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American Morning
Serious Questions Raised on the Deadline on the Closing of Guantanamo Bay; U.S. Military Search for Missing U.S Soldier Captured by the Taliban; Former Police Officer Claims Racism in Philadelphia Police Department's Web Site; Watchdog Says $23.7 Trillion to Fix Economy?; Health Care Politics; Joe Jackson Calls Son's Death Foul Play; Michael Vick Wants Back in NFL; New Developments on Florida Couple's Death; Government Garage Sale
Aired July 21, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING on this Tuesday, July 21st. I'm Kiran Chetry.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, I'm John Roberts. Thanks very much for being with us.
We are following several developing stories this morning. We'll be breaking them all down for you over the next 15 minutes here on the "Most News in the Morning."
Serious questions being raised right now about whether President Obama will be able to meet his January deadline for closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A task force looking into how suspected terrorists are being held at Guantanamo should be prosecuted has now been delayed. We're not talking about days, either. We're live at the White House with new developments on the story.
CHETRY: U.S. commanders right now sparing no effort to find an army soldier taken by the Taliban in Afghanistan. We're going to be live in the Pentagon in just a few moments for a view of what U.S. troops hunting for one of their own are now facing.
ROBERTS: And you might want to sit down for this. We all knew the cost to rescue the economy was going to be expensive. But the government's top watchdog says if everything goes wrong, you, the taxpayer, could be on the hook not for millions, not billions, but how about this -- $24 trillion.
CHETRY: We had to break out a lot of zeros this morning to get that up there.
Well, we begin with the blow to the heart of President Obama's new approach to fighting terrorism. The administration acknowledging that it will miss today's deadline to submit a report detailing what to do with detainees at Guantanamo Bay. That report is a key part to the White House's plan for shutting down Gitmo by next January.
This was an executive order the president signed off on during his first week in office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This first executive order that we are signing in order to effect the appropriate disposition of individuals currently detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo, and promptly to close the detention facility at Guantanamo, consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice, I do hereby order.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Suzanne Malveaux is the only reporter live at the White House this early in the morning. And, Suzanne, what is the administration saying now about this delay?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, this is a lot more difficult, proving a lot more difficult for the administration than they thought. They say they're making good progress here, but we heard from four senior administration officials saying that essentially this report is going to get a six-month extension to take a look at these detainees to review their cases and see what to do with them.
They do say that things are happening. They're in the works, that they're about halfway through reviewing these cases. About six detainees that are prepared for being transferred and they are insisting, Kiran, that they're going to make that deadline when it comes to closing Guantanamo Bay by next January, that that will still happen. That they still have to look at some of these countries. However, those that are going to accept detainees, whether or not they're going to be put on trial, these are all things that are going to take some more time. The administration acknowledging that this morning.
CHETRY: Another big challenge, of course, is the talk in health care and selling that plan again today. Is he worried about some of the growing chorus of criticism that's out there about this plan for overhauling our health care?
MALVEAUX: Well, he certainly is worried about it because the truth of the matter is, is that we are seeing this president out every single day now, Kiran, to sell his health care reform plan. No question about it. We saw him on Friday, a YouTube address on Saturday yesterday. Today, he's going to be in a reception room talking about it still, privately meeting with some of the House Democrats who've been critical of his plan.
Prime time press conference tomorrow and he's taking his message on the road on Thursday to northern Ohio. Clearly, this is a president who is trying to push members of Congress as much as he can. And what he's doing is he's really taking it to the public here, hoping that the public, the American people will have support, will support this plan and put pressure on members of Congress not to let this thing go before August.
That is what we're seeing here, and this is a full-court press, Kiran, not holding back at all. We're going to see him once again stressing the need to get this thing done, get it done quickly because they're really afraid they're going to lose momentum here.
CHETRY: All right. Suzanne Malveaux for us this morning up early and at the White House. Thanks so much.
MALVEAUX: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Another story developing right now, the desperate search for a captured U.S. soldier who appeared in a Taliban hostage video. Defense officials say troops are sparing no effort to find 23- year-old Army Private Bowe Bergdahl who was taken last month by militants in eastern Afghanistan.
Barbara Starr is tracking the military's rescue plan. She's live at the Pentagon for us this morning. Suspected that they know who took or at least who now holds Private Bowe Bergdahl. Do they have any idea, Barbara, where he's being held?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, John, I have to tell you I've just spoken to a senior U.S. military official who says, indeed, the working theory still today is that Bowe Bergdahl is somewhere in eastern Afghanistan, that he has not been taken over the border to Pakistan. So they are looking through that area of the country. They are doing, they say, everything they can to find him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl held captive by the Taliban for three weeks, clearly in fear, missing his family.
PFC. BOWE ROBERT BERGDAHL, U.S. ARMY: I miss them every day that I'm gone. I miss them, and I'm afraid that I might never see them again.
ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Our commanders are sparing no effort to find this young soldier. And I also would say my personal reaction was one of disgust at the exploitation of this young man.
STARR: Hundreds of troops have fanned out across Afghanistan's eastern Paktika since Bergdahl was captured June 30th. U.S. military officials will confirm few details of the urgent hunt, but have acknowledged they have cordoned off areas, conducted searches and are using drones to watch overhead for any signs of the 23-year-old soldier being moved. The U.S. intelligence community also continues to monitor cell phone traffic in the region according to officials.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, just returned from the region.
ADM. MICHAEL MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Having been with the forces, in fact, who are conducting the operations to recover him or to find him, is -- they are extensive, vast. They're on it 24/7.
STARR: The U.S. has been distributing these pamphlets in the region, seeking information. One reading, "If you do not release the U.S. soldier, then you will be hunted." But the biggest clues may come from this 28-minute tape.
KEN ROBINSON, FMR. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER: We teach soldiers that if they can get on video they should, because it gives the United States proof of life.
STARR: The U.S. military is now analyzing each frame for clues about who is holding Bergdahl and where he is being held.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Now this senior U.S. official, John, also tells us the working theory is that Bergdahl is still in the hands of the notorious clan led by the warlord, Siraj Haqqani (ph), a man very well known to the U.S. military in that part of the world. And if they get the least bit of indication of where he is, certainly, as always, publicly understood and know that hostage rescue teams are on stand by to move in at a moment's notice -- John.
ROBERTS: Barbara Starr for us at the Pentagon this morning. Barbara, thanks so much.
A Harvard professor is claiming he was the victim of racial profiling this morning after police arrested him at his own in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the most well-known black scholars in the country, was locked out of his home and tried to wage his way in through a door when he spotted by neighbors.
Gates became irate when police arrived on the scene calling the officers racist and saying this is what happens to black men in America. He was arrested for disorderly conduct.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If a Harvard professor is arrested breaking into his own home, it has a certain common class, that, on the other hand, as you know, a person of color. You know, one has to wonder whether he was treated as any other Harvard professor might be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: So far Cambridge police have not commented on the case. Gates is scheduled to be arraigned on August the 26th.
CHETRY: Well, this morning, there's some new evidence about the dangers of cell phone use while driving. And perhaps even more alarming that the warnings are reportedly kept secret by a government agency for years for fear of angering Congress and losing federal money.
"The New York Times" is reporting research found that drivers talking on cell phones are four times more likely to crash and just as likely to cause an accident as someone driving drunk. The information was obtained by consumer groups who claimed to release those details today. Well, other stories new this morning. After weeks of talks and threats, cash-strapped California has a deal now in place to close a $26 billion budget shortfall. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saying the compromised agreement includes no tax increases and slashes spending by some $15 billion. It means the state can stop paying bills with IOUs. Lawmakers are expected to vote on this budget plan by Thursday.
ROBERTS: NASA images reveal a black spot on Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. Science say that Jupiter may have been hit by a comet. The images reveal a scar in the atmosphere near the planet's south hole. Fifteen years ago, you remember, Jupiter was struck by space junk from the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
CHETRY: And just days before she leaves office, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin hit with yet another ethics complaint. This one alleging that she failed to submit gift disclosure forms on time.
It's the nineteenth ethics grievance filed against Governor Palin or her staff. She spent more than $500,000 in legal fees fighting them and says the costs and the strain of the charges against her led her to her decision to resign. Fifteen complaints have been resolved without any finding of wrongdoing.
ROBERTS: A Hollywood star stepping in to help dozens of kids turned away from a swim club outside Philadelphia over racism allegations. All 65 kids from the largely minority day care center are going on an all-expenses paid trip to Disney World.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you want to know the celebrity that you will be meeting, they have paid for your trip to Disney World. The celebrity name is --
ALL: Tyler Perry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Tyler Perry is best known for his work on movies like "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and the TV show "House of Payne." Perry says he wanted to let the kids know that for every negative experience, there are people out there who do want them to succeed. The Valley Club has been sued by one parent, faces another suit from the camp. The club says the issue was safety and not racism.
And Tyler Perry is featured in CNN's "Black in American 2" which premieres tomorrow night at 9:00 Eastern. Special correspondent Soledad O'Brien reports on the most challenging issues facing African- Americans and the groundbreaking solutions that are coming from the community.
CHETRY: Tyler said it would just upset him so much to hear about the story in Philadelphia. And he said, you know, he wanted the kids to remember that for every mean thing that somebody may do, there are so many more people out there that would want to do nice things for you. So he wanted to be one of those people and I'm sure the kids are thrilled.
ROBERTS: It upset a lot of people, I think.
CHETRY: All right. Well, still ahead, shocking allegations by Michael Jackson's father. He spoke to CNN's Larry King last night. Joe Jackson names the people that he blames for Michael's death. Also opens up about the tumultuous relationship that he had with his son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": What do you say about all these things that have been said over the years that you harmed Michael as a child.
JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: Oh, that's a bunch of bull s. That's a bunch of bull s.
KING: Straighten me out.
JACKSON: That's not true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." There are some disturbing claims of racism in the Philadelphia police department. African-American officers have now filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the department allowed fellow officers to post "blatantly racist, anti-minority, and offensive content on a popular Web site."
Rochelle Bilal is a Philadelphia police officer and the president of the Guardian Civic League which is an African-American police organization. And also Brian Mildenberg is the group's attorney. And they join us from Philadelphia this morning.
Thanks to both of you for being with us.
BRIAN MILDENBERG, ATTORNEY FOR GUARDIAN CIVIC LEAGUE: Thank you for having us.
ROCHELLE BILAL, PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER: Good morning.
CHETRY: Rochelle, I want to ask you first of all, just set the stage. This Web site is called domelights.com. What is it?
BILAL: It's supposed to be a forum where police officers can discuss the ills of society.
CHETRY: All right. And what has it sort of turned into? Or when did you first noticed that it turned into a site where there was a lot of racial bashing going on?
BILAL: Probably when they kicked me out as I went on to try to discuss some of the things that was going on, and I was kicked out. CHETRY: And let me --
BILAL: From that point, I haven't gone on it.
CHETRY: Oh, you didn't go on it now.
Now, Brian, you say that you guys have been monitoring this Web site for ten years. Did you bring it to the attention of the department that you thought perhaps there were some things written on here that were not in the best interest of a lot of the police officers on the force?
MILDENBERG: No, we haven't been monitoring the site for ten years. The site has been up for ten years. My law firm investigated the site for the past year, and there have been racist postings on this Web site from day one by the active duty Philadelphia police sergeant who created this Web site.
The Web site contains very racist postings like this one which says, "Guns don't kill people. Dangerous minorities do." It contains all kinds of racist rants and raves, and the scary thing is that the people participating in this Web site that's being run by an active Philadelphia police sergeant are other police officers, including captains and lieutenants of the Philadelphia police force.
So we're learning in recent days that Internet access is apparently restricted in the police force to only higher level police officials. So we're learning that apparently this is reaching up to the higher levels of the captains and lieutenants and sergeants in the Philadelphia police force who apparently are posting racist commentary and materials against African-Americans and intimidating racist commentary against African-Americans and against Rochelle Bilal, in particular. They are posting these on the Internet.
CHETRY: You're saying that after this lawsuit came to light, the suit that you guys are filing, it started to get pretty personal about Rochelle?
MILDENBERG: That's right. They made some remarks that are very difficult to even discuss here. But, including suggesting that she should be, heaven forbid, sexually assaulted, calling her all kinds of the worst type of racial names that one could imagine.
CHETRY: Yes, I read it too. And it isn't comfortable to talk about on television. A couple of the other ones that are not as offensive as some, here's one of the other postings on this site. "In urban areas, it seems African-Americans living on welfare in paid-for housing is ingrained in their culture, as well as fighting."
You mentioned some of the people that you think are behind these Web sites. But who do you think, Rochelle, is behind a lot of this, I mean, given that these are all officers that are supposed to be, you know, basically a fraternity of police officers working with one another?
BILAL: Cowards. Bigots with badges. They're going here and express their heartfelt, hateful racist views because they're afraid to stand up and face people toe to toe with their comment. Cowards.
CHETRY: And, Brian, this Web site is not run by the city. We did ask the Philadelphia police department for comment and they declined saying that it's not a city-sanctioned site. Do you still believe the police department in Philadelphia is responsible?
MILDENBERG: I do because, while it may not be sanctioned apparently by the city according to their official policies, it's being run by captains, lieutenants, sergeants. These are high-level law enforcement officers of the city of Philadelphia. You can't behind -- you can't say officially we don't sanction it and then have your managers and officers and agents of the police force being the ones conspiring to place it there and to post on it.
CHETRY: All right. Well, keep at posted. Brian, I know that you're also part of the firm representing the campers that were turned away from the swim club. In this situation as well, you're calling for them to restrict access to the site especially when they are work. We'll see how it turns out.
Rochelle Bilal and Brian Mildenberg, thanks for joining us this morning.
MILDENBERG: Thank you.
BILAL: Thank you.
MILDENBERG: Thank you very much.
ROBERTS: So we've all heard of the TARP funds, the Troubled Asset Relief Program and the billions of dollars, shall we say trillions of dollars? That's probably we're going to be spent on it in the coming months. But where could all this be headed?
The inspector general who's been looking into TARP says if everything goes wrong, and not to say that it will, but if everything goes wrong, we could be on the hook for almost twice our annual GDP. That figure closes in on $24 trillion.
Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" coming up next with the staggering figure and what's behind it. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." You may know him. He's one of those well-known figures around Times Square if you're in New York. It's the Naked Cowboy and he appears ready to turn in those tighty whiteys (ph), or maybe not. Maybe just cover him up a little and toss his cowboy hat into the ring for mayor of New York City.
His real name is Robert Burke. He plans to announce his campaign tomorrow in Times Square saying, "No one knows how to do more with less than yours truly." His main opponent will, of course, be incumbent Michael Bloomberg, who's running for a third term, who happens to be a billionaire so he might be -- you know, he might have the best body out there, but he might not have the most money, you know, to put into those campaigns.
ROBERTS: He also has a lot of dedication, though.
CHETRY: There you go.
ROBERTS: Rain or shine, snow, sleet, hail, dead of night, you know, sunshine, he'll be there working for you.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I said he works out in more clothes than he does his job in. Seriously.
CHETRY: When does he have time to work out? He's always standing there.
ROMANS: I know. He must work out. I mean, look at his arms.
ROBERTS: You would think that he would have to, you know.
ROMANS: Yes.
ROBERTS: The cost of rescuing the economy could add up to a lot more than many people expected. The government's chief watchdog at the bailout has come up with the worst case scenario and the price stag is a staggering $23.7 trillion.
CNN's Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" this morning to break it down for us. Look at that figure.
ROMANS: I know.
ROBERTS: It fills up our entire big screen vista wall there.
ROMANS: And we've been telling you for months. This is trillions and trillions of guarantees and loans and promises and backstops for the financial industry and for the economy. So we knew it was a really big number.
This is the first time we've seen a price tag quite this big. And again, this isn't total potential losses. This is how much money has been guaranteed out there. It doesn't count all the collateral that's been put up against it. It doesn't count the money that's been paid back to taxpayers.
So let me roll down for you what the SIGTARP is the worst acronym ever to come out of Washington, the Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Plan. SIGTARP, you're going to hear again.
This is the bailout cop. And this is what he found in his first big report. Excuse me.
TARP has created 12 programs involving $3 trillion. They've launched 35 investigations of waste and pilfering and mismanagement. The rescue efforts overhaul, the total potential government support is the way they put it, could top $23.7 trillion.
Now a treasury official called that a distorted number. It doesn't take into account the fees and interest that has been paid. Fees and interest like this. Taxpayers have had $6 billion in dividend payments paid back, $200 million in interest payments. And also, you look, there was a bridge loan, the JPMorgan Chase to buy Bear Stearns. It was, I think $14 billion. That's been paid back in full with interest and dividends.
There are other things like that and we've got money back. So the $23 trillion number is a huge number, but you know, serious economists will look at that number and say, they'll be able to kind of pull back where -- where. That would essentially be the United States stopping --
CHETRY: Right.
ROMANS: Just stopping business completely if we were to lose all that money.
CHETRY: But, you know, the point that was being made in this report was that there were some safeguards in effect that had been recommended to be used or happening right now.
ROMANS: That's right.
CHETRY: Is there enough oversight in making sure that this is being spent the right way.
ROMANS: And that's where the bailout cop provides (ph). Neil Barofsky is going to testify today. He would like to see some tougher enforcement and tougher oversight of this whole program.
I mean, remember, folks, this is more money that we've pushed out the door between the TARP and the stimulus and all this other stuff. There's 23.7 trillion that we have ever pushed out so quickly in history. Think of that. So obviously, we're going to be watching the waste and we're going to need some better oversight in general.
ROBERTS: And we believe that Neil will be joining us probably later in the week to talk about all of this.
ROMANS: Oh, great, great.
CHETRY: All right. Well, what about our "Romans' Numeral" for the day? The number that sort of typifies a story driving your money that Christine brings us each hour?
ROMANS: The number quickly is $611. And, you know, when we talk about all of these trillions of dollars --
ROBERTS: There's a number I can get my head around.
ROMANS: You know why you can get your head around this, because this is the average American earnings for the week. The average person brings home $611 a week. $611, we're talking about trillions for this, and hundreds of billions for that, and $14 billion to give a bridge loan to a bank and all this. This just puts in context I think, the American people, we bring home $611 a week. You know, it's hard for us to watch Washington spending all this money and not get a little bit nervous.
ROBERTS: It sure is. That's a heavy dose of reality. Thank you, Christine.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
ROBERTS: "Minding Your Business" this morning.
CHETRY: Well, still ahead, Carol Costello is going to be joining us. She runs the numbers on our health care proposal. What it will end up costing and who pays?
Twenty-six minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back. It is 29 minutes past the hour this morning. A look at Washington, D.C., where it's cloudy right now. It's 72 degrees. A little bit later going up to a high of 83 and the chance of some storms out there.
And welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." President Obama says that critics of his health care overhaul plan are engaging in the politics of delay. The Republicans aren't the only ones now questioning the fine print of health care reform. There are Democratic concerns about the taxes it will take to get it done as well. And Carol Costello is looking into that for us this morning.
We all got the red memo for some reason today. You look very lovely.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a power color. That's a good thing, Kiran.
CHETRY: There you go.
COSTELLO: But you're talking about health care, the president will get ready for a health care reform blitz. The president is holding news conferences, sitting down with network anchors. He'll give a prime time address on Wednesday. All to push a reform package that some say has a snowball's chance to wind up on his desk in August.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello, everybody.
COSTELLO (voice-over): On the subject of health care reform, President Obama is fighting back.
OBAMA: One Republican senator said and I'm quoting him now, "If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his waterloo. It will break him." COSTELLO: But Mr. Obama and the Democratic National Committee are not about to be broken, not even by their own party. The DNC launched this ad, aimed not at Napoleonic Republicans but at conservative Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time for health care reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It turns out some Democratic small business owners who make over $280,000 a year don't want to pay a surcharge on their income to pay for the president's trillion dollar health care program. So Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has come up with an alternative plan. Instead of raising taxes on those who make more than $280,000 a year, she wants a proposed surcharge to apply to individuals making over $500k a year and couples making more than $1 million.
Pelosi figures you hear $500,000 a year you think, my God, that's not me. But it does apply to around 1 percent of taxpayers, and some of them aren't happy either.
According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, a self-employed couple making $1.5 million a year in Montgomery County, Maryland, now pays $583,863 in total taxes. After 2010 when the Bush tax cuts expire, their taxes will go up more than $62,000. Throw in a 5.4 percent surtax for health care reform, that's $9,000 more. Total estimated taxes on the year? $655,126.00.
And while that may sound like a fine way to raise revenue, economist Peter Morici says even that won't begin to pay for the kind of health care reform the president wants.
PETER MORICI, ECONOMIST, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: He's going to need that surcharge on the wealthy, and it's going to be bigger than anticipated or he's going to have to tax everybody.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And the president certainly doesn't want to do that.
The Congressional Budget Office is weighing in on this, too, Kiran. It says the House bill as it is now would increase the nation's deficit by $240 billion by 2019. And that's something the president vows will not happen, because he wants to combine cost savings with extra taxes on the rich to pay for this thing.
And, you know, there's the big rub, Kiran -- how to pay for this thing.
There's all sorts of plans out there, and nobody likes any one plan. CHETRY: And they want to get it done before the August recess, and we...
COSTELLO: Good luck.
CHETRY: ...only got about what? Two more weeks in July.
COSTELLO: Yes. Good luck.
CHETRY: All right. A lot going on. And we want to welcome our viewers to weigh in on it.
Carol, they can, of course, e-mail you at our blog. We want to know what you think about paying for health care reform. Exactly, how do you define rich in the U.S. when you say taxing the rich? Share your thoughts with us, cnn.com/amFIX.
ROBERTS: Coming up now at 33 minutes past the hour.
And checking top stories. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton doing her part to bolster diplomatic ties with Thailand. Right now, she is meeting with that country's prime minister. The talks are focusing on climate change and improving security.
CHETRY: Oakland, California could soon become the first city? To impose a special tax on sales of medical marijuana. Mail-in ballots are due in today on a measure that would increase the tax rate to $18 for every $1,000 spent on marijuana. City officials say that the tax would bring in an estimated $294,000 a year.
ROBERTS: And singer Chris Brown breaks his silence. In a new video posted on YouTube, Brown apologizes for beating Rihanna and asks that fans forgive him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS BROWN, SINGER: No one is more disappointed in me than I am. As many of you know, I grew up in a home where there was domestic violence. And I saw first hand what uncontrolled rage can do. I've sought and I'm continuing to seek help to ensure that what occurred in February can never happen again. And as I sit here today, I can tell you that I would do everything in my power to make sure that it never happens again, and I promise that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Brown recently pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault. In a deal, he will not go to jail, but he did get five years' probation.
Explosive allegations by Michael Jackson's father even before the autopsy reveals what killed the pop star. Joe Jackson telling CNN's Larry King that his son's death was the result of foul play. He also denied that he beat and ridiculed Michael as a child.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: You don't take a doctor and just put him in the room there. The doctor gives him something to make him rest and then he don't wake up no more? Something is wrong there.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Are you implying then that the doctor committed foul play?
JACKSON: Something went wrong -- something went wrong, Larry. Because when they tried to bring Michael back, he was dead. Something went wrong.
KING: What do you say about all these things that have been said over the years that you harmed Michael as a child?
JACKSON: Oh, that's a bunch of bull s. That's a bunch of bull s.
KING: Straighten me out.
JACKSON: That's not true.
KING: You never physically harmed him?
JACKSON: Never. Never have. And I -- and I raised him just like you would raise your kids, you know.
KING: Are you surprised, Joe, that you were left out of the will?
JACKSON: Well, I wasn't too surprised, because, you know, that's what his -- that's the way he wanted it. And it's not going to hurt me that I was left out of the will. Yes. It happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Of course, back on that subject of abuse, Michael Jackson was on the record in interviews saying that Joe Jackson frequently beat him.
CHETRY: And he told Oprah in 1993 he was scared of his dad and that would sometimes regurgitate just when he would walk in a room. And then he apologized to his dad. He said, I'm sorry it's the first time I'm saying this.
ROBERTS: Yes. There you go. Joe Jackson also pointed out that since he currently lives in Las Vegas, he doesn't get to spend a lot of time with Michael Jackson's three children who live in Los Angeles.
CHETRY: All right. Well, still ahead, Michael Vick is now a free man. He served his time for the dog-fighting conviction, but could be facing an even fight ahead -- a fight to get back into the NFL. Will he be allowed to play pro ball again?
We're going to be joined by Ryan Smith. He's a sports attorney and BET talk show host to weigh in on this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
Michael Vick is now a free man and beginning the long road back to the NFL. The former star quarterback is expected to file for reinstatement this week. He's currently on indefinite suspension -- the result of his dog-fighting conviction and sentence, which officially ended yesterday.
So what does Vick's football future look like?
Ryan Smith is a sports attorney and talk show host for BET. He joins us this morning.
So, he served two years in jail, paid nearly $1 million in restitution. But was responsible for the deaths of a number of dogs. Some horribly. There's one allegation that a dog was electrocuted. Others were beaten to death or drowned. Does he deserve a second chance?
RYAN SMITH, HOST, SPORTS ATTORNEY: Well, you have to look at what he's lost in a way. He's lost basically a lot of his football career. He's lost -- he's lost a lot in bankruptcy. It's been a tough road for him. So we have to ask ourselves, are going to keep penalizing him year after year after year?
I think that he's going to find enough trouble in getting back in the NFL and in getting his football career resurrected. So that's going to be enough of a tough road for him.
ROBERTS: Yes. But Roger Goodell is going to be with him. And Roger Goodell has said in the past -- NFL commissioner, by the way, has said in the past, quote, "I don't believe that everyone deserves a second chance. It's not a right to play in the NFL. It's a privilege."
Says he wants to talk to him, see if he's learned anything, see if he would actually contribute well to the NFL.
Do you think that Goodell will have the same opinion as you, that maybe he deserves a second chance?
SMITH: You know, I think eventually he might. There's actually a two-fold issue here. First, will Goodell going to let him back in? And I agree Goodell is very tough on breaking laws, getting convicted of crimes, and he's going to be tough on Michael Vick. Even if he does get reinstated, which is actually a possibility for this year, he's going to have a tough road getting back because owners are going to shy away.
People don't want the negative attention that Michael Vick is going to bring when he joins a football team.
So, I don't think you're going to see him in training camp. I don't you're going to see him in preseason. Maybe later. ROBERTS: Yes. Well, I mean, what team is going to want to take a chance on him? Take the risk? And then, as well, you know, the potential PR nightmare that you're going to have by signing Michael Vick and welcoming him into your city with open arms and putting him on the team and making him one of your star players.
SMITH: Well, with Michael Vick, it's a balancing act. There are a lot of people out there that still like him. He's an electric football player. But at the same time, I agree. He's got a tough road in terms of the PR. I think you're going to see him going to a team that maybe suffers injuries at the quarterback position, needs him to come in and fill in maybe mid season. But right now during training camp when teams are trying to put out that positive message, I don't think you're going to see him
ROBERTS: Do you think there's an NFL team that could bring him on in second strings, sort of keep it quiet for a number of months, maybe then NFL will see how things go and then decide whether or not to elevate him, or could he maybe go to the UFL, at the CFL up in Canada?
SMITH: That is a great option and it's very interesting with both the UFL -- first of all with the CFL, he has to get permission from Henry Hudson, the U.S. district judge who sentenced him...
ROBERTS: To go to Canada.
SMITH: Exactly, because he can't leave the country. But with the UFL, that's a really great possibility for him. He could join that league. And that league is going to be on its first year of existence. And he could play in that league from October basically up to Thanksgiving and then be eligible to possibly return to the NFL if Roger Goodell restates him -- reinstates him.
So, the key for him -- I don't think any team he goes to, he's going to be able to fly under the radar. I think it's going to be more of a desperation move. A team is going to say, you know what? We need, (INAUDIBLE) just a back up, let's put him on the team, see how it goes.
ROBERTS: So, what does it say, though, about athletes as role models? You know, the famous Nike ad back in 1983 where Charles Barkley said I'm not a role model, I'm not paid to be a role model, I'm paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court.
I mean, that was -- that was a bit of joke, right? But this is serious, you know. Is he going to be a role model to anybody? Should he be? Should athletes be role models?
SMITH: You know, it's a very interesting -- it's an interesting question. Michael Vick to a lot of people was the beginning of the end of the role model generation for athletes. A lot of people look at athletes skeptically now, with the steroid there in baseball, with Michael Vick and recent charges against Dante, Stalwart in football for his hit-and-run there. You know, I think with athletes these days, people are going to say, we like what they do on the football field, but we're not necessarily going to say they are the moral compass of society. We're not going to look up to them and try to make them more than they really are.
ROBERTS: Well, there will be a real change there, won't it?
SMITH: Yes.
ROBERTS: Ryan Smith, it's great to see you this morning. Thanks for dropping by.
SMITH: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Kiran?
CHETRY: Well, 43 minutes past the hour.
Here is a quick check of the "AM Rundown."
Cash-strapped states need money and you want a bargain. So find out how to get a good deal on a car or truck.
Some big questions this morning over President Obama's plan to shut down Guantanamo Bay. The White House admits it will not meet today's deadline for a report on what to do with the detainees. So now some are asking what happens now?
Also, Senator John McCain. He's going up against the White House, calling the stimulus a failure. And he thinks we should stop all the spending altogether? And how does it factor into what's needed in his own home state of Arizona? We're going to talk to him when he joins us live in just a couple of minutes.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: What a beautiful, beautiful sunrise this morning in Nashville, Tennessee. So pretty. And then they play music there 24 hours a day. Beautiful. Clear, 63 degrees. A little bit later, though, some storms could be in the forecast for Tennessee and Nashville. 81 degrees for a high.
Meanwhile, we're 40 -- almost 47 minutes past the hour.
Our Rob Marciano joins us with more on the extreme weather.
How gorgeous is that shot this morning down in Nashville.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I think it was the country music that kind of made the whole shot possible.
CHETRY: That was from Dolly Parton.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: Meanwhile, it has certainly felt unseasonably cold for many parts of the country right now. Not where it's 109. Where is it 109 right now? In Phoenix?
MARCIANO: Yes, Phoenix. But it is relatively dry heat. They'll go have a thunderstorm this afternoon. But relatively dry.
CHETRY: All right. Rob Marciano, thanks so much.
MARCIANO: See you, guys.
ROBERTS: Continuing twists and turns in the murder of that couple in Pensacola, Florida. And our Susan Candiotti talks with their oldest daughter about the future of all of their children. Stay with us. We've got the latest on that for you.
It's 49 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Nine minutes now to the top of the hour. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
The plot thickens in the murder of a Florida couple from Pensacola. There are new details about a past relationship between the Billings and one of the suspects. Plus, police are now looking at another possible motive in the killings.
CNN's Susan Candiotti is live in Pensacola this morning.
And Susan, what are we learning about this ever evolving case.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's for sure, John.
You know, the sheriff has repeatedly said he plans to announce a second motive. Well, he's not ready to do that yet, but he is now being clearer about what he's considering.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Was it a murder for hire? Is it possible someone put out a hit on Byrd and Melinda Billings? Before, the sheriffs denied it. Not anymore.
SHERIFF DAVID MORGAN, EXECUTIVE COUNTY, FLORIDA: We're not taking any motive, if you will, off the table.
CANDIOTTI: A possible contract hit is something the Billings' grown daughter finds inconceivable.
(on camera): Do you know of anyone who wanted to do harm to your parents?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just would answer that question. ASHLEY MARKHAM, VICTIM'S DAUGHTER: With the investigation --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is an ongoing investigation, and those are the kinds of questions...
MARKHAM: I will say, you know, my parents were wonderful people. But I can't imagine somebody having that magnitude of hate in their life.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): CNN has now learned the group did a dry run at the house a month before the murders. And the sheriff says it was not captured on the home security cameras. On the day of the crime, he says suspects stole not only a safe, but also a briefcase filled with personal papers. Both items were recovered from the home of Pamela Wiggins, who's charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
In a newly released police affidavit, suspected mastermind Leonard Gonzalez Jr. allegedly spoke of knowing the victims and receiving past financial support for the opening of a martial arts studio. The family attorney suggests it may have been one of many donations that Billings made to the community. Investigators also believe Gonzalez Jr. was once on Billings' payroll.
MORGAN: Mr. Gonzalez worked I think for an automobile dealership. Again, we're verifying that information that he worked with one of the companies that Mr. Billings had and owned an interest in.
CANDIOTTI: There's also new information about the crime scene. Police documents indicate the couple was killed in their bedroom. And for the first time, their daughter says they kept no guns inside the house.
(on camera): You must have gone over this in your head a million times.
MARKHAM: I play it over every second of every day. You know, you just -- you think about, was there pain? You know, were they scared? The children. It just -- it plays in my mind constantly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: The sheriff says he has many more interviews to do, and then plans to make at least one more arrest.
John?
ROBERTS: Susan Candiotti for us in Pensacola this morning. Susan, thanks so much for that. It's now 54 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
You know, California just one of many states struggling right now. They announced overnight they've manage to find a way to close their $26 billion budget gap, but not without having to make a lot of cuts. So how else are states trying to come up with some money? Your cash-strapped state may be trying to sell things to scrounge up some cash.
Alina Cho is here now with a story of maybe some budgets and bargains.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You might go into your closet and say could I take it to a consignment shop. Well, that's what the states are doing in a sense.
Good morning, guys.
Good morning, everybody.
You know, it isn't a secret that many states are hurting in this recession. Just look at what's happening in California. Many are in the red, many need money, which is why government auctions had become so popular lately. Federal, state and local governments need cash. Consumers want a bargain and almost everything is for sale.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): Looking for a deal on a car? Would you buy a used one from this man?
GOV. JOB CORZINE (D), NEW JERSEY: The average price is about $1,200.
CHO: The governor of New Jersey.
CORZINE: $1,500, $2,000. A lot of these cars are really more valuable than that. So people are taking that opportunity to save money in a tough environment.
CHO: New Jersey is just one of many states holding government garage sales to make money at a time when they desperately need it. Federal and local governments are in on the game, too. And almost everything is on the block.
(on camera): You can buy a salt spreader truck, who would want that?
(voice-over): You would be surprised. Watches, (INAUDIBLE), some of it seized, some surplus, all for sale.
IAN ARONOVICH, PRES & CEO, GOVERNMENTAUCTIONS.ORG: You can buy literally anything. You will buy a container of soccer balls. You will buy a disassembled Meg (ph) jet. You will buy a boat. You will buy a car.
CHO: Government auctions aren't new, but in a recession, they are more popular.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we got to go to cars here. They are dirty. They just need to be cleaned.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The body is good, the paint is not chipped. The transmission and oil looks good.
CHO: One drawback, you buy as is. No test drives.
Tanisha and Diamond Ruffin (ph) are shopping for his first car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one in the back. It's a dodge, I believe. I like the color.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you kidding me? For a first-time car owner, he'll take anything on the lot.
CHO: If you can get it. Bidding...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $1500 bid...
CHO: ...can be fierce.
JACOB OLEARCHIK, STORE KEEPER, NJ DISTRIBUTION LOT: Like there's been a couple incidents where there was an actual fistfight, where two customers were arguing over a car. I personally had to break that up.
CHO: This New Jersey car auction raked in more than $163,000, bringing the state so far this year more than $2 million in auction sales.
Sometimes...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had bought a car that had stuff in the trunk. I had to buy the car with bullets insides, with a fax machine inside.
CHO: You get a little more than you bargained for.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Maybe you don't expect that, but hey, it's $1,600, you know.
If you are interested in buying something from a government auction, a couple of things you should know. First, do your research. Comparison shop with a car. For example, you can get a blue book and check the prices. Also, set in your mind a maximum bid and stick with it.
There is something guys called auction fever. You know, you get inside the auction, you're carrying that paddle, and all of a sudden you think, oh, just one more bid. That's when you overpay.
CHETRY: There you go.
CHO: Don't do that.
CHETRY: Got some bargains to be heading. Hey, that guy said he had a fax machine in the car as well.
CHO: Yes. I mean, you know, it could be a plus, it could be a minus.
ROBERTS: A hidden treasure to the auction car.
CHETRY: Thanks, Alina.
ROBERTS: Thanks, Alina.
CHO: You bet.
