Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Selling Children for Sex; Elizabeth Smart Testifies; Afghan Women in Men's Jobs; Hot Off The Political Ticker; Trending And Hot On The Internet; Cemetery Gives Final Tributes
Aired November 09, 2010 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Let's get going.
I'm Tony Harris.
Top of the hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, where anything can happen. Here are some of the people behind today's top stories.
Child sex trafficking. Girls as young as 13 being taken from state to state and sold for sex. We are digging deeper on a nationwide bust netting hundreds of arrests.
Kidnap victim on the stand. She was just 14 when her kidnapping and disappearance captivated the nation. Now she's facing her accused abductor in court. We are talking with a reporter who has been inside the courtroom.
And we want you to take a close look at this. Just what is it flying over the skies of California?
They're calling it the "mystery missile." We're trying to find out exactly what it is.
Let's get started with our lead story: selling children for sex, some as young as 13.
Federal authorities target child sex trafficking rings across the country. The three-day sweep called Operation Cross Country V led to the recovery of 69 children. The feds arrested 884 people, including 99 pimps.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, authorities say they have arrested 29 people linked to gangs that trafficked in underage African-American and Somali girls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN MORTON, ICE: Not adult women in control of their lives, but girls who were moved about and used for sex so that others could profit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JERRY MARTIN, U.S. ATTORNEY: Specifically, the indictment alleges that Jane Doe One was brought to Nashville in or about December of 2005, where she, along with other underage girls, was prostituted for approximately two weeks. At the time, Jane Doe One was less than 14 years old.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh, boy. That last comment was from U.S. attorney Jerry Martin, talking about the indictments. And he is with us now from Nashville.
Jerry, good to see you. Thanks for your time.
First of all, let me do some real basic nuts and bolts work with you on this story. If you would, can you tell us how so many of these young girls were lured into this living hell? How does it happen? How does it work?
MARTIN: Well, the indictment alleges that several young women, some as young as 12 years old, have been caught up in this prostitution ring and have been coerced and brought into the middle district of Tennessee from across the country, mostly from Minnesota. You know, there's a number of victims in this case.
We don't want to give you any information about the identity of those victims, but obviously the allegations are serious. And sex traffickers should know that if they traffic in sex, especially young children, that the federal government will find them, arrest them, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
HARRIS: Similarities in the stories of the young women who have been recovered so far?
MARTIN: Yes. You know, that's a separate case that I'm not particularly familiar with. I just know what I've read in the news.
This is a very specific case to the middle district of Tennessee, which is Nashville. The allegations in this case are that young girls were trafficked into the middle district of Tennessee and were prostituted by these defendants for monetary gain.
HARRIS: Last one, what can we do? From your experience in working through this case and other cases, what can we do to better protect our children?
MARTIN: Well, I think that this case is a great example of how local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and officers can work together. You know, the federal court system and the U.S. Attorney's Office is in a particularly good position to be able to marshal all of these resources and lead the effort to prosecute individuals who engage in this type of conduct. So the first thing that the public should be aware of and confident in is that all state, local and federal law enforcement officers are going to work together to ferret out this kind of activity and prosecute it.
HARRIS: OK.
U.S. attorney Jerry Martin with us.
Jerry, appreciate it. Thanks for your time. Thank you.
MARTIN: Thank you.
HARRIS: Other stories we are following for you here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Heartbreak in central Florida. Five children ages 6 to 15 died in a house fire overnight. Their mother and grandmother escaped, and neighbors pulled another woman out of the burning house.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER LISTER, NEIGHBOR: The whole front of the house was engulfed in flames, and I heard the mom saying, "My babies -- my babies are inside."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And attorneys for O.J. Simpson have been given another week to try and overturn his armed robbery and kidnapping conviction. The Nevada Supreme Court granted the extension this morning. Simpson is serving nine to 33 years in a state prison outside Reno.
Ash is still pouring out of a big volcano in Indonesia, and it is affecting President Obama's trip there.
We're back in a moment with our "Random Moment of the Day."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. If you weigh 350 pounds or more, you eat free. Just be sure to order the "Random Moment of the Day."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Other diets don't deliver results. But I've made incredible progress on the Heart Attack Grill diet. A couple months ago, I was wearing these.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No dangerous yo-yo syndrome. I personally guarantee a stable upward progression of body weight while you're enjoying great tasting foods like a double bypass burger and flat- liner fries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, we find this stuff all over the place. A businessman trades his Jenny Craig franchises for the Heart Attack Grill. Yes.
Customers are called patients. Waitresses are nurses. Bottom line, fat brings in more dough than skinny. The Heart Attack Grill, food worth dying for, and another "Random Moment of the Day."
Got a little quizzy quiz for you here.
President Obama is officially shortening his visit to Indonesia because of the Mt. Merapi volcano that is spewing ash. It got us wondering, what state or country has the most number of active volcanoes in the world? A, Hawaii; B, Iceland; C, Indonesia, where Mt. Merapi is; or D, Alaska?
The answer on the other side of the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So here we go. What state or country has the most number of active volcanoes in the world? A, Hawaii; B, Iceland; C, Indonesia, where Mt. Merapi is; or D, Alaska?
Here's the answer for you. You ready? Indonesia. "National Geographic" says there are 1,900 active volcanoes on Earth, part of that ring of fire that Chad talks to us about.
You know, President Obama is cutting his visit to Indonesia short because of volcanic ash spewing from Mt. Merapi and concerns it could ground Air Force One.
During a stop, the president said it was wonderful to be back in the country, even for a brief visit. He spent part of his boyhood there. The president hopes to expands U.S. ties in areas such as trade and security.
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim majority nation. In a news conference, the president was asked about his outreach to the Muslim world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our efforts have been earnest, sustained. We don't expect that we are going to completely eliminate some of the misunderstandings and mistrust that have developed over a long period of time, but we do think that we're on the right path.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Indonesia is the second leg of the president's Asia trip.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Elizabeth Smart will testify again today against the man on trial for kidnapping her. She says for nine months he raped her -- quoting here -- "daily, at the very least." She arrived at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City about an hour ago. In testimony so far, Smart said Brian David Mitchell kidnapped her from her bedroom at knifepoint in 2002. Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, forced her to watch and even take part in sex acts she found repugnant.
Once, when Mitchell tried to kiss Smart, she bit his tongue. Quoting again here. "He said, if I did that again, he would never have sex with me again and I'd be the most miserable woman in the world."
Peg McEntee, a columnist for "The Salt Lake Tribune," has listened to the courtroom testimony, much of it graphic. She joins us now from Salt Lake City.
Peg, if you would -- first of all, thanks for your time -- describe, if you would, being in the courtroom and listening to Elizabeth Smart document everything that happened to her, really as a child.
PEG MCENTEE, COLUMNIST, "THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE": It is a very intense experience. The courtroom is, of course, silent, except for her voice and that of the prosecutor as he's been asking her questions. The jury is listening very intently, as are those of us in the gallery. It is horrific to hear, but it's unfortunately necessary to proceed with this case.
HARRIS: Yes. Her testimony is being described as a graphic depiction of sexual abuse. For example, she talked about obviously being raped, being ordered to drink alcohol, and then her decision to stop eating so that the alcohol could take a stronger effect. I think we all understand that.
MCENTEE: Yes.
HARRIS: How is she holding up under this testimony?
MCENTEE: She is -- she's very strong. She's very measured in her speaking.
She faltered just a bit yesterday when she was testifying, when she was talking about the first time Mitchell attacked her and the business with oral sex. But other than that, she is steady, she is solid, and very composed.
HARRIS: Yes. She's -- correct me if I am wrong here -- 23 years old now.
MCENTEE: That's right.
HARRIS: So far, what's the most moving moment or moments in her testimony?
MCENTEE: For me, it was when she decided that she would survive and that she would ensure that her family would survive, that she decided that she would do whatever was necessary to remain alive despite the treatment, and to try and find a way back home. HARRIS: What portrait of the accused, Brian David Mitchell, is emerging from Smart's testimony?
MCENTEE: He is very calculating. He clearly planned out the abduction very carefully.
He had set the stage in a campsite in the mountains above the Smart home. He had -- it was all -- everything was in place. And he had been to the home before.
He was hired as sort of a one-day laborer around the house. So he had been able to case the home.
He had seen Elizabeth before, and I believe he set his sights on her specifically. And he was just very careful and calculating in everything he did around the abduction, and taking Elizabeth up into the mountains.
HARRIS: Peg McEntee is a columnist for "The Salt Lake Tribune."
Peg, appreciate your time. Thank you.
MCENTEE: Thank you.
HARRIS: Grammy Award-winning singer John Legend steps from behind the piano to give a charity of your choice a leg up. Oh, this is interesting.
Legend kicks off his holiday giving efforts and talks about his stint as a college professor later today with Ali Velshi. Be sure to catch John Legend, live in the CNN NEWSROOM, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
It is amazing video. You may have seen it, maybe a few times now, the trick play done by a middle school teen to score a touchdown.
The quarterback who did it said he thought something else was going to happen. You will hear from him in just a couple of seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: It is the quarterback sneak everybody is watching on the Web. The coach and the eighth grade player behind the trick play talked with the team at CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON GARZA, DISCROLL MIDDLE SCHOOL QUARTERBACK: I don't know. It was just a rush of adrenaline. It was fun.
I had a blast doing it. I didn't think I was going to get very far, but it turned out to be a touchdown.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, because you were thinking when you executed this play, oh, my gosh, I'm going to walk right through the line with no protection? They're going to kill me. GARZA: That's what I was thinking at first. That's what was running through my mind the whole time.
JOHN DELOSANTOS, DRISCOLL MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH: In practicing the play, we even said there's going to be two results of the play. Either Jason is going to get hit really hard by a linebacker or safety, or he's going to get a first down or a touchdown. And for us, thank goodness it was the latter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: That quarterback is a middle-schooler? He's got a mustache? What is he, 30?
What was that? Let me see that video again.
Is that -- all right. All right.
The Texas middle school football game was for the championship. It ended in a 6-6 tie for Driscoll and Seale Middle School in Corpus Christi.
I don't believe that.
We head next to Afghanistan, where it is still pretty much a man's world. But a few bold women are changing that. They are taking on jobs that would have cost them their lives under the Taliban.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You know American women pretty much do any type of job they want, right? But many women in Afghanistan are just beginning to peer beyond the burqa. Their roles are changing, but slowly.
Here is CNN's Jill Dougherty on assignment in Jalalabad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A shocking sight for Afghans: women renovating a building. For women like Salma, working outside the home is almost impossible.
SALMA, PAINTING APPRENTICE (through translator): I need to work. My husband cannot work. I was taking in laundry for students, washing it at home. Then I heard about this program.
DOUGHERTY: It's called Cash for Work, an American-sponsored program to help these women, most of them widows, survive.
RODNEY STUBINA, USAID: Their family members are desperate. But if we can give them a job, get food on their tables, their kids wouldn't join insurgencies.
DOUGHERTY: At this hospital in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, women learn the basics of construction work. (on camera): The women start out as unskilled workers may earn $5 a day, and then they can become skilled workers and they actually earn $9 a day. That is as much as men earn for the same job, which is very rare here in Afghanistan.
(voice-over): Eighteen-year-old Shakila uses the pay to support her family.
(on camera): Was it difficult for you to think about doing a man's job?
SHAKILA, PAINTING APPRENTICE (through translator): It's not a problem for me. If a man can do it, why can't a woman?
DOUGHERTY: This is men's work in Afghanistan for the most part. And so, when they started this program, there actually was a bit of nervousness about women doing a man's job.
STUBINA: This is a woman's hostel. The women -- it's OK for them to do that kind of work here. We couldn't have them this in the construction outside.
DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Across Afghanistan, women are in the background, hidden behind burqas they wear on the street. But empowerment projects are being replicated across the country by the U.S.
Getting women into the workforce is a major initiative as it seeks to build up Afghanistan. Like this program for female journalists in Herat.
Lida Ahmady says that's her dream, but first, she has to convince her husband.
LIDA AHMADY, JOURNALISM STUDENT: Things in my life, for example, I will be a good mother for my child. I will be a good wife for you, and also maybe a good journalist. Now he says, OK, I will see.
DOUGHERTY: Back in Jalalabad, Salma sees a glimmer of hope for her future. She's already found some new painting jobs, which she does when men aren't present.
SALMA (through translator): I'm proud about me, and I'm doing something for my family. I'm very happy I can work like man and go outside of my home, that I can work and get money for my family.
DOUGHERTY: And she's training her 14-year-old daughter to work with her.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Jalalabad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Sarah Palin not exactly seeing eye to eye with the Federal Reserve. No surprise there, but one critic says get your facts right, Sarah. Now she is firing back at him and the paper he writes for on Facebook.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Time now for the Help Desk, where we get answers to your financial questions.
Joining me this hour, Carmen Wong Ulrich. She's a personal finance author. John Ulzheimer is with Credit.com.
So good to have you with us today, guys. Let's get off with our first question.
Vincent in New Jersey writes, "If I transfer a credit card balance to a different card, what happens to my credit score?"
John?
JOHN ULZHEIMER, CREDIT.COM: A very, very popular question these days as people are trying to escape high interest rate cards. If you're transferring a balance from one card to another existing credit card, then the act in and of itself has no influence at all over your credit score. But make sure you keep the pre-existing account open. Do not close it just because you've transferred the balance away from it.
If you're opening a new account in order to transfer the balance to it, then that can lower your credit score for two reasons. A, you have a new inquiry on one of your credit reports, and that can lower your score. And then, B, you have a new account showing up on all three of your credit reports, which actually lessens the average age of all of your accounts, and that also can lower the score.
ELAM: All right. So, keep the credit open, but don't charge more on that card.
ULZHEIMER: Absolutely.
ELAM: All right.
Let's go on to our next question from MD in Florida -- writes, "I'll be graduating from college in the spring and don't have any credit, and would like to start building it soon. What should I know about credit cards?"
Time to learn, right, Carmen?
CARMEN WONG ULRICH, PERSONAL FINANCE AUTHOR: Oh, time to learn. Do we have an hour? We don't.
I'll tell you this -- you need to know that credit cards are not evil in and of themselves. You need to know that you're going to need to really work on balancing them, meaning take care of them now.
You're in your 20s. This is when you're really establishing your credit. So, how you use them now is going to determine a lot of things about your future. Know that you can shop around to get the best card for you. So go to sites like bankrate.com to shop around and see if you can apply for cards. If you can't get credit right away, go for a secured card.
Now, a secured card is a very specific type of card, and you can search for one there on those sites. But make sure that they report to the credit reporting bureaus. That's really important, because you're building your credit here.
And also, listen, if you're going to carry a balance -- I hope you don't -- but if you are going to carry a balance, manage it well. Make sure you pay it down as soon as you can. Don't build it up too high, and pay on time every time.
ELAM: That's the way they want you to make sure you're making your payments.
All right. Carmen and John, thanks so much for the good information, as always.
Of course, if you have a question you want to get answered, send us an e-mail any time to CNNHelpDesk@CNN.com.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. Let's take a look at stocks. New York Stock Exchange. Big Board over my shoulder here. We've been trading in negative territory all doggone day. We're down 31 points - all right, 29. And the NASDAQ -- I forgot the number. Last check it was - guys, help me - down three-and-a-half. We were in positive territory with the NASDAQ, but we've turned south and we're negative there. So, the major indices are down right now, but there is plenty of time for a bounce-back.
Sarah Palin defending remarks she made expressing skepticism about a plan by the Federal Reserve to buy up to $600 billion of U.S. government debt. Christine Romans, author of the book "Smart is the new Rich," joining me now from New York. Christine, good to see you.
Why?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.
HARRIS: Why is Palin -- and not just Palin -- and others -- critical of the Fed's, this idea, this notion of quantatative easing?
ROMANS: You said it, I didn't. Quantitative easing. That's the Fed's big stimulus. A lot of people are saying what is this quantitative easing, this QE-2. It has the 2 on it because we did it once before, more than a trillion dollars a couple of years ago, to try to get the economy going again.
This is a stimulus not passed by Congress. It's the Fed. The Federal Reserve can do it. Doesn't need to ask us, doesn't need to have permission. The president has no control over it.
What do China, Germany and Sarah Palin have in common? They're all coming out against it and saying it's not a good idea. That it's essentially the United States printing money out of thin air and that will come back to haunt us.
This is what Sarah Palin is saying about this just a week after the midterm elections. Coming out on a very intricate, international, global economic issue, saying "the Fed's quantitative easing plan is to print money out of thin air."
She's tweeting about this, last night, tweeting this ahead of a trip to Pennsylvania today going to a school event to start discussing quantitative easing with kids around the U.S. so they prepare for Fed's experiment with their future. So, she's talking about what it will mean for future generations and she's talking about potential inflation and says when anybody goes to the grocery store they can already see the effects because of rising food prices. That got her into a little spat with "The Wall Street Journal" reporter who wrote a story -- kind of a long story, actually.
Anyway, you can check it out on her Facebook page, the spat she's having with "The Wall Street Journal." But this is Sarah Palin coming out on a big issue and coming out firmly against Ben Bernanke and the Fed, calling him, asking him to cease and desist for the future of America, Tony.
HARRIS: Sarah Palin in conflict with The Wall Street Journal." That's kind of rich.
If no Fed action -- okay, let's just consider that -- then what should be done to fix the economy?
Let's do this. Let's take a break, Christine. Hang on to that thought because I know you've got a lot on this. We'll continue our conversation with Christine Romans right after the break. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS (voice-over): Pictures, information, insight you won't find anywhere else. CNN NEWSROOM with Tony Harris. Anything can happen.
(on camera): OK. Let's do this. Let's continue our conversation with my colleague and author Christine Romans in New York. She penned the book "Smart is the New Rich." Hot, hot, hot.
OK, Christine, before the break, we were talking about Sarah Palin. So, here's the question. If Sarah Palin is criticizing a plan by the Fed to purchase U.S. government debt, what does she propose the Fed do right now to boost the economy?
ROMANS: Well, she's not being specific quite yet on that, but she will speak this evening in Pennsylvania, and we'll be listening very closely to see if she has any kind of diagnosis and recommendation herself. But one of the things about the criticism so much of the Fed's plan is that people are concerned because they don't see an exit strategy and they just don't really think it's going to work overall. There's even been some division in the Fed on this, but Ben Bernanke has been very clear he thinks it will be help in the short term to get the economy growing again and, frankly, it needs to be done.
Now, German's finance minister, Tony - this is what said about it. He said, "With all due respect, U.S. policy is clueless." Those are some pretty strong words from a finance minister of one of our strongest allies. Sarah Palin also saying that when Germany, who knows a thing or two about inflation, is giving comments like that, she said, we should all take note.
The president, however, defending the Fed. He's on his big Asia trip, and he's going to be hearing more about this as he heads to Seoul, South Korea, for the G-20. So, a lot of Fed-bashing I would say, heading into that G-20 meeting. China has toned down its rhetoric a little bit diplomatically ahead of that meeting, but a lot of discussion about what this will mean. I think we'll hear more from Sarah Palin on it.
HARRIS: But let's be honest here. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has long been against this idea of stimulus spending to grease the skids of the global economy. So, it's not surprising that Germany would take this position, is it?
ROMANS: That's right. No, it's not. I also think it shows there are divisions among our friends and allies and among, I would say, our competitors in the global marketplace about what to do.
A year ago at G-20, I was in Pittsburgh, Tony, reporting on what was happening there. All of these countries, these 20 countries we're talking about speaking with one voice and not taking policy actions that would be detrimental or just their own policy actions to get out of the recession or build the recovery. And now you're seeing the feeling of going it alone again from different countries. So, it's an interesting time on the global stage. And Sarah Palin stepping right in there and trying to define this particular subject. So, a week after the midterms, two years before 2012, it's interesting.
HARRIS: Hello. All right, Christine. Thank you. Good to see you. Appreciate it. Good to see you. Best with the book. "Smart is the New Rich."
ROMANS: Thank you, Tony.
HARRIS: Can't say it enough.
Still to come, blastoff. It is a rocket, we think. But who the heck launched it?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. What's hot in the world of entertainment? After a quick look at top stories now. A mystery in southern California. Our affiliate KCBS caught on tape what appears to be a missile launch. Can we take that full? Off the coast last night. It prompted a lot of calls, and naval officials say it was not one of their missiles. No comment from the Air Force. Look at that.
The man in the spotlight during the BP oil disaster speaking out. Tony Hayward, now former CEO, told the British Broadcasting that BP was, quote, listen to this, "making it up day to day in the beginning." He says the company was not prepared to deal with all the media attention.
And you won't be seeing the Goodwrench name anymore in any GM service and repair centers. General Motors has given Mr. Goodwrench his walking papers. Get out of here.
Coco's comeback and Bristol Palin on "Dancing with the Stars." Two of the stories people are talking about today on the entertainment front. Brooke Anderson, co-host of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" on HLN joining us from Los Angeles.
Brooke, it's all yours. Good morning. Good to see you. Take it away.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": All right. Well, first I'll start with Conan's big debut last night, Tony, on TBS. There are some really, really great positive reviews out there today. Some lukewarm reviews as well. I always say you can't please everybody.
But for the most part, lots of love along the lines of it was a stronger more self-assured Conan and a looser, goofier Conan. I thought he really seemed at ease and happy to be back in his element.
And Tony, I don't know if you saw, but our own Larry King took part in the cold open of Conan's show which we know is the taped portion that kicks off the show. He played Conan's guardian angel when Conan was about to jump of a bridge because he couldn't find a job. And Larry was giving him advice, look into basic cable. Larry, very funny guy himself. But you know, it was great to see Conan back on the air.
HARRIS: Yes, yes, good stuff. That really was good stuff. Anything else making headlines, Brooke?
ANDERSON: Well, I want to tell you we just got word that Conan, the show last night really went neck and neck with Jay Leno.
HARRIS: Get out of here!
ANDERSON: We just got word that the early household market ratings showed that they were pretty much right there head to head. So, that's a great indicator that Conan had a really strong start, and we're going to get more concrete numbers on that in a few hours. But he might be able to rival Letterman and Leno. We'll just have to wait and see. I do want to say that the other late night hosts did not ignore the fact that Conan O'Brien was on the air last night. Listen to what Letterman said. "We gained an hour and they slipped in another talk show. Yes, right about now, Conan is about halfway through his first show, and everything is going fine and, yep, no signs of foul play yet." Of course that was a dig at Jay Leno.
But you know, I really think Conan is a force to be reckoned with. As he really gets into his groove, I think we're going to see more from him, bigger and even better things.
But I do want to talk now about Bristol Palin because you mentioned her in the very beginning. She's a competitor on what is already a ratings juggernaut, a monster hit, "Dancing With the Stars." And "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" was right there on the set of "Dancing With the Stars" with Bristol last night. She talked to us about trying to survive week eight. She and her partner there, Mark Ballas did a really sexy tango last night.
Listen what she told us after the dance about keeping hope alive and what momma Sarah Palin has been saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRISTOL PALIN, CONTESTANT, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": Yes. I had a blast doing the tango. I felt like it was intense, and everything was pretty powerful and stuff. We're not being rewarded for our hard work, but I had fun with both routines tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are with the voters though. People are bringing you back each week and want to see you here. I think they're inspired by your performances. I know you got to go home this week. What did you think of Alaska? Your second trip up there?
MARK BALLAS, INSTRUCTOR, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": We weren't in Alaska.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought you did. Sorry
BALLAS: No, no. We went and visited her family and we had a lot of fun. Like, I got to see Sarah again. Sarah is great. Todd's awesome. And Tripp was there and her little brother, Trigg. They came in on rehearsal. Sarah always has encouraging words to say, which is really awesome and great to have her there. So, I think that was inspiring and gave Bristol a little extra boost for this week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Nice.
ANDERSON: Tony, she scored 24 out of 30 last night, which ain't bad, but, you know, the competition is stiffer now. She's in the final five. She'll find out tonight if she makes it another week.
HARRIS: Could she conceivably win this thing?
ANDERSON: No, it's Jennifer Gray all the way.
HARRIS: I agree with you.
ANDERSON: But final five, I think, is an accomplishment in and of itself, especially for someone who's not naturally a dancer, like Bristol.
HARRIS: Right.
ANDERSON: She's done really well.
HARRIS: Hey, remind everybody when your big show is on tonight.
ANDERSON: All right, HLN, we're live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern and we're always back at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific every night.
HARRIS: Brooke, good to see you. See you tomorrow. Thank you.
ANDERSON: Bye.
And what CNN personality -- you'll love this -- will make a special presentation at the 2010 Soul Train -- yes, the Soul Train Music Awards tomorrow night. How about Don Lemon? How about Wolf Blitzer? Maybe Ali Velshi? You may be surprised by who's got the most soul.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, before the break here was the question, what CNN personality will make a special presentation at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards tomorrow night? Don Lemon? Wolf Blitzer? Ali Velshi? Well, the answer is -- wait for it -- wait for it -- there he is, the man, Wolf Blitzer, Soul Train Music Awards tomorrow night in Hotlanta. Wolf, as you know, part of "The Best Political Team On Television," joining us from the political desk in Washington.
Wolf, I can't wait to see you.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM" HOST: A lot of people don't know I'm a soul man going way back my whole life. It's going to be exciting. It's going to be fun. It's going to be tomorrow night in Atlanta and it will air on BET on, I think, November 28th. So it will be something everybody can see.
HARRIS: Well, I'll be there cheering you on. Wolf Blitzer, the original soul man. Can't wait.
All right, Wolf, I know you've got the political update for us.
BLITZER: Let me tell you what's going on in the world of politics crossing our CNN Ticker right now at cnnpolitics.com.
The president of the United States, he's in Indonesia. You know, as a young boy, he spent four years living there, formative years of his life. He had to twice postpone a trip to Indonesia because of Katrina, because of healthcare. He's finally there now and, guess what, this volcano is going to force him to cut short the trip by a few hours because they're afraid of the spewing ash that could impact Air Force One. So he'll have to cut short the trip in the morning. But it's -- at least he made it finally to Indonesia and met with the president and had some good meetings there. He'll move on to South Korea and the G-20 Summit in South Korea.
Michael Steele, it's another story that's moving, is the chairman of the Republican National Committee. A lot of us wondering, will he seek a second term as the chief -- as the leader of the Republican Party. There's opposition, as you know. He's getting into a little bit of a problem with Haley Barbour, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a former RNC chairman, the mayor -- the governor of Mississippi, suggesting maybe Michael Steele can't do the kind of appropriate fund-raising looking forward to 2012. Michael Steele saying they don't want me in this job. To put it rather bluntly, he told NPR, there has been a concerted effort since I got the job. No word yet on whether Steele will seek a second term, although you can't deny he's had some major political successes, not only in the election last week, but in terms of the earlier election in Virginia, in Massachusetts with Scott Brown and in New Jersey with Chris Christie.
Finally this. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the outgoing governor of California, he was on "Jay Leno" last night and he said he didn't really have a problem if people want to smoke pot. He said, no one cares in you smoke a joint or not, he said, although he did oppose proposition 19 which was defeated last week which would have completely legalized marijuana for recreational purposes in California. He says this proposition 19 went a little bit too far, I think, and it was written badly. But that's going to generate some commotion out there when he says nobody cares if you smoke a joint or not.
HARRIS: Wow. Wonder if he would have said that if he weren't the outgoing governor of the great state of --
WOLF: Probably not. Probably not.
HARRIS: Yes, probably not.
All right, there he is, the leader --
WOLF: I'll see you tomorrow in Atlanta, Tony.
HARRIS: Can't wait, Wolf. Cannot wait.
All right. Your next political update coming up in one hour. For the latest political news, you know where to go, at cnnpolitics.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, DD is back, Derek Dodge, following what's trending, what's hot. You've got, what, two computers and the iPad.
DEREK DODGE, CNN DIGITAL PRODUCER: Oh, yes.
HARRIS: You've got even the Blackberry and everything. All right, what is trending?
DODGE: I'm way too connected. Way to connected. OK, I'm going to geek out on you for a moment.
HARRIS: All right. Let's do it.
DODGE: This is why I love Twitter. So, almost 14 years after his death and Carl Sagan is trending on Twitter.
HARRIS: Yes.
DODGE: It is his birthday.
HARRIS: Famous astronomer. Yes, yes, yes. Oh, there he -- OK.
DODGE: And everyone is tweeting happy birthday, Carl Sagan, including this guy. He says, I'm not one to follow the trending topics, but I love Carl Sagan. Me too. A still more glorious dawn awaits. Happy birthday.
HARRIS: Nice. Can you really see -- all right, we want you to be able to see that at home. OK, there it is.
All right, what else are you following?
DODGE: Now I want to show you one more thing. This is the new White House blog on cnn.com. It's whitehouse.blog.cnn.com. So basically what's it like to work for CNN White House unit and follow the president around, right?
HARRIS: Yes. Yes.
DODGE: So the president is in Indonesia right now.
HARRIS: Right.
DODGE: And there's a lot of cool posts from our CNN contributors about what it's like to follow the president. Like here's a picture of an Air Force One pillow --
HARRIS: OK.
DODGE: And a little sign that says CNN on it. So that's really cool, right?
HARRIS: All right.
DODGE: And I'm going to leave you with this. In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.
HARRIS: Create the universe.
DODGE: Mr. Sagan, happy birthday.
HARRIS: Very nice. Derek Dodge following what's trending.
We're back in a moment. Where are you going? You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. Come back here. Come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: This veterans day many people will be going to cemeteries to remember loved ones who served and died. Some veterans, though, never get any visitors. In fact, some are buried with no one there to mourn them. CNN's Deborah Brunswick reports on one cemetery out to change that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL PICERNO, DIRECTOR, CALVERTON NATIONAL CEMETERY: Today we are here to honor the memory of over 20 veterans. We're at the Calverton National Cemetery on the eastern end of Long Island, here to perform an NOA service.
LOU DILEO, BUGLER: NOA stands for no one in attendance. In other words, these soldiers that have come here do not have any family, no mourners, no one to pay them tribute. They're just left here to be buried.
PICERNO: This ceremony started at the Calverton Cemetery about five years ago when several of our employees realized that there were these veterans interred here without family or friends at the burial ceremony. We thought it would be a fitting tribute to them to have some of our employees and some veterans from the local community come and pay tribute to these individuals on a monthly basis.
FERDINAND A. MEGGS JR., CEMETERY REPRESENTATIVE: They're veterans that have served this country and it's important that we honor them, whether they have family here or not. And it's our obligation to do it and it's an honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Private First Class Philip Madderno, U.S. Army.
PICERNO: Reading their names individually is something that's quite meaningful, connecting their rank, their name, their branch of service and realizing that these are people who did take time out of their life to defend their country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Specialist Fourth Class Jim Harrington Jr. (ph), U.S. Army. Private Bernard Rowland, U.S. Army, Senior Airman Hadi Mansuf, U.S. Air Force.
MEGGS: I try to picture them. I try to picture who they are and all that they did for the military.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today we remember all of them.
DILEO: The NOA service is sad, to think that a soldier is here and there was no family, no friends. We don't know why. All that we know is that a flag covered his coffin. So we offer him the respect and the honor that he deserves for serving his country. We are now his family and he's being buried with his comrades in arms.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mission well done. God bless. Rest in peace.
