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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Interview With John McCain; Is Romney Connecting with GOP Base?
Aired March 07, 2012 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much. Good evening, everyone. We begin tonight "Keeping Them Honest" with the Pentagon and White House beginning to weigh military action to stop the slaughter in Syria and those who say the administration is going too slow and doing too little.
Senator John McCain says so. You'll hear from him shortly. Also from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta who lays out the hazards of acting in haste.
With that as a backdrop, new video has emerged from inside a hospital in Homs. It has sickening stuff, appears to show patients who've been tortured, tortured in that very same hospital by government forces. We'll show you that video in a moment.
Syria state television today trying to show that the city of Homs has returned to normal. They showed this video today after bombarding the city for a month especially the Baba Amr neighborhood. Cleanup crews, cars on the streets, even ordinary people returning. That's what they showed on Syrian state television.
In video posted on YouTube today, video we've seen coming out of Homs, you get a far different picture. The streets, as you see, empty of cars and people. Rubble is deeper. The destruction apparently more complete. A top U.N. official who just got inside Homs today said parts of the city are completely devastated. Those were her words. She also says authorities kept her out of certain areas even though they promised her complete access.
Authorities have still not allowed the Red Cross in to bring humanitarian relief into the formerly besieged neighborhood.
And in parts of Homs today, the guns were still firing.
As always we're not there to see for ourselves because the regime keeps out reporters. That is when it's not shelling or killing them. Estimates there are tens of thousands have now fled the killing. A French doctor who smuggled himself into Homs suggested today the reports of torture in government controlled hospitals continue. Hospitals that have turned into houses of horror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUES BERES, CO-FOUNDER, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDER (Through Translator): The regular people from the population do not trust the government hospitals anymore. There are confirmed stories of amputations of no reason, removal, kidnapping, executions, even torture.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Torture inside hospitals. Now we've been hearing these reports for many months. We've reported on this program over and over but tonight there appears to be video evidence of that torture. Video reportedly taken undercover in a Homs hospital that shows a ward full of wounded men chained to their beds. Some of the injuries appear to have been afflicted by beating and/or electricity. Now at one point the camera pans over to a table on which you can see what appears to be jumper cables.
This video is consistent with that doctor's account and numerous videos we've now seen of torture victims after the fact. This, though, is the first time we've seen actual tools of torture in a hospital.
And given all that, Washington is grappling with what to do next. Secretary of State Clinton meets with her Russian counterpart next week. Russia has been protecting Syria diplomatically. It's been arming the Assad regime for decades and continues to do that. Today Joint Chiefs chairman, General Martin Dempsey, told lawmakers that initial planning is under way for operations against Syria but his boss, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, counsel caution for now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: What doesn't make sense is to take unilateral action at this point. As secretary of defense, before I recommend that we put our sons and daughters in uniform in harm's way, I've got to make very sure that we know what the mission is. I've got to -- I've got to make very sure that we know whether we can achieve that mission, at what price, and whether or not it will make matters better or worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That answer came in response to a sharply worded question from ranking Republican Senator John McCain who asked Secretary Panetta, quote, "how many more would have to die," unquote, before the secretary is convinced that America should intervene? I spoke with Senator McCain shortly after that exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Senator McCain, the president and the secretary of defense have both said that to take unilateral military action at this point would be a mistake. Why do you think they're wrong?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Well, first of all, I don't want to take unilateral action and it's unfortunate they portray it that way. I think we need a coalition of nations that would join together and stop the massacre that's taking place in Syria as we speak. You have reported extensively. There are 7,500 people who have been massacred and more to come. Testimony by the director of National Intelligence is that momentum is on the side of Bashar Assad. Other testimony saying that Assad may go but it can take a very long period of time. And also I would add that the head of our Central Command testified yesterday that if Assad were taken down, it would be the greatest blow to Iran in 25 years.
We intervened in Bosnia, we intervened in Kosovo because people were being massacred. That is part of the president's stated national security policy. We need to act and we need to act with other nations who will join us in this cause.
COOPER: You talked about not going unilaterally. The secretary of defense, though, argues that it's not like Libya that right now there's not a coalition of states including Arab states calling for intervention. And the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said that the Syrian air defenses are a lot more sophisticated than the Libyan's air defenses, who are more difficult to hit.
MCCAIN: We spend almost $1 trillion a year on the military, Anderson. And we can't take out air defenses of Syria? That is an horrific waste of the taxpayers' dollars. Every time that one of these crises happens, and I remember well, under President Clinton, Bosnia and Kosovo, we can't do it. They can always think of reasons not to do it. We led from behind in Libya. We were the last ones on board.
By the way, the -- the Saudi foreign minister called for arming the rebels. There is other nations, Qatar, UAE and others are working to help the Syrians. But those people who watch CNN every night are treated or have the opportunity unfortunately to watch the sad spectacle of Syrians being massacred by Bashar Assad.
If we can do something about it, and we can, we should, unilaterally, and it's going to -- excuse me, not unilaterally. No boots on --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Hey, welcome back to the program. We clearly had a major technical problem. We had to go to a commercial break. We're going to reset that interview with John McCain. We taped it just shortly before we went to air. So here's the interview with John McCain in its entirety.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Senator McCain, the president and the secretary of defense have both said that to take unilateral military action at this point would be a mistake. Why do you think they're wrong?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Well, first of all, I don't want to take unilateral action and it's unfortunate they portray it that way. I think we need a coalition of nations that would join together and stop the massacre that's taking place in Syria as we speak.
You have reported extensively. There are 7,500 people who have been massacred and more to come. Testimony by the director of National Intelligence is that momentum is on the side of Bashar Assad. Other testimony saying that Assad may go but it can take a very long period of time. And also I would add that the head of our Central Command testified yesterday that if Assad were taken down, it would be the greatest blow to Iran in 25 years.
We intervened in Bosnia, we intervened in Kosovo because people were being massacred. That is part of the president's stated national security policy. We need to act and we need to act with other nations who will join us in this cause.
COOPER: You talked about not going unilaterally. The secretary of defense, though, argues that it's not like Libya that right now there's not a coalition of states including Arab states calling for intervention. And the chairman of the Joint Chiefs said that the Syrian air defenses are a lot more sophisticated than the Libyan's air defenses, who are more difficult to hit.
MCCAIN: We spend almost $1 trillion a year on the military, Anderson. And we can't take out air defenses of Syria? That is an horrific waste of the taxpayers' dollars. Every time that one of these crises happens, and I remember well, under President Clinton, Bosnia and Kosovo, we can't do it. They can always think of reasons not to do it. We led from behind in Libya. We were the last ones on board.
By the way, the -- the Saudi foreign minister called for arming the rebels. There is other nations, Qatar, UAE and others are working to help the Syrians. But those people who watch CNN every night are treated or have the opportunity unfortunately to watch the sad spectacle of Syrians being massacred by Bashar Assad.
If we can do something about it, and we can, we should, unilaterally, and it's going to -- excuse me, not unilaterally, no boots on the ground, with other nations who will join us if we lead and we can bring this to a halt.
COOPER: So you're not -- you're not calling -- because it's been portrayed that you were calling for basically U.S. planes just flying bombing runs. You're not calling for that. You're calling for other nations in the air as well?
MCCAIN: Absolutely. And again, it's unfortunate because I have -- I said foreign airpower. In Libya they were able to do it with British and French and others and UAE aircraft and others. We have the capacity, in my view, to stop Assad and the slaughter but it's also going to require sanctuary, arms training and some other things as well. But now it's reached the point where you have artillery and tanks against AK-47s. It's going to require foreign airpower. And again the United States, not going alone but the United States leading.
COOPER: As you pointed out, we've been reporting on this pretty much every night now for a year. I've been disappointed, though, a lot of other networks haven't been -- haven't been reporting on this because of the -- we've had the videos that are available, even if we're not allowed into the country ourselves.
What do you say to those Americans who look at this, who look at those pictures, and say, you know what, this is horrific but the U.S. is already involved in two wars and we just can't afford and shouldn't be involved in another one?
MCCAIN: First of all, again, I'd like to say I watch it regularly and it's been extensive coverage. And my answer to that is, what does the United States stand for? What do we believe in? We believe in freedom. We went to Bosnia. We went to Kosovo. We regret enormously that we didn't do something to try and stop the genocide in Rwanda. We look back if we failed to intervene years from now and thousands and thousands of Syrians have been massacred while we stood by because we, quote, "can't address the issue"?
We can. We're the best military in the world. I understand the strain on American military. I understand the sacrifices made by American families. But I also understand the proudest part of America's history is when we have tried to help other people achieve the same goals that we so passionately articulated when we declared our independence.
COOPER: Two quick political questions. I'd be remiss if I didn't ask about last night's Super Tuesday results. Your candidate, Governor Romney, had a specially good night winning the big prize, obviously, Ohio. Do you believe the time has come for other candidates to now get out of the race?
MCCAIN: I would -- I would hope so, but I can't tell the other candidates what they should do. They have to make their own decisions. I am aware how tough an environment this is and -- so they have to make up their own minds. But it is a fact that the longer this drags out, the higher the negatives of our -- of Mitt Romney and the harder it will be to win the election in November. That's just fundamental facts.
COOPER: Your former running mate, Governor Palin, was on CNN last night saying she would leave the door open to her name being placed into nomination at -- if there was a contested convention. What was your reaction to that?
MCCAIN: Right. Glad to see that Sarah is still willing to get in the arena. I greatly admire and respect her. And so, Sarah, you know, I view it with great interest your comment last night. But I also think that, you know, that this thing is going to be resolved hopefully sooner for Mitt Romney than later.
COOPER: Senator McCain, I always appreciate your time. Thank you.
MCCAIN: Thank you, Anderson.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Well, let us know what you think about what the senator said on Twitter. We're talking about it right now, @Andersoncooper is my Twitter address. Join us on Facebook, Google Plus, add us to your circles.
Up next, why all four candidates still think they've got a chance at the Republican presidential nomination. John King maps out what Super Tuesday changed, what it didn't, and how the races ahead could change the picture yet again.
Later, just who is the woman in that picture? Is she just a simple small town mom? A soccer mom with four kids? Or is she as authorities allege a madam to the high and mighty, selling sex in New York? "Crime & Punishment" tonight.
Let's also check in with Isha -- Isha?
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Anderson, you might not know it but the Vatican has got a Web site and not only that, it's got a Web site that just got targeted by the most notorious hackers out there. We'll tell you why the group known as Anonymous took aim. That and much more when 360 continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: "Raw Politics" now. PST. Post Super Tuesday. Three or four Republican challengers chalking up wins last night. Mitt Romney continuing to draw questions about his ability to close the deal but also continuing to pile up delegates to close the deal. None of the four dropping out. John King at the map tonight shows why.
JOHN KING, ANCHOR, CNN'S JOHN KING, USA: Anderson, here's the state of play the night after Super Tuesday. If you go across the map, 23 states have voted so far, 14 for Governor Romney. That's the dark red. Seven for Senator Santorum. That's purple. Two for Speaker Gingrich. That's the orange. This pink color here, so no victories for Ron Paul.
What's up next? Kansas on Saturday. Santorum thinks he's going to win there. Speaker Gingrich pulled back today, says he won't compete. Then these two contests kick in. This is a race more between Santorum and Gingrich than Romney. Yes, he'll run some ads. Yes, he hopes to get delegates. What he is hoping is that Santorum and Gingrich split these contests so that no one conservative emerges.
Here's why Team Romney today is saying we're inevitable. The other guys can't win. This is where they are after Super Tuesday. Almost 40 percent to the finish line. The finish line is 1144. They've got somewhere in the ballpark of 430 delegates. Nobody is even close. Add these three up, and they don't match Governor Romney.
But the race over the next week is not Romney territory. Kansas on Saturday, Santorum expects to win that. Gingrich has pulled out. Then this is the interesting question. Next Tuesday night. Mississippi and Alabama. If Rick Santorum can win Kansas, Mississippi and Alabama, he will say, Gingrich get out, I'm the conservative alternative. But if Gingrich can win these states -- and we switch these over to Gingrich -- assuming Santorum and Romney also pick up some delegates, but Gingrich wins them, we could end up here.
In a conversation a week from tonight, Governor Romney getting closer to the halfway mark. Santorum still in second place. Gingrich running third.
And if this is the scenario, Anderson, this is what the Romney campaign wants because then they think all four candidates stay in. Yes, they've taken a bit of a hit over the next week or so but with four candidates still in the race, they think from here on in things turn back to more favorable territory.
COOPER: John King, appreciate that. More on the "Raw Politics" now. Let's talk with Democratic strategist James Carville and Republican strategist and former Romney spokesman, Kevin Madden.
James, despite his success last night, you know, there are questions remain about Mitt Romney's ability or inability to connect with conservative working class voters, evangelical Christians, strong Tea Party supporters, people who say that faith is very important to them.
What is keeping him from connecting with those voters?
JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: You know, Erick Erickson, our colleague at CNN, pointed he can't carry the south, he can't carry evangelicals, he can't carry blue-collar voters. I mean he's got a real problem with basic constituencies in the Republican Party.
Having said that, he is the only one in the field -- I've maintained this consistently -- that has any chance whatsoever to be the nominee. He's in a race against 1144. But he's not -- it looks like he's not going to get that until May or maybe even June before he ties him up and have to bring superdelegates in for him to tie it up. This has not been a very kind process for Governor Romney at all.
COOPER: Kevin --
CARVILLE: But he's still going to win it.
COOPER: Kevin, is the inevitability argument the right one for the Romney campaign to be pushing?
KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, I've never liked the inevitability argument because I think this was a campaign that was built around earning the nomination. And I think in large part the governor has begun to earn the nomination and is in a position right now where he's very likely to be the nominee because he took that attitude, and that was going out and talking about the economy, talking about the big issues that are mobilizing Republican voters and making the case that he's best positioned to beat President Obama in a general election as a result.
So inevitability, I don't really want to use that word. But well positioned right now. A very likely nominee. I think after last night that's clear.
COOPER: Kevin, you were, I mean, his spokesman when you hear people say well, look, he has an inability to connect with all these groups, these core constituents to the Republican Party, what do you say?
MADDEN: Well, I think right now what's driving voter anxiety is their personal situation related to the economy. And a lot of what happens with Governor Romney when people start to question whether he has the ability to connect, it has questions to do with his personal wealth. So the issue is about him.
But when Governor Romney has an ability to talk about the future, what he wants to do to create jobs, to create prosperity, to create greater economic certainty for America so that all Americans can prosper and all Americans can be fully employed, that is where he has a connection with voters.
COOPER: But you're making it sound as if --
MADDEN: Their anxiety about the economy --
(CROSSTALK)
MADDEN: His reason for running is related to the economy. So I think there, he has a better connection.
COOPER: James, do you buy that? I mean, because Kevin is making it sound a little bit like he hasn't had the ability to talk about those things. He's been running for a long time now.
CARVILLE: Let me be uncharacteristically blunt. I agree with Mrs. Barbara Bush, the grand dame of the Republican Party, who said this is the worst campaign she'd seen in her lifetime and with all courtesy to Mrs. Bush, she's seen a lot of campaigns in her lifetime.
Santorum and Gingrich are so pathetic as candidates they can't even get on the ballot. Santorum couldn't even get on the ballot in some congressional districts in Ohio. They couldn't get on the ballot in Virginia. And Romney can't -- not only can't he put these people away, they're going to keep him gong up until late May or June.
I mean this is -- this thing is being played out. And I don't say this as a Democrat, just -- I've now been consistent about this. This field is horrible and Romney is not connecting out there. Even if big Midwestern states where he's outspending Santorum five, six to one, he's coming -- he'd win by a percentage point or two percentage points.
I mean this is -- this is very, very damning to the Mitt Romney brand. And that's just a fact. And every Republican knows that. Kevin knows that. Everybody knows that.
(LAUGHTER)
MADDEN: No. I respectfully disagree. I think Governor Romney right now -- look, he has -- he has 53 percent of the delegates right now. And folks like Santorum and Newt, they need 65, 70 percent to get the delegates so I think --
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: You don't think --
MADDEN: I think right now he's --
CARVILLE: Kevin, you're going to win. You're going to win. That's not the -- that's not the issue. You don't have to convince us that. You're going to be the nominee.
MADDEN: Right.
CARVILLE: The problem is what you've been put through and how you've damaged the brand to get there because you can't put away two of the sorriest presidential campaigns in the history of American politics.
MADDEN: Here's what happens in the general election. Look, and this is the nature of all primaries, James, you know this. But what's going to happen now is we're going to have very clear contrast on the number-one issue and that's the economy. In a general election matchup between Governor Romney and President Obama.
President Obama does not have a record to run on related to the economy.
COOPER: So you think whatever damage has been done, you think that's going to be forgotten by general election?
MADDEN: I think -- I think what we've seen because of the volatility of this race, Anderson, voters have had an ability to reframe them contest by contest. When we get into a general election, we're going to be well positioned to make sure that this is a referendum on the president's absolute lack of leadership on the economy, his inability to challenge and change the status quo in Washington.
COOPER: James, what --
MADDEN: But Romney --
COOPER: What about that, James? Because, I mean, during, you know, a tough time often people say, well, this is really doing damage, and then when the general comes, it's a different story.
CARVILLE: Look, it's going to be -- it's going to be a competitive general election. There's no doubt about that. But these guys are not going to get to the general election for a long time. In the meantime, he's still got to go unify a fragmented party. He's still got to go to Tampa. He's still got to unify his convention, and I guarantee you one thing.
The Obama people, they're not going wait very long. They're going to start on Governor Romney in the -- in the immediate future here. And this -- the things that he's had to say in his primary from immigration to tax policy to the personhood amendment, all of that stuff has all been cataloged, logged, every position that he's done. This guy is not going to get a chance to get out to chute.
But this has been a -- he has been a very, very disappointing candidate. Very disappointing to Republicans and the Republican establishment. And they're just going to have him -- they're going to have him because they've got to have him. That's -- not because they want him.
MADDEN: One last point, I'll tell you there's one thing right now that really, really unifies Republicans, and it's the prospect of beating President Obama in a general election and you couple that with independent voter dissatisfaction, even many conservative Democrats in key swing battleground states, their dissatisfaction with the president on the economy, and what you have is a very good prospect for Governor Romney to win in a general.
COOPER: James, do you feel more confident in President Obama's ability to get re-elected than you did, you know, two months ago?
CARVILLE: You know -- yes, of course I do. But I think there's -- I think there's some sort of overconfidence. You know I never was confident in '92. I'm a Catholic. We're not -- we don't -- we're not brought up to be confident about much.
(LAUGHTER)
CARVILLE: But yes, I do. What makes -- what makes me sort of confident here is -- I'm being really honest here. Romney has just not been a very good candidate. If they can keep him from talking it will be fine. But he keeps making the same mistake over and over again. And Obama has shown that he's can sort of improved, and he's gotten a lot better on his game, and you know, if you go -- as you go through that, you can see this happening. And so, I'm not -- I don't -- I wouldn't say I'm confident but I certainly feel better than I did before.
And you look at his latest polls, you can't help but feel better. "Wall Street Journal"/NBC poll was about as bad a poll as I've seen for a party in a long time. It was really, really bad if you're a Republican.
COOPER: Kevin Madden, James Carville, guys, thank you very much. Just ahead --
MADDEN: Glad to be with you. Thanks.
CARVILLE: Appreciate it.
Our investigation into a really shameful chapter of American history. You may not even know about why the state of California has made no efforts at all to compensate victims of its one prolific eugenics program. People forcibly sterilized without their consent. Also ahead, a suburban New York mom of four accused of running a successful prostitution ring with some very high level clients apparently.
Also tonight, key evidence to the trial of former Rutgers University student accused of spying on his roommate. His roommate later then he killed himself. It involves text messages, details ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: In "Crime and Punishment" tonight, the bizarre case here in New York of a suburban mom accused of running a brothel out of a Manhattan apartment catering to rich and powerful clients and apparently making millions.
As the pictures flashed in the "New York Post" today alleged Madam Anna Cristina posing with her husband there. Cristina is being held on $2 million bond on a charged of promoting prostitution.
Now prosecutors said up to 100 hours of surveillance video and audio recordings to back up the accusations. Our Miguel Marquez joins us live with more -- Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anderson, this is a woman that we're getting to know a lot about. You saw the picture in courts and she looked like a school mom basically, a librarian.
But you see that picture was splashed here in New York today, splashed across the page of "The New York Post" and you get a very different view of the woman, something much, much sexier that's for sure.
Prosecutors claimed, as you said, she made millions of dollars over a 15-year period running prostitutes out of an upper east side apartment and they believe they also have witnesses they say and in at least, one encounter that they recorded there were minors involved.
Prostitute minors involved as well. So they are taking a very hard look at the entire history of this woman and what she was doing running this on the Upper East Side.
COOPER: So this alleged to go on over a long period of time. What do we know of her alleged client list?
MARQUEZ: It's a -- it's certainly a great interest on Wall Street today. She was picked up on Wall Street coming out of a Morgan Stanley broker's office that she was dealing with. Prosecutors say that she was there to do a business deal to raise money for another illicit business.
Her defense attorneys say that she was there simply to get funding to run a web site. She wanted to run a dating web site. Well, that broker she is with is being talked to by investigators and Wall Street is abuzz with who else might be out there. In the recordings prosecutors say she claims to have clients around the world, high profile wealthy clients around the world. She claims to have law enforcement sources and friends in law enforcement that would inform her if there was an investigation under way.
Prosecutors even said they had to mount a complex operation in order to get her because she lives far upstate in New York and they had to get her here in Manhattan because they believe she was getting ready to flee possibly to Canada. She was hiding money away they said. It was quite an operation it sounded like.
COOPER: Miguel Marquez, appreciate it. Thanks very much. We're following a number of other stories right now. Isha's back with the "360 Bulletin" -- Isha.
ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, the head of the U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Agency says Iran is withholding information about its nuclear program and may have failed to declare facilities to the U.N.
These remarks come a day after the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany agreed to resume negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
In Oklahoma, three people were injured during a shooting outside a Tulsa courthouse. Police say the gunman shot into the air and then fired at officers who responded. They returned fire. A 23-year-old suspect is in custody.
A loosely knit international hacking group that goes by the name "Anonymous" is claiming to have shut down the Vatican's web site. The hackers said the attack is against the Catholic Church, not the faithful.
For the third year in a row, a Mexican telecom mogul Carlos keeps his ranking as the world's richest person. His net worth, $69 billion, "Forbes" magazine released its annual billionaires list today.
Anderson, researchers at Texas State University say the moon may have caused the "Titanic" to sink at least indirectly. Apparently, the moon was unusually close to the earth in 1912. The scientists say that caused the ocean's tide to rise and also resulted in more icebergs than usual in the area where the "Titanic" met its end.
COOPER: I read that today. I was confused by it.
SESAY: How so?
COOPER: I don't know. I'm not really a science guy.
SESAY: Did you read slowly?
COOPER: No. I read it very quickly.
SESAY: Well, go back and read slowly and come back to me. COOPER: Time now for the shot. We found this on YouTube. If you ever wondered who has the coolest parents ever, his name is Josh. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Josh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Josh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy birthday from Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. We wrote you a little song for your birthday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We thought we would record it for you and send it out to you. I hope you like it. You got the 18-year-old birthday blues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Grandparents. Belting out a happy birthday blues tune. It would be cool by itself but wait. There's more. Check out the moves. There you go.
SESAY: Yes, I would be mortified.
COOPER: Can you imagine how mortified this grandchild must be?
SESAY: Yes, because I'm mortified just watching it.
COOPER: I know. I'm embarrassed too. Yes, I appreciate the love that they are showing by doing this.
SESAY: I appreciate that too.
COOPER: As an adult I appreciate it. As a kid, I would have been horrified.
SESAY: Webcams, what can you say?
COOPER: I love how grandmother in the back is just rocking out to it.
SESAY: She's feeling it.
COOPER: Yes. Have you seen "Saturday Night Live" when they pretend to sing a song -- they pretend very have written these songs and they're not and they're ad-libbing it?
SESAY: Lost in translation.
COOPER: You probably don't know what "Saturday Night Live" is. You don't have that on your side of the pond. Isha, we'll check back with you a little bit later on. Coming up, a really remarkable story. It's an update to a story we've been reporting on now for several months. It's a very ugly chapter in American history.
Decades after fact, a man who was forcibly sterilized when he was just 14 years old wants the state of California to compensate him. He's now 82. He's not the only one. There were other victims as well, actually tens of thousands of people forcibly sterilized in this country. We got an update on that.
Also the man accused of killing 77 people in Norway last summer was formally charged. We have details on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: We've been profiling the Republican candidates' wives throughout this primary season. One of them could, of course, become the next first lady.
Up close tonight, Ann Romney. Last night in Boston, she introduced her husband to a crowd of supporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANN ROMNEY, WIFE OF MITT ROMNEY: I said, Mitt, I'm never going to do this again, but here we are. And the reason I'm here and the reason I'm behind mitt and the reason I'm fighting so hard and out there is because I believe he is the only person that can turn around America. So let's let him do that.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, sweetie. She's the best. She is the best.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, Mitt Romney, of course, won six states yesterday including Ohio. He hasn't yet had the breakout victories he needs to put Rick Santorum soundly behind him.
The votes of women obviously are going to be crucial and many of Romney advisers see his wife, Ann, as a huge asset. With a profile, here's Randy Kaye.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Romney household, Ann Romney has a host of titles, trusted adviser, the Mitt stabilizer, mother and grandmother, but she's also the great protector of all things Romney.
RON SCOTT, MITT ROMNEY BIOGRAPHER: The last person on earth you would want to cross would be Ann Romney. If you go after one of her kids or after her husband, she's going to be there.
KAYE: Ron Scott has known Mitt Romney since 1985 and just wrote a book about him. He says Ann is no pushover. SCOTT: She got into a tiff with one of her teenage boys and he was being a smart mouth and she was trying to get away to go to the cape for the weekend.
He was going back and forth with her and finally, she got in the car, slammed the door and said, see you later, and took off and left him sitting there in the driveway.
KAYE: Scott says, Ann even stood up to her mother who voiced concern years ago when Ann and Mitt started having so many children.
SCOTT: Her mom said, gee, you're over populating the earth and Ann at one point said, mom, if you want to see your grandsons on a regular basis, you need to knock this stuff off.
KAYE: With Ann, Scott says what you see is what you get and that works in Mitt's favor on the campaign trail.
ANN ROMNEY: I believe he will be the nominee and also will be the next president of the United States, but only with your help.
KAYE (on camera): What kind of asset would you say Ann Romney is on the campaign trail?
SCOTT: She's a terrific asset. She's somebody that people can relate to. You look at her and you listen to her speak and she exudes warmth and friendliness and kindness and sincerity.
And unfortunately that doesn't come through with her husband as much. He seems more programmed and stiff and not the warm, easy going comfortable person that Ann is.
KAYE (voice-over): Ann Romney humanizes her husband calling him her most disobedient child. She often shares secret about his love of chocolate milk and his, quote, "obsession with peanut butter" and of course, tales of romance.
ANN ROMNEY: We're high school sweethearts and we still are sweethearts, which is awfully nice. We have five wonderful sons. We have 16 grandchildren.
KAYE: Like Mitt, Ann grew up wealthy in Michigan. Her father manufactured auto parts. She and Mitt fell in love in high school. Mitt proposed when Ann was just 15.
They married while in college at Brigham Young University, a Mormon school in Utah. Ann had converted to Mormonism in high school. Their love affair has been part of the campaign rhetoric dating back to this ad for Mitt's 2002 Senate run simply titled "Ann."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANN ROMNEY: Our first real date --
MITT ROMNEY: The night of the senior prom.
ANN ROMNEY: Mitt pulls up to pick me up in some goofy looking car.
MITT ROMNEY: It was an AMC Marland.
ANN ROMNEY: He's a little embarrassed about it.
MITT ROMNEY: It was kind of awful.
ANN ROMNEY: It was very romantic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Mitt admits without Ann, he's a bit lost.
MITT ROMNEY: If I'm away from Ann for longer than a week or so, I get off course. She has to bring me back and moderate me down a bit.
KAYE: When he was heading up the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, he sent for her after he's been away just a few weeks. On debate night, she's his security blanket.
SCOTT: He looks around and he says, where's Ann? The camera focuses on Ann and he sees her and that settles him and he goes off to debate.
KAYE (on camera): Still, Ann may not be perfect. In 1994, during Mitt's Senate campaign, she told the "Boston Globe" money was so tight in college, they considered selling stock from their portfolio. Critics painted her as out of touch.
SCOTT: Everybody that read that gasped.
KAYE (voice-over): Ann's greatest challenge though had nothing to do with politics. In 1998, she learned she had multiple sclerosis.
ANN ROMNEY: It was a devastating thing in my life and was very tough. I went from being a very active, involved and hands on mom to hardly being able to take care of myself.
KAYE: To feel better, she turned to holistic therapies and horseback riding, but here battle didn't end there. In 2008, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Whether its cancer or the campaign trail, Ann Romney is a fighter. She has beaten two life threatening diseases, but she knows with the GOP nomination still up for grabs, there are many more battles ahead. Randy Kaye, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, coming up, we have breaking news out of Syria. Signs of possible cracks in the regime. We'll have that in a moment and more news. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: Breaking news now, signs of perhaps growing pressure on the Assad regime. A man saying he's the Syrian deputy oil minister appearing now in a YouTube video announcing his defection.
The man appears to be the same person pictured on a web site under the same name and title. In the YouTube video, the man says, quote, "I announced that I am joining the revolution of the people."
Joining us now on the phone, Fran Townsend, a national security contributor, a former Homeland Security adviser during the Bush administration. Fran, I mean, how significant could this be?
FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: What you want to see now, Anderson, is will there be others at a more senior level? Will you get cabinet ministers? Some of the cabinet ministers like his security chief that are actually related to Assad and so you are unlikely to see people like that defect. You will look for others, the oil minister, others who have strong contacts in the regime.
COOPER: Fran, are you all right?
TOWNSEND: Sorry.
COOPER: No worries. Something caught in your throat. We're clearly -- we're actually having -- I'll let you go. We're having a problem and having a technical issue.
We have a night plagued with technical problems in the control room. I apologize for that. We'll get more details about this possible deflection and what significance it may have, if any. We'll try to bring that to you later on.
We're following a number of other stories. Isha is back with the "360 News and Business Bulletin" -- Isha.
SESAY: Anderson, a development in the trial of a former Rutgers University student. Dharun Ravi sent text messages to his roommate, Tyler Clementi, trying to make amends. It was sent the night Clementi committed suicide. Ravi's accused of using a webcam to spy on Clementi's intimate encounter with another man>
The man accused of murdering 77 people in an attack in Norway last year was charged today with homicide and committing acts of terror. Prosecutors say Anders Breivik was mentally ill when he allegedly opened fire. He's pleaded not guilty.
Today, Apple unveiled its latest version of its popular iPad. It's high definition with a faster processor, better camera and sharper display screen. The new iPad goes on sale in the U.S. on March 16th.
Two solar flares the sun ejected yesterday may create a magnetic storm that could disrupt high frequency radio communication, global positioning systems and power grids on earth. The peak of the storm could hit tomorrow. And say hello to these adorable little cubs. They were born yesterday to an endangered cubs at a zoo in Tacoma, Washington. The cubs are male and female and weigh only about half a pound each. Zoo officials say they are healthy. So far, they have not been named. I have an idea. I go with Cooper and Sesay. You weren't listening.
COOPER: Someone is talking in my ear. There's pandemonium in the control room.
SESAY: OK.
COOPER: So, by the way, Darton cat is the (inaudible) and Fred is the skit.
SESAY: Someone just told you that in your ear.
COOPER: No. Someone tweeted me and then I remembered Fred and I couldn't believe I couldn't remember his name before because I'm a huge fan of his. I digress.
We were trying to get video to show people and to show you to educate you, if you will, on this. There they are. Let's listen. Let's listen.
They claim they right these songs, but they are totally adlibbing it. I digress. "The Ridiculist" is coming up. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time for "The Ridiculist." Tonight, we're adding the high price of popcorn and candy at the movies. This is outrageous. One guy in Michigan has had enough. He's suing a movie theater because they charged him $8 for a soda and a box of goobers, which, by the way, I love and you can get right around the corner for less than three bucks.
We've all been there. You go to a movie and say you're going to stay away from the concession stand because it's a rip-off and next thing you know you're taking a loan on your 401(k) for sour patch kids. It can be so hard to resist.
Theaters know how to lure you with the smell of popcorn, fake smell of buttery spread or whatever they call it now. The candy displayed under glass like jewels and the dancing hotdog from the good old days.
You hear that. Ding. Is that supposed to somehow short circuit your senses to make you buy candy against your better judgment? The good old days were so quaint. Can someone please get me some junior mints? For some reason, I literally can't function without junior mints right now. Can we do that?
No. OK, so the guy is suing the movie theater has taken a stand against injustice, but it's an injustice that, let's face it, can be pretty easily solved without time, energy and paperwork of filing a lawsuit like employing the technique of pants pockets. Sure enough in his lawsuit, the guy says he used to smuggle in his own candy and soda although it's Michigan, so they refer to it as pop, which -- but anyway, he says, he had to stop doing that because the theater posted a sign saying you're not allowed to bring your own food.
Seriously? That's all it took, a sign? There might be an easy way for the movie theater to end this. Put up a sign on this guy's lawn saying please don't file lawsuits. He's likely to obey.
CNN's senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin who did not immediately hang up on us when we called to ask him about this says everyone is rooting for the guy because we all know movie theater refreshments are a total rip-off, but he has zero chance of winning the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: If this guy runs into a grumpy judge, he could wind up losing his case and having to pay the other side's legal fees. I think paying for the goobers might have been a better option.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: A very good point Jeff makes. Here's really what bothers Jeff Toobin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOOBIN: What is the deal with Mike and Ike? I've seen this candy my whole life. I have never seen one person eat it. What kind of name is that for a candy? Look, I know Raisinettes, I know you, Sno-Caps, I know Goobers, I don't know what Mike and Ike is. I -- it's haunting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: See, you know how I know Jeff Toobin is smart because even his musings on candy are profound and poetic.
So here's to you, Jeff Toobin, and your search for answers about those Mike and Ikes. I don't know what they are either. And here's to all the Twizzlers Smugglers, and especially people who manage to resist the movie theater popcorn, keep fighting the good fight.
That's it for us. We'll see you again one hour from now. Another edition of 360. Piers Morgan, no stranger to a box of buttered popcorn, if you know what I mean, is next.
