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White House Tour; Inside the Circle; Honoring their Service; A Snapshot of History

Aired November 09, 2008 -   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, and welcome. I'm Don Lemon at the CNN's World Headquarters.
We are live tonight and we have a CNN exclusive inside Barack Obama's inner circle in Chicago; the people who believed in him and helped him along the way. Some of whom he will take with him to Washington ant that's where we begin, in Washington.

Obama and his wife Michelle visit the White House tomorrow and they'll have plenty to talk about with the President and the First Lady. They'll tour the home's private residents. But the President-elect will also have a chance to talk privately with the man who succeeds -- he succeeds 72 days from now.

That was a live picture of the White House. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on that wall?

Here's CNN's Kathleen Koch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I hope you'll join Laura and me in congratulating President-elect Obama.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A magnanimous President Bush is readying to welcome his successor. President-elect Barack Obama is optimistic that spirit will carry over to their first meeting in the Oval Office.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not going to anticipate problems. I'm going to go in there with a spirit of bipartisanship and a sense that both the President and various leaders in Congress all recognize the severity of the situation right now and want to get stuff done.

KOCH: The head of the Obama transition team says it's a long list.

JOHN PODESTA, CO-CHAIR, OBAMA TRANSITION TEAM: That they need to cover a broad range of issues from national security affairs where we are and Homeland Security but I think they'll also want to spend a good deal of time on where things stand on the economy.

KOCH: Discussing items like a second stimulus package says Podesta as well as help for the auto industry. While Obama has sought advice from other presidents, the White House Press Secretary predicts Mr. Bush will exercise restraint. DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I don't think that President Bush will be presumptuous in trying to talk to Barack Obama about how he makes decisions or how Barack Obama should make decisions. I think the President probably will share how he has made decisions and some of the things that he feels are important.

KOCH: And President Bush's Chief of Staff says he'll also look beyond the criticism Democrats leveled at him on the campaign trail.

JOSH BOLTEN, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: He understands what politics is about. He understands it's a rough and tumble game. And he doesn't let it interfere with his personal relationships or his judgment about what's -- what's best for the country.

So, I know that the President Bush that I know will be gracious and dignified in dealing with President-elect Obama.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And there's Kathleen Koch, she joins us now from Washington. Kathleen, how long is this meeting expected to last? Do you know?

KOCH: Don, aides tell us that the meeting which is scheduled to begin at 2:20 is on the President's itinerary for his agenda tomorrow for about an hour. But they say there's no hard stop time.

Back in 2000, you will remember that President-elect George Bush and Bill Clinton met for more than two hours.

And with this being the first post-9/11 transition, the country's economy in turmoil, this two men certainly have quite a lot to discuss. So Don, I'm betting they'll be there for a couple of hours.

LEMON: You've mentioned having quite a lot to discuss. Kathleen, do we know? Do you think they'll share what they discuss?

KOCH: Don, that's tough to say because these two men are going to be meeting alone. No staffers involved. So they're the only ones who are going to know for certain what to discuss. But we'll definitely get a read out of some sort from Press Secretary, Dana Perino and certainly from President-elect Obama's staff. But the specific details will be closely held by the two men.

LEMON: Kathleen Koch in Washington, thank you very much.

Now we go now from Washington to Chicago. Barack Obama is keeping a low profile this weekend, working with his transition team but also taking time to relax with his family.

Our Jessica Yellin joins us now from Chicago which is the capital- elect we can say for now on more of what the President-elect has been up to. What's he's been up to, Jessica?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He has had a little bit of down time today Don, and I have to say probably been a bit of a bummer. The Bears lost. That is all the news here in Chicago. Everybody was watching this football game. We are told, including the President- elect and the hometown team did not win.

So he had a day-today what started off going to the gym I think we have a picture of him as he is headed out of there. He just came after he had a night-out with his wife. They finally got a date there and they went to a fancy Italian restaurant in town. Ate for about three hours together, and then headed home.

And tonight, we understand he's going to have some friends over for the kind of casual evening that this man hasn't had in about two years. So, a bit of a low-key weekend.

Also, though, some work in there focusing on the transition. And I do have a little bit of news on that front. His team is telling me, I spoke to one of his top aide, he says we should not expect any cabinet announcements to come this week. This will be a week for planning and for working. But I wouldn't look for any cabinet announcements until maybe early in the following week and then of course, throughout late November and December.

LEMON: Jessica Yellin. Yes, very interesting.

Chicago is the center of attention right now for much of the world. And you mentioned the cabinet positions. There are some reports, Jessica, about a possible role for his transition co-chair that we are going to get into and I'm sure you've heard about that.

I got a response from the Obama campaign and we're going to talk about that a little bit later on our broadcast. So enjoy Chicago, I wish I was there with you.

YELLIN: It's cool.

LEMON: It was 70 degrees though for the election night. I know, get a big coat. Stay warm, thank you Jessica.

All right, as I mentioned this hour, we are taking you inside the circle. You hear from those closest to the President-elect -- President-elect Barack Obama. Like Valerie Jarrett who I just mentioned who is a friend and also a confidante. She's also co-chair of the Obama transition team and I spoke to her while I was in Chicago. And here is some of that conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: No rest for the weary.

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

LEMON: Now you are in-charge or at least you're on the -- you're part of the team.

JARRETT: I co-chair with that deal with the transition, yeah, absolutely. So you know what, we will rest in eight years. Right now we are just going to focus on making sure that he is surrounded by absolutely the best team he can have. He is always quick to say I need to have people in the room who have a diversity of opinion, and who've come from a variety of different perspectives to push me to make the best possible decisions.

And so that's the business we are about right now. We want him to be ready to hit the ground running.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: More on the inner circle and the transition at the bottom of the hour right here in the "CNN NEWS ROOM;" inside of the Inner Circle.

The President is going to have to deal with an economy and an economy really that is in crisis; a top priority for President-elect Barack Obama. On top of the $700 billion financial bailout for Wall Street, U.S. auto industry is also struggling to keep afloat. Will it be the next sector to get a big rescue check from the Federal government?

General Motors, the nation's largest auto maker sent shockwaves through the industry on Friday. GM reports loss more than $4 billion during the third quarter of this year. A much bigger loss is expected and the company warns it could run out of cash in the coming months.

Another report shows auto sales are plummeting. Auto execs have met Democratic leaders. And now House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, say the administration should consider explaining that bailout plan.

Barack Obama hasn't given any hints about his views on a potential bailout for automakers. The industry's role in America's economy is a given. But not everyone is convinced the companies deserve billions of your dollars.

Here's CNN's Brooke Baldwin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the White House Monday, the first meeting between the President-elect and the President. At the top of the agenda, the economy, according to one member of Barack Obama's transition team, among the questions, how to heal the ailing automotive industry.

PODESTA: The President-elect has said that we need to do more to try stabilized the industry as we begin to come up with a program so that they become stable companies once again. They're the backbone of the American manufacturing industry.

BALDWIN: Friday, two of the big three posted third quarter losses in the billions. Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter to the Treasury Secretary asking Henry Paulson to consider a quick cash infusion for car companies.

They suggest the money could come from the $700 billion bank bailout; an idea Secretary Paulson previously opposed. The letter read, "Congress granted you broad discretion to purchase or make commitments to purchase financial instruments you determine necessary to restore financial market stability. A healthy automobile manufacturing sector is essential to the restoration of the financial market stability, the overall health of our economy, and the livelihood of the automobile sector's workforce."

PETER MORICI, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: The General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have been some of the worst-run companies in America; that's why they are in the fix that they are in.

BALDWIN: Economist Peter Morici contends a bailout is more like a hand out. He says Detroit's big three have hemorrhaged billions through the years to sending these car companies quick cash, Morici says, conveys a terrible message to the rest of the country's private sector.

MORICI: That you can pay your workers too much, you can have sloppy management, and you can be slow to the market with new products and the government will bail you out. It simply makes no sense to send that kind of message to the private sector in America.

BALDWIN: A Treasury Department spokesperson has now responded to Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid's letter, saying, quote, "We continue to work on a strategy that most effectively deploys the remaining TARP funds to strengthen the financial system and get lending going again." TARP is an acronym for Troubled Asset Relief Program.

President-elect Barack Obama has already pledged his support behind the ailing automotive industry. The question now is when will that support come and when it does, will it be too late?

Brooke Baldwin, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, Brooke.

Well, the Bush administration has not commented on a potential bailout for automakers. A Treasury Department spokeswoman says the Treasury is trying to use its remaining funds in the most efficient way possible here.

We are following several other big stories in the U.S. and around the world.

Mourning, prayers and a search for answers in a small town of St. Johns, Arizona where an eight-year-old boy is charged with fatally shooting his dad and his dad's friend in their home. A prayer service is being held today.

Meantime, police are looking into whether the boy had been abused. He faces two counts of premeditated murder. People who knew the family says the father taught his son how to use a hunting rifle to shoot prairie dogs.

Rescue workers in Haiti still holding out hope they'll find survivors in the rubble of a collapsed school. At least 84 people were killed in Friday's collapse and most of them apparently children. Authorities are now questioning the school's owner amid allegations of shoddy construction, dozens of people still missing.

A knock down drag-out fight at one of Christianity's holiest sites; police had to break up a brawl between dozens of monks at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher today. It started when monks from the Greek Orthodox and Armenian sects got into some kind of argument. Dozens of them suffered cuts and bruises. There is a history of rivalry between different sects that control the church but never a full-fledged fight.

There is no radiation threat reported -- no radiation threat reported -- after a deadly accident on a Russian nuclear sub; 20 people were suffocated as the sub was on a test-run in the Sea of Japan. Authorities blame a release of Freon gas after the sub's fire safety system was accidentally turned on. They say there is no damage to the reactor. Back in 2000, all 118 crewmen were killed when the Russian nuclear sub "Curse" sank in the Bering Sea.

High expectations for the President-elect, some might say impossible. So many groups expecting so many things as Veteran's Day approaches. We'll take a closer look at what the members of the military expect from Barack Obama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We are taking you inside Barack Obama's inside circle in just minutes. But we want to tell you this, there are so many pressing issues facing the new President, and some veterans worry their needs might get overshadowed in an Obama administration.

So as we look ahead at Veteran's Day this week, the vets themselves are determined to keep their issues front and center.

Our Kate Bolduan talked to them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD BOWERS, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: It's the one in a million that is basically why I'm still standing here today, but you can see literally where the bullet went.

BOLDUAN: During Todd Bower, second tour of duty in Iraq, he narrowly missed death by less than an inch. He knows how much veterans risk.

BOWERS: It is so critical for the American public to understand that the sacrifices that we make to keep our country in this amazing place where we are.

BOLDUAN: Bill Crandell served in a very different war, Vietnam.

BILL CRANDELL, VIETNAM WAR VETERAN: There is a very long time when it felt like just yesterday.

BOLDUAN: But like Bowers, Crandell hopes this new administration is a new opportunity to refocus attention on their priorities, like revamping the Department of Veteran's Affairs.

CRANDELL: There is a tendency of Presidents and their staff to see this as -- this is basically an operation that you don't have to pay attention to. It really takes a lot more attention than that.

BOLDUAN: President-elect Barack Obama campaigned on a promise to help the country's service members.

OBAMA: We must ensure that our brave troops serving abroad today become the backbone of our middle class at home tomorrow.

BOLDUAN: So what should be top priority for the Obama administration?

Bowers says better funding overall for the V.A. is key in helping the thousands of aging veterans and the thousands more new veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And the care they need isn't just for physical wound. Veterans also want more attention to mental health issues.

CRANDELL: The V.A. has always had something of a bias towards visible injuries. You can see somebody's leg is blown off. You can't see that somebody is emotionally disabled.

BOLDUAN: Another priority, fully implementing the new G.I. Bill which expands veteran's education benefits. Even while fighting two wars, there is some concern among veterans that these issues will get pushed off the new President's agenda.

BOWERS: The economy overshadowed the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and veterans returning from those conflicts as a whole. But one of the things that we know for a fact is that investing in veterans is investing in our country in the future.

BOLDUAN: The first decision for Obama is leadership. Who will be the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs? Two names, consider of a real possibilities are Max Cleland who held the position in the Carter administration and Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war vet who's the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

Kate Bolduan, CNN Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And in honor of Veterans Day, we want to tell you about a group called Homes for our Troops; a non-profit group build houses for veterans who return home with serious injuries and disabilities. It also adapts existing houses to make them handicapped-accessible and they do it all for free.

The group was founded by contractor John Gonsalves. Here is the scene when he presented a new home to veteran Matt Kyle -- oh this is going to be great -- who was wounded in Iraq.

JOHN GONSALVES, HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS: Welcome home, Matt! Welcome home, Tracy!

This is more than building homes. This is about thank you. You have no idea how much I admire what you've done.

MATT KYLE, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: Thank you, very much. People like you that makes America great, John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: It's people like you Matt, who make America great. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice and congratulations to you in that home. We want to tell you if you want to help or donate anything that they might need, your home or what have you or homes go to troops.org. Go to homesfortroops.org. Let me get that correct, Homesforourtroops.org, Homesforourtroops.org. It is an important organization. So please go there and see if you can help out.

And you can get more information on how you can donate to veterans groups and other worthy causes at CNN.com/impact. Logon and impact your world.

Ok. You see that picture of Heidi Collins there? Hi, Heidi. It's one of my buds here.

On Tuesday, make sure you join Heidi Collins for "CNN NEWSROOM," it will be live on the deck of the "Intrepid."

Heidi has done so much reporting on this issue. As a matter of fact, she was there last year when the "Intrepid" went in for repairs. Now she is going back to cover it now that it has been repaired. So look forward to that coverage. Join my friend, Heidi Collins, "CNN NEWSROOM" beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern tomorrow to 11:00 a.m. Eastern. Live reporting there; you don't want to miss that.

You may not know their names or faces right now, but you certainly will. The people we're going to be hearing about for maybe the next four years or longer.

We are talking about Valerie Jarrett, Emil Jones, Penny Pritzker, John Rogers; all part of Barack Obama's inner circle. And I sat down with them. You will hear what they have to say about the historic transition to power.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, "THE SITUATION ROOM": And CNN can now project that Barack Obama, 47-years-old will become the president- elect of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was an electric moment in Grant Park when we watched that on the screen and we are going to share our moments with that either in this broadcast or at 11:00. We want to get that together for you because it's very important for you to see that reaction.

But just hours after Senator Barack Obama was named president-elect Obama, there wasn't a "Chicago Sun Times" or "Chicago Tribune to be found." As a matter of fact, they all had to make several reprints. And look at this commemorative cover from "Jet" magazine -- isn't it beautiful -- titled, "Yes, We Did" featuring the future First Family.

It will probably be just as hard to find. So I hope mine is in the mail. It's on stands tomorrow. And if I have any influence, Bryan Monroe who is the editor of "Ebony/Jet" magazine, you will hold on to one of those magazines for me. Thank you for joining us, Brian.

BRYAN MONROE, EDITOR, "EBONY/JET" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me, Don. And I will make sure I squirrel away one for you or maybe even two of them.

LEMON: Yes, and I have to tell you, Grant Park, "Ebony/Jet" headquarters just across the street from Grant Park. And on our way back to our hotel people were mobbing your headquarters, going inside taking pictures with posters and some of your mock covers for the magazine and life-sized posters of Barack Obama. It was amazing.

MONROE: It was really, really phenomenal. We had crowds; hundreds of folks fathered around the front of our lobby. We had a little television screen so people could watch the results.

And it brought people from not just all over Chicago really but all over the country, people who were in town and even a lot of international visitors. We had a one man from Australia, guy from Japan, a couple from France who just wanted to be part of that moment.

LEMON: Yes and we saw some of that. And you know, I was surprised and then when I thought about it, at first I was surprised, then thought about it and I wasn't because people were going into the headquarters at midnight or later and the security guards were letting them in. Letting them take pictures; it was very peaceful.

This is the "Jet" that we are looking at that's going to be on shelves tomorrow and is the mail now. But you have done several successful covers on Barack, Michelle Obama and the children. And one them -- the one about being cool -- was one of the best-selling magazines of the year.

MONROE: It was. And in fact this whole year, really for the last 21 months, we have -- we made it a conscious choice back in December of 2006, that we were going to own this story. That this was, no matter how it turned out, this was going to be the most important story to black America, and really now, to all of America. So we made a strategic decision to cover this like no other story we have covered in a long time.

LEMON: Ok, I have to talk to you about a little bit of news here because there was some controversy and you know about this, about some newspapers or organizations that may have supported John McCain or wasn't favorable to Barack Obama saying that they were kicked off the campaign plane in favor of Ebony/Jet Magazine which were either weeklies or monthlies and they thought it wasn't quite right. But you say that's not so? MONROE: Well, we didn't have much to do with who was on the plane or not. I know that that's a campaign decision. But I know that we had reporters from "Ebony" magazine, from "Jet" magazine, photographers throughout the last year, on and off the campaign in fact. We were the only organization of color with him during the Middle East and European Trip.

Those flights are expensive but we thought it important that we cover this and cover this for our readers. So it was important that, you know, I was on the plane the weekend ago. We have had Valerie Goodlow one of our best photographers with him through Election Day and on all the different stops.

And that last week was intense. Six or seven stops over a course of a couple days. And it was an important story to cover.

LEMON: Yes, Bryan and thank you. For people who don't know, "Ebony" and "Jet" magazine covering the African-American community when African-Americans were not allowed to be in broader magazines. And I know growing up there was always an "Ebony" and a "Jet" on my coffee table and I'm sure some of those from my childhood are still there somewhere because my mom loves.

Thank you very much for that. Bryan Monroe, editor of Ebony/Jet. Have a good evening.

MONROE: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: Urban talk radio; we're talking about magazines. Urban talk radio is also reacting to the election of Barack Obama. Tom Joyner hosts one of the top syndicated talk shows in the country and I sat down with him the morning after the election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM JOYNER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Tears of joy, reflection; reflection of people who didn't see it. Who didn't live to see, you know, this day in history. That's been the -- that's been probably the majority response of all my listeners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Tom Joyner talks about how emotional he got when he heard the news and how he's still emotional. More of my conversation with him and his staff. The role black radio played in this year's election coming up at 11:00 p.m. Eastern only here on CNN.

Barack Obama's inner circle; you don't want to miss this. You might not know their names or their faces but you will soon, I guarantee you that. While I was in Chicago this week, I sat town with some of his closest friends and advisers to talk about the election, the expectations and the transition. You will get the inside scoop seconds away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: OK, so less than one week ago, Barack Obama as president was just a possibility. Now it is reality. And more so than ever, Americans want to know who will be helping him make the decisions that affect the country and the world. Last week, before and after the historic election, I went back to my former city of Chicago to talk candidly with the people who helped shape Barack Obama, the man and the politician. Many of whom I had reported on as a local anchor and reporter there. Let's start with his new chief of staff, Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel. He is known to joke around with reporters sometimes. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RAHM EMANUEL (D), ILLINOIS: Here's the deal. My parents are alive to see their middle son have a choice in his career between being a congressman with one fifth chance, one opportunity down the road or maybe rising in leadership and being the chief of staff to a historic presidency at a historic time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right, so we know the future White House chief of staff, and you just heard him there, Rahm Emanuel. But there are several insiders who could end up at the White House, too. Emil Jones, Obama's mentor and the president of the Illinois Senate. Penny Pritzker, businesswoman and philanthropist and Obama's national finance chair. John Rogers, long-time friend and Illinois finance chair. And Valerie Jarrett, long-time friend, trusted adviser and the co-chair of his transition team.

Why don't we begin with Valerie? She has been referred to as Obama's Karl Rove and she jokes about that. We started with her reaction to the election.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: You are hoarse.

VALERIE JARRETT, CO-CHAIR, OBAMA TRANSITION TEAM: I am hoarse. Too much talking.

LEMON: Too much screaming or talking?

JARRETT: Lots of talking, lots of talking.

LEMON: OK, I have to ask you, the first thing, once it was announced, what did he say to you?

JARRETT: He just looked at me. And I looked back at him. And you couldn't possibly put in words how we were feeling, but the expression said it all. And it was really like, job well done. Job well done, change the world.

LEMON: You did.

JARRETT: He did. LEMON: You helped, though.

JARRETT: Couldn't have happened without him. Leadership and tone, vision, judgment. That all starts at the top.

LEMON: People say that about you two, that you can communicate, I've read that about you. I've never witnessed it. But people say that you can look at each other and communicate, you don't need to talk and that almost since the very beginning, it's like you, when you met, you could almost kind of read each other's mind. Is that true, Valerie?

JARRETT: I think we have a pretty good sense of each other, how we think, what our priorities are, what our values are. We have a very similar sense of humor. So, yeah, I think we read each other very well.

LEMON: Yeah, what is that like? Do you know what's good for him? What's bad for him? What he shouldn't do? What he should to?

JARRETT: I know what I think. I'm not going to say we always agree. But I understand what motivates him. I know what his values are. I know how he was raised. I have a very good sense of the core decency and empathy he has for mankind. And the direction he wants to take our country.

And he hasn't changed over the last 17 years that I've known him. He has always had the same commitment to focus first on people and what we can do to improve their lives and when stay kind of singularly focused on that, it makes it a lot easier to make important decisions. And over the course of his career, the decisions obviously have become more and more important. And the challenges, but the opportunities, also, that we face right now are enormous. And I'm just so proud of him. And he is so ready for this. He really is. He is absolutely ready for this.

LEMON: I can just -- the passion that's coming off you, I can completely feel it.

JARRETT: Yeah, it feels good.

LEMON: Do you feel like the ultimate insider?

JARRETT: Well, I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this journey and so, sure, I'm an insider. I'm a good friend and an adviser. So I've had the privilege of traveling all over the country, this great country with both Barack, President-elect Obama, I like to say, and Michelle, our new first lady.

And seeing America from a very different perspective than when you're just traveling on business or as a tourist. We really had a chance to dig deep and get to know so many American people and hear their stories, hear their challenges, hear their hopes and dreams. And to see that firsthand and have the opportunity to participate, and I think by everybody's measure the greatest campaign that this country has ever had. Wow, it's very special.

LEMON: I'm glad you mentioned that because you know, I sit on another side. You know the media.

JARRETT: I do know the media.

LEMON: I'll be honest, we do get the low hanging fruit. We always want the controversy or whatever. And to see how people react, often what you hear about in the news is not actually the case. We heard so much about race but obviously it took every single kind of person, you know, in this country, who was registered to vote, to vote for Barack Obama in order for him to win. And then you don't always see that in the country.

JARRETT: Well, you see the country.

LEMON: But you witnessed it.

JARRETT: So what's interesting is because every day, throughout the campaign, beginning in Iowa, a state that is 98 percent white, where Senator Obama rolled up his sleeves and worked so hard. The whole time he was there, the pundits were talking about race and he was talking to the American people about the issues that they cared about.

And I think that what he proved in Iowa and what he proved across this country and certainly the record number of people who participated in the vote in this election, in the general election, I think what we heard is no matter how you want to slice and dice the electorate, he resonated with the American people.

And that they are kind of tired of being sliced and diced in all those different groups. You guys in the media love to look at the statistics. But in the end, the message was one that resonated broadly, very broadly. And it transcended race, transcended party, it transcended geography, it transcended class, because it was really an American vision.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Valerie Jarrett. Very personal story coming up from Valerie Jarrett at the end of the show. Don't miss that. It's about the Obama family. And a poignant moment she had with them. Barack Obama taught the world that you can make history. I will introduce you to the man who taught him. The presidential elect's political godfather, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So we will call this next segment the godfather. Here is the interesting thing about the man I'm going to introduce you to. He was Barack Obama's mentor right and now he is on a short list to possibly take over Barack Obama's Senate seat when he vacates it in January, when he becomes the president.

Back when Barack Obama was a 23-year-old up-start with dreams of becoming a lawyer and later a state senator, he was mentored by a man he calls his political godfather. President of the Illinois State Senate, Emil Jones. He talked to me about the young Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: You said your relationship went back to 1985. Tell us about that. What was he like, 1985? Wet begin the ears, I'm sure.

EMIL JONES, PRESIDENT, ILLINOIS STATE SENATE: Yes, a little 23-year- old youngster. He was a community organizer, met with community leaders. And I met them. They were concerned about the dropout in high school. They were down the street from my office. So I invited them into my office. We sat down and discussed the issue. And they had some recommendations.

So I went to the state board of education, got funding for dropout prevention program. Today in Chicago, as a result of actions way back then, we have alternative high schools for those students who cannot fit into the traditional mold. Rather than drop out, we have schools that are available for them so they can go ahead and receive their diploma.

LEMON: And he was part of that?

JONES: He was part of that, yes.

LEMON: '85 or '95?

JONES: '85.

LEMON: '85?

JONES: Yes, that's when he first came to Chicago.

LEMON: Wow. And subsequently, he became a community organizer, started helping get those things and then you said he came to you about going to law school.

JONES: Yes. After working with him for about three years, he came to me, he said, you know, I enjoy what I'm doing but I always wanted to be a lawyer. And I'm thinking about going to law school. He asked me what did I think about it? I said Barack, if that's something you sincerely want to do, I suggest you go ahead and do it.

So he left and went to law school. I didn't see him anymore until he completed law school and he was working for the registration drive here in Chicago. But we had that relationship. I hated to see him go, but by the same token, I wasn't going to tell him no if it's something you want to, just to hang around doing community organization work.

Not knowing that he would end up being the president of the Harvard Law Review, graduate the top of his class. You know, he was very aggressive, but I liked him as a young man. You understand what I'm saying? I didn't push him away.

LEMON: Did he ever talk to you about, I met this girl?

JONES: No, he infer talked about that. As a matter of fact, I knew he had a funny name. But I never questioned him about his background, where he came from. I took him at face value, whoever he was, you know? I didn't find out his mother was white, his father from Kenya, I didn't find that out until I read his book. And he was elected to the state senate at that time. So I took him at face value as to what he was.

LEMON: Do you take any credit for his success?

JONES: Well, he made the statement, he called me his political godfather. He made a statement at one big rally, said he wouldn't be standing here if it had not been for me.

LEMON: Do you take the same pride in him, feel like maybe he is sort of your son and you are watching your son grow up.

JONES: Oh, yes, I did. As a matter of fact, after he won the Senate primary, in that race, some of my same financial supporters ended up being his financial supporters.

So he had a little gathering at one of their homes and we were all there. My son was there. And Barack told my son, you got to move over because another member of the family, you know? Because I take a lot of pride in it, no question about it, yes. But the person must have the ability and the talent. All I did is try to open the doors so he can show what he is about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: President of the State Senate in Illinois, Emil Jones, Barack Obama's political godfather. More insight from inside Obama's circle. He raised more money than any presidential candidate in history, anyone in history. But with the help of some very influential friends. My conversation with two of them seconds away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Back now to inside the circle. The Obama campaign raised more money than any other in history and he had some very powerful and passionate supporters, two in particular. John Rogers who is the founder of Ariel Capital, which is a successful investment and advisement firm. He is Obama's Illinois finance co-chair and a long- time friend. Also friends with Barack Obama's brother. In fact, that's how they met, in college, Princeton.

Plus, business executive and civic leader, Penny Pritzker. Recognize that last name? Pritzker? They sat down and opened up to me about why they support Barack Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Both you and Valerie, very successful businesswoman in their own right, have headed companies. Why would you take the time, you know, out of your life and out of your busy career to follow the dream of this young guy?

PENNY PRITZKER, BUSINESS EXECUTIVE: You know, this country has been extraordinary to my family. My family came here as immigrants, over 100 years ago. And because of the opportunity available to my family in this country, we have been able to have success.

And our country was really not on a path where that kind of opportunity, the protections that our civil liberties and civil rights were affording us were all being jeopardized. And to me, it's important for people who can, everyone from average Americans to those of us who have had some success, to stand up and take hold of our country. And that's what Barack has asked us to do.

And so to me, it was, it was, it was significant to say yes, to help Barack. But it felt very natural and very good.

JOHN ROGERS, OBAMA ILLINOIS FINANCE CO-CHAIR: Really kind of mind blowing to call this long-time friend of yours, Mr. President. But what also makes it kind of unique, as we all know, just four years ago, he was a state senator and you could see him around the neighborhood. And he was just, you know, Mr. Normal up and coming political leader.

Most of the people who have become president before have had, you know, they have been a senator for a long time or a governor for a long time, vice president or what have you.

So it's so unique to have someone in such a short period of time go from being your sort of normal friend and up and coming political leader to becoming president. Now, I think it's great because of course he relates so well to the problems of all Americans because he has been living the life of a normal American up until right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Good friends John Rogers and Penny Pritzker, and forgive me for this Penny because when I said recognize the name, some people sent me e-mails saying, no, I don't. So I have to say this. One of the wealthiest families in the country. Her family started the Hyatt hotel chain. That's the Pritzker family.

OK, he is a president-elect, a historic leader, but there is one role he might consider most important. We'll look at Barack Obama, the family man and at the future first family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, back now to inside the circle. We have seen Barack Obama the candidate. We have gotten snippets of Barack Obama the husband and the father. And of course we have seen Barack Obama, president-elect. But there are little gems, moments that we don't see. Valerie Jarrett, Obama's close friend and colleague talked with me about the Obama family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: They're just an extraordinary couple. They are kindred spirits. They are each other's best friends and I watched him hurry to get back in the car in the evening so he has a chance to talk to the girls before he goes to bed. And just the ...

LEMON: We saw him running down the stairs of the airplane recently so he could hurry up and see his wife and kids.

JARRETT: That's actually a very good story. When we were traveling this last weekend before Election Day, we were, Senator Obama and I were in Las Vegas and we few to Iowa, to Ohio for the day. And when he flew into Ohio, we were sitting on the tarmac waiting for Michelle and the girls to arrive. He was busy reading the newspaper, then he was on his Blackberry, and he didn't notice that they had arrived. So I said Barack, look out the window and he looked out the window and there were Malia and Sasha playing out on the tarmac. And the look on his face when he saw those two girls, he just lit up. And he said, they lighten me. They make me feel whole. They make me feel so well loved. And the rest of the week it was just terrific. And to have Michelle and the girls along just made all the difference in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And we are not done yet. Just a few hours before Senator Barack Obama became President-elect Obama, he suited up for an Election Day tradition and we got it exclusively.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): Check out the steal, the behind the back dribble. Then the pass to set up a basket. Yes, Senator 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 at an inside look at an Election Day tradition they share with Barack Obama.

MARTY NESBITT, CAMPAIGN TREASURER: It's a diversion. We're trying to keep our minds off what's happening out there and in America.

LEMON: You know he has 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: 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: It was a lot of fun. Most important thing is Barack didn't get hurt.

LEMON: Yeah, what if you guys had hurt him?

DUNCAN: That would not have been good.

GREG ORME, HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMMATE: Very special day, especially the day after his grandmother passing away, it's an emotional time for him.

MIKE RAMOS, HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMMATE: Tonight, just to come here and just play games with your friends and go out there and have fun is 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?

TIM GROVER, ATTACK ATHLETICS OWNER: Locker room is right in here.

LEMON: Tim Grover owns Attack Athletics.

What did you think of his game? You're the pro, you're the trainer.

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

LEMON: Was he hogging?

GROVER: He was hogging ball.

LEMON: Are you serious?

GROVER: Yes, he was hogging the ball.

LEMON: Grover should know. In this sleek $17 million facility, he has 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.

And now Barack Obama?

GROVER: And now Barack Obama.

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

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Thank you, Valerie, Penny, John and Emil, for letting me inside. I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you right back here at 11:00 Eastern tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was first made famous by CNN's very own John King.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The biggest changes in American politics.

FEYERICK: Or maybe you caught the parody on "Saturday Night Live." FRED ARMISEN, ACTOR: Check out Michigan. I can make it bounce.

FEYERICK: We here at CNN call it the magic wall. To the man behind the technology, Jeff Han, it is called a Multi Touch collaboration wall.

JEFF HAN, FOUNDER, PERCEPTIVE PIXEL: Multi Touch is a whole new way of working with a computer where you can actually use more than one finger at a time. That means both hands, that means all 10 fingers, it might be multiple users in front of a screen also.

FEYERICK: The computing power has been around for years.

HAN: That interface, that last final few inches between the person and the computer that we then have.

FEYERICK: But it's not only good for explaining elections or providing fodder for comedy shows, Han. There are some very practical uses, like military intelligence and medical research.

HAN: A close up of a blood vessel cross section.

FEYERICK: And collaborative learning from students to architects, artists, engineers and scientists.

HAN: Never have you been able to make this many objects with this much freedom at the same time.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)