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230+ Killed in Turkey Quake; States Cutting Medicaid Benefits; Obama's New Economic Push; Basement Horror Case in Court; Coping with College Costs; Gadhafi's Family: Hand Over Body; Democracy in the Arab World; Tunisia's Fresh Start; Critical Point In Murray Trial; Tsunami Debris Floats Towards U.S.; Reading Steve Jobs

Aired October 24, 2011 - 12:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour, I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

We ant to get you up to speed.

Rescue workers say they can hear people wailing underneath the earthquake wreckage in Eastern Turkey. A 7.2 quake killed more than 230 people, toppled about 1,000 buildings. People were left homeless by the earthquake. Temperatures now are below freezing.

And Turkey sits on an active seismic zone. A massive quake back in 1999, you may recall, killed some 17,000 people.

In North Africa today, Tunisians are counting millions of votes by hand. The results of parliamentary elections are expected tomorrow. Now Tunisia, as you'll recall, was the first country to overthrow its dictator in what became the Arab Spring. More than 80 percent of registered voters turned out. Many faced some long waits.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you waited three hours to case your ballot?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: yes, something like three-and-a-half hours. But we didn't feel it. I mean it was like five minutes, because we were very, very happy to be inside there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Tunisia's new parliament will write a constitution and decide on the system of government.

Well, a status hearing today. You may recall the horrific kidnapping case in Philadelphia. The suspects, they weren't in court. They are charged withholding four mentally disabled adults captive in a dank basement boiler room. Police say, the alleged ringleader, Linda Ann Weston, kidnapped the victims to steal their Social Security checks. A lawyer says the mother of one victim told Philadelphia police that eight years ago, her daughter may have been kidnapped by Weston. Police have not responded to that mother's claim.

Authorities in Australia are trying to capture a great white shark off the waters of Perth. They believe a great white attacked and killed American George Wainwright. Now, if confirmed, it would be the third great white attack off Perth since September. Wainwright's family calls him one-of-a-kind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRENDA WAINWRIGHT, GEORGE THOMAS WAINWRIGHT'S SISTER: I think it was just wrong place, wrong time because he was very wise. I would trust him with anything to do with being on the water. I always had complete confidence in his skills.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Wainwright was one of the engineers who capped the BP oil spill off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. After that, his work took him to Australia.

Well, Steve Jobs fans can buy his biography starting today. The book's release date, it was moved up after the Apple chairman died of cancer on October 5th. Author Walter Isaacson says toward the end, Jobs often talked about God and the afterlife.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALTER ISAACSON, STEVE JOBS' BIOGRAPHER: Ever since I've had cancer, I've been thinking about it more and I find myself believing a bit more. I kind of -- maybe it's because I want to believe in an afterlife, that when you die, it doesn't just all disappear, the wisdom you've accumulated, somehow it lives on.

Then he paused for a second and he said, "Yes, but sometimes I think it's just like an on off switch. Click and you're gone." He said and paused again. And he said, "And that's why I don't like putting on and off switches on Apple devices."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Walter Isaacson talks with our Piers Morgan about Steve Jobs. You'll want to see this interview. It is Wednesday at 9 Eastern right here on CNN.

Well, President Obama is announcing changes today that's going to provide new relief for homeowners. He's going to unveil the details in Vegas as part of his three day trip to the West. The change will make it easier for people to refinance their homes with new low interest rates, even if their mortgage is currently underwater.

Here's a pretty good program to help you get your holiday shopping wrapped up early and save money at the same time. A lot of people wait and wait on purpose, right, hoping prices are going to fall as Christmas gets closer. But Walmart says buy between November 1 and December 25th.

If you find the identical product for less, you'll get a gift card for the difference. Just bring in the ad.

So we want to get the story -- details now on our lead story. Rescuers now clawing through rubble in a desperate search for earthquake survivors. This is in Eastern Turkey. Our Diana Magnay is heading to Van. That is near the epicenter of this 7.2 quake -- Diana, first of all, what do we understand about the loss here?

What -- what kind of scene are they dealing with?

Are there survivors?

And do we know how many people have actually died?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's difficult to work out quite how many people are missing because it took place on a Sunday, two -- around 2:00 p.m. on a Sunday, which meant that a lot of people were out and about. And it has therefore been quite difficult to track.

But in itself, it has been a blessing as, of course, if this kind of thing happens overnight, then people are more likely to be asleep in their beds while buildings collapse in on them.

But the death toll is now sort of around the 250 mark in both the cities of Van, where I've just arrived, and in Ercis, which were both badly affected.

And the interior minister has said that that, at least, is not as high as they had anticipated it creeping in the time that -- that -- that they've been counting, though I -- I suppose that is one small blessing on a very grim day for this country -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And, Diana, why is it so different this time around?

Because we know back in 1999, 17,000 people lost their lives. This is nowhere near that.

I'm assuming it's because of building construction and -- and a way of actually knowing how to deal with earthquakes that they didn't before?

MAGNAY: Well, I think that the Marmara region, where that huge earthquake took place in in '99, was much more densely populated. This was -- that was 7.6 on the Richter scale. This is 7.2. So not a massive difference in -- in scale between the two.

But this is a very rural area, not very highly populated at all. And I think that that certainly played its role.

Also, in terms of the building construction, they did definitely make the requirements for building permits much stronger...

MALVEAUX: Right.

MAGNAY: -- as a result of that earthquake back then. And that is, perhaps, why you see just some houses have collapsed in these two towns, whilst others are perfectly intact. And that may be because those houses that collapsed were built before the '99 regulations came in -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Right.

And where are people staying now?

I mean there are so many buildings that have been heavily damaged.

Where -- where are survivors spending the night?

MAGNAY: Well, the Red Crescent has constructed tent cities -- two tent cities which, the people have been able to go to. Last night, they had a big problem because they didn't have enough tents. Many people spent the night in their cars or just out on the streets around tires. Now they've got somewhere warm to go to. The -- the Red Crescent have provided something like 22,000 blankets, 7,000 tents and a lot of warm food for these people.

So there is some degree of -- of help for the people tonight.

MALVEAUX: All right, Diana Magnay.

Thank you so much.

And if you want to help out and find out how you can help those devastated by the earthquake in Turkey, visit our Impact Your World page. That's CNN.com/impact.

Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're looking at ahead.

(VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: That is the sound of baseball-sized hail thundering down on Oklahoma Take a look at those pictures. We're going to look at the storm damage there that happened over the weekend.

Then the Arab Spring born when an proposed Tunisian set himself on fire. It launched a movement that has seen dictatorships topple like dominos. We're going to break the revolution down for you in detail.

And debris from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan now making its way over here.

Then we go live to a Los Angeles court, where the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician is now in session.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, in this tough economy, states are being forced to come up with some creative solutions to deal with the rising costs of health care. And one of the areas taking a big hit is Medicaid. The federal government is allowing states to cut Medicaid optional benefits.

What are we talking about?

Drugs covered, vision care, visits to certain providers, including chiropractors and podiatrists.

Elizabeth Cohen -- and she's here with the details.

What are some of the things -- the specifics that are going to go away?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, some of these specifics are -- might sound like they're little, but if you need these things they are big.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely.

COHEN: And they're not so little and if you're -- if you need them, you're going to notice that they're not there for you anymore.

So let's look at all the different things that are being cut from Medicaid in various states. And each state gets to decide, basically, what it will pay for and what it won't...

MALVEAUX: Sure.

COHEN: -- with some -- with some supervision.

In Nebraska, they're going to make it so that you can only get 180 adult diapers a month. So if you need more than 180 adult diapers -- I mean some people are, especially, you know, people who are really sick, they need them -- 180 a month.

Colorado is not going to pay for circumcisions any more.

MALVEAUX: Wow!

COHEN: So if your baby is born and you were expecting a circumcision, you will have to pay for that yourself.

Tennessee is ending coverage of adult acne medicine.

California is ending coverage of adult daycare, which some folks need, again, when they're -- when they have certain illnesses.

And North Carolina is ending vision coverage. So you can imagine if you're in North Carolina, you're a Medicaid recipient and you won't be able to see.

MALVEAUX: That's unbelievable.

COHEN: Yes.

MALVEAUX: I mean it really is, when you look at that. And across the country, I mean it's so kind of haphazard when you look at, you know, what kind of care people are -- are -- are actually cutting. And even hospital stays, I understand. There -- there are some states where it's limited or cut out altogether?

COHEN: That's right. So, again, each state gets to decide, all right, how many days of hospitalization are we going to cover for our Medicaid recipients.

So take a look. And it's very, very different depending upon where you live.

So, for example, in Hawaii, they're saying, eh, you can only be in the hospital for 10 days. We're not going to pay for day 11. In -- in Alabama, 16. In Arkansas, 24. Mississippi, 30. And Florida, 45. So you can see that's a huge range there. But again, imagine you're in Hawaii, you're in the hospital, day 11.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

COHEN: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Or pay for it yourself.

COHEN: Or pay.

MALVEAUX: With a lot of people do pay for it.

COHEN: Or the hospital often -- the hospital often ends up just eating that cost and then you and I end up paying for it because that hospital has to make up that money somewhere.

MALVEAUX: How -- let's talk about that.

How is that related to the new health care law...

COHEN: Now, the folks...

MALVEAUX: (INAUDIBLE)?

COHEN: This was done by "USA Today" and the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Kaiser Family Foundation. And we spoke to folks at Kaiser. And they said this really isn't related because states have always had the ability to kind of tinker with these things. And so if they want to pay for more diapers, fewer diapers, more days in the hospital, fewer, they're allowed to do that. So they really didn't see that it relates very much to -- or that it relates even at all to health care reform.

MALVEAUX: All right. But it -- I mean it's so informative. You've got to know where you are what kind of costs you are dealing with your health care. I mean I guess it's just a sign of the times, though. But people are -- are really going to be affected by this.

COHEN: It is a sign of the times. And even if you've got insurance through your employer, don't think that you're safe, because you may very well be seeing fewer benefits, as well, because the economy is suffering. And, actually, I'm going to have a piece for you later this week that talks about a woman who isn't going to get the surgery that her doctor says she needs because her employer says, sorry, we can't afford it anymore.

MALVEAUX: Wow! I'd -- I'd like to see that piece. I feel badly for her.

COHEN: Yes. It's really hard. It's hard for everyone.

MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, Elizabeth. COHEN: Thanks.

MALVEAUX: Well, checking stories affiliates are covering, police are warning people in Florida's Indian River County to be on the lookout for these guys. They escaped from a jail early this morning. One was about to be sentenced for murder. The other was facing a murder charge.

In Oklahoma, you've got to check out these pictures. Folks got a pounding this weekend. Check out the hail raining down on the central part of the state, breaking windshields, forcing drivers to take cover. In some cases, the hail, the size of baseballs, pretty amazing when you look at the pictures. Thousands of people lost electricity, as well, during the storm.

And in Texas last night, former President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch to the Texas Rangers, owner Nolan Ryan in game four of the World Series. But Ryan missed it. It was apparently hilarious to Rangers' coach Ron Washington, who was caught laughing hysterically. The Rangers beat the St. Louis Cardinals to tie the series at two games apiece.

And President Obama can't get Congress to pass his jobs plan. So he's got a new strategy -- ideas to boost the economy that bypass Congress.

We're going to tell you what it means for mortgages and student loans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, his jobs plan is now stalled in Congress, so President Obama is turning to new proposals that don't require approval from lawmakers. The president is on his way out West, where he's going to outline his latest efforts to boost the economy. One of his new initiatives is designed to help more homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages.

Our Athena Jones, she joins us from the White House -- so, Athena, what do we know about his plan and his new approach?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well -- well, first of all, he'll be announcing this and talking about this in Nevada, which is one of the states with the highest foreclosure rates in the nation. What the president will be talking about today is a way to expand access to refinancing to more people, the expansion of the Home Affordable Refinance Program. This is for people who have federally guaranteed mortgages. Those are mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Those people will now be able to refinance, no matter how far underwater they are on their loans. So even if they owe a lot more money than their house is now worth, they'll have access to this refinancing as long as they're current on their mortgage payments.

The idea is to reduce their monthly payments, put some more money in their pockets, help them stay in their homes, and, in that way, boost the economy. And, you know, this is all part of what the White House is going to be calling "we can't wait." They're going to try to take -- do executive actions while waiting, while also urging Congress to push the jobs bill, tut then taking steps like this one that don't require legislation...

MALVEAUX: Sure.

JONES: -- to show kind of the two front approach.

MALVEAUX: From yes, we can to we can't wait.

Tell us about the -- the offer to help those who are struggling with their student loans.

JONES: OK. So on Wednesday, the -- the president will travel to Denver. He'll be talking about a plan to help people who have federal -- federal loans, to help them pay them back. And so the idea is that he wants too still encourage people to go to college, even at a time when tuition rates are rising. And they'll be talking and giving more details about a plan to help them pay those loans back -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Athena, thanks.

Good to see you.

JONES: Thanks, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Well, a hearing today in a horrific fraud and kidnapping case. The victims were mentally disabled adults.

But is the main suspect competent to stand trial?

We're going to talk to a reporter who was inside the courtroom in Philadelphia.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we are working on.

Up next, there is no more proof required to show that Moammar Gadhafi is dead.

Is it time to bury him?

We're going to tell you what's being discussed in Libya.

Then, Tunisia becomes a beacon in the Arab world, right?

Well, the nation celebrates its first free elections.

And later, a lot of that debris that we saw after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan heading straight for here, Hawaii.

Right now to Philadelphia. A hearing wrapped up just a short time ago. Now this is a case you may recall, a horrific case. Four mentally disabled adults who were allegedly kidnapped, held in a dark basement with little or no food, like a dungeon, really.

Our Sarah Hoye, she was inside the courtroom for today's hearing -- and, Sarah, if you could set the scene for us here.

I understand that the suspects weren't even in court today.

Why was that?

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. There was no defendants in court today because today was a status hearing in which the defense attorneys were there, plus the prosecutors. And they figured out what the next step would be.

So at this point, the next court date is set for December 19th, which is somewhat of a preliminary trial where both sides present their information, whether it's the prosecutors and their evidence. And then a judge will decide if this is worthy of going to trial.

MALVEAUX: So what are they charged with here, including the ringleader, the alleged ringleader, Linda Weston?

HOYA: There's a host charges against these folks. You're talking from everything from kidnapping to endangerment. There is probably 20 or 30 charges on the books for these guys.

MALVEAUX: And how -- how big do we think this is?

How many people are involved in this -- in this ring?

HOYA: Well, this thing keeps unfolding. You know, it's kind of like peeling back the layers to an onion. So at first, there was four people held captive in the basement. Now authorities are saying there's a potential seventh, including the 19-year-old niece of Linda Weston. So this thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger. And not only is this Philadelphia, you're looking at other states, too.

MALVEAUX: And what -- what was the defense's argument here?

I understand that the defense attorney made a statement afterwards?

HOYA: Yes, he did. The defense attorney for Linda Weston did say that he did meet with his client. She seemed overall fatigued, but yet in relatively good spirits. And he does want to meet with her again just to see if competency could be an issue. If he feels that she is not competent to stand trial, he will seek to have some type of medical evaluation, which he feels the judge would -- would approve.

MALVEAUX: And were there a lot of folks around the courthouse?

I mean, obviously, this is just, you know, the neighborhood. Everybody was shocked. It got worse and worse, this story.

Is there a lot of interest around this case?

HOYA: There is a lot of interest. And it's kind of one of those water cooler talkers.

However, inside the courtroom today, it was not packed. It was not standing room only. This somewhat kind of went under the radar, not too much because, really, it was a status hearing. The defendants weren't there, as you had mentioned. So it really was kind of just another day at the courthouse. There wasn't necessarily any family around. And if there was any family of Weston there, they scooted off rather quickly.

MALVEAUX: Right (INAUDIBLE).

HOYA: So people were interested in it.

MALVEAUX: Yes. Sure. And -- and the -- the scheme, this alleged scheme to steal victims' Social Security money, are prosecutors offering any more insight into how -- how big this was, this particular case?

HOYA: Not right now. As we were discussing last week, too, prosecutors, as well as authorities, are keeping some cards close to the chest because they do have to take this to trial. So there are some details that they're just not elaborating on.

MALVEAUX: All right. Sarah, you get back to us when you have got more details. Obviously, this is a case that a lot of folks are very interested in and a very disturbing situation.

Thank you very much, Sarah.

Moammar Gadhafi's family has a message for Libya's interim government -- hand over his body. The spectacle over Gadhafi's corpse and a live report from Libya.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, paying or planning for your child's college education can nightmare in these economic times. But you need one to make it in today's world. So how do you juggle their college costs while saving for your retirement?

Take a listen to "Smart Is the New Rich" author, Christine Romans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Most of us aren't saving enough for college or starting early enough. It's easy to see why. You're already spending $227,000 to raise a kid from birth to 18. This according to the USDA. That's up 40 percent from 2000. And that doesn't include the cost of college. That's another $21,000 for a private four year college room and board for a year.

The debate shouldn't be is college worth it.

It should be how are you going to pay for it and in a smart way?

According to the government, a worker with a college degree will make more than $1 million more than a high school graduate over the course of their lifetime. And the unemployment rate for a college graduate is only 4.3 percent.

CARMEN WONG ULRICH, AUTHOR, "THE REAL COST OF LIVING": If you look at the data, this country is going to require that college degree. Like a high school degree, you really absolutely need the degree, but what are you going to do with it and how are you going to pay for it is the really important question.

ROMANS: Time is your best friend. Even saving a little while your kid is still in diapers is better than taking out boat loads of loans later. Now 529 plans help you to do this with tax breaks for the investment in some states.

But you don't have to save for all of the college and you shouldn't. You should save for your retirement, too. Don't forget. Ulrich recommends saving a third, borrowing a third with student loans and then getting scholarships and grants for the final third.

Now the resource fine.org has this rule of thumb. Don't borrow more in loans than the graduate is expected to earn in the first year working. So an engineering major can tolerate more loans than say a social worker, education major who will be paid less.

That means choosing the right school for your finances and ambitions, community college, state school or private liberal arts college only if you can afford it. For more on how to save for college retirement at the very same time, check out more on the book "Smart is the New Rich." Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Moammar Gadhafi's family is now demanding that his body be returned to them so he can be buried according to Islamic tradition. Autopsy results confirmed that Gadhafi died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Up until a short time ago, people were still lining up to view this corpse. Dan Rivers joins us on the phone from Misrata. Dan, I understand that this viewing process is now over. Tell us what happens next.

DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, we thought it was over and the guards closed the gates here of this market, then another sort of 40 or 50 people arrived. There was another sort of slightly angry confrontation and they were allowed in as well.

They're all still in there now. So just a sense that they don't really have a control over what is happening on the ground surrounding Moammar Gadhafi's body and we were told that the order has come down from the Misrata Military Counsel to stop this public viewing.

But it is not translating into action here on the ground. As I say, people are still being allowed in.

MALVEAUX: So Dan, I guess it is a hard question to answer, but who's in charge here? I mean, who's on the ground, who's making these decisions about, OK, people can go inside and see the body, OK, it is closed? I mean, what is happening there?

RIVERS: Well, I mean there are a collection of fighters here, some are in uniform, some just have weapons and they are in plain clothes. They seem to be deciding who comes in, who goes out.

You know, the general public just seems to be able to effectively sort of bully their way in really. But when there is enough of them at the gate and they all start shouting and screaming that they want to go in, they're allowed in.

That's kind of symptomatic of the whole country, in a sense, I suppose. There is a bit of a leadership vacuum on the ground. Obviously there's no functioning police force. There's no functioning army.

There is just a collection of different militias and depending on where you are and who you are, that has an effect on what you can do and what you can't do.

In this case it seems that the militia here are guarding the body, seem very happy for people to continue looking at the body even though they told us that they've been ordered not to.

MALVEAUX: So Dan, that's a good analogy, what you said, kind of indicative of what's taking place in the center, a lot of uncertainty and questions there.

Is there any response from the transitional government to the family's demand, Gadhafi's family, that they'd like the body now nor for burial?

RIVERS: No official response. We were told this was going to be done in secret, carrying out the burial in 24 hours. This came and went, didn't happen. Then we were told an autopsy would be done and they would bury the body. Well, that autopsy has been done yesterday and still the body remains here. And there's no real sort of sense of anyone taking control of this or taking ownership of it.

And all the while, of course, this is increasingly awkward for the NTC, for the transitional government here. It doesn't present an image of a country that is organized or one that is dignified either or one in some senses that has a sense of justice because there are continue questions about how Gadhafi died, how his son died.

He was clearly alive in one video and then suddenly showed up with several bullets in him. That hasn't been explained. So there are a lot of questions still left to answer.

MALVEAUX: Dan, finally here, what is the mood? The sense on the ground there as people line up to see his body. Are they still celebrating? RIVERS: They are quite jubilant, yes. I suppose for us in the west this is kind of difficult to imagine going to see the dead body of a dictator and first of all, just even wanting to go and see it and secondly when you're there wanting to have your picture taken with it and being quite kind of jovial and joking about it, but that is what it is like here.

People are in buoyant moods, lots of shouts of "God is great" and they're all quite upbeat. Some people have brought their kids here. A lot of women have come here as well. In some senses, I think they want to see it with their own eyes to really believe that this is over.

Some of them it's sheer morbid curiosity. They haven't ever seen Gadhafi in real life and they want to see him now while they have the chance. There's a mixture of motives here, but it is a bizarre scene. I can't put it any better than that.

MALVEAUX: That is bizarre, take a picture with a corpse. Dan, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Good reporting, as always.

CNN in depth now, the Tunisians, they were the first people in the Arab world to rise up and chase a dictator out of power. It all began with a 26-year-old Tunisian man set himself on fire last December after the government took his fruit cart.

That sparked a massive public protest that forced Tunisia's long-time president to flee the country, but the fire kept rising rapidly. Revolutions swept up across the region. So we're talking about Algeria, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, virtually the entire Arab world exploded into similar protests against poverty, unemployment, and tyranny.

Now as the votes are counted in Tunisia's first free election, people have rushed to the polls. We are talking about 80 percent of registered voters in the country participating in yesterday's election. Now, with Libya and Egypt following in their footsteps, the world is now looking to Tunisia as an example of what democracy in the Arab world could look like.

So, we're asking how are things shaping up. Our Ivan Watson is in Tunis, Tunisia. Ivan, give us a sense I think I understand they're counting the votes, the ballots here, what's next?

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they've got to count these votes, Suzanne. You had more than 60 political parties competing. These were pretty complicated ballots that people had to fill out. People who were accustomed to basically only being able to vote for the ruling party in the past.

The next step would be the appointment of the 217 winners of the election into a constitutional assembly charged with writing an entirely new constitution for Tunisia and forming a new system of government, a new state that I think many people hope will be a democratic alternative to the dictatorship that ruled with an iron fist here for nearly a quarter century. MALVEAUX: Ivan, it is hard to imagine any election - 80 percent turnout. How did that happen?

WATSON: Well, that's 80 percent estimated of the 4.1 million people who pre-registered to vote. We did see a lot of people showing up at the last minute who hadn't preregistered who were trying to cast their ballots, perhaps just caught up in the excitement of the moment, which was really felt.

I mean, I saw lines wrapping around the block of polling stations. People waiting up to three hours just to sign and put an "X" next to the spot of the candidate they'd like for this constituent assembly.

So really remarkable moment in history for Tunisia and perhaps something that could be a model for other Arab countries that are struggling with their own legacy of dictatorship, of colonialism and some of them which people are risking their lives hoping for some semblance of democracy in their country.

MALVEAUX: Ivan, do you think that Tunisians can appreciate that they know potentially they are the model for a new democratic country in the Arab world?

WATSON: I think a lot of people felt the weights of responsibility on their shoulders yesterday. A lot of people were very proud that they are the first. That they not only inspired the Arab spring, but also now that they were having the first election and election monitors say it was remarkably peaceful and transparent and open.

The counting process of course is taking a long time. It sounds like some of the polling stations were open hours after they were officially supposed to close just because of the sheer numbers of people who were showing up to vote. I think Tunisians are very proud right now.

There may be some mixed feelings when the results come in because a moderate Islamist party looks like it may have gotten first place in the election. Particularly some women I've been talking to are very worried that they may lose rights, that they may impose a conservative lifestyle on them and that is something of course that that party has denied.

I interviewed the leader and he said don't judge us until we've actually been in a position of power. Judge us by our actions, not by what other people say about us.

MALVEAUX: Sure. Let's just draw this out a little bit if we can. Next door, you've got Libya and their transitional government is embracing Sharia law as the cornerstone of their new constitution.

They're going to vote in about eight months or so. What do you make of that, the people there, that they would like to incorporate Sharia law, Islamic Sharia law as part of their new system of government?

WATSON: Well, I mean that is one of the eternal debates in the Middle East, throughout the Islamic world. Does referencing back to the Koran, does that mean that you cannot have democracy?

That was an argument that was used in many Arab countries here in Tunisia by the dictators to crush opposition. They would say well the Islamists would come to power so we got to lock up anybody who goes to a mosque, put them on a black list, or anybody who's in the political opposition, accuse them of being something linked to al Qaeda.

Perhaps what you're seeing in Libya and perhaps what you're seeing here in Tunisia in this election is backlash to that kind of strategy to crush opposition by more secular dictators.

MALVEAUX: All right. Ivan Watson, thank you so much. Obviously still questions what's going to happen in Syria and Yemen. All of that will unfold and we'll see how it develops, but a lot still going on in the Middle East. Thank you, Ivan.

The manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor reaches a critical point now. Now sister, Janet, ditches her concert to be with the Jackson family. We're going to have the latest in the case of Dr. Conrad Murray.

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MALVEAUX: So this actually could be it. The last week of the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Court is in session right now and the Jackson family has actually reunited for it. Sister Janet postponed several shows in Australia to be home with her family in L.A. And criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Holly Hughes is here to explain why if this is at all important.

Do we suppose Janet's presence or the mother or the children, does it make a difference at all if they show up in court in these critical last days?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think it does, Suzanne. And here's why. Because what we've seen throughout the course of the past three or four weeks is that certain family members will be present, but not all of them at the same time. So what we're looking at now is a solidarity. They're all coming back because they know the verdict is coming in and they feel like they want a guilty verdict. If they were against this trial, they wouldn't be there. They wouldn't be supporting and showing up.

So I think the whole family coming together en masse. We saw Rebbie come in today. We know Randy's there. Janet is back. You know, so we know that they're all sort of marshalling the forces. That's going to speak volumes to the jury because the jury is going to say, it's getting close to decision time and this family wants to be here for that verdict because they want this man to pay.

MALVEAUX: Would they make -- would that be more empathy on -- for Michael Jackson to see the family? They'd be more empathetic and harder on the doctor, tougher on the doctor?

HUGHES: I think they will be. And the reason is, typically when we see a celebrity involved in the trial, the celebrity is the defendant. Here the celebrity is the victim. And so when you have the entire victim's family sitting there, the jurors are only human. I mean it is going to affect them. They're going to look out there and say, Katherine lost a son, and Janet lost a brother. And it takes that whole -- you know, it's not just some pop icon. This was a living, breathing human being who mattered to a lot of people and we need to do right by that victim. And that's where the family presence is going to influence them.

MALVEAUX: And what does the defense need to do this week before this all wraps up?

HUGHES: What they're going to do is bring on their own experts to sort of controvert what the state's doctors said. The state's doctors went up and said, this was terrible care and it fell below the standards. They're going to call their own experts who are going to say, no, this was fine care and Michael Jackson essentially did this to himself. In a way, they're going to blame the victim to try and take that onus off their client, Dr. Murray.

MALVEAUX: What do you suppose they'll use to do that?

HUGHES: Well, they're going to absolutely use scientific experts. We know they've got an anesthesiologist coming up. Two other scientific experts that are going to testify. We're going to get into that whole, you know, scientific testimony.

Then they've got some character witnesses, which is interesting because they're going to bring them on. They're going to ask them about Dr. Murray. You know, was he a conscientious doctor? Did he care about his patients? Would he harm somebody knowingly? And they're going to try and put those character witnesses in.

And they're also calling a police officer from the scene. So I'll be interested to see what they're trying to get out of him. And they also want to call -- they were having motions about this, this morning, Randy Phillips, who is the head of AEG, to basically say you pressured Michael Jackson so badly, telling him, you know, you have to be ready for this tour, this has to go on, that you're the one who essentially forced Michael into taking those drugs because he was desperate to perform.

MALVEAUX: All right, we'll be watching.

HUGHES: Yes, it's good stuff.

MALVEAUX: Thank you, Holly. Appreciate it.

HUGHES: OK.

MALVEAUX: Some 20 million tons of debris, right, floating across the Pacific, heading right for us. We're going to talk about -- we're talk about everything about boats, houses, cars, all this stuff, furniture, TVs, toys. Well, we're going to find out where all of that is coming from and the possible impact.

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MALVEAUX: So it happened on the other side of the world, but it is heading our way. Millions of tons of debris from Japan's tsunami is floating towards the West Coast, closing in on Hawaii, actually right now.

Jacqui Jeras, boy, tell us what we're dealing with here, right, because like fridges, TVs, that kind of stuff is actually coming?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, tons of stuff. Well, we knew it was all out there, right? I mean we knew it had to go somewhere eventually. It's just coming a little bit faster than we had originally thought. There was a Russian ship basically that was out in the ocean. It was west of the Midway Islands and it happened to find some of this debris already. And the largest piece was a fishing vessel that was as much as 20 feet wide.

So we know there's somewhere between 5 and 20 million tons of this stuff that is out there. And as we take a look at Google Earth, we'll just show you where those Midway Islands are to give you an idea. And they call it, yes, the Midway Islands because it's about midway between Japan and the United States. So here's Hawaii and it's west of here where they saw all this stuff.

Now, take a look at this computer model animation. This gives you an idea of the forecast where they're expecting all the debris to go. It's exactly where it was predicted to be just a little bit sooner. So you can see it moves from west to the east and then it starts to circulate its way back around. And that's all flowing around a wind and ocean current basically that we call the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre or, you know, a spinning circulation.

Now, of course, it doesn't work exactly perfect all around here and these little pieces kind of get caught out. And within this there are smaller circulations. Have you ever heard of this before? Have you heard about that great garbage patch that's out there in the Pacific? There's two areas. One over here, and one over here. So some of that's going to get caught up and circulated in this area and some of it's going to get caught up in this convergence though which is about 6,000 miles across.

Some of that debris, by the way, and some of that garbage has already sunk. The real heavy stuff. And that was much closer to the coast of Japan. So timing wise now we're talking about this winter for making landfall over the Midway Islands. We're talking in less than two years now for Hawaii. And we're still talking about three years before this stuff would hit the West Coast of the United States. So still a long way to go, but so much debris and so much garbage out there, Suzanne, that it's -- really it's almost impossible to clean that stuff up.

MALVEAUX: And it's coming. That's the bottom line, right, you can't stop it.

JERAS: And it's unquestionably coming. Some of it will get broken down in the process a little bit, but anything that's light or any of that plastic, you know, that's not going away. MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, Jacqui.

An authorized biography of Steve Jobs hits Kindles and book stores and iPads today. We're going to discuss this rare look into the life of a complex an private man. He's regarded as one of the greatest inventors of our time.

But first, if you have a strong stomach, an appetite for the bizarre, looking for a job, send your resume out to one of these gigs. Careercast.com has come up with a list of the creepiest jobs out there. I have to warn you, it's not for the average folks. Here are some of them. Well, first, an embalmer, making about $43,000. Pest control specialist, $30,000 or so. Arachnologist, someone who studies spiders and other creepy crawlers, $61,000. And a crime scene cleaner, $39,000. So, which career do you think they think is the creepiest out there? I'm going to stick around and tell you.

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MALVEAUX: All right, so we asked you before the break if you could guess what the creepiest job is out there. Well, we already mentioned, a, embalmer, b, pest control specialist, c, arachnologist, d, crime scene cleaner. But the creepiest job out there, according to Careercast, that is a forensic entomologist. What is that? They study insects inside diseased bodies to help solve the police -- help solve crimes. That's some work for you.

Well, by making high-tech gadgets cool and easier for everybody to use besides us geeks, Steve Jobs became as big as the company that he founded. An authorized biography of the late Apple CEO is being released today. Our Maggie Lake is standing by in New York.

And, Maggie, I think sales are probably just hitting the roofs there because, hey, you know, a lot of people very curious. He was a fascinating, fascinating man.

MAGGIE LAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And this is a little bit different from the Apple events we're used to, Suzanne, in that we don't have a huge line outside the store at Barnes & Noble that we're in front of, in Manhattan. But people are inside buying the book. Much more of the action, of course, happening online. It's already number one on Amazon. And, in fact, they --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: David Arquette. David Arquette. Not Nancy Grace. Owe. Owe. Owe. What the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) you doing (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

LAKE: As you know, we have some issues here.

MALVEAUX: Oh, we're going to -- we're just going to let that go there. That's Maggie Lake. But obviously there is a biography that's being released on Steve Jobs. It is out today.

CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Randi Kaye, who's in Los Angeles.

Hey, Randi.