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Jackson Doctor's Trial Begins; Teacher Fired for Personal Behavior; Deadly Warning from Cartels; Obama Pitches Jobs Bill in Denver; Greece Passes Property Tax Bill Amid Protests; Trial of Michael Jackson's Doctor Commences; German Satellite Falling to Earth; Governor Christie Blocks Tax Credit to 'Jersey Shore' Production Company; Highest Paid Bank CEOs; Jackson's Choreographer Takes Stand

Aired September 27, 2011 - 16:00   ET

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

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go down to the closing bell with Alison Kosik, because, Alison, the stock market has been swinging today, all seemingly in the positive, but I guess 150 points right now, that's a pullback from where it was.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is.

We did see the Dow as high as -- up as high as 324 points. We're closing right now up 151, as you said, the Dow paring some of its gains. What you saw mostly for the beginning of the session today was optimism that a Greek bailout would happen.

You know that these European debt issues have really been weighing on the markets for quite some time. And you saw that optimism as the Dow rose to 324 points higher today, and we saw some of that fizzle out as yet another headline surfaced from "The Financial Times" saying that there's divisions over the terms of this deal.

So you see how quickly things can change on Wall Streets, especially if there are certainly cracks in this deal. Still, we are ending up 147 points on the Dow. Oil prices surged as well today, up 4 percent today -- Martin (sic).

GRIFFIN: Alison, thanks. I guess the German vote coming up this week is going to be what we're going to be watching next on the bailout there in Greece.

KOSIK: Exactly.

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Alison.

Now watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN (voice-over): This is it. The Michael Jackson death trial begins today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The evidence in this case will show that Michael Jackson literally put his life in the hands of Conrad Murray.

GRIFFIN: The question at the center of Dr. Conrad Murray's defense? How did he come by all that propofol to help the king of pop sleep?

A teacher once considered a favorite by students and parents fired over this controversial video of her allegedly smoking marijuana.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's wrong for people to think that they can trash someone else's life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who do we allow to teach our children? Who do we allow to be around our children?

GRIFFIN: How much scrutiny should a teacher be under outside the classroom?

Plus, just when you thought the coast was clear for space junk, hurtling toward Earth, a new warning about stuff falling from space. This time, it's (INAUDIBLE).

Then, I scream, you scream, a lot of people screamed about this picture apparently. That is a really unfortunate cone costume.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. It's 4:00 in the East, 2:00 in Denver. I'm Drew Griffin, in today for Brooke Baldwin.

We begin with jobs. Millions don't have one. The president working hard to keep his. Following up on this rousing campaign-like appearance in California yesterday, the president is in Colorado today, pushing his plan to get people working. He calls its American Jobs Act. And it includes $25 billion for modernizing public high schools across the country.

So it's no coincidence the president will give his pitch at Abraham Lincoln High in Denver.

And that's where we find Jessica Yellin.

Jessica, the president momentarily any minute now, any surprises we're going to see when he speaks today?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Surprises, no, I think you're going to hear the president deliver a fiery speech calling on Congress to, as you have heard so many times recently, pass this jobs bill, Drew.

He is at, as you say, Abraham Lincoln School, which was built in 1960, which has had very few minor renovations. It's in a Latino community with many Latino students. It's in a district that he won, so he's essentially speaking to the base, but in a state, if we can get to this, he won last time around, but he will struggle to win next time around.

So this is a bit of a twofer, pushing a jobs bill and no doubt pushing ahead to 2012, Drew.

GRIFFIN: You know, it doesn't seem like certainly the House, controlled by Republicans, but even the Senate Democrats are in any hurry to pass this jobs bill. Any frustration there from the aides you're talking to about the fact that the president is trying to sell this so hard on the road, and back in Washington, it's business as usual, more or less?

YELLIN: Sure, frustration, but also not a lot of surprise because there is -- gridlock is the way of things right now in Washington.

And that's why they're making such an effort to put the president here, pushing the message. And let's be frank, it doesn't entirely hurt him. While it would help more to get a bill passed, in the absence of getting it passed having him out on the road campaign style fighting Congress, does position himself against a do-nothing Washington in a way and set himself up, if it has to be this way, for the president to run as a candidate who is trying to fight the ways of Washington.,

So I think you could look ahead to that. This bill doesn't pass, I think you could look ahead to more of that kind of messaging next year -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: All right, thanks, Jessica -- Jessica Yellin with the president in Colorado. We will keep an eye on that, by the way, when the president gets to the podium.

We all read the tabloid reports and saw the pictures over the years, Michael Jackson, looking frail, wearing a face mask, being pushed in a wheelchair at times, but all of those reports and all those pictures couldn't prepare the public for the stunning piece of audio that prosecutors played in court today.

This was the start of the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. I want you to listen carefully. This is the voice of Michael Jackson in a phone call, recorded just a month before his death, in 2009.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MICHAEL JACKSON, MUSICIAN: We have to be phenomenal. When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, I have never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I have never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world.

I'm taking that money, a million children, children's hospital, the biggest in the world.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Very difficult to hear and to comprehend what was going on there in Michael Jackson's life. The defense kicked off its opening statement by saying the person responsible for the death of Michael Jackson is Michael Jackson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED CHERNOFF, ATTORNEY FOR CONRAD MURRAY: The scientific evidence will show you that when Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self- administered a dose of propofol that, with the lorazepam, created a perfect storm in his body that killed him instantly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Prosecutors allege Dr. Murray injected Jackson with the anesthetic propofol and left Jackson's bedside.

(NEWS BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: The scientific evidence will show you that when Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self-administered a dose of propofol.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: This is it, the Michael Jackson death trial under way. The question at the center of Dr. Conrad Murray's defense, how did he come by all that propofol for the king of pop?

Then, would it change your opinion about a teacher if she was recorded performing sex acts and allegedly smoking pot? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: A fourth-grade teacher fired after school officials say inappropriate photos and videos were sent to the school district and to parents.

Natalie Santagata is seen on the videos allegedly smoking marijuana. The school's superintendent says the videos also show Santagata engaging in sexual acts. The photos and videos were sent anonymously.

Now, we have reached out to the teacher's attorney for comment. We haven't gotten a response yet. The school superintendent says she was fired because she could no longer -- quote -- "be effective as a teacher in our district based on your personal conduct or misconduct that came to light through pictures and digital videos."

But the story raises questions. Is a teacher's personal life open for criticism, and how much privacy can a teacher expect?

CNN contributor Steve Perry is here to help us with this one.

And, Steve, you hire and fire attorneys. Is this -- attorneys -- teachers. Is this a fireable offense? Would this be something you would fire a teacher for?

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely not.

In fact, at some point, we have to let our teachers be humans. The job is hard enough. And we need to focus on the real issues in education, because I don't think that this teacher's personal acts outside of the classroom with someone who she's seemed to have affection toward and with whom she felt she could trust should be used against her in her job, because we actually have an entire group of people, young people, teachers, whose life is in some way, shape, or form on videotape.

And this is not just a teacher. This is principals and board of education members. At some point, we have to give people the right to be humans and to be private and stay out of people's bedrooms, man.

GRIFFIN: This video was sent to the school, apparently anonymously. But it also, Steve, was sent to parents, we're told -- which leads me to the question, obviously, the rumors of this behavior were spreading around the school, the kids, some of them, probably learned about the activity. Would this have made or could this have made her a less fec actual teacher in the eyes of the students?

PERRY: It absolutely could. There's no doubt it could have. But on the same token, what we don't realize kids are far more forgiving than we give them credit. And kids understand that things happen -- bad things happen to good people. And kids are more sophisticated than simply being driven by the salaciousness of the incident.

We have an opportunity now (INAUDIBLE) education as we know it. One of the things we need to do is understand that people are going to be in the schools and they're going to make decisions, and not all of them will be as savory as we think they are. But this sounds like she and her partner, somebody she cared about, decided to make a video. And, you know, this person doesn't seem to have -- and I don't know who sent the video, that's what I'm saying -- someone who had access to it decided to ruin her career.

Think of how many teachers we could lose today if that same thing were to happen. It's too high of an expectation to put on a teacher. It's too high.

GRIFFIN: I mentioned attorney when I was introducing you, but it does bring up the point -- does she have some kind of claim here against the school district to try to get her job back? Would you expect her to file a suit here?

PERRY: I would. And this is a place I would strongly support the unions. The unions need to jump behind this teacher. Something that she did outside of work, that may or may not -- we don't know, it's only speculation -- may or may not make her more or less effective being used against her.

I don't think it is fair she or anyone be put in the situation where they simply cannot work because of a decision that she made. She is not looking to distribute the video. That's different. She did not put it upon the parents. This was something put upon her.

We have to leave room in our academic experience to bring the best and brightest to bear. And that's what this is about. We have to be child advocates. And I don't think this is about child advocacy. I think it's about political expediency and, again, I struggle with (INAUDIBLE) behind it.

GRIFFIN: All right. Steve Perry, thanks for your comments on that. I want to let everybody know, we did reach out to the teacher and her attorney and we haven't heard back yet. But we would certainly be following up on that.

It's been another victim, a journalist who wrote about drug cartels on social media sites found beheaded in Mexico. A look at the group claiming responsibility next in our "Globe Trekking" report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: In our "Globe Trekking," the globe -- the drug violence in Mexico turning more sinister. The latest development: an apparent vigilante movement forming. A video reportedly from the group, it shows mask men promising to exterminate members of the violent Zeta drug cartel. This follows a murder of a journalist who dared to challenge the cartel.

Here's Rafael Romo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice-over): The decapitated corpse was a clear message dumped right in the heart of Nuevo Laredo, across the border from Laredo, Texas.

Mexican officials said the victim was 39-year-old Maria Elizabeth Macias Castro, editor in chief of "Primera Hora," one of the three local newspapers, but also famous for her online social media posts.

Next to the body, a hand-written warning: "I'm here because of my reports and yours. For those of you who don't want to believe, this happened because of my actions and for trusting the Defense Ministry and the marines," said the sign.

The gruesome murder is the third this month in which victims were apparently targeted for their work online. Just last week, the bodies of a man and a woman who had been hog-tied and disemboweled were found hanging from a nearby bridge. The bodies have not been identified.

A hand-written poster attached to the bridge threatened two blogs that follow organized crime in Mexico. One of them said: "This is going to happen to all of those posting funny things on the Internet. You better pay attention. I'm about to get you."

Nuevo Laredo Mayor Benjamin Galvan didn't want to talk to CNN about the wave of violence, but earlier this month told affiliate KSAT he's working on improving security.

BENJAMIN GALVAN, MAYOR OF NUEVO LAREDO, MEXICO: It's not at the level that we want it to be. There aren't easy and fast solutions to the problem of violence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Rafael joins me live. So insidious. What is the latest on the investigations there? ROMO: Well, not much is happening because everybody's afraid. The reporters are afraid of reporting the story because they receive threats. The prosecutors are afraid of investigating because they receive threats.

And now, we have news that a vigilante group has appeared in a different Mexican state, in the state of Vera Cruz, that is promising to kill these drug traffickers. It he adds a new component to the mix of violence in Mexico and makes the situation even worse.

GRIFFIN: Yes, even the mayor won't talk to us for obvious reasons. I mean --

ROMO: Exactly. This is in Nuevo Laredo, across the border from Laredo, Texas, and he's afraid for his life. I spoke with his office and they told us they would talk to us and then they never got back. We tried and tried and tried. Understandably, they're afraid for their safety.

GRIFFIN: Rafael Romo, thanks.

We want go to Colorado now. The president speaking there at Abraham Lincoln High School in Denver, just about wrapping up his thank yous. Let's listen in.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've got lots to do to make sure that everyone in this country gets a fair shake and a fair shot and a chance to get ahead. That's the number one thing that I think about each and every day -- your lives, your opportunities. That should be the number one thing that every public servant in Washington is thinking about.

There's so much that we could accomplish together if Washington can finally start acting on behalf of the people.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: We've got to get that city to stop worrying so much about their jobs and their careers and start worrying about your jobs and your careers.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: And that's why I sent Congress the American Jobs Act.

Now, I know it's -- I know it's kind of thick, but it boils down to two things: putting people back to work and putting more money in the pockets of working Americans.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Every single thing in the American Jobs Act is the kind of proposal that's been supported by Democrats and Republicans in the past. Everything in it will be paid for. It's been two weeks since I sent it to Congress. Now I want it back.

I want it back, passed, so I can sign this bill and start putting people back to work.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I've already got the pens all ready, all lined up on my desk, ready to sign the bill. And every one of you can help make it happen by sending a message to Congress, a simple message: pass this jobs bill.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Look, pass this jobs bill and right here in Colorado, thousands of construction workers will have a job again.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: This is one of the most common sense ideas out there. All over the country, there are roads and bridges and schools, just like Lincoln, that are in need of repair.

One of the reasons we came here was: this is the fastest-growing school in one of the fastest-growing school districts in Colorado.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: So, Lincoln has been adding new E.P. courses and new language courses and the wonderful principal and administrators here have been making sure -- and the teachers here -- have been making sure kids have upgraded computers and learning software that's necessary to prepare all of you students for the jobs in the economy of the future.

But you know what? Things like science labs take money to upgrade. The science labs here at Lincoln High were built decades ago, back in the '60s. I don't know if you've noticed, but science and technology has changed a little bit since the 1960s. The world has changed a little bit since the 1960s.

So, we need to do everything we can to prepare our kids to compete. We need to do everything we can to make sure our students can compete with any students, anywhere in the world. And every child deserves a great school and we can give it to them.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: We can rebuild our schools for the 21st century, with faster Internet and smarter labs and cutting-edge technology. And that won't just create a better learning environment for students; it will create good jobs for local construction workers here in Denver, and all across Colorado, and all across the country.

There are schools in Colorado in need of renovation, but it's not just in this state. Last week, I visited a bridge in Cincinnati that connected Ohio to Kentucky.

Bridges need renovations. Roads need renovations. We need to lay broadband lines in rural areas. There are construction projects like these all across this country just waiting to get started and there are millions of unemployed construction workers ready to do the job.

So, my question to Congress is: what on earth are you waiting for? Let's get to work.

(APPLAUSE)

GRIFFIN: That's President Obama speaking before a crowd at the Abraham Lincoln High School in Colorado.

Continuing his tour of the country, trying to get Congress back in Washington to pass his jobs bill.

We'll be right back after this. The Michael Jackson death trial about to get back under way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Now for Reporter Roulette. Greece vows it's going to overcome its economic woes. Conrad Murray has problems of his own as speculation lays out in the Michael Jackson death trial, and look out, there's German space junk barreling towards earth now. Time to play Reporter Roulette. For that we turn to John Defterios. John, what is the latest from Athens?

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, drew, let's call it a double barrel approach to try to restore Greece's reputation in the world markets. First off, the prime minister George Papandreou went to Berlin to lobby for patience from Germany and financial support. Meanwhile his finance minister stayed closer to home to push through a controversial property tax bill. It was met with stiff resistance in the parliament square tonight. Some 3,000 protesters gathered for that vote, which passed three hours ago. They were dispersed with tear gas.

The finance minister actually told me ahead of that vote that the passage of this legislation and cutting state pensions by 20 to 40 percent and state salaries by another 20 percent that they think they can get the next $10 billion of a European bailout plan. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVANGELOS VENIZELOS, GREEK FINANCE MINISTER: I am absolutely optimistic about the investment and about the implementation of the so-called new program, always in reference to the famous decision of 21st of July.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEFTERIOS: The famous decision of July 21st refers to $160 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and European central bank. Greece has been promising austerity now the past year and this crisis started some two years ago, overpromised and not delivered.

The passage of this bill tonight and the cuts in pensions and in salaries is an effort to restore confidence, and it played well on Wall Street and it played well in European markets and why we saw them rally today. But a lot of controversy tonight with some 3,000 protesters resisting the tax increases.

GRIFFIN: John, the prime minister, obviously playing well on Wall Street, but what about in Greece? The prime minister said we're going to get through this pain together in Greece. Is his government going to survive the pain of this?

DEFTERIOS: Well, he has elections coming up in the autumn of 2013, and it's a very tense situation on the ground. For example, we went to interview the finance minister this afternoon and during that interview, you had customs state workers protesting outside the finance ministry. We went for a press conference, another group of state workers, tax collectors, held a press conference hostage and they had to be pushed out after 30 minutes. It gives you a sense of how tense things are on the ground. A transport strike as well.

So he's trying to keep this austerity move together, but it's got a lot of resistance on the ground. They've got a recession here, Drew, of seven percent, record unemployment of 16 percent, just to give you a taste of what's going on the ground here in Athens.

GRIFFIN: John on the ground in Athens, thanks.

A stunning moment today in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Prosecutors played a message Jackson left on the doctor's phone in May of 2009. Here's part of it. Listen closely now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Hard to believe that's Michael Jackson. Prosecutors allege Murray injected Jackson with the powerful anesthetic Propofol just a few weeks after that call. Ted Rowlands of course covering the trial in Los Angeles. Ted, how much Propofol are we talking about?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're talking about hundreds of bottles and the prosecution today in the opening statements, concentrated on not only the amounts of Propofol that Murray was getting for Jackson in terms of ordering it, sending it to his girlfriend's apartment in Santa Monica, but they really concentrated on the last fatal dose of Propofol, saying the he gave it to Jackson, then he left the room, and that is when Jackson died. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID WALGREN, PROSECUTOR: The evidence will also remain unchanged that Conrad Murray figuratively and literally abandoned Michael Jackson on June 25th, 2009. He left this vulnerable man filled with Valium and Lorazepam and Propofol with no medical monitoring equipment, no necessary resuscitative equipment. He left him there, abandoned him to fend for himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Now defense attorney Ed Chernoff who represents Conrad Murray right now in the -- after the lunch break is just finishing up his opening statement. He spun a little different story to the jury, saying it was Jackson himself who consumed that fatal dose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED CHERNOFF, DR. CONRAD MURRAY'S LAWYER: The scientific evidence will show you that when Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self- administered a dose of Propofol that, with the Lorazepam, created a perfect storm in his body that killed him instantly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: At one point, Conrad Murray broke down as he listened to his defense attorney talk about his relationship with Michael Jackson, a very emotional day in that courtroom as you can imagine, Drew. Observers say the Jackson family, obviously, broke down not only when they heard Michael Jackson's voice in that horrible tape where he is, obviously, drugged out, but also when they showed a picture of him lying on a gurney. They said Katherine Jackson especially had a very tough time with that. Drew?

GRIFFIN: Very tough moments indeed. Ted Rowlands thank you so much. We'll be watching as the trial continues on Los Angeles.

Next on Reporter Roulette, Chad Myers in the weather center.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: About more space junk. This time a two ton German space telescope. This one has more potential to hit the ground with bigger pieces because the pieces that are up there, are ceramic and glass.

GRIFFIN: Leave it to the Germans.

MYERS: Hey, they make great lenses and they made a great telescope. The ceramic and glass will not disintegrate like a lot of the pieces did the UARS last week. Yes, believe it or not, I want to say it, 800 pound piece could come bouncing down to the ground with this one. The last one the UARS was only about 300 pounds.

GRIFFIN: One pound will probably hurt you.

MYERS: No matter what it's going to leave a mark, right? The good news, the last one we know, NASA has made a definitive answer to this. The last satellite did not make it very far off the coast of Africa here on its way back around and into Australia before it burned up south of Australia. Here's the path of this is called ROSAT. It is just come across the south American continent, going to be moving up over and into Europe and Asia and every other pass it gets closer and goes around the world and over and over.

This is not expected to fall to the ground until late October or early November, but, you know, we have 4,000 pieces that eventually have to fall to the ground. I hope this isn't like a weekly story. Drew?

GRIFFIN: I hope not either. Thanks, Chad.

That's the Reporter Roulette for today.

Moving on here, a Sorry Snooki. Governor Chris Christie, telling the "Jersey Shore" to kiss off. New Jersey's top dog is blocking a tax credit to the show. Joe Johns breaks it down next in today's Political Pop.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie got rid of a reality show tax credit situation yesterday. The White House gets their square states confused. Joe Johns, here with the latest. First, Joe, you chase a lot of bad government spending. I can't believe that this show was getting a tax subsidy.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You're right. Especially at a time where state governments are up against very tough budgets and this is something that really got ridiculed. It was called the Snooki tax credit, even they to be clear, it's not any direct benefit to Snooki. This is a $420,000 tax credit that was already to go to a company called 495 Productions, the producers of the "Jersey Shore" television program that Snooki appears on.

But Governor Chris Christie decided he wasn't going to stand for it. The governor has been an outspoken critic of this program, and it's important to say, a budget hawk as well.

On the one hand Christi said he's not interested in policing the content of the programs like "Jersey Shore," not censorship, in other words. But on the other hand, he said, he had to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a $420,000 bill for a project that "does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state of New Jersey and its citizens," his words.

Meanwhile, by the way, Christi continues to be mentioned as a possible presidential candidate. Though he says he's not running. He happens to be giving a speech tonight at the Ronald Reagan Library in California. So people will keep asking that question.

GRIFFIN: And I guess people will keep pushing him to jump into the race.

Meanwhile, though, we did notice there was a geographical oops moment for the White House press office?

JOHNS: Yes. This is one of those things that just makes you cringe. When the president travels, media people are issued credentials, right? For this trip, the press passes issued for the president's west coast swing have a glaring mistake. There's a little map on the credentials that's supposed to show the states the president's traveling to. He's traveling to the states of California, Washington state, Colorado. But here is the big mistake. Instead of highlighting the state of Colorado, somehow or other they highlighted the state of Wyoming, obviously something you would expect the White House to get right. After all, he is the president of the United States. I did ask the White House if they are going to reprint the press passes, but haven't heard back so far, Drew.

GRIFFIN: Maybe they could fill him in on the press plane. He just gave that speech out in Colorado which should have been in white, obviously, there.

Hey, a little bragging moment for you guys last night. You were there as CNN won two Emmys.

JOHNS: Yes. I was part of the "ANDERSON COOPER 360" team in Haiti covering the aftermath of the earthquake, and last night the team awarded two Emmys for that coverage. The team did an incredible job, horrific story.

And, Drew, you've won three Emmys on your own, is that about right?

GRIFFIN: That's right.

JOHNS: Yes, all right. So it's a great honor to be associated with any project like this, especially a successful one. But I think Larry King, who was on the show just a little while ago, said it about right. I mean, we who do this for a living, we don't own these cameras. CNN owns the cameras. And it's a privilege to just go out and do what you do, even in the worst of circumstances. So a few candid shots from the camera phone.

GRIFFIN: Absolutely. Well, well-deserved, Joe. We love your work and that was incredibly, poignant, sad reporting done from Haiti in the aftermath of that incredible earthquake that they had. Joe Johns with Political Pop and some snaps from his Emmy wins last night.

Coming up, Wolf Blitzer with the latest from Washington, straight after his break.

But first today's top five list. Who are the highest paid bankers in the country? At number five, CEO whose salary skyrocketed at 143 percent, in one year. Richard Davis of U.S. Bank Corp. He takes home about $16 million.

Number four, Ken Chenault. He doesn't leave home without it. His $16.3 million from American Express. Number three, John Stump of Wells Fargo, $17.6 million. This is for a year, folks. We're going to reveal the top two after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Continuing with our list now, the second highest paid bank CEO in the country is Robert Kelly, whose salary jumped 73 percent in one year. He earns $19.4 million from the Bank of New York Melon.

Number one, a name you'll recall from the dark days of 2008, Jamen Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, $28.8 million last year. You may have seen his names in the headlines recently. He defended U.S. banks at a meeting of international bankers last week and called new global banking rules anti-American.

Coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM" Chris Christie, he's set to make a big speech. But will he be making any presidential announcement. Joining us with a preview is Wolf Blitzer. Wolf, a lot of speculation continuing to swirl for months around Chris Christie.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Don't hold your breath that he's going to run. He almost certainly will not run. He's making it clear to his closest friends and relatives that he doesn't think he's ready to be president of the United States.

And as you know, when you say you're not ready to be president of the United States, it's going to be hard to walk that back. Why would people vote for you if you yourself don't think you're ready to become the commander in chief of the United States of America.

So, as much as a lot of Republicans would like somebody else to jump in, apparently a lot of them are disappointed that Rick Perry hasn't lived up to the expectations that were built up for him, others simply don't like Mitt Romney and some of the other candidates so they were hoping for someone to come in from the outside.

Chris Christie the governor of New Jersey. He's only governor two years, he's almost certainly not going to run. But he is giving a big speech tonight at the Reagan Library out in California so people will be watching. Is it possible that he could emerge as a vice presidential running mate? Sure. That's still possible.

Although probably not likely either because if you're vice president, if you're on the ticket to be the vice president of the United States, the single most important aspect of that race for vice president is you'd be qualified to be president in case of an emergency.

He himself says he's not qualified, not ready to be president of the United States, so maybe he's not even going to be a running mate right now. The people of New Jersey may be able to enjoy him for a while longer assuming he decides not to run. My gut tells me he's not going to run.

GRIFFIN: I want to ask you about this jobs bill. The president is out trying to get people to call Congress and push them into passing the jobs bill, but if I'm reading this correctly, both the House, which is Republican controlled, and the Senate, Democrat controlled, aren't in a big hurry to do anything?

BLITZER: Yes, it looks like they're going to take some time off in the short term. They're not going to do anything right now. The president has put forward a package. It's almost certainly not going to get through the Republican majority in the House of Representatives and Harry Reid doesn't seem to see any urgency right now to get it on the floor of the United States Senate.

So I'm not holding my breath. The president's got his position out there. He's going to go out there campaigning for it. The Republicans are going to be campaigning for something else, so I don't think that jobs bill is necessarily going to go anywhere. We'll see what the "Super Committee" can do.

GRIFFIN: All right. Wolf Blitzer, getting ready for his show, which starts in about nine minutes from now "THE SITUATION ROOM." Thanks, Wolf. Appreciate it.

BLITZER: Thank you.

GRIFFIN: And audio recording of an accused killer in the Connecticut home invasion reveals chilling new details. You will hear his own words.

Plus, the Michael Jackson death trial back under way. That's live from inside the courtroom. We're going to have Sunny Hostin breaking it down next. She is on the case.

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GRIFFIN: Want to give you a note about this broadcast. Brook Baldwin moves up an hour in the CNN line up, that starts Monday. You will get two hours, from 2:00 to 4:00 Eastern, 11:00 to 1:00 Pacific in the CNN NEWSROOM. It all begins next week.

Michael Jackson as you've never heard it before. Prosecutors played a phone message that Michael Jackson left for his doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, just weeks before his death. Take a listen.

Sunny Hostin is on the case. Sunny, when I first heard that, I didn't know why the prosecution was playing it. Tell me why, tell me your read on that?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think it was really compelling evidence for the prosecution and that's why they played it. The prosecution's theory, Drew, is that after hearing Michael Jackson in this stupor, drug induced stupor. Conrad Murray still ordered additional Propofol two days later.

As a prosecutor you want your victim in the courtroom, usually you show pictures of a vibrant victim, and juxtapose against them against a picture that isn't as vibrant, perhaps a dead body, perhaps someone with injuries.

In this case now you have the very voice of Michael Jackson in front of this jury in a drug induced state, possibly drug induced by Conrad Murray. So while many people think wow that could possibly play into the defense case, I think it's a very strong piece of evidence for this prosecution.

GRIFFIN: Sunny, we're looking live as that's Kenny Ortega on the witness stand, the first witness in this case, choreographer for Michael Jackson.

I guess my question was, you know, the drug induced state was weeks before that the man had actually died. Michael Jackson was surrounded by people and I just came away thinking, didn't anybody else know this was going on?

HOSTIN: Well, you know, that's the magic question. So many people are saying, well, he just seemed OK. I'm sure Kenny Ortega, as the choreographer of "This Is It" is going to say he showed up, he was on time, he seemed OK.

His family members have indicated that while they thought he had an addiction he was being treated for some sort of addiction, they thought he was OK. I think that's the theme we will hear throughout, but we know that addicts sort of act as if.

I think the defense is going to do a pretty good job of playing up that card, playing up the fact that they believe that Michael Jackson was an addict, that many other people had given Michael Jackson these drugs and that Conrad Murray is just the fall guy. And that Michael Jackson's talent just couldn't mask this issue that he had. That's how they started their opening statements, actually.

GRIFFIN: Sunny, we're going to drop in right now live. This is David Walgren, the prosecutor, questioning choreographer Kenny Ortega, let's listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you remember under what circumstances you met him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Michael called me at my home and expressed an interest in working with me creatively on an upcoming tour.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which tour was that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was the "Dangerous" Tour.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you took him up on that offer?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what was your role on the "Dangerous" Tour?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the "Dangerous Tour" I was the co-creator of the show itself with Michael and I was the director of the production.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In addition to the "Dangerous Tour," were there other -- prior to "This Is It," were there other tours you were involved with Michael?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I was also Michael's co-creative partner on "History, the History Tour," and also a couple other one off concert productions for charity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you mean one offs?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not part of his tour, but like a special concerts that were done for charitable reasons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Now -- GRIFFIN: On trial obviously. We're just getting under way. Just give me your overall impression of both the opening statements for the prosecution and defense? Does this seem like an evenly matched trial?

HOSTIN: You know, it certainly isn't a slam dunk for the prosecution, although I think they came out swinging. I thought their opening statement was extremely strong. But the defense did a good job of muddying the waters and raising the specter of reasonable doubt.

At this point going into the case, I think that the prosecution, Drew, has the momentum, as they should, because they have the burden beyond a reasonable doubt, but we will see. I think a very vigorous defense of Conrad Murray.

GRIFFIN: And part of that defense, if I was hearing correctly, was that the possibility that Michael Jackson may have injected the fatal blow to himself?

HOSTIN: That is right. I mean, we've heard about that before. We heard about it during the preliminary hearing. They sort of came out pretty strong with that theory and that theme in their opening statements.

There's no question about it, that we're going to hear some medical experts say that it is possible, maybe not probable, but possible that Michael Jackson self-medicated interesting was self-medicated and gave himself the fatal dose of Propofol.

GRIFFIN: We are certainly getting a window into this super star's life, how he operated, how he operated with his doctors and the people around him. It's going to be an interesting trial expected to last several weeks.

Sunny, thank you so much for joining us. Right now we're going to turn over the CNN NEWSROOM goes to Wolf Blitzer with "THE SITUATION ROOM" in Washington, D.C. - Wolf.