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Government Shutdown Looks Likely; Israel: Jailed Suspect is a Spy; Radicals Back Rebels in Syria; What Would A Shutdown Feel Like?; Interview With Sen. William Cowan; MLB Commissioner to Step Down; Arsenio Hall Is Back

Aired September 29, 2013 - 18:00   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. Top of the hour. You're in CNN NEWSROOM.

The government shutdown, everyone in Washington claims to oppose. It is starting to look unavoidable. There are just 30 hours to go until the first federal shut down since 1996. And it is hard it find a sense of urgency anywhere around the nation's capital today.

Late last night, the House approved amendments to a spending bill, a bill Republicans say would avoid a shut down, but Senate Democrats insist that bill is doomed, dead on arrival, as they say, in Washington. And besides, the Senate doesn't plan it meet again until tomorrow afternoon.

Remember, the government starts running out of money tomorrow night at midnight. Lawmakers in Congress still gets paychecks during a government shutdown. Many others would see their paycheck vanish. Thousands of government workers would be furloughed. Essential staff like the military, FBI, air traffic controllers would stay on duty.

But paychecks could be delayed. If you're planning a vacation to a national park, forget about it. They could be closed. You can forget about getting a passport as well, because passports and government loans would not be issued.

What would not be affected? Medicare, Medicaid and your mail delivery.

So, what's happening right now in Washington to prevent a government shut down? Not a whole lot. No behind-the-scenes meetings. No intense negotiations. None of the usual intensity that you might expect.

Let's get the latest now from CNN's Erin McPike -- Erin.

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, House Republicans have passed a bill that funds the government but makes two key changes to Obamacare, including delaying its full implementation for one year and they're saying that's a compromise. But because the House was in session very late into the night on Saturday, a number of House Republicans have complaints that Senate should be in session today. And those House Republicans rally had on the Capitol steps to pass the blame to Democrats.

This is Arkansas Congressman Tim Griffin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TIM GRIFFIN (R), ARKANSAS: This is the old football strategy. When you goat where you want to be in a football game, you run out the clock. You run out the clock because you think you like where you are. That's exactly what's going on here.

If they really -- if they really cared whether this government would shut down or not, they would be here instead of saying that they will be back tomorrow afternoon at some point. At some late hour, they'll pass something. And then they'll say, oh, my gosh, we've run out of time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: But Harry Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson says, "Knowing full well that the Senate would reject their empty political stunt, House Republicans voted to increase the deficit, deny women coverage for critical preventative services, like contraception, and deny affordable healthcare to millions of Americans. Tomorrow, the Senate will do exactly what we said we would do and reject these measures. At that point, Republicans will be faced with the same choice they have always faced, put the Senate's clean funding bill on the floor and let it pass with bipartisan vote, or force a Republican government shutdown."

Now, that vote as the spokesman said will be sometime tomorrow afternoon, and then the vote will go back to the House. So, we'll have to see what happens late tomorrow -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Erin, thank you very much more that.

We want to look overseas now, and we are still developing this story, getting some information on the security officials in Israel say a man they have in custody is an Iranian spy disguised as a businessman and working to set up a spying network. Those officials just today began talking about this arrest.

Our Jim Clancy is in Jerusalem now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Israel's government released information naming the suspect as 55-year-old Ali Mansouri, a Belgian citizen of Iranian ancestry. He came to Israel as a businessman named Alex Mans. And he was shown in several photographs that were in his possession at the time of his arrest. At least one of those photos was a view of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

According to the government, Mansouri was recruited by Iran's revolutionary guard and was trying to set up businesses which could then front for an intelligence gathering operation, targeting Israel and western interest here. He was arrested on September the 11th as he was attempting to fly from Israel to a destination in Europe. Attorneys for the man say they haven't seen specific charges against him but say he is neither anti-Israeli nor pro-Iranian. Government investigators say Mansouri told them he was promised $1 million by Iran for his efforts.

Timing of the government's announcement that it snagged an Iranian spy raised some eyebrows. Mansouri, or Mans, could prove embarrassing for Iran as he pries to improve ties with the West. But it may help Prime Minister Netanyahu, trying to warn Washington and the world that Iran is far too dangerous a player to allow it to develop nuclear arms.

Jim Clancy, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Jim, thank you very much.

Counting down the hours until a government shut down, the Republican- led House of Representatives worked until after midnight last night, but the Democratic-led Senate is waiting until tomorrow to get back to work.

So, who should America blame for a likely shut down? Maybe there's enough blame to go around. We're talking about it.

And my conversation with the newest host on late night, kind of new. He's new again. Arsenio Hall on his come back, and celebrity later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: In northern Syria today, at least 14 people were killed, 10 of them high school students, when a Syrian fighter jet reportedly bombed a high school. Opposition activists say the bombing occurred in a rebel-controlled area, not far from the Turkish border, no immediate from the Syrian government. This latest violence comes at a time when the U.S. officials have a puzzle to solve there. How to support the rebels in Syria when radical groups with ties to al Qaeda support them, too.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has more now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Syria, 30 miles northeast of Damascus, jihadist fighters known as the Al-Nusra Front shoot their way into this Christian enclave. The fighters linked to al Qaeda along with a dozen other militant opposition groups representing thousands of fighters have just strengthened their hand, joining forces and rejecting any alliance with Western-backed opposition.

In a video statement, one of the rebel leaders made clear they are going for a new hard line.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The fighting groups and factions call on all military and civilian organizations to unify through a clear Islamic framework.

SETH JONES, SENIOR POLITICAL SCIENTIST, RAND CORPORATION: What is concerning to me is that the statement indicates that the insurgency in Syria has taken a turn towards much more significant Islamic radicalization.

STARR: The problem, the U.S. has been trying to support select opposition groups.

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: There is a real moderate opposition that exists.

STARR: Now, there may be fewer moderates inside Syria to get that support through a covert CIA program to supply them with weapons.

Is it too late for the U.S. strategy to work?

JONES: I think there's no question at this point that the U.S. should have probably gotten involved earlier. The extremist elements, particularly Jabhat al-Nusra, which has pledged allegiance to al Qaeda in Pakistan, they're very well-armed, they're very well-organized, they're very well-financed, and it's late in the game.

STARR (on camera): Defense Department officials acknowledge it may be getting harder to find moderates to work with in the Syrian opposition, but they are still looking at a plan it train and equip them using U.S. troops somewhere in the Middle East.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Barbara, thank you.

The Republican-led House of Representatives burned the midnight oil last night. But the Democratic-led Senate is waiting until tomorrow to get back to work. So, who should America blame for a likely government shut down? We're talking about it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Oh, boy, two of my favorite people are here. You can hear us laughing out of break. There they were. There's Robert Zimmerman and Ana Navarro.

We're going to talk to them in just a little bit. We're going to talk about this because Congress worked until after midnight last night. But it looks like we are headed for a government shut down.

Ana Navarro, of course, is a CNN political commentator and a Republican strategist. And Robert Zimmerman is a Democratic strategist. I want you both, and the audience at home, of course, to listen to a quick sampling from the Sunday shows. They are already trading blame.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: I'm afraid, Bob, we know what will happen. Tomorrow, the Senate will come in session. The House position which is the same one they went us the last time, will be rejected again, and we're going to face the prospect of a government shutting down come midnight Monday night, Tuesday morning.

REP. CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS, REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN: We were there until almost midnight last night working on the billing, passing the bill, got even Democrat support in the House. And yet, the Senate won't even come back today. They are the ones playing games. They need to act. They are the ones that are truly threatening a government shut down by not being here and acting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So, Ana, to you.

Republicans know they don't have the votes on this bill. They were there until late last night. They had me working last night and a bunch of other newscasters and people, political reporters in Washington. If they don't -- is all of this for naught?

ANA NAVARRO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: No. It's not for naught because at some point, we have to pass a budget, we have to pass a continuing resolution. We have to fund the government.

So, it's not -- it's a messy process. But, look, what you saw in those Sunday shows, Don, was, you know, what you'd hear in any kindergarten in America.

LEMON: My head was spinning watching it.

NAVARRO: Democrats and Republicans saying to each other, you know, government shut down is your fault. No, it's your fault. No, it's your fault. It's not, is too, is not.

You know, if these guys were kindergartners, they'd all be in time out. I think everybody in Washington, including White House, is going to take some blame on this.

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: You know something, they have question while every poll shows Republicans are being blamed. I warned my party that if this continues, they're going to suffer the same type of heat.

But there is a bigger issue. You know, when one party is in trouble, the strategy is always to say, both parties are at fault. What people are losing sight of this -- there's an unprecedented coalition of Republicans and Democrats who have come together in the Senate and said, the government's got to continue functioning whether they are for Obamacare or not. And if John Boehner put the bill before the Congress tomorrow, there'd be Democrat votes with enough Republicans to pass it on the floor of the House.

The issue here is with Speaker Boehner has got to make a choice. Is the focus going to be protecting his job or protecting job growth in America? Because it's really not about both parties at war, it's about a handful of Republicans in the House who are really extorting this entire system of government --

LEMON: There is some truth to what he is saying because, Ana, you are always logical and always very fair, at least I think so. It is just about handful -- not all Republicans are on board. You saw that with what Ted Cruz is doing. Not all Republicans want to tie Obamacare to the passing of a budget.

NAVARRO: Absolutely. You know, I'm not in favor of what, you know, Ted Cruz's tactics and strategy were here.

But this is what's happened. What happen said we have lost the ability to negotiate any bipartisan manner in Congress. So, bipartisanship has been replaced by brinksmanship. This is legislating by brinksmanship.

The time when they can do things like make changes to Obamacare and even Democrats agree that there are some problems with Obamacare. This is like the ridiculous part of this is that there is a lot of agreement going on but there is an entrenchment by both parties to refuse to negotiate.

ZIMMERMAN: I think with good reason though. There's plenty of time and room to negotiate changes in Obamacare. But if President Obama were to allow the government -- allow extortion to take place, negotiate over the threat of a government shut down or negotiate over the threat of not raising the debt ceiling, that would weaken not just his presidency but weaken our government for generations.

There's -- in fact, one of the -- to Ana's point, one of the most important issues isn't dealing with the budget. The Republican leadership of the House and Senate haven't appointed a conference committee to meet with the Democrats to convene how to plan negotiating for the budget. There are really important issues here to negotiate. But to Ana's point, without question, we can't allow brinksmanship to replace negotiations and we can't allow the issue of a government shut down to be used as strategy to threaten the government for that matter.

LEMON: Here is the reality, right? There's probably going to be a government shut down.

ZIMMERMAN: Sure.

LEMON: For however long it is, because the president has said he's going to veto it. The Senate has said, Harry Reid has said, not going to happen. There's no way they are going to let Obamacare be altered in any way and it doesn't look like obviously Republicans are going to back down. There's going to be a shut down.

But even with that, Obamacare will still be enacted. So, what will have been accomplished with all of this?

ZIMMERMAN: In fact, the greatest hypocrisy of all is the continuing resolution that the Republicans are voting for includes the fiscal benefits of Obamacare while they're also at the same time defunding Obamacare. This is a scam. This is not a debate --

NAVARRO: No, it's not defunding of Obamacare at this point. It started as a defunding of Obamacare. But at this point, it's delay of Obamacare.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Is it possible that the Tea Party, the White House, Democrats, that everybody is possibly -- I'm just asking the question, possibly hoping for a government shut down, because then they can say it will be the other person's fault?

NAVARRO: I think folks are hoping for a government shut down thinking others will be the ones that take the blame. I think it's going to be a pox on all their houses, because I think the American people, when I go through airports as I just did when I get into cars, people say to me, can you just tell your friends in Congress, all of them, to grow up. And that's very much how a lot of the people out there in America, the real people, are viewing this.

ZIMMERMAN: Let me tell you, there is something else, when you look at the issue of a government shutdown. It's not a Democrat versus Republican battle. It's Republicans and Democrats joining with the president taking on the Tea Party. Right now, the Tea Party's tactics, even most recently, but also the extreme positions they've taken, they're going to take the Republican brand and reduce it to the BlackBerry or Barilla pasta for that matter.

LEMON: You're a Republican. Do you think it's really the Tea Party against Democrats and Republicans in the White House?

NAVARRO: I think it may have started this way. But right now, it really is complicated. Right now, look, this is the perfect political storm. You have got the budget. You have got Obamacare starting implementation October 1st and you've got the debt ceiling coming in a couple of weeks.

So, for political purpose -- and you've got a Congress and White House that don't get along and great dysfunction in Washington.

ZIMMERMAN: So, why doesn't John Boehner put the issue before the House and let House members vote on it? As opposed to tying himself to the Hastert Rule which says he can't move unless the entire Republican --

NAVARRO: Let me ask you this. Would Senator Reid put the issue of the device tax repeal of Obamacare in front of -- because there's a lot of Democrats that agree there's a problem.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: The thing with the continuing resolution new that house passed, I think a lot of Democrats agree there is problems with Obamacare that needs fixing.

ZIMMERMAN: There is no question, Harry Reid has acknowledged that. So does Dick Durbin and others. But the point is you don't negotiate under extortion. You don't negotiate under blackmail. That's the issue here, there'd already been changes made to Obamacare.

NAVARRO: But, Robert, the problem is, it is what I said before, we've lost the bipartisan negotiation ability.

ZIMMERMAN: I understand it. You say the Republican and Democrats working together. They produced an immigration bill.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: They haven't produced anything but a plan that's not going anywhere, but --

ZIMMERMAN: Well, that's not the point. They met and tried.

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: That was the one shining moment of bipartisanship in entire congressional session.

ZIMMERMAN: I don't agree.

NAVARRO: OK.

ZIMMERMAN: You say Republican and Democrats work in the Senate and the failure -- you say Republicans --

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: Listen, you know what, this is what Senator Reid can say is, tell you what, let's pass a clean C.R. and I will agree to bring up issues of stand-alone votes.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: That's called --

ZIMMERMAN: Extortion.

LEMON: By the way, you're watching NEWSROOM, but it seems like "CROSSFIRE". By the way, "CROSSFIRE" is coming 7:30, a very special edition.

Then why tie it to a government shut down? Can't you do all the things that you are talking about, Ana, about the medical devices and in separate legislation that doesn't shut the government down and separate negotiations that don't shut the government down?

NAVARRO: Ideally, yes. But the question is --

LEMON: But we are working with children.

NAVARRO: But the question is, if the House were to pass it, stand- alone bill, these issues now in the C.R., would the Senate allow stand-alone bills on those issues. ZIMMERMAN: Absolutely. Ana, they have in the past. The issue here is this --

NAVARRO: Well, have them come into that right now publicly. You know, can we just stop with this --

(CROSSTALK)

NAVARRO: This extortion stuff -- we just saw a bunch of people taken hostage in Kenya last week. Can we be a little more careful with the words maybe?

ZIMMERMAN: Let's understand what is happening o the government here. Let's call it instead of extortion if you're more comfortable with that. The bottom line is you got 40 or 50 House members that are paralyzing our government, paralyzing Democrats and Republicans in the Congress because Speaker Boehner doesn't have the leadership skills --

LEMON: When you say hostage taking and all that, do people get in rooms and say, hey, listen, make sure you go out there and say, the president will negotiate with terrorist nation, will negotiate with Iran and dictators, but he won't negotiate, I've heard every single Republican come before say that.

NAVARRO: No, come on. We're in technology age. You don't get to every room, you get it by e-mail. The same points, the same talking point that I've heard from Democrats. I've heard that that you just heard from Republicans. And I heard Democrats say over and over again, where they are taking the government hostage --

LEMON: They're going to shut the government down. I have to shut you guys down. That's what the producers are telling me.

ZIMMERMAN: I need to take Dramamine to go with this spin. I'll share it with you later, OK?

LEMON: All right. Appreciate both of you. Again, "CROSSFIRE" at 7:30, saw a little animation come up. This was only a preview. These guys won't be on it. You won't be on it.

NAVARRO: No, we are the warm-up.

ZIMMERMAN: We're the main event right here.

LEMON: Ralph Nader and someone else, I forget, is going to be on crossfire this evening.

NAVARRO: I think Carly Fiorina. They've been announcing for three days.

LEMON: I don't hear the commercials in my ear. Thanks you very much, guys. Appreciate it.

You know, it's another first commercial space flight. Fingers crossed for the first time this rocket was put into service. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Five, four, three, two, one -- lift off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Lift off for the Space-X Falcon, towering at 22 stories tall. It's launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California today. The unmanned rocket carried a Canadian satellite into space. Later, it is to be used, I should say, to launch the crew carrying Dragon space capsule.

And if you are a big space fan, stay right there. Space experts are dissecting a new film out of Hollywood. That's just ahead.

A movie about fantasy food topped the weekend box office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARTOON CHARACTER: Tacodile supreme.

NARRATOR: It's no picnic.

CARTOON CHARACTER: Hold on, everyone.

CARTOON CHARACTER: There's a leak in the boat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: "Cloudy with a Chance of Meat Balls 2" was number one at the box office. It rained, it reigned in, pun intended, $35 million. "Prisoners" and "Rush" came in second and third.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (voice-over): Here now are five things you need to know for your week ahead.

Airline passengers are getting closer to seeing the ban lifted on using electronics devices during takeoffs and landing. The FAA will consider easing restrictions on Monday. But don't fire up that laptop just yet. While you won't be able to surf the web or send e-mail, you will be able to read or work on what's stored on your device. New rules could go into effect in early 2014.

Also Monday, President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the White House. Topping the agenda: Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear programs. Also, the two leaders are expected to talk about the crisis in Syria.

Tuesday, a new gun law takes effect in Maryland. The law takes aim at keeping firearms away from criminals and the mentally ill, while strengthening safety training. Also, 45 types of assault weapons will be ban. Thursday, the first ever Muhammad Ali humanitarian Awards take place. Former President Jimmy Carter, Christina Aguilera and Michael Bolton are among the honorees. The awards are inspired by the six core principles that guided The Greatest's life: confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.

And Friday, convicted murderer Jodi Arias back in court. A judge is expected to set the date of her sentencing retrial. Horrors will then decide whether she lives or dies.

And that's your "Weekly Five".

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The clock is ticking and a lot of people are saying Congress wouldn't act in time to stop it. So, what would a government shut down mean to you? We break down the shut down, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So what would a government shutdown mean to you? We break down the shut down next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We're less than 30 hours from a possible government shutdown. Here is a brand new photo of President Obama meeting with senior staff in the White House to talk about a potential shutdown. There it is. There's the president meeting with senior staff talking about what they would do if there is a shutdown. So there you go.

All is quiet at the capital, by way. Meeting rooms are empty and they are locked. The Senate is not meeting. So there will be no vote today on a House spending plan that would delay parts of Obamacare for a year.

Senator Harry Reid says the House plan will fail in the Senate. House Speaker John Boehner says the Senate failure to meet today is an act of breathtaking arrogance by the Democrats' leadership. President Obama has vowed to veto any plan that undercuts Obamacare.

So what would a government shutdown look like? What would it look like?

CNN's Tom Foreman says you might not feel it at first but the longer it goes on, the more Americans will feel the squeeze.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The first thing you may notice about a government shutdown if one comes is that there's really not that much to notice. Because we're not talking about a single grand event but rather a series of events that simply start with the shutdown.

So if you go to the airport, it's still going to be operating. The military, customs, Border Patrol, they'll all be in business. The Postal Service, the federal courts, the banks will all be open and of course all those local services that are paid for by your local taxes like schools and police and firemen. They'll still be in business.

Still, "USA Today" did an analysis where they said about 41 percent of the government would shut down. That's got to be producing an effect somewhere. So let's bring in the next layer here and talk about that.

If you good to a national park or a museum or a monument connected to the federal government you may find that it is closed. If you need a loan for your business or your home, backed by the federal government, you may find that that becomes a very slow process. And if you need a new passport or gun permit, that may also be slowed down. There may even be a delay in some federal checks like Social Security, though generally lawmakers try to keep that from happening.

And then the real immediate effect. If you're, for example, a federal worker, you very well could be told go home, you won't get a paycheck until this thing is over. And even they retroactive pay which has happened in the past is not a guaranteed thing.

With all those federal workers missing, if you have to contact a government office to, for example, sign up for Medicaid, you find you can't really do that and of course a lot of congressional staffers would have time to go to the beach.

Time is really what this is about. If this only lasted a few days, we would probably all stay back here in the green zone. Not really that much aware of it. Not really seeing that much in terms of the results. But the longer it goes on, the more economists and analysts say, the red zone here. These things will start spilling over and more of us would feel the impact and the whole economy could ultimately suffer.

LEMON: The House spending plan would undercut Obamacare in part by repealing a medical device tax that would help fund the healthcare plan. Some Democrats agree with Republicans that the medical device tax needs to go.

Joining me now is Massachusetts Democratic Senator William Cowan who has previously voted to ditch the medical device tax.

Senator, critics of the medical device tax say it would increase consumer costs, kill tens of thousands of jobs. Do you agree with that?

SEN. WILLIAM COWAN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Well, when I was in the Senate, Don, and thank you for having me tonight, I was part of the bipartisan coalition that voted during the budget debate to replace the medical device tax with another revenue source. It was not a straight vote to just rid ourselves of the medical device tax because we appreciate, I think across the aisle, the need for this revenue both to help underwrite the Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, and frankly our larger budgetary needs.

But keep in mind that was in the context of a broader debate. That should have been resolved by now and it should not have us on the brink of shutting down the government because Congress continues to refuse to engage in a serious budget debate. When I say Congress -- let me be frank about this. We are at a point now where we -- the notion of assigning blame to both sides is beyond the pale. The reality is the Republicans in Congress right now who don't want to engage in this debate, who bring us to this point.

LEMON: Is it -- the Republicans -- I just had a conversation just a moment ago and one of the commentators said it's really the Tea Party again Republicans and Democrats and the president. Is it really all Republicans?

COWAN: No, I don't think so. I think you -- we've all saw witness -- bear witness to it the last couple of weeks. The infighting among the Republican caucuses both in the House and the Senate. The reality is, there is a minority, it appears to be, a very vocal minority in the Republican caucus, who is driving the issue here within the Republican caucus.

The speaker of the House seems to have a very difficult time controlling, frankly, an uncontrollable part of the Congress and it has driven us to this point. The question is whether the upper Chamber of the Commerce, the Senate, the Republican there who has been -- who for weeks have been talking about the politically suicidal nature of this action, will step forward and bring some sanity to this discourse and keep the American economy from tumbling off that cliff that they've driven us close to.

LEMON: Is there any part of you that can see -- that you could sort of look at it through a different narrative, through another lens? Maybe from the eyes of a Republican. Do you see -- is there any credence to anything in your eyes that they're doing? Is there any way that you would be able to a Democrat should be able to compromise with the Republicans now that we're at this point?

COWAN: Well, listen, you know, our founding fathers created this system of government with a purpose. And -- in order for it to work effectively, there must be compromise. But unfortunately right now in the Congress it doesn't seem that compromise is the currency of the realm. It's currency and discord.

But I do think there's an appetite there and the American people certainly call for it. I think there are members on both sides of the aisle who want to see the country move forward. Who want to have a serious budget debates that would put all these budgeting for crisis moments behind us. The reality is right now in the Congress, the House has passed the budget, the Senate has passed a budget. The president has proposed this budget.

Yet there are Republicans in the Senate who refuse to allow the two Houses of Congress to come together and reach an agreement on the budget that would prevent us from going back and forth. As a matter of fact, some of the same Republican members in the Senate today who were championing the actions of the House Republicans in this moment of crisis they've created are the same Republicans who months ago said they didn't trust these Republicans in the House on budgeting matters.

So there is some hypocrisy going around. And frankly, we're all going to pay a cost for it. And we're faced with this government shutdown scenario today but as we all know, in a matter of weeks, we have the debt ceiling debate.

LEMON: We got the debt ceiling.

COWAN: The consequences are even more dire there.

LEMON: Yes. Thank you, Senator. We appreciate you joining us here on CNN. That's going to have it. Have a good evening.

COWAN: Thank you.

LEMON: And it's amazing. Look at this. Look how beautiful it is in Washington. As, you know, that was New York. Can we get Washington back? Can we get Washington back? There it is. What a beautiful night. I don't know if I've ever seen the sky that color. And what's happening there is not so beautiful, though. I digress so.

The movie "Gravity" comes out Friday. It's about a couple of astronauts who are in orbit when something goes really, really wrong. The critics love it but what do space experts think about that? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The movie "Gravity" starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney debuts next weekend. I can't wait to see it as a matter of fact. But it's already getting an A from critics, A for accuracy. Scientists give the film about an astronaut catastrophe a thumbs up for keeping the science in the story pretty close to fact.

CNN's Nischelle Turner explains now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT ((voice-over): A thrilling nerve-shredding phenomenon. That's critics describing "Gravity." When it comes to space movies, it's no secret, Hollywood can be light on facts and heavy on fiction.

JEAN-LUC MARGOT, UCLA PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY: I was in grad school, we went to see "The Core" and there were maybe 20 or so geophysicists in the audience. And I remember we were laughing at different times than the rest of the audience.

TURNER: As for the science behind this movie? UCLA's Dr. Jean-Luc Margot says things are looking up.

MARGOT: From a scientific standpoint I thought the moviemakers did a very good. It was based on a shuttle servicing mission that has happened. They paid attention to the fact that sound doesn't propagate in space. They also tried hard to portray the conservation of momentum. So when Sandra and George collide with each other, and they will sort of bounce off with each other. I would give it an A.

TURNER: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney co-star in the 90-minute 3- D epic directed by Alfonso Cuaron.

ALFONSO CUARON, DIRECTOR: Well, the most important thing was to get the -- science on the screen.

SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTOR, "GRAVITY": Because the minute that you see a crack or you something that doesn't feel right, the audience are going to go, no, not there. You've lost me.

TURNER: The film's $80 million budget included scientists, new lighting technology and a gravity-free simulator.

CUARON: A lot of that for me was to see how a camera would react there.

BULLOCK: Explorer 2, do you copy?

TURNER: To portray an astronaut stranded 400 miles above earth, Bullock trained with real NASA veteran Katie Coleman.

BULLOCK: The thing I needed to know from her was physically what her body was doing. What it did in space.

TURNER: Margot, who saw the film in L.A., notes there are a few moments of movie magic.

MARGOT: Particularly there is one scene where you see the space shuttle spinning widely out of control because it's hit by a piece of debris. If you actually did that calculation it would have to be about a thousand kilograms. About a ton of materials.

TURNER: Space trash that big would have been tracked by NASA.

MARGOT: I mean every single piece larger than about the size of my fist is being tracked.

TURNER: As for the film's suggestion its heroin only had six months of training?

MARGOT: That would be implausible. But that makes the film more enjoyable.

TURNER: Enjoyable acclaimed, for the most part, realistic.

BULLOCK: I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

TURNER: Nischelle Turner, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: An entire high school football team benched for everything from bad grades to bad attitudes and bad behavior. How did they respond? Did they earn their uniforms back? We're talking about it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: The baseball commissioner says he is calling it quits and an entire team gets suspended by the coach. So that means, with all those dilemmas, Terence Moore is a person we should talk to about it.

He's a sports contributor to CNN.com and a columnist for mlb.com as well.

Terence, I want to start with a man that you -- you know, you've covered for years, baseball commissioner Bud Selig. He plans to retire after next season. He's held the job since 1992. So let's talk about legacy here. How will he be remembered?

TERENCE MOORE, CNN.COM SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Don, let's get the bad stuff out of the way. OK. He was a commissioner during the mother of all strikes back in 1992 or 1994 rather when baseball lost the World Series for the first time ever. He also was a commissioner during the steroid era. Outside of that, everything else has been great. And I mean that sincerely.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Besides that stuff, it's been really well.

MOORE: Right.

LEMON: Gone really well.

MOORE: Yes. I mean, look at today, he's got these wild cards. This was his invention. He had a division to each of the leagues. So now you've gone from four playoff teams every year to 10 playoffs teams every year. And what we're seeing right now in September, tremendous drama. That's all Bud Selig.

But here's the big thing. It's always about money. When he started in 1992, $1.7 billion, that was the revenue in baseball per year, now it's up to $8 billion. You got to love that.

LEMON: OK. We have a short time left here. Who is going to replace him? Just give me a name, do you know?

MOORE: Well, all the names are out there, nobody knows. So listen, they need somebody who knows something about baseball, loves baseball, knows a lot about revenue. They need to bring back Bud Selig. This has happened before, you know.

(LAUGHTER)

And this guy is 79, and 79 is the new 59. Bring him back.

LEMON: Hey, I want to -- I want to get to this. You talked football coach at Union High School suspended the entire team last week.

MOORE: Yes.

LEMON: Blaming their bad grades, bad attitude, and alleged cyber bullying of a fellow student. Then he outlined what they had to do if they wanted to keep playing. Most did of them did what he said. Now the coach is becoming a hero to parents and teachers nationwide.

I think this is great.

MOORE: Oh, no question about that. And here is something else, Don. The principal said he's gotten over 400 e-mails and phone calls from people praising him. So what I'm looking for here, we've heard all these negative copycats out there for various things. This could be a positive epidemic. A lot of people have been in this situation. He could be more than a hero. This could be something that's bigger than life and we need that right now because of all of the things that are going on across the world which you talk about all the time.

LEMON: That is a real coach right there.

MOORE: That's exactly right. A life coach.

LEMON: Thank you, T Moore.

MOORE: Thank you.

LEMON: Appreciate it.

He's back. Arsenio Hall has a new late-night talk show. He told me about one of his childhood idols, Johnny Carson, and how Johnny is responsible for Arsenio getting his butt whipped. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Arsenio Hall is back. He's got a brand new show and he wanted to sit down with me and set the record straight on a couple of things this time around. We talk about his comeback but we also talk about Hollywood, celebrity and that long, long trek to the top.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARSENIO HALL, HOST, "THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW": I was born in a ghetto of Cleveland. Everyone's hero in my neighborhood then was Jim Brown. Of the Cleveland Browns. He was a bad man. He was one of my heroes.

LEMON: Mother, shut your mouth.

HALL: Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. Johnny was the other one. I would say to kids, I'm going to be Johnny Carson one day. And they would say, what are you talking about? You know? First of all, my friends didn't stay up and watch that. And I did. I've gotten whippings for not being asleep. I've had my -- you'd think mothers were clairvoyant when you're a kid. They're just smarter than you. My mother used to open my door and say, what are you doing up? How did she know?

LEMON: Because she could see the TV?

(CROSSTALK)

HALL: The blue light under the door. You know, it's the blue under the door.

LEMON: I bet you have really good headphones right there.

HALL: And once I learned --

LEMON: Right.

HALL: Once I learned, I had an Emerson black and white television.

LEMON: You put a towel under the door?

HALL: No, I was slicker than that. I used to take the covers and bring them up over the TV.

LEMON: Got you.

HALL: And I would watch Johnny. And I never got to tell him this. I would watch Johnny like this. And the coolest thing -- the two coolest things was I wrote him a letter once because I was a magician. I wanted to be on his show as a magician. And I got this wonderful letter back, a letter of rejection, but it didn't kill my vibe. It was a letter that didn't say never, it just said not right now.

LEMON: Right.

HALL: In addition to that to promote "Coming to America" I got to sit with the master and make him laugh. I remember, it was such a great moment from Cleveland to Burbank that I remember the joke I did. He asked me, had I always wanted to be a comedian? And I said, no, when I was young I wanted to be an astronaut, but as I got older I realized that it wasn't a good look for a black man to call back to earth and say, yes, NASA. No, NASA. And Johnny laughed.

And I still have that picture in my office. Of making Johnny laugh.

LEMON: Whitney Houston.

HALL: I remember one time I arranged to have her on for a day. And he fooled me because I didn't realized that when he told me, I'll get back to you with a date, he was planning a surprise for me. And one night while I'm on the monologue, I'm doing a joke, and there aren't many surprises to me because as a producer you've got to know what's going to happen, because I can't run an audience and not be where you all want me to be.

LEMON: Right.

HALL: I'm standing, and I do a joke and I get a laugh and applause, but then the applause go to another level.

LEMON: And you're like --

HALL: And I knew that -- no joke goes -- you know, and I looked in the monitor and realized Whitney was coming from behind. And she paused for a long, long applause, and then she says, why don't you tell them that I'm pregnant with your baby?

I'll never forget that moment. Whitney let me do things that were groundbreaking on my late-night show. Before we had Facetime and before we had phones in our pocket, Whitney let me do a satellite to her kitchen in Jersey. And I don't think Whitney had ever been in that kitchen.

WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: I cook every day.

HALL: Let's me see what's behind -- what's in that drawer right behind you there, on your left.

HOUSTON: Which one? This one right here?

HALL: That one. Yes. Yes.

HOUSTON: This one? This have pots in it.

(LAUGHTER)

Why you all laughing?

HALL: Ha? Because we know you ain't never seen them pots. You look inside --

It was a great moment.

LEMON: Yes.

HALL: I have great memories of her.

LEMON: You loved her?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Arsenio, thank you. There is much more of my interview with Arsenio. We'll have it online for you.

Arsenio Hall, you can catch his new show each weekday night. Each weeknight. Check your local listings. It is worth it. And if you missed any of my interview with Arsenio Hall, we've got it all for you on CNN.com. As a matter of fact, I'll send the link out on social media.