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Oprah Returns to Silver-Screen; Few Late-Night Laughs for Obama, Leno; Professor's Sinister Secret; Symbolic Hit on Castro House

Aired August 07, 2013 - 10:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: And Anna, I will tell you, it definitely will give you something to talk about and it's -- it will resonate with everyone.

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Is there anything Oprah can't do? I mean she's just such an extraordinary woman. And have we got an Oscar contender on our hands? Do you think "The Butler" is up for several Oscars?

TURNER: Well to answer the first part of your question, there may be one thing that Oprah doesn't do as well as other people. And you see it in the movie because Oprah has got some dancing scenes in the movie. And she's always said not the greatest dancer, but she breaks it down in this movie. And it's really a very, very cute moment. That's a big part of this movie kind of, how this family interacts and relates. And Oprah loves to dance so she does it a lot in this movie.

You know it is definitely getting a lot of buzz. I can tell you that I have not seen Oprah totally surrender to a character and a role like this since she played Sophia in "Color Purple". And she got an Oscar nomination for that. I think she was really, really committed to this character and this role.

Forest Whitaker was understated but very elegant as Clare -- excuse me Cecil Gaines. And there's -- it's a great ensemble film. I mean get this -- Dwight Eisenhower is played by Robin Williams.

COREN: Amazing guy.

TURNER: Liev Schreiber plays Lyndon Johnson, Jane Fonda plays Nancy Reagan. There are so many Oscar winners and Oscar nominated actors in this film. Lee Daniels does a really good job of putting it all together and giving them all a chance to shine. So it's going to be really interesting to see how this plays out for the awards season this year.

COREN: Nischelle, I refuse to believe that Oprah can't dance. So I'm going to have to check out the movie myself.

TURNER: You can get (inaudible) a black and white jump suit in the '70s with the fro, honey, it is fabulous.

COREN: Ok. Look forward to it. Nischelle Turner, good to see you as always. Thank you. TURNER: Yes.

COREN: CNN NEWSROOM -- much more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: If you tuned in to watch Jay Leno last night, you might have experienced a bit of whiplash today. Well President Obama sat on that famous set for 45 minutes, fielding questions on a frenetic range of topics from terrorism to Trayvon Martin to the 2016 presidential race. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: You and Hillary had lunch. Who invited who to lunch? I'm curious.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I invited her.

LENO: Ok.

OBAMA: And we had a great time. She had that post administration glow.

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: You know, when -- when someone -- folks leave the White House, two weeks later, they look great.

LENO: Yes, yes.

OBAMA: You know? And but it was a wonderful conversation. You know, by the end of my first term, you know, we had become genuinely close and I could not have more respect for her. She was a great Secretary of State. And yes, very, very fine work she did.

LENO: Did you notice her measuring the drapes or anything like that?

OBAMA: I -- keep in mind, she's been there before -- so.

LENO: Right that's true.

OBAMA: She doesn't have to measure them. Yes.

LENO: Everyone is concerned about these embassy closings.

OBAMA: Yes.

LENO: How significant is this threat?

OBAMA: Well, it's significant enough that we're taking every precaution. We had already done a lot to bolster embassy security around the world but especially in the Middle East, North Africa where the threats tend to be highest. And whenever we see a threat stream that we think is specific enough that we can take some specific precautions within a certain time frame, then we do so. LENO: Safe to say that we learned about these threats through the NSA intelligence program? Is that a fair assessment?

OBAMA: Yes we don't have a domestic spying program. What we do have are some mechanisms where we can track a phone number or an e-mail address that we know is connected to some sort of terrorist threat. And you know, that information is useful, but you know, what I've said before, you know, I want to make sure I repeat. And that is, we should be skeptical about the potential encroachments on privacy.

None of the revelations show that government has actually abused these powers, but they're pretty significant powers. And I've been talking to Congress and civil libertarians and others about are there additional ways that we can make sure the people know nobody's listening to your phone call.

LENO: Were you surprised that Russia granted Snowden asylum?

OBAMA: I was disappointed because you know, even though we don't have an extradition treaty with them, traditionally, we have tried to respect if there's a lawbreaker or an alleged lawbreaker in their country. We evaluate it and we try to work with them.

They didn't do that with us. And in some ways it's reflective of some underlying challenges that we've had with Russia lately.

LENO: I thought you spoke very eloquently about the Trayvon Martin case. And I could tell that you were speaking from the heart and tell me about that.

OBAMA: Well, you know, I think all of us were troubled by what happened. And any of us who are parents can imagine the heartache that those parents went through. It doesn't mean that Trayvon was a perfect kid. None of us were. We were talking off stage, you know, when you're a teenager -- especially a teenage boy.

LENO: Right.

OBAMA: You're going to mess up. And you won't always have the best judgment. But what I think all of us agree to is that we should have a criminal justice system that's fair, that's just. And what I wanted to try to explain was why this was a particularly sensitive topic for African-American families because you know, a lot of people who have sons know the experience they had of being followed or you know, being viewed suspiciously.

We all know that you know, young African-American men disproportionately have involvement in criminal activities and violence for a lot of reasons, a lot of it having to do with poverty, a lot of it having to do with you know, disruptions in their neighborhoods and their communities, failing schools and all those things. And that's no excuse, but what we also believe in is that people, everybody should be treated fairly and the system should work for everyone.

LENO: Let me ask you something. You told a group of young people that broccoli was your favorite food. Now, lying to voters is one thing. Lying to children, that's -- that's -- that is --

OBAMA: Well let me say this.

LENO: Can you put your right hand on the bible and say broccoli.

OBAMA: Let me say this. I have broccoli a lot.

LENO: Really?

OBAMA: I mean you can ask my staff. It is one of my staples. Me and broccoli, I don't know. We got a thing going.

LENO: Really.

OBAMA: So it goes especially well with burgers and fries.

LENO: Right, right.

OBAMA: Absolutely.

LENO: And did Michelle make a broccoli cake with the broccoli icing?

OBAMA: Well I won't -- I won't go that far.

LENO: Mr. President, it's been an honor. I know you have to go.

(CROSSTALK)

LENO: Thank you so much.

OBAMA: Before -- before we go, well, Jay, I know you're very proud of your car collections.

LENO: Yes.

OBAMA: Well, there's one piece that's missing.

LENO: Cool.

OBAMA: This is the -- this is the beast. What I drive in.

LENO: Oh look at that.

LENO: My friend Ed Welburn designed that car.

OBAMA: So --

LENO: Will you sign the roof?

OBAMA: Yes I will sign the roof.

LENO: Oh cool.

OBAMA: Now, the doors are heavy when you're getting in.

LENO: Yes, yes. OBAMA: You may need a little help.

LENO: I assume the real car will be at my garage after the show tonight.

OBAMA: There you go, Jay.

LENO: Very good.

Mr. President, a pleasure and an honor sir.

OBAMA: I appreciate it.

LENO: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well during the 45-minute conversation, the President also said he was disappointed with Russia's new anti-gay laws and that he hopes the country doesn't try to discriminate when it hosts next year's winter Olympics.

Well just ahead in the NEWSROOM, after committing murders that shocked a nation, we'll tell you how James Wolcott went from teenaged killer to popular professor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Well, a sleepy small town college has learned that one of its most well-regarded professors was keeping a sinister secret. James Wolcott was just 15 years old when he shot his parents and sister. But now he uses Dr. James St. James, a popular professor at Milliken University. Well Ted Rowlands has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): August 4, 1967 -- inside this home in Georgetown, Texas police found the bodies of a college professor, his wife and their 17-year-old daughter. Within hours, 15-year-old James Wolcott admitted he killed his family, using this .22 caliber rifle. Wolcott told police he hated his parents and sister and claimed he had been sniffing glue in the weeks before he murdered them.

The story sent shock waves through the small town and made headlines around the country. The next year, James Wolcott was tried as an adult but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Seven years after that in 1974, he was deemed sane and set free.

(on camera): After that, Wolcott seemed to just disappear until a Texas newspaper reporter tracked him down here in the central Illinois town of Decatur, where he's been teaching psychology at Milliken University for the past 27 years.

(voice over): Here he is now. His name is Dr. James St. James. He's the head of the psych department at Milliken and a student favorite. JORDAN STOUT, STUDENT: He's very intelligent. He's almost a genius. He could lecture for hours without notes and he just knows everything off the top of his head.

ROWLANDS: Some people are upset St. James didn't tell the university about his past when he was hired. Decatur city councilman told the local newspaper, quote, "If I were a parent and my kids were going to Milliken, that's something I would want to know. The university though is standing by St. James saying, "Given the traumatic experiences of his childhood, Dr. St. James' efforts to rebuild his life and obtain a successful professional career have been remarkable."

(on camera): There are some people that want him to step down. What are your thoughts?

STOUT: I think he should stay. He's been a great professor. He has no reason to leave unless he does something here. You know? He has no reason to step down.

ROWLANDS: We tried to contact St. James who is now 61 at his home and by e-mail, but got no response. Even with his secret now out, the university is expecting he'll be back in the classroom when school resumes at the end of the month.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Decatur, Illinois.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, still ahead the house where Ariel Castro kept three women captive for a decade is now reduced to rubble. You'll hear the emotional words from one of the survivors.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: Welcome back.

Ariel Castro's Cleveland house now obliterated. One of his victims Michelle Knight returned to witness the demolition. Knight handed out balloons and read a prayer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE KNIGHT, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: Give the missing people strength and power to know that they are loved. We hear their cries. They are never forgotten in my heart. They are caterpillars waiting to turn into a butterfly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: CNN's Martin Savidge is covering the demolition. Martin, tell me, what is the feeling within the community now that the house of horrors is gone?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's kind of a mixed thing here, Anna. And I talked to a number of people about, you know, how do they feel about this day? It's happiness, I guess. It's also a lot of sadness. So it's really mixed in a way that people can't quite put their finger on it but they do point out that they're glad, of course, to see the house gone which you can see is just about gone. They're down to the basement.

And then on top of that, there is a joy I guess of finally moving on as it were. And you know, one of those that got to launch the first blow was Gina DeJesus' aunt. She actually got to get in that giant excavator and deliver that first punch to the house and really took a chunk out of the roof much to the delight and the cheers of the crowd that were watching here.

So it's a day that people are really kind of drinking in. The church bells were ringing at one point. It's just kind of trying to find that closure here. I know that's a well-worn word but that is exactly what the street is looking for. And they hope by the end of the day, there will be nothing left of that house and maybe in a few months, a park or a playground for children, something completely different from the house of horrors as it was known -- Anna.

COREN: Martin, where to now? You know, these women, what they've endured over the past decade, now that this house of horrors is gone, that decade of hell, if you like, is behind them, I can be only assume there's a great deal of rehabilitation for these women to I guess get their lives back on track.

SAVIDGE: There is. I mean, they've got a long way to go. Their attorneys will tell you that. You saw Michelle and you've seen her out and about. They're on their way. And that is the best thing you can say after so much.

COREN: Martin Savidge, lovely to see you. Thank you so much.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COREN: In these dog days of summer, our Jeanne Moos uncovers a new method to soak up sweat.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you're wet or sweaty, this is how most folks mop up. But when you don't have a hanky handy, show me the money.

That's a 50 euro note this guy has deployed to take care of excess liquidity, the equivalent of around 66 bucks.

There he was in the background of an interview taking place at a horse race in Ireland.

(on camera): Talk about money needing laundered. Who wants this on their face? A 2002 study showed that 94 percent of bills tested contained pathogens.

(voice-over): Sort of reminds us of the time in "Zombieland" --

WOODY HARRELSON, ACTOR: I haven't cried like that since "Titanic".

MOOS: -- when Woody Harrelson uses cash to wipe away tears.

The guy who used a euro note to mop up rain drops could have left his cash in his pocket if he had supporters like Mitt Romney did.

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, thank you. There you go.

MOOS: During the last presidential campaign, this restaurant owner came to Mitt's rescue, whether or not Mitt wanted rescued.

JOSEPH MELLUSO, OWNER, THE TIN FISH FRANCHISES: I can't let our next president look all sweaty like this in a photograph.

MOOS: The restaurant owner then tried to wipe off a piece of napkin that he'd left on Mitt's lower lip. But this time, Mitt kept a stiff upper lip and did it himself.

President George W. Bush had his own moment he'd probably prefer to be wiped from memory.

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN: "Top Ten George W. Bush Videotaped Moments."

MOOS: During a commercial break on David Letterman's show, President Bush used the sweater of an unsuspecting show staffer to clean his eyeglasses.

And if that rubs you the wrong way, this may rub you the right way.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

MOOS: This deer kept rubbing his head on a teenager sitting on a beach in British Columbia as his mom shot the video. Experts say the deer is probably either trying to rub fur off the base of his antlers or leaving his scent that comes out of a gland on the deer's forehead. Some thought that's not all he's leaving.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tick-infested deer rubbing against a young boy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was an upsetting piece of video.

MOOS: All this weird rubbing --

(on camera): Higher denominations are probably more hygienic.

(voice-over): -- is enough to make rub your eyes in disbelief.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Careful. It's not hurting, is it?

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. That might hurt. MOOS: -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Watch out for those antlers.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Anna Coren.

"CNN NEWSROOM" continues right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)