Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Nurse Claims Michael Jackson Begged for Drugs; Public Viewing for Michael Jackson Planned at Neverland Ranch on Friday; Fans Flock to Apollo Theater to Pay Tribute to Michael Jackson; Cash-Strapped States Face Budget Deadlines; More Calls for Sanford's Resignation; Michael Jackson's Will; Lenny Kravitz Rock On; Obama to Hold Town Hall Meeting for Health Care; Questions Arise as to Whether Jackson Is Really Biological Father of His Kids
Aired July 01, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And a good Wednesday morning to you as we begin a new month. It's the very first day of July. Welcome to the "Most News in the Morning." I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us. Here's what's on the agenda this morning. These are the big stories we're going to be breaking down for you in the next 15 minutes.
A nurse who claims she treated Michael Jackson is telling her shocking story. Cherilyn Lee says that back in April, Jackson begged for a powerful intravenous sedative that's used in operating rooms so that you can get some sleep. That nurse spoke exclusively to CNN overnight, and you'll hear her story here on AMERICAN MORNING.
ROBERTS: Details are also trickling out about Michael Jackson's will which could be made public today. We are also learning that there will be a public viewing and private memorial service at the Neverland Ranch later on this week. More on that live from the Jackson family home in just moments.
CHETRY: And California's state Senate shut down overnight. Lawmakers could not find the $24 billion they need to balance the state's budget. Several state governments facing budget deadlines as well and could be on the verge of doing the same.
Could your state be next? And what does that mean for what you pay in taxes and also what services you've come to expect? We're live in Washington with the latest.
ROBERTS: We begin this morning with developing news on the investigation into Michael Jackson's death. A nurse who claimed she treated Jackson is talking, and if what she says is true, it is nothing less than shocking. She claims that he was desperately seeking a very powerful sedative, one used primarily in operating rooms with dangerous side effects.
Overnight, the nurse, Cherilyn Lee, sat down exclusively with our Drew Griffin. Their conversation is brand new this morning and something that you'll only see here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson wanted a medical attendant to give him an IV drip of Diprovan just so he could sleep.
CHERILYN LEE, NURSE WHO CLAIMS SHE TREATED JACKSON: Yes. Yes.
GRIFFIN: Scary.
LEE: Very scary. This is why he started doing it. "I had this medicine before. It worked for me before." And I said, well, you know -- then he says the name, and I didn't understand.
I said, "Well, who gave it to you?" "My doctor." And he was so adamant, like he totally believed that his doctor said this is safe. He said this is --
GRIFFIN: Did he say what doctor?
LEE: He wouldn't tell me. I said, "Who is the doctor? And if he gave it to you, where is he? I mean, why are you asking me?" You know?
And he said, "I don't know where he is. It was a long time ago. But I know this worked for me."
And he -- he actually sat there and he said, "I'm telling you, when he put -- when I have that IV in my hand, when I have it in my hand," he just kind of went on - "when it drips in my body, the first drop, I'm asleep. And all I want to do is sleep."
You know, I've watched my children, they're sleeping. You know, I just want to go to sleep. I want to sleep eight hours so I can be refreshed the next day.
GRIFFIN: But don't you think it's odd he's asking for this super-strong medicine?
LEE: Super-strong. Yes, that was odd.
GRIFFIN: Without asking for a regular sleeping pill.
LEE: Yes. Well, this is -- and I said, "Have you taken sleeping pills?". He said, "They don't work." He said, "I don't want those things, they don't work. I want it in an IV. I don't want pills. I don't want any pills."
GRIFFIN: You said no?
LEE: And I -- oh, my goodness, not only did I say no, I didn't know the medication. The reception in the house for cell phone was bad.
I went outside. I called a friend of mine who's a physician. I said, "What is this medication?". He said, "My God, you probably would have known that." That's only for people to take when they're in ICU. You know, that's not a medication. That's an anesthetic. But anesthesia is not something somebody would take.
And I said -- he didn't know I was with Michael Jackson, quite naturally. I didn't tell him that. I just said, "Well, thank you."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Wow, interesting statement from her there.
CHETRY: Quite scary if ever that pans out.
ROBERTS: Yes. And there's no question that stuff works. I had it for shoulder surgery and when I broke my leg. They say count backwards from ten. And you're ten, nine -- and you're out.
CHETRY: This is to put you out for something like surgery, not to try to fall asleep.
ROBERTS: And it has what's called a very narrow therapeutic window, which means a little bit too much and you can go into respiratory arrest and have some real problems. So you're always monitored very closely by an anesthesiologist.
Coming up in less than ten minutes, by the way, we're going to have more from Cherilyn Lee, the frantic call that she got from Jackson's security team last weekend and why she has decided to come forward now. And at 7:10 Eastern this morning, Cherilyn Lee is going to join us live here on AMERICAN MORNING to share more of her story.
CHETRY: Well, there are some other new developments this morning as well surrounding the death of Michael Jackson. We could get our first look at the will that was filed by Jackson back in 2002. And we're also learning more about a public viewing that's being planned at the Neverland Ranch and also when Michael Jackson's body will be taken there.
Ted Rowlands is live for us outside of the Jackson family home in Encino, California. And so first, let's talk about the will. What is the latest? We mentioned this yesterday and got some new details, you know, over the past 24 hours about exactly what may have been in it.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kiran. The Jackson family has seen a copy of this will. Jackson family lawyers have seen it. And so, it's legit. It's coming in, and it's expected to be filed in court today. And once it's filed, then, of course, it will be a public document.
But what we're hearing is that basically Michael Jackson back in 2002 wanted to leave the estate to Katherine Jackson in a trust for his children. Now, the lawyers for Michael Jackson said they're going to go over this will very closely. It is from 2002, but they acknowledge it is in existence and, of course, it is the latest will that they have seen, the only will that they have seen surface since Jackson's death. CHETRY: Yes. And we're also hearing the first details about this public viewing at the Neverland Ranch. What is the latest with that?
ROWLANDS: Well, the latest seems to be that nothing has been set in stone yet. Jackson attorneys last night on CNN said that these are plans that were still fluid and that the family was making these final decisions.
This is Wednesday morning. The plan, at this point, was for a procession from Los Angeles up to Neverland Ranch on Thursday morning, and then some sort of a public viewing, a public and then private ceremony to take place in Neverland Ranch.
But, again, the headline, I guess, this morning is that it's Wednesday and if this is supposed to start on Thursday, we should get information sooner than later if indeed they're moving forward on this tight time schedule.
CHETRY: And one quick thing back to the will. And when we say Jackson family attorney, exactly who's being represented here? Because as I understand it, in the will, it's Katherine, right, and not Joe that is named as the person that he wanted to move forward with his wishes after his death?
ROWLANDS: Yes. That is what we've been told. We haven't seen it yet. It's not public document yet.
But she is named in the will, and not necessarily Joe is named in the will. And, you know, you could take whatever you want out of that.
But according to the family attorneys that are representing Katherine, Michael Jackson's attorney, before he died, that's what they're saying. The will has surfaced and that they expect it to be filed sooner than later.
CHETRY: All right. Looks like we're going to be finding out more details from you throughout the morning and into the day today. As you said, some plans for this viewing to take place in the next day.
Ted Rowlands for us in Encino, thanks.
ROBERTS: Meantime across the country in New York City, thousands of people lined up outside the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem when New York was first introduced to the boy who was born to perform. Michael Jackson was just nine years old when he made his debut there. Jackson and his brothers once did 31 shows there in a week and were paid 1,000 bucks for their trouble.
T.J. Holmes was there for the emotional day yesterday and he joins us now. Saw you out there on the sidewalk with all the folks.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
ROBERTS: There are thousands of people.
HOLMES: Thousands of folks. To give you all some perspective, for folks who don't know, the Apollo Theater sits on 125th there. You go down Adam Clayton Powell, the end of the block, the lines went down to 135th, another ten blocks.
ROBERTS: That's amazing.
HOLMES: Literally thousands of people. It was hot, Harlem heat, for one thing. Then they got a rainstorm. The folks, they even lined up yesterday.
But what were they doing? They were standing in line to pay tribute.
You know, we've been talking about this morning so far, the updates about the investigation and what not. They did not want to hear it yesterday, those thousands. We had people literally yelling at me on the streets saying, "Hey, T.J., hey, CNN, none of that negative stuff today." They were waiting for hours to get into the Apollo Theater. Why? To party. Check them out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Thousands of people, but just 600 at a time, filed through Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater on Tuesday to celebrate Michael Jackson's life and legacy. Some cried, some laid flowers. Everybody danced.
JUSTIN AUSTIN, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: I'm here to support Michael and just have this greatest entertainer of all because the music will never die, never die. He was a wonderful man.
GREG PACKER, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: I came out, celebrate the life and legacy of Michael Jackson and to remember all the good things that he did in his life and the good music he brought to us.
SHARLOT ADRIND, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: I want to pay tribute to someone who I loved ever since he was knee high.
JACKSON FIVE: ABC easy as 1-2-3.
HOLMES: Jackson was only 9 years old when the Jackson Five won the Apollo's amateur night contest back in 1967.
REV. AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: You are our Michael then. You are our Michael now. You'll be our Michael forever.
BILLY MITCHELL, APOLLO THEATER HISTORIAN: He's our legend. Michael started here with these people, but he became world renowned.
HOLMES: Fans waited hours. Some waited all night long for a chance to pay their respects to the King of Pop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson? Oh, Lord, I thank God for Michael Jackson the way he left us. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson will never die. That he's going to live right here forever.
ADRIND: You can still feel the love that you have and giving it out to everybody.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: So, how do they remember Michael Jackson? Do they remember Michael Jackson from today or do they freeze a moment in time? I mean, for me, the quintessential Michael Jackson was 1984, Motown 25th anniversary awards.
HOLMES: People can separate the two. Some of the weirdness that we talked about over the past, really, decade or so of his life. Well, he hasn't had a big hit or a lot done in the music scene quite frankly, anything new for quite sometime. But that music is timeless, so people remember all of those songs.
And yesterday, they got in there for about a half hour, 45 minutes after standing in line all those hours and they just stood up and they partied and danced and sing and that was the end of it. It's not like they were treated to a bunch of guests or a bunch of celebrities, or a bunch of people. They just wanted to be in there and be part of the moment.
That's hallowed ground. It's really quite something to be in there and to think that is where his career was really launched on that very stage in the Apollo Theater. It was something.
ROBERTS: Absolutely.
CHETRY: It's also just amazing that after all those years -- since you said -- it's been so long since, I mean, he had a big hit...
HOLMES: Yes.
CHETRY: ... the impact he still has on people.
HOLMES: And it was talked about a lot yesterday as well that you don't think of him as a civil rights icon or civil rights leader. But he wasn't out there marching and what not, but Reverend Sharpton hit on this. And it was a theme yesterday that Michael Jackson, just through his craft, did so much for African-Americans by just opening up the doors and letting the whole world introduce him into black culture.
You had kids all over the world, including little white kids starting to imitate this young black boy. And that was a first, and that was really a big part of the civil rights movement and opening things up for African-Americans, and that's not something he's really remembered for.
ROBERTS: Yes. Some good memories there. Yes. Of course, the tough stuff ahead.
HOLMES: Oh, yes.
ROBERTS: The funeral and probating the will.
HOLMES: Oh, yes.
ROBERTS: Autopsy results and the like. T.J., great to see you this morning.
HOLMES: Good to see you guys.
CHETRY: Also, new this morning, it only took about eight months but Minnesota finally has a new junior senator. The state's highest court ruled former "Saturday Night Live" comedian Al Franken is now the new senator.
Franken's opponent, Republican Norm Coleman who was the incumbent, conceded yesterday. Recounts, court battles have been going on since the November election. Franken will be the Senate's 60th Democrat, and that magic number should help Democrats defeat any Republican delaying tactics on legislations such as filibusters.
Also, the governor of South Carolina revealing more intimate details about his life in an interview with the Associated Press. In it, Governor Mark Sanford says that he crossed the line with a handful of other women during his marriage but not to the point of having sex.
Sanford says that his mistress from Argentina is his soul mate, but that he's trying to fall back in love with his wife. The state's attorney general is looking into the governor's travel records as well.
And Defense Secretary Robert Gates says that he's checking with lawyers to change the way service members are discharged for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Gates says that he's especially concerned about the members of the Armed Forces who are outed by jilted lovers or other third parties. This comes just one day after president Obama reaffirmed his pledge to overturn "don't ask, don't tell.
ROBERTS: We heard just a few minutes ago from Cherilyn Lee. She was a nurse who was hired by Michael Jackson as a nutrition consultant, but she claims that he was looking for a very powerful sedative, one that's usually used in operating rooms to put people under general anesthesia. He was looking for it because he was having horrible insomnia. We'll hear more from her coming right up.
It's 12 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Fifteen minutes now after the hour. New this morning, officials investigating the crash of Yemenia Flight 626 may have located the plane's flight and voice data recorders. A French official telling a CNN affiliate investigators think that they have pinpointed the so-called black boxes but they are not very accessible. The plane carrying 153 people crashed yesterday off of southeastern Africa. We're now learning as well that the sole surviving passenger was actually a 13-year-old French girl and not a 5-year-old child as had been initially believed.
U.S. officials say a North Korean ship that they've been tracking for more than a week has turned around and is now heading back home. Officials think the ship is carrying weapons that are banned by U.N. sanctions. The Navy started tracking the ship after it left port two weeks ago.
If you were planning on picking up a hot chocolate at Dunkin' Donuts on the way to work, keep on driving. The fast food giant says they are not selling them out of an abundance of precaution because of salmonella concerns linked to a dry milk recall. Dunkin' Donuts says none of its products have been contaminated.
CHETRY: And California lawmakers ended their session late last night without finding the $24 billion the state needs to close its budget shortfall. And California's unfortunately not alone. There are several states that are staring down deadlines with no cash and few palatable options. Some state governments could even shut down.
So what does it mean for you and your family if your state is going broke? Elaine Quijano has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Across the country, state governments are scrambling to pay the bills. In Illinois, a $9.2 billion deficit.
GOVERNOR PAT QUINN (D), ILLINOIS: Our state is really suffering its most difficult financial crisis since 1818.
QUIJANO: In California, an eye-popping $24 billion shortfall.
GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: Our wallet is empty. Our bank is closed, and our credit is dried up.
QUIJANO: And in Pennsylvania, a $3.2 billion gap.
GOVERNOR ED RENDELL (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Make no mistake, it's the financial crisis that caused this.
QUIJANO: In the midst of the recession, state tax revenues dropped off sharply, leaving state budgets deep in the red.
JON SHURE, CENTER ON BUDGET & POLICY PRIORITIES: Unlike the federal government, the states can't run to the deficit, they can't print money. So when they have a shortfall between needs and available revenue, they really have to scramble.
QUIJANO: That means schools, teachers, health care, all in danger. TODD HAGGERTY, NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES: Well, you've seen that these budget gaps are so large that states are facing that pretty much anything and everything is on the table.
QUIJANO: Including cuts in programs that help the elderly and veterans, tax and fee increases, layoffs of state employees, and even partial government shutdown. Experts say the federal government is providing some relief. On average, they say states are using money from the economic recovery plan to cover roughly 40 percent of their budget shortfall.
SHURE: There's no silver bullets in this. The stimulus package which is unprecedented really from the federal government, for the states, was aimed at solving about 40 percent of the state's budget shortfall. And it's doing that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: Now experts say states will be facing these same problems through 2010, maybe even beyond that. Why? Because even though the national economy may be showing some signs of recovery, states take longer because unemployment eases only gradually and that's where states get their revenues from -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Yes, it's a tough call. You look at Detroit facing 15 percent unemployment. Those were the new numbers out there. Staggering.
And also, one of the questions though, some of that stimulus money was to go to help, you know, try to bridge that budget gap for some states. Why isn't that helping more?
QUIJANO: Well, they say that it is helping somewhat. As we heard in the piece there, experts say it's about 40 percent right now, states covering their shortfalls from the stimulus money. So, really, without this, Kiran and John, it really would have been as the one expert said, a catastrophic situation.
CHETRY: And still could be for some states. Pennsylvania looking at their options right now. They have 80,000 state workers and they're not sure if they can continue to pay them after the 24th of July.
We're actually going to be talking to Governor Ed Rendell about that a little bit later in the show. Elaine, thanks.
Nineteen minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: There are major developments this morning in the investigation into Michael Jackson's death. A nurse who claims that she treated Jackson back in April says he was desperately seeking a very powerful sedative, one that's used in operating rooms to put people to sleep. She says that she warned him that it could kill him. It's so powerful and also very, very tricky to use. She also said she got a frantic call from one of Jackson's aides four days before he died. She talked about that exclusively with our Drew Griffin late last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERILYN LEE, NURSE WHO CLAIMS SHE TREATED JACKSON: Last Sunday night, I was in Florida at a medical convention. They called me and said, "Michael wants to see you. It's urgent. He really wants to see you." And I can hear him in the background. "Tell her -- tell her that half my body is cold, half my body is hot." And I'm like...
GRIFFIN: Who calls you? Who...
LEE: The security.
GRIFFIN: Who is that?
LEE: Right now, I'd rather not say names.
GRIFFIN: And you're hearing -- the call is from the home.
LEE: Yes.
And it said, please, please. He's telling -- I said, "You know, I can't come, Michael, I'm in Florida." And I didn't even tell him I was in the E.R. I said, "You need to go to the hospital. You need to go to the hospital."
He was so adamant about -- I will pay any amount of money for someone to help me to sleep. And I said, "You don't have to pay me anything. But you don't do this." But he was so adamant.
"I don't care what it's going to take, I'll pay any amount of money to get eight hours' sleep." That was my last conversation with him.
I said, "You know, Michael -- instead of, you know," I just -- it's just something came over me and I got tears in my eyes and I've haven't had these tears ever since that day. And I said -- something came over me and I said, "Michael, you keep wanting to sleep. You keep saying you want to be knocked out and sleep but what about waking up tomorrow?".
GRIFFIN: Do you think somebody took that payment, don't you?
LEE: That was my first thought.
GRIFFIN: You know, this is Michael Jackson investigation.
LEE: I know.
GRIFFIN: Half the people that are watching this are not going to believe you? LEE: I know that.
GRIFFIN: They're going to think, "This woman is just seeking fame. She's making this up."
LEE: I don't need fame. I do not need fame.
GRIFFIN: Why are you coming forward with all of this?
LEE: I'm coming forward because the more I watch the news and the more they kept saying drugs, and I'm thinking -- this is not drugs.
GRIFFIN: When you say this wasn't drugs...
LEE: It wasn't the drugs they're saying. The Demerol, the this, the that. It wasn't that.
GRIFFIN: You think it was the drug he was after?
LEE: Yes. Well, I could not be certain about that, but this is my thought. Even though I've warned him about it, I mean in detail warned him about it, he kept saying he wanted to have somebody there that can watch him and medically supervise him. That's what he said.
And I said, even so, this is not a drug that you would use in a home. This is not a drug for sleep. This is something that -- you know, it's something you don't want to do because you may not wake up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Amazing story that she's telling you.
CHETRY: I know.
ROBERTS: But if what she says is true, you wouldn't take that if you wanted to go to sleep. You take that if you're going in for an operation or if you're in an ICU or something, you're on a respirator and they want to keep you very quiet. But it's not the sort of thing that you do at home.
CHETRY: And also, she just sort of gives you a window into how desperate he seemed to feel, suffering with the insomnia and struggling with the type of pain he was in physically. So, sad situation all around. And hopefully they'll find out more details about what really happened.
ROBERTS: Meanwhile, apparently, the family does have results from their autopsy. Don't know if they've got the toxicology results just yet. But definitely something like that would linger in the system long enough. They'd be able to detect it, I would assume.
CHETRY: We'll find out soon enough. Meantime, the continuing saga in South Carolina. The governor admitting to seeing his mistress more than he previously disclosed. Now, there is an investigation into whether any money, state money was used. And he's also admitting to having inappropriate -- I don't know what you'd call it, I guess contact -- with other women besides this mistress while he was married.
We're going to be checking in with the reporter who broke all of this in the first place with "The State" newspaper down in South Carolina.
Twenty-seven minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: How about Tom?
CHETRY: How about it?
ROBERTS: Cochran. Living down in Austin, Texas.
Thirty minutes after the hour, checking our top stories. Several major developments this morning in the Michael Jackson investigation.
Details of his will could be made public today. While we still don't know what killed him, one nurse who claims she treated Jackson says she does. She claims Jackson was asking for a sedative used in operating rooms so that he can get some sleep. You'll hear her story when she joins us live at 7:10 Eastern this morning.
CHETRY: And President Obama taking the fight of health care reform out of Washington onto your laptop. The president will be taking your questions about his plan from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Meantime, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are still wrangling over details of that plan.
ROBERTS: A panel of New York National Guard officers says Lieutenant Dan Choi should leave the service. Lieutenant Choi, an Arab linguist and a graduate of West Point admitted that he's gay back in March. It's a violation of the Pentagon's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. More than 12,000 gays and lesbians have been forced out of the military since that policy went into effect.
CHETRY: Well, more calls this morning for South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford to resign. One of his closest political allies says that Sanford is "incapable of leaving." The governor now admits that he's crossed the lines with other women and even admitted to more encounters with his Argentine mistress this past year.
The state's attorney general now wants Sanford's books reviewed to make sure that the public wasn't paying for this affair.
Let's bring in Gina Smith. She's the reporter with the South Carolina newspaper "The State." She first broke the story. She was the only reporter out there meeting him when he got off of the plane from Buenos Aires when everybody else thought he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Gina, good to see you this morning.
GINA SMITH, REPORTER, "THE STATE" NEWSPAPER: Good morning, Kiran.
CHETRY: So he's now admitting that he met with his Argentine mistress seven times, including five visits over the past year. How will this impact his ability to stay on as governor?
SMITH: You know, as you mentioned yesterday, there were a group of senators who called for the governor's resignation. But if there's anything the governor likes, it's a good fight. I don't think he's going to step down just because the governors asked -- the senators, excuse me, asked him to.
I really think if anything is going to change here, it's going to have to come from the public. South Carolinians are just waking up this morning. A lot of them are just learning about this news. I think we're going to have to wait and see if the residents of this state say ho-hum, more of the same thing, I'm tired of this, let's move on. Or if they're outraged, if they say this is too much -- too much information and to start contacting their lawmakers.
CHETRY: And he also -- speaking of -- you know, this information that's out there when he spoke to the Associated Press said he, quote, "crossed the line with a handful of women other than his mistress," but that he never had sex with them. What information do you know about these other women that he spoke about during his marriage?
SMITH: The governor said yesterday in an interview with the Associated Press that, yes, there were other women but he met them when he was overseas on private trips with friends. So according to the governor, these women aren't in South Carolina. They're not even in the country.
CHETRY: Right. But this is not information that you would volunteer, right, if you're hanging on for your political life unless you thought that there was something more to come out?
SMITH: Right. I'm sure the governor is well aware that we and every other media outlet in the state have requested loads of information about his expenses, his travel. And I'm sure that he felt the need to confess until some other bomb dropped or maybe another woman steps forward.
CHETRY: I got you. And state law enforcement division is now investigating whether the governor violated any laws or whether he misused state funds for travel. Where is that heading?
SMITH: Right. We're going to have to wait and see. The state's top law enforcement agency is looking into these additional travels that the governor admitted to yesterday. And they are stressing that at this time it's not a criminal investigation, it's just looking into those travels. And they're asking people to please give them the space and the time to do their job and to not politicize the process.
CHETRY: And meantime, on a personal note, he also revealed in this Associated Press interview that this woman was his soul mate, that he's trying to fall back in love with his wife and he went on to call it a love story. He said, "It's more than a simple affair. This was a love story, a forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day."
You know, a lot of people who supported him like Senator Lindsey Graham saying, you know, he's got to fix his family first.
What impact will all of these public disclosures about what he is feeling in his heart hamper his ability to, you know, repair the personal aspect of this?
SMITH: You know, Kiran, based on what -- kind of comments we're getting on our Web site and what conversations I had when this information broke yesterday is that there's a lot of people who say they're suffering from TMI -- too much information. They're not exactly clear why the governor feels the need to give such exhaustive detailed information about what's going on. And they're ready to cover their ears at this point.
CHETRY: Right. It must be certainly hard for the family as well.
SMITH: Right, yes. And as far as we know, you know, the first lady has not issued any kind of statement about this most recent revelation. Don't know if she will.
CHETRY: All right. Gina Smith, reporter with "The State" newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina. Thanks for being with us this morning.
SMITH: Thank you.
CHETRY: It's 36 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning at 38 minutes after the hour.
New details are trickling out about Michael Jackson's will this morning. It's something that we could get our first look at today. The estate estimated to be worth around $237 million. He's also believed to be about $400 million in debt. Could take years to sort all of this all out.
Paul Callan is a civil attorney here in New York City, trial lawyer as well, and he joins us this morning to talk more about this.
I guess, Paul, the first thing that they have to do when this will is presented for the very first time in Los Angeles Superior Court is to establish the legitimacy of it. How do they do that?
PAUL CALLAN, NEW YORK CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEY: Well, it's actually a very easy process for the person presenting the will because the court presumes the will is legitimate. So, they'll just present the will with the affidavits of the people who witness the will and it's the challengers to the will who have to prove that it's a forgery or a fraud. So, we'll see what happened here I think.
ROBERTS: There are certainly a lot of people out there who are trying to get a piece of Michael Jackson. And we heard from the attorneys for Katherine Jackson yesterday, who said that they want to, you know, lay down some guidelines here, set some parameters.
They wrote in a legal filing, quote, "A possible competing interest is purported claim of an attorney who long ago was dismissed from the decedent's group of advisors, about whom the decedent stated that he never wanted the attorney to have anything further to do with his affairs."
So many people trying to get a piece of him here. Could this turn into a probate free for all?
CALLAN: It definitely could. And the battle lines are being drawn here. The Jackson family, the grandmother, Katherine Jackson, who has been appointed as guardian and personal representative, does not want this new will to be accepted because that would throw her out of the point where she could administer the estate and it would give it to this attorney Branca, who was named as the executor. And the fees here are enormous and the control of the Jackson empire is really at stake. So, there's going to be a real battle here over control.
ROBERTS: It names Branca and a fellow named John McLain, who is a music industry executive, as co-executors of this will. You say there's money at stake here, for them how much?
CALLAN: Well, a huge amount of money. The executor of the estate in California can get up to 3 percent of the value of the estate. So let's say this plays out to be a $500 million estate, which it could over the long run, given the ownership of the Beatles' catalog and what not, you could be talking about $15 million in fees and financial control of the Jackson empire. So, the stakes are very, very high financially for all concerned.
ROBERTS: When we talk about the Jackson empire, you said that there's a certain number of assets, there's also a huge debt as well and you have all of this complex holdings. In addition to all of that, you've got the Neverland Ranch, and how much is that worth. You've got the Beatles catalog tied with Sony Publishing. How do you untangle? How do you unwind all of that?
CALLAN: Well, that's why it's so important to determine who is going to be in charge. Is it going to be Katherine Jackson or is it going to be this Attorney Branca and the other fellow who are co- executors?
Whoever gets appointed to that position becomes in essence president of the empire and can decide whether to sell off assets or whether to hold on to assets to try to pay off bills. So, the executor or the personal representative will have control, a very important job. ROBERTS: You said right back at the beginning that the will is sort of taken to be legitimate, but there are other people who may raise challenges to it. One of those people potentially is Joe Jackson because, as we understand, this 2002 will, it cuts him out. If any of the family members want to contest this will, how do they go about doing it?
CALLAN: Well, they go in to probate court and they file for a will challenge proceeding. And they'll have to show that Michael Jackson was incompetent when he signed the will in 2002 or that he was subjected to undue influence by his financial advisors or possibly even that the will was a forgery.
You know, in a Howard Hughes case, if you remember, John, that will turned out to be a forgery some seven to eight months after it was filed. So one of these grounds will be advocated by Joe Jackson, possibly, or other members of the family.
One final note on Joe Jackson. I'm not clear that he would have standing to attack the will because there's no will that leaves any money to Joe Jackson. So you have to have standing. You have to show that you would be an heir if the will was thrown out. I'm not sure if Joe Jackson has any standing.
ROBERTS: How long do you think all of this is going to take?
CALLAN: Well, normally it only takes about a year and a half. This is so complicated. I'm betting three to four years unless an out of court settlement is negotiated.
ROBERTS: And a long and ongoing story. Paul Callan, great to see you this morning. Thanks for dropping by.
CALLAN: Nice to be with you, John.
ROBERTS: Forty-two minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Forty-four minutes past the hour. A live look at Chicago. Good morning to you in the Windy City this morning. It is 59 degrees going up to -- what is it going up to? Fifty-three? So it's going down? Oh, 63. All right. Showers, though. So keep an umbrella handy.
ROBERTS: That's what the teleprompter says.
CHETRY: Don't read off of it. Just know the temperatures yourself. Forty-five minutes past the hour.
We're going to fast forward through the stories that are making news later on today.
The long-delayed CIA Inspector-General's report is due out today. And this report focuses on the interrogation program during the Bush administration. It was delayed over debates about how much of it should be censored.
At 8:30 p.m. Eastern, funeral services will be held for entertainer Ed McMahon, the long-time "TONIGHT SHOW" sidekick will be honored with a private celebration of life memorial service. It's taking place at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Hollywood.
And in just about 30 minutes from now, at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time, NASA will be -- 15 minutes from now, NASA will begin testing repairs to the external fuel tank of the shuttle Endeavour. A fuel leak on the shuttle caused the last few planned launches to be postponed. Endeavour's next launch is set for July 11th at 7:39 p.m. Eastern Time.
John?
ROBERTS: Well, after 20 years, Lenny Kravitz still reigns as one of the biggest rock stars in the world and he's showing no signs of slowing down. He's back on tour and was recently in London to celebrate his double decade milestone.
Our Zain Verjee caught up with Kravitz to talk about love, war, and turning the cameras on the paparazzi.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, Lenny Kravitz has spent 20 years in the music business. He's just kicked off his latest tour. We caught up with him. He was here in London, and here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LENNY KRAVITZ, ARTIST: It's going to be exciting.
VERJEE (voice-over): Lenny Kravitz is still rocking on.
He's back on his "Let Love Rule" tour. We met him in London posing for cameras. Then Kravitz pointed his lens at us, snapping away for a new project he's working on -- shooting those who shoot him.
(on camera): Tell us a little bit about the exhibition that you're going to have.
KRAVITZ: You think it might just be people holding cameras, but there's so much expression and, you know, you could see the energy -- just being hunted and...
VERJEE: Is that how it feels?
KRAVITZ: Yes, but -- not -- not in a bad way, you know. It doesn't bother me. Not that I actually enjoy it.
VERJEE (voice over): He didn't enjoy a single bite of the cake brought in to celebrate 20 years of being a rock icon.
(on camera): Let Love Rule, 20. This was Lenny's cake. He's not looking right now. He's actually over there with some paparazzi and some strange women accosting him.
And he didn't want to have a nibble of this cake. You know, he didn't have the guts, quite frankly, but I do and I'm pretty hungry. So let's take a nibble. Oh, not bad, not bad. Lenny...
(voice over): Lenny has a serious side, getting political in some songs.
KRAVITZ: I've released an anti-war song. Each time there was a war in the region with both Bushes.
VERJEE: The four-time Grammy Award-winning star has done a little acting. He appeared in "Zoolander."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Lenny.
VERJEE: Kravitz has also known drama in his personal life. He's dated a string of Hollywood stars, but says he's not hooking up with anyone until he meets "the" one.
(on camera): How's your love life? You're still celibate?
KRAVITZ: I'm doing good. I'm just -- I'm waiting for...
VERJEE: You didn't expect me not to ask?
KRAVITZ: I don't know. You know, I was -- I was -- I'm not expecting it. But I'm -- you know, just waiting for the right person.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: Couldn't resist. John? Kiran?
ROBERTS: All right. Zain Verjee for us this morning.
Lenny -- you like Lenny?
CHETRY: Love Lenny.
ROBERTS: "American Woman." Good version of that.
CHETRY: Did you see in the screen those Hollywood stars? And he goes, "I'm good."
ROBERTS: Yes.
CHETRY: Are you still celibate? "I'm good."
ROBERTS: Forty-five minutes after the hour. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: We're back with the Most News in the Morning. President Obama pushing health care today. He's holding a town hall meeting. The president will also take questions from Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Our Dan Lothian at the White House this morning with a look at how the debate on public health care is playing in Washington.
And we know that it's not exceptionally popular up on Capitol Hill.
What about the rest of Washington, Dan?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Well, still a lot of questions as to what that plan for health care reform will look like. But the White House, John, has made it clear that health care reform is a top priority.
Now, in addition to all those platforms that you mentioned, Twitter, and YouTube, and Facebook, there will also be a live audience at this town hall meeting which will take place nearby in Annandale, Virginia.
Again, this is a big push by the White House to get health care reform.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN (voice-over): When it comes to health care reform, the Obama administration says there's no time like now.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: After decades of inaction, we have finally decided to fix what's broken by health care in America.
LOTHIAN: That pledge gets a good applause in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But on Capitol Hill, the devil is in the details.
Mr. Obama is pushing a government-sponsored option. Republicans and some Democrats say it's bad for private insurers, even though the White House claims it will make them more disciplined and boost competition.
There's a nonprofit co-op plan and other ideas being floated to provide affordable health insurance for all Americans. Whatever is settled on, the price tag is steep, roughly $1 trillion, raising taxes on the middle-class to pay for it once a no-no on the campaign trail --
OBAMA: Not any of your taxes.
LOTHIAN: Is now a possibility. But spokesman Robert Gibbs is projecting a positive tone saying the administration, quote, "feels good about the progress being made on health care reform."
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Everybody is still at the table. Everybody is still talking to each other in an effort to move health care reform forward, to do so in a way that's consistent with our principles and our values.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN: And administration officials says that this townhall is the chance to hear from the public, to get the public's voice now during the process, not after the fact. But the official also acknowledge that they hope that Capitol Hill is paying attention.
John?
ROBERTS: What's the convention of wisdom there these days, Dan? If they get something, is it going to be less than they had originally hoped for?
LOTHIAN: Well, that's still a big question. I mean, obviously, this public option that the president is really pushing for, there's a lot of resistance to that. So there's a sense that if they really want to get health care reform done, that they have to give them the public option. Of course, we have to wait and see. There's so many plans being tossed around right now.
ROBERTS: A lot of wait and see going on Washington these days.
LOTHIAN: That's right.
ROBERTS: Dan, thanks so much.
CHETRY: Also a lot of questions still surrounding what happens now that Michael Jackson has died. The will -- the details of the will should be made public a little bit later today.
But also the question of paternity. Was Michael Jackson really the father of his three children?
Randi Kaye is going to take a look when we come back.
It's 55 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: While he was alive, Michael Jackson kept his children away from the public eye, even covering them with veils and sometimes blankets in public.
CHETRY: And there's always been a mystery surrounding his kids. Well, now, there are new reports saying that Jackson may not even be their biological father. For now, Jackson's mother has temporary custody of all three of his children.
Our Randi Kaye is breaking down some stunning new accusations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who's their daddy? Was Michael Jackson the biological father of 12-year-old Michael Jr. and his 11-year-old sister Paris? Or was it really this man, the Los Angeles dermatologist who treated Jackson for years?
"Us Weekly" reports Dr. Arnold Klein is really the father of Jackson's two oldest children.
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": There's a big leap in going from being a person's doctor to being the sperm donor or father of your children.
KAYE: Dr. Klein is also the former boss of Debbie Rowe, the nurse Jackson married in 1996, and the woman who gave birth to his two oldest children, seen here in photos obtained by TMZ. She and Jackson divorced in 1998.
(on camera): Here at his Beverly Hills office, just a block away from Rodeo Drive, Dr. Arnold Klein was reportedly well-known for providing Botox to the stars, including Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor. We came here to ask him if he's the father of the two children but couldn't get past reception. Our repeated calls to him went unreturned.
(voice-over): For years, neither Rowe, who gave up custody, nor the pop star had ever divulged if the children were conceived through artificial insemination or if Jackson was the father.
MORET: It's widely been rumored that Michael Jackson is not those children's biological father.
KAYE: And now this.
(on camera): The British tabloid "News of the World" reports it interviewed Rowe a few days ago and that she said she was, quote, "just the vessel," that it wasn't Michael's sperm, adding that she and Jackson had never slept together or shared the same bed. She said she offered him her womb as a gift.
(voice-over): Why might anyone be interested in custody of the children at this time? Money. Media reports say the pop star claimed a net worth of more than $230 million in 2007.
(on camera): How much do you think the value of Michael Jackson's estate will play in the future custody battle?
MORET: The only reason you would claim an interest in those kids, in being the real parent, is because you want the money. So I can think of 200 million reasons why you would want to say you're those children's natural parent.
KAYE (voice-over): Legal controversies, which dogged Michael Jackson in life, may follow him to his grave.
(on camera): We tried to get a comment from Debbie Rowe about all of this. Her attorney gave us a statement, which reads in part Debbie remains grief stricken. Her thoughts are with the children and all of the Jackson Family. To the extent she must respond to court proceedings that were started by others, she will, of course, do so at the appropriate time.
Randi Kaye, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Randi, thanks.
We're coming to the top of the hour now, on this Wednesday, July 1st. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Kiran Chetry.
ROBERTS: And good morning to you. I'm John Roberts.
