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Chilling Jackson Audio Played in Court; Christie Stirs 2012 Speculation; Christie Keeps Supporters Guessing; Supporters Beg Christie to Run; Iranian Naval Plans Revealed; Seven Arrested in SAT Cheating Scandal; Gas Leak Sparks Street Fire; Young Voters' Thoughts on Obama; Obama Pushes Education Spending; Amazon Expected to Unveil Tablet; Stocks Rally Again; Nancy Grace's Wardrobe Malfunction; Clooney and Gergen Swim; Bake Sale Highlights Race, Gender Bias; Thirteen Dead From Tainted Cantaloupes
Aired September 28, 2011 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a shocking start at Michael Jackson's death trial. If you haven't heard it yet, prosecutors played a chilling audiotape of a drugged up Michael Jackson just weeks before his death. His speech, slow and slurred. All captured on the iPhone of Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When people leave my show, I want them to say I have never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: CNN's Don Lemon is following the trial for us from Los Angeles. Don, you were there in the courtroom, sitting behind the Jackson family. The reaction when they heard that recording?
LEMON: Imagine, you're not even a family member Kyra. I'm sure your reaction. It's just -- it's just jaw-dropping, and the family had to -- had to sit through it twice, because the first time the audio wasn't clear enough and they played it again. Their obvious reaction was, tears.
And that's what they did. They looked at each other, they gasped and there were tears. And everyone in the courtroom, including the people charged with deciding Conrad Murray's guilt or innocence, they were all emotionally stun by it as well, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You actually -- I saw you during the break. How did you get your hands on some Propofol?
LEMON: I did. Well, here's the thing, you're talking about all of these things, about an ambubag and things involved in the trial, and there's an anesthesiologist who has been out here, and I said, what is Propofol like? Do you have any?
He goes, yes. I have some. I brought it. If you'd like to see it, here it is. He's on the scene. This is his. This is a bottle of Propofol, Diprovan as they call it. It looks like milk. According to the testimony and even according to what Dr. Conrad Murray's told investigators that he gave, Kyra, 25 mg of Propofol that's about 2 cc's.
That's according to the anaesthesiologist out here. That's about that much. This is as a substance that right at the center of all this. It feels weird. It's a common drug they use all the time in procedures every day in America, but it's so weird.
Just having it here makes me nervous to sort of have it, but this little bottle, a substance like this, is what's at the center of all of this. And this little bottle, what's in here, we knew nothing about it two years ago and now we're knowing more about it than we ever wanted to two years later after the death of Michael Jackson.
PHILLIPS: Yes, and after hearing those audiotapes yesterday. I think the world is watching and waiting to see what's going to happen today. Don Lemon there in Los Angeles. Thanks so much.
And the trial is being watched closely around the world. CNN's Zain Verjee join us live from London now with the international reaction. What was the word when you heard these audiotapes and those on the other side of the pond?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Similar reaction, Kyra. Total shock. Total disbelief. Let me show you what some of the newspapers here are saying. "The Daily Mail," in London says this, "Shocking Jackson death-bed picture doesn't justify the show trial circus.
It focuses on the trial itself saying the curtains come up on what's looking like the only show in town. Not even in the weird world that Jacko lived in could he imagine the circus that continues to surround him from beyond the grave.
Look at "The Independent" also here in London. Its headline, enabler or scapegoat? Jackson's doctor in the dock as trial finally starts. It says, where the two sides differ regards the all-important question on which the case would eventually turn, how and why the drugs found their way into Jackson's system?
And then the "Scotsman" from Scotland says, Jackson's slurred words from beyond grave. That's the headline. It just on to point out that this is going to be Conrad Murray's first time at this trial where the public is going to get in his own words what actually happened in Michael Jackson's bedroom in the rented mansion. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: Zain Verjee out of London. Zain, thanks.
Now the presidential plans of Chris Christie. It's not often that a politician makes news for what he doesn't say. That proves the buzz surrounding the New Jersey governor and a possible run for the White House. How many times does a guy have to say no before it sinks in?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: You folks are an incredible disappointment as an audience. The fact that that took, the second question -- shows you people are off your game. That is not American exceptionalism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, Jim Acosta, here's what's interesting. You know, hopeful supporters are saying, look, this time around he didn't say the word, no. So is there any reason to believe that he's reconsidering? I mean, this is so confusing.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: It feels like an episode of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" Is that your final answer, Governor Christie? You know, for a governor, Kyra, who is known for a New Jersey brand of what you see is what you get.
Chris Christie never really came out and said he is not running for president last night unlike all of those denials over the last year that we've played over and over here on CNN.
He sounded very much like a candidate last night at the Reagan Library. He went after President Obama, accused him of dividing country in order to win re-election. He even took a subtle dig at Rick Perry over the issue of giving instate tuition to the children of illegal immigrants.
He was asked at least twice, three times, if you count the woman who said, I'm from New Jersey, but I live in California, and Chris Christie said what are you doing out here in California about whether or not he is reconsidering this run for the White House.
One woman got very emotional, imploring Christie to run and Christie seemed to say, it's just not his time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do it for my daughter. Do it for our grandchildren. Do it for our sons. Please, sir, don't -- we need you. Your country needs you, to run for president.
CHRISTIE: It's extraordinarily flattering, but, by the same token, that heartfelt message you gave me is also not a reason for me to do it. That reason has to reside inside me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And it was amazing to watch reaction on Twitter last night, Kyra. There were a lot of pundits in Washington who heard the exact same speech, but came to a different conclusion as to what Governor Christie is up to.
I talked to a close adviser to the governor yesterday who basically said only he knows what he's doing adding, quote, "the storm of speculation is incredible, but this is a decision that will come from Chris Christie on his terms."
That word there, "decision," is an in that decision has not been made once and for all. But he's got some very big primary filing deadlines coming up here at the end of October. And there's another big question, Kyra.
And that is what about these early voting states? Like Iowa, where there are social conservatives. Can he win there? Can he win in New Hampshire where Mitt Romney is heavily favored to win? Can he win down in South Carolina, where again, social conservatives are very important.
Those are all important questions that Chris Christie and his team are probably looking at right now trying to make this decision.
PHILLIPS: See what happens in the next few weeks. Jim, thanks.
Iran state-run news is reporting that its planning to send ships near U.S. waters. An Iranian navy with a bigger presence in the Atlantic Ocean.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Star live in Washington with the latest. So Barbara, what's your take on this? Smoke in mirrors or is this a big threat that's brewing?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, should we be worried? Are the Iranians coming sailing over the horizon? I talked to some officials here at the Pentagon and I have to tell you, Kyra, what you get is some rolled eyeballs.
They've heard this before from Iran. Look, international waters, Iran can sail wherever it wishes to, as long as it stays in international waters. International maritime operations, coming as far as the United States from Iran, that's a pretty complicated, expensive proposition.
The Iranians would really have to have a naval force trained to stay at sea for weeks on end. Resupply, refuel, logistics, maintenance, pretty complicated business that costs a lot of money. So with the reaction you get from the Pentagon is, they have every right to do it.
They can sail in international waters wherever they want to, but is that really what we're talking about here? Is this announcement more a political announcement about their efforts to be on the world stage or is it a new military strategy? People don't think there's a brand new military strategy here.
PHILLIPS: So what are your sources saying then with regard to what they believe Iran's real naval intentions are here?
STARR: Exactly. That's the real question, Kyra, absolutely. What is Iran's Navy really up to? The thinking is that they are going to maintain their very significant presence in the Persian Gulf in those highly important oil shipping lanes, through the gulf, through the Strait of Hormuz. This is where they can really have a presence that has a much more significant global economic reach. Doesn't it? They can stay there. They can affect shipping in the gulf, if they choose to. They can confront other shipping in the gulf.
Hopefully they won't, but this is where they can have real leverage, real political military and economic leverage. That's what the U.S. Navy is so keeping their eye on. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks.
Well, coming up, President Obama reached to younger voters in his speech in Colorado yesterday. We're going to see how they thing he did. Members of the Denver Young Democrats and the Young Republicans joining me live.
And Nancy Grace speaks to me about her wardrobe malfunction on "Dancing with the Stars." She's got a different perspective on what actually happened. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country now. In New York, six current students and one grad of a prestigious Long Island high school were arrested yesterday in an alleged SAT cheating ring.
The 19-year-old Samuel Eshagoff is accused of taking the college entrance exam for the students for cash. He's facing up to four years in prison.
And check this out, in Roseville, California last night, a leak in a gas line caused one of the streets to catch fire. Nearby businesses evacuated as work crews were eventually able to cap that leak.
And from Inglewood, Ohio, a trucker who lost control of his vehicle on I-70 says it was a coughing fit that caused him to crash. He was transporting this large clock to a nearby courthouse. I know what you're thinking. It's going to take some "time" to find that clock there in the bushes.
President Obama's speech in a Denver high school got a little fiery. He did use some of his time to blast Republicans. But mostly, he did stay on target, talking jobs, education and the crucial link between them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: -- what was also a quintessentially American idea is that those of us who have done well should pay our fair share, contribute, to the upkeep of the nation that made our success possible, because nobody -- nobody did well on their own. A teacher somewhere helped to give you the skills to succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Well, a lot of presidents' speech clearly aimed at younger voters. We've got two of them with us right now. Dan Burrows is political director of the Denver Metro Young Republicans and then we've got the president of the Denver Young Democrats, Chris Laughlin.
Gentlemen, OK, Chris, let's start with you. The young Dems actually hear what they wanted to hear from the pres?
CHRIS LAUGHLIN, PRESIDENT, DENVER YOUNG DEMOCRATS: Thanks, Kyra, yes, absolutely. The president got out there and he talked about one getting middle-class families back to work and, two, creating job opportunities for - for, you know, the young American.
This is a bipartisan. It's full of bipartisan policy measures. I don't see any reason why Congress shouldn't go out there right now and pass this bill.
PHILLIPS: Dan, did you feel better about job opportunities for this younger generation after the speech?
DAN BURROWS, POLITICAL DIRECTOR, DENVER METRO YOUNG REPUBLICANS: No. I don't think so. The unemployment rate for people under the age of 24 is a staggering 18.1 percent right now. And the only thing about this speech that was really helpful to unemployed people is that it was in the middle of the day.
And they didn't have to fight for tickets against those who actually have jobs. What it was, was the same thing that we've heard before. I think the discredited stimulus that we had in 2009.
This idea of pushing money out the door as fast as possible is somehow going to revive the economy. It hasn't worked before. Why's it going to work now?
PHILLIPS: Chris, do you agree?
LAUGHLIN: Absolutely not. Listen, this measure is paid for, for one thing, and secondly, you know, right now we have a field of Republican candidates, and not weren't of them is out there talking to youth voters and talking about how they're going to actually create jobs for young Americans.
So, you know, I respect Dan, but I don't quite see where, you know the Republican candidates are going to go out there and actually be any better for youth voters. The president has his whole, you know, his whole term has been out there doing things to make sure that youth voters can get access to college.
That they have health care and creating all sorts of different opportunities for them so, you know, I'm really proud of this president and I think the American Jobs Act is really going to help young Americans.
PHILLIPS: Dan, I think both of you probably will agree to this, Chris and Dan, about voter apathy especially within the younger generation. I mean, besides you guys who are out there really pushing for you believe in. I know you'll be going to the polls. Did this speech do anything for voter apathy among men and women in your age range? Dan?
BURROWS: Well, it depends what group you're talking about. I think certainly we had a meeting last night for young Republicans. We had more people there than in months. People are excited about what's coming up.
But as far as people that are supporting President Obama, when you run a campaign that's based on, for young voters, at least, voting for somebody because they're cool, the same thing is going to happen there that's happened to other cool things.
Like slap bracelets and hair metal. Eventually people are going to forget about it. I think that's what's happened with young voters. President Obama just isn't cool anymore. These people have left a protective bubble of high school and college that they were in had they voted for him the first time.
They are facing the stark reality that they don't have jobs. That they're facing crushing student loan debt and running around making nice speeches on a bill that simply isn't going to pass isn't helping them.
Look, the targeted tax increases that he's talking about that are supposedly going to pay for this bill, he proposed the exact same thing in April 2009 when we had a Democratic Congress and it went nowhere.
Now he's saying Republicans just want to stop this because, so they can score political points. That's not really what's going on here. He's proposed something that's not palatable to either his party or the Republicans.
It's a campaign tactic, but, you know, when you have people that are in some things that are cool, I don't know if he wants to plank on the --
PHILLIPS: What do you think, Chris, about what Dan is saying? I mean, does the younger generation no longer think Obama's cool? It was sort of a neat thing at the beginning? There was a young African- American president and now all of a sudden it's just not cool anymore?
LAUGHLIN: No. Yes, well I take issue, to begin with, with the fact they only voted for him because he was cool. I think that they -- we were coming out of a presidency with George W. Bush that really kind of left America in shambles.
And they were looking for someone who was intelligent, and inspirational, who knew he could go out there and actually get things done, and I think we have to put things a little in perspective when it comes to youth apathy.
You know, I'm out there all the time like trying to engage young Americans, and I think they are actually excited for this upcoming election. But, you know, it wasn't until October 2007 when I actually went to my first Obama event. So, you know, it's -- we still have a lot of time to get those youth involved and I'm confident that he will have every single one of those votes he had in 2008 from youth voters.
And they will not only give their votes, but they will actually get out there and knock on doors and make phone calls and make sure that we re-elect the president.
PHILLIPS: Chris Laughlin, Dan Burrows, thanks for weighing in, guys.
Coming up, George Clooney says during one of his dinner parties he prodded our very own David Gergen to jump in a lake. H ow did he do it? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A new tablet computer? Alison Kosik, what are you hearing about this?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's some intrigue here. Think about it. Who could be bold enough to take on Apple, the king of the tablet? Amazon, of course. It's unveiling its tablet actually this hour. It's going to be called "The Touch," the "Kindle Touch."
Some analysts, they're calling it more of a next generation kindle, but others say it could do what others have failed to do, give the iPad a run for its money literally. Some reports say the Amazon Touch is expected to sell for as little as $199.
The iPad, it starts at $499. So analysts say, you know, at this point, people wind up using their tablets for four things. They browse the net. They read. They watch movies and they play game.
This analyst say you know what? If "The Touch" can do all that for less than half the cost, it's kind of a no-brainer that there's going to be strong interest in this and that people could migrate away from the iPad. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: OK. We'll follow that. Meanwhile, how's Wall Street reacting to all those competition between Apple and Amazon today?
KOSIK: Yes, Amazon shares are up about 2.5 percent. Now there's something that's working in Amazon's favor with this. It can sell the tablet at a loss because it's going to make more money on all the other stuff is sells to go along with the tablet like the E-book, the videos, all the shopping on the site.
So that really is working in favor of the tablet. Overall, the market is rallying again, losing a little steam though on the Dow, up about 20 points. We're still seeing more optimism about Europe getting a handle on its debt crisis. European leaders serious about preventing a finance crisis sparked by Greece. That is how investors see it. We'll see if we can make it 4 for 4 at the end of day. We have lost a good bit of our rally though. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: All right, Alison Kosik, thanks so much. Showbiz update, first up, Nancy Grace. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host A.J. Hammer is here. OK, wardrobe malfunction? No wardrobe malfunction? But you got to love Nancy Grace. She comes forward and just lays it out right in front of the camera.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, literally. Nancy, a true pro, Kyra. She has taken this whole thing in stride and she had a big comeback after facing elimination just last week. Her quick step on Monday night, it was more than enough to keep her out of the bottom three during the elimination round last night on "Dancing with the Stars."
The news, however, not so great last night for Italian model and actress Elisabetta Canalis. She was sent packing. She got the lowest combination of judges' scores and viewer votes. So we're obviously thrilled that Nancy will dance again for yet another week, at least.
Now let's talk about that wardrobe malfunction. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" caught up with our HLN star after the show and she addressed a much buzzed about incident that occurred during Monday night's performance. Here's what Nancy told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY GRACE, HLN HOST, DWTS CONTESTANT: The reason I handled it beautifully is because I didn't know anything had happened. Typically, I don't think any viewer ever knew I even had cleavage until "Dancing with the Stars" happened.
Typically there are a couple of light-hearted comments about my cleavage, and I thought that's what they were talking about. I just, you know -- and stood there, and to this -- kind of, it's going to say on my gravestone, that did not happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. So Nancy clearly keeping a sense of humor about everything and Kyra, I've got to say, I think Nancy's actually going to be a bit less tense about doing "Dancing with the Stars" moving forward after making the cut again this week. I think it was a huge weight off her shoulders.
PHILLIPS: Yes, maybe the next dress she'll be wearing -- possibly might come higher up next to her neck. I don't know.
I don't know why we're talking about all these sort of scantly clad stories today. But the other one that had us talking, George Clooney and one of our favorite political analyst, skinny- dipping. Is this true?
HAMMER: Well, listen, if anyone has the power to get one of our analysts to do that, it is George Clooney, Kyra. Come on. It would appear that perhaps there's a bit bromance going on between our own David Gergen and Oscar winner George Clooney.
I can't even believe I'm saying that out loud. We're not sure if it was actually skinny dipping, but here's how it all went down. George recently invited David to his house along Lake Como in Italy. During the visit, Clooney challenged Gergen and others to jump into the lake.
And of course, Mr. Gergen happily obliged. You can't make this stuff up. Now last night at the Hollywood premier of "Ides of March," that's the political drama Clooney starring in and directing. He told "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" about the swim. He let us know that David Gergen isn't the only newsman who has taken a dip in Lake Como with him. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: I said to David Gergen, you know, Walter Cronkite jumped in the lake and I got Gergen to do it and I got Charlie Rose to do it as well. So I'm getting all of these world- class journalists drunk and dumping them in the lake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So now he's talking about getting them drunk, too. Kyra, apparently if you work in the news business, you get an invite to Clooney's Italian villa, remember to pack your swimsuit -- or not.
PHILLIPS: A.J., I don't want to hear anything about you and George Clooney up at Lake Come. It's very disappointed. You behave yourself, OK.
HAMMER: I will.
PHILLIPS: If you want any information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, and whose next CNN is skinny-dipping with George Clooney? Well, A.J. will have it on HLN, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" every night 11 p.m.
Coming up, Obama's adviser, David Axelrod says the president's 2012 campaign will be a titanic struggle. It sounds like he's already admitting that the campaign is sinking.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now, an Iranian admiral says that Iran plans to send ships near the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The admiral suggests that the move would be in response to U.S. ships near Iranian borders.
Engineers plan to rappel down the Washington Monument today to inspect for any exterior damage caused by the August earthquake. Bad weather forced that work to be postponed.
Time now for "Political Buzz." Your rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock, and playing today, CNN political analyst, Roland Martin, Sirius XM political talk show host and comedian, Pete Dominick. He's giving a thumbs up guys. CNN contributor and talk show radio host, Dana Loesch.
Oh, my gosh. I tell you what, Roland, you are the biggest self- promoter. It just kills me. All right. First question -- first question --
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: A CNN/ORC poll says only 50 percent of Americans believe the federal government will do what's right, quote/unquote, "always" or, quote/unquote, "most of the time?" So, what needs to happen, guys, to turn that number around and restore more faith in our broken government? Roland, I'll start with you.
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Stop taking these damn polls. Look, everybody hates government, OK?
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: Everyone trashes whether you're city council, county, state, federal, but you know what? When people get in trouble, when there's a disaster, they are looking for government. So, look, no one will ever say they love government except when they need it.
PHILLIPS: Dana.
DANA LOESCH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's difficult to love government and to really have that BFF relationship with it when they don't listen to you. We had the American populace which overwhelmingly disapproved of the health care law, and that went ahead and went through anyway. They were going to deem it to pass.
And then, we have the cut, cap, and balance, which was a bipartisan effort. CNN's own poll showed how many Republicans and Democrats came together to support that. And it was killed in the Senate. So, if government would actually listen to the people, they might like it more. So, that's just --
MARTIN: Enk. Enk.
LOESCH: I would like it more, if it listened to me.
PHILLIPS: Oh, my God. Oh, there we go. But I guess we've got Roland -- yes buzzed, if necessary.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Pete, take it away.
PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUS XM POLITICAL TALK SHOW HOST: Ah, what will it take for people to trust government? I think maybe hell could freeze over, pigs could fly. I mean, by Dana's argument, then all Americans, if we care about polls, all 29 polls I just read, all things, the taxes should be raised on the wealthiest, but the problem is, I think, a lot of people understand that government doesn't work for the people.
So, I agree with Dana on that point. I think it works for the corporations. I mean, the SEC works for Goldman Sachs. The FDA is in cahoots with Monsanto. They work for special interests. You could argue unions and anybody else.
(BUZZER)
DOMINICK: They're not working for the people. They're working for the people who pay for their campaigns.
PHILLIPS: All right. Guys, former Obama adviser, David Axelrod, says that the president's re-election campaign will be, quote, "a titanic struggle." Wow. Sounds like he's already admitting that the campaign is sinking -- Dana.
LOESCH: I don't know why on earth he chose to use that analogy, but it's going to be an uphill battle, because this president is -- he's got a record low numbers in the polls, and polls are important, because they're reflective of what voters think. He's losing his base. He's losing support in key demographics.
We've seen a huge wave of red flags coming towards this administration with the special elections that have been held with Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, with the mid-term elections, too. That was a huge message. So, they need to do something quick. They need to do something smart in order to get back on track, secure the base. Get these approval ratings up.
(BUZZER)
LOESCH: Because his negatives are so high right now.
PHILLIPS: Roland.
MARTIN: Maybe he was talking about the money "Titanic" the movie made, not the actual "Titanic." I don't know what David Axelrod was thinking using that example. That's ridiculous. The "Titanic" went down, David. Trust me.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: You need to pay attention to actual history. That's not a good example. Look, I think you have to make the point. Certainly, it will be an uphill struggle. You look at these red states and blue states. Do they have a shot? Yes. But you have to make some changes, but you don't use the "Titanic" as an example.
That's the last thing you wanted to see. So, I say, President Obama, call your best political guy and say, shut up.
PHILLIPS: Pete.
DOMINICK: Well, Dana and Roland, we all agree. That is a horrific word to use, but I would refer you back to David Axelrod's infamous reference to the Hindenburg in 2008, which didn't happen. Listen, these political hacks are all the same. They try to underestimate expectations. David Axelrod is like the Bill Belichick of political strategists.
(LAUGHTER)
DOMINICK: When Belichick, you know, gets mad at his team because they only won by 30 points. They try to lower expectations, but they also use the reference of the "Titanic," which is obviously a terrible one. He should no better, but I don't trust a man with a mustache as I've said many times.
(BUZZER)
MARTIN: But, Pete, in this case, under my -- you can lose.
PHILLIPS: Hey, Roland, you behave yourself. All right. You hold on to your --
MARTIN: And I have a mustache, too, Pete. So, I take it personally.
DOMINICK: I think you have a goatee. You don't just have a mustache.
MARTIN: No. I have a beard. A beard.
LOESCH: Goatee. I can't with the goatee. Mustache is good, though.
PHILLIPS: Buzzer beater now. We're going to do something a little different this time since we have three folks behaving badly here. All right, guys. The first one to weigh in on this wins the round. Looking at up on your screen now, the White House issued these press credentials. Talk about the president's trip to Washington State, California, and Colorado. OK, guys, what's the problem here?
MARTIN: This is America. We don't read maps.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: You know -- interesting. Roland can't figure it out is basically what Roland's say. Dana, Pete.
MARTIN: No. The state not on there.
DOMINICK: He's not including -- the problem is, they're not including, I believe that's South Dakota, Washington and California as the west. Is that what you're saying?
PHILLIPS: Guys, where was the president's speaking? What's highlighted?
DOMINICK: Colorado.
MARTIN: In Colorado
PHILLIPS: There we go.
LOESCH: Colorado is highlighted, California, Washington. There were four states that he was supposed to have -- what was the -- give me the question again.
PHILLIPS: Look at the press credential. There's no highlighted Colorado.
LOESCH: What's wrong with this --
PHILLIPS: That's Wyoming.
LOESCH: Oh, my gosh! Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: I guess nobody wins. Nobody wins. You're my best political analysts here.
LOESCH: I thought it was -- I thought the question was states that he visited.
(BUZZER)
LOESCH: And I'm like, well, there's a state that's not highlighted and so why would -- I don't understand why --
DOMINICK: Kyra, your question -- Kyra, show of hands on the panel if your question was misleading and confusing.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: There we go.
DOMINICK: I don't know --
PHILLIPS: How many people did not do well in geography? Raise your hands.
(CROSSTALK)
LOESCH: I was waiting for, like a four corners question, or this, what's the capital of so and so. What's -- what state --
MARTIN: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Dana, happy birthday, by the way.
LOESCH: Thank you.
MARTIN: And Kyra, I'm from Texas. We don't care about any other state.
PHILLIPS: Yes, I know. OK, guys.
(LAUGHTER) PHILLIPS: Dana, Rol, Pete.
DOMINICK: I don't know where I am right now.
PHILLIPS: Until our next "pop quiz." I'll see you later.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: New teacher.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: A lot of -- oh, boy. Help me out. A lot of anger on Wall Street, on a serious note. Protesters, pretty much raging against corruption in the abuse of power. Let's talk about the message and the goal here. We're going to take a closer look just ahead.
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PHILLIPS: Checking stories making headlines cross country now. Lots of debates broke out, but no fights at a controversial bake sale at UC-Berkeley. College Republicans charge customers different prices base on race and gender. It was all designed to protest a bill in the state where students say it could result in reverse discrimination in college admissions.
And in Arizona, a massive dust storm may have caused a multicar accident on Interstate 10 that injured 13 people. Some forecasters say visibility was between one and five miles.
And in Cape Coral, Florida, four siblings all celebrating their birthday. An eight-year-old was so moved by a September 11th memorial, well, that he convinced his two brothers and sisters to give up their birthday presents and send the troops care packages instead.
Contaminated cantaloupes now blamed for at least 13 death across the country. This mysterious scare is our deadliest foodborne outbreak in over a decade. Seventy-two illnesses reported as well. The CDC expects things could get worse. A lot of times, listeria symptoms take weeks to show up. For more information, just log on to foodsafety.gov.
While you're there, you might want to check out a new ground beef recall. More than 131,000 pounds of meat potentially contaminated with E.coli. Some of the products defected (ph) have Kroger and Butcher's Brand labels. The rest generic. And just to be clear, this is separate from ground beef recalls last week and last month.
Well, Nike may have to go back to the drawing board on this one. The company's new shirts for Barcelona's Soccer Club get heavy with sweat. We're talking 2.5 times normal weight. That story, next.
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PHILLIPS: You know, our Don Riddell, he's such a cool dude. When he's got a couple of stories that are literally going to make you sweat. Don, where do we begin? Maybe the jerseys?
(LAUGHTER)
DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We'll start with the jersey. We'll start in Barcelona, Kyra. Good to see you again. Barcelona, one of the biggest football teams in the world, soccer team. There are little bit a lot the Dallas Cowboys in it. They are really big brands except they've actually won a few titles in recent years. And now, they signed up with Nike as the company that was going to make their soccer jerseys for this season.
And you know, the technologies like these days, it supposed to allow the players to be more comfortable and they suppose to allow their sweat to dry off their skin as they around in the game, well, what's actually happened is that they absorb the sweat rather than allowing it to dry. Meaning, the shirts have become really kind of heavy, clingy, and nuisance.
And the players have reportedly of even taking to going into the dressing room at half time to weigh the shirt, and the shirts are weighing 2.5 times as much as they were when they first put them on. Clearly, it's not good. No one can slow this team down, but it does seem that the shirt is slowing them down. Nike had admitted there's a problem, and they're going to try and fix it.
PHILLIPS: I can just imagine how they smell as well. That's a whole another issue. OK. These guys were getting pretty sweaty in the game, but what about this player who wasn't even on the field?
RIDDELL: This is incredible, and you know what, this is also from the same town, Barcelona. It's a different team, Espanol. This is the Uruguayan Striker, Walter Pandiani. Now, he scored the winning goal in one of their games last week, and so, as you do, you get called into the press conference. Here he is, addressing the media. We've done a time lapse here.
You can see what's happening to his nice gray shirt. It's getting darker and darker. And within a few minutes, it was a different color. He was absolutely drenched. This, you can see, it looks like he's just got out of the shower, which I imagine is where he was heading straight after the press conference.
PHILLIPS: What were they asking him? Something was making him nervous? Were they asking him some pretty personal questions, Don?
RIDDELL: You know, I'll tell you what, the journalists were too polite to say anything, but after a while, it got to the point when no one could concentrate on word he was saying.
(LAUGHTER)
RIDDELL: First conferences don't normally made good TV, but this one, I think, was unforgettable.
PHILLIPS: Yes, it was. Don, thanks. Well, baseball's regular season ends tonight with four teams still alive in the two wildcard slots from the national league. The Cardinals spotted Houston five runs and roared back. Pinch hitter, Ryan Therior, had the game-winning hit. Two-run triple in the seventh inning. The Cardinals pulled into a wildcard tie with Atlanta.
It's been a rough month for the Braves and for pitcher, Derek Lowe. Lowe served up a first inning homer to the Phillies Chase Utley. Philadelphia went on to win 7-1. Rays have lost four straight now, but if they win tonight and the Cards lose, well, then, they go to the playoffs.
The Yankees led Tampa Bay, had the bases loaded in the sixth. No problem for the Rays. It turned a triple play to get out of the inning. Rays come back to beat New York, stayed tied with Boston for that last American League playoff spot.
The Red Sox had unlikely hero last night. Ryan Lavarnway cut his first major league game and hit two homers. The kid from Yale looked like he just belonged. The Sox held on to beat Baltimore 8-7. The Boston and the Rays are still tied after tonight. They'll have a one- game playoff tomorrow. Same story for the Cards and the Braves.
All right. Still ahead, reeling against Wall Street abuses and rattling star power to voice the frustration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: People have gotten tired of hearing the same little news quotes every day in and day out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: It's now the second week of the sit-in and the message scenes as varied as the protesters themselves. We'll go looking for answers.
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PHILLIPS: Not far from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, protesters are raging against Wall Street and what they view as corruption and abuse of power. So, what does this movement want to see changed? Alison Kosik goes looking for answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On day 1l of Occupy Wall Street, the number of protesters didn't appear to be growing, but their star power was.
SARANDON: I think that all change starts from the bottom up, and I think people have gotten tired of hearing the same little news quotes every day in and day out, and it's time for a new paradigm.
KOSIK: The protesters have descended on Lower Manhattan to express their outrage against a financial system they say is broken, but no one can agree on how to fix it.
JULIEN HARRISON, PROTESTER: Most people agree. You're right. The system isn't working for most average Americans. So, that's what we want to focus on. What do we agree on? What do we, as Americans, agree on and what can we do about it?
KOSIK: Organizers say that lack of focus hasn't stopped the movement from growing, but, it is fueling skepticism about their ultimate goal.
(on-camera) There are so many reforms occupy Wall Street wants to see happen, and this sea of signs really gives you a good idea about how many different demands that they have.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's usually summed up as social and economic reform.
KOSIK (voice-over): But it's clearly a protest against corporate America and Wall Street, and yet, it's a big corporation these protesters are relying on to get their message out.
You bought a computer from one of the most valuable companies in this country.
BARBARA ROSS, ORGANIZER: Right.
KOSIK: Apple, next to Exxon, the most valuable company. So, it sort of flies in the face of what you're sitting here for, for day after day?
ROSS: I think that's a very good point, and it is true that this MAC is, you know, represents the values that I'm not for, but I'm just one person, and 90 percent of my life is in the direction I want to be.
KOSIK: One of hundreds who really believe in their cause. So much so they've traveled thousands of miles to be here.
JOSH NELSON, PROTESTER FROM DENVER: It's a matter of working the same job for next to nothing for the rest of my life or creating a system in which there is an opportunity for advancement.
KOSIK: Has your boss called you yet?
NELSON: I called in. I told him there was a family emergency.
KOSIK: I think he's going know the truth now.
NELSON: I hope not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK (on-camera): And so, that's another irony there, Kyra. The guy you saw at the end, Josh, he literally ditched his job. He spent 250 bucks on a plane ticket to come here from Denver to take part in this protest. Now, he was not protesting not having a job but a lot of the people out there are. They're college educated. They can't find a job.
The one thing that really stood out for me, though, when I went to this protest is that there's really no one ultimate goal that they could express to me. They have sort of a list of grievances, but one thing is for sure, they are definitely -- they definitely truly believe in their cause or causes -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Oh, and if you look at the sentiment across, state by state, there is a lot of anger towards Wall Street and big money. That's for sure. Alison, thanks.
Well, checking stories making news later today at 1:30 eastern.
President Obama visits a Washington high school to deliver his third annual back-to-school speech.
At 3:00 Eastern, a judge is expected to rule whether Casey Anthony's jail tape can be released to the public.
And at 4:30 Eastern, a hearing (ph) scheduled for Jared Loughner. You remember, that's the man accused in the deadly shooting rampage that also wounded Arizona congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords.
In the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM, as we've been telling you, it's day two of the Conrad Murray trial. After a riveting day in court yesterday, what can we expect today? Court starts back up 11:45 eastern time. We will take you there live.
And look at the strange lights over the Danish sky. What's going on? Straight ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
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PHILLIPS: Two important deadlines coming up this week in the race for the White House. More on that from CNN deputy political director -- I got to get that deputy in there -- Paul Steinhauser. It's mouthful. Hi, Paul.
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PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: My boss wouldn't like it if you call me political director.
(LAUGHTER)
STEINHAUSER: I would like it. It's all good. Yes, two -- you know, Kyra, we've seen President Obama, Vice President Biden, and just about all those Republican White House hopefuls out there fundraising this week. Why? Well, Friday, this Friday, is the deadline. It's the last day to raise money for the third quarter of fundraising for this year. And why is that important?
Well, we start to see the figures starting Saturday probably from these campaigns and from the re-election campaign for the president on how much money they raised and why is that important. It's an indicator. It's a big barometer of, well, how a campaign is doing, how popular a candidate is, and if the money is coming in.
It's a big indicator. The other thing you can see right there, Saturday, the next day, October 1st, that's the day the states have to tell the Republican Party when they're going to hold their caucuses and primaries, and that is a big deal, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. We also are talking last hour about Florida moving the date for its primary. What more do you know about that?
STEINHAUSER: Yes, and that's the problem, OK? So, Florida is probably going to decide on Friday, and our Peter Handy (ph), good reporting from Peter that Florida's probably going to keep their primary at January 31st. Why is that a problem? Here's why. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, they're supposed to go first, and they're right now in February.
So, if Florida goes on January 31st, those other four states are going to move earlier, and Kyra, we could be just where we were four years ago, maybe with the Iowa caucuses coming right after the New Year. That's going to make it very, very complicated and accelerate the process again, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Paul, thanks. We'll have your next political update in just about an hour. And reminder, for all the latest political news, you can always go to our website 24/7, cnnpolitics.com.
That does it for us. We'll be back here bright and early at 9:00 a.m. eastern time. Fredricka Whitfield in for Suzanne today. Good morning.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Hello. Good to see you. Have a great day.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
