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Campbell Brown
Memorializing Michael Jackson; Battle Over Jackson's Estate
Aired July 06, 2009 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: (voice-over): Tonight, here are the questions we want answered.
Will Michael Jackson's memorial be bigger than Princess Diana's? With thousands of fans already lining up and celebrities jockeying for a chance to perform, the biggest surprise may be who won't there be tomorrow. We will tell you who's in and who's out.
Plus, Jackson's mother loses control of his multimillion-dollar estate. Will the family accept the court's decision? Also, is the media being too P.C. when it comes to the coverage?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Hey, everybody. Those are big questions tonight.
But we start as always with the "Mash-Up," our look at all of the stories making an impact right now and the moments you may have missed. We're watching it all, so you don't have to.
Breaking news topping us off tonight, police say the serial killer who has been terrorizing South Carolina is now dead, shot by law enforcement while in the midst of a burglary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Authorities say they believe they have their man. It happened at a shoot-out in South Carolina this morning. A suspect was killed. And now, hours later, they're finding out that the ballistics have come back. The gun -- the bullets in that man's gun who was killed this morning in North Carolina match the murders here in South Carolina.
So, needless to say, people here in South Carolina breathing a huge sigh of relief, knowing that a serial killer is now off the streets, in fact, dead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Now, police have not released the name of their suspect. They believe he shot five people to death in Gaffney, South Carolina, over the past few days -- this story still developing right now. We're going to have fresh details from police throughout tonight's show. And President Obama in Russia tonight announcing what could be the biggest nuclear weapons treaty since the Cold War, laying out the deal in a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev. The nukes deal wasn't the only news out of the meeting. Here right now the headlines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The relationship between Russia and the United States has suffered from a sense of drift. We resolved to reset.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Relations had really gone over the cliff in a big way, and what they had to do was pull them back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they can get to a deal, that may suggest the Russians are finally acknowledging that the Cold War is over.
OBAMA: As the world's two leading nuclear powers, the United States and Russia must lead by example.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two leaders are basically saying we agree to work on a deal in terms of a future nuclear arms agreement that would bring down some of the stockpiles in terms of what we had deployed for the Cold War.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of the two countries that hold 95 percent of all the nuclear weapons in the world, reducing them 30 percent, that's an accomplishment.
OBAMA: Today, we have signed an agreement that will allow the transit of lethal military equipment through Russia to Afghanistan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Russians are going to allow American planes to fly over Russia and supply our troops in Afghanistan, a major announcement today.
ALEX CASTELLANOS, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: The Russians also see Afghanistan as a trap for us, as it was for them, so that may be no favor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Now, tomorrow, President Obama meets with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who, according to many, is the man who really rules Russia.
Some incredible pictures out of China. A protest turns into a riot. And, tonight, 156 people are dead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the streets of the western Chinese city of Urumqi, violent crashes have left the bloodiest toll in the country since the Tiananmen Square protests 20 years ago. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This violence started after a peaceful protest yesterday by a minority group called Uighurs, Chinese Muslims. Protesters say that the police surrounded their group and things quickly got out of control.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police are restoring order across Xinjiang Province. Many rioters will be detained and punished.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just got a notice from the White House that the White House officially says it is deeply concerned over reports of death and injuries in the violence in western China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: The protest and then the riots were then sparked by increasing ethnic tensions between the Uighurs and the Han Chinese.
Now, here at home, don't have to tell you this, all eyes on Los Angeles as thousands of pop culture pilgrims gather to say goodbye to Michael Jackson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE COURIC, HOST, "CBS EVENING NEWS": From just outside the Staples Center in downtown L.A. where tomorrow thousands of fans and a who's-who of the rich and famous will say a final farewell to Michael Jackson.
BRIAN WILLIAMS, NBC ANCHOR: A report that upwards of a million people might show up put everyone on notice today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some of the people when they pick up those tickets are extremely emotional.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are very excited. We loved Michael Jackson. He was an amazing talent. And he will be forever loved and missed by everyone. So, yes! We are going, baby.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're really discouraging people from around the country to come down here and center themselves outside the Staples Center. Police say they will be out in force.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And we're now learning of a sizable celebrity lineup. Among those slated to take part, Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Magic Johnson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Usher, and Stevie Wonder, among many others.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Diana Ross is a maybe because of security concerns. Former girlfriend Brooke Shields is a yes. And while all the Jackson family is expected to attend, including his three children, Michael's two ex-wives, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, are definite nos.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have just learned Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, will not attend the memorial. They say the media is what's keeping her from attending. She doesn't want to be a distraction.
Here's what she said to the paparazzi who approached her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your kids, Debbie? Are you ready to fight for your children?
DEBBIE ROWE, EX-WIFE OF MICHAEL JACKSON: You know what? Don't touch me.
(CROSSTALK)
ROWE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don't (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, there you go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now that L.A. is the epicenter for what has really become worldwide grief over Michael Jackson, no one is really sure how all of this is going to play out tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: I will say.
The Jackson family also will not say where and when the star will be buried. They are, however, holding a private gathering tomorrow morning at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood hills. Hint, hint, who knows.
Meantime, a judge took Jackson's estate out of the hands of his mother Katherine, handing control to the two executors named in the will.
We will obviously have a lot more on this coming up a little bit later in the show.
And in politicalville today, one name on everybody's lips, Palin, Palin, Palin. It seems we all spent the long weekend trying to figure out what she is up to, why exactly she is quitting her job.
Today, still not clear, but everybody's got an opinion. Here now, the view from the left and the view from the right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL KRISTOL, EDITOR, "THE WEEKLY STANDARD": So, I think it actually makes a certain amount of sense. If she wants to consider running in 2012, it's a big risk, but she might as well take a shot. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: My honest opinion is, is that she should have finished out her term, because the best politics is good policy. Governing well is the best weapon you have against those who criticize you.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: If she has any desire for a future, she's going to have to do it in the lower 48. She cannot do it in Alaska. It's not going to get it done.
GOV. ED RENDELL (D), PENNSYLVANIA: For her to leave in the midst of difficult financial times, I think, is just dead wrong.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I respect her decision. And I take her at her word that it had a personal ingredient in it. And you have to respect that.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Look, she's jumping out of the frying pan into the hot glare of the media spotlight into the fire. And she has the potential of flaming out before 2012.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: The view from the left, the view from the right, and, of course, "The View." The ladies were all over the Palin story this morning. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe she's going to do something more specific where she's not tied down...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe she wants to make some money.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe she needs it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She does need it, because she has $500,000 in legal bills. And she put Alaska in $2 million in debt because of all the of things that they're accusing her of.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And she also has a son with special needs who may need treatment for a long time and care for a long time. So she's probably thinking...
(CROSSTALK)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Maybe she's just tired of all the (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
GOLDBERG: You just want me to say it and get in trouble.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
C. BROWN: And here's a little tip. If you don't already follow Sarah Palin on Twitter, well, you should.
Also, Governor Palin spent the Fourth of July watching a parade in Juneau, worlds away from our favorite extravaganza, the Coney Island hot dog eating contest. The big winner, check him out, it was Joey Chestnut, 68 hot dogs in under 10 minutes. That is absolutely disgusting.
And as Chestnut told NBC's "Today Show," he is still feeling the burn.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joey, can we just say this? You ate this. All this is in here.
JOEY CHESTNUT, HOT DOG EATING CONTEST WINNER: Well, it's working through, so...
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, how about the Yankees?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TMI. TMI.
CHESTNUT: You asked for it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes there's a natural ending to an interview. And I think we found it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I think that was it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joey, thanks so much for coming on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: A lovely moment there. Joey Chestnut, brave man.
And that is the "Mash-Up."
Breaking news tonight now: Police say the serial killer who has terrorized a small town in South Carolina is dead. We're learning new information from investigators right now. We're going to bring you the latest shortly. Also, one congressman says what a lot of people may be thinking about Michael Jackson. But is it out of line on the night before his funeral?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: This guy was a pervert. I just think it's too -- you know, we're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Now to some breaking news from Los Angeles.
CNN has learned that the California Highway Patrol will escort members of Michael Jackson's family from his parent's home to Forest Lawn Cemetery. That is tomorrow morning.
And I should say, you're looking right now at a live picture of Forest Lawn Cemetery there. Sources close to the planning say that the family will then be escorted to that memorial service in downtown L.A.
Last-minute preparations under way at the Staples Center at this hour. Of course, fittingly, it is the same place where Jackson was rehearsing in the days before he died.
We have also learned that a judge has taken control of the estate away from Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother. That was the big news today.
Joining me right now from Los Angeles, we have got CNN's Don Lemon, Jim Moret, of course, chief correspondent for "Inside Edition" and a former CNN anchor, also joining us, Roger Friedman, editor of the blog showbiz411.com, who's been breaking a lot of news.
Hey, Roger.
And here in New York with me, NPR contributor John Ridley back with us.
Welcome to everybody.
I know, Don, you have got a little bit of breaking news to share, so let me start with you. Tell us what you know.
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do.
The man that everyone has been wanting to speak about is the man who is going to be the administrator, the executor to Michael Jackson's estate. And that is John Branca. And I had a chance to meet with John Branca personally today and talk to him about how he's going to administer that will and the trust that goes along with that will. He -- John Branca says to me that Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson's children have nothing to worry about, that they are going to be provided for. In the will, Michael Jackson wants 40 percent of his money, his assets, to go to Katherine Jackson, 40 percent to go to his children, and then another 20 percent to go to charities.
But, Campbell, the big question, Michael Jackson's earning potential beyond this, we know that, on Billboard, he has nine of the top 10 songs right now. And there's some question about the rehearsal video, whether or not that video is going to be made into a DVD and how much money Michael Jackson is going to make in the future.
And so he said that will be provided for as well, that the estate and the trustees will get that as well, Campbell.
BROWN: Jim, what are you hearing on this front?
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": Well, clearly, Katherine Jackson wanted to be the administrator of this estate.
And given the fact that there's a will and it very specifically states Michael Jackson's wishes that these two men be executors, the judge ruled, for the interim, because there's going to be another hearing on August 3, but, in the interim, the judge is abiding by Michael Jackson's wishes.
They still have to admit the will. It has to be determined to be the last and valid will. But if that is, in fact, the case, these are his wishes.
BROWN: Roger, listen to this. This is reaction from the Jackson family attorney. This is from earlier today. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
L. LONDELL MCMILLAN, JACKSON FAMILY ATTORNEY: We have no reason to believe that this is going to turn into a nasty fight over millions and millions of dollars. Similar to the issue with the children, we have been working prudently and with care and great pause to make sure that this is not going to be a media fight. This is not going to be a nasty fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Roger, do you believe him?
ROGER FRIEDMAN, EDITOR, SHOWBIZ411.COM: Yes.
BROWN: I mean, given how litigious this family, everything surrounding Michael Jackson has always been? What do you think?
FRIEDMAN: Yes, I do believe him.
I know the press would love it if there were a big fight following the burial tomorrow. But I do think that the people who are in place now, it's ironic that after years and years of Michael Jackson having maybe the worst advisers ever, I mean, I can't even count the number of people who have been his managers and lawyers, that he died right after he gave permission to a lot of really good people to watch over him.
And I know that he told one of his advisers before he passed away, please look out for my children in kind of an ominous way. So, I think, really, it's going to be fine. The people who are running the estate now are John Branca, Joel Katz. Frank DiLeo is back as the manager.
And these people are all going to sit down and figure out how this estate is going to run. They're going to provide a lot of income for the children. They're always going to look out for the children. And I think that the Jacksons will be pleasantly surprised in the end about having these people in charge.
Katherine Jackson is not -- obviously not really in any shape to look over a big estate. And I think she's smart to leave it to these professionals.
BROWN: Right.
John, let me get your take on tomorrow. This memorial is supposed to be huge.
JOHN RIDLEY, COMMENTATOR, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: Huge.
BROWN: Every name in the world. Predicting an audience of a billion people because of the Internet. So many more people will have access to this than, say, Princess Diana's funeral, which is the only thing you could think that sort of compares, I guess. What's your take?
(CROSSTALK)
RIDLEY: I think -- I hope it's going to be respectful, but I think it's going to be very jubilant. I think it's going to be upbeat.
Remember, the people in the audience, the majority of them, are fans who have gone to a bit of trouble to get these tickets, to arrive, to go downtown to see this. I think they're going to want to remember the good, the excitement that Michael Jackson brings. As you said, this was the place that he was doing his last rehearsals before he died.
So, again, respectful, but I think it's going to be upbeat, and I think it's going to be a good remembrance of a guy who had great years.
BROWN: Roger, we just learned that Elizabeth Taylor, actually, his very close friend, won't be attending. She's telling her followers on Twitter that she cannot be part of the public hoopla, her words here -- "I just don't believe that Michael would want me to share my grief with millions of others."
What are you hearing about tomorrow?
FRIEDMAN: Well, she's also pretty frail and pretty old, and -- although I can't really imagine her using Twitter herself. But I guess she has somebody in the house doing it.
BROWN: Who is Twittering for her?
(LAUGHTER)
FRIEDMAN: But I think the big news that I'm predicting on showbiz411.com today is that the show is going to close I think with Jermaine Jackson very poignantly singing "Smile," the Charlie Chaplin song, which Michael used to do.
And I think, of all the big star performers that are turn out tomorrow, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, that Jermaine's performance at the end of the show will be heartbreaking.
BROWN: Well, we will be very interested to see that.
Let me go to Forest Lawn Cemetery right now, where Susan Roesgen is at this moment.
Susan, who has been talking to people there, what are you hearing?
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we're seeing mostly is some activity right behind us now. They have barricaded the entrance here to Forest Lawn Cemetery.
The guys that you see in the dark jackets and the ties and the gold bars on the suit coats, those are private security guards, we understand. A couple of them we recognize from the reporting that we have been doing in front of the Jackson family home in Encino.
I tried to get those guys to talk to me. They would not say a word, told me to keep moving. Something must be going on here. We don't know what could be happening, what -- or who will be coming, but something is about to happen here. And I think it involves the Jackson family, because we recognize some of those security guards.
BROWN: Yes. And that is what we have been hearing, Susan Roesgen for us from the cemetery tonight.
Before I let you guys go, let me go back to Jim.
And, Jim, just give us an update, because there were a few new developments as far as the investigation goes as well today. We know of three search warrants that have now been executed. Are police, from what you're hearing, closing in on anyone?
MORET: Well, I think that they're still in the exploratory phase. They're looking at we are told five doctors. That could expand because they're not just looking into Michael Jackson's death.
They're casting a wider net, looking at the practices of various doctors around Michael Jackson for a period of years to see what they prescribed, in whose name, how much, was there doctor-shopping, a lot of issues beyond how Michael Jackson died.
BROWN: All right, many thanks to our panel. They're going to be back later. We have got more to talk about tonight.
And we will keep checking in with Susan Roesgen as well, who, as we mentioned, is at the cemetery where we are expecting some family tonight as well.
And let me tell you, we're also watching this breaking news from South Carolina, where police say the serial killer who has terrorized a town has been shot and killed. You're going to want to hear this. We will update you in just a moment.
Plus, Sarah Palin quits. She's stepping down as governor. But, from Alaska to Washington, political junkies everywhere are still trying to figure out what's really going on here. We're digging for answers. We are going to have the very latest for you. Here's what her lawyer is saying right now. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is no bombshell. There is no shoe to drop. There are no investigations of any type that I'm aware of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: We're going to take a look now at some of the other must- see stories of the day.
Erica Hill with us with tonight's download.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Campbell, we start off with breaking news tonight.
Police say the serial killer that had people in a South Carolina town living in fear for more than a week is dead, killed in a shoot- out with police during a burglary in North Carolina. Now, police there say his gun matched the five murders in Gaffney, South Carolina. We will have a live report for you on that coming up in just a few minutes.
Police, by the way, now saying the gun found at the scene of former NFL star Steve McNair's shooting was in fact bought by his girlfriend just two nights prior. Both were found shot to death on Saturday in a Nashville condo. Police have not ruled it, though, a murder-suicide. McNair, who was married, was shot four times, his girlfriend just once.
It is the deadliest day in almost a year for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, at least six soldiers killed in roadside bombings, a seventh reportedly killed in a firefight. Taliban militants claim they have captured an American soldier, although there is no proof of that. And U.S. Marines claim they were fighting a group of insurgents who later the escaped the standoff by dressing up as women.
Senator-elect Al Franken showing up for work in Washington one day early. Franken is set to be sworn in tomorrow after eight months of recounts and court challenges. Today, he appeared with Majority Leader Harry Reid and said he is ready to go to work. And even though Franken attracted crowds of onlookers, he did not tell a single joke.
More proof of the popularity, by the way, of soccer just about everywhere, but here in the U.S. Today, 80,000 fans showed up to see Cristiano Ronaldo introduced as a member of Real Madrid. Just an introduction here, there wasn't a game. He was just being introduced. Madrid paid the equivalent of, get this, $130 million just to get him.
His new contract should make him the highest paid soccer player in the world. And we thought some of those football and baseball contracts were crazy.
Finally, the not-so-secret pictures of Britain's top spy, not-so- secret thanks to his wife, who posted their vacation snapshots on Facebook, along with information about their kids, where they live. She may want to work the privacy settings. Sir John Sawers is the incoming head of Britain's MI6 secret intelligence agency. While London's "Daily Mail" called it a shocking breach of security, a government said -- quote -- "It's not a state secret he wears a Speedo."
BROWN: Yes, everybody knows that. They have been talking about it for years.
HILL: Absolutely. There was a funny thing, too, someone else I read that said his legs were shockingly white. And then in parentheses, it said, he is British.
(LAUGHTER)
HILL: Poor guy.
BROWN: Poor guy. Erica Hill for us -- thanks, Erica.
Sarah Palin, we told you, quitting her job, leaving a lot more questions than answers. Well, tonight, her lawyer says there's no bombshell here, nothing to come. But even folks in Alaska are trying to figure out what's really going on, why she really is resigning. We are looking for answers in her home state. We will have that when we come back.
Also, breaking news, Erica talked about it, a serial killer killed now, shot by police. We're going to the small town in South Carolina where residents have been gripped by fear when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Breaking news tonight -- the search for a serial killer in South Carolina is over. This is the face that put fear into residents, many of whom began arming themselves over the holiday weekend, after five people were shot and killed, among the victims, an 83-year-old woman.
Now, just a short time ago, police told reporters they believe the suspect was shot to death this morning, killed in a shoot-out with police during a burglary across the border in North Carolina.
Our David Mattingly is in Gaffney tonight with late-breaking details on this.
And, David, I know this sounds like the break police were hoping for. Were they close at all to catching this guy?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This was, indeed, a huge break, and one they weren't expecting, at least the way it played out like this.
Because of the random nature of the crimes and because this serial killer didn't seem to fit into a profile, they had precious few clues to go on in this investigation. They didn't feel like they were close to catching him at the time that police in North Carolina were called to that house and then the shoot-out ensued.
BROWN: And, David, I mean, what do we know so far about the suspect? I know the details are limited. But what can you tell us.
MATTINGLY: Investigators tell me they do know his name. They haven't released that publicly yet. But they say he has a very extensive history with the law, going back years.
They're going -- they're not going into detail yet. They're going to try and paint a picture of this man and his past for us at a news conference that's supposed to be happening here some time in this hour. But, at this point, they are saying, the more they look back, the more they find out about this guy, that he has been in trouble with the law for quite some time.
BROWN: All right, David Mattingly for us tonight.
We're watching for that news conference.
And even though the suspect is dead, still a lot of questions tonight. Why was someone hunting down and killing innocent people in this seemingly random fashion? And how do the people of Gaffney, South Carolina, how do they go back to their lives after this killer sort of roamed around among them?
Let me bring in our criminal profiler right now, Pat Brown. She is joining us from Washington tonight. And in Gaffney is James Taylor, who is the city administrator.
And, Mr. Taylor, let me start with you.
You know this is a community that I'm assuming is just utterly terrified. I have read about people buying weapons, arming themselves. There's got to be a huge sense of relief tonight. How are people doing? JAMES TAYLOR, GAFFNEY, SOUTH CAROLINA, ADMINISTRATOR: Well, I certainly do not want to preempt the official announcement from the law enforcement agency.
Those are the folks that have been in the trenches doing all the hard work to try to keep this person from striking again. And they're going to be making their announcement shortly. And, of course, there will be a relief -- there will be some relief when that announcement is made.
But for the families that suffered the loss due to this tragedy, I don't know that there will ever be any relief. Their lives will be impacted forever. And we must keep those folks in our thoughts and our prayers, as the community as a whole tries to get back to business as normal.
BROWN: Well, I know. And moving on from this is going to be incredibly tough. But just talk to us a little bit about what this community, what your community has been going through over the last few days.
TAYLOR: Combination of sadness and fear. Fear from the citizens of not knowing when this individual might strike again or who his target might be. Sadness because of the loss of life of each of these individuals.
And our community is typical of small-town communities throughout the United States. People's paths cross. They know each other. They have associations through church, shopping opportunities, civic organizations.
So a lot of people in this community knew these individuals whose lives were tragically taken in such an unjust fashion. So it's been a tough, tough time, combination of fear and sadness.
C. BROWN: I'm sure. As you say, everybody being touched by this.
Pat, let me get your expertise here. I know we have a very limited information about this guy, the suspect, a very basic description you can see there.
The killings all taking place in a very small area over this ten- mile sort of area. No pattern really seemingly in terms of who he was targeting.
You look at the age ranges of the victims, all different genders. Can you -- what can you deduce, if anything, in terms of a profile or what the motivation may have been?
PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Actually there is a pretty good profile on this guy and he's not a serial killer. I hear this every single time the news is coming up we hear --
C. BROWN: You say he's not a serial killer?
P. BROWN: He's not a serial killer. He's a spree killer.
A serial killer doesn't want to get caught. He doesn't want to end up dead at the end of the day. He wants to sneak out, kill somebody, and then go back to his regular life and then maybe a week later or a month later or a year later, when something is going wrong in his life, he goes out and have some more fun. And then he goes and eats a hamburger and he doesn't want to get caught.
C. BROWN: OK. So what's a spree killer?
P. BROWN: The spree killer has gotten to a point in his life where he just hates everybody. He's a mass murderer in slow motion. So instead of going out and killing everybody in one minute, he goes out and he kills one person and the next and the next. And he knows the police are coming after him and he knows he's going to die. He knows he's going to go out by suicide by cop, that's his plan. It's a suicide mission, and that's why I wasn't too surprised that they did shoot him down in North Carolina.
He didn't give himself up. A serial killer would give himself up and then he would have fun in court and had the trial and he'd go to jail and he'd write letters to ladies. He will have a good time.
But a spree killer just wants to go out with a big blaze of glory. And so I'm glad it ended as soon as it did before more people didn't get killed but I wasn't surprised.
C. BROWN: All right. As we -- I was telling people earlier, we are waiting on this news conference but I appreciate your time tonight, Mr. Taylor, especially to you, given what your community is going through right now. I know it's a difficult time for you, so thanks very much for joining us.
And, Pat, thanks to you as always. We'll be updating people as we hear more information from the police after this news conference tonight. Thanks very much.
When we come back, what is the deal with Sarah Palin? The more we listen to Friday's resignation speech, the less we get it. We're going to go digging around for the truth in her home state. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
C. BROWN: We are all still trying to make sense of Sarah Palin's surprise announcement that she is quitting as governor of Alaska in the middle of her first term.
Well, today, the FBI took the unusual step of declaring that Palin is not under investigation. So there goes one theory. She didn't leave many clear clues in Friday's resignation speech either. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: Over the past nine months, I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations, such as holding a fish in a photograph or wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporter's questions. This political absurdity, the politics of personal destruction, Todd and I, we're looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills just in order to set the record straight.
My choice is to take a stand and effect change and not just hit or hit against the law. We know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time.
On another scale, you can effect change and I can too on the outside. You are naive if you don't see a full-court press from the national level picking away right now a good point guard. Here's what she does.
She drives through a full-court press, protecting the ball. She knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can win. And that is what I'm doing, keeping an eye on the ball. I know when it's time to pass the ball for victory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
C. BROWN: So since then, we have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. So far, nothing.
Joining us from Washington right now to talk about this, Republican consultant Alex Castellanos, who is an adviser to the Romney presidential campaign. Also from Alaska, we have KTVA-TV anchor, Matt Felling, who has covered Palin from Anchorage. And back with me once again, NPR contributor John Ridley here in New York.
Matt, let me start with you. So many questions here about her potential motivations. No one sort of buying the news conference explanation because I think it was really not clear from what she said.
You've had the weekend to dig into this. What's your thinking? What are you hearing?
MATT FELLING, KTVA-TV ANCHOR: Yes, Campbell, good evening. I've been rooting through this all weekend long and honestly, the people that I'm talking to, people on the street and people who are in the political know here in Alaska, they're saying that for the last nine months, Sarah Palin has had one guiding motivation and that is 2012.
And whatever you think of the press conference on Friday morning, this was just -- I don't know how you do the math in her mind -- this was her calculation to get her to 2012 in the strongest state possible.
Because what happens between here and honestly, Election Day next year, it wasn't shaping up to be a good 2010 for her. She was bogged down with these ethics complaints. And, by the way, one was just filed in the last hour and a half, another one despite her press conference on Friday. She's looking -- she's honestly staring a veto override with the statehouse. The Republican-run statehouse, she's staring that right in the face, so that wasn't going to look good. And she was going to have to spend more time in the Lower 48 so this will free her time to do that. And that the book tour comes up next year too and that wasn't going to be popular here. So there's a sense that she took herself out of the running in order to make the long -- the long ball play, in terms of looking at 2012.
C. BROWN: Right.
FELLING: And what's further feeding that fire, is last week, last Monday and Tuesday, her Sarah PAC, her political action committee, made a huge push to their donor, saying we really need you now more than ever. We need one big push. And then, within four days, she's making this move. It raises a lot of questions.
C. BROWN: Yes. Alex, before I get your take, which you sort of conveyed with that look, listen to this. This is new sound from her attorney saying no big surprises coming out later on. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS VAN FLEIN, ATTORNEY FOR SARAH PALIN: There is no bombshell. There is no shoe to drop. There are no investigations of any type that I'm aware of.
No IRS audit. No federal investigation. No state investigation. There is no legal reason in terms of a legal problem that compelled the governor to resign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
C. BROWN: All right. So, Alex, before you give us your take on the wisdom of this move, I mean, what do you think is the motivation? Is 2012, you know, what she's thinking is that this isn't about making money? What is it?
ALEX CASTELLANOS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: Well, maybe the worst possible assumption you can make here is that there isn't any worst possible assumption that maybe there is no scandal.
C. BROWN: We're overthinking it?
CASTELLANOS: Yes. And maybe this is what it appears. It doesn't ring true though. The idea that she had legal bills and couldn't pay them, you can set up various kinds of committees to get help paying legal bills. So if there -- and if these charges are so frivolous, then you could obviously deal with them as such. So none of that makes sense.
To continue the ball game analogy, I think Sarah Palin fouled out of this game. And she has done herself a little bit of damage. If she's made the case that, well, her state is so much better off if she doesn't continue as governor, it's going to be easy for a Republican challenger in 2012 to say and think how much better off America's going to be when you don't become president.
C. BROWN: Well, to that point, I mean, John, she still has a strong brand seemingly with her base -- the people who love her. She has some die-hard support out there. I mean, is the Palin brand still strong? Can she go out and make a ton of money?
JOHN RIDLEY, NPR CONTRIBUTOR: Well, can I be a contrarian here?
C. BROWN: Yes.
RIDLEY: Who is Sarah Palin? I think Sarah Palin made a genius decision. I want to say I hate to trade in absolutes.
She was never going to be president of the United States. But who's got all the sway in the Republican Party right now? It's the political pundits, it's the talk show host, it's the people who are not responsible to an electorate. And here's someone who's getting beat up not just by the left but her own party is beating her.
At what point do you just say I'm going to raise my metaphor called middle finger to everybody, let me go out on my book tour, let me go out maybe get a deal hosting a show but at some point become the kingmaker for 2012. I would not be surprised if around 2011 people are circling around Sarah Palin saying, please, anoint us for the road to the White House. She's never going to be president but possibly a kingmaker.
C. BROWN: Before I go back to Matt, let me just get your take on that Alex, your reaction. Because do you think she still has dues with those die-hard supporters and could be a kingmaker?
CASTELLANOS: She can go out now. I think she can go out there now and, you know, we all think she's going to go out on a book tour. We think she's going to give speeches. She could make Bill Clinton kind of money. $7 million to $10 million.
Who's going to buy those books and buy those tickets? Well, it's Republican primary voters. So, yes, I think John's exactly right. She does have a lot of power still in the Republican Party. She's not going to be president. And more so now, this is, you know, bad news still for Mike Huckabee because she is still a player and Sarah Palin is now the next Mike Huckabee in the Republican Party.
She can't go all the way. I agree 100 percent on that. But she could divide the right in such a state like Iowa, for example, or in the south. And that's probably good news for someone like Mitt Romney.
C. BROWN: Matt, I'm almost out of time so very quickly, is this the last that people of Alaska are going to hear from there? Are they sort of needing, I guess, a further explanation after that news conference on Friday?
FELLING: Yes, I think that there's more questions than answers here. And people in Alaska are split evenly. I mean, there was about a 50 -- you know, a 50-50 mix on KTVA.com. When we asked was this a good decision? What do you think of this, and to the idea, to the aspect of her brand?
The brand she built over the last nine months was that of a fighter. And last week, whether you think that she started some fights or whether you think she was drawn into some, last week, she decided to stop fighting. And that's going to affect her brand nationally as well.
C. BROWN: All right. Matt, thanks. And to Alex and John, as always, thanks, guys. Appreciate it.
Stunning comments about the death of Michael Jackson from, of all people, a member of Congress. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: And let's knock out the psychobabble. This guy was a pervert. He's a child molester. He was a pedophile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
C. BROWN: You're going to hear what prompted that lawmaker to blast Jackson on the eve of the pop star's burial when we come back.
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C. BROWN: Welcome back, everybody. Well, you can bet that tonight's newsmaker won't be within a mile of the Staples Center tomorrow. He is a congressman who has had just about enough of the nonstop flow of tributes for Michael Jackson.
And this weekend, Republican Peter King of New York posted a video on YouTube lashing out at the pop star. We want you to hear the congressman's comments for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: Hi, this is Congressman Pete King. And yesterday, I marched in two Fourth of July parades in Wantagh and Massapequa Park. Today, I was taking a walk through Wantagh here at the American Legion hall, a fire house down the street, a fire memorial a few blocks from here. And it really reminded me of the great men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. People fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan today, cops, firefighters, teachers, none of whom really get much credit. And yet for the last, I don't know how long now, this lowlife, Michael Jackson, his name, his face, his picture is all over the newspapers and television, radio, it's all we hear about is Michael Jackson. And let's knock out the psychobabble. This guy is a pervert. He's a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country? I just think we're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson. You know, he died, he had some talent. Fine. There's people dying every day. There's men and women dying every day in Afghanistan. Let's give them the credit they deserve.
I really think the media has disgraced itself. I think that too many people in public life have made fools of themselves by talking about Michael Jackson as if he's some kind of hero.
There's nothing good about this guy. He may have been a good singer, he did some dancing. But the bottom line is, would you let your child or grandchild be in the same room as Michael Jackson? What are we glorifying him for?
So, anyway, let's take some time out to really look to the people who do make us a great country. The men and women of the armed forces, police, firefighters, teachers who work in really rough neighborhoods, people who volunteer with dying cancer patients, people who work in AIDS clinics -- they're the ones we should be glorifying, not some pervert like Michael Jackson.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
C. BROWN: So, congressman, tell us what you really think. We're going to bring back right now, John Ridley, and welcome our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, along with Jackson biographer Stacy Brown.
Stacy, what did you think?
STACY BROWN, JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: Well, I think the comments came out of left field. And for him to say that Michael is a child molester, et cetera, Michael was never convicted of these crimes.
And then the other thing is, I think people are not looking at him -- the media isn't looking at him as a hero, we're talking about the issues. And the fans are celebrating his music and his legacy, not the personal life of Michael Jackson.
C. BROWN: He was acquitted.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: He was acquitted and I was there. But, you know, he did pay two civil judgments along the -- you know, for child molestation --
C. BROWN: Big money.
TOOBIN: Big money. You know, I have to say, when Peter King said who among us would leave their kids with Michael Jackson, I mean, not me. I covered that trial and I think that he probably touched a nerve with a lot of people.
The problem is, with artists throughout history, we have been able to draw a line from the brilliance of their art and their personal lives which are often untidy to say the least. And Jackson's personal life was pretty unappealing in many respects.
C. BROWN: You know, John, I mean, just over the last few days, I've been hearing this, you know, in private conversations with people, this sort of, like, yes, I would no way leave my children alone with this man. But at the same time, they're in awe of his talent as a musician. What is his legacy going to be?
RIDLEY: I think his legacy is going to be fine. I would say that the congressman, you know, as a man who's been accused of supporting terrorism at the IRA, he should know to give people the benefit of the doubt. He's been accused about it. I'm not saying it, but that's something that nobody likes to carry around.
Again, Michael Jackson was never convicted of anything. I would not leave my kids with him.
In terms of his legacy and why we celebrate him and saying that he's never done anything, when I was a kid and we had not a lot of people of color on television. To see him Michael Jackson, to see the Jackson family cartoons on Saturday morning, that was actually a big deal.
I understand he may not get that, but for a lot of us, yes, we can segregate the good and the bad and celebrate the good. And we're going to be talk about the bad obviously for months to come.
S. BROWN: Yes. And, Campbell, I'm one who certainly believed that Michael Jackson at one point molested a child. I've said it publicly. I've said it before.
But, again, I think you said it so eloquently, we grew up with Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, watching their cartoons, watching their variety show. And we went to the victory tour. We went to the "Bad Tour."
C. BROWN: But don't you feel conflicted by that? I mean, given that --
S. BROWN: Oh, I do.
C. BROWN: I mean, how can you --
S. BROWN: I have children who love Michael. I have children. My daughter has been around Michael. I wouldn't leave my children with Michael either. But the fact is, I think you can't avoid celebrating the legacy of Michael Jackson.
TOOBIN: The good news for artists is that as time passes, what's remembered is their art. We remember Norman Mailer's novels. We don't remember very often that he stabbed one of his wives. These are the things that live on.
C. BROWN: You remember, Jeffrey.
RIDLEY: But, I mean -- can we also say, though -- I don't think anybody here appreciates what Michael Jackson may have done to the negative, but let's also talk about some of these folks.
None of us would leave our kids with Michael Jackson. Yet several families knowing what he had been accused of who did it again and again and again. So I think that there are folks who may have put themselves in situations to benefit from some of this as well.
TOOBIN: Wait a second, that's blaming the victim. I don't buy that, that it's somehow the family's fault?
RIDLEY: You have families that are basically very litigious. They've done the same thing with major corporations. If you knew that your neighbor had been accused of something like this, would you leave your kid alone with this?
I don't want to cast this net too wide but when you talk about remembering all of this, when you talk about why we can talk about this, I think there's more to it than just saying, well, this guy is just a pedophile. It's black and white, and that's all there is to it. I think for us that's what -- again, especially (ph) for people of color, there's a persecution complex.
When people just come out as the congressman did and just say, well, it's just about Michael Jackson. He was bad enough, it's all there is to it. A lot of us felt, well, no, there is a lot more to the story than simply saying he's a pedophile, that's it, and nobody should be paying attention to anything he did. And as he said, that he's done nothing good.
TOOBIN: I think Peter King certainly was overstating the case.
RIDLEY: In the highest hyperbole.
TOOBIN: But perhaps he was calling attention to the fact that we may have overdone the hero worship a little and not pointed out the other sides of his character that were a lot less appealing.
RIDLEY: Jeffrey, look at how you just did it like a sane rational individual and make a good point.
C. BROWN: That's so not like you.
TOOBIN: I got to cut that out or -- you know, I'm on cable TV. I can't be saying it in national --
C. BROWN: You won't survive.
Thank you, guys. A fascinating conversation there.
You have never seen anticipation like this for a memorial service obviously. Anderson Cooper joining us from Los Angeles as final details of the Michael Jackson memorial and burial come together when we come back.
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C. BROWN: One billion people worldwide expected to watch Michael Jackson's memorial tomorrow. Anderson Cooper live for us in Los Angeles tonight with a preview of what we can expect.
Anderson, what are you hearing?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, "AC 360": Well, Campbell, we know now that ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. on the Pacific Coast, 10:00 a.m. at the Staples Center. But we've learned that at 8:00 a.m., the Jackson family, friends, Michael Jackson's children, his siblings, his parents, will be gathering at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills.
We don't know for a fact if that is Michael Jackson's actual funeral service or burial. We haven't been able to confirm if that is, in fact, the case. But some sort of service will be taking place there. You see the images on the screen, Forest Lawn. A lot of media is already starting to gather there.
So that's going to be two hours before the ceremony starts tomorrow. The family will be escorted to the cemetery by California Highway Patrol. They're then going to be escorted to the Staples Center.
Security is going to be very tight. Blocks around the entire area are going to be cordoned off. There's been a little bit of an uproar about who's going to pay for all this. Right now, the city is paying for the extra police and the crowd control that's to be expected.
About 1.5 million people as you know, Campbell, requested tickets online. Eighteen thousand tickets for the public have been disseminated out. Only about 5,000 of those people will be seated in the Nokia Theatre outside the Staples Center only about 11,000 inside.
And, Campbell, we expect Usher is going to be there. Mariah Carey is going to be performing, Stevie Wonder, as well as a host of others.
C. BROWN: All right. Anderson, of course, you will have a full wrap-up coming up tonight, 10:00 Eastern Time. We will all be here all day tomorrow for every moment of this.
Anderson and company in Los Angeles, I'll be here in New York. We'll see you a little bit later tonight. Anderson, thanks.
And when we come back, tonight's "Breakout" story. This is a tribute from one star to another. Beyonce sings for Michael Jackson next.
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C. BROWN: Larry King live starts just one minute from now. But we leave you tonight with our "Breakout," Beyonce's tribute to Michael Jackson.
Good night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BEYONCE KNOWLES, SINGER: Michael, thank you so much for teaching me so much. We all miss you. And we thank you for all the beautiful memories.
(SINGING) You're everything I need and more it's written all over your face. Michael, I can feel your halo. I pray you won't fade away. Michael, don't fade away. No, halo don't fade away. No, halo don't fade away.
