U.S. Says Pakistani Strike Was Self-Defense; Parents Allegedly Killed Own Daughters
BROOKE BALDWIN: Now this. Here we go, hour two. I'm Brooke Baldwin. A number of stories we're working for you. First, President Obama making the fight over your money personal this afternoon while Republicans seem divided. U.S. defense officials also saying mistakes were made in a deadly attack. And anyone traveling for the holidays, you have to listen up here. Chad has some breaking weather news for you. Time to play "Reporter Roulette." But, Jessica Yellin, the senior White House correspondent, let's begin with you. We heard from the president not too long ago clearly putting the pressure on House leadership as he is really making this personal, personifying this impasse, playing directly to the American people.</s>JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Brooke. In this instance, think about the stalemate the president faced earlier this summer, where he was fighting with Congress over a vague and confusing issue, the debt ceiling that didn't hit Americans in any kind of direct way. Contrast that with this issue which hits Americans directly in their wallet. If this isn't resolved by January 1, your average American family will see $40 less in their paycheck. It couldn't be more simple and a more clear argument for the president to be making, that Congress should get its act together and resolve this one way or another. So it's a very clear fight for the president to be having. And not only that. He has both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate on his side. And it is just Republicans in the House who are in opposition to him. So he couldn't be in a sweeter spot for himself. It is a very easy fight for him to have both on the politics and the policy, Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: Meantime, in a much warmer climate, you have the first lady and the two daughters, two bad you're not there, I guess, in Hawaii vacationing. They were hoping the president would be there. He is not because of this impasse. Is there any indication he will be taking a vacation?</s>YELLIN: The White House isn't saying that the president has any plans to join them. But the last hurdle that was keeping him from going other than this payroll fight was the -- what's called the omnibus spending bill. That's the big budget that funds the government through 2012 next year. Had not yet arrived at the White House yesterday. It is now here. The president can sign it. So as of -- the White House has said or administration has said that he will sign it before midnight tomorrow. So we could see a situation where the president signs it either today or tomorrow and gets on a plane, could go to join his family for Christmas in Hawaii and then, in theory, could come back after the weekend to sit here at the White House and once again urge Congress to pass some kind of payroll extension so the American people's taxes don't go up in the new year. We could see him going to Hawaii for a brief Christmas break and then come back if this isn't done, Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: We will see. I'm sure members of Congress would like to take vacations as well. Some are of them sticking around Washington. Jessica Yellin, thank you. Speaking of Congress, let's take you now live to Capitol Hill next on "Reporter Roulette." Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash joins me now. And, Dana, it's not often you see the number-one Republican on the Senate side and the president on the same side of something.</s>DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's not often at all. And that certainly is the headline here from Capitol Hill on this stalemate today. And that is, the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, breaking his silence. He hasn't really said anything at all. He's been home and still is in his state of Kentucky, saying that he has what he calls a path forward, which is effectively siding with the Democrats. Let's face it. He says that he believes the Democrats should appoint the so- called conferees or the negotiators to go ahead and start talking about a long-term deal to extend this payroll tax cut for the entire year, which is what Republicans want, but also telling his fellow Republicans in the House, you have got to do a short-term extension. That is something that they have simply not wanted to do, really dug in against doing that. One little important thing here is that it was a carefully worded statement. And the Republican leader did not specifically say that the House Republicans should pass what the Senate passed, which is a two-month extension. He simply said to extend it, gave them some wiggle room to see if they could maybe save face a little bit and find a compromise a little bit short of or maybe longer than, so to speak, a two-month extension.</s>BALDWIN: Perhaps intentionally nebulous. Everybody very carefully crafted there on Capitol Hill. I know, Dana, that you have been talking to House Republicans. You know them. You have great sources. Do you think that the House Republicans will cave because of this pressure from Senator McConnell?</s>BASH: Ultimately, it's hard to imagine them not giving in. But in the short term, I'm told from House Republican sources not to see -- I mean, don't look for something today, for example, and probably not until next week. That could change because this is a fast-moving story. But why is that? Because, look, number one, certainly this is a powerful voice, Mitch McConnell, saying let's get on with it, guys. But House Republicans are really mad at Mitch McConnell, their fellow Republican leader in the Senate, because they feel like he negotiated this short-term deal and it is a bad deal, and that he put them in a bad political position. Secondly, look, on the fundamentals, many House Republicans believe that this is bad policy to extend this payroll tax cut for two months. You finally saw them trying to get their message mojo today trying to explain why they think it is bad policy, talking about it being terrible for small businesses and really costing small businesses a lot of money to figure out the paperwork of this. So getting -- turning that ship and getting them or at least enough of them to agree to doing this is going to be pretty tough. And it will be a very, very tough move for the speaker of the House, for Speaker Boehner, because so many people in his conference are so mad. Look, he has to protect his power here and he has to protect his interests and make sure that people...</s>BASH: Yes, make sure that people don't get extremely mad at him and his leadership.</s>BALDWIN: Dana Bash, you picked quite the week to come back from maternity leave. It is wonderful talking to you, by the way, new mom.</s>BASH: Thank you. You, too, Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: Welcome back. Dana, thank you.</s>BASH: Thank you. It's good to be with you. Next on "Reporter Roulette": new developments here on this deadly attack along the Afghan border. This is an attack that has further complicated the already tenuous relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan. Let's go to Barbara Starr there at the Pentagon. Barbara, according to the investigation by the Defense Department, U.S. troops acted in self-defense -- that's what we're hearing from them -- with that airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani troops.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they say self- defense, but that's like saying, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? This is a case where back on November 25, U.S. airstrikes were called in on that border when U.S. forces said they were under fire from insurgents. It turned out it was Pakistani troops that they did not know were in the area. The Pakistanis thought they were under fire. Huge firefight ensues. What are we talking about? Bad coordination, bad information, mistrust between both sides, not telling each other the full picture about where they were operating, bad mapping data, so that when they were trying to sort it all out, in fact, some people looking at some of the maps were looking at an area 14 kilometers away from where the firefight was actually happening, all of this the result of a U.S. military investigation into it, saying the U.S. troops are acting under self-defense. But, look, the Pakistanis are furious about this. They remain furious. And relations with this vital ally remain very strained. Experts will tell you, there is no sign of it thawing any time soon -- Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: Given the strain, given the tenuous relationship in terms of next, is there any chance the U.S. apologizes?</s>STARR: Well, this is all very carefully done in diplomatic talk, isn't it? The U.S. has said it regrets the incident. It is very sorry about it. A full-blown apology? The Pakistanis would like to see President Obama come out and apologize, but there may be political ramifications for the president, who may not want the Republicans to see that picture of him doing it. So, I think what you will see, the indications are U.S. will offer payments to the families of those who were killed. It is very typical in that part of the world. That is what is done. Look for that to happen very quietly, but a full-blown apology by the United States government, not so soon.</s>BALDWIN: Not going to happen. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon -- Barbara, thank you.</s>BALDWIN: Still ahead: This very minute, 6,000 nurses are on strike, walking off the job. We will tell you why when I speak with one of them live and what this means for patients. Plus, this:</s>MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: From the front to the back of the bus, with people just beating the hell out of you.</s>BALDWIN: Wow. We are now hearing what killed a Florida A&M; band member. And the question now, who threw the deadly punches? Also, just days after U.S. combat troops leave Iraq, a devastating attack. One Iraqi leader tells CNN, the U.S. was warned about this. And for days, a college student was nowhere to be found, her family begging for her safe return. Then, all of a sudden, that changed. She is alive. OK. Wonderful, but where was she for a week? What are her family members saying? Stay here.