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CNN Sunday Morning
MLK Memorial Dedication Today; Boxer's Long Road to Glory
Aired October 16, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. October 16th.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho. T.J. Holmes is on assignment. So glad are you starting your day with us.
And it is getting started right now in Washington -- ceremonies to dedicate the memorial honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We will take you there live.
Also, a look ahead to the CNN Western Republican Presidential debate in Las Vegas and what can we expect in the Tuesday night showdown?
And last night in Los Angeles, a star-studded birthday party for former President Bill Clinton. But not the kind of birthday you'd think. On hand, Lady Gaga, Usher and Ellen DeGeneres.
But, first, honoring a dreamer who forced the nation to look in the mirror and right a wrong. This morning on the National Mall, the four-acre, $120 million Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be dedicated.
Our Athena Jones is in the Mall right now and joins us now live.
Athena, good morning to you.
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
As you can see, the crowd is building here. In just a little while, this dedication ceremony which was postponed, as you know, from August, will begin. We expect to hear from several civil rights leaders like Jesse Jackson, like John Lewis and Andrew Young. Also from the King children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, among others. Aretha King is supposed to sing. And, of course, President Obama will also be speaking.
We thought we'd take a look at some of the sculpture itself and some of the controversy surrounding it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONES (voice-over): Powerful and imposing, a 30-foot-tall statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. emerging from a stone of hope. It made an immediate impression on his son. MARTIN LUTHER KING III, SON OF THE LATE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.: The very first time that I came to the site, I was almost overwhelmed. I really was impressed by this -- this artist. He was able to capture the essence of my dad.
JONES: But not everyone is pleased with how the statue turned out or with the fact that the memorial foundation chose Chinese artist Lei Yixin to carve it.
ED DWIGHT, SCULPTOR: I feel strongly that the whole thing should be made (ph) here in America.
JONES: Denver-based Ed Dwight, a 78-year-old artist who has sculpted seven statues of King, believes Lei missed the mark.
DWIGHT: This idea of having this 30-foot-tall sculpture of this man and confrontational look, he would not appreciate that because that was not him.
JONES: Dwight was involved in the project early on and is credited with sculpting small Stone of Hope donor gifts. A foundation panel chose Lei who is based in China to carve the statue, as the foundation CEO explained during in an August press conference.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got the best man for the job.
JONES: More than two decades in the making, the $120 million memorial is not just the sculpture. Inscribed in the walls are excerpts of King's speeches, a moving display for visitors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's beautiful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's impressive.
DONNIE SIMONS, MLK MEMORIAL VISITOR: It's elation. I feel like I'm standing on holy ground. And I -- I'm so proud to be here right now.
JONES: As well as a source of debate.
B. THREE FEATHERS KAZEMI, MLK MEMORIAL VISITOR: It does not look exactly like Martin Luther King that I personally saw before he was of assassinated, in person many times.
JONES: A Washington pastor who met King in the early 1960s said the sculpture captures the spirit of the time.
REV. H. BEECHER HICKS, PASTOR, METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH, WASHINGTON: It's a hard piece to let you know that this -- this is not a monument to easy times.
JONES: As for the Chinese nationality of the statue's creator, the sculptor Lei said in August through a translator that King was not just an American icon.
INTERPRETER FOR LEI YIXIN, MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL SCULPTUR: Martin Luther King is not only a hero of American. He's also a hero of the world.
JONES: King's son agrees.
KING: Martin Luther King Jr. was a global citizen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: And, Athena, I suppose it's no surprise that there's going to be controversy about other things as well when it comes to this memorial, specifically one of the 14 inscriptions. Poet Maya Angelou is quite upset about this, right? What are you talking about here?
JONES: That's right. So as you mentioned, there are inscriptions all around this site, and on the actual Stone of Hope that you have this 30-foot tall image of Dr. King, emerging from one of the inscriptions there has been dramatically abbreviated. It says right now carved on that stone, "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness."
The actual King quote was much longer than that. I'll read it for you. He says, "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."
Now, Maya Angelou, of course, is a writer, so words mean a lot to her. She's argued that by taking out the beginning phrase, "Say if I was a drum major," if you want to say that, it makes him sound like he's arrogant and not the humble man that he's known as being. There's a grammarian who's weighed in saying that it should be changed.
And, in fact, in an interview with CNN, Dr. King's children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, told our Fredricka Whitfield that they understand that that quote will be corrected. But at this point it is clear how and when that might happen.
CHO: Yes, I would say so. I mean, it is literally set in stone. I can't imagine that this is going to be an easy thing to correct.
But Athena Jones, thank you so much for that report. We look forward to seeing you a bit later on this morning.
Earlier I talk to one of the members of King's inner circle, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. And I asked him about the moment when Dr. King thought about briefly quitting the civil rights movement. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: He was under so much pressure. Once he took on the Vietnam War, he was so bitterly attacked by the press, by civil rights organizations. Before we went to Memphis, he went, "I thought about quitting and maybe I should stop. I've done a lot in 30 years." He said, "Then, I thought if I would fast to the point of death, my friends would come to my aid and we could regroup our coalition." Then he said we got to turn the minus into a plus. It was kind of like Jesus saying, "Not my will be done." He fasted and the disciples prayed. He prayed and they slept. And he said, "Not my will but thine be done." He went through the same kind of dramatic rhythm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: And coming up later in the hour, my conversation with one of the first donors to the monument. Surprising but true, it's actually designer Tommy Hilfiger. We'll speak to him in the next half hour.
And coming up on "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley, Dr. King's friend and confidant, Georgia Congressman John Lewis.
The "Occupy Wall Street" movement against big banks, corporate greed and government control sparked arrests in several cities around the globe this weekend. One of the biggest demonstrations in Times Square, in the heart of New York. Police say most of the protesters were peaceful but more than 40 were arrested when they tried to hold a sit-in on a side street.
The movement also sparked this demonstration on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Police say the crowd was loud but peaceful.
And hundreds took part in occupy protests in downtown Denver, Colorado as well. Protesters blocked a street near the capitol building and. Police there made several arrests.
The "Occupy" movement began exactly 30 days ago and has sparked further demonstrations across the globe.
The protest turned violent in Rome, for instance. Police say demonstrators threw a firebomb into an interior ministry building. More than 70 people were injured in the protests -- among them 40 police officers.
Protesters were on the streets of Iceland's capital as well this weekend.
The central website for the movement United for Global Change says protests are actually happening in hundreds of cities in 82 countries.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
CHO: Demonstrators in Taiwan marched in front of a luxury mall calling for change.
And the "Occupy" movement saw hundreds of demonstrators in the streets of Paris as well.
We're keeping an eye on all the latest headlines at the CNNPolitics.com desk. And here's what's crossing right now: Michele Bachmann's campaign raised nearly $4 million in the third quarter but it spent nearly $6 million. The national report shows the Bachmann campaign with more than $500,000 in debt.
Nevada Republicans are refusing to change their January 14th caucus date. Nevada, as some of you know, is locked in a political scheduling fight with New Hampshire, the state that for decades has held the first in the nation primary. New Hampshire law requires it hold its primary at least a week before the others.
And Herman Cain wins big in a Tea Party straw poll in South Carolina. Cain picked up 55 percent of the vote. Newt Gingrich finished a distant second with 14.5 percent. Conservative activists from 25 Tea Party groups in South Carolina took part in this non- binding straw poll.
And Candy Crowley will join us in a couple of minutes. She's going to preview her live interview with GOP candidate Newt Gingrich. Also, the upcoming Republican presidential debate on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
And be sure to join CNN for the Western Republican Presidential Debate. Anderson Cooper will moderate. Again, it's Tuesday night, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, right here on CNN.
Well, it's rare for the president to pick sides publicly in a boxing match. But you don't hear a story like Dewey Bozella every day. He stepped into the ring for the first time last night at the age of 52. And boy, did he put on a show. We're going to have his inspiring story in a few minutes.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider. We are tracking windy weather across the great lakes and possibly record warmth in the Southeast. Temperatures will be soaring into the mid-80s in Atlanta, for example, today. I'll tell you all about it coming up next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Joe Carter from HLN Sports joining me now.
And, Joe, we were talking about this incredible story of Dewy Bozella, the 52-year-old boxer in prison 26 years for a murder he didn't commit.
JOE CARTER, HLN SPORTS: Yes.
CHO: Gets out, exonerated, gets into the ring professional. How did he do last night?
CARTER: I got great news. Yes, he won his first and last professional fight.
People are saying, OK, why is it his last? Well, he's 52 years old. He doesn't plan on having a boxing career but his dream, his life-long ring was to fight in a professional match. And Golden Boy Promotions heard about his story. It's run by Oscar dela Hoya. They gave him a shot last night. They've been training with him since July. And he fought on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins fight.
And you know what? He beat his opponent who happens to be 22 years younger than him by unanimous decision.
CHO: Good for him.
CARTER: And the crowd loved it. A couple of thousand of people on hand, they want to see him fight again. But he says, nope, I'm done, I'm hanging up my gloves.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your next fight, Dewey Bozella?
DEWEY BOZELLA, CLEARED OF MURDER AFTER 26 YEARS IN PRISON: My next fight is to work with kids. You know, the Dewey Bozella Foundation, you know, that's what I'm trying to get started -- to work with kids, keep them off the streets and let them know with boxing, they can turn their life around. That's what this is all about.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations, champ. Anything else you want to say?
BOZELLA: And you know something? I would like to say that, you know, dreams do happen if you never give up hope and to always believe in yourself. Don't let nobody tell you what you can't do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARTER: And the best part about this story is how forgiving he has become.
CHO: Twenty-six years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. That is remarkable. And I wish he'd get back into the ring again! I mean, I know he's got other fights to fight but --
CARTER: Yes. I'm excited to see the next chapter of his life. That'd be interesting.
CHO: He looks great.
CARTER: All right. So, you know how this whole NBA lockout thing is dragging on? Well, there are some mayors actually
CHO: So I hear.
CARTER: Yes, exactly -- 14 cities across the cities, NBA cities. These mayors are concerned that a canceled NBA season might actually have a negative effect on the local economy. These 14 mayors actually sent letters to -- or excuse me, a letter to the owners and players association basically asking these two sides, please settle your differences already. These are not major money-making markets. Markets like Indianapolis, Sacramento, Houston just to name a few. The NBA certainly needs, you know, middle-sized markets. They do have an effect on local economies.
CHO: Sure.
CARTER: These cities need their money, need their attendance. They need, you know, ticket takers --
CHO: But how far apart are they? I mean, is there any sense that they're moving any closer? This is crazy.
CARTER: No, no. There's a sense they are so far apart. Two sides are going to meet on Tuesday and they're actually going to meet in front of a federal mediator. David Stern earlier this week said that he gets a sense, his gut feeling is they're actually going to start canceling games around Christmastime, and Christmas could be out of the mix as well, which is a huge day for the NBA marquee match-ups.
CHO: Yes.
CARTER: But these sides are really far apart at this point and both of them are standing strong.
CHO: David Stern can't be happy about this.
CARTER: Well, both sides. I mean, the players -- no one's making money. They said that they're losing anywhere from $350 million to $375 million a month.
CHO: That's not chump change.
All right. Joe Carter, thanks so much.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. isn't just an icon here in the United States. Of course, the reverend and his message have been embraced by people in countries all over the world. We'll have that story next in our "Morning Passport."
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: And you're looking at a live picture of our nation's capital on the National Mall. You see the choir singing there. And it is a historic day in our nation's capital, the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Fourteen years in the making, $120 million memorial, four acres and it is just spectacular.
Welcome back, everybody.
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stretches beyond the borders of the United States. His influence felt around the world.
CNN's Nadia Bilchik and I talked about it earlier this morning in our "Morning Passport."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: So we think about the impact we have and obviously we think immediately about here in the United States with the civil rights movement. But, obviously, his footprint was felt around the world.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: And in London, at Westminster Abbey, in 1998, they unveiled a beautiful monument to Martin Luther King and he's there amongst the row of Christian martyrs, right about the west entrance to Westminster Abbey.
But, in fact, he's honored, as you just said, all over the world. There's even an MLK Center in Havana, Cuba, that promotes Christian and social responsibility. And we know that there are over 700 streets, Martin Luther King Boulevard --
CHO: Just here in the U.S. Right.
BILCHIK: Exactly. But there's one in Lombardy in Italy!
CHO: Oh, wow. I did not know that. Where is that Lombardy?
BILCHIK: Milan.
CHO: Oh, close to Milan, in Northern Italy.
BILCHIK: Fashion center.
CHO: Exactly.
BILCHIK: His global reputation extends even to Ghana. In 1957, he was invited to Ghana by Kwame Nkrumah who was the president. Now, Ghana was the first African country to gain independence and he was invited on behalf of the newly inaugurated president which was rather extraordinary at the time. He had no official role. But there he met Vice President Nixon and Martin Luther King said to Nixon, "I want you to visit us in Alabama. We are seeking the same freedom that the Gold Coast," which became Ghana, "is celebrating."
And then, of course, you know, in 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
CHO: The youngest man ever to do so at age 35. It's incredible. Yes, I mean, his list of accomplishments is endless.
BILCHIK: But one of my favorite and the most poignant is in 1994, when Mandela wins the election, there's Nelson Mandela and he's standing just having won the election, looks at Coretta Scott King and quotes the man that he spoke about as the great freedom fighter and went "Free, free, free at last." A beautiful moment.
So, certainly, today, an extraordinary man, an extraordinary monument and an extraordinary moment.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHO: And coming up in less than 10 minutes, a look at the history of the church Martin Luther King Jr. helped make famous. A story about the legacy of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in our "Faces of Faith" segment. That's next.
And how far would you go for a free pass to an amusement park? What these guys are willing to eat. And it isn't for the squeamish. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Taking a look at stories happening cross-country.
A California woman says she sees Jesus, Mary and angels in her prized possession. But she's parting with it, selling it on eBay. Now the woman says she found the nut-like keepsake five years ago under an oak tree. Her own daughter is a bit skeptical about it. She says to her the markings look more like aliens?
In suburban Atlanta, people were willing to eat hissing cockroaches for an annual pass to Six Flags over Georgia. Is that something you would do? Each contestant had two minutes to chow down and they had the choice between two flavors, Mexican or barbecue.
In Fayette County, West Virginia, more than 400 people take a big leap. They kicked off their annual bridge day celebration with a base jump. Thank God there is a parachute. It is billed as the largest extreme sports event in the world.
It is 24 minutes after the hour. And Bonnie Schneider has another check of the weather.
So, Bonnie, it's going to be windy, windy, windy across much of the Great Lakes. Isn't it?
SCHNEIDER: I just can't get that cockroach --
CHO: Barbecue or Mexican, I know. Take your pick. They're both awful.
SCHNEIDER: Exactly. I'll pass on both.
All right. Oh, thank you for showing that again in case you didn't see it. OK.
All right. Well, here's what we are looking at. Windy weather across much of Michigan. Yesterday, the wind gusts were just intense. Look at this -- 49 miles per hour at Hammond Bay. So, winds were very, very strong. That's why over 50,000 people are still without power in the state of Michigan.
We're also seeing strong winds across Green Bay in Wisconsin and look for winds to continue. Here's our computer models for today. And the areas you see here, highlighted, show where we're seeing some of the stronger winds and to the purples and to the blues. And we'll be watching for that continue to across the Great Lakes today. But then some changes are in the forecast. We're looking for the winds to develop and get stronger later this week right here in the center of the country. And there's a reason for that. We have a big cold front that's going to change everything.
While today's highs are the in the 80s across much of the eastern half, Southeast really of the country, big cold front's coming through and it is going to change everything dramatically. Low pressure will bring some heavy rain to areas in the Ohio Valley but then the temperatures plummet by 20 degrees towards the end of this week.
So, changes are on way. Take out the fall sweaters. If you haven't already, you'll be needing them by Friday -- Alina.
CHO: All right. Bonnie, thank you.
Well, during the civil rights movement, the Ebenezer Baptist Church was ground zero. Much of the movement's planning was done right there, thanks to Dr. King. And up next: the legacy of one of the most famous churches in America.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back, everybody, to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Alina Cho. T.J. Holmes is on assignment. It's 29 minutes after the hour.
Here's what's happening.
There's no question that the heart and soul of the civil rights movement was embedded in the black church. One name synonymous with activism is the Ebenezer Baptist Church under the helm of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As our T.J. Holmes tells us in this morning's "Faces of Faith," it's a church known for its leadership and that isn't about to change any time soon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his passionate, fiery speeches from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church is seared into Americans' memories of the civil rights era.
REV. RAPHAEL G. WARNOCK, SR. PASTOR, EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH: I like to say that Ebenezer Baptist Church was born to fly. Martin Luther King Jr. is a part of that long tradition. But while Dr. King was freedom's voice, I think it's important to emphasize that he was a part of a long freedom train.
HOLMES: Dr. Raphael Warnock is only the fifth senior pastor in Ebenezer's 125-year history. Warnock says every one of them has a track record linked to Dr. King's legacy.
WARNOCK: His maternal grandfather -- the second pastor of this church, A.D. Williams, was an activist in his own right. His father, Martin Luther King Sr., was also an activist. We remember the Voting Rights Law of 1965. What fewer people know is that in 1935, Martin Luther King Sr. engaged a voting rights campaign here in Atlanta.
HOLMES: Warnock says that sense of activism continues today as witnessed recently by the church's vocal, yet failed, efforts to stop the execution of Troy Davis following a murder conviction based, in part, on testimony later recanted.
WARNOCK: This is Jim Crow in a new era. There's just too much doubt for this execution to continue.
If we continue to try to do justice to the great legacy that's been passed on to us --
HOLMES: Ebenezer's flock moved into this now-historic building in 1922. Then in 1999, a new church opened. Like the old building, the new one is a meeting place for the city's African-American community. It was standing-room only the night Barack Obama was elected president.
Reverend Warnock was 35 when he took the reins of this historic church becoming the youngest ever to lead Ebenezer, working in the shadows of a man he still considers a role model.
WARNOCK: I'll tell you this. Early on as a child, I was always very fascinated and inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. as an 8-year- old, as a 9-year-old. His words captivated me. I decided to go to Morehouse College because he attended Morehouse College. I pursued a PhD in systematic theology because, like him, I wanted to bring a kind of serious and disciplined questioning to my faith.
HOLMES: Like King, Warnock is also a Georgia native whose father was a minister.
WARNOCK: Let's pray to our God. Would you bow with me?
HOLMES: But Warnock says it's his turn now to preserve and extend the legacy of Ebenezer Baptist Church.
T.J. Holmes, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: And if you'd like to read more about religion and spirituality, go to our belief blog at CNN.com/belief. You can also share your thoughts.
Later this morning, the culmination of a dream: for many Americans and frankly, many around the world, a memorial in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be dedicated in the nation's capital. A ceremony is under way right now. The four-acre memorial on the National Mall cost $120 million to build and was 14 years in the making.
And you may be surprised to learn -- I certainly was -- that one of the early contributors was fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. And Tommy is joining me now from Washington; hey, Tommy, nice to see you. You know, I -- I have interviewed you many times about fashion.
TOMMY HILFIGER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, TOMMY HILFIGER: Good morning.
CHO: But I have to say, when I saw your name on the list of speakers over the weekend, I thought to myself, now what in the world is Tommy Hilfiger doing involved with this effort? How did you get involved?
HILFIGER: Well, as an American iconic brand we thought it was important to give back and when we found out they were going to create this memorial, my partner Joel Horowitz at the time told me his parents marched with Dr. King and that inspired me to want to do something.
So we gathered everyone in the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation together and we tapped into the Tommy Hilfiger Foundation which we established 15 years ago and said, ok, we want to do something significant to show our respect for Dr. King. And we were one of the first corporations to donate a substantial amount of money.
We created the Dream Concert for raising money with Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and a number of stars at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: And I know that was that -- right -- that was at Radio City. That was at Radio City I remember that. And -- and Tommy, I mean, you're not talking chump change here; $7 million you donated and you were as you've mentioned one of the first American companies, if not the first to sign on, 12 years ago. You even have one Tommy Hilfiger employee dedicated to the effort in Washington, don't you? What is he or she doing?
HILFIGER: Well, she's a full-time administrator. There's a lot to really get this executed properly. It's been a long time coming so they needed all the hands and all the brains they could possibly get.
So we had one of our chief executives go to Washington and work with them. She's been living in Washington, working with them every single day to try to make this dream come true.
CHO: Tommy, I know you'll be speaking later on. What's -- can you give us a preview of what you're going to say? And also, just your memories of Dr. King; I know you refer often to the "I have a dream" speech.
HILFIGER: Well, I will say that my father told me when I was a young boy that there were two people who would be important in the world -- one was MLK and one was JFK. That has remained in my mind for many, many years. And I think it influenced me and inspired me to get behind this project.
CHO: Tommy Hilfiger, a joy to talk to you, a joy to see you, as always. I'm sure I'll see you shortly in New York.
HILFIGER: Thank you Alina.
CHO: Thank you for taking time to be with us this morning.
HILFIGER: All the best.
CHO: All the best to you as well.
HILFIGER: Thank you.
CHO: Good luck giving your speech today.
HILFIGER: That's right.
CHO: "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley coming up right here at the top of the hour and we are counting down to the big GOP debate in Las Vegas airing right here on CNN this Tuesday. Candy will join us next with a preview.
And the stars come out in Hollywood to raise money for Former President Bill Clinton's Foundation. It's a milestone. Did you see all the people there? We're going to tell you about the big names who showed up -- next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: The way to the GOP race for the White House is playing out and it's providing a lot of fresh material for "Saturday Night Live." No surprise there and last night's main targets were Mitt Romney and Herman Cain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The newest poll shows you trailing Herman Cain by as many as 15 points.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When are you going to accept that Republicans just don't like you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now look, I -- I don't think they dislike me. I just think they want to exhaust their options. You know? I understand that before anyone goes home with Mitt Romney, they're going to take one last lap around the bar to see if there's anyone better than me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Herman Cain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With your rise in the polls, many are taking a closer look at your 999 plan and most economists agree it's an oversimplified unworkable solution to a complicated financial situation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, let me explain. The original goal of the 999 plan was to give me a show on Fox News at 9:00. But if America's looking for catchy, unworkable solutions to complicated problems, Herman Cain will keep them coming. How I fight terrorism, my 555 plan. For every terrorist, America will send five airplanes, five soldiers and five of those dogs that caught Osama bin Laden.
How do we fix health care? The 333 plan. Every time you get sick you get three pills, three days off and three chicken noodle soups.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right, it's time now for some serious politics. "STATE OF THE UNION" host, Candy Crowley joining me live from Washington. I have to say, that's a pretty good Mitt Romney. Candy, good morning.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Yes.
CHO: Hey, you've got one of the GOP candidates -- the real one -- Newt Gingrich on at the top of your show, don't you?
CROWLEY: Indeed. You know, he's shown little life lately. Most everyone will tell you not enough to give him the odds -- make the odds any better that he'll become the nominee. But nonetheless, he is one of those people that always has interesting conversation. His debate performances are widely applauded by Republicans as having incisive, clear details of how he would approach something. So he's always someone that moves the conversation whether in the debates or on the campaign trail.
So we're going to take a look with him at some of the things that Republicans are proposing, that he's proposing and also kind of get his take on what's going on, on the campaign trail politically.
CHO: Well and he also makes for interesting conversation always, Candy, as you well know.
You're also paying tribute to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial today, the dedication ceremony, as you know, under way right now. And you're going to talk to Dr. King's long-time friend, Congressman John Lewis this morning as well, aren't you?
CROWLEY: John Lewis himself, just an icon in the Civil Rights Movement, a man who took a lot of blows and I mean that literally -- for civil rights, who as a teenager met Martin Luther King. He of course has many reflections. One of the interesting things about him coming into the state, Lewis will be a speaker at this dedication.
But he was speaker at the civil rights -- the "I have a dream" speech, the civil rights march on Washington 48 years ago and Lewis is last remaining survivor of any of the speakers. And so he just brings this tremendous historic perspective and also a very personal one to this day for the dedication of the Martin Luther King Memorial.
CHO: All right, I did not know that little fact there, Candy.
Hey, listen. I have to -- I can't let you go without you talking about the state dinner with President Lee of South Korea at the White House. You were among the esteemed guests. First of all, did your dress survive? I mean it was a torrential downpour, wasn't it?
CROWLEY: It was -- it was crazy. I mean -- first of all it is very weird as a reporter to kind of do something that you've covered before.
CHO: Right.
CROWLEY: So -- but the weirdest thing is walking past your colleagues in the pool as a guest at a state dinner.
CHO: They announce you -- they announce you, don't they?
CROWLEY: They announce you, all that stuff.
CHO: Right.
CROWLEY: But the rain -- I mean it was like monsoon season and so there is a crowd waiting and the women in long dresses and heels like this -- and it was -- and the water, it wasn't -- there weren't puddles they were little ponds all over the place.
So when you walk in, there were women with totally drenched hair because you couldn't get out of the rain. It was coming from many different directions. You know, silks -- the silk long skirts with stain water marks this high. It was quite the occasion.
CHO: That's right, you know, our colleague over at ABC News Juju Chang said to me, so much for the hair salon. She said her gown survived but the hair did not. What can you say? You got to go with the flow.
CROWLEY: Yes, yes.
CHO: All right, Candy Crowley we'll be watching.
CROWLEY: Part of the experience.
CHO: That's right. We'll be watching at the top of the hour. Thanks and keep it right here for "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley, starts in about 15 minutes at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 6:00 a.m. Pacific right here on CNN.
And be sure to join CNN for the Western Republican Presidential Debate from Las Vegas Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
A big night in Hollywood for former president Bill Clinton, Usher just one of the A-list celebrities who turned out to honor the former president and the foundation he established ten years ago. We'll tell you about that special night after the break.
And the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, dedication ceremony happening right now in D.C.; later on we'll hear from the people who decided it was time to honor the civil rights icon and got the movement started. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: 49 minutes after the hour. It was a big night in Hollywood last night. A star-studded line up turned out for a benefit concert for Bill Clinton and his foundation. Performers included The Edge and Bono, Kenny Chesney, Usher, and Lady Gaga. Ashton Kutcher, Ellen DeGeneres, Barbra Streisand, they were all there as well. This year, by the way, marks the tenth anniversary of the William J. Clinton foundation. It supports a number of causes including health and the environment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've had the most unusual life. I was born after World War II in the second poorest state in the country, into a family that never had a college graduate, and, poof, lightning struck one time after another. And I never, ever believed I was born in a log cabin I built myself. Nobody climbs any ladder alone. And we are not ever going to build this country back by telling people they're on their own. We have got to do -- America and the world, together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: The former president turned 65 this year so this was also a belated birthday party.
Routine mammograms for women in their 40s; you may remember the confusion two years ago when a government panel recommended against it. In today's "Health for Her", our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen takes a look at where things stand right now.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been nearly two years since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force told women in their 40s you don't necessarily need to get a mammogram. Well, that recommendation drew a lot of fire and we were wondering, two years later, are women in their 40s getting mammograms? Well, it turns out that many women in their 40s aren't.
So there was one study at University of Colorado Hospital that found in the nine-month period following that recommendation, they saw 200 fewer women in their 40s coming in for mammograms and they think it is because fewer doctors were recommending them.
So here's the bottom line for empowered patients. Remember that most groups still say that women in their 40s should get regular mammograms and that includes the American Cancer Society. You definitely should discuss this with your doctor.
There's very little downside to getting a mammogram. There is a very small amount of radiation and the possibility that they might turn up a false positive with that mammogram and then you'd end up having an unnecessary biopsy. But other than that, not much negative in getting a mammogram -- back to you.
CHO: Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication ceremony is under way in Washington right now. You're looking at a live picture there at the beautiful four-acre memorial on the National Mall. After the break you're going to get to meet the folks who actually got the ball rolling for this memorial for the civil rights leader. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley coming up at the top of the hour.
But first: the culmination after dream for many Americans and many around the world. Right now in Washington crowds are gathered for the dedication ceremony of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial: the movement to build the monument spearheaded by Dr. King's college fraternity. Our T.J. Holmes talked to the group's national president to find out how all of it came to be.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Alpha Phi Alpha, the country's first black fraternity founded by seven men on the campus of Cornell University in 1906.
SKIP MASON, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY: At Alpha Phi Alpha, the mission is to provide advocacy and service for our communities in developing leaders or particularly we spend time working to develop young college men and ensuring that they receive the proper nurturing and guidance so that they can go into the world and into society and to serve and to lead.
HOLMES: Dr. Skip Mason Jr. is the national president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. They have nearly 200,000 members. Famous alpha men include Justice Thurgood Marshall, United Nations ambassador Andrew Young and former Atlanta mayor, Maynard Jackson. But perhaps the most influential Alpha is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: The passage of the civil rights bill is merely a step in a 1,000-mile journey.
HOLMES: Attracted to their scholastic achievement, leadership and fight against racial inequality, Dr. King was initiated into APhiA in 1952 as a graduate student at Boston University.
MASON: It was also the very same time that he met Coretta Scott. In fact she would comment often that when she met Martin he was online, he was pledging Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Of course he was called into the movement. His life changed and the fraternity was right there.
HOLMES: And it's his alpha brothers who believed king deserved to be among presidents on the national mall.
MASON: They said that we need to do something on the mall in Washington, D.C. because there was no representation of any African- American person of any scope in Washington. HOLMES: In 1996, Bill Clinton signed congressional legislation proposing the establishment of the memorial and the monument, the biggest project the fraternity would ever take on. Harry Johnson is the president and CEO of the memorial foundation and has been leading the charge.
HARRY JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL FOUNDATION: Memorial Foundation Project was established to help bring this memorial to fruition. Dr. King championed a movement that draws from the deep well of Americans' potential for freedom, opportunity and justice.
MASON: The first African-American president will dedicate a monument and a memorial for the first African-American on the mall in a fitting tribute presented by the first African-American fraternity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: We have special coverage of the MLK memorial dedication throughout the morning.
Next hour Candy Crowley talks with John Lewis, one of Dr. King's most trusted aides. And tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time, a special look at King's writings in the CNN documentary "MLK PAPERS: Words that changed a nation".
It's 58 minutes after the hour. Bonnie Schneider has a final check of the weather this morning. So what are you looking at, Bonnie?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, we're going to start off in Washington because temperatures there are actually be very pleasant, calm weather. Maybe a little bit of a breeze but look for the highs to get into the 70s today. It does look pretty nice there in Washington. People are wearing coats so it's not that cold yet. It will get much colder there later this week but at least today it's going to be quite nice weather-wise.
I want to take you much, much further south into the tropics, north of the Yucatan. I know it seems kind of cold, it is October but it is still hurricane season. And we're monitoring an area north of the Yucatan so, a broad area of low pressure that the National Hurricane Center gives a 50 percent chance of development.
Now what we are expecting this storm system to do, whether or not it develops officially into something tropical, is become a rain maker for Florida. That means over the next two to three days are you likely to see a good amount of rain particularly here in the East Coast, possibly two to five inches. Be prepared for a wet start to the week.
And some other big changes are also ahead. Not only are we looking at the windy weather that will continue throughout the day today across Michigan where we had some incredible numbers and unfortunately a lot of power outages. But the winds will shift and we'll start to get more disturbed areas of weather forming along the south.
So we're going to see stormier conditions in the southeast this week than what we saw last week and big changes as well. Highs today, in the 80s but a strong cold front is coming through. That's going to change everything. It will pull down much colder air, look for a 20- degree temperature drop with highs in the 40s in the Great Lakes and the Midwest and highs in the 60s in the southeast.
So Alina, big changes on the way this week.
CHO: All right. Bonnie Schneider, thank you so much.
And thank you for joining me this morning on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Alina Cho. "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley starts right now. Keep it here.
