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Proposition 8 Protest in California; Father Killed, Child Accused; Desperate Search for Survivors in Haiti; Hurricane Paloma Lashes Cuba; Obama Salutes 106-Year-old Voter

Aired November 08, 2008 - 23:00   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. Tonight, we're live on the East Coast, out west, and beyond.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ted Rowlands live in Los Angeles. Thousands of people have hit the streets in support of same-sex marriage four days after California voters voted it down. We'll have a live report coming up.

And I'm Joe Dana in St. Johns, Arizona, where the alleged confession of a double murder by an 8-year-old boy is raising a lot of questions.

I'm David Mattingly in Haiti, where the desperate search continues for children buried when their school building collapsed.

I'm Morgan Neil in Camaguey, Cuba where hurricane season should be winding down, but no one told Hurricane Paloma.

LEMON: Our reporters are live, and so are you, the viewers. Sharing your feedback with us throughout this broadcast. That's one of our iReporters right there. The news starts right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Don Lemon.

LEMON: Well, this is the scene right now outside of Los Angeles. The latest and largest protest against Tuesday's successful statewide vote that bans same-sex marriage in California. It's now the law there. But the debate is far from over.

Our Ted Rowlands is at the protest march. Also, joining us tonight, actor George Takei and Brad Altman. They were legally married in September, but now their marriage is in legal limbo.

Ted Rowlands, we'll start with you. I said at the top of this story that this was the largest. Is this the largest protest thus far?

ROWLANDS: By far, Don. Unbelievable numbers turned out today. Four days -- over the last four days, there have been protests in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Springs, San Diego, across the state. This by far the largest gathering. And they're getting larger each day.

California voters on Tuesday voted yes on Proposition 8. And that proposition is an amendment to the state constitution which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Now, the community, the gay/lesbian community did not just quit, say, we lost. They have galvanized and have staged a number of protests. And it was unclear whether this was going to be one or two days. Now it is four days straight. And they continue to get larger.

Organizers say this is just the beginning. And they're saying they're going to try to turn this negative into a positive to try to bring people, like minded people, not only in the state of California, but across the United States together in the coming days and weeks. We'll have to see what happens. We already know of another protest scheduled for tomorrow at the Saddleback Church in Southern California. And next week, an even larger one in Sacramento.

So, if today is any evidence, this could be the beginning of a long stretch. And a possible shift in strategy and the mood in this ongoing situation.

LEMON: All right. CNN's Ted Rowlands joining us live from Los Angeles. It seems to be a pretty fiery rally there, Ted. We'll get back to you live in just a little bit, as things progress there.

But we're also taking your feedback tonight. And we're already getting lots of comments. We're just four minutes into our show now. Here's what CNN fan, Picasso (ph), wrote in. He said, "Prop 8 is one giant step back in such a historic election. How is this different than voting to ban interracial marriage?" TeaseAnn (ph) says, "How can California vote for Obama freedom for farm animals, yet vote on Prop 8."

We want to know what's on your mind. Make sure you log on to anyone of those platforms that you see right there on your screen -- Twitter, iReport, Facebook and MySpace.

Meantime, California's vote on Proposition 8 highlights the state's diverse electorate. A slim majority of whites voted against the measure. But get this, seven out of 10 African-Americans -- seven out of 10, voted to support it. Slightly more than half of Latino voters also backed the initiative. Asian-Americans opposed it by razor thin margins.

Let's bring in now our guest, George Takei and Brad Altman. They were married in September, while California law permitted same-sex marriages. Also, joining us, Republican strategist, Ron Christie and Democratic strategist, Ilana Goldman.

Thank you so much for joining us.

George and Brad, when you heard about Prop 8 passing, what was your response?

GEORGE TAKEI, MARRIED TO BRAD ALTMAN: Well, I wanted to correct one thing you said. Our marriage is not in limbo. There's no language in Proposition 8 that says it's retroactive. So our marriage is still valid. And the attorney general of the state of California, Jerry Brown, has validated that statement. LEMON: Thank you for correcting me there. I didn't mean that your love for each other. But no one knows, really, exactly how this is going to turn out when you ask the legal experts, George.

And Brad, I know that you e-mailed some pictures to us earlier of your marriage. And you have hundreds and hundreds of people there. No one can take that away from you. But, again, is there any concern by you that your marriage may no longer be legal in the state of California?

BRAD ALTMAN, MARRIED TO GEORGE TAKEI: Well, I'm going to say that I'm a newlywed right now. George Takei is my husband. We got married in September. We were legally wed. We have a marriage certificate. All the legal maneuvering you're talking about, Don, that's down the road. But right now, I've tasted marriage and it's delicious. And our marriage is going to live long and prosper.

TAKEI: The process by which Proposition 8 came about is being challenged right now. What they want to do is to amend the constitution by simply going out and gathering signatures, and then a vote of 50 percent plus 1 does not amend our constitution. What that -- to amend the state constitution, what's required is two-thirds vote of the Senate and two-thirds vote of the assembly, both houses of this legislature.

LEMON: All right, George --

TAKEI: And then it goes to a ballot.

LEMON: All right, George, hang on just a little bit. I want to bring you back in. But I want to bring in some of the folks who will help us with this. Again, Ilana joins us here tonight.

Ilana, you know, it's interesting, we were talking about this whole thing -- we've been talking about minorities supporting a ban on same- sex marriage. And those were the voters who were believed to have put this over the edge. The reason that the proposition was passed. Does that surprise you?

ILANA GOLDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It doesn't surprise me. I think, you know, all the history from these kinds of votes have shown that African-American communities, the Latino community, is a little more conservative on some of these issues. So, it's not surprising. And when you had some of these communities turn out in such enormous numbers to support Obama, it doesn't -- it's not shocking that when they looked at that ballot, they went the other way.

LEMON: Are you surprised by this, Ron, because California, especially Los Angeles, San Francisco, are considered to be pretty liberal cities. Are you surprised that in California that this proposition passed?

RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Good evening, Don. No, I'm not. I'm a native Californian. And I can tell you that while Californians are traditionally liberal on many social issues, many Californians look at the dignity and sanctity of marriage, and they look at marriage as being between a man and a woman. Civil unions are entirely different. But I understand the voters in California, they've spoken. They've thought about this issue very carefully. And they decided that a marriage in the state of California should be between a man and a woman. It has nothing to do with love of people who are involved in same-sex relationships. But to the people in California, they believe a marriage should be between a man and a woman.

LEMON: And, you know, we have to move on now, because there are time constraints. And we have lots of news to get in. But I was speaking to some of the people on both sides of this issue. And if you can say something just real quickly, George.

Some of the people from the gay organizations said they simply did not have enough money early on to go against a group that was supporting this proposition. And that the group had already defined their mission by saying that this was an issue for children. And so, they were fighting against that until they had to fight against that instead of shaping their own message.

TAKEI: Well, the thing about education and taking away the tax exemption of churches is just an extraneous issue. The real issue here is, that the supreme court of the state of California ruled that it is a fundamental right of all citizens, including gays and lesbians, to have access to equality in marriage. And this fundamental right was taken away by Proposition 8. And that process by which they took it away is being challenged in court. And I'm confident that ultimately we will prevail.

LEMON: George Takei, Brad Altman, Ron Christie and Ilana Goldman, we thank you very much, as well as Ted Rowlands. Thank you so much. Have a good evening, guys.

TAKEI: Thank you.

LEMON: And we're taking your feedback on Prop 8 and anything else on your mind about this election that just happened. Logon to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or ireport.com. And we'll be reading your comments throughout the hour. And you can see some of them there rolling on the bottom of your screen in that crawl.

An Arizona town in shock after an 8-year-old is charged with murder. One of the victims, his own father.

Also, we all know where Barack Obama ended his night on Election Day and how he did it. But do you know where he was that afternoon? I do. And I'll take you there in an exclusive report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We have a disturbing story to tell you about. It's from eastern Arizona. Getting a lot of attention here tonight. And raising a lot of questions about the legal fate of an 8-year-old boy charged with double homicide. Joe Dana of our affiliate KPNX is in St. Johns, Arizona, tonight with that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOE DANA, KPNX CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In this St. Johns neighborhood, kids just being kids on a Saturday afternoon, with one unsettling difference.

AMBER SMITH, NEIGHBOR: I can't comprehend it at all.

DANA: The boy's 8-year-old playmate sits in a juvenile detention facility, accused of carrying out a plan to kill his father and a live-in family friend. The three of them and the boy stepmother lived at this home. The police say the third grader shot the dad first upstairs, then a friend outside. Both, killed by multiple gunshots from a .22 caliber rifle. Neighbors are stunned. The Smith Family lives next door to the Romeros, their daughter is a friend of the boy.

SMITH: He's been (INAUDIBLE) with my kids. And very kind and courteous, respectful. You don't feel a lot of that anymore.

DANA: Amber Smith says the father, Vince Romero, was an outstanding dad. Even so, police are looking into whether there is a history of violence in the home.

UNIDENTIFIED POLICE: We don't really know what caused it. So, we have to look at possibilities.

DANA: A cousin of the family who spoke to 12 News Friday night said Vince Romero was an ideal father.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was good. He took him everywhere. He's a great dad. That's why we're all just -- we don't understand.

DANA: Now, the Smiths have a difficult task of trying to answer their children's questions about their friend. An 8-year-old boy who now faces murder charges.

SMITH: All they said is he's a good boy, mom. Why did he do that to his dad? He's a good boy. And there's no answers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And reporter, Joe Dana, joins us now live from Arizona. Joe, the question is, how did that little boy get the gun?

DANA: Well, this is a haunting community. Families have guns. And they take gun safety very seriously. The Associated Press is reporting that the priest of the family says that the boy's father, now deceased, and stepmother, went to the priest and actually asked whether they should get the boy a gun. According to the priest, they did buy him a gun. The boy used it for hunting.

Now, whether the boy allegedly had access to that gun in this case, we don't know. And, of course, the bigger question, what kind of motive would there have been here. Those are questions people are asking here tonight.

LEMON: Our affiliate reporter from KPNX, Joe Dana, we appreciate your reporting. Thank you, Joe. A desperate search for survivors in Haiti, after a school collapsed, leaves hundreds of potential victims trapped. We're live from Puerto Prince.

Also, Hurricane Paloma is striking Cuba at this hour. Our Morgan Neil is in the heart of this powerful storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, it's a race against time in Haiti. Rescue workers are frantically digging through the rubble of a collapsed school searching for children buried under the debris. Joining us from Puerto Prince is CNN's David Mattingly.

David?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, official estimates say that there could be as many as 100 to 200 children trapped inside the rubble of this building behind me that collapsed on Friday. It was a three-story building. It all came tumbling down during school hours. Leaving an unknown number of children trapped inside.

We do know that over 100 were injured. They escaped with severe head injuries and broken bones. Some required surgery. But what we don't know is exactly how many might still be inside. The death, the official death toll is now over 80.

Earlier tonight, we watched as a U.S. search and rescue team delicately pushed its way, poking holes in the rubble, trying to force a special camera inside so they could go in there looking for signs of life. And I wish we could report something different to you tonight, but they are not finding any signs of life tonight. But we are told that is not a reason to give up hope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL ISTVAN, USAID SEARCH AND RESCUE: Well, throughout history, there's been people found 48, 72 hours later, still alive, in good shape. Are they injured or are they just trapped, so, you know, those are the things that we have to think about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: And this is a very dangerous operation right now. You see those cement slabs behind me just laying over the back of what used to be a three-story building. None of this is very secure. As the search and rescue operators go through there, they are worried about vibrations. If there's a shaking in this area, by any sort of heavy equipment or some sort of sliding of this debris, that debris could continue to fall and take even more lives than it have already been lost here.

And you don't see a lot of activity behind me right now. But we want to show you something, over here, just to my left. This is very much an international effort going on to find these kids. United Nations' peacekeepers as well as search and rescue teams from the U.S. and France. All of them with one mission tonight, and that's to find any survivors that might still be inside that rubble.

Don?

LEMON: CNN's David Mattingly in Port-au-prince. David, thank you.

Extremely dangerous. That's how forecasters are describing Hurricane Paloma. The category 3 storm is now lashing Cuba with winds topping 120 miles an hour. Thousands evacuated ahead of Paloma, which could dump 20 inches of rain in some spots. It could also trigger landslides.

CNN's Morgan Neil is in Camaguey, Cuba, in the heart of the storm.

NEIL: Don, that's right. Paloma made landfall just a couple of hours ago, about 70 kilometers south of here, came crashing in as a category three storm in the town of Santa Cruz. And that's a town that authorities say by the time this hurricane made landfall was a ghost town. They saw this one coming. They got the people out of the way. Particularly, in those coastal areas that are prone to storm surge, to flooding and all kinds of dangers.

I'm in here in Camaguey, where we believe this storm is passing over, or has passed over us. We have seen what appears to be some weakening of the storm. But a lot of rain as you mentioned. As always the hurricanes here, one of the biggest risks they bring is that of flooding. And undoubtedly, we will see that as well.

Now, ahead of this storm, there was a lot of preparation. Cuba's had a lot of time to rehearse this this year. It's the third major hurricane to come through in a little over two months ahead of this hurricane here in Camaguey alone. Authorities say nearly 100,000 people evacuated. Many of them doing what authorities called self- evacuation. Now, what does that mean? That just means they either went to the homes of neighbors or family members, who maybe lived in concrete structures, more solid structures that aren't going to see their roofs blown off, exposing them to the dangers.

Now, because this hurricane has made landfall and is churning across Cuba in the middle of the night, we won't know the full extent of the damage until the light comes up tomorrow morning, Don.

LEMON: CNN's Morgan Neil in Cuba. Morgan, thank you very much for that.

Let's talk some politics now. Sarah Palin, back in Alaska. And speaking out about reports of the McCain camp infighting and talking about her expensive wardrobe that we reported so much about. She doesn't hold back.

Plus, this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons, because she was a woman, and because of the color of her skin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The President-Elect salutes a 106-year-old voter that we told you about, first on this show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery. She was born just a generation past slavery. A time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons, because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, imagine our shock. My producer and I, when we were standing in the audience, and we heard Barack Obama single out in his victory speech a woman we first told you about on this show. We introduced her to the world. We were there when 106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper cast her ballot for Barack Obama. And we went back to see her after the president-elect's shoutout.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANN NIXON COOPER, 106-YEAR-OLD OBAMA SUPPORTER: Things changing, changing, changing. And I look for more change now that it's the first black president in victory of faith over fear. So don't you know that's quite something to be proud of. Yes, I knew he was talking about me. Yes. I have been told that he would be saying these things. I had been told.

I would be as proud to meet him as anybody else. You know? I can't say I would be prouder to meet him than anybody else. But I would be very proud if I could just meet and shake his hand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I've got to tell you, she is a sweet lady. But, you know, her family says she's getting so many phone calls. So many people are calling. She's 106 years old. She's tired. Leave her alone.

OK. Mrs. Nixon is now waiting to hear from the Obama team about hopefully attending the inauguration. So, good luck to her. But, again, she's 106 years old. Give her a break at least for a little bit.

I was in Chicago, in Grant Park on election night. And here's what people had to say right after CNN projected Barack Obama as the next president of the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: When they announced it, what went through your head?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's about time. We had eight years of hell. Can I say that on TV, wherever I am? And it's just so exciting to have a young, bright, articulate leader running this country.

LEMON: How does it feel being in the middle of this crowd?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's awesome. I've got goose bumps all over the place.

LEMON: Your whole family is here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got the whole family down. We wanted to be here for this historic moment. When Chicago's own Barack Obama became president.

LEMON: So, what do you think of this? Is it historic? Do you know what this means?

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Well, first of all, it's the first African- American president we've ever had. And I think that's pretty good. Because our nation -- we've always been white presidents. And I just don't think that's quite right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully the election of Obama breaks down stereotypes and barriers, not only just for African-American people, but people of all faiths, of all colors, including Muslims. This shows that, you know, there's hope. And that we're all equal. We're all Americans, right? We're all in the same boat.

CROWD: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was Grant Park in Chicago on election night.

Meantime, we want to get you live now back to California where people have hit the streets to protest a ban on gay marriage that passed this week in California. That was on election night as well. A live report is straight ahead.

Also, the President-Elect begins to get his House in order. But who will he be bringing to Washington? My interviews with members of Obama's inner circle, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: It's happening live right now. So we want to get you back there so that you can see what's happening. We're talking about Los Angeles, where tonight saw the latest protests against Tuesday's vote in favor of Proposition 8, a statewide ban on same-sex marriage. That's where our Ted Rowlands is. He's at that protest march.

What do you have for us now, Ted?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, the crowd here is amazing. Thousands of people. The Los Angeles Police Department estimates there's an excess of 10,000 people out here, by far the largest of these protests over the past four days, since California voters voted for Proposition 8, which would amend the Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

Since that vote came in, starting on Wednesday, there have been protests across the state of California, and one in Salt Lake City, Utah, in San Francisco, Palm Springs, San Diego and a few here in Los Angeles. This is by far the largest. They seem to be getting bigger with the day. There's another one scheduled tomorrow in southern California. And another one scheduled next Saturday in Sacramento.

Legal experts will tell you this fight is pretty much over. But this community is vowing to fight on. They say they want to mobilize a national movement. We'll see what happens. But if tonight is any indication, they seem to be gaining momentum rather than losing it.

Don?

LEMON: Ted Rowlands, we'll see what happens. Thank you very much.

Campaign stumps, well, they are over. Now it's time for Barack Obama to take transition to the White House. Joining me tonight, Republican strategist Ron Christie and Democratic strategist Ilana Goldman. Thank you, guys, for joining me again. I want you to listen to what the future White House chief-of-staff, Rahm Emanuel. He told me earlier this week in Chicago. He's a funny guy. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RAHM EMANUEL, CHMN. HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: Hey, guys. How is everybody doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? Good to see you.

EMANUEL: Good. Here's the deal. Ready? Are you OK?

(CROSSTALK)

EMANUEL: Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want me to hold this for you?

EMANUEL: No, no. Here's the deal. Well, I'm shocked -- first of all, man, let me say this. I now have something over you. You've got him sitting out here while you're warming your (INAUDIBLE). OK. All right, here's the deal. I'm going to have lunch with my wife. Don't ask me where because you are not invited. Just take note of that.

Here's one thing I will say, and then let me go, OK? I'm going to turn this way. OK? Here's the deal. My parents are alive to see their middle son have a choice in his career between a congressman with one big chance, one opportunity down the road, of maybe rising in the leadership and being the chief of staff to a historic presidency in a historic time. I'm very fortunate that my parents are alive to see that, whatever choice I make.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Ilana, you saw his personality there, and many people outside of Washington may not know that personality. I covered him for years in Chicago. Very straightforward guy. He shoots from the hip. People were out at his headquarters saying, oh, maybe he'll go through the backdoor. And I said, Rahm Emanuel is not going through the backdoor. He's going to walk right through the front. If he has something to say, he'll say it. Straight shooter.

ILANA GOLDMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Absolutely. I think this is a great choice.

LEMON: Why so?

GOLDMAN: Well, you know, look, you've seen -- we've seen administrations that didn't have experience Washington's hand at the helm right from the get-go. We looked at what President Clinton's first 100 days looked like. We saw President Reagan's first 100 days looked like -- with a lot of experience Washington's hands.

I think it's really important when you've got a president like President-elect Obama who's coming in without decades and decades of Washington insider connections. And this is a great way to help his administration get started on the right foot, and get started fast with all the economic issues he's got challenging him.

LEMON: Ron Christie, not everyone believes that this is a good choice.

RON CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: That's true. Look, I have respect for Rahm Emanuel. Obviously, he has a very direct style, a very brass knuckle style of politics. But at the same time, I don't begrudge the President-elect. He needs somebody who has his authority, who has the voice behind him and Congressman Rahm Emanuel will have the voice and will have the authority of the President of the United States when he has to mediate fights between White House staff, Cabinet secretaries.

You need somebody from my time for having worked with Andy Carter and Josh Bolten in the current administration, both White House chiefs of staff. You need somebody who has the authority, the heft and the competency to be a good chief of staff. And I have no doubt that Rahm Emanuel will be of the help to the President in every way possible.

LEMON: OK. Ron and Ilana, I want to talk to you about Valerie Jarrett, again someone else who's little known outside of Chicago, but is co-chairing Barack Obama's transition team. Very smart woman, businesswoman in her own right. Successful, as well, in her own right. But took the time out of her career to spend two years on the campaign trail. I spoke with her two days ago. Let's hear what she had to say about this transition team that she's co-chairing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): No rest for the weary.

VALERIE JARRETT, OBAMA TRANSITION CO-CHAIR: No rest for the weary.

LEMON: Now you're in charge or at least you're on the...

JARRETT: I co-chair the transition team.

LEMON: You're part of the team -- yes, who's going to help with the transition.

JARRETT: Yes, absolutely. So, you know what? We'll rest in eight years. Right now, we're just going to focus on making sure that he's surrounded by absolutely the best team he can have. He's always quick to say, I need to have people in the room, we'll have a diversity of opinion, who come from a variety of different perspectives to push me to make the best possible decisions. And so, that's the business we're about right now. We want him to be ready to hit the ground running.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Ron, people joke and call her Barack Obama's Karl Rove, because they are really inseparable. And they credit her with helping him win this election. What are Republicans saying about Valerie Jarrett and folks who are taking part in that transition team?

CHRISTIE: Well, Republicans right now aren't so much focused on Valerie Jarrett as they are looking at -- this is a very exciting time, Don. And it's a very important time. The transition is a period where people from all across the United States are given the opportunity and the privilege to serve their country.

And I think the President-elect and his transition team right now are looking for the best and the brightest people from a wide variety of backgrounds, a wide variety of diversity and what can they bring to this country, what sort of experience can they bring to bearer to help...

LEMON: Ron, you're sounding a lot like a Democrat now.

CHRISTIE: No, I'm not a Democrat. I'm a very proud conservative Republican. But I was here eight years ago, and this is not a time for partisanship. This is the time to govern, the time where the campaign just ended. That period ended. It's time to govern. We need the best and the brightest to govern this country. And that's why I think partisanship has to take aside to get the best folks in these very important positions to help us in these critical times. LEMON: All right, Ilana, he's going to have to get the last word on that one. But we'll be back. You guys are going to be back in just a little bit. So, stick around. We're going to talk about this -- where once Barack Obama officially becomes president, issue number one, well, on his agenda, will, of course, be the economy. But what can he do to jumpstart the economy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We have been talking about Barack Obama and the challenges he's facing as he takes over the White House. And there is no doubt the first item he'll have to tackle will be the economy. Joining me to talk about this issue, cnnmoney.com's Poppy Harlow in New York.

Poppy, that is a no-brainer. Of course, he's going to be talking about the economy because take a look at these numbers. In October, more than 200,000 jobs were lost. And since the first of the year, the U.S. has lost nearly 1.2 million jobs. That, my friend, is no joke.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey there, Don, that is no joke, you know. And on top of that, this week we heard 15,000 more jobs were cut at industries across the board, from finance to lazy-boy. I mean, Circuit City cutting a lot of jobs, too.

And you know what? President-elect Barack Obama on Friday said it clearly -- if it doesn't get done before I take office, the first thing I will do is some kind of stimulus package. And all the experts say that will be in the form of job creation. It's what we need and it's what we need across America.

And especially when you look at Detroit, Don. Especially towards the end of the week, we are talking about General Motors and Ford. These companies, that are really the life blood of Detroit, are in jeopardy of failing. General Motors saying we are on the brink of -- you know, we could run out of cash in the coming months. Millions of jobs are tied to those.

Barack Obama, on Friday addressing the nation, said the automakers are the backbone of America. He wants to do something about jobs. He wants it done hopefully before he even takes office. If not, it will be his number one priority.

LEMON: And he is saying that, you know, the only way to solve this, he believes, is to bolster, at least the main way, is to bolster the middle class. And that's what he wants to do right away. Take a look at what he said just yesterday about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: We need a rescue plan for the middle class that invests in immediate efforts to create jobs and provide relief to families that are watching their paychecks shrink and their life savings disappear. A particular urgent priority is a further extension of unemployment insurance benefits for workers who cannot find work in the increasingly weak economy. A fiscal stimulus plan that will jumpstart economic growth is long overdue. I've talked about it throughout this -- the last few months of the campaign. We should get it done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. So, jumpstarting the middle class and the economy there. But also, you talked about it a little bit. He also wants to make sure that unemployment benefits are extended for people who do not have jobs now, so that they can pay their bills, pay their mortgages and what have you. But it's going to be a tough challenge for him to step into right away.

HARLOW: Boy, it's going to be a huge challenge, Don. I think the big challenge is how do you pay for this all when we already have a national debt of more than $10 trillion. We're paying for two wars right now. How do you pay for all of this? That's the question.

He does want to create 5 million new green jobs. He says he'll use $150 billion to do that over the next 10 years. So not only does that come in line with his energy plan, but also helps on the employment side.

And another thing, a lot of people are talking about that I think is a very likely possibility, is something ala FDR and a public works program. And kind of when we got out of the Great Depression, the same idea -- put qualified people, construction workers, people in the manufacturing sector, put them to work, pay them a decent salary, help our crumbling infrastructure in this nation and bring that unemployment rate back down. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if we saw something like that.

LEMON: It was very interesting, Poppy, too, when all last week, when the election was going on and, you know, just coming across the BlackBerry is even as we were reporting in the election, Circuit City, then you saw GM, and then you saw Ford, and you saw the job layoffs. So, while the country was excited about the election, people were still getting laid off. OK. Poppy Harlow, joining us from New York, we thank you very much for that.

HARLOW: You're welcome.

LEMON: We've talked about the Democrat, the person who is going to be taking the White House. Let's talk about the person who didn't get there, Sarah Palin. She's on the offensive. She is speaking out about her treatment by the media and the infighting within the McCain camp.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We've talked a lot about the president-elect and his new administration. So, what about the Republicans? They lost the presidency, about 20 seats in the House, and at least 6 seats in the Senate. Ron Christie, Ilana Goldman, let's start with Sarah Palin and what she had to say to our Gary Tuchman. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you angry about this? That people were so disloyal to say things and to do without putting their name?

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: Who would say, though? I don't know who they are. So it's tough to respond to. But we know that, for instance, with the whole clothes issue. The RNC purchased clothes. Those are the RNC's clothes. They're not my clothes. I never forced anybody to buy these.

I never asked for anything more than maybe a Diet Dr. Pepper once in a while. I never have asked for anything. These are Sarah Palin's clothes. You know, we don't take anything with us. So, until that stuff's cleared up by you, guys, doing your job, what else can I say? What else can John McCain say about all of this, except these are false allegations?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You know, she seemed more comfortable there, Ilana and Ron, than in many of the interviews when she was running. But, you know, that's -- now, it's beside the point because the election is over.

What I want to get to, Ilana, does it appear to you that the Republican Party does not have a leader at this point? Who is the leader for the Republican Party? Who speaks for them?

GOLDMAN: I think that's the $64 million question. You know, it's certainly not John McCain. He's not the guy that represents the base. And maybe it is Sarah Palin. And I think it's pretty clear she's positioning for it. She's jockeying for it. But there are some meetings going on in the coming weeks where I understand that is the big question. So, we'll see who emerges through that process.

LEMON: Is it John McCain, Ron?

CHRISTIE: I think Senator McCain has a very prominent role in the Republican Party. But we're looking to the future right now, Don. We need to say who's going to be the leader who can take us not only through the next two years but the next four years. I think Governor Palin is someone to watch, former Governor Mitt Romney, but also the Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal. These are some of the people, I think, Republicans are looking to help lead them out of this wilderness and return to strong fiscal conservative values, which I think we've lost our way from.

LEMON: All right. Thank you very much to both of you guys. Ron Christie, Ilana Goldman, we appreciate you joining us this evening here on CNN.

We want to know what's on your mind -- the Republican Party, Prop. 8, tell us, the election, join us. Make sure you join us on Facebook, on Twitter, on iReport.com, on any of those platforms. We'll get your feedback and you can see some of it streaming right across on the crawl there on your screen.

All right. Remember this from election night. Take a look at that. Beautiful family, right? But do you know what Barack Obama spent the day doing? We do. My exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the President-elect's pre-game.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. So we want to know what's on your mind. We tell you that all the time. Time to say it, because it's scrolling. If you're watching the rebroadcast, it's not. You'll think I'm nuts.

OK. Crazylilcuban, "It saddens me that so many groups who have experienced discrimination themselves have chosen to extend it to others with Prop 8."

Claudiajoy, "Gays are not oppressed. You can't compare race to sexual preference. It's insulting. What's next, legalize bigamy and polygamy?"

JDE -- OK, that was comparison between that and whatever. OK. Here's what JDE says. "With the large number of divorces, heterosexuals should have no say in stopping same-sex marriages."

Wandaland says, "I'm embarrassed for all of the black folks who had the nerve to vote for Obama and Prop. 8 at the same time. Oxymoronic."

Cutiebootycakes -- I guess I can say that on TV. "Please don't let them blame Prop. 8 passing on African-Americans. That is bogus. They are still the minority in California."

Make sure you log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, iReport. Tell us what you're thinking. We will put it on the air if have a constructive comment.

All right. An election-day tradition for Barack Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON (on camera): What do you think of this game? You're the pro, you're the trainer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs to pass the ball a little bit more.

LEMON: Was he hogging?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was hogging the ball.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. You're going to see if he was hogging or not because we have some exclusive video of him playing ball just before he was named president-elect. Straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. I'm checking eBay here because these newspapers from Chicago the day after the election -- the newspapers all over the country, actually, are going for quite a hefty price. I think -- what is the HAC online now, how much is it? 35 bucks. And here's the one from Chicago. That's eBay right there, 35 bucks. Here's the one from Chicago. That's "Chicago Tribune." On the other side, it says "Obama Our Next President." This is the "Sun Times." It says, "Mr. President."

Stop e-mailing me, people in the newsroom and everybody. I know to bring you a newspaper. I got enough for as many people as I could. And also, look, there's our iReporter. She has her newspaper, as well. Katie is in suburban Chicago.

Katie, you're saving yours, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.

LEMON: All right, cool. All right, Katie is our iReporter, one of our iReporters who is registered. You, too, could be live, maybe, if you go and register on iReports.

OK. So, just a few hours before Senator Barack Obama became President-elect Obama, he suited up for an Election Day tradition. We have an exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): Check out the steal, the behind-the-back dribble, then the pass to set up a basket. Yes, Senator Barack Obama on the hardwood with his buddies just hours before his historic election. What's not so clear in this amateur video made available exclusively to CNN are the faces on the court.

Among them, CSI New York actor Hill Harper, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, close friend Marty Nesbitt and some of his high school basketball teammates from Hawaii. The guys invited us for an inside look at an Election Day tradition they share with Barack Obama.

MARTY NESBITT, CAMPAIGN TREASURER/FRIEND: This is diversion, trying to keep our minds off of what's happening out there as Americans.

LEMON (on camera): We know he's got to be nervous, but to be able to play basketball with his buds, don't you think that meant a lot?

HILL HARPER, ACTOR/GRADUATE SCHOOL CLASSMATE: Yes. And also, he's a good basketball player.

LEMON: You were worried about your game. How did you do?

ARNE DUNCAN, CEO, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Well, the important thing is Barack didn't get hurt. LEMON: Yes, what if you guys had hurt him. That would not have been good.

DUNCAN: We would never admit who did it.

GREG ORMER, HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMMATE: It's a very special day, especially the day after his grandmother passed away. It's an emotional time for all of us, really.

MIKE RAMOS, HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMMATE: It's nice to just come here and just, you know, play games, you know, with your friends, and just go out there and have fun. It's just really good to not even think about it, you know.

LEMON: Attack Athletics on Chicago's west side, the last place the Senator played basketball before becoming president. Let me show you this. Teams. That One. And This One. This is my jersey. A little joke you can see from the campaign trail.

So, the locker room is in here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Locker room is right here.

LEMON (voice-over): Tim Grover owns Attack Athletics.

(on camera): What do you think of his game? You're the pro, you're the trainer.

TIM GROVER, ATTACK ATHLETICS OWNER: He needs to pass the ball a little bit more.

LEMON: Was he hogging?

GROVER: He was hogging the ball.

LEMON: Are you serious?

GROVER: Yes, he was hogging the ball.

LEMON (voice-over): Grover should know. In this sleek, $17 million facility, he's trained top athletes like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. In fact, his clientele reads like the cast of the NBA All-Star game.

LEMON (on camera): And now Barack Obama.

GROVER: And now Barack Obama.

LEMON: It's got to be an honor to have someone like that in your gym. What do you think?

GROVER: Oh, it was, especially on today. I mean, a day like today, to have him come in and use our facility as a place to relieve stress, maybe three, four hours before he is named president of the United States. It's wonderful. I mean, this is history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Very interesting. Thank you, guys, for letting me in. I didn't even -- I didn't think that would even happen. It was just exciting that it did happen, and a surprise. This is my jersey. That One. Thank you, Arne Duncan from Chicago Public Schools for giving me this jersey. I will cherish it forever. It's a piece of history.

I'm Don Lemon here in Atlanta. I'll see you back here tomorrow night, 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern. Make sure you have a good and safe evening.