Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Dozens Arrested in Times Square; Nevada GOP Holds Fast on Caucus Date; Samuel L. Jackson as King; ``The Walking Dead'' Is Back
Aired October 15, 2011 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Hala Gorani at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Don Lemon is off tonight. Here's what's making news.
The Occupy movement in New York now and throughout the day going global. It began as a public demonstration in a small park in Lower Manhattan on Saturday, spread to cities around the world, Tokyo, London, Rome, Sydney, Hong Kong, Toronto, Jakarta and Indonesia, to name a few. It was a worldwide display of sympathy and solidarity with the protesters of Occupy Wall Street.
Now, most were peaceful, though some arrests were reported. Rome got ugly. Throngs of peaceful demonstrators suddenly fled as anarchists began lobbing Molotov cocktails. An unknown number of people were hurt. And you see there from the images, fires burning, including a government building in one case, and shop windows were smashed. Riot police moved in. Occupy participants were upset by the outbreak of the violence, saying their demonstration was hijacked.
Here in the United States, prosecutors call it a first of its kind indictment, charging a bishop and a Catholic diocese for failing to report suspected child abuse. Bishop Robert Finn and the diocese of Kansas City, St. Joseph, Missouri, deny the offense, which is a misdemeanor. The Jackson County prosecutor says Finn did not report for five months that a priest in his charge had child pornography.
And among the more offbeat stories, a McDonald's employee in New York City is charged with felony assault after a confrontation with two female customers. This is YouTube video you're seeing there, showing how one of the women cursed and hit him, then jumped the counter. The cashier then beats the women, to the horror, in some cases, of other customers and employees.
The women were hospitalized and charged with menacing, trespass and disorderly conduct. It all started when the cashier questioned a $50 bill one of the women gave him.
All right, let's go back to our top story, everyone, and take a look at these images today from the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States. Well, dozens of arrests were made tonight. A large police presence moved into Times Square to clear out thousands of Occupy demonstrators who had packed the site.
What is the situation now? We're in Times Square, New York, with Susan Candiotti. So I understand about 70 people arrested, about 40, 42 people in Times Square. Tell us what happened.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this hour, it's pretty calm here in Times Square. There are some protesters in the distance behind me, over my shoulder. But earlier tonight, at around 8:00 o'clock, there were, as you mentioned, 42 people arrested, mainly on one of the streets that shoots off of Times Square here-- it's 46th Street, heading east-- as police were moving people off the street because they said they wanted to clear that street and that intersection.
They said, for the most part, all the protesters tonight were orderly, but those 42 people were not. They said they were not following orders to get themselves off the street and off the sidewalk. And some protesters all along were chanting ``The world is watching, the world is watching,'' ``Wall Street, Wall Street,'' and some of them urged fellow protesters to sit down. They did, on the street and on the sidewalk, and that's when police moved in, some of them wearing riot gear, to arrest them.
We didn't hear of any injuries to any of the protesters. They were picked up, some of them smiling, and put in paddy wagons and then carried away. However, a couple of police officers did suffer injuries, one to his head and one to one of his feet. And they were taken to the hospital for injuries.
At this hour, Hala, the main event or action seems to be going on in Greenwich Village, where there are other protesters moved down there and are deciding whether they're going to camp out all night. If they do, that could be a problem because there's a midnight curfew at that public park.
GORANI: All right, so if I understand you correctly-- by the way, Susan, there is a bit of background noise. We are having a little bit of trouble hearing you and making out your words. But some protesters have peeled off and might stage a sit-in in another neighborhood in Manhattan, another part of Manhattan? Tell us more about that.
CANDIOTTI: Hala, a little bit hard for me to understand you right now. But we were in the thick of it on that street, 46th Street, getting jostled around as people were walking shoulder to shoulder. And we heard and witnessed the police asking people repeatedly to get off the street, to clear the street.
We stayed just ahead of it so we could see what was going on and to avoid being arrested, but did see some people taken down and arrested, many of them. We counted at least 20 of them of the 42 that were picked up and taken away.
GORANI: All right, Susan Candiotti is in Times Square. Of course, there's background noise there, making it hard for her to hear me, and in some cases, for us to hear her, discussing there the 70- plus arrests that took place tonight in the Occupy Wall Street movement and these protests that took place not just in Times Square but in Lower Manhattan, as well, today and perhaps a little bit later in another neighborhood, a sit-in in New York. We'll keep on following that.
Now, there were also protesters demonstrating in Las Vegas, the site of the next major test for the Republicans battling to be the next president. CNN is hosting a debate on Tuesday with the Western Republican Leadership Conference.
T.J. Holmes is standing by live in Vegas for us right now. So T.J., first of all, let's talk about these Occupy movement demonstrators today in Las Vegas.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we were here-- as you know, we've got the debate coming up next Tuesday. And we started hearing rumblings about Occupy Las Vegas, and they were going to be doing something today. And also, we found out that they do have a plan, as well, to do a demonstration at our debate next Tuesday.
But today they didn't on the Strip, they focused on downtown Las Vegas today, still another-- a local area, if you will, more so with locals than you get tourists. You get some tourists and visitors down there.
But they were loud. They made their voices heard. And just like a lot of the demonstrators we're seeing around the country, they have anger directed at the federal government, but Hala we know a lot of anger and local problems to be upset about, given the unemployment rate here at 14.2 percent in the Vegas metro area. That's number one in the country among areas with at least a million people, and this state, Nevada, 13.4 percent. It is the highest of the 50 states.
So I-- it's very peaceful still, loud voices. You had families out there, as well, kind of some typical stuff you're seeing and some of the typical complaints they have. But once again, another peaceful and calm, yet loud, Occupy rally.
GORANI: Right. You mentioned Nevada and how brutally it's been hit economically since the crisis a few years ago. Let's talk about the controversy over when Nevada Republicans have chosen to schedule their caucus.
HOLMES: Yeah, this should be an easy thing, you would think. But they say it's all because of what Florida did. Florida decided to move their primary up to January 31st, so that means everybody had to go a little earlier.
Well, the problem we run into now is that Nevada Republicans, the GOP, has decided to have theirs on the 14th. Iowa tentatively has scheduled theirs for January 3rd. There's not enough room in between those for New Hampshire to go, if they follow their state law. So New Hampshire now threatening to do theirs in December some time, maybe before Christmas.
Well, I asked the head of the GOP here in Nevada, Could you just move it back three days, play nice, everybody gets along, and problem solved? Listen to her answer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) Is it even an option? Is it even on the table for Nevada to switch its caucuses from the 14th back just three days to the 17th? Is it even on the table?
AMY TARKANIAN, CHAIRWOMAN, NEVADA REPUBLICAN PARTY: No. It's absolutely not. We're going to stick to our date. Our state is working really hard in finding their locations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: OK, and Hala, I asked her several times and she was direct each time, said, This is not an option. We're staying on the 14th.
Now, to our viewers, they might be wondering why is this a big deal? Who cares when it is? What's the point who goes first, and so on and so forth. Well, the point of this is voters will have less time with the candidates, first of all, moving up all of these primaries and caucuses. Also, the candidates get less time to sell themselves, as well.
But now you have real repercussions in that five Republican candidates said they will boycott the Nevada caucuses if Nevada does not change the date. And we have at least one candidate, Jon Huntsman, who said he's going to boycott the CNN debate, as well. Now, he has some political reasons for doing it, but the dominos are starting to fall. And who's going to lose out? Actually, it's going to be the voters.
GORANI: OK, T.J. Holmes in Las Vegas, Nevada, live. Thanks very much.
So who will be the big winner in this CNN Republican presidential debate? Join us live from Las Vegas on Tuesday night at 8:00 PM Eastern. CNN's Anderson Cooper will be asking the questions.
Coming up next: Actor Samuel Jackson takes on history, playing a less flattering side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Critics say he's wrong for being too real.
And ahead, why some people can't get enough of zombies, secrets from the set of "The Walking Dead."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: The 30-foot statue honors the Civil Rights icon we know, but a Broadway play that just opened shows a King we don't know, what the man could have been like behind closed doors.
CNN's Don Lemon has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Samuel L. Jackson and Kenny Leon are masters of make-believe. Leon is a director of stage and TV, honored with Tony, Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, and is a star of this gathering in Atlanta, celebrating his induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Jackson is a high-decibel film actor, famous for his roles in the ``Star Wars'' movies, ``Iron Man,'' and his Oscar-nominated turn in "Pulp Fiction." Together, the men are taking on real-life history, the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., through the Broadway play, "The Mountaintop."
REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: --because I've been to the mountaintop!
LEMON: The play's title comes from King's last speech on April 3rd, 1968, the day before his assassination. The place setting, the hours after he just spoke these words to hundreds in Memphis.
KING: And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land!
LEMON: Jackson plays King, tired, in his hotel room. Angela Bassett is King's maid. ``The Mountaintop'' is about their conversation, a fictional take on what King was like when he was away from the podium. And some criticize the play for the way it humanizes the Civil Rights icon.
KENNY LEON, DIRECTOR, ``THE MOUNTAINTOP'': You know, when I talk to 18, 19-year-old kids and they say things like, Dr. King, that's that Civil Rights dude, right? You know, that's disappointing. So I want them to come and see the man in hopes that they would see him as a human and say, Wow, I want to find out more about him.
LEMON (on camera): You play him. And you don't look-- you barely look like yourself in the play.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ``THE MOUNTAINTOP'': Oh, that's great.
LEMON: Yeah. As an actor, you like that, right?
JACKSON: On purpose. I spent a lot of time digging through archives and finding interviews that he did on television talking about the Vietnam war and talking about other things.
LEMON: Listened to the cadence in his voice? And the rhythm of--
JACKSON: Yes. And fortunately, I went to Morehouse during a time that there were a lot of people like him still at Morehouse teaching us.
LEMON: What do you mean, that sort of--
JACKSON: There's a way of speaking and carrying yourself that's very Southern ministerial--
LEMON: Yes.
JACKSON: --in a specific kind of way.
LEMON: What do you-- how do you think Dr. King would feel about today, the current situation, the current climate?
JACKSON: Disappointed.
LEMON: The president.
JACKSON: It would be totally disappointing. Young people graduating from college, what is their hope? The haves have more, have-nots have less. I think it's time that we hear a work of art speak to that.
LEMON (voice-over): Don lemon, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: And a quick programming note. Look for "The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley," a ``Black in America'' special hosted by Soledad O'Brien Sunday night, November 13th, at 8:00 PM Eastern.
When we come back, activists accuse police in Yemen of spraying gunfire on innocent protesters. We have dramatic pictures from the scene in Sanaa. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Ten people were killed in clashes why the in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa today, according to witnesses. A medic called it a sad day for the revolution, as tribal fighters battled Yemeni security forces. And activists said snipers sprayed the crowds with gunfire, trying to end the demonstration. Protesters are demanding that the president, Ali Abdullah Salleh, step aside.
Meanwhile, a security official said drone strikes killed seven suspected militants, including the son of this man, Anwar al Awlaki. The so-called ``Osama bin Laden of the Internet'' was himself killed in a U.S. drone strike last month.
It's a smaller coffin than usual. Pro-democracy activists say security forces in Syria killed one person when they opened fire on a funeral for a 9-year-old boy. Five others were wounded. Fifteen thousand protesters turned out for the demonstration, according to witnesses. They stood their ground as mourners carried the body to the graveyard before, they say, soldiers opened fire. The United Nations believes more than 3,000 people have died in the anti-regime protests.
CNN is unable to confirm events on the ground. We have been prevented from reporting from Syria.
All right, now for something completely different. One of TV's hottest and goriest shows finally makes its long-awaited return Sunday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I thought you were going to bite me, and then you were going to have to-- somebody was going to have to kill me.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Oh, I don't know!
SARAH WAYNE CALLIES, ``LORI GRIMES'': I'd just be a person biting another person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Yeah. We're taking you to the set of "The Walking Dead" on the eve of the season two premiere. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Season two of AMC's hit "The Walking Dead" premieres Sunday night. It is one of the most anticipated events of the fall TV season. So for all you fans, here's Don Lemon's report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I thought you were going to bite me, and then you were going to have to-- somebody was going to have to kill me because I'd be infected.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I don't know!
SARAH WAYNE CALLIES, ``LORI GRIMES'': I'd just be a person biting another person.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need Herschel (ph). He'll know what to do. We need Rick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLIES: I make a lot of choices!
LEMON: I mean, do you choose a man? Or do you choose to tell? What's the deal?
CALLIES: I mean, I think that's sort of the story of the second season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What if it was Carl?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who is able to keep Lori safe, and more importantly, who's able to keep Carl safe. And what would be a very simple decision starts to become more and more complicated by these things.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just had a long talk with Shane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW LINCOLN, ``RICK GRIMES'': He's led by a very strict moral code, seemingly, but he ends up bringing (ph) zombies, you know? And yet you find yourself kind of with him because he's so-- there's a certainty about him that is so kind of righteous.
JON BERNTHAL, ``SHANE WALSH'': I think he loves Rick and I think that he believes in Rick and he wants to follow Rick, but there's a whole lot of other stuff, you know, going on.
CALLIES: I think she legitimately loves both of these men and doesn't wish either of them harm. But I love working with Andy and Jon. I mean, they're amazing actors. So we're having a ball.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Camera, and action!
LEMON: This is a show people that want to be involved in, I'm sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. Yeah.
LEMON: Why?
GREG NICOTERO, CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: You know, you may not like the gory stuff, so-- but you're pulled in by the love triangle. Or you know, the dramatic aspect of that may not appeal to you, but you get a cool monster or two here and there.
LEMON: You're shooting season two, right?
NORMAN REEDUS, DARYL DIXON: Right. Season two. We're at Herschel's farm, which is this beautiful farm where we're at right now. They're shooting a scene over there. Yeah, that's our campsite over there. So Herschel-- this is Herschel's house and he kind of won't let us in the house or let us stay on the property.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did he also give you the impression of my consent?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Why are you so angry?
REEDUS: Daryl's sort of, like-- he's like somebody that really needs a hug, but if you try to hug him, he'll stab you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ugly skank.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN YEUN, ``GLENN'': Daryl gets a lot of kills. I think I'm going to start a petition for more evened-out kills.
LEMON: We'll start that on line.
YEUN: Yeah. Please.
LEMON: Like, a whole FaceBook page.
YEUN: Yeah. You know what? They should have a running tally--
LEMON: Who gets the--
YEUN: --who gets the most kills.
LEMON: Give us a secret nobody that knows about, either the characters--
YEUN: Yeah. OK. Shane-- Jon, who plays Shane, is really into fashion, high-end fashion, really high-end fashion.
LEMON: You're joking, right?
YEUN: Yeah.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't matter. Just act.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Isn't it? Is it (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, it's not.
LEMON: What can you reveal?
YEUN: Well, can I reveal--
LEMON: You can reveal something.
YEUN: I can reveal that Glenn gets a love interest.
LEMON: Glenn does get a love interest.
YEUN: Yeah. Absolutely. Her name is Maggie Greene.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lauren Cohan plays Maggie Greene, and she's fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my daughter's PE teacher.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing, Brian? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, right after lunch, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You like that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fist bump, and get out.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: I'm Hala Gorani at the CNN Center in Atlanta. "Pure Evil: The Killings in Connecticut" is next.
