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NFLER Drives "Hello Kitty" Smart Car; Al Qaeda Leader Killed in Yemen; Al-Awlaki Linked to Underwear Bomber; Obama to Speak About Terrorist's Death; "Al Qaeda's Rock Star" Killed; Al-Awlaki: "The Youtube Jihadist"; Anti-Obama Signs Draw Protests; Bystanders and Police Lift Car; Saggy Pants Fines Add Up; Dr. Conrad Murray on Trial; Mandela Grandkids Eye Reality TV; Latoya Jackson Ends Retirement; Ashton, Demi and Twitter; Bank of America to Charge Debit Card Fee; Muslim Cleric Killed in Yemen; Boston's Francona May Be Gone
Aired September 30, 2011 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this hour, we begin with the biggest blow to al Qaeda since the killing of Osama Bin Laden and it may be just as devastating to the terror group. Yemen says that American-born Muslim cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki is dead.
In recent months, he had been dubbed the new Bin Laden and the Bin Laden of the internet. The U.S. says he was a master at online recruiting, finding and motivating radicals to kill Americans around the world.
Al-Awlaki is linked to a number of attacks, you may remember. U.S. officials say he was a spiritual adviser to three of the 9/11 hijackers and he had communicated frequently with the American accused of the deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood.
He is also linked to the so-called underwear bomber in 2009 and the attempted car bombing of Times Square last year. It is an extraordinary development and we have mobilized CNN correspondents around the world to cover the breaking story from the Pentagon to Istanbul. We're digging up all the details for you.
Let's go ahead and begin our coverage with CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom. He joins us live from Istanbul, Turkey. So, Mo, what exactly do we know about how he was killed?
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, I have spoken to Yemeni government officials today who told that Anwar Al-Awlaki was in a convoy. He was in a motorcade when an air strike hit that motorcade. That's how he was killed.
But even more details are emerging now. Not just Anwar Al-Awlaki who was killed. A man by the name of Samere Kahn, an American citizen, a Pakistani origin, well known as one of the keys to the propaganda outfit of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.
The co-editor of the English language magazine inspired, this is the magazine that's published in English online, which is trying to recruit more members for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. We also know from Yemeni government officials that he was killed in the strike as well.
He was with Anwar Al-Awlaki. There were also other al Qaeda member in that convoy as well according to Yemeni government officials. This looks to be a big blow to the propaganda unit of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.
Right now, Yemeni officials saying these are figure heads, these are people that were key to recruiting people to the most dangerous wing of al Qaeda. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula comprise of about 700 to 1000 members, the most resurgent, the most emboldened, the most active and threatening wing of the al Qaeda network in Yemen.
What this does to the network as a whole, we don't know just yet, but we do know this is a big blow to that organization and their propaganda apparatus. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: Mohammed, just real quickly, so is Yemen taking full credit for this kill?
JAMJOOM: Yemen is not yet taking full credit for this kill and we have been told by Yemeni government officials that this was a joint intelligence-gathering operation by Yemen and the U.S.
Now, we are still trying to find out was this a drone strike? How much the U.S. has been involved? U.S. officials not commenting on that aspect yet beyond saying that Anwar Al-Awlaki has indeed been killed.
But it would not be surprising to find out that this were a drone strike and it would not be surprising to find out that the U.S. did participate in some way. Right now, Yemeni government officials only saying it was a joint intelligence-gathering operation on the part of the Yemenis and U.S. officials.
And again, right now not surprising as they have been involved in joint operations of this type of scale and magnitude in the past. Kyra.
JAMJOOM: Got it. Mohammed, thanks.
In less than an hour, we are told the president is going to speak on this killing. It comes more than a year and a half since President Obama authorized the CIA to capture and kill Al-Awlaki. It was a remarkable and unprecedented order, by the way, to take out a U.S. citizen on foreign soil.
Dan Lothian is at the White House. Dan, we talked last hour. You kind of hear Mohammed at least is admitting that Yemen is not taking full credit for this. The U.S. was involved. Now the question is how involved and what exactly did the U.S. do and are we going to find that out today?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Those are some of the questions that we hope to hear from the White House today, as you pointed out. A senior administration official is telling me that it is likely that President Obama will comment on the death of Al-Awlaki this morning at this 11:00 event.
It is for a change of office ceremony for the Joint Chiefs. The ceremony itself begins at 11:00 and I'm told that the president will be making his remarks at 11:30. Those big outstanding questions, whether or not the U.S. was directly or indirectly involved in that operation, what I can say is that not only this administration, but the previous administration had been going after key targets inside Yemeni.
There have been drone attacks. What we expect from the president today would be something along the lines of this is a positive day for the administration's efforts in going after terrorists. But that this would only be a part of the overall effort, just one chapter, not the end of the story, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Dan Lothian from the White House there. Let's get to CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. You have been trying to dig on this angle as well, Barbara. You and I talked earlier. Mum's the word right now from the CIA.
Are you getting anything from anybody else about what exactly the U.S. did with regard to these two kills Mohammed was telling us about?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think our colleague, Mohammed Jamjoom's information from the Yemenis that it is a joint intelligence-sharing operation between the U.S. and Yemen is very telling.
You know, when administration officials early this morning were able to so quickly say that Anwar Al-Awlaki was dead, you have to ask yourself, how would they know that? You know, did they have the dead body? Did they have the DNA? Did they have the death photo?
They knew it, by all accounts, because the U.S. intelligence community was involved in this strike on his convoy. The Yemenis saying as much, saying that joint intelligence-sharing operation. It is the U.S. that has that key technology, the drones, the surveillance technology and the very highly trained CIA personnel and military Special Forces personnel.
If it came to that that would be able to conduct such a targeting operation, keep the eye balls the target, watch him move into a convoy, watch that convoy move and essentially take the shot and be able to confirm that he was killed so quickly. That was really the clue. Whatever the U.S. publicly says about it, I think that's really the thing to watch. They knew very quickly that they had their target and they had to have a reason to have known it. Kyra --
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks. It's is hard to overstate just how important Al-Awlaki was to the al Qaeda organization, but here is a pretty frightening reality.
He maybe even more dangerous dead. One international security expert who's been monitoring him for years believes that his death could inspire and incite a whole new wave of militants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILAL BALOCH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY STUDENT: I think targeting Al-Awlaki and killing him is going to add fuel to the fire. I think it it's going to completely marginalize those who agree that his violent views now are wrong, just want to know why this happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson joining us from London. Nic, what do you think?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Certainly killing Al-Awlaki is going to diminish al Qaeda's ability to raise funds through al Qaeda and the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen is going to reduce their ability to recruit people and it's going to -- definitely going to have an impact on them psychologically.
Whenever any senior al Qaeda figure who is revered and we certainly know that Al-Awlaki was revered, I have spoken to his young supporters in London. He spent time in London preaching. People went to those talk sessions. They were inspired by him.
We know that whenever an al Qaeda figure of this type is targeted, that's going to cause some kind of reaction, but al Qaeda's ability to sort of impose that reaction, if you will, on the rest of the world has been diminished over the past decade.
No doubt there will be an effort at some kind of retaliation reaction. Perhaps the most dangerous thing about Yemen right now is the fact that the bomber who made the underpants bomb, the - Abdul Mutallab wore aboard the flight to Detroit, Christmas 2009.
The bomb maker who made the printer bombs that was supposed destined to blow up over the United States last year is still on the loose, Ebrahim Al-Asiri, a very sophisticated, technically savvy bomb maker with access to very powerful explosives is still out there and that also presents a very significant threat for people taking up the challenge of Al-Awlaki's killing here, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So these could be the possible people to actually step in and take his place. Nic Robertson out of London. Nic, thanks so much.
All right, let's get to Peter Bergen, our national security analyst and resident expert on all things al Qaeda. Peter, you and I were talking earlier with regard to the recruitment now.
I mean, this guy was called the Youtube jihadist. He was the one known to create all kinds of support via the internet, recruiting Canadians, recruiting Americans. The fact these dead now, how is that going time pact the recruitment process for al Qaeda?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well also, Sammere Kahn, the American who is editing this inspiring magazine that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula put out, something like six issues is also part of the propaganda operation killed, so I think it's a problem.
There's less recruitment. But I would take a kind of skeptical view that Al-Awlaki is going to be some of an important martyr going forward. I mean, Osama Bin Laden, his orders of magnitude were more important than Al-Awlaki.
And amount of reaction we have seen since Bin Laden's death has been very small. You know, the protests in Pakistan, for instance, were you know, just a few hundred people. So you know, I -- I don't see that there's going to be massive protests.
This guy, by the way, had absolutely no following anywhere in the Muslim world or at large. We are talking about him because he spoke English and was recruiting Americans, Brits and Canadians.
But he is a nonentity in the Arab world. He's a nonentity in Yemen. He's a nonentity in countries like Pakistan or you know, with very large Muslim populations. He is just not known. So I think a little bit of perspective about this is kind of useful.
PHILLIPS: Peter Bergen, thanks for weighing in.
Straight ahead, damning testimony in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. A key witness has testified Conrad Murray told him to pack up drug vials before calling 911. We will go live to L.A. next.
Was anti-Obama signs draw protests and questions of free speech rights?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country now. Take a look at this billboard and the signs that are garnering a lot of controversy in New Orleans right now.
They actually portray President Obama's pretty unflattering terms. It had drawn dozens of protesters who want the signs taken down. The property owner who put the signs up isn't talking.
Police in Boca Raton, Florida have released this dash can video showing the rescue of 6-year-old boy. He got pinned underneath this car Wednesday morning when he tripped and fell in its path. Officers and bystanders literally lifted the car as you can see here and pulled him out. The boy is expected to make a full recovery.
Georgia's ban on saggy pants is beginning to add up for the city's coffers. In the nine months since the sag ban was instituted, the city has collected almost $4,000 in fines.
More now own this morning's big story, the death of U.S.- born and radical Muslim cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki. He was killed this morning in an air strike in Northern Yemen. President Obama expected to talk about this death at the top of the hour.
But until then, let's talk once again with CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend. She is the former Homeland Security adviser to former President George W. Bush. She is live in New York.
And I guess, Fran, the most unique thing about talking to you is you met with President Saleh. You specifically talked about this man with him. Do you feel it ever went anywhere and what kind of impact now will the death of Al-Awlaki have on Saleh and the protests that we're seeing in his country right now?
FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, it never went anywhere. I mean, we pushed President Saleh pretty hard, but President Saleh at the time, he was in less dire need of U.S. political support within Yemen.
And so we pushed him, he felt that it was doable to accommodate us in terms of being able to interrogate or extradite Al- Awlaki. Al-Awlaki had powerful connections to tribes in Yemen and Saleh was just unwilling.
And so it was a pretty frustrating thing at the time. So I'm perfectly delighted at the success of the Obama administration in terms of being able to target him.
PHILLIPS: And so now, Fran, before I let you go. What kind of impact do you think this is going to have on what's happening now in Yemen and the survival of its president?
TOWNSEND: Well, you know, I think we have to be careful about how much we attribute it to Anwar Al-Awlaki. He is an inspirational figure certainly for recruitment of operatives for fundraising and in that sense very significant.
But, of course, he didn't really run the operational arm of al Qaeda and the Arabian Peninsula. Peter Bergen mentioned, as did Nic Robertson, Al-Aseri who is the bomb maker, he is still out there and so they still have a technical operational capability.
And he has to be at the top of the list now in Yemen of those the Americans and Yemenis want to target. You know, I think going forward it is severely weakened by the absence of Al-Awlaki, but it certainly still a dangerous organization.
PHILLIPS: Got it, Fran Townsend, thanks.
A chilling testimony in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. A Jackson bodyguard says Conrad Murray told him to pack up drug vials before calling 911. We will have a live report from L.A. right after the break.
And Herman Cain, the latest GOP presidential candidate to meet with Donald Trump. So, what exactly is Trump telling these candidates? Our political panel weighs in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: A chilling testimony against Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. A bodyguard says as Jackson lay motionless, Dr. Murray directed him to pack up drugs before calling 911. Prosecutors claim it's evidence that Murray was trying to cover up his actions.
CNN's Don Lemon is covering the trial. He is live outside the courthouse in L.A. Don?
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra, and that apparently happened after, after one of Michael Jackson's children tried to enter the room when that security guard came in and found Dr. Murray trying to revive Michael Jackson. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO ALVAREZ, JACKSON'S DIRECTOR OF LOGISTICS: Paris screamed out, "daddy."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you heard Paris scream out "daddy," was she crying?
ALVAREZ: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And was Michael laying on the bed, palms up, looking slightly to the left at that time?
ALVAREZ: Yes, he was.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would he have been actually looking slightly toward Paris' location?
ALVAREZ: Yes, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, this happened before they were supposedly packing up the bags were Conrad Murray told the security guard to pack up the bags and vials so he could get rid of it, according to the prosecution. And then finally, finally after wasting time you can the 911 phone call. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALVAREZ (via telephone): Doctor, did you see what happened?
UNIDENTIFIED OPERATOR: We are on our watch we are on our way. I just dispatched paramedics to your location, sir.
ALVAREZ: He is pumping the chest, but he is not responding to anything, sir.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, then, the family in the courtroom, Kyra, they are having to relieve all of this. The family sitting there as they are playing those 911 tapes and you can see them, I was looking over. They're sitting right to my right.
You could see them wincing and just moaning and wondering why so much time had wasted. Why didn't someone call 911 sooner? And guess what, today, in court, two of the paramedics, the two paramedics who showed up first, they are going to testify.
And it is expected that they will say once they got there, Michael Jackson was flat lined, Kyra, and there was no pulse. Again, the prosecution indicating that Michael Jackson was already dead by the time they got on the scene and had no chances of being revived.
PHILLIPS: Don Lemon live in L.A. for us at the trial. Don, thanks.
It seems just like everybody has a reality TV show these days. Now, some Mandelas may be added to mix. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host A.J. Hammer has the latest live from New York. Tell us about it, A.J.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Didn't see that coming, did you, Kyra? Want to scoot over housewives and playmates. The latest ladies to get their own reality TV series are none other than Nelson Mandelas' granddaughters.
Three of the South African icon's adult granddaughters are said to be part of a new series that will possibly be seen in the United States as early as January. In a different worlds colliding moment, the show came about after Mandela's oldest granddaughter, she's 34, arranged a meeting with Dr. Robert Ray.
You may know that name because he is the plastic surgeon from the reality show "Dr. 90210." He then connected the women with his executive producer and a few months later, a show concept was born, which has cameras following around the trio, were all considered to be role models and it supposed to show the reality of their personal and professional lives.
All three women were raised in Boston, one is a wife and a mother. One is a single mom, the third is a recent law school graduate just starting out in her professional life. Kyra, I'd like to say I'm surprised that there will now be a Mandela reality show. But quite frankly, nothing about reality TV surprises me at all anymore.
PHILLIPS: I totally agree. Who is next? Really, it is an open field.
All right, Latoya Jackson coming out of retirement for her late brother, Michael's tribute concert next month, right?
HAMMER: That's right. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" has confirmed that Latoya has agreed to break her 20-year retirement from music to honor Michael. The famous Jackson sibling is said to join an A-list lineup of the "Michael Forever" tribute.
It already includes the Black Eyed Peas, Jamie Foxx is a part of this and so is Christina Aguilera. Here is what Latoya is telling "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" about this. She says, in speaking with my mother yesterday, I asked her where she thinks Michael would rather have us be in this courtroom filled with negativity and lies or on a stage celebrating his music, his legacy and his life.
And she said without a second of thought, celebrating his life with family and fans. I look forward to putting a great show and making my brother proud. Now the Jackson family still remains divided over the concert.
Janet, Jermaine and Randy, they have chosen not to participate because the concert is taking place during the trial of Dr. Murray. Kyra, the "Michael Forever" tribute will take place any event now with Latoya involved in Cartif, Wales, next Saturday, October 8th.
PHILLIPS: All right and finally, what is the inside scoop on the Moore/Kutcher household?
HAMMER: I hope this is turning into good news. It might be because it appears Ashton Kutcher is now doing his part to shutdown all these rumors flying around that he and Demi are splitting up. This all started a few days ago, "Star" magazine alleging Kutcher was unfaithful and that had led to the couple collapsing.
The "Two and a Half Men" star used his Twitter account, as he is wont to do this time to set the record straight. Kind of, what he did is tweeted a link to his Spotify account. He is playing the Public Enemy song "Don't Believe the Hype" and then he tweeted the old line, when you assume to know that which you know nothing of, you make a blank out of you and me.
Now, a few days earlier, Demi had quoted a Greek philosopher on her Twitter account writing, when we are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings and then you will forget your anger. I don't know, is it all code, let the fans know it is just fine?
Are they buying time? Hard to tell. We have reached out. We have no comment from them and I'm loathe to be cynical. And I'm loathe to feed into this, Kyra. But somebody did point out to me this morning that despite all the tweeting, there has been no denial. I hope everything is just fine. There you have it.
PHILLIPS: It shall continue. Thanks, A.J.
If you want information on everything breaking in entertainment world and Twitter, A.J.'s got it every night, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," 11 p.m. on HLN.
Well, Bank of America going to charge a $5 monthly debit card fee. What do you think? Could other banks follow the lead? We will have that story straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now, American-born Muslim cleric Anwar Al-Awlaki has been killed in Yemen. A Yemeni official says he was taken out in an air strike on his motorcade. Al-Awlaki has been linked to at least three terror plots in the U.S.
Italian prosecutors in the Amanda Knox murder appeal are making rebuttals today. The jury is expected to get the case after Knox and her co-defendant give their final statements on Monday.
Joint Chiefs Chair Admiral Mike Mullin stepping down this morning. Army General Martin Dempsey will take over the position after a ceremony at Fort Meyer, Virginia.
All right, time 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 contributor, Will Cain, Sirius XM political talk show host, Pete Dominic and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona.
OK, guys, first question, we've been talking about this all morning, the death of the man called Osama Bin Laden of the internet. So let's talk about Anwar Al-Awlaki and his death. What do you think? Could it be a political boost for President Obama? Maria?
MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, the thing is, Kyra, we are not running in 2004. This isn't in 2004, where terrorism and foreign policy issues really trump economic issues.
So, while I do think he will have a boost, I don't think it will actually do anything to change voters' minds about the other issues in terms of the economy.
But I do think that it will take away a talking point, which is already weak to begin with from the GOP presidential candidates whenever they have criticized this president on terrorism or on foreign policy. And it will also underscore for voters where they already trust this president and where they feel that he is a terrific commander in chief.
PHILLIPS,: Will?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Kyra, you left out one adjective in your description of aw-Awlaki, American citizen. So the United States government has now murdered an American citizen without due process and far from any battlefield and any war that I can tell.
And those that dismissed what I just said must draw up all the critical thinking skills of a guerilla. They says, who's the bad guy, he was a terrorist. You're right, he was all those things. But now we've empowered the American president to murder our own citizens based on his subjective judgment of who is a bad guy. And if that doesn't give you hesitation, consider this, President Donald Trump.
We should be asking new questions today about where is the war on terror and who exactly is the enemy.
PHILLIPS: Pete.
PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUM-XM POLITICAL TALK SHOW HOST: Well, first of all, I really seriously want to applaud what Will Cain just said. I totally agree with what he just said. Does this help President Obama's political -- listen, this al-Awlaki, how many jobs is he going to create? I guess whoever builds predator drones, they have to build one more.
But as Maria just said, this is not the issue that Americans are worried about. They're not worried about a terrorist attack from the al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula, number 473 on the leadership list. They're worried about losing their jobs. That's what they are worried about and this doesn't change that for Americans -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, let's talk politics then. Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, even Sarah Palin, who hasn't even declared yet, now Herman Cain meeting with Donald Trump.
So what do you think? Symbolism, substance? What is Trump telling these candidates or is this just all about Trump getting in the headlines? Will?
CAIN: You know what I find this, Kyra? I find this embarrassing. It's certainly not about substance. What is he advising them on? How to start a trade war with China? How to check the genealogy background of various American presidents?
It's not about substance. It can't be about substance so that means it's about trying to curry favor with, what, 14 percent or so idiots that polled Donald Trump into relevance? So I bottom line find this incredibly embarrassing.
PHILLIPS: Maria?
CARDONA: Wow. I think we're all going to agree with Will this morning, because could I not agree more about with Will on that.
I think it's ridiculous, I really don't understand the obsession with the GOP candidates having to go kiss Donald Trump's ring. I just think it's bizarre unless, of course, he's about ready to announce a top-secret reality show where the fact is that he is going to be choosing the presidential nominee and not Republican voters. Who knows.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Pete?
DOMINICK: Donald Trump is an arrogant jerk. Mitt Romney wouldn't even allow himself to have a picture taken with him. Maybe there's some kind of "Apprentice"/GOP/Tea Party edition coming this way. Maybe they're begging Donald Trump not to endorse them. Maybe they were begging Donald Trump not to mention their name or say anything else, but this is just -- it's silliness.
Donald Trump shouldn't have any part of this conversation and they shouldn't be seen with him and they should be embarrassed. Donald Trump played with racist -- racism for a while, that whole birther thing, and anybody seen with anybody who thinks the president is an American citizen should be embarrassed. PHILLIPS: I tell you what, I don't know if it's the questions that I picked or what's going on, but you guys are feisty today. I'm, like, feeling really kind of negative here. Maybe it's the lack of coffee, I don't know. Here we go. I'm going to throw out one more. I know --
CAIN: You know, Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Yes, yes, Will?
CAIN: It is heavy, heavy topic.
PHILLIPS: It's heavy stuff. OK. Well, you guys --
DOMINICK: I'm being told -- I'm being told in my ear that apparently Mitt Romney's next meeting with Gary Busey because he came in third on "The Apprentice." I'm not sure if that's true.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All right. Your buzzer-beater, 20 seconds each on this one. I can just imagine what you're all going to say now. Chris Christie shutting down the tax credit for "Jersey Shore" this week, so what's more difficult, running for president or facing off with Snooki? Will?
CAIN: You know, I got to tell you, it's so easy to make fun of Snooki and so popular to make her out to be such a buffoon. It almost makes me want to take the opposite approach, I don't know if it's the contrarian in me that reflects what I think about everyone else.
But I think that if Chris Christie is doing away with tax credits, and I know I'm getting serious again, but if he's doing with tax credits, I'd love to send him to Washington and get rid of them all. If he can stare down Snooki, then I hope he can stare down the monstrosity that is the tax code.
PHILLIPS: Maria?
CARDONA: Well, see, when I heard about this, Kyra, that he was actually taking away the tax credit for "Jersey Shore" that is what really indicated to me that he was not running for president because how could you credibly run for president if you're about to alienate the huge juicehead gorilla and fist-pumping crowd, or the folks that love "Jersey Shore." He is not running.
PHILLIPS: Pete?
DOMINICK: I -- I don't know who Snooki is.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Oh, you are such --
CARDONA: Come on.
PHILLIPS: Such a liar.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Is that it? Is that all I get?
DOMINICK: I was just -- I was -- I hate these reality shows. I hate them so much, they poison America. And if there were a predator drone that can metaphorically kill all these terrible reality shows, that is one I would absolutely support. Metaphorically. Metaphorically.
PHILLIPS: You know what's scary? You know what's scary? The ratings of those shows, guys. OK?
DOMINICK: Well, yes. Well --
PHILLIPS: That's a reflection of America, my friends.
CARDONA: Absolutely.
CAIN: We all need desserts. We all need dessert, Kyra, Pete.
DOMINICK: Yes. It's called NFL football, Will. It's called sports.
PHILLIPS: How about Red Velvet cake. Happy weekend, guys.
CAIN: Sometimes I need multiple desserts.
PHILLIPS: Oh boy.
CARDONA: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: The Feisty Friday with those guys.
Well, Bank of America is announcing it's going to start charging customers a $5 a month debit card fee.
Alison Kosik, I should have thrown that at the political panel, I'm sure all three of them would have had something to say about that.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You'd see outrage across the board. Because don't you love it? Just to have access to your money, you're going to have to spend your money, right?
So what Bank of America is doing is it's going to charge $5 a month if you use your debit card to buy something. It doesn't matter when you get up to the checkout counter, if you click credit, you can't get around it, you're still going to have to pay that fee. That is, unless, you use the card only as -- through ATMs, then you won't pay the fee.
Now several other banks are testing this out, at Wells Fargo, at Chase, but the difference here is that Bank of America is the first major bank to do this because some new regulations are kicking in this weekend. What's happening is banks can't charge retailers as much as they used to in fees so what they are doing is they're making up for it somehow by sticking it to the consumer and this all starts next year -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. Alison, thanks.
Herman Cain moves up in a new poll but can the Republican candidate for president raise enough money to take on two men that are in front of him? Stay tuned. Our "Political Ticker" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Now more on the death of radical Anwar al-Awlaki. It may be the biggest blow to the terror group since the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Yemen says the American-born Muslim cleric was taken out in Yemen and in recent months, some terror experts and much of the media dubs him the new bin Laden, and the bin Laden of the Internet.
The U.S. says that he was a master at online recruiting, finding and motivating new radicals to kill Americans around the world. Al- Awlaki is linked to a number of attacks. U.S. officials say he was a spiritual adviser to three of the 9/11 hijackers. And he had communicated frequently with the American accused of the deadly shooting spree at Ft. Hood.
He's also linked to the so-called underwear bomber in 2009 and the attempted car bombing of Times Square just last year.
Well, al-Awlaki had been on the government's radar for more than a decade. Even before 9/11. During his time with the CIA and Department of Homeland Security, Chad Sweet got pretty familiar with the radical cleric. Chad is now with the Chertoff Group, the global security advisory firm the he coh-founded.
And Chad, I'll just get right to it. Because we've been talking so much about him and his background, but you know, the National Security Council and President Obama told the CIA it could target and take out al-Awlaki. This was more than a year ago. So what do you think? Was this a CIA/U.S. military coup?
CHAD SWEET, CO-FOUNDER, THE CHERTOFF GROUP: Well, it definitely is a joint CIA military success and the targeting of a U.S. citizen candidly is not a surprise -- should not be a surprise to anyone. We've had tremendous continuity, candidly, between both the Obama administration and the Bush administration, both presidents made it clear, that someone elects to be a belligerent and commit treason against the United States then they will be treated just like any other belligerent including being killed.
And so President Bush and President Obama were authorized to do this. And it's frankly not the first time that we've had U.S. citizens targeted. We can remember the U.S. citizen Adam Gadan that was on the high value target or HVT list. He was indicted by the FBI for treason, which we know under our laws and constitution is punishable by death. So what's taken place is we should celebrate is a success of continuity between both administrations.
PHILLIPS: Well, you've probably heard the criticism that's out there already. We just talked about it in our "Political Buzz" panel. Will Cain, on the conservative side said this is, you know, just disastrous. How can we kill an American on foreign soil? You know, from a CIA perspective, a military perspective, a security perspective, what would you say to critics like that?
SWEET: I'd say in the case of these individuals where the evidence is unquestionable, they have actually -- they're self- admitted betrayers of the United States and belligerents in a war. The second thing I would point them to, is the -- what's called AUF, authorization of the use of the force.
So Congress actually has authorized the use of force so we have not only the fact that these individuals are self-admitted treasonness individuals against the United States but we actually have the authorization of our Congress as well for the use of force.
So this is something that, again, both President Bush and Obama have had very clear policies on. They have made it openly known to the belligerents and this should not come as a surprise.
PHILLIPS: Chad Sweet, it was great to have your perspective this morning. Thanks, Chad.
SWEET: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
New poll puts Herman Cain a strong third in the Republican White House race and more stories from our "Political Ticker," just ahead.
Also, the Boston Red Sox stunning collapse may lead to the manager's exit. We are going to talk more about that and tonight's playoff game with former pitching great John Smoltz.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COMMON, FOUNDER, COMMON GROUND FOUNDATION: Hi, I'm Common. Last year I had the pleasure of performing in CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. And as the founder of the Common Ground Foundation, I am dedicated to helping young people in underserved communities.
Now I am thrilled to help introduce one of this year's top 10 CNN Heroes. Now more than ever the world needs heroes.
DIANE LATIKER, CNN HERO: Guns, guns and more guns. These are young people. These stones represent them. We're losing a generation to violence. People go in the house and close their doors, they don't even talk about it. But there are some people who are not scared to go outside, and I'm one of them.
My name is Diane Latiker. We opened a community center called Kids Off the Block, we're known as KOB. I tell kids this is a peace place. This is a safe place. We have leadership workshops. (INAUDIBLE) preparation. Music. There's a range of things that goes on in here. We open the doors to the new KOB center in July. Last year we served 301 young people. They knock on that door, they can come in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was 12 when I got in a gang. Miss Diane, she done change my life. I love her for that.
LATIKER: I'm no different from nobody else. I just open up my door. Why can't y'all come outside and see what's going on in our neighborhoods? There are people here who care and I'm one of them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's face it, it's what every baseball nut is talking about, the playoffs, but there may be even more talk about the two teams that didn't get in.
TBS sportscaster and former pitcher John Smoltz working the playoffs.
John, good to see you.
JOHN SMOLTZ, TBS BASEBALL ANALYST: Good morning.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's start with the Red Sox manager, shall we? Terry Francona may lose his job. You know, you pitched for this guy, players loved him. That's what I'm told. What the heck happened?
SMOLTZ: Well, it's a -- you know there's going to be a lot of words that surround this scenario and I don't think they're accurate mainly because they lost their pitching staff, they had some injuries, they weren't able to pitch consecutive games to where this team was built to win the championship, there's no doubt.
And when you have an historic month like September and you cannot find any pitchers to go out there and give you quality starts and because they were dealing with some injuries, it made it awfully tough on the offense, and when you're dealing with the mental toughness of a breakdown like this at an historic point, it's tough to deal with. And this has got to be one of the hardest thing that the Boston Red Sox have ever had to deal with, mainly because there's so much attention around them with the Yankees, the division, and so much expected of them that nobody saw this coming.
And it really is an historic thing that you have to find a way to put away and not think about, but that's almost impossible.
PHILLIPS: Yes, I don't know how you manage, you know, or -- either team, Red Sox or Yankees when you've got this constant, you know, rivalry going on.
All right. Let's talk about the collapse of the Braves now, shall we? A historic flop, to say the least. You pitched 20 seasons, right, with that team?
SMOLTZ: Yes.
PHILLIPS: So what do you think? I mean could this haunt them and play mind games for seasons to come?
SMOLTZ: Well, you know, they say it doesn't kill you to make you stronger and I think for these young guys who had to be the emergency starters who had again to fill in for some injuries it is very difficult to manage a team when you lose two big cogs in your starting rotation as Atlanta did.
And the pressure of these young guys, I thought they did a remarkable job, to be honest with you, and then the inability then to win some games down the stretch becomes the focus, but you're limited as a manager in what you can do and I think for Atlanta's case, and again, in both cases, these teams were being chased by teams that got hot and got hot at the right time, and you never want to be in the sentence of a historic collapse and you never want to deal with the way that your season ends.
But I think for Atlanta, I think they are going to be OK because the young pitching that they have can learn some incredible lessons down the stretch. They just didn't have many options, when you think about losing Hanson and Jurrjens, and that incredible bullpen did everything they could do.
PHILLIPS: Well, as a pitcher, I know tonight you're going to be watching Sabathia and Ver Lander and maybe we can recap Monday. What do you say?
SMOLTZ: Absolutely. This is one of those must-see TV games. The playoffs is great and when you have the two horses on the mound for these two teams, this is why they are where they are at and they need to ride those guys as hard as they can and a big, big game for CC. A lot of pressure on CC at home because he is going arguably against the guy who's had the greatest year in the last 20 or so years as the Triple Crown winner in Ver Lander.
So I'm -- I just can't wait, I'm excited. Only other thing I wish I could do is --
PHILLIPS: You wish you were there.
SMOLTZ: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Yes, I was just going to say -- I knew it. You wish you were on the mound.
John, thanks so much to. Great talking to you today.
SMOLTZ: My pleasure.
PHILLIPS: All right.
Well, a new poll puts Herman Cain a strong third in the Republican White House race, that and more stories from our "Political Ticker," right after the break.
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PHILLIPS: Stories making news later today. Next hour in Fort Myer, Virginia, the retirement ceremony for Admiral Mike Mullen gets under way, as he officially steps away as chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff. And later next hour in Little Rock, Arkansas, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes part in the dedication ceremony at the Clinton Presidential Center. And later tonight, 7 p.m. Eastern in Providence, Rhode Island, First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at a DNC- sponsored event.
Well, in today's "Making Their Mark," urban camping, the legal way. Check this out in San Francisco's Hate Ashbury District. It's a twin bed in a parking spot. Well, it's there, compliments of Bennett Austin, who feeds the meter to let homeless kids sleep. It is also a pretty clever way around the city's law, which forbids people sitting or sleeping on sidewalks from morning until late evening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENNETT AUSTIN, ORGANIZER: I think that instead of putting laws in place to push the problem away, we should be putting more efforts to changing it and coming up with a solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Bennett has also collected about 700 bucks in donations for a homeless youth shelter. He says so far city police have been quite understanding.
Well, next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, day four of the Conrad Murray trial. The court starts at 11:45 a.m. We'll take you there live.
Plus, an ATM that delivers gold bars. It's coming up tomorrow.
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PHILLIPS: Well, Herman Cain has been in the back of the GOP White House pack but he may be making a move.
Mark Preston here with that story.
What do you think, Mark?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, Kyra, something to be said that Herman Cain is, you know, reaching a pinnacle right now for his run for the presidential race.
Let's just start with the fact that he won the Iowa straw poll. That really catapulted him on the national stage just a week ago. And then after that, a FOX poll came out this week that showed him at 17 percent, which was within striking distance of the two frontrunners, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Now he's going to be on the couch next to Jay Leno tonight for "The Tonight Show." He meets with Donald Trump on Monday, just as all the other candidates do, and then next week as well, he's going to release his autobiography. It's called "This is Herman Cain."
So Herman Cain has certainly catapulted in the national spotlight. The big question is, though, is this really going to help him? And does he have a really legitimate shot of winning the Republican presidential nomination?
I think you have to say at this point he is still a very, very, very long shot to win the nomination but he's certainly making some waves -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. We'll follow the waves. We'll ride them with him, I guess. Tell us about these two debates, CNN debates, coming up out west?
PRESTON: Sure. You know, there's been such a focus on the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, of course, Florida, where we -- CNN did a debate just recently back in September but we're heading out west. First stop is going to be on the Las Vegas Strip, hosting a debate with the Western Republican Leadership Conference.
This is very important because Nevada is going to be one of the four early voting states that will weigh in the presidential nominating contest. And then when we head to December, and December 1st, we're going to be working with the Arizona Republican Party. We're doing a debate in that state, which is going to hold their primary on February 28th.
Arizona and Nevada, two important states that have been hit very hard by these hard economic times so expect some of those issues to be discussed -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Mark, thanks.
We'll have your next political update in just about an hour. And a reminder for all the latest political news you can go to our Web site, 24/7, CNNPolitics.com.
Happy Friday, everyone. But you don't have to leave. Suzanne Malveaux has got another two hours for you.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Then you can leave.
PHILLIPS: There you go.
MALVEAUX: No, no. Stay. Stay. Stay a little longer. Have a great weekend, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: You too.
