you just saw ricci and vargas. it seems if you take a test and you do better than everybody else, you should be promoted. when you start getting judges and appeals judges involved in things like this, sometimes things change. that has been the crux of the matter in the case of sonia sotomayor. i am going to bring in gloria bo borger. i want to let you know there has been a shooting in new jersey where five police officers have been shot and we are now learning from our own sources that four of those officers are injured pretty badly. in fact, it is being called critical in at least a couple of cases. maybe a shot to the face.

another one shot to the neck. the man who shot them apparently was wearing -- rob, if you have got some of those pictures, let's share those real quick. the man who shot them according to police was dressed as a priest. look at the pandemonium in new jersey. this is near nerscy city. this happening just a couple of hours ago. again, we are on it. we are going to be drilling down on this. i have now learned the police chief there is going to join me live to take us through this. first, let's go back to gloria. two of the 19 firefighters who were denied a promotion after passing a test and doing well on it and working so hard to prepare for that test. what is it that makes this story dlifrn tsearch through the eyes of perhaps sonia sotomayor than the average american? >> i think this is where -- you

have heard our panel talk about this all morning. this is where the issue of race comes into play. the issue of affirmative action. because sonia sotomayor is a latina, she would be the first hispanic on the supreme court. i think it takes on a special rest son nance. also, because her ruling in which she agreed with the two other judges in her circuit came with a very short explanation is something you have heard these firefighters really object to and also because they were overturned by the supreme court. what judge sotomayor would say that the supreme court set precedent itself in overturning her circuit by saying that the fear of a lawsuit, because new haven was afraid it was going to get sued, that the fear of liability is not enough to throw out the test. >> she is essentially arguing that she was following the law, even if she felt bad for these

guys who had worked so hard to pass this test, she couldn't let her own personal opinion get in the way and she followed the law and let the supreme court make its decision to overturn. it is funny when you look at this from the outside and you are not an insider. it doesn't seem right but maybe that's just way the system works. >> that's been her argument throughout the entire hearings that we have watched, which is that essentially, she doesn't legislate -- she doesn't adjudicate, i sh yould say, fro the heart that judging is a matter of precedent and not a matter of following where your heart might be or your sympathies might lie or anything else for that matter. >> we are going to be following the sotomayor hearings during this next hour. we do have some interesting testimony that we are going to be playing for you today. there were a couple of moments today that i thought there were particularly interesting, if not maybe as you look at it conflicting. we will leave it at that.

we will come back to it. gloria, thanks so much for joining us with that perspective. here, we go with your national conversation. what a scene in new jersey after five officers are shot. >> this individual came fully ready to go to war with us. >> this is a still developing story. drilling down on this scene. >> that may have started it all. >> you will see the video. wise latina women. >> sonia is trying to say, i'm not a maid. >> and their message to these guys. 24 hours later, a fiery accident still smoldering. we will tell you why it is taking so long to put it out as part of our national conversation for thursday, july 16th, 2009. as usual, a lot going on.

hello again everybody. i'm rick sanchez with the next generation of news. we like to say this is a conversation, not a speech. it is certainly your turn to get involved. we are going to get you involved with something we are hearing about right now spast. following the latest on the senate confirmation hearings on supreme court nominee, sonia sotomayor, and we are certainly going to have a whole lot on that in a little bit. first, would you believe that we are now being told there may be another police shooting in our country. first, this one. it was all but a gun battle that occurred in new jersey. it happened there in new jersey this morning between the city's police department and a couple of suspected bad guys. we are now hearing one of those or the bad guy was dressed as a priest. after all the dust and bullets and gun powder settled, five police officers were shot, two of them suffering critical injuries and requiring emergency surgeries. one suffering a gunshot wound to the neck. the second officers reportedly shot in the face. apparently, it was a gunshot. i don't mean it was shots that

were fired -- i mean a shotgun. both, we are told are out of surgery and expected to recover. the same can't be said for the suspects. both were shot dead. cnn law enforcement analyst and former d.c. police, mike brooks, is joining us now. you have made some phone calls. you found out that there were some real heroism involved here, that these two guys could easily be dead. >> absolutely. when people need help, they call 911. when police need help, they call the emergency services unit. these were the officers involved in this gun battle this morning. initially, a detective was shot, a detective and lieutenant from the major crime squad. they were looking at two suspects. they came out, they confronted them. the guy dressed as a priest pulled up a shotgun, a shotgun that you don't have to put up to your shoulder. i talked to lieutenant martinez, he was telling me it is wa a shotgun you hold at your side and he opened up on him, shot the detective in the leg.

they ran into an apartment building and barricaded themselves in the third floor. the police set up a perimeter and called for an emergency services unit. jersey services are one of the most professional, tactical units in the country. they asked for the help of the port authority of new york and new jersey. >> i understand one of these emts risked his own life to drag the two officers out. >> he did. they were making a tactical approach to the apartment. as this they were coming up, they were shoot at through the door and the wall. one officer shot twice in the face. another officer shot in the neck. two emts, emergency medical technicians, from the jersey city medical center volunteered to go in. they were covered. they went in and drug these two out. one of them was flat lined. the one shot twice in the face had flat lined. they started doing cpr. i spoke to the lieutenant. he said they are both in critical condition. they would be dead if it weren't for the two emts. >> they dragged them out while

the suspects were still shooting? >> that's correct. you talk about heroism, that's what i am talking about. >> that's the one shot twice in the face? >> yes. if they hadn't gotten to them when they did, we could be talking about two dead. >> the information we have now, both are in surgery. the one suffering a shot to the neck and the one who suffered a shot to the face. here is the police chief. here is what he had to tell reporters. he will be joining us hopefully in just a little bit. >> he dressed himself accordingly to keep the weapon with him at all times. as he realized we were on him, he shed an outer garment to make sure he could pull the shotgun up and go to war almost instantly. go to battle. >> is there a man and woman here involved in this crime? >> two people involved. that's pushing the envelope. i will give you that one later

on. the suspect's ages at this point in team, we are not willing to give that either. reed, r-e-e-d. >> i am 99% sure we have everybody in custody. the investigation has some areas we are trying to close up. >> he said some tentacles. five people shot in new jersey. you ready for this? this just in. we are getting brand new information we are willing to share now. cnn can now confirm two police officers have now been shot on chicago's south side. an officer with media relations department of the chicago police department is saying that the shooting happened just a little while ago. this is at 31 east 112th place

in chicago. at this point, we understand the officer's injuries are believed to be nonlife threatening. you never know. we heard that out of new jersey as well until we got some of mike's information. cnn continues to follow the situation. certainly, with the help of our affiliates. these are some of the first pictures coming in now. what's your take on this situation sm chicago? >> rick, you and i have talked about the south side of chicago. all the students, the high school students over the past year that have been shot an killed here. it seems like we talk about things that go on overseas in the middle east. we have the battle on the streets here. friends of mine last night, held up in their house at gunpoint for a tell rigs. it is ridiculous. >> you can't help but get upset. we are following this story. we expect when comey comes out, come back out here. >> absolutely. >> he is quite a character. >> he is agood chief.

a great department up there in jersey city. >> we appreciate it. meanwhile, this. >> we have recovered the safe, several guns, one of which we believe is the murder weapon. >> some new twists and some new turns in the case of a murdered florida couple. what a story this is turning into. in fact, mike brooks is going to jin join me on that as well. we are learning robbery may not be the only motive. what could it be? we are getting more information about michael jackson. 25 yearsing a, his hair on fire. his scalp damaged. could this help now explain his addiction to prescription drugs? oh, by the way, you will see the video as it happens. we have it for you in full report. also, remember that our show doesn't end today. as soon as our show normally ends, we are going to keep going. when the tv version of our national conversation is over, you can logon to cnn.com/live

where the conversation continues online. your tweets, messages, some guests, extended and all that, the aftershow. right here at 4:00.

welcome back. thank you to all of those who are welcoming me back. yes, it is nice to be back on the set. look, we are going to be talking a lot about sonia sotomayor's hearing in a little bit. trust me, i heard plenty from some other so-called wise latina women, about how she, sonia sotomayor, is being treated.

maybe it is just an irony that some of these gray-haired, older men would be seen grilling, if not often lecturing judge sotomayor. senator sessions, a 62-year-old man questioning a woman who grew up in the projects on whether she can live on a judge's salary. he asked her that. senator cornyn, a 57-year-old from texas, questioning her understanding of martin luther king and her understanding of discrimination, a woman who grew up in the projects. senator coburn, a 61-year-old from oklahoma, said to sotomayor that she would have some, quote, splainen to do. i want you to hear what wise latina woman i is have itted with in miami have to say about this. i also want to know what you have to say about this on twitter, myspace, facebook or on my blog at cnn.com/ricksanchez.

the so-called wise latinas are next. gecko vo: geico's the third-largest car insurance company in the nation. but, it's not like we're kicking back, now, havin' a cuppa tea. gecko vo: takes lots of sweat to become that big. gecko vo: 'course, geckos don't literally sweat... it's just not our thing... gecko vo: ...but i do work hard, mind you. gecko vo: first rule of "hard work equals success." gecko vo: that's why geico is consistently rated excellent or better in terms of financial strength. gecko vo: second rule: "don't steal a coworker's egg salad, 'specially if it's marked "the gecko." come on people.

i want to bring you up to date on afghanistan. you see these right here. these are some of the messages that are being sent by the u.s. military. i am going to tell you more about them in just a moment. i will show them to you with our camera. more nato troops have died there this month, july, 2009, in any single month since this war

began. this is found out canadian soldier died in ac making 47 members of the international forces killed now in july. also, take a look at this flier. see that one right there. it is much like the one i was just showing you being put out by the u.s. military, scattered all over afghanistan. one of several reminders that there is an american soldier still being held captive somewhere, we believe, in afghanistan. this flier is asking for help in finding out where he could possibly be. a taliban person told the soldier they claim to have kidnapped is alive, healthy, but won't be long if the u.s. military doesn't end its operation in helmand province. sounds looicike a threat, doesn it? that's not the actual soldier. these are the ones that were put out by -- a shot of the u.s.

soldier. let me juxtapose these two if i can. one has the soldier there. the one on top signals that he is actually missing. our pentagon correspondent, barbara starr has more on this. >> rick, these fliers are being distributed by u.s. troops. as you look at them, it is important to note these are not photos of the soldier that is missing. his name has not been released. these are computer-generated graphics, if you will. pictures of soldiers with no name, no identifying marks, no name tag or face, put together with local afghans shall the language and the local language, saying give the soldier back or you will be hunted. these are typical of the fliers

and pamphlets that are dit tributed distributed in local areas. it has happened in the past. u.s. troops don't know if the young soldier who disappeared back on june 30th has already been taken over the border into pakistan but apparently they have good reason to distribute these on the afghan side of the border hoping that some village elder or tribal chief knows something about where this man is being held and can help get him back to u.s. troops. we are also told there is a reward out there but u.s. military personnel won't say how much money, because of course they don't want any more of these incidents happening. it has been two weeks. they are hoping there will be a break in the case and they can get this soldier back. rick? >> thanks so much. we appreciate it. meanwhile, i see hundreds of

comments coming in about the story we mentioned about sotomayor. let's start with twitter. rugged cowboy said, i told you the old men need to go from government. they make too much money and they are only about them and not us, the people, go, go, go. now let's go over to facebook. kalima is watching as well. he says, your take on the wise latina women and the three guys grilling her about culturally relevant issues is hilarious. you are right. there is an awed dasty to it. my thanks to all of you for your comments and we will continue to share. >> she brings to the bunch an expansive background. it is not narrow. >> the change in face of america, what these women want the old guard in washington to understand about sonya sonia

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welcome back. we are getting a lot of movement on the story we have been following. >> i love your visits with the wise latina women. it was painful to watch the republicans today. they need to grow up. to be fair, it is not just republicans, it is both sides in many cases who are doing that. then, we see rick, your show allows us to express our opinion. it's amazing, bravo. >> thank you. it's you guys, your comments, your involvement. there she is, by the way. see her coming in. the only person seen more on cnn than anderson and wolf blit zer. federal appeals judge sonia sotomayor. let's be honest, she is all but in. it is looking like that. it is a safe bet you are looking at the next justice of the united states supreme court unless something really bizarre

happens. even those that are screaming the loudest say she is impressive. jeff sessions said today on cnn that sotomayor will most likely get approval before the senate goes on vacation next month. so no delays. that was their words. so who are these ladies that you see right there? they are what i call live latina women. they are sitting around my mother's kitchen table in miami. you are going to find out just how wise they are when it comes to what they have seen regarding judge sonia sotomayor in just a little bit. i have known some of these women for many, many years. trust me, they have a lot to say. (male announcer) if you've had a heart attack

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all day or night. new tums dual action. bring it on. apays amazing. seven pl seven police officers have been shot. five of them in one city. apparently shot in jersey city. we have the police chief as we look at some of the pictures of the aftermath here. we see a police officer taking a child away. other police officers responding to the scene. setting this up. many have been asking for more information. police officers were on a stakeout of what appeared to be two burglary suspects they were maybe going to be taking down when suddenly things turned on them. jersey city police chief tom comey is good enough to join us now to bring us up to date

first, my condolences to you and your department on this date. >> thank you very much. >> can you take us through what these officers were doing and how this thing went so terribly awry on them? >> these officers were part of a stakeout team. we were looking for a vehicle we had been seeking in part of an earlier armed robbery that occurred in our jurisdiction. as the vehicle was moved, the officers were approaching the vehicle to try to ascertain who was operating it and who the occupants were. one individual had exited the vehicle and dropped a robe he was wearing, described as a friar type robe and turned with a pump shotgun and opened fire on the officers. one was struck initially in the leg. the other one missed injury. he had just exited the vehicle where the shotgun blast entered. we secured the building within a short period of time. we evacuated the building and made a tactical entry into the

apartment where these individuals had taken refuge. when we entered the apartment, the individual immediately opened fire on the police officers. at that time, striking four additional officers, two of them superficially. one of them still remains in critical condition and the other is in stable condition. we just ask that everybody would keep them in their prayers. >> we sure will, we sure will, chief. we thank you for taking time to take us through this here on cnn. talking to chief tom comey of jersey city. these two guys were really brazen. it sounds like the way you are describing it, these guys didn't give a damn who they killed. >> no. from evidence we have recovered including some video, he went into that stance immediately and took on the two officers that he had confronted prior to entering the building. he went into a combat stance. he was going to war. >> my colleague, mike brooks, has been talking to members of your department throughout the

day. you know mike, a forr mer d.c. guy. he has some things he wants to clear it up. >> chief, it was a man and woman and weren't they involved in a robbery just prior to this of a place where you get your oil changed and they shot a person and left him to die? >> yes, they did. it was a pretty serious incident that took place. they shot him through the van before he got out of the van before they could acost him. this was a pretty serious individual we were seeking. he was able to crawl to the street. thank god he is still with us today. he is in the same hospital my officers are now in recovering from his injuries. >> did you know, chief, just how -- how bad these guys really were? looking back on it, are you saying, man, i wonder if we should have moved in there with many more officers? >> we did have a separate type plan but unfortunately, cannot

always aaccount for the unex peblt pekted. we were gearing up for something to occur later on and do it a little bit differently. however, their actions caused this to occur. >> were they wanted in any other jurisdiction? i had heard there might have been warrants in another jurisdiction outside of jersey city. >> that is still under investigation as we speak. we are looking at other crimes in and around our general vicinity. we will be going through that over the next several hours. >> it was a man and a woman? >> yes. >> this thing has a bonnie and clyde kind of feel to it? the most important thing is the condition of two of your officers. i understand one was shot in the neck and the other in the face. they are considered to be in

critical condition and both are in surgery. what can you tell us about them, their condition or what their families have said to you or what you have said to them? >> what i have basically told the family is that we are going to keep them in our prayers. they are strong individuals. they are young, strong men. the one officer that's been shot in the neck, we were fortunate enough where they have recently upgraded his condition to stable after removing a projectile from him. they are relatively confident that heel ma that he'll make a recovery. the second officer is still in critical condition. we anticipate him remaining in critical condition and pray he is able to come through this. >> chief comey, may thanks to you for taking time to take us through this. my best to you, your department and certainly to the family of those brave officers. >> thank you very much. like i said, we ask that you keep them in your prayers. >> we will, sir. >> it's amazing just to close this thing out, as you look at

this situation, these guys didn't know what they had coming. i'll tell you what, these people are as brazen bank robbers or robbers or suspects or whatever they are, as any two people i have heard about in a long time. >> absolutely. to take on the emergency services unit, these are the best and the brightest the most highly train ed people. i was in their shoes. you never know what to expect, rick. you just don't. >> mike brooks, thanks. good stuff with the chief and getting that new information across. this is the fire that sparked an explosion. why was it so difficult to put this one out? we have made some calls on this as well. our show doesn't end right at 4:00. stick around when the tv version of the national conversation is over, you can logon to cnn.com/live where the conversation continues.

welcome back. i'm rick sanchez in the world headquarters of cnn. we know this maybe has been hyped a little bit in the last couple of days. sometimes that's what happens with stories. the supreme confirmation hearings are a dry washington exercise at times when you watch it. we have to admit. as far as i could tell, the only latina woman, wise or otherwise, in thoo senate chamber, most of the time this week has been sonia sotomayor. so, in our segment today, i take you out of the d.c. beltway and find some other latina women with a smart take on one of their own. what's wrong with getting their perspective on this? who is, by the way, under

consideration for the united states supreme court. sonia sotomayor. where does one go to find these wise latina women? you can find them anywhere in the big cities in the united states and the medium and smaller cities. we chose miami, florida. that is my home town and where somebody who i would consider to be one of the wisest latina women of all lives. that's where i found a few more, by the way. my idea was to go down there and find these women, some of whom i have known for many years, in fact. they sat around my mom's kitchen table and, well, here is what they had to say. happy birthday. >> with whom's birthday as a background and surrounded by pictures in the home where i grew up as a confused little kid from cuba, i returned to the place we called el barrio to assemble a panel of four, quote,

wise latina women. maybe the wise eth of athem all. >> are you proud? >> proud. [ speaking in spanish ] >> proud because someone like you is there? you are proud because she came from nowhere like you? >> sitting in mom's kitchen table, an accomplished defense attorney, two former federal prosecutors and a television and radio entrepreneur share their personal perspective on why the nomination of sonia sotomayor -- >> latina women for many people are maids. that's why i don't like the name

marina. sonia is trying to say, i'm not a made. >> are you serious? >> oh, yes, i went to law school. >> do you fight this stereotype? >> we battle it on a daily basis. you show up to court or a law firm and people thought you were the court reporter or somebody's assistant. >> but then there is that wise latina comment. >> i had a problem with folks like cnn continuing to repeat this one quote which if you read the entire speech she gave, you see the quote is completely out of context. that's one thing for political folks to take that out of context to try to attack her. >> jackie, i have to tell you, she wishes that she had not used that language. >> of course she did. >> she says, what i was trying to do fell flat. >> if you had read the entire speech, you would have seen that. cnn and everybody has the whole speech. it is a better sound bite and better to sell papers to just pigeon hole her. there was nothing else you could say about her that was a slight bit negative. >> not true.

you could say in the ricci case that she reached a decision most americans would disagree with? >> you can say look, we didn't agree with her decision. that doesn't attack her credibility or her intelligence. >> these latina women say her record shows she is not only qualified but necessary? >> they are going to have a judge who is a former prosecutor, understands law enforcement, a woman who had to listen to people and their stories and judge cases. >> a perspective on a wise latina woman from wise latina women. >> a side note. most of you thought that story you just saw was pretty cool. most of you told us it is wa a fresh idea. some of you have written with some pretty harsh criticism about the fact that my mom

doesn't speak english. look, i would be lying if i told you that that didn't sting me a little bit but, hey, i understand. many of you are more than 100 years removed from your ancestor's arrival in america. that gives you a different perspective on things than mine. that's fair. so, rather than sharing research or historical analysis, let me take this opportunity to share with you my perspective from kind of like where i come from. my mom can't express herself in english because i can. she isn't accomplished and she isn't wealthy, because i am. my mom missed meals when i was growing up so that i could eat. my mom didn't bring me to america so that she could become successful or educated. it wasn't so she could become successful or educated. she brought me to america so i

could become successful and educated. she couldn't go to night school, because she spent 10 to 12 hours a day in a factory sewing leather shoes together while my dad washed dishes all his life and busted tables at the fancy hotels on miami beach. their story is the story after millions of immigrants who have come to america, maybe even some of your ancestors, who did the same exact thing. they struggled. they went without and they even sacrificed their own betterment so that we, their sons and daughters, could thrive. i mean, look, it's just some perspective for our national conversation. i also welcome your perspective on my blog at cnn.com/ricksanchez. i'll be right back.

i want you to look at what happened to a section of interstate 75 in detroit. have you seen this? this explosion, a huge flames erupting two tanker trucks ta collided. one was filled with thousands of gallons of fuel. the flames consumed and damaged part of the overpass that you see right there. that stretch of highway still smoking today. michigan's department of transportation will decide whether to demolish what is left we are told. here is the amazing part of this story. no one died. only three people were injured. what a story. more arrests, more questions about the suspects and the victims in the deadly home invasion in floor dallas the week.

a couple of updates on this story that seem amazing and probably some things that need to be cleared up as well. you have heard some of of the rumors out there. that bizarre, double murder in florida getting stranger by the day. that's something considering how bizarre this story has been to begin with. let's get through with this. first, a gorilla style raid on the house caught on video. masked intruders break in, some of them dressed like ninjas. it's a perfect operation except for one thing. they thought somebody had turned off the surveillance system. guess what, mike brooks, nobody turned off the surveillance system. so they are captured on video. that's how police were able to find this red van you see being towed, hidden behind the shed which led them to a string of arrests including these folks you see there, the suspected ringleader, leonard began za lez

jr. a gonzalez jr. pamela long wiggins was busted on a yacht off the alabama coast. her arrest has produced evidence. ask yourself this. does that evidence include the safe stolen from this home of the victims, byrd and melanie billings? no one is saying. by the way, the photo that i am showing you here. look at that. it gives us a better perspective or view of the scope of the victim's estate. something else we need to mention. today, the local sheriff went out of his way to tamp down rumors about the billings that the murder investigation includes the federal drug enforcement agency. he said, to his knowledge, the family is not, is not the focus of any investigation. those are the wiggins and some of their 13 children the couple had adopted nine of the children were home the day of the murders. ed lavandera has been chasing

the story in escambia county in northwest florida. here is mike brooks that is joining us with his latest we've heard, a couple things. we're just getting our hands on wiggins' latest arrest report. some interesting details now. we've also learned that she's posted bond. she's no longer in jail here in pensacola. but back to that arrest report, actually, there was a video, a video of authorities taking into -- or compounding a red minivan. this is different than the dodge van that was seen in the surveillance video. but there was this other red minivan, some questions as to what exactly this was. appare apparently, according to this arrest report, this red minivan was placed near the home of the billings the day of the murder and also used to help the suspects get away. in the arrest report, it says that vehicle is registered to pamela wiggins, so we know authorities have been saying that wiggins is a good friend of

leonard patrick gonzalez jr., who they say the is the mastermind. but she's been charged with accessory after the fact, and so, this kind of puts her early on in this investigation. >> yeah. well, you know what this does, i mean, it makes people suspect whether or not, mike brooks, maybe she's the mastermind and that this wasn't a case of a bunch of people driving down the street looking for a house to hit. >> right. >> there was a plan here. >> absolutely there was a plan. i mean, you don't go into a house, spend less than four minutes inside this estate, enter it in from the north side and the east side, kill two people, get the safe and get out in less than four minutes. the whole operation, rick, took less than ten. there was a lot of planning. what her role is we really don't know. apparently on monday they were serving a search warrant at her house, that she -- >> is she a realtor? >> she's got -- she apparently had -- she's a realtor. the newest house she had, apparently she'd gotten it not that long ago, apparently a

foreclosure she moved into. but she was down at orange beach, alabama, on her 47-foot yacht. so, you know, what is her involvement in this? we don't know. did she take some property afterwards? was this red minivan that ed was talking about, did she help them to get away? but she is charged with accessory after the fact. >> remember truman capote's book "in cold blood" where somebody goes into a house with a master plan? >> yeah. >> amazing you think something like this could still happen. my thanks to you and my good friend from miami, also, eddie lavandera, joining us with the latest on escambia county. talk about a county that's changed its character in the last ten years or so. >> ain't that the truth. >> no more. our show doesn't end at 4:00. it just moves on to cnn.c cnn.com/live. join us today. it's a little more hip, a little more fun, not that it isn't

always. remember trisha murphy? she's coming back to join us for that segment. she'll join us on the sotomayor hearing. i'll talk to her. when we come back, the latest on michael jackson dramatic video.  with annuities from fidelity. turn your savings into income -- guaranteed, and get a retirement "paycheck" for life -- guaranteed. call... to get started, and learn how to secure retirement income that won't go down -- guaranteed.

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we'll have a special interview with michael steele, the chairman of the republican national committee. we've been trying to talk to him for several weeks. also, we'll speak to that sheriff in pensacola.

we'll get the latest from him. and the mayor of new york, michael bloomberg, right after these hearings he's testifying on behalf of sonia sotomayor. he'll be joining us, as well. so, lots of stuff, as always, coming up here in "the situation room." >> thanks so much, wolf. we appreciate it. we'll look forward to it. by the way, was michael jackson's fire accident the reason for his prescription drug addiction? we've got the video. i don't know if you've seen it yet, but it's dramatic, painful to watch at times. you're going to see it.

good choice. only meineke lets you choose the brake service that's right for you. and save 50% on pads and shoes. meineke. here's the video everyone's talking about, michael jackson's hair catching fire. is this what caused his problems? here's ted rowlands. >> reporter: the video obtained by us weekly shows michael jackson's hair on fire, but as you can see, jackson doesn't seem to notice until people surround him. the first one there was jackson's longtime friend, mikko brando, son of actor marlon brando. >> i went up to him and shook his head, threw him down to the ground and tried to do the best i could. >> reporter: you can see as jackson gets up his head is significantly burned, down to the scalp.

>> he initially felt a very hot area and couldn't distinguish whether it was the hot lights or something was happening, and after a second or two, he fell the intense onset of pain, fell to the ground and several people came to put out the fire and apply ice to his head. >> days after the incident, jackson unsuccessfully tried to get the footage released. his record label, tbs records, belie released this photo. pepsi eventually ended up releasing the ad, which featured jackson and his brothers. jackson would later claim the accident and subsequent medical treatment led to an addiction to prescription drugs. >> as you already know, after my tour ended, i remained out of the country, undergoing treatment for a dependency on pain medication. this medication was initially described to soothe the excruciating pain after receiving reconstructive surgery