess who's jumping on board?

You figured it out. The picture says a thousand words, doesn't it? Wait until you hear.

Also, what kind of athlete would have the gall to threaten his opponents by using the words, gang rape. Gang rape. I'm calling him out, because it's both sexist and wrong. And we'll do it right here.

This is RICK'S LIST, and we're so glad you're with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: So what is number one on the political list? It's the latest Tea Party darling to scare the wits out of the Republican establishment.

Here is number one. Her name is Christine O'Donnell, and she's on the ballot tonight in the Senate Republican primary in Delaware. The election is tomorrow.

Her opponent, Mike Castle, has been around for decades. Two terms as governor, nine terms in the House. He's Mr. Establishment, really, and maybe Castle should have seen it coming.

I want you to watch something now. We had shown you in the past, this is Mike Castle, July 2009. He's being heckled at a town hall meeting by birthers and tea partiers.

He was one of the very first members of Congress to receive this treatment, where he's talked about and people are asking him why he doesn't question Obama's birth. Listen up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE CASTLE (R), DELAWARE: Well, I don't know what comment that that invites. If you're referring to the -- the president there, he is a citizen of the United States.

CROWD: No!

(BOOS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Did you hear that? When he tried to explain that he thought the president was a citizen of the United States, they started booing and catcalling and screaming.

So, who wants to take him down now? Well, it's a woman who some would argue embodies what many of those people believe. Christine O'Donnell has never won elected office, but that's not for lack of trying. She's been referred to by some, in fact, as a perennial candidate. The criticism against her is that she hasn't paid her campaign debts in the past, but still keeps running for office.

Now, have a listen to this, if you would. This is part of a radio interview she did earlier this month. Hit it, Rog.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

RADIO HOST: Isn't this what's wrong with Washington, D.C., that we borrow money, or we collect money, and we don't pay off our old debts? And if I can't expect my Senate candidate to pay off 2008 debts --

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: Oh, Dan, are you kidding me? What happened? Is Castle paying you off? Dan, you endorsed me in 2006.

RADIO HOST: Right. And I have serious questions in 2010.

O'DONNELL: I was really disappointed when a lot of people came to me and said, I think Dan Gaffney's a sellout. I said, "That can't be. He's an honorable man."

RADIO HOST: Yes, they can call me whatever they want.

O'DONNELL: And hear you say these things that are just baseless accusations, you know, I'll continue to pray for you.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Jessica Yellin is our national political correspondent. As usual, she's going to be right in the thick of things, where the action is. She's in Delaware.

Christine O'Donnell, Sarah Palin, Tea Party -- all against the Republican establishment. To what avail? What is this leading to?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are taking on the Republican establishment, in a big way, Rick. The candidate, Christine O'Donnell, calls her opponent, Mike Castle, quote, "the anointed one." She charges the National Republican Campaign Committee that helps the Senate, campaigns the state GOP party, elected leaders of the Republican Party, even famous people we know of like Fred Barnes and Bill Kristol, of being in some sort of, basically, a conspiracy against her to bring her down because she is the new brand and they stand for the past, she says.

And she argues that she's being attacked by them, because she's a woman and she's new, and she says that she can even win Democrats if she's elected. I asked her that, Rick, because I know you always ask, are these Tea Party candidates too far right? I said, "In a general can you win?" And here's what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'DONNELL: Absolutely. We've got Hillary Democrats working on our team right now. We've got a broad coalition of supporters that are behind me. What you see in the voter who's rallying behind my campaign are the people who are frustrated with politics as usual, the people who want their voice heard again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: So, she's confident, but I'll tell you, the establishment Republicans I talked to, Rick, are not as confident. They're very worried that if she wins, that they will lose this race in November. SANCHEZ: Why is that? Because if she were in, let's say, a southern state or a state like Arizona -- yes, a Tea Party candidate would likely do very well. But we're talking about Delaware here, demographically little bit different, correct?

YELLIN: Yes. That's right -- 70, 7-0, percent of the voters here are either Democrats or independents. About half are Democrats, the rest independents.

So, Republicans make up only a small portion of the voters and an even smaller sliver of those Republicans are Tea Party-type Republicans. This is a middle-of-the-road state where you really have to be in the middle to win here reliably. So, it would be a tough road for her to win over the state.

SANCHEZ: So, I would guess then, if I was a Democratic chairperson or somebody involved with the inside politics of Delaware, I'd be rooting for her, right?

YELLIN: Oh, yes. They are rooting for her. I even asked her about that, she said, sure, the Democrats can send me money then, if they think I'm going to be so easy to beat. But they do think she would be easy to beat.

SANCHEZ: Jessica Yellin reporting --

YELLIN: They do. They would like her to win the primary tomorrow.

SANCHEZ: We'll watch. And you're going to be there to watch as the numbers come in. And we will -- we will report them as they come in right here tomorrow on RICK'S LIST, which will really be a special edition of RICK'S LIST. It will be a political edition of RICK'S LIST, because we'll be the first to bring you those numbers with the help of Jessica Yellin and the rest of the best political team in Washington.

YELLIN: Right.

SANCHEZ: All right. Now, for the most controversial stories making news tonight. Here, let's begin with number three.

This is a shocking metaphor in sports, sparking outrage around the world. A British boxer, his name is David Haye, is two months away from a heavyweight title fight. As he promotes the match, he's promising to violate his opponent, says, "The fight will be, quote, 'as one-sided as a gang rape.'" Gang rape?

Women's groups and charities are blasting him, and now, he's refusing to apologize. I want you to take a look at what he's saying on Twitter. "If I apologize," he tweets, "for everything stupid and ignorant thing I said, I wouldn't have time for anything else during the day." And what does that tell you about him or what does he's saying about himself?

Here is controversial story number two. I've got to warn you here. I'm about to read something that is -- to many -- highly offensive, quite frankly, somewhat outrageous. Ready? Quote, "Illegal immigrants are like sperm, millions come in, but only one little bleep actually works." Yes, that was written on a t-shirt. Not a t-shirt sold on the street corner near your house. No, Spencer's stores in malls all over the country have been selling them.

One south Florida mall sold it. Stores in Maine and California also sold the shirts, but stopped after getting the complaints.

Now, many residents in Florida are joining the course of chorus of boos, not only because it's offensive, but because it's, quote, "stupid and wrong."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FERNANDO RANGEL, OFFENDED BY SHIRT: I'm an American. This is not something that I will personally wear or any of my friends will personally wear. I ask them to take it off the shelves. Take it off the shelves now and take it off permanently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: I want you to listen now why one woman says that these shirts really are OK to put back on the shelves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have freedom of speech, absolutely. I mean, whoever wants to purchase a shirt, that's up to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: So, those are the freedom of speech issues.

Now the facts: 24 million immigrants work in America -- even those who are illegal pay sales and property taxes. What about the Social Security and the Medicare, you're probably wondering, right? Well, the government estimates that 75 percent of those illegal immigrants have it deducted from their paychecks. Because they work anonymously, they will never see the benefit of what's deducted from their paychecks. However, the rest of you will.

The money taken from paychecks of illegal immigrants subsidized Social Security to the tune of $9 billion a year. Thought you'd want to know.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAINZ: Everybody knows that a woman or a man deserve the same -- deserve the same treatment in the locker rooms.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: So, what is number one on my list of the most controversial stories that are happening tonight? A female sports reporter harassed, embarrassed by NFL football players. Where was she?

We have the very first interview that she does today. It was here on RICK'S LIST.

Also, the man used to be the speaker of the House refers to the president of the United States as a Kenyan and a con man. A Kenyan and a con man -- is he going too far? I'll give you the full context. That's ahead right here on THE LIST.

Stay with us, because we're just getting started, where there's no bloviating and lot more news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: So, here we go -- the story that so many around the country have been talking about today. What is the number one, what is the number one item on our list of most controversial stories in the news tonight?

Well, here we go. The NFL is investigating whether or not a New York jets coach, a member of his staff, other members of his staff, some of his players, behaved extremely inappropriately toward a female reporter Saturday. Not just any female reporter. Her name is Ines Sainz. She's been in the news before. She works for TV Azteca.

She was at the practice to interview one of the few Latino quarterbacks in the league, Mark Sanchez. There it is. She tells me members of the coaching staff and team deliberately overthrew passes so they could hit the area where she was standing. She also says there were catcalls when she walked into the locker room.

You're going to hear my conversation with her in just a moment. But first, the Association of Women in Sports Media complained to the NFL and to the Jets about this.

So, today, "USA Today" sports columnist, who also used to be a president of that organization, Christine Brennan, was kind enough to join me here and she takes me through their arguments. Here we go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: If the stories are true, it's a dreadful way to treat a reporter who was 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.

And I'm very glad, Rick, that the NFL and the Jets are looking into this. This is something that has happened over the weekend. And while, by the way, there have been hundreds of -- maybe even 1,000 women, you know, that are covering sports today for newspapers, radio, TV, many in locker rooms, yesterday in the NFL, college football on Saturday, Major League Baseball --

SANCHEZ: And they do a fabulous -

BRENNAN: There are no incidents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: That was part of that interview. Now, as far as what other members of the media thought, Sainz says colleagues with her at the time were embarrassed for her and tried to help her. But on Twitter, Sainz wrote that she wasn't offended. She shared this pick of herself at Jets practice to show how she looked that day.

Brooke Baldwin pressed her as well, with me, when we talked about that. Now, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: My only concern, perhaps other female sports reporters concern would be if you see that kind of behavior, if harassment, let's say, is proven -- if you say it's OK, that sets a precedent that that kind of behavior is acceptable.

SANCHEZ: Do you worry about that?

SAINZ: No, I didn't say that it's acceptable. No, no, I don't believe that it's acceptable. And I want to -- to be grateful to the concern of the occupation of sports journalists, because they take these things very seriously. I think that it doesn't -- it's not good that this kind of thing happened. And it mustn't happen anymore.

So, I agree with the idea that it's good that everybody knows that a woman or a man deserve the same treatment in the locker rooms.

SANCHEZ: Have you ever -- have you ever been treated that way? Have you ever -- I'm sure you covered a lot of stories in a lot of deferent stories and you've covered sports stories -- have you ever been in a situation where you have faced that type of reaction?

SAINZ: Well, actually, yes. I do. And I covered soccer. So, in soccer, in the World Cup or everything, this comes probably when I arrived to one training session or something, there are times that the players try to make jokes or try to do something to notice. But never -- never anything so, how do you say -- I don't know the word in English, it's like (INAUDIBLE).

SANCHEZ: Yes, grotesque.

SAINZ: Like --

SANCHEZ: (Speaking in a foreign language), right? Yes.

SAINZ: Yes. Yes, that's correct.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But, Ines, do you feel like, just curious, because you're the sports reporter, I've only been in a locker room, you know, a few times. Do you feel like as a female reporter in a predominantly male industry that you are definitely treated differently? And do you do then, following up on that, have to perhaps be more accepting of certain behavior?

SAINZ: No. The behavior is not as I've said -- because obviously you feel that the environment is not appropriate for a woman, is not good. It's supposed that when you go and do your job, it must be, it must be a nice place to do it. So no, I'm not upset, the fact, but I really believe that probably we can do something better with that kind of team.

SANCHEZ: That's interesting. And you -- Woody Johnson had called you. He said he apologized on behalf of the team. You accept his apology, correct?

SAINZ: Yes. I accept the apology. And I say, well, I say thanks to him for the concern and all the rest of the team, because he promised that he is going to make everybody on his team respect the woman. And I think that the fact -- the important point is that a woman deserves respect in any profession.

SANCHEZ: I got it.

SAINZ: So I think it's going to happen.

SANCHEZ: Ines Sainz, my thanks to you.

SAINZ: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Brooke Baldwin. Thank you for taking time to call in and share this perspective with us on a story that a lot of people have been following all over the country.

A lot of folks wanted to talk to her. I'm so glad that she was kind enough to call in and take us through the story. That interview, by the way, has been picked up now by blogs and sports reporters all over the country. If you want to see the interview in its entirety, it's on my blog at CNN.com/ricksanchez.

Now, the Jets did put out a statement about this whole incident, and here's what it says. Let me read it to you. It says, "The New York Jets believe that reporters have a job to do and it is our obligation to provide them with proper and professional access. Woody Johnson spoke with Ines Sainz of TV Azteca today to discuss the time that she spent covering the team yesterday."

By the way, that's true. I asked her about it and she said he did call her and he did apologize. That's the owner of the New York Jets.

Let me continue reading here. "He stressed to Ines that he expects all members of the Jets organization to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. We will continue to work with the league to gather the facts and take any appropriate steps necessary to maintain a respectful environment for the media." So on and on it goes. Ahead, meat as evening wear. One top star thinks vogue. Brooke Baldwin is gaga over this. That's trending and we're going to have it for you.

Also, next on our "People" list, he's accused of corruption, kickbacks and lying to the Senate, just to name a few. He's also holding a first since the Clinton presidency. We're going to tell you all about it when we come back right here.

This is your national conversation. This is RICK'S LIST. More news, less bloviating, and we don't tell you what to think.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whatever, you know, the big trending thing is this, whether it's the Lady Gaga dress or Kanye's performance towards the end or --

BALDWIN: Did you watch?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, I watched.

BALDWIN: I was watching football.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was going back and forth between that and the news. Don Lemon's show.

BALDWIN: Sure you were.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. This is RICK'S LIST. So glad that you're here. Here now are the most important people that are making news on this night.

We begin with number four. Accused Christmas Day underwear bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who now says that he will serve as his own lawyer. He's facing half a dozen charges connected to his alleged attempt to blow up a Northwest flight from the Netherlands to Detroit. A federal judge is approving his request, but only after asking him a series of questions, during which he admitted he's never studied law and that his defense team has not failed him. A judge called his move unwise and appointed standby counsel if they're needed. No comment tonight from the Justice Department.

And new developments involving person number three. This is Sarah Shourd, one of three American hikers charged with espionage. She is said to be battling health problems, including a lump on her breast. And for that reason, Iranian officials are now willing to let her go, for now -- if they're paid, get this, a half a billion dollars bail. That's according to Shourd's lawyer. Even if the money comes through, Shourd would still be expected to return to Tehran to face trial with her fiance and their friend. You will remember Iran said last week it would free Shourd this past weekend, but state media says that got held up because of legal procedures not yet resolved.

Another person making an uncertain future comes in tonight at number two. Federal Judge G. Thomas Porteous of eastern Louisiana, his impeachment trial is now under way in the U.S. Senate. It is the first such trial since former President Bill Clinton's impeachment more than a decade ago. Porteous is accused of corruption, taking kickbacks, and lying to the Senate and the FBI about his past when he was nominated to the bench. But listen to what else the House Judiciary Committee chairman is saying about him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), CALIFORNIA: The evidence will show that allowing yourself to be wined and dined by lawyers who have a case before you is wrong. The evidence will show that allowing those lawyers to pay for parties, to pay for your lunches, your liquor, your hotel room, to have a stripper dance in your lap, all of that is wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Judge Porteous' actions, while in some cases showing poor judgment, were in fact entirely legal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Either way, Porteous was appointed to the bench 16 years ago by, guess who? Former President Clinton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: But everybody, regardless of their level of ignorance, I believe, at their core, is good and has a good heart. And if presented with the truth --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: OK, what's he talking about? Coming in at number one on our people list, have you heard what Michael Moore is saying about the Ground Zero controversy? You're going to hear it in just a moment. And trust me, it will be better than what you just heard there.

Next, food as wardrobe. Lady Gaga's choice of fashion has a few people raising their eyebrows. Brooke Baldwin on her way in. People are saying you're dressed Victorian tonight.

BALDWIN: You called me a nun earlier. Somebody on our show called me -- actually Eric (INAUDIBLE) say --

SANCHEZ: That's what I'm reading --

BALDWIN: -- colonial garb.

SANCHEZ: That's what I'm reading on Twitter. I'm not making this up.

BALDWIN: This isn't fashionable? Come on. SANCHEZ: We'll discuss it in a moment. We'll be right back. Stay with us. This is RICK'S LIST.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Hey, look who's here. Brooke Baldwin is about to join us in her Victorian garb. And we're going to be talking in just a moment. But first, hey, I just want to clear something up.

BALDWIN: Go for it.

SANCHEZ: We did the story about Judge Porteous, one of the first to be impeached in the United States.

BALDWIN: Impeached. Yes.

SANCHEZ: Just to be really transparent about this, when we were going through the story, at times I used his name while we were showing a picture of his lawyer. That was his lawyer, that wasn't him. Just want to be clear. Make sure everything is right when we do it.

So, meat, meat, meat. Used to be a big meat lover, now I'm not eating as much of it. But before we do anything else --

BALDWIN: We're almost there.

SANCHEZ: We're almost there.

BALDWIN: I know you're so excited about the Gaga story.

SANCHEZ: We don't want to get that.

BALDWIN: You've got this first.

SANCHEZ: All right. You know what I want to do?

BALDWIN: What?

SANCHEZ: I want to talk about our "People" list. Welcome back.

Lots of people making news tonight, including a man known for provocative opinions, and now he's got a take on the proposed Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero that you probably haven't heard until tonight. That is why he comes in tonight at number one.

Michael Moore, the filmmaker, spoke at length with my colleague, Wolf Blitzer, in "THE SITUATION ROOM" just a short time ago. He says, forget all the emotional debates over building that Islamic center near Ground Zero. He wants it built squarely, not near Ground Zero. He says it should be on Ground Zero. Talk about throwing gasoline on to an argument, right? He says polls that show most Americans don't want the center anywhere near Ground Zero show a nation overcome by fear. Here's how he puts it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: We always seem to get it wrong at first, whether that was with slavery, killing Indians, women not voting. We're not very good at the beginning of these things. We're really great, though, as we move along. We live in a nation where, sadly, people listen to things. They get afraid very easily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: And he went on to say that was the same number of people that really believed at the very beginning of the Iraq war. Michael Moore, topping the list of "People" in the news on this night.

Now, before I go to you, I know we're kind of a little bit all over the place here. This is trending.

BALDWIN: That's what fun about the show.

SANCHEZ: Mark, do me a favor. Turn the camera away from us and show that tweet right over there. Thank you.

That's Perez Hilton. He's been on our show before. He tweets a lot. Tweets us. He's on our list. He says, "I'm hungry. Your outfit will make a great barbecue." Hah! All right. That's Perez Hilton and he's making fun of Lady Gaga.

BALDWIN: Lady Gaga.

SANCHEZ: Right.

BALDWIN: So, last night, MTV Video Music Awards, VMAS, you know, she's always one upping herself in terms of her song when she had all these awards last night. Let's be honest. Let's really talk about her outfit. It's been trending all day long. Two words for you, "meat dress."

SANCHEZ: Is that real meat?

BALDWIN: Take a look at her. Yes, it is real meat. Head to toe, if you can just let the video roll and take a look for yourself. I'm talking hat, I'm talking raw steak wedges. I don't know if there's a shot of her foot, it's tied together with twine, giving her handbag to poor Cher. She had to hand her handbag off to Cher.

CNN indeed confirmed this is an odd (INAUDIBLE). We did indeed confirm this is raw meat, folks. In fact, our own Jeanne Moos, who's an awesome reporter and pokes a little fun at situations like this, she actually caught up with the designer of this dress. Yes, there is a designer involved. And he told her he got the meat straight from, you guessed it, his family butcher.

Creative? Yes. Some of you say so. Others, not so much. Animal right activists, i.e. PETA, say the dress is downright offensive.

Let's go to the statement. PETA says this: "There are more people who are upset by butchery than who are impressed by it. And that means a lot of young people will not be buying her records if she keeps this stuff up."

So other than the obvious here, look, it's the shock factor, right? But why raw meat? So Lady Gaga actually explained herself today with Ellen DeGeneres on her show. They taped it last night, right after the VMAS. Ellen, by the way, is vegan. Just a little background. Here's Lady Gaga's raw interpretation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LADY GAGA, SINGER: Well, it's certainly no disrespect to anyone that's vegan or vegetarian. I, as you know, am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, original -- it has many interpretations, but for me, this evening, it's if we don't stand up for what we believe in, if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much right as the meat on our bones. And I am not a piece of meat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: OK.

BALDWIN: We're hearing some of our crew reacting in here. Not a piece of meat. So, she also was on the cover of "Vogue," there it is. This was Japanese's men's "Vogue," recently. Hey, apparently Ellen gave her a vegetarian bikini recently.

SANCHEZ: Let's ask you and I --

BALDWIN: Larry knows.

SANCHEZ: Larry King.

BALDWIN: Larry knows Lady Gaga.

SANCHEZ: If we found the right tailor and he fitted you just right, Larry, I'm wondering -- would you wear a meat suit? If it was the right meat and the right tailor.

BALDWIN: Prime meat. Prime meat, Larry.

SANCHEZ: You know, prime meat?

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Hey, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KING: In your family, when you were an infant, who tipped the crib over? Who tipped -- I know someone that's probably a family secret, Rick, they don't let it out.

BALDWIN: Oh.

SANCHEZ: I've got pictures.

KING: A meat suit.

SANCHEZ: I'll tell you what, it was my brother, Rudy, who did that to me. So you were not aware.

KING: I had a feeling it would be Rudy. Because you've never recovered, Rick!

BALDWIN: I think that's a no, Sanchez.

SANCHEZ: You would not wear a meat suit?

KING: No, I would not wear -- I would not wear a meat suit.

SANCHEZ: All right. We've got it.

KING: Why are you asking about this in the bureau?

SANCHEZ: Tell me what you've got.

KING: Ask Jon Klein. He would wear a meat suit.

SANCHEZ: Oh, God.

BALDWIN: What's going on tonight, Larry?

SANCHEZ: I love this man.

BALDWIN: What's on the show?

SANCHEZ: Tell me what you've got.

KING: Let's switch to a serious topic. Dr. Phil is going to talk to us about problems he'd like to end forever. Bullying, which I'm being bullied tonight, and domestic violence. And we'll ask him about his friend Oprah's last year on syndicated TV. And Donald Trump will tell us why he offered to buy the site for which that controversial Islamic community center is planned. So that's Trump, Dr. Phil and "Mr. Meat." I still don't get it.

SANCHEZ: Hey, Brooke, do me a favor.

BALDWIN: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Stop picking on Larry every time.

BALDWIN: I'm not picking on Larry. You're picking on Larry, putting him on the spot, asking him if he's going to rock some prime meat.

SANCHEZ: I've got to defend the guy. I'm telling you. Thanks, Larry.

Newt Gingrich has a famous track record of attacking President Obama, but his recent insults are explosive. Why he says the commander in chief conned America. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. One in five Americans think that President Obama is a Muslim. You know that, right? Many still believe he is not even a U.S. citizen. Why is that?

Well, part of the blame goes to some irresponsible politicians. Time now for "The List That U Don't Want 2 Be On."

Here's Republican Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House. Lately it seems that he's averaging at least one shocking comment a week. His latest gem, Gingrich tells "National Review" that President Obama has a "Kenyan, anti-colonial view of the world." It's a not-so- veiled appeal to the Birther Movement, right?

But wait, he's not done. Gingrich says the president conned America. Specific reference, conned. He says President Obama isn't normal, isn't reasonable, isn't moderate, nor transparent, nor accommodating. He even calls him dishonest.

Tonight, the architect of President Obama's 2008 campaign, this is David Plouffe, tells CNN that Gingrich's comments are sad and reprehensible. The White House is also responding. In fact, here, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He's trying to appeal to the fringe of people that don't believe the president was born in this country. You would normally expect better from somebody who had held the position of speaker of the House, but, look, it's political season and most people will say anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Don't forget, Newt Gingrich also threw gas on the fire during the debate about the Ground Zero Islamic center when he compared the situation to Nazis and the Holocaust. Gingrich is considering a run for the presidency, so political bombs are to be expected in this season. But dirty bombs should be called out from time to time, especially from a former speaker of the House of Representatives. Newt Gingrich earns top honors on "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On."

How in the heck does a car land on a roof? That's got to be next. And it's time for "Fotos," so stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. Everybody knows the early bird always gets the worm, right? But here's a case where waking up early saved a life. Time for "Fotos."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ah, dios mio.

SANCHEZ: A driver is lucky to be alive after crashing through the roof of his home in Fairburn, Georgia. But here's the real stroke of luck. The top landed on top of an upstairs bedroom, where one of the residents had woken up just minutes before this car came through the ceiling. That could have been one rude wake-up call. Police say the driver was speeding, hit an embankment, sailed 35 feet into the air before landing on the house.

Those aren't dominoes you are looking at. A freight train derails near Hager City, Wisconsin this morning. Now, one train car hit an overpass, sending dozens of other containers tumbling off the tracks. No injuries were reported.

And don't mess with this mascot. I want you to watch this, OK? "T-Rac," the raccoon, gets into an argument with the cheerleader in a game between the Tennessee Titans and the Oakland Raiders. She whacks him with her pom-pom and he swallows her whole. Shall we watch this one more time. We should.

Oh, my God, he just ate the cheerleader. Never seen anything quite like that. That is "Fotos." And you can see them for yourself whenever you want by going to our blog where you also see our videos of the day, the Rick vids. That's on CNN.com/ricksanchez.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ah, dios mio.

SANCHEZ: Hey, by the way, I want to tell you something. There's a lot of great questions that have been coming in about -- a lot of great tweets that have been coming in about a lot of the stories that we followed today. I think one of the funniest is people wanting to know, and maybe this is something I should have asked Brooke Baldwin, whether the meat suit that Lady Gaga was wearing smelled like meat. Does it?

I couldn't help but wonder, Maria in New York City says, "Does the dress stink like meat does?"

Actually, I never thought of that. But here's the tweet of the day. Here's the one that actually wins it for us tonight. The person who actually wins a copy of my book, "Conventional Idiocy" on book shelves as we speak, or you can get it from Amazon.

This is in relation to the story we did about the New York Jets. "Men are pigs. Alert the presses."

You think? That's our news. Thanks for being with us.

Here now, "LARRY KING LIVE."