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GOP Candidates Debate the Economy; Underwear Bomber to Plead Guilty; What Candidates Brought to the Table; Israel-Hamas Prisoner Swap Deal; NBA Lockout Costs Cities Millions; U.S: Iranian Terror Plot Foiled; Law Officers Caught in Drug Sting; Oscar Winner to Play Bond Villain; "Back to the Future" Auction; Chynna Phillips Voted Off DWTS; New Fallout From "Fast & Furious"; NHL Cracks Down On Fights & Injuries
Aired October 12, 2011 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's the top of the hour. Thanks for joining us this morning.
We begin with presidential politics and a reality check from last night's Republican debate. The focus was on the economy, but the spotlight squarely on Herman Cain. His surprising surge in recent polls means he's wearing a much bigger bull's eye.
Our Jim Acosta was at the showdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's 999. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
ACOSTA: Herman Cain found out what happens to GOP candidates who shoot up in the polls. They become big targets.
MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you take the 999 plan and you turn it upside-down, I think the devil's in the details.
ACOSTA: Take 999, Cain's economic plan to scrap the country's current tax system and replace it with one that sets rates for individuals and corporations --
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Take 999, Cain's economic plan to scrap the country's current tax system and replace it with one that sets rates for individuals and corporations at 9 percent. It would also create a new 9 percent national sales tax.
JON HUNTSMAN (R), PRESIDENTIAI CANDIDATE: I think it's a catchy phrase. In fact, I thought it was the price of a pizza when I first heard. Here's what we need, something that's doable, doable, doable.
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The 999 will pass and it's not the price of a pizza.
ACOSTA: But it was getting sliced up by the other candidates sitting at the table.
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How many people here are for a sales tax in New Hampshire? Raise your hand. There you go, Herman.
CHARLIE ROSE, DEBATE MODERATOR/PBS ANCHOR: You keep mentioning 999 and Herman Cain I'm going to have to go back to it every other question.
ACOSTA: Feeling confident about his plan's dominant role in the debate, Cain served it up to GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney who promptly sent it back to the kitchen.
CAIN: Can you name all 59 points in your 160-page plan?
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Herman, I've had the experience in my life of taking on some tough problems. I must admit that simple answers are always very helpful, but oftentimes inadequate.
ACOSTA: The candidates were also pressed on whether the financial crisis should have led to more prosecutions on Wall Street. Newt Gingrich fingered Democrats in Washington.
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you want to put people in jail, I want to second what Michele said. You ought to start with Barney Frank and Chris Dodd and let's look at the politicians who created the environment, the politicians who brought us to this and the politicians who put this country in trouble.
ACOSTA: Rick Perry who struggled in past debates did not get the break out performance he probably needed. He seemed sluggish and plugging his soon-to-be unveiled economic plan declining to offer up many specifics.
GOVERNOR RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Opening up a lot of the areas of our domestic energy area. That's the real key, and I'm not going to lay it out for you tonight. Mitt's had six years to be working on a plan. I've been in this for about eight weeks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And the script could not be written any better for Mitt Romney. The focus of these debates switched from Michele Bachmann to Rick Perry and now Herman Cain. With all that, the former Massachusetts governor can just stay in cruise control, Kyra.
Yesterday, he picked up the endorsement of Chris Christie. This morning, it was the former speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert and Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran, so just another day at the office for Mitt Romney -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Jim Acosta. Thanks so much.
We got some breaking news coming in to us right now. Farouk Abdulmutallab, you remember, we know him as the underwear bomber, where he had hoped to blow up a plane, an American jetliner, an international jetliner, rather, with that bomb planted in his underwear.
Remember this picture here when he was arrested. We're just getting word, and we have told you yesterday he was going to represent himself in court. He has just pled guilty. Once again, Farouk Abdulmutallab, the man we know as the underwear bomber pleading guilty to the charges.
We will continue to follow this and as we get more information, we will bring it to you.
The presidential candidates side-by-side, elbow to elbow and a roundtable and give them about 90 minutes to spar, well, you're bound to have moments like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish. I'll tell you this though we have the lowest number of kids as a percentage uninsured of any state in America. You have the highest. I'm still speaking. I'm still --
PERRY: Criticism.
ROMNEY: I'm still speaking. We have less than 1 percent of our kids that are uninsured. You have a million kids uninsured in Texas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And sitting at that table right along with him, Bloomberg TV's White House correspondent, Julianna Goldman. I had a chance to speak to her this morning from Hanover, New Hampshire. First up, she talks about just how memorable that moment was.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIANNA GOLDMAN, BLOOMBERG WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You know, Kyra, I think that that exchange really gets to the heart of one of the takeaways from the debate, which is, that Romney -- all but asserted himself came out of that debate as in some ways the frontrunner, particularly when it comes on the economy.
We have been, in previous debates, we have seen a lot of heated back and forths between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry and I think some of us were expecting that last night. Especially with some of the ads that Rick Perry had been running, leading up to last night's debate.
Really taking Romney on, on his health care plan, saying it was essentially mirror image of Obamacare. The president's health care plan, but as you saw in that exchange, Rick Perry really backed down and that sort of came to define what the exchanges were, particularly with Rick Perry during that debate last night.
PHILLIPS: Well, with those tense moments, also came some humor as well aimed at Cain's 999 tax plan. Let's take a listen.
HUNTSMAN: I think it's a catchy phrase. In fact, I thought it was the price of a pizza when I first heard of it.
CAIN: The 999 will pass, and it is not the price of a pizza, because it has been well studied and well developed.
BACHMANN: One thing I would say is, when you take the 999 plan and you turn it upside down, I think the devil's in the details.
PHILLIPS: All right, Julia, you were right there at the table sitting there with the candidates. Are they taking Cain seriously?
GOLDMAN: Well, I think it was pretty clear from what we just heard that allowed the candidates, to come in with their 999 catch phrases already in their pockets, but one of the other things that we heard, when it comes to 999, is sort of the criticism that is starting to form from the Republican pack, which is that this is going to amount to an additional sales tax.
You know, it's 999, but it also means that there would be -- that Americans would be paying higher taxes on milk, on a loaf of bread, on a can of beer, and that was a question we posed to Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann, for example, former IRS lawyer, that's one of the areas she really dug into in saying, why 999 is not a good idea.
PHILLIPS: Finally, Bloomberg, your employer, caters to the movers and shakers in business. After this economy-centered debate, who are they getting behind? What's your sense?
GOLDMAN: Well what was clear again from last night and what we've seen in polling is that when it comes to leadership on the economy, it is Governor Romney who does seem to be breaking away from the pack.
Particularly with his endorsement now of Chris Christie, we had known that there had been a lot of, let me say financial movers and shakers, gathering, trying to push Chris Christie into the race. Since he has decided not to get in, a lot of that backing has gone to Mitt Romney.
PHILLIPS: Bloomberg TV's Julianna Goldman. Julianna, thanks so much for joining us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Don't forget, next Tuesday night live on CNN, the Republican candidates for president gather in Las Vegas to debate the issues and sway voters. The Western Republican Presidential Debate, CNN, Tuesday night, 8:00 Eastern.
Overseas, an Israeli soldier captured by the Palestinian militant group Hamas more than five years ago will soon be heading home. This news comes after two sides, the two sides, rather, agreed to a prisoner swap.
CNN's Max Foster is following that development for us out of London -- Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and Kyra, just 19 years old when he was captured. So his family, desperate to see him and have in and on negotiations about releasing him for years now, but it kept falling apart.
Finally, a deal does seem to be reached and general pleasure has been reached, celebrations not just in Jerusalem, but also in Gaza. A 1,000 Palestinian prisoners being released in return for one Israeli captured soldier.
This is how the "Daily Telegraph" here in the U.K. is interpreting this deal. Israel celebrates Gilad Shalit's deal, but there is a price for his freedom, the breakthrough that will lead to the most significant prisoner swap in recent history of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict was as dramatic as it was unexpected.
No single recent issue has seared the collective consciousness of the Israeli public in quite the same manner at the plight of the young soldier. And the "Globe and Mail" in Canada writes under the headline, Shalit's release is good news for Israel, but even better news for Hamas.
Hamas gets credit for winning the freedom of around 1/6 of Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons. It also catapults itself once again into the front ranks of the Palestinian leadership. So the "Globe" really there suggesting, Kyra, this is a much bigger significance than just the release of a prisoner.
PHILLIPS: Well, do we have any idea, Max, when the release may actually happen?
FOSTER: Some suggestion that it will happen in a week, but we haven't gotten details of the exact deal yet or know how it will play out. But the deal is there in principle. So it will be in coming weeks, coming days, possibly the coming weeks.
PHILLIPS: Got it, Max, thanks.
Well, the first two weeks of NBA play cancelled. An entire season could be lost. It's a pretty big bummer for fans, but it could mean even harder times for people who are not millionaire players or billionaire owners. Here's CNN's Casey Wian.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "The Farm" of Beverly Hills near Staples Center relies on customers going to Lakers and Clippers games for about one-third of its business during basketball season. CEO Fran Berger is preparing for a long lull.
FRAN BERGER, CEO, "THE FARM" RESTAURANT: Staffing is going to get cut way back. Everything is going to get cut way back. We won't be buying as much. We won't be having as many people working those nights and those hours. It's going to hit a lot of people.
WIAN: Restaurant workers making minimum wage plus tips, arena employees making $11 an hour.
DEMEK EMMONS, USHER, STAPLES CENTER: I understand as far as the union talks. I know they have to negotiate everything, but there's other people out there that actually need the money.
ROBIN DEDEAUX, USHER, STAPLES CENTER: My wife and I, we can't go on vacation. That's just the thing we have to cut back on. I have to make sure, watch out for the bills that I have. I don't want to overspend myself now.
WIAN: So the law is particularly hard for workers and businesses near Staples Center, home to two NBA teams and a potential for 82 nights plus playoffs in lost revenue.
In Atlanta, restaurants near Philips Arena already are reeling from the recent relocation of the Thrashers Professional Hockey team. Now the NBA's Hawks are gone until mid-November at least.
SCOTT HUMPHRIES, GENERAL MANAGER, DANTANNA'S: There's going to be a decrease in business on what would have been home games. We usually get a nice pop, two hours before the game and then depending how they do, some after-game business as well.
MIKE LEEBERG, EXECUTIVE V.P. MCCORMICK AND SCHMICK'S: When you got the Lakers in town or you knew you got Lebron in town then it becomes a whole day affair.
WIAN: Restaurants in some cities say conventions and concert business will help soften the blow, but not for 2,000 unionized workers in NBA arenas in California.
MIKE GARCIA, PRESIDENT, SEIU: We have billionaires disputing -- in a dispute with millionaire ballplayers. Typically as this is happening across America, it's the working people that suffer the most.
WIAN: The CEO of this restaurant doesn't expect to deal before January.
BERGER: If the NFL can figure it out, I don't know why the NBA can't figure it out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Now, here at Staples Center alone, there are about 1,000 unionized workers who work inside that building on nights when there are NBA games. We're talking about janitors. We're talking about ushers, cooks, bartenders, all of those people will not get paid if there are no NBA games.'
And we're talking about because there are two teams here, 82 nights of lost wages potentially plus a lot of folks who are expecting both the Lakers and Clippers would make the playoffs this year. So that's another several nights that these people will not be getting paid.
Now we pan over here and walk this way, we can see some of the 17 restaurants that are here as part of this complex near Staples Center. That's another several hundred workers who will be having their hours cut.
Even though the restaurants will get business from the convention center near here, from the Nokia Theater, which holds concerts, the NBA is a big driver of their business during basketball season.
So a lot of folks here are very, very worried about their jobs, and about their incomes for the next several months -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Sure. Paychecks, jobs, how about insurance?
WIAN: Absolutely. That's a real big issue. We look back over here at Staples Center, these workers must work 1,100 hours a year to simply qualify for health insurance. It this season is cancelled, many of those workers may not make that hourly minimum and could be without health insurance next year -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Casey, we'll follow it. Thanks so much.
Still ahead, the terror plot that's being compared to a Hollywood who done it. The U.S. says Iran planned to kill and assassinate a Saudi ambassador here on U.S. soil. We'll have the details just ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We thought it would be fun instead --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: A Halloween tradition turns harrowing when a family enters a corn maze and gets lost. A 911 call straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, this morning new details on a bold terror plot to allegedly kill a Saudi ambassador right here on U.S. soil. An Iranian-American man is now in custody and a manhunt under way for his alleged accomplice, a member of Iran's revolutionary guard.
Washington says that elements of Iran's government plotted the assassination and this morning, U.S. diplomats are calling on allies around the world to get tougher on Iran. But some lawmakers say that sanctions are not enough.
Republican Congressman Peter King calls the plot an act of war and says the U.S. should not dismiss the idea of military action. And then just this morning Vice President Joe Biden said, quote, "Nothing has been taken off the table."
But what's Iran saying about this alleged plot? Reza Sayah has the details -- Reza.
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra, U.S. officials came out last night and said this plot is real and it was like a Hollywood movie script. Iranian officials are saying it was a Hollywood movie script in essence, it was a lie. It was a fabrication.
The reaction from Iran has been consistent. It's been strong, denials. We spoke to the spokesperson for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via telephone) (through translator): I think the U.S. government is busy fabricating a new scenario and history has shown both the U.S. government and the CIA have a lot of experience in fabricating these scenarios, and this is just the latest one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAYAH: That was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's spokesperson. The president himself has yet to address these allegations, but plenty of Iranian officials have, Kyra, again, strong denial, sometimes mocking denials. One person calling it a children's story.
PHILLIPS: Tell us more about Iran's revolutionary guard. I mean, you were saying yesterday what surprised you the most about this alleged plot, that it was on U.S. soil. That, of course, we haven't been surprised about attacks in the past overseas on Iran's behalf.
SAYAH: Yes, the group that's being accused is the Qods force, which is the elite branch of the revolutionary guard. This is a group that was established during the 1980s, the Iran-Iraq war. Washington on plenty of occasions has accused them of fueling insurgencies and going after U.S. Soldiers in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
But they have never been linked to an assassination plot like this on U.S. soil. It's important, when you look at the Qods force, it's important to note that it doesn't fit their M.O. When you look at the details of this plot, it's somewhat unusual, bizarre, involving a used car salesman, the Mexican drug cartel and a hitman.
If, indeed, Iran's leaders got together and said let's go ahead and do this, assassinate a diplomat on U.S. plot, it begs the question, what would they gain by doing that? I think a lot of people would easily argue they might have more to lose than gain at the at least of which inviting a U.S. retaliation.
One more note. If the Qods force wanted to attack U.S. targets and Saudi targets, they have plenty of opportunities in their backyard. Places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Bahrain. So a lot of unanswered questions with this alleged plot -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Yes, still need to investigate it a lot more. Reza, thanks.
Just minutes ago, a dramatic turn of events in a one of the nation's most chilling terror attempts. The Nigerian man known as the so-called underwear bomber has pleaded guilty in a Detroit courtroom.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was serving as his own attorney on charges that he tried to detonate an explosive device aboard a Christmas day flight to Detroit nearly two years ago. The device was sewn into his underwear, but malfunctioned.
The close call prompted the TSA to tighten its pre-flight security screens. Sunny Hostin from "In Session," our sister network, on TruTV with her thoughts on what just came through. Sunny, are you surprised he just pled guilty?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I am shocked, because oftentimes plea discussions and negotiations are ongoing, but usually taken off the table, Kyra, once a prosecutor is forced to begin a trial, forced to pick a jury.
This doesn't typically happen. I mean, there's no question that I'm shocked. I would imagine that the prosecution is also surprised, because by all accounts, he was going forward with this trial.
He vigorously examined the potential jurors. He made the decision to have his very good standby counsel, Mr. Chambers, Anthony Chambers give the opening statement and cross-examined government witnesses.
By all accounts, I think we all believed that this was going to trial. This is actually is a victory for the prosecution and remember, the Obama administration for some time has been saying that they want to try terror cases in the United States, on our soil, and that justice can be done.
So everyone was really watching this case very, very closely to see what result was going to be. So a guilty plea in this case is really a victory for the justice system.
PHILLIPS: Continue to follow it. Sunny, thanks.
Actor Javier Vandam actually won an Oscar for playing a villain, "No Country For Old Men." Well, apparently that was the perfect audition to be the bad guy in the next James Bond movie. We'll have the details.
Plus elimination night on "Dancing with the Stars." We're going to find out if there were any surprises. Another dancer sent home. The Showbiz headlines, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Let's take a look at news cross country now starting with a big drug bust in Arkansas. Seventy people were charged with trafficking. Get this. Five of them were police officers. Authorities say they took bribes just to ignore the crimes.
No one was seriously hurt when two motorcycles in President Obama's motorcade crashed last night. It happened on the way to the Orlando airport. The president was in Florida for fundraisers. Police say the bikes belonged to an Orlando cop and Seminole County Sheriff's officer.
And a Massachusetts's family took too many wrong turns in a corn maze. They got so lost they had to call 911. Yes. Good thing mom brought her cell phone. Officers actually got their police dog, found them about 25 feet from the exit, and helped lead them out of there.
From Oscar winner to Bond villain that's the story this morning. We're going to start off with "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT's" A.J. Hammer in New York. A.j., I just butchered Javier's name before the break. Is it -- am I saying it right?
I was thinking Vondam because we've been talking about him. I just, you know, he's a handsome hunk and a great actor. There you go. I don't need to say his name.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": You were clearly distracted, Kyra. Let me tell you the story here. You relax a moment. After months of speculation about who would play the bad guy in the next James Bond instalment.
Well, we finally do have an answer and by now you've figured out it is Bardem Javier. Now Javier is confirmed. He's going to be playing the villain opposite Daniel Craig's third go-round as James Bond for the next film in the 007 franchise.
It's currently called "Bond 23." Obviously, they will be coming up with a different name for it. This thing is scheduled to come out in November 2012. Bardem revealed his casting on NBC's "Nightline" and he wouldn't say a whole lot about it other than he's seen all the Bond movies.
And he did say this, they chose me to play this man, but I cannot give you many details. So there you have it. A lot of anticipation for this next one, Kyra, regardless of how you pronounce his name, because the last in the series "Quantum of Solace" was released in back in 2008. So we are due a new Bond film with Javier, Bardem.
PHILLIPS: I'll just call him Bond, Javier Bond. All right, we hear there's a good deal on time machine, if you've got about $400,000.
HAMMER: Yes, this pretty cool props and costumes from the Michael J. Fox-Christopher Lloyd classic can now be yours. Marty McFly's iconic jacket, "Dark Brown's" shirt and a remote control Hoverboard are among around 100 items from the "Back to the Future" movies that's going on sale at Hollywood Memorabilia auction.
But, yes, it is a piece from the third movie in the franchise. It's really generating the most interest. It's one of the Delorean time machines that appeared over the course of the trilogy.
I want to read part of the description. This is terrific. They say this particular car was used in the 1955 drive-in movie scene, Michael J. Fox drives it into the past and lands in 1885 to find doc, one of the seven Deloreans, only three survived this filming and this is one of those three.
This thing's going for an estimated price of $400,000 to $700,000, the auction is going in December. Part of the proceeds, I'm happy to report, from the "Back to the Future" items are going to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation, for Parkinson's research.
"Back to the Future" is one of my favorite films of all times so I'm going to have to start saving my dimes.
PHILLIPS: I'm with you on that. Loved the movies.
All right, good news here. Nancy Grace, still in the game with "Dancing with the Stars."
HAMMER: Yes, she is, but unfortunately, a woman who was one of the high scorers earlier in the competition is not. Chynna Phillips got booted from the ballroom in last night's "Dancing with the Stars" elimination show.
She and her partner, Tony Dovolani failed to impress the judges, Monday night, with their "Mission Impossible" theme's tango. It's all coming together, Kyra. That cost them the competition.
During Monday's performance show, Phillips seemed to kind of forget her routine and she actually didn't seem too shocked to hear her name called that she was going home. Chynna telling "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" backstage exactly what happened. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHYNNA PHILLIPS, "DANCING WITH THE STARS" CONTESTANT: I went blank. I had a blank moment. And, you know what? I'm human. I had a blank moment. We all have those blank moments. It's too bad it had to happen last night, because I really wanted to go further into the competition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, that bums me out. So yes, Nancy Grace gets to dance another week. A lot of people thought, Kyra, that Chaz Bono was going to get tossed off that didn't happen. Ricky Lake remains at the top of the leader board. And very quickly, I have a connection to Chynna Phillip's dance partner, Tony. Can I tell you what it was?
PHILLIPS: Please do.
HAMMER: He comes up to me backstage at "Dancing with the Stars" last week when I was out there in Los Angeles and he said you know I used to work for you. Really? Yes, when you worked at certain radio station about 20 years ago, I was your intern. But you probably don't remember me because my English wasn't that good. So who knew?
PHILLIPS: It's a small world. And there you go, you were concerned about dance skills, you got your coach right there. Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Yes, exactly. All right, thanks.
PHILLIPS: Anything you want breaking in the entertainment world, A.J.'s got it. HLN's "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Well, Jon Huntsman's daughter is flirting with Mitt Romney's son over Twitter. It seems like they're looking forward to going, quote, "Vegas Wild" at CNN's debate next Tuesday. Our buzz panel weighs in our Tag Romney should respond.
Let's take a check of the markets too. Hoping that the rally will continue, we're in positive territory. Dow industrials up 103 points. Quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Time for "Political Buzz." Your rapid fire look at best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock, and playing today, CNN contributor, Maria Cardona, CNN contributor Will Cain, and Sirius XM political host, Pete Dominick.
All right. Before we dive into last night's debate, let's take a listen to Letterman, shall we, and his take on the seating chart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN: They will say, all right, here's a composite of polls. Here's our leader, here's our second place -- and that's how they arranged the people on the stage for the debate. It's fascinating. Take a look at this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Participants in tonight's Republican debate at Dartmouth will be seated according to their poll numbers. So based on his recent momentum, Herman Cain will be seated at the center of the table with Mitt Romney. Second tier candidates like Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul will be placed to the side of the table. And Rick Santorum will debate from the parking lot.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Nice ad for FedEx, too. All right. Now, the reviews for Perry have not been that strong from last night. So, question to you guys, where will Perry be sitting at the CNN debate next tuesday? Will.
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think about where he was last night, just off the center. I don't think last night was much of a game changer for him. He wasn't strong. That's for sure. But he also didn't fall on his face. You know, in fact, it looked like he didn't even care that he was there.
I saw somebody tweet last night that -
(LAUGHTER)
CAIN: That Perry was saying, who cares about this fancy pants debate. I got $15 million (INAUDIBLE). Get ready for some negative ads, Mitt. I think that polls will reflect exactly where he started yesterday. He'll be there again tomorrow.
PHILLIPS: Maria.
MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that it was a bad night for Rick Perry. Of anyone, he really needed a game changer. Now, whether this does change anything, we'll see. But I think what it does do is it solidifies in people's minds that this is just not somebody ready for primetime.
He did not -- first of all, he wasn't even part of the conversation. This was clearly the Romney-Cain show. And when he did speak, it was like he was a deer caught in the headlights or like the new kid in school who walked in to the wrong classroom. So, those are not good perceptions to have for somebody who is looking to -- (BUZZER) -- win the nomination.
PHILLIPS: Pete.
PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUSXM POLITICAL TALK SHOW HOST: I think Rick Perry is going to be sitting right back in Austin before you know it. I have to find out from Will who's a Texas conservative how Rick Perry has never not the lost. He's never lost an election. He doesn't say much for Texas Democrats.
Maybe his tie was too tight, maybe saw something shiny in the audience, but Rick Perry, I don't even know if he knew he was there. He never spoke -- it was only issue, Kyra, economics. He wasn't prepared even to talk about that.
PHILLIPS: I don't know. I think Will Cain and Rick Perry out for an all-nighter. He's just trying to totally --
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Hide the facts there. All right, guys. Question number two, Governor Christie comes out strong for Romney. They played down the potential VP talk, but they didn't rule it out. Here's what they said on the "Today's Show."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Romney, would he be on your short list?
MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Of course, he'd be on anyone's short list. He may take himself off the list and say, no way, you have no interest, but the truth is that Governor Christie is one of the leading figures in the Republican Party. And, of course, anyone who becomes our nominee is going to look at people like Governor Christie and say, well, that would be a terrific person to have on the ticket.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: OK. As you see them sitting there, could this be a winning ticket? Maria.
CARDONA: Well, you know, if you look at Christie, nobody believes his answers to bake that questions, and Romney has two answers for every question. So, it actually might be the ticket that Romney's looking for.
But in all seriousness, these are two historically moderate, at least, that's how they're seen, Republicans who, in the eyes of conservatives, are not going to be they're favorites in terms of being the standard bearer.
But I do think that Romney needs every help that he can in terms of pushing back against the flip-flop issue, which is the one thing that is going to continue to dog him throughout the nomination. (BUZZER)
PHILLIPS: Will.
CAIN: Nobody believes Christie's answers, Maria? What planet are you on?
CARDONA: When he said no. When he kept saying no that he's not running. No one believed him, little.
PHILLIPS: Go ahead, Will.
CAIN: If there's one thing that Christie carried is authenticity. He says things that are seemingly against his own electability. He takes on his own party. And in fact, that's why that ticket, Romney-Christie could work, because some of Christie's authenticity may rub off on Romney.
The one thing he needs to seem what like he has a spine, a backbone, that he stands for something more than just getting your vote. That being said, I do think it may be too moderate of a ticket. I think Romney-Rubio -- (BUZZER) -- is probably an inevitable ticket.
PHILLIPS: Pete.
DOMINICK: Romney-Christie, I think that's going to appeal a lot to Republican voters who are big fans of Laurel and Hardy, David Spade and Chris Farley. It's a great ticket.
(LAUGHTER)
DOMINICK: The truth is, the truth is, anybody could possibly be President Obama, and Republicans hate President Obama. I mean, you could have a Romney-Conrad Murray ticket and Republicans would still vote for Mitt Romney. So, anything can happen. We'll see.
PHILLIPS: Third question, guys, and final question. Jon Huntsman's daughters tweeting about CNN's debate in Las Vegas that's coming up Tuesday night. They're actually flirting with Mitt Romney's son, Tag. Take a look at this. They tweet, "Want to tailgate for the next debate? Vegas wild. We'll bring the godfather's. You bring the diet Coke."
And then it was followed up by this one, Mormon tabernacle choir can DJ." So, you see, Tag sitting finding his dad in a photo that we have. Here it is. I think we got -- there it is. Tag right there. What do you think? How should he respond? Will.
CAIN: Quickly, affirmatively. There's not too many truisms in life, but when three ladies invite you to Vegas for Vegas wide, you respond affirmatively.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Maria.
CARDONA: I just think that's so adorable. Flirting between potential first children. I don't know. I think it should say something like, let me introduce you to my friends. I need to prove to them that angels really exist. I don't know. I think it's adorable, and I agree with Will, he should say, yes.
PHILLIPS: Pete.
DOMINICK: Well, first of all, the Romney-Huntsman families are some of the best looking Americans ever to live. That's annoying me, but a diet Coke, Godfather's Pizza, and the Mormon tabernacle choir? That sounds like a party. Do they know that they're in Vegas?
(LAUGHTER)
DOMINICK: I think that Tag should be the gentleman that he is and give a gentlemanly answer like, I don't know, what are you wearing?
(LAUGHTER)
CARDONA: Leave it to Pete.
CAIN: Give them credit for their sarcasm, Pete. Give them credit for their sarcasm.
DOMINICK: They get the credit. They get the credit.
PHILLIPS: Maria, we would be scared to party with Pete. All right. Thanks, guys.
(LAUGHTER)
DOMINICK: It's going to be a lot of heavy petting and necking at that party.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Don't forget, next Tuesday night --
CARDONA: And tweeting, apparently.
PHILLIPS: Oh, gosh. I'm moving on. Quickly.
Next Tuesday night, live on CNN, the Republican candidates for president do gather in Las Vegas, but they're going to debate the issues and try to sway voters with Republican debate. CNN Tuesday night, 8:00 eastern.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Breaking news right now. A subpoena for Attorney General Eric Holder's documents. This is related to a federal gunrunning sting. You remember it? "Fast and Furious." CNN's Brian Todd is bringing us the latest developments. Brian, what do you know?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, we just got word that the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has issued a subpoena to the justice department for seemingly hundreds of relevant documents. Documents relevant to the "Fast and Furious" gun tracking program that went so terribly wrong.
What we're told now is that these documents seek communications between Eric Holder, the attorney general, and several of his top deputies including his chief of staff, Gary Grindler, and Lanny Breuer, the assistant attorney general who's in charge of the criminal division. This committee wants all the documents relevant to communications between those officials over "Fast and Furious."
And they also named about 13 other top officials of the justice department. So, they're seeking just about any relevant communications regarding the "Fast and Furious" case. They also want to know -- they want documents relating to the investigation into the murder of border patrol officer, Brian Terry. His murder back in December is really what kind of blew this whole thing open.
Some weapons from the "Fast and Furious" program were found near the crime scene of that officer's murder, and they want documents relating to that investigation. They also want documents that have to do with any communications that justice had with the White House over "Fast and Furious." So, that is what is out now, the subpoena seeking those documents.
Eric Holder has said that the justice department would comply with those requests and send all the relevant documents to that committee and Congressman Darrell Issa, the Republican. But, here's something that he is complaining about. The documents that he's often gotten already from justice, a lot of them look like this. A lot of them have a lot of heavy redactions. And, no doubt he'll be looking to see if the documents that are sent to him have those as well. But they're putting a little bit more pressure on justice right now for those documents.
PHILLIPS: All right. Brian Todd with the breaking news. We'll follow it. Bryan, thanks.
And straight ahead, former hockey star, Brendan Shanahan, he spent years on the ice. Oh, yes. Addition of the bruises, knocking out some teeth, now, he's making the players play nice, or at least, nicer. For their health. He joins me live next.
But first, if you're nearing retirement, you might think of a job change. Well, that it's not for you, but think again because "Money" magazine has a look at the best jobs for anyone thinking about a second career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Downward facing dog is on the rise.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Inhale. Lifting up to your right heel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Teaching yoga tops money's list of best wind down jobs for those reaching the final stretch of theirs career. Job flexibility is a key factor, and the average salary for an experienced instructor is $62,000 a year. But, as a bonus, you get a workout on the job. That's enough to make you say, ohmmm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, the NHL is cracking down on players who fight, players who hit opponents in the head like this. From every angle, and slow moed for clarity, NHL great, Brendan Shanahan, is posting this on his Twitter account to show all of you just how dangerous hockey can be.
He's the league's new director of player safety, and he's already feeling the backlash for his discipline. Brendan joining me live from New York. So, Brendan, you were suspended five times in your career. Hey, you know, you loved to fight. It was part of the game. So, how did you end up in this job?
BRENDAN SHANAHAN, NHL SVP, PLAYER SAFETY AND HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Well, it's a little bit like hiring a safe cracker to build you the perfect safe, I guess. You know, I don't think that the game is too dangerous. I think that the game is fabulous. I love the game.
We have some dangerous hits that have crept into the game, and it's our department's goal to get rid of some of those hits, and to make videos and show the players to communicate and educate them exactly what they can and can't do. This is a generation of hockey players. They watch things on videos. They don't want to be told what to do. they want to see what to do. PHILLIPS: So, but doesn't this change the nature of the sport, Brendan? I mean, that's what fans want. They want their fierce enforcers.
SHANAHAN: We do, too. We want fierce, competitive, physical hockey, but there's a big difference between the art of throwing a body-check and somebody head hunting. That's the delicate balance that our department is looking for. I played physically. Rob Blake played physically.
There are several other people in our department that value physical hockey, and hockey will always be that. We love that about the game, but we also think that there are some illegal hits and some ugly trends that have crept in the game that players want out of the game. Parents want out, children want out, and the NHL wants out, and that's what our goal is.
PHILLIPS: So, is this about issues with injuries, brain injuries for example, or is this just about too much roughness on the ice and making things dangerous for fans in addition to those on the ice?
SHANAHAN: Well, this was -- I would say, you know, the evolving things that we're learning about concussions. The NHL has always been ahead in that field, and this is a step to reduce significantly the amount of concussions that we have in a year. That's our goal.
When you're a player, when you play the game, you go on the ice, you expect that there's a certain amount that you may get hurt, but there's a very fine line, the difference between getting hurt and getting injured. And every athlete expects to have the bumps and bruises and pain that goes along with being a professional athlete.
But when somebody starts messing with a guy's career and his future by trying to injure him specifically in the head area, that's where players want to take a step back and say, this isn't something we want in our game, and that's our goal.
PHILLIPS: Final question, and you've been given the nickname Sheriff Shanny. You know, you handed out nine suspensions in the preseason. And I've been reading with the critics have been saying, they're saying you're running a kangaroo court. You're turning hockey into touch football.
Ooh. That's pretty tough criticism there for a macho hockey player. Quickly, what do you say to them, Brendan?
SHANAHAN: Well, you know, we have some -- you know, a very few people. I've actually gotten a lot of support. And the other few people, obviously, agents with special interests that get outspoken, and I've had some general managers, one or two complain about the suspensions.
I've had other general managers complain that there haven't been enough. So, to me, this job is about balance and finding that right combination of physical hockey but a safer game.
PHILLIPS: Brendan Shanahan, thanks for your time. We'll continue to watch the sport.
SHANAHAN: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you so much.
All right. Quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The oldest fashion house in the world isn't Dior Chanel but Lanvin, and it's been around since 1889. And after a century of turning out couture, it really needed a face lift. Alina Cho reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): he may not look the part.
(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
CHO: But Lanvin's has the face of a cherub and the golden touch.
ALBER ELBAZ, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, LANVIN: The thing that fashion is like a food. It has to be relevant for the moment. If you eat a food the day after or the day before, it's sour. It's same with fashion. It has to be right for the moment. Try this one.
CHO: This 50-year-old designer has been making clothes for the moment as creative director of Lanvin for 10 years. Resurrecting a label with a good name, but not much else into a luxury fashion force.
(on-camera) You came to Paris just for him?
JULIANNE MOORE, ACTRESS: Yes. Yes. why?
CHO: Actually.
MOORE: I think if you're going to see a show, I know his work is so spectacular. It's going to be worth it.
CHO (voice-over): And they do come. Because Elbaz is able to do in fashion what few others can. Create clothes that wow but don't scream at you.
(on-camera) You say your work is like a whisper. Explain that.
ELBAZ: I think that whispering is something very personal, because when someone whispers to you, has to get really close to you, and this is a very intimate relationship.
CHO (voice-over): Clothes both customers crave and critics adore. All around, there were raves for his latest collection for spring 2012.
GLENDA BAILEY, EDITOR IN CHIEF, HARPER'S BAZAAR: If you choose this cloth, but as soon as you put them on, you feel really good about yourself.
CHO: A trendsetter, too. So much so, when he created an affordable line for H&M last year, it sold out, and this season, Elbaz launched clothes for kids. Top (ph) couture.
ELBAZ: Oh!
CHO: With three to four figure price tags, miniature copies of mom's clothes from the most copied designer on the planet.
(on-camera) How do you know that you've made it? How do you define success?
ELBAZ: I don't. Oh, I never know. I mean, first of all, I think, I'm always the worst. I mean, till the day before, I think it's going to be a flop, and I'm like totally depressed. You know, someone said that, you know, success is like a perfume. If you smell it, it's good, but if you drink it, it's not good for you.
CHO (voice-over): Elbaz says the collection isn't ready until the clothes speak to him.
ELBAZ: Well, I see the world. Dress (INAUDIBLE) is OK, and she doesn't want to go elsewhere. I now have to leave her alone and let go.
CHO: A designer who creates not just clothes but a sensation.
(on-camera) When you see a woman walking down the street wearing a Lanvin dress, how does it feel?
ELBAZ: That touched me the most. I feel they chose me, and I find it very, very personal. I just want to go and hug them and say, thank you for doing that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And don't miss Alina's special this Saturday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
