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Jackson Doctor Trial Continues; Fixing the Washington Monument; Billboard in Wisconsin Links Cheese Consumption to Poor Health; Rihanna Makes Racy Video; Amanda Knox Case Continues in Italy; Chris Christie Not Directly Denying Presidential Run

Aired September 28, 2011 - 15:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And hello to all of you.

We will begin right where Randi left off, with the Dr. Conrad Murray-Michael Jackson trial under way there. We have just learned, though, they have just taken a recess. So we're going to move on here.

We're going to move on and continue to go to chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is in Los Angeles for this trial.

And, Sanjay, from what I understand, you have talked to sources close to the defense team. What did they tell you?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was pretty remarkable, actually.

They talked specifically about the fact that up, until a couple of days before Michael Jackson died, that he was still getting procedures, three to four procedures, they say, a week on his face. They were minor procedures but he was getting Demerol with those procedures.

And the case that they're trying to make -- and, again, this is according to sources with the defense team -- that Demerol, as he was coming off of the Demerol, it was acting as a stimulant. It breaks down into stimulant and that stimulant was really very much keeping him awake. And that is why he needed all of these other medications to try and help him sleep.

What I thought was even more remarkable, Brooke, was they were talking about this idea that on the day this happened, they say Conrad Murray did give Propofol, this medication that we have been talking about, and then he observed Michael Jackson sort of for at least 10 minutes, again, according to these defense sources, and then he thought that Michael Jackson essentially fell asleep due to exhaustion, he had been up and he had been rehearsing, so the doctor left the room.

After that, they say Michael Jackson in fact had been playing possum. Again, I stress this is according to defense, the defense team and sources that I talk to. They say that Michael Jackson was playing possum. He woke up, essentially got up out of bed, went to the bathroom where he had Lorazepam, which is an anti-anxiety medication, took eight two-milligram tablets, drank those down, and then in fact had an I.V. in his leg, a walking I.V., an I.V. that he was walking around with, and through that I.V. injected more Propofol into his body.

That's what they say that happened. The doctor then came back into the room and found Michael Jackson at that point already deceased. This is a strategy. This is the arguments you're going to hear probably from the defense team. We have already seen, Brooke, and heard some of this being laid out.

But I just got off the phone with these sources and this is where they say they are headed.

BALDWIN: That's where they are headed. We know that they are just now taking their lunch recess. But moments ago, of course -- we have a team of people who have been watching this as well. And we know that this personal assistant had just testified that Dr. Murray, that day, called him, left a message for Murray to -- quote -- "call me right away."

And so the message was left several minutes with this personal assistant before anyone actually called an ambulance. Also today, just to bring you up to speed, the lawyer for the show promoter AEG Live testified today that whenever she asked about Michael Jackson's health, Dr. Murray told her Jackson was -- and I'm quoting here -- perfectly healthy and in excellent condition.

And I want to just play something. Sanjay, I know you have heard this, but I want to play just a little bit more of that reporting of Michael Jackson's voice that prosecutors played in court. This was yesterday. And then, Sanjay, I have a question for you on the other side.

(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, Michael Jackson's Children's Hospital.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Sanjay Gupta, I mean, does that sound like a man who is perfectly healthy?

GUPTA: Well, you know, it sounds like a man who's been affected probably by different drugs.

I mean, you listen for all sorts of things. It's very difficult to speculate obviously, but the slurring of the words. You know, I asked specifically again these sources of mine close to the defense team about this as well and what they say is that they were thrilled that the prosecution played this tape because it makes their point that listen to how sleepy he sounds, but he's unable to sleep.

And that's how the defense is sort of looking at this, this particular tape. As a doctor, it's incredibly hard to speculate. I don't know why Dr. Conrad Murray would tape record this sort of thing. That seems just an odd thing to do. But it just sounds like someone who has a lot of these medications that we have been talking about, probably, in his system.

BALDWIN: Yes. It was just that voice recording on his phone.

One more thing for you, Sanjay. We know that the lawyer also said that Dr. Murray asked for a portable CPR machine on site for the "This Is It" shows. Would that be an unusual request?

GUPTA: What is interesting about that request is that if you look specifically at the language surrounding this medication Propofol, which a lot of people have heard about this now, but it's a medication typically used in operating rooms and ICUs that can be used to induce general anesthesia, but one of the things about it is that you have to have someone who is trained to use it and you have to have all the proper equipment around it, which includes monitoring equipment and also resuscitation equipment.

Frankly, you know, the idea of someone giving this medication outside a hospital is bizarre enough, but then giving it without that equipment being there is the dangerous part of this and the lack of judgment part of this. And I think, you know, if you had to piece it together, I think that that's what they're saying is, like, look, I was thinking that I needed to have this equipment there and that's why I asked for it, but some of it wasn't in place while the medication was already being given.

BALDWIN: OK. Sanjay Gupta for us in L.A.

By the way, as we mentioned, they are on lunch recess. As soon they reconvene, we will continue to dip back in, in and out of that Dr. Conrad Murray trial there in L.A.

Meantime, I do want to get along to some breaking news here out of Alabama. This federal judge has blocked the state from enforcing parts of that tough immigration law that they had passed there earlier this year. You may remember that the U.S. Justice Department had sued the state over this particular bill, which was originally scheduled to go into effect last month.

And I want to just walk you through some of the provisions the judge ruled on here. I have it. And I will be quoting. Some of the issues here, they are saying, the issue where they said it was unlawful for a person who is unauthorized, illegal immigrant to unknowingly apply for work, solicit work in a public or private place. One other issue being prohibiting concealing, harboring, transporting of unlawfully present aliens, again quoting here, also concerns that the taking of a state tax deduction for wages paid to an unauthorized alien.

And the other item here that they mention is in which creates a state discrimination case of action based upon the retention or hiring of undocumented immigrants.

We understand that there have been protests against this legislation happening on college campuses in Alabama today. We're going to keep an eye on that as we continue through the afternoon here on CNN.

Next to a story though that will make your blood boil if your kids are paying a little bit of money, in fact, to take the SAT.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The victims are their fellow students, the kids who don't cheat, the kids who take the SAT prep course, the kids who study, the kids who do their homework, the kids who play by the rules.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Take a look at this young man. This is what we call a cheater. And remember what your mother taught you? Cheaters never win.

Also, take a look at this shot, folks. This is not your average kiddy climbing wall. This is one of America's most beautiful and most iconic structures and it may be quietly crumbling. We will explain what these rappelling engineers are doing inch by inch.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Now I want to tell you about this case study on the pressure for kids getting into college. And maybe, parents, you can relate. Most kids study hard, you take prep courses, sometimes multiple courses hoping that your youngsters do well on their college entrance exams to get into a good school.

But a group of teenagers at a prestigious Long Island high school allegedly thought that they found a better way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What was your score? Did you get into college?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you guys cheater?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Daniel, did you do this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was -- you hear these reporters shouting questions at him. I will explain why in a minute. This is Emory University student Sam Eshaghoff.

Prosecutors say six high school students from Great Neck, Long Island, paid this I don't know if he's such a whiz kid anymore paid this guy as much as $2,500 for each of them to take the SAT for them. In fact, he is even accused of taking the test for a she. One of the six students is a girl. But instead of using these high scores to get into their dream schools, these students have been arrested.

Kathleen Rice is leading up this investigation. She's the DA for Nassau County, New York.

And, Kathleen, Kathleen, how did this thing work to begin with? Did Eshaghoff take six different versions of the SAT? And don't you have to have an I.D. just to get into the testing center?

KATHLEEN RICE, NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Well, he certainly did.

He took six tests for six individuals from the same high school where he graduated. They paid him upwards of $2,500. And what he did, as part of this whole scheme, was prepare fake I.D.s in the name of the student for whom he was taking the test. He presented that I.D. as the test site.

The proctor did not notice anything, even in the event of the instance where he was taking a test for a young girl, one of the defendants who was a girl, and he scored on every single one of those tests in the 97th percentile. There was a reason why these kids were paying him. They wanted good scores on their SATs.

This Saturday, hundreds of thousands of high school students across the country are going to sit for the SATs and the message needs to be sent to all of them that, if you cheat, you're going to get caught and you will be held accountable.

BALDWIN: Kathleen, how did they get caught in the first place? Is it because there was such a discrepancy between their grades and the scores?

RICE: Well, it started, as most things do, with rumors going around the high school that certain kids had paid someone to take the test for them.

The high school administration undertook an investigation. And what they did was they started, they honed in on those high school students who took the test elsewhere, somewhere other than the high school. And they focused on those kids, they looked at the SAT scores that those six kids, that these kids got, and then they compared them to their GPA. And there was a huge discrepancy with these six students--

BALDWIN: I see.

RICE: -- who had mediocre GPAs, but they scored in the 97th percentile on the SAT. That was a big red flag for them.

BALDWIN: OK. I do want to get this in here, because we have a statement from Great Neck school district. They say they have been cooperating with Nassau County, with you guys. They say: "It's our hope that the actions currently being taken by the district attorney's office will serve to bring an end to any dishonest practices which may have placed students at an unfair disadvantage and will also bring light to any shortcomings in the security of the SAT testing system."

But here's my other question for you. Some people -- in fact I'm getting tweets on this -- saying, hang on a second. Is this really a matter for the legal system? They think it should be a school issue to deal with their own students. What is your reaction to that?

RICE: Well, the school handled this situation from an administrative standpoint, but what the kids did is a crime. And that's the bottom line.

And the message here is there needs to be a level playing field. overwhelming The majority of high school kids across this country don't cheat. They work hard, they study hard, they take the tests themselves and they try to get into the best school that they can. We need to protect the honest student. They should not be on the second rung of the ladder behind the cheater.

And that's what we have here. I think what I'm calling on is that there be a reform in this whole system. I think it's incumbent upon the testing service, the education testing service that administers these tests all across the country to actually, when they find out that a student has cheated and they withdraw their score from the college that they inform the college of why the score is being withdrawn. At this point now, they are not required to do that, so the college is left in the dark.

BALDWIN: Yes.

RICE: I also think it's incumbent upon the high schools that when they uncover something like this, that they be required to report any instance of cheating to the colleges that these cheating students are applying to. That's the only way that you are going to deter this from happening in the future.

BALDWIN: Should be part of the application. Hey, by the way--

RICE: Absolutely. Yes.

BALDWIN: Quick question, speaking of that, what kind of punishment could Eshaghoff face and also these six alleged cheaters?

RICE: Well, Eshaghoff is facing up to four years. He's been charged with a felony. He made thousands of dollars off this scheme and the six individuals that paid him, by operation of law, I can't disclose their name or what they are charged with because they are, by law, going to be treated as youthful offenders.

So in order for there to be accountability in the future, we have to change the system. ETS has to get on board. The high school administrations have to get on board and we have to send a loud and clear message, especially three days away from hundreds of thousands of students across the country taking the SATs that cheating doesn't pay. You have to do it the honest way.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: We remember doing it the honest way. Easy lesson there, Don't cheat.

Kathleen Rice, thank you for coming on. What a story there.

RICE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Now to this. Look, you don't tell New Yorkers they shouldn't eat pizza. And I dare you to tell a Southerner that sweet tea is wrong and for sure you don't tell people in Wisconsin that cheese will make them fat. Or do you? We will explain this new ad campaign that spells out the cold, hard truth. It's not going well in the land of the Cheeseheads.

And then a breathtaking job, rappelling off the side of the beautiful Washington Monument. We will explain why workers are doing that today. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: These engineers dangled off the side of the Washington Monument today looking for potential damage from last month's earthquake. Stormy skies this morning, though, had presented another hiccup for engineers.

You couldn't tell by the beautiful skies there, but I promise it wasn't perfect, did delay them just a little bit. Keep in mind this monument, 550 feet tall, has been hit by lightning multiple times in the past. But then the clouds went way. These four engineers, two women, two men, rappelled down, inspecting each and every stone.

The 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August did more damage than originally thought here. Several cracks are visible on the exterior, we're told, but engineers say the monument is still structurally sound.

Our Brian Todd has been working this one for us from Washington.

And, Brian, first things first. Are they up there still rappelling? Is weather still an issue? They taking a break?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are taking a break right now, Brooke.

You can see this is a live picture of the Washington Monument. You see the anchors and the ropes hanging down, but no rappellers, because they are taking a break right now. We're told they're on a lunch break. But they have been at it pretty much all day long.

From what we have seen, they have gotten down to I think just below the windows on a couple of sides, maybe just above the windows on the other sides, going stone by stone, rappelling down, checking for any possible damage from that earthquake. They have made some progress today. They could not do it yesterday. They tried to do that. As you mentioned, weather was an issue yesterday. There was some fairly fast-moving systems going through the D.C. area. This morning there was rain. There may be some rain later on this afternoon.

They can work through rain, we're told. It's lightning that is the issue. If there's any threat of lightning, then they have got to stop. But right now, as you can see, there are sunny skies. They may be systems moving in later. They are going to keep very close touch on that.

BALDWIN: So as we look at these pictures -- and, yes, I think if I saw lightning and I was rappelling off this thing, I would say, get me down.

TODD: Right.

BALDWIN: But my question is, are they coming and going through these windows? Is that how they go all the way up there and rappel down?

TODD: That's exactly right. These are their access points.

These are windows on the observation deck. These are on all four sides. We're told that the actual windows, the glass has been removed so that they can come in and out of these windows. And that's where some of them will start from. But they also have a hatch. You can't really see it but it's right there on the top of what they call the pyramidion.

That's where one of the architects, the engineers came out yesterday to secure these anchors for the ropes. It came out of a hatch right at the very top. Just threw a bunch of roping and equipment at the top of the monument, secured all of it and that's how they get these ropes down. There are hatches up here and the windows on all four sides, and that's how they get in and out of these access points here.

BALDWIN: Amazing.

TODD: If there's an issue with weather and they are down below, however, we're told that the tentative plan is, they rappel all the way down. That should take a couple of minutes to get all the way down. It's easier to get down to the ground than it would be maybe to climb back up. If they are below these points and there's a weather issue where they have to get down quickly, we believe that they will rappel down, rather than try to climb back up.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Imagine the view from the top there. If only we could rappel from the Washington Monument. I would totally do it. I don't know about you, Brian Todd. I would do it in a heartbeat.

TODD: I'm up for it. (LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: Brian, thank you very much. We will keep watching that one, their progress through the week.

Now, it's one thing to tell people their diet is bad. It's quite another to mess with the symbol of their state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They chose to use our hat in an ad, which we take exception to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So let's talk to the nutritionist who opened this can of worms in Wisconsin. And I will also ask the mayor of Green Bay how Packers fans, how the Cheeseheads themselves feel about the Grim Reaper delivering an anti-cheese message so close to home.

And then, if I told you a celebrity was caught with no clothes on, that wouldn't really be news. But today we have got one of those cases that has risen to the level of an international incident. It's trending next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Checking some other top stories for you, the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, for South Florida is arrested on child pornography charges.

The Justice Department says Anthony Mangione was arrested yesterday. He is charged with transporting, receiving and possessing child porn. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. A judge says Mangione will have to undergo a psychological evaluation. He has reportedly been on leave from his job.

And a Christian school in Thailand apologizing after some of its students marched in this Nazi-themed parade. Take a look at the images that sparked the outrage all around the world here. Students from the Sacred Heart School in Nazi uniforms complete with -- there they are -- swastika armbands, carrying a Nazi flag. Jewish human rights groups denounced the event, saying that it glorified Nazis.

The school posted an apology on its Web site, explaining the parade was merely part of a sports day event and student groups were differentiated based upon colors. The red group is the one that they that used the Nazi symbols.

And CNN in-depth today, public trust in the federal government is now at an all-time low. This is according to the latest CNN/ORC poll. Only 15 percent of respondents trust the government to do what is right just about always or most of the time; 77 percent trust the federal government only some of the time. And there's a little number of 8 percent say they never trust the government to do what is right. The previous low score for government trust was 17 percent in the summer of 1994.

BALDWIN: All right. So you want to pick a fight with Wisconsin? Pick on cheese. The Cheesehead billboard controversy next -- we have got both sides for you.

And we told you at the top of the show about that judge ruling against parts of the Alabama immigration law, one of the toughest laws in the land. Well, we expect to hear from the governor, Governor Robert Bentley, momentarily. We will check on that for you -- again, a federal judge essentially saying that some of these key provisions are thrown out.

Some of them include hiring, transporting undocumented immigrants. We're on it.

We will be right back.

BALDWIN: You want to pick a fight in Wisconsin? Criticize cheese. In a state where cheese is part of the economic life blood, a doctor's group put up this board showing the grim reaper wearing a cheese-head hat. Take a look. This is the original billboard. There was a change made. We'll get to that in a second here.

But the aim, a warning that cheese with its fat and its cholesterol can be bad for you. But the billboard wound up as the target of all kinds of critics, among them Green Bay Packers fans who wear the cheese-head as a proud team symbol, not to mention a lawsuit threatened from the company that owns the cheese-head trademark.

I am joined by Dr. Neal Barnard, president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which put up the billboard, and Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt. Dr. Barnard, what was the point of the billboard? Why did you put it up?

DR. NEAL BARNARD, AUTHOR AND NUTRITIONAL RESEARCHER: Sure. Many parents have no idea that cheese can be the reason for their kids' weight problems. Cheese is 70 percent fat for typical cheeses like cheddar cheese. It's also as high or higher in cholesterol ounce per ounce compared to steak.

And earlier this year, the U.S. government through the dietary guidelines said if there's one thing to do to get healthier, we've got to cut back on saturated fat, and the number one source that they quoted or cited was dairy products, including cheese. So our goal is to get attention.

BALDWIN: Sure. Let me take it a step further. Why spread this message on the $3m500 a month billboard on highway 41, heavily trafficked by packers fans, aka, cheese-head. Why that billboard?

BARNARD: Because people haven't gotten that message so far and it's essential that they do. Back in 1909, back when people ate 3.3 pounds of cheese a year. Less than four pounds a year. Today we're at 34 pounds a year every person every year. The point being, where are we putting those 30 extra pounds of cheese? Parents haven't gotten the message. One in three kids is heavy and one in three will get diabetes at some point in their life.

BALDWIN: I hear the statistics, sir, but why that location? Are you trying to take the message to the cheese head himself? Is that what you're targeting?

BARNARD: We're trying to bring a healthful message. Certainly Wisconsin is cheese central, but the rest of the people are eating like there's no tomorrow as well, not realizing how much fat they are getting. Parents are worried about their kids being heavy but not connecting it to that cheese pizza and the cheeseburgers. And that's our goal, is to bring the message straight home, so the parents can make decisions for their own families.

BALDWIN: So what happens -- let's put the picture back up. We saw the grim reaper with the cheese head. What happened?

BARNARD: Well, the billboard company apparently took, if I understand correctly, to be a threatening communication from some people in Wisconsin and said take that down. And we contacted the billboard manufacturer and said, I'm not sure that you want to alter it. We thought it was a very compelling image. But they felt differently, and that's what they ended up posting.

BALDWIN: From a doctor who says cheese can sack your health, Dr. Barnard, thank you.

OK, let's bring in the mayor of Wisconsin, Mr. Mayor, your reaction to the billboard?

MAYOR JIM SCHMITT, GREEN BAY, MICHIGAN: We love our cheese heads. We love our cheese. It's a $26 billion industry here and employees thousands of people. There are a lot of us that eat our cheese. I don't know if they eat 34 pounds but we're also marathon runners. A very thick community and we can support both. We can eat cheese in moderation, support a terrific industry and be very healthy as we are here in green bay.

BALDWIN: So you have the people who say, first amendment right, free speech, it's just a billboard. You say?

SCHMITT: Look, why is he picking on an industry. I think if the doctors are concerned about childhood obesity and adult obesity as well, the goal is to get people moving. And to take a slap at one of our largest industries and one of our trademarks, the cheese-head, and put this up on 41 which is on the way to Lambeau Field here in Green Bay, I think there are a lot of things that they could have done to promote health here in the United States.

BALDWIN: What are the other ways? The CDC says Wisconsin is among the states with 34 percent obesity rate or more. How do you fight obesity in your state, then?

SCHMITT: Again, I think moderation is key and cheese can be part of your diet and you can -- as long as it's done in moderation along with many other things in life. But the key that I think they should be focusing on is getting people moving. We run the steps here in city hall twice a week. The employees get together and 27 floors that we run, the Green Bay marathon and 10 k runs that are very successful. Tens and thousands of runners come.

In Green Bay, where we invest in recreational trails so people can bike and walk to work for recreation, sidewalks and promote healthy outdoor fun activities all four seasons, that's the key. Not to kill an industry that's been so good to this state.

BALDWIN: All right, Mayor Schmitt, thank you very much. I think I hear what you're saying. Moderation is key. Thank you both very much.

SCHMITT: Thank you.

BALDWIN: There's the cheese head. There we go. Mayor Jim Schmitt, cheese head himself.

Let me show you another image of Rihanna. Something tells me you have seen worse. But what flies in the U.S. does not exactly fly in other countries. That's why she's trending next.

Also, Chad Myers getting reports of a possible tornado in Virginia. We'll go to him in just a moment. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Possible breaking news here in the weather world. Chad Myers, talk to me. A possible tornado north of Virginia.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Not that far from the naval station. So Bay View naval station from south of Newport news and north of Norfolk, really, but moving across this peninsula here, it moved over the circulation, right over the Beltway, right off to your west. There's a lot of circulation here.

So this is a very populated area here in the Newport news area. Take cover now before it moves off and eventually into the bay and eventually into the ocean but for now this is a pretty significant event here for you. If you live anywhere within, I don't know, five miles from bay view, take cover in the naval air station right now.

BALDWIN: Chat Myers, keep us posted. Send us tweets @BrookeCNN.

Now to this. She's known for her catchy lyrics, provocative outfits, and music videos, but this time pop superstar Rihanna was asked to cover up after going topless after filming her most recent video. First, though, let me set the scene. You have this beautiful countryside near Belfast in Northern Ireland and she was dressed in this racy outfit. She shot the video from a Christian farmer that owns the land. He pulled the plug after things got to risque.

A.J. Hammer joins us live from New York. And A.J., what exactly was it that she was wearing or wasn't wearing and what was the farmer really expecting?

A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Well, first of all, are you surprised this story is even trending? I mean, come on, Rihanna?

BALDWIN: If it were here.

HAMMER: Well, that's true. But people are still into seeing what Rihanna is or is not wearing but this is more about what she wasn't wearing that caused the shoot for the 23-year-old's music video to be shot down. Apparently Rihanna stripped down to a red and white bikini top and blue jeans for the video. The farmer's wife is saying that she was topless for this thing.

Of course, the singer attracted a huge crowd regardless of her barely there outfit because her appearance in northern Irish countryside, as you might imagine, it's not a common thing, and locals were showing up to catch a glimpse of the star to see what she did or did not have on. Rihanna's known for sporting outfits for her music performances so it's not a surprise here but it is to this Irish farmer who says he did not know who Rihanna was before the shoot. I think he knows who she is now.

BALDWIN: Speaking ever risque, cue the video. Thanks, guys. We've heard from the farmer and his wife. Alan Grant (ph) says "I had a conversation with Rihanna, shook hands, parted company. I found her very gracious. I hope she understands where I'm coming from. I wish her well."

But, A.J. Hammer, the wife says this, quote, "When she started to go topless, that's what Alan was objecting to. It's not the sort of thing Alan wanted young people to see on his land. We are Christians." Anything from camp Rihanna today?

HAMMER: Not really. They are loving this but we did reach out to Rihanna's reps. They are telling "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" that there is no comment.

BALDWIN: Okie-doke. A.J. Hammer, good to see you, as always. Thank you.

Next, protesters target Wall Street.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have gotten tired of hearing the same little news quotes every day, day in and day out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Celebs joining the rally against bank bailouts, corporate cronyism.

And then Amanda Knox convicted of killing her roommate. And while she fights for her freedom in Perugia, Italy, who is watching in memory of Meredith Kercher? We'll show you how this dramatic appeal is playing out in Kercher's hometown next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: "Foxy Knoxy" "She Devil," guilty, innocent, call it what you will. You know the Amanda Knox story by now, the young, fresh-faced American woman accused with her own Italian boyfriend of murdering a friend and fellow student. But what about the victim. Do you even know the victim's name? Her father says that Knox has become a celebrity while his daughter has been forgotten. So Dan Rivers went to Meredith Kercher's hometown to find out a little bit more about her.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Amid the constant coverage of Amanda's appeal, it's easy to overlook the victim of the murder. Meredith Kercher was her Knox's flat-mate, a bright, 21-year- old student studying languages here at Leeds university. But during a one-year placement in the Italian town of Perugia, she was stabbed and sexually assaulted in 2007, a crime of which Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted. A drifter from the Ivory Coast, Rudy Guede was also convicted of her murder in a separate trial.

This is the house where Meredith grew up, a quiet town south of London. The Kercher family have always maintained that they thought that the trial was fair. Meredith's father John wrote in one newspaper that "Amanda Knox has been convicted of taking our precious Meredith's life in the most hideous and bloody way." The prospects of Amanda now being released will be very upsetting to the Kercher family.

The Kercher's neighbor, Maureen Levy, says the appeal has put Meredith's family under enormous strain.

MAUREEN LEVY, NEIGHBOR: Because it's been going on for four years. I mean, there was the initial murder, and then, of course, there was the trial. And since then it always seems to be in the news. And as I say, Meredith seems to be forgotten in it. She was beautiful, she was friendly. She was nice. She was clever, and there's not enough metaphors to say how nice she was. She looked after my grandchildren. And it was just a tragedy.

RIVERS: Local politician Richard Ottaway attended Meredith's funeral.

RICHARD OTTAWAY, MEMBER OF BRITISH PARLIAMENT: It was packed and overflowing. It was quite clear that Meredith was a popular girl, so many friends there. It was probably one of the most moving services that I've ever been to.

RIVERS: It was packed with 500 to 600 friends and family, a sign of Meredith's popularity. The vicar that took the service told me how Meredith's parents dealt with that emotionally-charged day.

REV. COLIN BOSWELL, VICAR OF CROYDON: They very, very courageous, had a calm sort of dignity, which I think they've maintained up until now.

RIVERS: Which must now be under immense strain as they wait to turn out if Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito will be set free.

Dan Rivers, CNN, England.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Dan, thank you.

Iran is sending naval ships near U.S. waters. According to Iran's state run news agency, the Iranian Navy is going to have -- and I'm quoting here - "a powerful presence in the Atlantic Ocean." The White House says there's no cause for concern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: On the Iranian Navy, I think we don't take these statements seriously and given that they do not reflect at all Iran's naval capabilities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has been following this situation. Jay Carney says no big deal, no concern. What about the department of defense? Any comment from them?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: When I asked folks about what they thought about it, I got a lot of rolling eyeballs. Their feeling is this. Look, they are international waters. They are free to sale in international waters. But it's a long way from Tehran to Miami. You know, so if they want to spend the money, good luck to them is kind of the attitude.

International maritime operations across the Atlantic is not easy. It costs a lot of money and you have to have a highly trained force and have ships that can make the journey, resupply, fuel, food, all of those things. It's a much more complex effort than people might think. The Iranian Navy well knows it. So this may be seen as a political statement of Iran's intentions rather than a new military strategy them.

BALDWIN: So, peel back the layer then for me, Barbara Starr? What does the U.S. really think Iran's real intentions are? Is it merely political?

STARR: You bet. The Iranian Navy, for years, has made it very clear. It wants to dominate in the Persian Gulf, those vital economic, international shipping lanes, the very sensitive export shipping lanes for crude oil out of the Middle East, out of the Persian Gulf. That's the real prize for them. They're a very significant presence there. They know they are sailing against the us navies that sail in those waters.

The Iranian naval strategy is to make sure that if it decides to, it can dominate in its own neighborhood. The thinking is that is most likely what Iran will continue to do, to try and be a presence in that vital oil region in their own backyard.

BALDWIN: Barbara Starr, thanks, Barbara.

Now, this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: That'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)

BALDWIN: So, usually he just says no to the question l you run. Did you detect a difference in Chris Christie's responses last night? It seemed a lot of folks like maybe he was skirting around it. We'll let you listen to his comments for yourself so you can join me in glaring into the crystal ball for clues.

Also Florida zeroing in on a primary date there, threatening the presidential primary calendar. Wolf Blitzer has his finger on the political pulse of the Ticker, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A quick little programming note. Tell your friends, your family about this newscast. This show moves up one hour in the CNN lineup starting Monday. So we'll still be together two hours each and every day, just a little earlier. So 2:00 to 4:00 eastern starting next Monday.

And now when is the last time you have actually heard about a politician making headlines for something he did not say? For months now, there has been this growing buzz about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and many Republicans, they want him to enter the race for president. But Christie, who is known for his outspoken ways, has been very clear about saying, no, until now. I want you to listen to his response to a plea from one woman at an event at the Ronald Reagan presidential library last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do it for our sons. Please, sir, don't, we need you. Your country needs you to run for president.

(APPLAUSE)

CHRISTIE: Let me just say this. There are a lot of people who have asked me about this over the course of the last number of weeks and months. And this all say about that tonight is that I hear exactly what you're saying and I feel the passion with which you say it. And it touches me, because I can tell you, I'm just a kid from Jersey who feels like I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have the opportunity that I have to be the governor of my state.

And so people say to me all the time now when folks like you say those kind of things for as many months as it's being said, you know, governor, why don't they just leave you alone? You've already given your answer. Is it a burden? What I say to you tonight and everybody else who's nice enough to say what she said is that it isn't a burden.

I mean, fact of the matter is, that anybody who has an ego large enough to say oh, please, please, please, stop asking me to be leader of the free world, it's such a burden.

(LAUGHTER)

CHRISTIE: If you could please just stop, I mean, what kind of crazy egomaniac would you have to be to say please, please stop.

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)

BALDWIN: So, you be the judge there. You know, for a man not making a bid for the White House, sounded a bit like a candidate giving a speech just a little. No resounding no. The answer is fuelling speculation that Governor Christie is leaving the door open just a little crack.

Time now, let's talk more politics. Let's go to Wolf Blitzer in Washington with new some poll numbers, but let's begin, Wolf, with Florida. What's going on?

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": The Republicans in Florida may be shaking up the schedule. Right now the earliest contest in Iowa, New Hampshire, they're supposed to begin in early February, but Florida now says apparently they're going to meet on Friday. They want to move up their primary to the end of January, January 31st. If they do that, it would be a violation of RNC rules. They'd lose a lot of delegates at the convention in Tampa over the summer.

But it would force Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada to move up. So instead of the actual balloting beginning in early February, it might have to begin in early January. So, it's going to step on our vacations at the end of the year, Christmas, New Year's. We'll see if Florida actually goes ahead, but they want to move their schedule up to January 31st so the other four states will have to move theirs up, because we know Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, the rules say they must go first, so Florida could shake things up a little bit.

Let's get to new poll numbers on the government here in Washington. We asked this question. How often can you trust government in Washington? Just about always, two percent, most of the time, 13 percent, 77 percent say only some of the time, eight percent say never.

Can you trust government in Washington always or most of the time? You take a look how it's moved over the past few years, it wasn't 25 percent in 2008 and 2010. It's down now to 15 percent right now. Can you trust government in Washington always or most of the time? Back in 1958, I know you remember this well, what grade were you in?

BALDWIN: Negative 10, 15.

BLITZER: Whatever grade you were in, 73 percent at that time thought you could trust government in Washington always or most of the time. Right now it's only 15 percent. That's quite a drop over these many years.

Herman Cain, by the way, is going to be joining me at the top of the hour. He's doing well. He's got some momentum.

If you're moving, Brooke, from two to four, guess what I'm going to do?

BALDWIN: You're moving with me, friend.

BLITZER: I'm moving with you because when you move, I move.