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Mitt Romney Makes Florida Sweep; Hurricane Sandy is Now Category One; Bracing for Hurricane Sandy; Mothers Turn in Their Own Sons; Louisiana Woman Faked Hate Crime; Fan Convinces Billy Idol to Play Birthday Party; Wacky Presidential Predictions
Aired October 27, 2012 - 16:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, let's go live to Florida now and Mitt Romney.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I see someone over there with those pink hands that says five-point plan. You see, Paul Ryan and I have a plan to get this economy going and get people jobs and get rising take-home pay.
And our plan, our plan has five points. And you have heard me talk about it before. Let me remind you what they are.
Number one, we're going to take full advantage of our oil, our coal, our gas, our nuclear, our renewables.
(APPLAUSE)
We're going to get more energy, more jobs. And by the way, when energy is inexpensive and plentiful, it brings manufacturing back. This won't just bring back -- lower prices at the pump, or lower prices for heating oil, I guess you don't use a lot of heating oil in Florida. Lower prices for electricity. It also means -- it also means jobs, because with abundant, inexpensive energy, manufacturing comes here. So that's number one.
Number two, we want more trade, because a lot of people work in industries that sell goods and services around the world. There are opportunities for people to sell goods to Latin America, and I'm going to make that happen.
(APPLAUSE)
Number three, number three -- we're going to make sure our people have the skills they need to succeed. So our training programs work better, and our schools are good.
Number four, I mentioned we're going to balance the budget.
And number five, number five, we're going to champion small business. We want to help small business.
(APPLAUSE)
You know, small business -- small business is where two thirds of the jobs in America were created over the last 15 years. But, unfortunately, under the Obama administration, the number of new business start-ups is at a 30-year low. And that's because they put so many burdens on small businesses. A lot of entrepreneurs have said, boy, I'm not going to risk my life savings to start a business right now, given how tough the environment is.
I was with the founder of a big pizza chain, Papa John. He said, I don't think -- you have heard of him. Yes. Yes.
He said, "I don't think I would have started a company in the kind of environment we have today."
I want to make sure America is a place you want to start a business. People come here from all over the world, for opportunities, for a chance to build for themselves and for their children.
(APPLAUSE)
And I want to help them.
I was with -- I was with one guy in St. Louis, who had a small business -- an electronics business. And he said that he and his son calculated how much money they were paying in taxes of what they earned. Now, it's not a big business. Four people, four employees.
He said when they calculated their income tax, and then their payroll tax, and then their state income tax, then their gas tax, and then their real estate tax, it was over half of what they made. And he said think about this, "We take a big risk to start a business. And then if we're one of the lucky ones where the business succeeds, the government wants to take half of what we make."
So what I want to do, I want to lower the tax rates for small business.
(APPLAUSE)
And I want to -- I want you to know, for business to work you have to have regulations and rules, but I want the regulators to recognize their job is not just to catch the bad guys, as important as that is, but also to encourage the good guys, to make it easier for small business. And --
(APPLAUSE)
And, by the way, small business has something right now that scares the dickens out of them. And that is Obamacare. That's one more reason we've got to get rid of it.
(APPLAUSE)
Now, for us to do those five things, is going to create 12 million jobs in America. And with that kind of job growth, you'll see employers having to pay higher wages, to hire capable people. And that means incomes will start going up. That's how this whole thing works. This is how free markets work. We're going to get more people hired, and rising take-home pay.
And by the way, as they get jobs and higher income, people pay more in taxes, so we're able forget closer to a balanced budget. All of these things work together. Right now, we're going in the wrong direction. We're going to change it going in the right direction.
And one thing we have to do to make that happen --
(APPLAUSE)
We have to do something that you do time in and time out. In your life, if you got someone you got to work with, and you disagree, well, you find some way to work together. We're going to have to have an administration in Washington, my team in Washington, that is willing to work with people across the aisle. To build bridges, to work with other people, to come together, to find ways to get America to work better.
(APPLAUSE)
And I know how to do that. I did that in my state. My state has a few Democrats. You have heard of Massachusetts. All right? My legislature was 85 percent democrat. And I came into office, we had a multi-billion dollar budget gap. We didn't go to work fighting each other. We came to work to work together. And we found a way to do that. And so we cut spending. We actually reduced the amount of money government was spending. And then we cut taxes 19 times. We made our state more business-friendly, the result of all of this was or job growth went from the basement up 20 points, up 20 states, that is. And then we were able to balance our budget. And by the way, our $3 billion budget gap turned into a $2 billion rainy day fund.
LEMON: Hello, everyone, I'm Don Lemon at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, we'll going to let you continue to listen to Mitt Romney. I want to tell you, we're watching CNN Newsroom, lots of coverage of politics and also Hurricane Sandy in just a minute. Back to Mitt Romney now.
ROMNEY: Let me tell you, I'm confident in the future. Look, I know these have been tough years and we're tired of being tired. Yes, the Democrats chant four more years, we chant ten more days. Right?
(APPLAUSE)
(AUDIENCE CHANTING)
Ten more days, ten more days, ten more days, ten more days, ten more days, ten more days, ten more days, ten more days!
ROMNEY: You are right, ten more days, ten more days, we're changing our chant tomorrow, they keep saying four more years, we got a new chant every day.
(LAUGHTER)
OK. Let me tell you why I'm so confident. I have seen the entrepreneur's spirit in this country. I've seen it here, by the way. I was delighted. Last time I think I was right here, I had the chance to be with the Governor Fortuno of Puerto Rico. What a great man he is, they're entrepreneurs right here, in Kissimmee, in Orlando. I see the entrepreneur's spirit, and I know, by the way, when you start a business and when go to work in a small business, and you help built it. You in fact, do build that business.
(APPLAUSE)
And I know -- I know one of the reasons our nation is so successful is that people in America live for something bigger than themselves. They live for their children. The next generation. They live for our country, for their faith. People in America live for something larger than their own life. I learned that throughout my life, I was once a Boy Scout leader some years ago. Any boy scouters here? Yes, right there. And I was at a Boy Scout court of honor.
That's the place where the Boy Scouts get their eagle award or other awards. I was seated at the front of the room, table, at end of it. And next to an American flag. And the guy who was at the podium speaking was the scout master from Monument, Colorado. And he said that his boys wanted to have a special American flag. So they bought one with gold tassels on the outside, they flew it to the capitol. It was flown above the capitol dome. And then when they came home they decided they wanted to fly in the space shuttle.
So, they can tag the mess, and say, would you take our American flag in the space shuttle? And they agreed. He said, you can't imagine how proud the boys were to be watching from their school classrooms seeing the TV and watching the challenger space shuttle launch into the air. And then they saw it explode in the air. And he said he called NASA, and asked if they had any remnant of the flag that had been found. And they had not. He said, he called NASA month after month, calling every week.
Finally, he sort of gave up until he was reading an article in the paper. And it mentioned some of the debris from the challenger disaster. And it mentioned a flag. So he called NASA and said, have you found our flag? And they said, as a matter of fact, we have a presentation to make to your scout troop. So, NASA came, the boys gathered and they presented the boys with this plastic container, and he said, we opened it up, and there was our flag in perfect condition.
(APPLAUSE)
And then he said, that is it on the flag pole at the end of the table next to Mr. Romney. And I reached over and, grabbed a hold of the flag, and it was as if electricity was running through my arm. Because I thought of the sacrifice of those men and women who have served in that mission. And in other NASA missions, who have put their lives in danger for us. For learning. For knowledge, for innovation, for pioneering, what Americans tend to do. Is live for something big.
(APPLAUSE) I think of the men and women who put themselves in a harm's way, in danger's path, who serve in our military. I appreciate their sacrifice. There is a -- there is a wonderful verse in one of our national hymns, America the Beautiful, that I love to mention to people. Oh beautiful, for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more self their country loved and mercy more than life. For our veterans, please raise your hands, and members of our Armed Forces.
(APPLAUSE)
The American way, giving ourselves for something big. It happens in the home, my sister, in her 70s, her husband passed away. She has eight children. Seven of them are married with kids of their own. The eighth, the youngest who is now 43. Jeffrey is a Down Syndrome boy, and Linda devotes her life to care for Jeffrey and to make sure that he has his full life as he possibly can. She is a hero to me, she lives for her son and for her children and grandchildren.
(APPLAUSE)
I think of single moms, I think of single moms all over the country. Who are just scrimping and saving to make sure they can put a good meal on the table for their children. I think of the dads and moms who are working two jobs right now, so their kids can have the kind of clothes other kids have at school and wouldn't stand out. I think of the couples, this Christmas, who were saying, let's not exchange gifts, we can't afford it. Let's make sure we have enough for our kids for Christmas. It's the nature of America to live for something bigger than our self. They said that hero is not someone that's bigger than life, it's just someone who's bigger than themselves, we're a nation of heroes. We need a president who will draw on the heroism of the American people. Their patriotism. Their conviction to the future.
(APPLAUSE)
I will bring us together, I want to draw on that kind of spirit. And as we do, we're going to win this election in November, we're going to get America back on track. We're going to build strong families, strong homes, a strong economy. We're going to have a military second to none. We're taking back America. And America is going to remain the hope of the earth. Thank you so very much.
(APPLAUSE)
You guys are great. Thank you.
LEMON: All right. That is Mitt Romney in Kissimmee, Florida, and as you can see as it gets closer, it will get louder, and more raucous, and as he were saying there, ten more days, viewers, that's all you have to deal with. It will be nine more days tomorrow, and after that you wouldn't have to deal with anymore campaign stumps. I thought for a minute there, Mitt Romney was going to start singing, America the Beautiful again, but he's on stage with Connie Mack and then also Marco Rubio. We should tell you that he cancelled all these events in Virginia because of that storm that's coming through. So tomorrow, he's going to be campaigning in Ohio, we'll carry that for you. Also, we'll be on the campaign trail of course with the president, as well.
In the meantime, almost nine after the hour, nine after the hour right now. I'm Don Lemon. Today, and all through this weekend, we have got our eyes on politics and also the weather, severe weather. And it is coming. If you are watching me right now and you're between southern Virginia and New England, your world is about to get very, very dangerous, that means Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.
Hurricane Sandy already has killed at least 45 people in the Caribbean and Central America, mostly though in Haiti. And right now, it is a category one storm, off the east coast, we're going to show you exactly where it is in just a second. But first, this, New York City's emergency officials are in full-speed prep mode right now. Governor Andrew Cuomo today told the subway and bus services to be ready to shut it down if it looks like the hurricane will smash into the city. That rarely happens in New York City.
OK, this is it. There you go. Well, we should have a live picture of Hurricane Sandy, soon, off South Carolina and grinding on a northern track. We're going to have the very latest from the CNN severe weather center in just a few minutes.
OK, Bonnie Schneider is in the CNN Severe Weather Center. And Bonnie, where is this thing headed to and when?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Don we just got this in, this is the 5:00 advisory, no real change in the forecast tracker intensity, this storm will likely stage hurricane. But it is a better consensus of where it will go. And it is also so large, the tropical storm force winds extend outward over 500 miles. I want to put this map into motion. And watch this incredibly unusual path that Sandy is taking as the category one storm coming on shore, sometime on Monday it looks like. Anywhere between the vicinity of Virginia even as far north as Long Island.
And remember, the timing will make a big difference on Monday, at the time of high tide, depending on how much storm surge we'll get. But one thing that's -- is we're already getting some very damaging rainfall and winds. The winds are picking up. We just had a report of a buoy off the coast of North Carolina with sustained winds of 47 miles per hour. Now, we're pretty far off of from the storm, the center is over 300 miles away. So, the wind field is massive, and that's why this is going to be such an impactable storm that will affect millions of people in major metropolitan areas.
The forecast -- guide and shows us that this storm will come on shore. It is turning back, as you can see. It is not only going to be a rain-maker, it's going to be a snow-maker. Heavy snow. Some of the computer models Don are actually predicting over a foot of snow in the mountain of West Virginia from this one storm. So it is really coming in as a hurricane but it's going to wrap up with a winter feel on the back side of it. Impacting as I said so many people. Also, I want to mention, high wind watches, and some warnings have already been posted along the mid-Atlantic and even into New York City as we go towards tomorrow. So look for some very intense winds as Sandy approaches. LEMON: Oh, it's going to be a busy time for you and a lot of folks. All right, thank you very much, Bonnie. Don't go far, we'll be checking back with you.
I want to talk now with Jessica Williams, she is on board an airline, airplane right now inside the hurricane. She is a flight meteorologist for NOAA. So, Jessica, most of us have been, you know, on a plane in bad weather, but you're up there on purpose flying inside the storm. Where exactly are you, right now?
JESSICA WILLIAMS, NOAA FLIGHT METEOROLOGIST: Right now, we are 15 minutes from 105 miles south of the storm. And we will head inbound, we'll be in the center in 30 minutes.
LEMON: You made a flight this morning into the storm. Is there any difference that you can see or feel just over the past couple of hours?
WILLIAMS: Right now, we're getting light turbulence, on the south west side of the storm.
LEMON: What does that tell you?
WILLIAMS: Can you repeat that question?
LEMON: What does that tell you? You said, you're getting showers on the southwest side of the storm and that you're feeling turbulence, what does that tell you?
WILLIAMS: (INAUDIBLE). It is wrapped around in combination with the cold front.
LEMON: What is the advantage of being inside of a storm -- I mean, what information can you gather there that you can't get from the ground, Jessica?
WILLIAMS: We can mark the exact position of the center of the storm, and the low center pressure, as well as use an instrument to measure the surface wind speeds. This gives the hurricane center data for the general public to let them know how strong this storm is and how far out the highest speeds extend.
LEMON: So Jessica, listen, you know, I said that most of us have been on a plane in bad weather, we don't like it. You say there is turbulence, but the pilots try to avoid bad weather when you're in a commercial airliner. What is it like being on the plane where you are now? Is it lots of turbulence? Is it bumpy? Are you seeing lightning? What is that like?
WILLIAMS: It can be extremely bumpy when we're going through an eye wall, or other connective features of the storm, right now, most of the connection is on the left side and in the center. We have five seat belts buckled, to strap us in. And we have everything strapped down.
LEMON: All right, well, Jessica, stay safe, thank you for your information as the storm gets closer, I'm sure we'll be able to get more information from Jessica and others who are flying into the storm. Listen, the slowing storm is having an impact on the presidential election, as well. As I told you earlier, Mitt Romney cancelled rallies tomorrow in Virginia Beach, in Haymarket and in Richmond, Virginia. He's going to campaign in Ohio, instead.
And then Vice President Biden was supposed to be in Virginia Beach today but he had to cancel. The President campaigns in Florida tomorrow, Florida really, out of trouble when it comes to this hurricane.
CNN is going to keep a close eye on the battle, the all important swing states including Virginia, all of them. And our contributor Jim Avlon is in Virginia right now, a state President Obama won four years ago, and a state Mitt Romney would really love to have in his column ten days from now. Everybody would love to have every single state in their column, John.
So why is Virginia -- first of all, how are you doing? And why is Virginia so important to this election?
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I'm doing great, Don. We're here in Lexington, Virginia. We'll going to talk to some students at Washington and Lee University in just a little bit. Look, Virginia is one of the big three swing states to this election, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, the path of the battleground bus tour we have been on. Virginia is fascinating, because Barack Obama was the first democrat to win it since Lyndon Johnson, in 1964. Really representing a C-change. Why? Because the population of Virginia is growing, almost 15 percent over the past decades.
It's also becoming more diverse. And now the population growth, that frankly well to the North of Virginia greatly to his benefit in 2008. Right now, the economy here in Virginia, pretty good compared to the rest of the country, around five percent, compared to eight percent national. So this is a place Democrats hope they could win again. It is tight, they've got a very competitive Senate race. Every vote counts. So, it is really going to be about the ground game. See if President Obama can pull it off again or whether Mitt Romney can make it for Republicans.
LEMON: And they were going after every single demographic that they can get. Young people, old people, women, Hispanics. African- American, everybody. They have got a pitch for everyone. So, you're at Washington and Lee University, John, in Lexington. And you're going to be talking to students tonight. Talk to me a little bit about the divide between younger voters and older voters, because I noticed that in the MTV interview that the President did, it's way on MTV, there are differences in what people find important between younger and older voters.
AVLON: There sure are, and we've talked a lot about the difference for the demographic trans in this election, and the different divisions. One of the most fundamentals is actually the over 50 and under 50. Under 50, President Obama has a dramatic lead among voters under 50, of course including college students. Many of them and we'll be talking to seniors, Washington and Lee today, some of their first vote, was for President Obama in the 2008 election.
So that real age benefit is one of the trump cards that President Obama has. That is what their campaign is betting on it. The folks on ground game. But again, Mitt Romney has a dramatic edge over voters over 50. So, you see this edge divide in the electorate, it is a fascinating dynamic. President Obama and his team betting heavily on the future. Demographic trans that maybe it has not fully come to fruition yet.
Mitt Romney betting heavily on senior citizens, folks who are over 50, the back bone of their community, people who really are known to come out and vote. Young people voted in 2008, there is still a question mark about whether they'll come out in the same numbers. That is one of the real efforts the Obama ground game here in Virginia.
LEMON: Yes. But John, you know, they didn't come out as much as people thought they would. It's always a hard group to get young people out to vote.
AVLON: Yes.
LEMON: Older people go and vote. Younger people just don't vote that much.
AVLON: Well, look, decisions are made by people who show up. You know, at this point, the campaign is focused on get out the vote, they're focused on ground game, but ultimately it's a civic responsibility that each and every one of us had. So, if young people don't turn out, that would be bad news for the Obama campaign. But ultimately each individual responsibility. We know, we have been through this before, Don, every vote counts, Florida, 2000, 537 votes, that was the final margin.
LEMON: Yes.
AVLON: Every vote counts, and this state couldn't be tighter, by 48- 48 right now.
LEMON: Yes. I had a couple of days off this weekend, I went and voted. I got that out of the way. It was like, to do list, scratch off.
AVLON: There you go.
LEMON: Yes. And it was packed, I was surprised. Thank you, John Avlon, see you soon.
AVLON: Thanks, Don.
LEMON: All right. Well, coming up, three teens in two separate cases arrested for murder. And in both cases, the teens were turned into the police by their moms.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
LEMON: Let's talk about determination, after a two-and-a-half year campaign, a Seattle man finally convinces '80s rocker, Billy Idol, to play his birthday party. We'll going to talk with him just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Why don't we like being scared? Well, I'm going to say you, because I don't really like to be scared. Scary movies make millions. Scary TV shows get high ratings, like walking dead. All that. And people make big money to get scared out of their wits especially this time of year at haunted houses. Like these people, these are pictures from nightmares, fear factor, in Niagara Falls, Canada. But why do we subject their selves to this? Look at the ladies face, it's ridiculous. Wendy, did you see those pictures? I don't know if you can see this. It looks ridiculous.
WENDY WALSH, HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPERT: I have some of those of me on roller coasters, trust me.
LEMON: All right. So, Wendy, we know that you're a behavioral expert. Is there something wrong with us? Like why do people like to be scared like that?
WALSH: No, this is satisfying our biological intentions, think about this, Don. Back in our hunter-gather past, what do we do? We had leisure and we had love, and we hunted and gathered a lot of fruit and vegetables. But every once in a while, we would have three minutes of hell, where we had to run for our lives, where our heart rate had to go, our blood pressure had to go up, and we had to get adrenalin going, it was very exciting. And one person died, right? The predator, or the catch.
LEMON: Yes. But Wendy...
WALSH: And we hoped that we weren't the catch.
LEMON: Wendy.
WALSH: So, we're emulating that.
LEMON: Wendy.
WALSH: Yes.
LEMON: Buy a treadmill then, if you need your adrenalin to go up, go for run but listen, I'm saying it because people really want to be scared out of their minds. What are they getting out of this?
WALSH: What they're getting is that amazing feeling of those endorphins that flow afterwards, there is the shock, and the heightened, you know, scare factor, and immediately after, there's a feeling of getting this almost. I mean, I've got, as I told you, I have a picture, I should have brought it. Of me on a roller coaster that is terrifying, but I remember that for an hour after that roller coaster ride, just laughing about everything, I mean, very light. It is like our biology says wow, we won that one. Because some people, yes, are kind of addicted to this kind of adrenalin, the rush that you're going to get. Other people, the ones that are prone to anxiety and have a real heightened fighter flight response should stay away from these things.
LEMON: Yes.
WALSH: There are the horror stories that you hear about people having medical conditions in them.
LEMON: Yes. I don't have -- I just punch people, like, oh, don't scare me like that.
(LAUGHTER)
So listen.
WALSH: Fight or flight, you like the fight.
LEMON: That is what you're saying, you're saying, some people can't handle this because they're wired differently, or you said, because of their medical condition, some can't deal with it.
WALSH: Yes. We're all different, and some people are more prone to anxiety than others. Other people love this stuff because it gives them a charge, it gives them some sense of adrenalin and they feel good afterwards.
LEMON: Scary today, different than we were kids. Because, you know, Slasher, Gory, but it was pretty Slasher, Gory when I was a kid. I don't think it has really changed that much.
WALSH: I think we've become a little more desensitize because of the level of violence and freight that we're seeing in our media. But I also, and I say this all the time, Don, people don't like to hear it. That the more we have become peaceful and less violent, the more the violence has gone into our media as an act of catharsis, so I feel, you know, in the middle ages, if you looked at somebody wrong you got clubbed. And today, we actually have very low level of violence in the human species, compared to many generations before.
But it is still in our DNA, so we live through it vicariously, through our media in some ways. Now, yes, too much of that stuff for young children and developing brain, it's not good, research supports that. But for the adults, the scary festival is just fine.
LEMON: What is the psychologist go dressed us for Halloween? Do you go as a shrunken feet like a shrink or like head face -- I don't know.
WALSH: You will be proud of me because I went as wild orchid to school the other day.
LEMON: Oh, Jesus!
WALSH: No, what's her name? What's it? The avenger girl name. No, the spider girl. The avenger woman.
LEMON: Who?
WALSH: Black widow. Black widow! Black widow! That is what I was. My daughter and I were black widows.
LEMON: You are asking someone who has no kids and has no idea what you are talking about.
WALSH: But you love The Avengers, I know you do.
LEMON: I know, I love The Avengers. The Avengers is a very good movie, I saw it in 3-D. But Wendy, I can't wait to talk to you about this later. It is going to be great. You know, Halloween, it's for me, women, it gives them an excuse to dress up. And it gives men an excuse to dress as women, which I don't understand. So she will be back later to talk about that. The sexy -- everything is like -- can you -- I'm going as a peanut, how can I be a sexy peanut?
LEMON: What? All right, thank you, Wendy, we'll see you at 10 p.m., it is going to be a great conversation.
WALSH: See you later.
LEMON: All right. See you.
WALSH: OK.
LEMON: All right.
Hurricane Sandy on the move. Where is it going? When will it get there? And its potential impact. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Keeping watch right now on Hurricane Sandy, a live picture from Norfolk, Virginia, well, we'll look at satellite. We don't have a live picture there. It is setting up to be a monster of a storm -- category one storm is expected to make landfall sometime on Monday night. As you can imagine, right now, getting pictures up may be tough in some areas because there is so much wind.
Several states have already declared emergencies are and are prepping for the worst. The hurricane killed at least 45 people in the Caribbean and Central America before moving up the eastern seaboard. The concern is that the eye of the storm, but rather what is happening around it. Now, Sandy turns, it's -- fierce winds and some heavy rains. And added to that, a cold front from the west, and you get the makings of a really, really super storm or the perfect storm.
CNN's George Howell is on North Carolina's outer banks where folks are in watch and wait mode right now -- George.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, hour by hour. The storm seems to gets worse and worse, in fact, we're feeling that sideways rain come in, as the storm pushes in. A clear indication that it is getting closer to us. The winds have picked up. And that is evidenced by what you see out there on the waters. The water is getting rougher and rougher as this day goes on. But when you talk to people here on the island, Don, you know, it seems to be business as usual. In fact, there were some people staying at this hotel where we'll be riding out the storm. They're here for a wedding that happened today.
Also, when you drive down the street you don't find a lot of homes boarded up. As you find, you know, with an oncoming hurricane or storm. Many people have homes here, don't live here, some people have left their homes to stay at hotels to find higher ground.
But it comes down to this. People say there is not a mandatory evacuation call. And that was the case with Irene. When you look back to that situation, people remember what happened then, so they're paying very close attention to radars and paying close attention to the track of the storm, and prepared to take steps to get out of the way, to get to higher ground and get off this island should a mandatory evacuation be called -- Don?
LEMON: All right, George Howell. Thank you. Stay safe, sir. George Howell, reporting from Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.
Looking for a job? How about the health care field? 38 percent of all jobs added last month were in health care.
Here is CNN's Christine Romans with this week's "Smart is the New Rich."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARMAINE DAVIS: How are you? Good to see you.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Charmaine Davis loves her job -- flexibility, high pay and growing demand put dental hygienists at the top of this list of best health care jobs, ahead of audiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and optometrists. The median income is about $68,000 a year, and hiring is projected to rise 38 percent by the year 2/20, above average for an industry already on a hiring tear.
More than three million health care jobs have been added over the last decade, and the industry is projected to grow 30 percent by the year 2020.
PAUL KECKLEY, DIRECTOR, DELOITTE CENTER FOR HEALTH SOLUTIONS: The data clearly says that virtually every occupation in health care will see job growth, ranging from primary care and general surgery, dentistry, even psychologists. But the largest number of new jobs will be mid-level jobs. These will be jobs as technicians, of allied health professionals, of home health aides, even health coaches.
ROMANS: Here's the pay for those top jobs in health care. But not all health care jobs are created equal. There is huge demand for home health and personal care aides, but they take home about $20,000 a year. Good-paying jobs, like Charmaine's, take investment and more school.
DAVIS: I took the opportunity of doing it in the evenings. It was four days a week. And I worked full-time during the day and on the weekend. ROMANS: She needed an associate's degree. The typical program costs 30 grand. She made the investment, and is collecting the dividends. And we're not just talking about money.
DAVIS: When they open their mouth, when they open their mouth, nothing surprises me after 24 years.
ROMANS: Really?
DAVIS: Nothing.
ROMANS: And it feels good to get that plaque out?
DAVIS: It does, and do that polishing.
(LAUGHER)
And walk out and get that beautiful smile.
ROMANS (voice-over): Christine Romans, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: A school board in Iowa has unanimously decided to fire a teacher's aide, after finding out she took part in the torture and murder of a teenage girl almost 50 years ago. CNN affiliate, WHO, reports police received an anonymous tip about 64-year-old Paula Pace. They discovered Pace, along with members of her family, were convicted of murder in 1965 and that she's been leading a double life. The school community, of course, shocked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BALINDA WALLEN, FRIEND: First thought, it was not her. But it was definitely confirmed that it was, saying -- it is just hard to believe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, this case became one of the most infamous crimes in Indiana and has been the subject of several books and movies.
Two high-profile missing-girl cases ended in tragedy this week. New Jersey police found the body of 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale just two days after she went missing. 18 hundred miles away, in a suburb of Denver, police found the body of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway after a three-week long search. But these two unrelated cases have more in common than you may think. Both of the girls' alleged killers were turned into authorities by their very own mothers.
Our criminal defense attorney, Holly Hughes, is here.
Holly, why would these mothers turn in their own children? HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY & FORMER PROSECUTOR: Because they want to do the right thing. And this is the most devastating thing they have ever had to do. You know, they're looking at it, and they are putting themselves in the position of the victim's mother, and they're saying, if my child had been murdered, what would I want to happen? And the other good that may come out of it, they may get some help for their teenage sons. These are allegations, at this point, right? Nothing has been proven in a court of law. But they are horrific murders, committed by young boys, 15 and 17 years old. So for these mothers to do this, heartbreaking.
LEMON: What type of charges will they face? And will they be tried as adults?
HUGHES: I think they will, based on the heinousness of the crimes. When we talk about little Autumn, the boys there are 15 and 17. So they are close enough that they can go into court and ask permission of the judge to transfer them into the adult system out of the juvenile court system. And because of the terrible crime. They actually lured this little girl -- the allegation is they lured this little girl there because she was into bikes. She had a BMX bike, and they're saying they lured her there because they wanted it. So there's that whole lying in wait. There was what we call aggravating circumstances in the murder. And we know the allegations in the Ridgeway case are, sadly, the little girl was dismembered. She was not found intact. So again, aggravating circumstances, they will seek to try them as adults.
LEMON: Horrific. Horrific.
Let's turn to a case now in Louisiana. A woman in Louisiana said she was set on fire by white supremacists, but now police say she actually inflicted the injuries herself.
What do we know? I mean -- she was -- wasn't she in the back of her car. This was a weird story that I first saw on social media and then look into.
HUGHES: Extremely weird. Right. You know, all the physical evidence leads back to her. The only thing they had, which pointed to an outside party, was her statement. Of course, you take those allegations so seriously. If, in fact, this had been a hate crime and perpetrated by the -- there was mention of the KKK and these white supremacists -- that would have been absolutely horrific. We would have wanted them prosecuted under the hate crime statute. We would have said max them out.
LEMON: Obviously, she has issues. I mean --
HUGHES: Clearly. she burned herself over 90 percent of her body, whether that was her intent, she was just trying to get some attention, whether she wanted a mental disability, which seems like that's the only way to go here, Don. Nobody in their right mind sets themselves on fire.
LEMON: This is a real question because burns over 90 percent of her body. People wonder if she will face charges. You remember Susan Smith, saying it was a black man or whatever.
HUGHES: Oh, yes.
LEMON: This was -- she was describing a certain type of person.
HUGHES: Right.
LEMON: This woman described an organization, right?
HUGHES: Right.
LEMON: She didn't describe anybody specifically.
HUGHES: Exactly.
LEMON: Might she face charges, as well?
HUGHES: Well, sure. It's filing a false police report. But given the severity of her injuries, the first thing we need to see if she can survive them -- being burned over 90 percent of your body. And then we'll find it is not worth it because she clearly has some mental defects going on here. So even if you were to charge her with filing a false police report, which you could, she is not going to be able to stand trail for that because the first thing her lawyer will do is a mental evaluation. She's going to be found incompetent and it will be a waste of the taxpayer's money. It's just not the best way to utilize our very strained resources in the criminal justice system.
LEMON: Yes. It's just said.
HUGHES: It is horrible all the way around.
LEMON: It is terrible she did that.
HUGHES: Right.
LEMON: I hope she gets better, gets some sort of help.
HUGHES: Exactly. She's a victim.
LEMON: And I saw her in a picture with a child. I don't know if it is her child or a niece or nephew or cousin, I don't know.
HUGHES: She's a victim of herself, Don, but --
(CROSSTALK)
HUGHES: -- she is a victim.
LEMON: Terrible.
HUGHES: Exactly.
LEMON: Happier stuff.
HUGHES: Yes. (LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Liven it up here. This is our generation.
HUGHES: OK.
LEMON: The only song I will do in karaoke --
HUGHES: Oh, lord.
LEMON: -- is "White Wedding," Billy Idol. You're going to love this next story because I do.
See this guy right here? Not me, that guy. He spent two years begging Billy Idol to play at his birthday party. And with the help of Fabio and Ron Jeremy -- do you know who Ron Jeremy is?
HUGHES: I got to tell you, that one missed me.
(LAUGHTER)
Sorry --
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Google it.
Billy Idol finally agreed.
(LAUGHTER)
HUGHES: Get out. That's a story.
(LAUGHTER)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That is one of the only songs that I will do in karaoke. I love that song. It's bringing me back to my college days. You know him. That is '80s rock icon, Billy Idol. Yes, I was in college in the '80s. And I am a huge fan. My producers had to beg me not to belt out "White Wedding" at start of the segment. I didn't write that. Someone else wrote that. Thank you very much, writer. See that guy right there? He is a bigger fan than me. He is Michael Henrichsen. The 26-year-old was not even born when some of Billy Idol hits were released. But two years ago, he began an online campaign to get the rocker to play his birthday party. And it has gotten a lot of attention. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HENRICHSEN, BILLY IDOL FAN: We're about to take the six-foot long "Play my birthday, Billy Idol" banner. We'll hold it above Interest 5 here in downtown Seattle so we can spread the word about Billy.
(SINGING)
DAVID MARTIN, THE BEACH BOYS: Billy Idol, this is David Martin of the Beach Boys. Why don't you play at Michael's birthday party?
MIKE LOVE, THE BEACH BOYS: Hey, Billy. This is Mike Love. You know me. The one that did the proper lyrics of "Good Vibrations." Why don't you play at Michael's birthday party?
FABIO, MODEL & CELEBRITY: Can you come out to Seattle and let's have some fun. And I'll join you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a marvelous idea. I would do it.
RON JEREMY, ACTOR: One night one night in your life to make this guy's dream come true. Billy Idol, you got to play Michael's birthday party. And I want to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Ron Jeremy?
(LAUGHTER)
You've got to love that.
Billy noticed, too, and sent Michael a message on his own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILLY IDOL, SINGER: Let me tell you something, Seattle. People of the world have spoken. The dream will become a reality. On Friday, October the 26th, I will take the stage, my band, at the "Show Box," for what is sure to be one of the most memorable birthday parties your city has ever known.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Oh, my gosh.
Michael joins me now. Happy birthday to you, sir, by the way.
HENRICHSEN: Thank you so much.
LEMON: You have been dreaming and campaigning about this, for what, about two years now? The party was last night in Seattle. Was it everything you hoped for?
HENRICHSEN: Yes, it was crazy, man. Yes, it started in November of 2010, and here we are in October of 2012. And it seems like a dream. I didn't sleep at all last night. Billy Idol gave me an actual birthday gift. It is this little pendant that says "Rebel yell" on it. So it is a total blur, man. He is a very humble guy, super, super guy, super nice. And the ladies were definitely drooling all over him last night.
LEMON: And he has still got the hair, man. He's still got that hair.
HENRICHSEN: Of course, man. Come on. He's Billy Idol.
LEMON: So why Idol? I mean, you're 26. I remember listening to these songs. I think "White Wedding" was one of the first songs, first videos on MTV. You were not even born when most of his music was out. So why him?
HENRICHSEN: My mom grew up, you know, a big '80s fan. Groupie, if you will. She is a big Duran Duran fan. She named me after the band, NXS, after Michael Hutchins and drummer John Farris. So it kind of runs in my blood with the whole '80s thing.
And you know, I saw Billy in concert a couple of years ago. I was 40 grand in debt, working three jobs out of college, so I was like I needed to do something to help my professional career. My friends were moving across the country. Priorities were changing. I wanted an excuse to bring all of these people together for one night. And so I kind of brainstormed, how feasible is it to network Billy Idol with no money to get him to come and play on my birthday party? And lo and behold, it happened.
LEMON: All of these -- INXS, the Smiths, Depeche Mode, Morrissey -- you're bringing me back.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: You're a big fan, but this campaign was also a resume builder for you, right? I mean, this is good P.R. for you.
HENRICHSEN: Yes, I mean, absolutely. I just -- I remember years ago I would get interviews at P.R. firms here in Seattle, and for one reason or another, just didn't pan out for me. And I knew the ability I had, and the determination I had and hard work I put forth. And I needed a means to show that. And this is obviously, you know, part -- you know, resume builder, part bringing friends together, part, something incredibly fun. And who doesn't want to get a rock star to play at their birthday party? And we've done a lot of good with this well. We've raised $13,000 for the Red Cross and the local food bank called Northwest Harvest. I mean, it has definitely, been a lot of work, but if you love something why not chase your dreams?
LEMON: Did you open up for him, or did he open up for you?
(LAUGHTER)
HENRICHSEN: You know we opened up for him last night. It was a trip. We were walking down the hallway back stage and Billy is standing there and he looks at me like, all right, mate, get out there and warm up the crowd for me, all right? And I was like, whoa, Billy Idol just definitely said that to me.
(LAUGHTER)
It was cool, such an experience, something I'll cherish for the rest of my life. And I'm so blessed to have the support of many people, around the world, the country, sending e-mails and tweets about how much they loved this project.
LEMON: Yes, and there are a lot of kids who are going, you know, Billy Idol, why, to us, people in our 40s. Obviously, he is an idol. But you know, "Moany, Moany (ph) -- the younger people came along and I think added the extra lyrics in that song, if you know what I'm talking about.
(LAUGHER)
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: But earlier, we heard from Mark McGrath, Fabio, we heard from Ron Jeremy, and they said they would be there, too. Were they there?
HENRICHSEN: Fabio's schedule didn't fall in line with this birthday party. We didn't have of the celebrities that endorsed the web site there but the fact they took the time out of their day to make a stupid video, asking Billy Idol to come to my birthday party is more than enough. All these celebrities were just, me going to autograph signings, networking with people. Mark McGrath sent me that video. These were just people that were so enthralled at the ridiculousness of this project, they wanted to help out. So kudos to them, and thank them for making the project what it is right now.
LEMON: Well your dream has come true. Congratulations
HENRICHSEN: Awesome.
And I want to hear you sing more Billy Idol when you go out to karaoke next time.
LEMON: OK. Not on national television. I'd like to be able to pay my mortgage.
(LAUGHTER)
Thank you.
(LAUGHTER) HENRICHSEN: Thank you.
LEMON: And speaking of big parties, there will be lots of celebrating come election night. But, when it comes to who, who will win. Who will win? Some of the predictions can get, well, a little nutty, shall we say. We'll look at some of those oddball presidential predictions. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: When it comes to who will win the presidential election, well, forget those scientific polls. Many argue that the fate of America lies in the hands of psychic squirrels, coffee cups, even Halloween masks. They may be more predictable than the polls. Call them crazy, but could these predictions hold water.
CNN's Jonathan Mann takes a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 270, that's the Electoral College.
JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just how can you calculate the outcome?
KING: Here's how we scored it coming? You need 270 to win.
MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have freed other nations.
MANN: Is it who dominates the discussion? Or maybe public opinion polls can tell us. But what if predicting the outcome is not so scientific, maybe even a bit nutty?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Another for Mitt? Good. Another for Mitt, yes?
MANN: This little guy is called the psychic squirrel by his owners.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has 10 walnuts in each cup below each candidate. Whichever cup he takes most nuts from is determined the president of the United States.
MANN: He was accurate four years ago.
ANNOUNCER: And a touch-down throw is made is to Santana boss.
MANN: The Washington Red Skins football team has a longer track record. It's known as the Red Skin rule. If the Red Skins win their last game at home in the nation's capital, the incumbent party stays in power. The rule has held 17 out of 18 times. So no doubt President Obama will be rooting for Washington over Carolina on November 4th.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Trick or treat.
MANN: And then there's Halloween. Spirit Halloween, the largest seasonal Halloween retailer in the U.S., says the president will win the election because the Obama mask is outselling the Mitt Romney mask, 60 percent to 40 percent.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, PIERS MORGAN: Who cares you might think. Well, this particular stat doesn't lie. The last four elections, political mask sells have all pointed to the winner in November.
MANN: There's also a survey by U.S. convenience story operator 7- Eleven. Customers purchase their coffee in Obama or Romney cups. Again, the president is ahead, 59 percent to 41 percent.
LINDA ELLERBEE, NICKELODEON NEWS HOST: Why vote?
MANN: Linda Ellerbee hosts a news program on the children's channel Nickelodeon. For more than 20 years, she's asked her young viewers to weigh in. The children have been accurate in the five of the past six. She announced the results of her poll.
ELLERBEE: Drum roll here. According to the children of America, President Barack Obama will be around for another four years.
(SHOUTING)
MANN: But if these unscientific polls skew toward Obama, analysts will tell you because he's been a pop-culture figure since his first campaign.
(SHOUTING)
MANN: And the challenger, Mitt Romney, is a less transformational figure.
(on camera): I'm not stunned that these pop-culture measures might edge towards Obama, but again, it doesn't really mean anything except that. But it's a fun measure.
(voice-over): And as fatigue sets in here in the final days of a very long campaign, maybe a little fun is exactly what American voters need.
Jonathan Mann, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: I will buy that, Jonathan Mann. Some fun, that's what we need.
All right, states of emergency declared all along the east coast. We're looking at what could be an unprecedented storm just days before Election Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's get some of the headlines right now on CNN.
Hurricane Sandy scrambling travel plans for the presidential candidates. Mitt Romney has canceled rallies tomorrow in Virginia. He's going to campaign in Ohio instead. Vice President Joe Biden was supposed to be in Virginia Beach today but had to cancel as well. President Obama campaigns in Florida tomorrow.
Italy's former prime minister says he may jump back into politics despite his conviction for tax evasion. Silvio Berlusconi says he wants to reform the justice system. That same justice system sentenced him to four years in prison. Yesterday, he insists he is innocent and will appeal his conviction.
I'm Don Lemon at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. Thank you so much for watching. See you back here at 7:00 p.m. eastern. Good night.
