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Amanda Knox Back Home in Seattle; Unions Back Occupy Wall Street Protests; The GOP Race without Christie; Interview With "Friends of Amanda Knox" Spokeswoman Anne Bremner; Murray's Girlfriends Testify; Citibank Hikes Checking Account Fees; Mass Shooting in California; 75-Mile Commute Under 30 Minutes; Untold Jokes About Chris Christie; Unions Back Occupy Wall Street Movement

Aired October 05, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Christine. I'd say a little, you know, hot water with lemon for that throat there.

All right. Take care.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Take care -- for the day, all three of you. Thanks so much.

All right. Amanda Knox. She's spending her first morning in the United States. She is back in Seattle, Washington. Starting over -- starting her life over after Italian justice overturned her murder conviction after four years in prison. Knox arrived at the airport with her family and spoke last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANDA KNOX, MURDER CONVICTION OVERTURNED: They're reminding me to speak in English because I'm having problems with that. I'm really overwhelmed right now. I was looking down from the airplane and it seemed like everything wasn't real.

What's important for me to say is just thank you to everyone who has believed in me, who has defended me, who has supported my family.

I just want my family is the most important thing to me right now and I just want to go and be with them. So thank you for being there for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Drew Griffin was there.

This was a very emotional moment for her and her supporters, wasn't it, Drew?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was. And I think, you know, after hearing that statement again, Fred, you could hear in her voice just how unprepared she is, perhaps, to handle the emotions of what's going on right now and certainly the pressures that the media would like to put on her to hear her story.

It was an incredible moment of not only joy for her family, but on their faces, I could see relief. It finally was sinking in that this four-year ordeal was over.

WHITFIELD: Any idea what's ahead for her now?

GRIFFIN: You know, it's anybody's guess. The family has been saying they would like Amanda to basically detox. To stand down from this jail term that she was in to figure out what she wants to do. And they were literally telling me that they were hoping that would take six weeks or so.

Amanda Knox does fancy herself as a writer. I know there have been a lot of offers for book deals, but we don't know what is ahead for Amanda Knox. I think particularly because the family was going to allow Amanda to decide her course.

WHITFIELD: All right. Drew Griffin, thanks so much for keeping us posted. We'll check back with you and get more on the reporting of Amanda Knox's freedom now.

All right, now to the Occupy Wall Street rallies. They are striking a cord across the country. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver and Boston, all starting their own movements fighting against what they call corporate greed and the protests are about to get a lot more muscle.

Several New York unions are joining up now.

Susan Candiotti is live at the base camp in lower Manhattan.

So, Susan, there is a planned march today. How big is it expected to get?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Ross, go ahead. Go ahead, Ross. I'm listening.

WHITFIELD: All right. Susan, if you can hear me? All right, we're going to try --

CANDIOTTI: Yes, I do hear you.

WHITFIELD: All right.

CANDIOTTI: Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: What's happening?

CANDIOTTI: So this is the protest part. We have been here for -- gosh, we've talked to you about this before, as well. We're almost three weeks at this protest movement. Where they're getting a lot of help this day from unions, for big demonstration later on in the day. So there could be hundreds of them joining the cause, as they put it.

But among them, we have Jillani (ph) Gibson from Detroit and his grandmother, Sharon. And they have been camping out here for four days now, been spending the night.

Jillani, you told me you wanted to come out, why? I mean you left school, you're a sophomore in high school, to come to this.

JILLANI GIBSON, PROTESTER: For me, I think this may be one of biggest protests of my generation and that this generation may ever see, and I'm not so sure it will happen again. I would like to see it happen again but it's iffy for me.

CANDIOTTI: You're keeping notes here. You plan on discussing this with your economics class, you told your teacher you were here. What did they say?

GIBSON: Most of the class were pretty happy. They get a chance to answer questions in class. Like now our teacher was, like, send me back a report on it. So that's the notes are for.

CANDIOTTI: And, Sharon, why did you decide to come out here? I mean you're sleeping on the ground here to make what point?

SHARON, PROTESTER: Well, I'm hoping this will be the start of a big movement and I want to be a part of it to show that we're not happy with what's going on in this world and in America with people unemployed.

And as my sign says, people are losing their homes, there are no loans, student loans are not being forgiven, but the banks get $16 trillion. I'm really infuriated by that. So I'll just do my little part. I'm out to help.

CANDIOTTI: Thank you very much, both of you, for joining us.

Again, they will be joined by an expected hundreds and hundreds of others who belong to various unions who will be out here offering their support later this day.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Susan, on that.

President Barack Obama has signed a temporary spending bill ending the latest threat of a government shutdown. The measure which passed the House yesterday keeps the federal government funded through November 18th. The extension is designed to give Congress time to debate and pass bills to fund the rest of the 2012 fiscal year.

And a new "Washington Post"/ABC News poll finds only 14 percent of Americans approve of how Congress is handling its job. Twenty percent somewhat disapprove and 62 percent strongly disapprove. It's Congress' worst showing in more than two decades of the "Washington Post"/ABC News poll.

And we now know New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will not be running for the White House. So how does the GOP reshape up?

Our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser takes a look. Paul, good to see you this morning. So some are not really that surprised that he said no, I'm not in.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes. Exactly. He'd been saying no for so long that he said maybe not, maybe then -- but we got a definite no yesterday. So where does the race for the White House on the Republican side stand right now?

Fred, three polls out just in the last 24 hours and they all indicate something similar, that Rick Perry, who was the frontrunner, the Texas governor, is dropping.

Check this one out, this is from CBS News. And you could see right now, tied at the top, according to this one, at least. You've got Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, he was the frontrunner and now he seems to be back in the top spot, but sharing it with him, Herman Cain, yes, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO at 17 percent, with Romney there.

And in the other two surveys came a strong second place. You can see right there. Perry at 12 percent and then go down to Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, at 8 percent, Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas, at 7 percent. Everybody else a little bit lower.

So, you know, the numbers have changed and definitely -- the way the race is has changed, as well.

Talking about Perry, he needed a big number, not in the polls but in fundraising, and he got it this morning. Rick Perry's campaign announcing this morning that they raised $17 million just in the first seven weeks of their campaign. That is a pretty impressive number and it's something they needed because, as they've been dropping in the polls, they needed to show they had financial support. That's why we look at these campaign cash numbers.

And what about Romney. Let's talk about Romney because with Christie out of the race now, he just secured one -- a very potential big donor for Christie, and I'm talking about a guy called (INAUDIBLE), he's co- founder of Home Depot and he is now signing up to be a Romney fundraiser.

So what's going on now? They're looking to see where the money is -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about a gubernatorial race, this one in West Virginia. What's going on?

STEINHAUSER: Special election last night in West Virginia for governor. And the Republicans, they were trying to tie the acting Democratic governor to Barack Obama, to the president, and trying to nationalize this race. Democrats didn't know this was a local race. The Democrat won the race, Tomblin, Earl Ray Tomblin, the acting governor, who has a very narrow margin.

I say all these special elections we keep such a close eye on them and what they tell us about next year -- Fred. WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Paul Steinhauser, good to see you from Washington.

And we'll have our next political update in one hour. And a reminder for all the latest political news, you know exactly where to go, our Web site, CNNPolitics.com.

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, she can hardly believe it's real. Amanda Knox back home in Seattle, a day after her Italian courtroom drama. But what's next now that she is notorious. We'll be asking an insider.

And a dust storm halts interstate traffic creating pileups involving dozens of vehicles. Details next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Checking stories across the country now.

Arizona's Interstate 10 is back open after blinding dust storms caused a trio of multiple car crashes yesterday. One person was killed, 15 more hurt.

In California, a section of the Sequoia National Forest is closed because a giant sequoia tree fell right over a trail there. The closure is temporary until the park service can get it cleaned up.

And in Chicago, they came for an offer they couldn't resist. Test some electronics and get paid 75 bucks to fill out a survey and then keep what you have tried out. Turns out the recipients of the offer were actually fugitives and the deal was really a sting operation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF TOM DART, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS: The other guy kept calling us because he was running late for his appointment. So I mean, he asked us if we please keep the company open a little bit longer and we obliged to him. And so he literally took, like, five buses, jumped off the last on, and sprinted down the street to get here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The sheriff says more than 100 fugitives were picked up in the two-week-long operation.

All right. Back to Seattle, Washington. Amanda Knox says she is overwhelmed to be home free. Her emotional return coming four years after she entered an Italian prison and a day after her murder conviction was overturned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KNOX: What's important for me to say is just thank you to everyone who has believed in me. Who has defended me, who has supported my family. I just want -- my family is the most important thing to me right now. I just want to go and be with them. So thank you for being there for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Some of those supporters formed the group, Friends of Amanda. Lawyer Anne Bremner has been their spokesperson and provided legal counsel. She's with us now from Seattle.

Good to see you, Anne. So how is she doing in your view?

ANNE BREMNER, SPOKESWOMAN, "FRIENDS OF AMANDA KNOX": Beautifully. What a wonderful statement, what a wonderful thing to have her home in Seattle. What a wonderful thing just to see that airplane touchdown. It's just a wonderful result after such an ordeal that she and her family have been put through for so many years.

So Seattle is thanking her and thanking her lucky stars she's back and it was just so neat to see her say thank you to Seattle and thank you to the world, thank you to everyone that supported her and defended her and it was everyone's pleasure to do so.

WHITFIELD: Yes, psychologically, she really is going through a lot. We heard, you know, one of her family members saying --

BREMNER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: You know, speak English, not Italian. But apparently she wants some normalcy.

BREMNER: That's right.

WHITFIELD: She wants a barbecue, she wants to roll around her lawn, et cetera. But is she likely to do that soon or kind of go into seclusion for a bit first?

BREMNER: I think the family is -- they want to have her in seclusion and give her some privacy. You know I guess the paparazzi. The true paparazzi Italian are here, too, and gone to her home. I mean she just needs to decompress. I mean not a detox, but a decompression to just be Amanda. Just be with her family. Just cherish her freedom and do the simple things in life.

And that's the thing we keep hearing -- we've been hearing while she's been in prison, you know, and updates and when I talked to her own the phone. She just wants the simple things back. The things we take for granted. And I think we all need to let her do that and then she'll talk when she's ready. But she sure wanted to say thank you to everybody yesterday. And it was really a wonderful day.

WHITFIELD: While in prison, she kept a journal. Do you see her sharing that in any way with the public?

BREMNER: She might. She's a great writer and she fancies herself a writer and she should because she's very good.

She also had a diary that was published early on in this case because she kept one early on. I think that could be something that she would share. She might be able to write a book, I mean, things like that. But she's very thoughtful. She's very mature and very level headed.

And I think she has a lot to share with the world about what happened. There's eight books, as you know, written about her right now. But the only one that can really write her story, the Amanda Knox story, is Amanda herself.

WHITFIELD: Now, the Italian prosecutor is appealing the decision that overturned her conviction? Is she expressing a real concern about that or expressing a concern about possibly being extradited?

BREMNER: She's been through so much and so much that has been unexpected that when -- even in the trial where she should have been acquitted, of course, she was convicted. But that having been said, this prosecutor himself is convicted of abuse of office. We always say every day is Halloween to Magnini, this prosecutor, you know, claiming satanic cults and that she is a witch and she was a she devil.

But she's safe now. She's in Seattle and the only way an extradition is going to occur is if there is some quantum of evidence behind it. And we know now that the DNA forensic evidence was found to be by independent experts contaminated, unreliable and inadmissible.

So, I think the chances of her being extradited from the U.S., from Seattle, are remote at best. I mean, she's safe at home, finally.

WHITFIELD: All right. Anne Bremner, thanks for your time. Appreciate that.

BREMNER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And we know nobody is going to like this -- another day, another bank fee. This time, Citibank is hiking fees on its checking accounts. We'll go to the New York Stock Exchange for details on that.

And then later, a parade of Dr. Conrad Murray's girlfriend delivered dramatic testimony in his involuntary manslaughter trial. You'll hear it for yourself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. So, let's get to your "Showbiz Headlines" now. "Dancing with the Stars" has lost another contestant, but not before freaking out most everybody else.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Nancy and Tristan, you're safe.

(CHEERS)

ANNOUNCER: Kristin and Mark.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK, so, guess what? The crowd actually booed the news.

Reality star Kristin Cavallari was heading home there. She's scored pretty well all three weeks of the competition.

It is the longest running sitcom ever now. Let's take a look. But "The Simpsons" could end over a salary dispute. Production company 20th Century FOX reportedly wants the voice actors to take a 45 percent pay cut. The cast try to negotiate a smaller cut, so far, no luck.

And the original playboy is weighing in on the cancellation of the "Playboy Club." Hugh Hefner says he's disappointed the NBC drama didn't find its audience. It premiered two weeks ago to low ratings.

Right now to the Michael Jackson death trial. The highlight yesterday, dramatic testimony from the women in Dr. Conrad Murray's life. Prosecution witnesses were called to raise questions about how much attention the doctor was giving to an ailing Michael Jackson.

Randi Kaye has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors trying to persuade the jury Conrad Murray is responsible for Michael Jackson's death showed he was busy making phone calls and sending text messages instead of monitoring his star patient's I.V. They paraded out a small harem of women out in Dr. Murray's life.

Michelle Bella, a dancer at a Las Vegas club, who met Murray in 2008 told the jury she was contacted by the doctor in the hours before Jackson died.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did Conrad Murray send you a text on June 25th of 2009?

MICHELLE BELLA, DR. MURRAY'S GIRLFRIEND: Yes.

KAYE: And this woman, Sade Anding, Murray's former girlfriend who prosecutors say was on the phone with Murray the moment he realized Jackson stopped breathing.

SADE ANDING, FORMER GIRLFRIEND OF DR. CONRAD MURRAY: I said, hello, hello? And I didn't hear anything. That's when I pressed the phone against my ear and I heard mumbling of voices, it sounded like the phone was maybe in his pocket or something. It was -- and I heard coughing. And nobody answered.

KAYE: The timing of this phone call is key. Here's why: Anding says Murray called her at 11:51 a.m.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How long into your conversation with him would you estimate that he stopped responding or speaking back to you?

ANDING: Well, when I realized five to six minutes, but he probably could have been off the phone before that.

KAYE: The call was made at 11:51 and only lasted six minutes. Prosecutors say that would mean Murray knew Jackson was in trouble at 11:57 a.m.

Remember, 911 wasn't called until 12:20 p.m., 23 minutes later.

Next, came Nicole Alvarez, Murray's girlfriend and mother of one of his children. They, too, had met in a Las Vegas club. Alvarez testified from April to June, Murray had packages delivered to her apartment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you have any sense of what these packages contained?

NICOLE ALVAREZ, DR. MURRAY'S GIRLFRIEND: No.

KAYE: The man who knows is Tim Lopez, a Las Vegas pharmacist who testified Murray ordered vials of Propofol from him and had them shipped to an address in Santa Monica, California. It turns out, that was Murray's girlfriend's address.

The defense tried to lessen the blow.

NAREG GOURJIAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Was there anything wrong with shipping medication to an address provided by a doctor?

TIM LOPEZ, LAS VEGAS PHARMACIST: No.

GOURJIAN: OK. So, as long as the doctor directs you to ship the medication and tells you I will have control of that medication, that's OK for you, correct?

LOPEZ: Yes.

KAYE: The coroner says Jackson died of acute Propofol intoxication. Listen to how much Murray ordered.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Lopez, after reviewing all of the orders placed by Conrad Murray to you, can you provide me with the total number of Propofol vials that were sold and shipped to Conrad Murray?

LOPEZ: I can confirm the number.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I the number 255?

LOPEZ: Yes.

KAYE (on camera): Two hundred and fifty-five vials of Propofol over 2 1/2 months. In fact, on May 12th, 2009, just two days after Conrad Murray made an iPhone recording of Michael Jackson sounding wasted and slurring his words, prosecutors say Murray ordered another 65 vials of Propofol.

Yet, the defense says Conrad Murray was trying to wean Michael Jackson off the drug. Randi Kaye, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And stay with CNN for the latest developments in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. And for expert coverage throughout the day, be sure to tune to our sister network, HLN.

All right. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange, keeping track of all the fees in the banking industry.

Bank of America upset a whole lot of customers last week with a $5 debit card fee. Well, now, another bank is upping the fees.

Alison, who is it this time?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. So, this time it's Citigroup. Citigroup, Fredricka, is going to begin charging for checking accounts. So, get this: if you got an easy checking account with Citigroup, they're going to charge you $15 a months if you don't carry a $6,000 balance in your combined accounts. Right now, easy checking is free. So, yes, they will nab you for that.

Now, if you got an upgraded mid-level Citi checking account, they'll charge you $20 a month if you don't carry a $15,000 balance. Now, Bankrate says get used to this because more of these big banks are going to be announcing more and more of these fees because the reality is the regulatory environment is changing right now. It's getting tougher on the banks.

But some Senate Democrats are telling consumers, you know what, if you don't like these fees and you think they're too high, and just switch banks, take your business elsewhere -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, you're going to run out of options if all the other banks start doing it, too. Then you don't really have anyone to switch too.

KOSIK: That's true.

WHITFIELD: All right. Alison Kosik, thanks so much.

All right. Herman Cain makes major headway in a new poll and Chris Christie says no to a presidential bid. How this changes the GOP playing field in the race for the White House -- straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.

Amanda Knox is back home in Seattle for the first time in four years. An Italian appeals court threw out her murder conviction of her roommate.

And thousands of people protested against the Greek austerity package in Athens today. Financial experts say it's just a matter of time before Greece defaults.

And the CDC says 18 people are now dead from cantaloupe contaminated by listeria. At least 100 people in 20 states have gotten sick.

All right. Now to politics -- and a brand-new poll, Herman Cain is on top. He is tied for first place with Mitt Romney in this CBS News poll. One man not on the list, Chris Christie.

The New Jersey governor officially said he's not running for president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: In the end, what I've always felt was the right decision remains the right decision today. Now is not my time. New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. So, what does this mean for the field of GOP candidates?

Will Cain is a CNN contributor live in New York.

Good to see you.

WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: Roland Martin is a CNN contributor and here in Atlanta.

Good to see you, as well.

ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey. Glad to be hanging out you with you.

WHITFIELD: I know. It's fantastic.

Will, we're going to have to get you on the sofa.

CAIN: I know. I feel left out.

WHITFIELD: I know. Roland has got the home field advantage.

All right. So, gentlemen, to both of you, you know, let's talk about. The field, apparently, is set now with Christie out and Cain rising in the polls. So, where does this race stand? Who does the Republican Party have to throw its weight behind?

Will, you first.

CAIN: I think, Fredricka, what we're going to see now is a lot of support that's been courting the Chris Christies and the Paul Ryans of the world will now shuffle their feet, kind of begrudgingly over to support Romney -- which is interesting, because all the things we really liked about Christie, that he was such a blunt, straight talker, that he took positions that weren't necessarily good for getting electing, like telling people you're crazy if you think my Muslim job appointee will try to enact Sharia law, by saying we need to make cuts to education, health care. All those things that Christie did, Romney is kind of the opposite.

I mean, he tells you what you want to hear because he wants to be president really badly. But in the end, Romney is competent and he'll earn that support, I imagine.

WHITFIELD: All right. Roland is giggling on that.

MARTIN: Yes. This whole thing has been a reality show. How many times does the guy say I'm not getting in? Folks in the media going, will he run? Will he run?

And the moment he had announced they said, will he be on the V.P. short list? I'm like shut up. Seriously. He's not running. Deal with it.

WHITFIELD: Well, but the Republican Party was very clear. They were trying to encourage him to get to the race, he said no.

MARTIN: That was the establishment not happy with Mitt Romney and not happy with Governor Rick Perry.

WHITFIELD: Well, then, now, we'll they be happy with Mitt Romney.

MARTIN: No, here's the whole deal. All of this stuff is meaningless. The people that matter will be in Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Nevada where the votes are. All of these polls and all this stuff right now means nothing.

At this point, in 2007, then Senator Barack Obama was down 31 points to then-Senator Hillary Clinton. What happened in Iowa? Votes matter. All this stuff right here is just nonsense.

CAIN: I just think -- it's a little funny to hear Roland's bewilderment at the Republican Party trying to talk Chris Christie or Paul Ryan into the race. I mean, the Democratic Party had to put up with the candidacy of John Kerry. That lesson should have been enough to teach you we might be looking for the strongest candidate we can find.

MARTIN: No, actually, I'm not looking for the strongest one because you have people who are looking for the perfect candidate. If you look at Chris Christie's record, he was going to have a problem with social conservatives.

CAIN: Granted. Granted.

MARTIN: He was going to have a problem with evangelicals. And so, look, he was about that much stronger than Rudy Giuliani.

And so, at the end of the day, you have people who are simply unhappy. I think if you're Mitt Romney, you're sitting back and you're saying, fine, you let Herman Cain run out there and run his mouth. You let Governor Rick Perry, like in a marathon, take the lead.

Mitt Romney is sitting there saying, when all of you guys come to your senses, I'll be sitting right here for the nomination.

CAIN: I think you're right.

WHITFIELD: OK. Roland, you mention Giuliani. Too late for Giuliani, even with that name recognition.

MARTIN: He ran a horrible campaign anyway.

WHITFIELD: Too late for him, or even like a Sarah Palin to jump in at this point.

MARTIN: She's not running. They're not running.

CAIN: The field is the field, I agree. This is what it's going to be.

WHITFIELD: OK. So, then, let's talk about the endorsement of a Chris Christie. He still has, you know, important stature within the Republican Party. How important is his endorsement for any one of these candidates?

MARTIN: Not important.

WHITFIELD: Zero?

MARTIN: OK. He's a governor of New Jersey. Republicans are not going to win New Jersey. OK? It's not going to happen.

WHITFIELD: OK.

MARTIN: So, really, what does it get you? At the end of the day, if you're a candidate, you have to run on your own record. This is not like when Senator Obama ran, when Senator Ted Kennedy came out for him. Christie does not have that level of enthusiasm like other folks have, and for the great buzz.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Will, right now money is being thrown the way of Mitt Romney. Co-founder of Home Depot said my money is going to Mitt Romney, especially now that Chris Christie is out. So, his endorsement may be rather weighty, especially for those who may have been waiting for Chris Christie.

MARTIN: No pun intended.

WHITFIELD: Sure. OK, well, forget I said that.

OK. Well, you know, say for instance there are others who couldn't wait to throw their money towards Chris Christie and now, you know, might they be following the co-founder of Home Depot's lead?

CAIN: Ken Langone, you're talking about. Yes, no, I think that's exactly what's going to happen. I think all the support that has been kind of sitting on the sidelines will now begrudgingly move over to Mitt Romney.

I agree with a lot of what Roland is saying, that Herman Cain will have his rise and fall, Rick Perry had has his rise and fall. At the end of this long thing, that is a marathon, Mitt Romney will probably be the man standing.

And by the way, that's not necessarily what Barack Obama wants to see. I think Mitt Romney is very electable and presents a threat to Barack Obama's presidency.

WHITFIELD: Do you see that? Do you agree with that? A threat to the Obama White House?

MARTIN: Well, first of all, anybody can be a threat when you look at the state of the economy. And so, if you're the White House, you recognize how tough it is going it be. But again, the contrast come November will be between the GOP nominee and the president. And so, you can't sit there and say, oh, who do I think will be the better person because they all have to run.

CAIN: Oh, please.

MARTIN: No, no, no.

CAIN: Oh, please.

MARTIN: Anything can happen between now and the primary season.

WHITFIELD: So, the White House is poising itself for which candidate of that field, which is the greatest threat in your view, Will?

CAIN: The White House for the next six months will try to pretend like Rick Perry is the greatest threat and Rick Perry will be the winner because they want it to be Rick Perry, because Rick Perry has shown the ability to shoot himself in the foot over and over, over the past couple months.

Their silence on Mitt Romney, except when they call him weird, which is odd. They are terrified of Mitt Romney.

WHITFIELD: OK.

MARTIN: No, they're not terrified of Mitt Romney. A Longhorn would say something silly like that. At the end of the day, look, you have to run against who the nominee is going to be. And, so, it will still be the contrast and it's still not a bank that Mitt Romney gets the nomination. This is why you run.

CAIN: You're right.

MARTIN: A lot can happen over the next four months.

I got to say, Fred, earlier, Will said I agree with a lot of what Roland said -- he's a Texas Longhorn. They always follow us Aggies.

WHITFIELD: I got two Texans here, this is scary. MARTIN: Well, you know a real Texan and then a faux Texan.

WHITFIELD: Oh, no. Will, you can't let him get away with that.

CAIN: No, I'd fight him if we were in person right now.

MARTIN: Oh, right. Right.

WHITFIELD: I let you --

MARTIN: I have cowboy boots and he has Prada boots.

CAIN: Hold your feet up, Roland, I'll hold mine up. We'll see who has boots on.

MARTIN: OK.

WHITFIELD: Good stuff. All right. Roland Martin, thanks so much, appreciate it.

MARTIN: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right. We got some breaking news I want to share with you right now. CNN affiliate KGO is reporting that two people are dead and least four others wounded in a shooting in Cupertino, California. We'll continue to follow this story and bring you details as we get them.

Also, we're going to head to lower Manhattan, the "Occupy Wall Street" protests are actually spreading beyond Manhattan. Some say it's tough to take the protests seriously, though. But one CNN.com opinion writer tells us why it's time to take notice.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: At first glance, the "Occupy Wall Street" protests make a lot of people kind of scratch their heads and ask, so, what is this all about?

Well, some observers see an unfocused crowd carrying quirky signs, wearing costumes, like this group dressed as corporate zombies.

But in a new CNN.com opinion piece, author Douglas Rushkoff argues this movement isn't just important, it's actually groundbreaking. He's joining us right now via Skype from New York.

So, Douglas, you say this is America's first true Internet era movement. Explain.

DOUG RUSHKOFF, AUTHOR, "PROGRAM OR BE PROGRAMMED": Well, in some way, I guess the easiest way to think about it is traditional movements from the civil rights movement or the women's movement, environmental movement even. From the 20th century, they're more like a book. You know, they have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

They have a goal and we reach that goal. They have a political campaign and then you win and it's done.

WHITFIELD: But also, it's a collective -- it's a focused goal. This one is an interspersment of several goals, is it not?

RUSHKOFF: Right. There's sort of a wider array of things and I think that's been very confusing certainly to mainstream media because those of us in mainstream media are trying to figure out what these people are saying so we can communicate that to our viewers. We get frustrated when they just won't tell us what it is they want.

Because the problem is what they're looking at now are the many different symptoms there are of the sort of wider economic problem. Those symptoms are environmental, they're our labor problems and union problems and education problems and there's housing problems and there's corruption problems. So, many different people are talking about many different aspects, many different symptoms of the same disease.

WHITFIELD: OK.

RUSHKOFF: And the beauty of the sort of Internet-style engagement is that they're patient, is that they're waiting -- they're waiting, they're waiting, they're arguing, they're discussing and teaching each other and try to allow their agenda to coalesce, to come together over time.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, then, with that patience, waiting for what -- waiting for an answer, several answers? And from whom?

RUSHKOFF: Well, think of it like this. You know, the idea of Congress, say, was that people would argue and discuss and arrive at an agenda, series of solutions to a problem. That's obviously not working because they're not having an honest discussion over there. That's not -- that's not what's that about.

So, if you actually go to "Occupy Wall Street" and walk around and rather than just try to cover them, if we just go and listen, what you hear are people discussing issues in a much more profoundly intelligent way than they're being discussed on our debate shows and in the halls of Congress. And that's where -- you know, it's really not rocket science to figure out what's going on, what's wrong here.

You know, we understand how legislation is done. We understand that disparity of wealth is getting greater. We understand that the derivatives market doesn't really serve the real economy.

WHITFIELD: At least one thing that I think most people do agree, that it is interesting, it's been intriguing and it is growing.

Douglas Rushkoff, thanks for your time, joining us via Skype.

RUSHKOFF: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: And, of course, you can read Doug's piece at CNN.com/opinion. If you like, you can join the conversation, leave a comment for him, as well. All right, straight ahead: the world's first super bus. It looks more like a Lamborghini than a bus, however. But you'll find out how fast it goes and who will be among the first to ride in it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, I want to return to our breaking news. We are looking at live pictures right now of the scene of what apparently reportedly has been a workplace deadly shooting there in Cupertino, California.

Our affiliate KGO is reporting that two people are dead and at least four others wounded in this shooting. Of course, well continue to follow the developments as we get them.

And checking stories cross country now. In Bastrop County, Texas. A case of deja vu for wildfire-weary residents; a new blaze broke out yesterday burning 1,000 acres.

And check out this close call for firefighters and the photographer covering this restaurant fire Monday in Franklin, Ohio. The windows are blown out of this bistro because of backdraft. Luckily three firefighters who had just entered the building were able to escape unharmed as you see right there.

And this year's White House holiday tree will hail from Northeast, Wisconsin. An 18 and half foot Balsam Fir was selected by the White House groundskeeper on Monday. It will be cut down in a couple of weeks and then presented to the First Lady right after Thanksgiving.

All right, overseas, the world's first super bus hits the streets of, I bet you can bet, you won't find it at your local bus stop.

Cans Zain Verjee gives us a quick look. Zain, what is this bus all about? Have you given it a go yet?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No you -- oh, I wish. It does look like a pretty amazing Lamborghini, it can go of about 150 miles an hour and take 23 passengers.

Fred, it's kind of like, you know -- you know this experience when you go into your luxury limousine or your private jet.

WHITFIELD: Oh yes, I know that experience well.

VERJEE: It's that kind of -- its that kind of style, you know, when you're on 85 in your limo. And it's that kind of a style for the passengers who have that experience.

So, this was actually developed by an astronaut, as well as a former Formula One aerodynamic expert. Its only got a price tag of over $10 million.

WHITFIELD: Oh my.

VERJEE: And it's been shipped to the United Arab Emirates so that one of their chefs can commute from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi which is about a 75-mile commute.

WHITFIELD: You're kidding.

VERJEE: And it will only take him of about 30 minutes. He usually take about -- if my recollection is correct of about an hour and a half to make that commute with traffic.

WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness.

VERJEE: But this bat mobile, it kind of looks like that.

WHITFIELD: It does have a bat mobile kind of thing to it.

VERJEE: The kind of wing doors, yes.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

VERJEE: So, lucky guy. Passengers who can afford it will probably have to pay quite a hefty price for a ticket, though. It isn't like the local bus stop.

WHITFIELD: No, it's not.

VERJEE: But that's it, that -- hopefully, that's how our -- that's how our future travel will be.

WHITFIELD: Oh that's not bad. Well, something tells me, it could have been pricier if not for the sponsorship. You see all the stickers on the side of the limo. So they're helping to foot the bill and maybe keep the price kind of low, affordable by United Arab Emirates standards.

All right, Zain, thanks so much, I appreciate that.

VERJEE: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right, back in this country, the NBA, wipes out the rest of its pre-season and may kill the first two weeks on of the regular season. That story plus the baseball playoffs coming up in sports.

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WHITFIELD: All right, stories making news later on today.

At 12:30 Eastern on Capitol Hill, labor groups hold a Save our Jobs rally.

And then at 3:00 Eastern at the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama and local school kids begin to harvest the White House garden.

And later in that hour, President Obama meets with the President of Honduras.

Were following lots of developments in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM as well. Let's check in first with Zain Verjee. VERJEE: Hi, Fred. I will tell you what newspapers around the world are saying today about Amanda Knox, who is back home, finally, after four years, in Seattle.

CANDIOTTI: And I'm Susan Candiotti in the financial district of New York, where Wall Street protesters are getting an injection of manpower for a big march later today. I'll tell you about it in a live report coming up.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Ed Lavandera, Ill have the story of one man's quest to force Texas Governor Rick Perry to save and reveal thousands of e-mail.

WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much ladies and gentleman, also.

Next hour, the rise of mobile medicine, we go in depth with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, on our increasingly high-tech approach to health.

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WHITFIELD: All right, let's talk sports.

The Texas Rangers have advanced to the American League Championship series. Adrian Beltray hit three homeruns to help the Rangers beat Tampa Bay yesterday and eliminated the Rays. The TV cameraman just look closely and took a fall as he was jogging beside Beltray there, ouch beyond a little bruised pride, he's all right.

And the NBA has canceled the rest of its pre-season games. The leagues move comes after the latest contract talks between the players and owners broke off. The NBA plans to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season, if there is no deal by Monday. No talks are schedule.

All right, lets shift gears to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. We now know that he is not running for president and Jeanne Moos breaks down the drama.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We in the press tend to fall hardest for the guy whose hard to get.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he in or is Christie out?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And is he in or is he out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it yes or is it no?

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: The answer is no.

MOOS: Say it isn't so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

CHRISTIE: It's a no until it's a yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no, no.

CHRISTIE: What I said was I would reconsider my no. And I did. But the no, never changed.

So, New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me.

MOOS: Governor Christie giggled his way through a couple of the questions.

CHRISTIE: That's just a shock to the people of New Jersey, right?

MOOS: His decision not to run for president shocked nobody but it disappointed many.

(on camera): We are gathered here to mourn all of the unborn, undelivered weight jokes that will now not be told.

(voice-over): Late-night comedians will have to be content.

DAVID LETTERMAN, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: I saw him traveling down the New Jersey turnpike, I saw him on the truck scales.

MOOS: With the routines they've already managed to squeeze in during the courtship of Christie.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you run for president, I will give you this bucket of chicken, extra crispy.

CHRISTIE: Oh, ok.

MOOS: Governor Christie said he doesn't mind when comedians joke about his weight. That's their job.

CHRISTIE: All I care about is that they actually are funny. You know so that I can at least laugh about it while they're mocking me, you know.

MOOS: But when political commentators say things like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie cannot be president because he is just too fat.

CHRISTIE: The people who pretend to be serious commentators who wrote about this, are among the most arrogant people I've ever heard in my life.

MOOS: David Letterman made a show of pretending not to do any more Chris Christie weigh jokes.

CHRISTIE: The guy who was sent off to go and come up with jokes that weren't about me being fat, that guy was really good.

MOOS: Fat jokes disguised as dumb jokes.

JOE GROSSMAN, LATE SHOW WRITER: Chris Christie is so dumb, his blood type is Alfredo. MOOS: Fat jokes disguised as cheap jokes.

GROSSMAN: Chris Christie is so cheap, when he steps on the scale it reads One at a time.

CHRISTIE: As long as it's funny, what the hell do I care.

MOOS: Not only can he take a joke --

CHRISTIE: And Andrew will come to me with his computer. Hey dad, did you see this one.

MOOS: He can tell one.

CHRISTIE: So but he's been grounded but --

MOOS: Jeanne Moos CNN --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you Chris Christie.

MOOS: -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)