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Big Day For Your Wallet; U.S. Economic Growth Improves; New Debt Deal May Prevent Crisis; Stocks Surge on Wall Street; Many GOP Voters Are Still Undecided; Clinton Discusses "The Road Ahead"; Feds Target African Fortune; Conrad Murray Cries During Trial; BP Permitted to Drill In Gulf of Mexico; Debt Deal Eases Global Fears; Turkey Quake Death Toll Rises to 534; Political Buzz on Perry and State Department Books; Ohio Amish Community Under Attack; Beavis and Butthead Back after 14 Years; Gingrich, Bachmann Make Adjustments
Aired October 27, 2011 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Ok, it's almost the top of the hour.
And this morning we're talking about a new surge of optimism sending stocks climbing on Wall Street. Here's the numbers. And we've got news on the economy. Some encouraging signs for your battered and bruised 401(k); because of these numbers DOW Industrials up 221 points right now.
Christine Romans also has the new numbers on the economy and an overnight deal on Europe's debt crises. Both stories meaning that investors are breathing and obviously buying easier -- a little easier we can see.
Alison Kosik looking at the numbers on Wall Street, but Christine, let's go ahead and start with you before we focus on the big debt deal. Let's talk about what this all means to us and let's talk about the good news with regard to our economy this morning.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: With pleasure, I will tell you. The third quarter GDP, Kyra, was 2.5 percent and 2.5 percent is an economy that is twice as strong in the third quarter as it was in the second quarter. So that's a pick up.
That's an improvement. It's also the strongest the economy has been in about a year. Now 2.5 percent we would like to see the economy going more strongly that, of course.
But it puts to rest those concerns that this summer there was some sort of double dip recession or that we were right on the edge of it so some good news in terms of growth in the economy in the third quarter 2.5 percent -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And then we look at this overnight deal on the European debt. We obviously are seeing the outcome of how that's impacted everything. Bottom line, that's why Americans should care because it's impacting our wallets.
ROMANS: Absolutely. Americans should care because at 2.5 percent growth in this country, you don't want your largest trading zone to have a severe recession because that would undo the progress that we're seeing here right now.
So it really matters. It also matters because a healthy Europe is good for a healthy America because the trading and the banking ties are just so strong between the two of them. They're $400 billion in U.S. exports that go to Europe every single year.
There's over a trillion dollars in direct investment into the E.U. and there's $2.7 trillion of investment deals with, you know, European banks, governments, and companies. So the ties are pretty important.
You don't want that huge trading zone to falter. That would hurt the U.S. What's this deal does, the nuts and bolts of this debt deal, Kyra. It aims to shore up the Greek debt crisis, the private investors and banks who have invested in Greece are holding all this debt.
They're going to have to take half of their investment back. This is going to give Greece some breathing room. It shores up the European banks. It's going to make them hold more capital, more core capital, 9 percent core capital now.
It also gives more fire power to European stability fund. Also this last point is really interesting, Kyra. It allows new ways to invest in Europe to help recapitalize those banks and recapitalize the system.
That could open the way for maybe China to come in with its big guns and its big money to invest and stabilize the region as well so a lot of optimism all the way around here. It's a first step. I want to point out. It's a first step, but it's an important first step and we're finally there.
PHILLIPS: Great news. Yes, Christine, thanks.
Let's check in on Wall Street now where stocks are surging 30 minutes after the opening bell. Alison Kosik, let's take a look at the latest numbers. It looks like they're up 235 points.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. What you're seeing is a tangible sigh of relief in the U.S. markets and this is following some powerful rallies in Asia and in Europe.
French and German markets are really showing the strongest gains. They're up anywhere from 5 percent to 6 percent. Now France and Germany, Kyra, they've been financing much of the bailouts in Europe.
So what this deal does is it shares the burden. So they're not going to be the sole contributors to Greece's rescue, which is why you're seeing the rally over there. Now the banking sector especially here in the U.S. has really been hammered over the past several months.
That is what's leading the rally here in U.S. markets. Shares of Bank of America and Citigroup are up 7 percent. They are leaders on the Dow. Morgan Stanley shares are up 11 percent.
And then you look at Europe. Major banks there are up as much as 15 percent because of a lot of what Christine was just talking about, confidence and stability.
Because if Europe winds up falling through on this deal that was announced overnight and gets all that debt under control, what it's going to wind up doing is it's going to stabilize the markets and boost confidence. Something we haven't seen in a really, really long time -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Alison, also with such a strong global reactions, do investigators -- the investors are investigating whether they consider this a done deal.
KOSIK: Yes, they are. And you know what, the way investors see this, Kyra, is they're kind of skeptical on the one hand. You know, because they still have to see the little, little minute details that are in this plan.
Because the plan that the European leaders came with to overnight is really just a broad outline so now they have to deal with the fine print and actually implement it ASAP, as soon as possible.
Also the deal is going to wind up boosting Europe's bailout fund by $1 trillion, but everybody's kind of asking is that going to be enough money? Because look at the next country that could be at issue is Italy that could be the next problem.
Italy has $2.5 trillion in outstanding debt. So the question is will that rescue fund be big enough to sort of soak up all that debt. But those questions, I guess they're put to the side for now and just buying into the markets -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: There you go. We'll stay on the positive track here. Alison, thanks.
Well, new CNN polls are out on the first four states to hold presidential contests. Our Jim Acosta is here. So Mitt Romney with a pretty strong showing, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra. His numbers are about as good as the stock market right now. You could say in these early voting states. The reason we looked at this poll, Kyra, is because, you know, these national polls come out and they might show Herman Cain on top.
And everybody, you know, sort of says look at Herman Cain, look at him go. But you have to really look at the state by state early voting state polls and where they show the candidates positioned at this point.
Let's show you Florida and New Hampshire where Mitt Romney is really out in front in a big way. Look at that in Florida, 30 percent compared to Herman Cain at 18 percent, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry at 9 percent.
Go to New Hampshire, which is the neighboring state to Massachusetts, obviously, where Mitt Romney was governor. Look at that, Mitt Romney way out in front 40 percent, Herman Cain 13 percent, Ron Paul 12 percent.
And then Rick Perry pretty far down at 4 percent. So Mitt Romney obviously enjoying a home field advantage in New Hampshire and Kyra, this close to the voting, those are very good numbers for Mitt Romney.
PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk about Iowa and South Carolina.
ACOSTA: Now Iowa and South Carolina that's a slightly different story, you could say that Herman Cain is smoking like his TV ad in those two states even though Mitt Romney is out on top.
Let's look at Iowa first. Mitt Romney out in front 24 percent to 21 percent for Herman Cain. Kyra, that is despite the fact that Herman Cain has done very little campaigning in Iowa at this point so that is very good news for the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza.
And then you look at South Carolina also very good news for Herman Cain. Kyra, you know, he could make a serious run at this. People who write off Herman Cain need to look very closely at Iowa and South Carolina.
Those are two of the first primary caucuses that we're going to have on the calendar next year. If he can stay that close to Mitt Romney, Herman Cain is going to be sticking around for a while -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, in those key early states, you know, have most GOP voters made up their minds? What do you think?
ACOSTA: They have not. That was the other interesting finding from our CNN/ORC poll. Take a look at whether or not Republicans are definitely supporting their candidate at this point.
It is interesting to look at Iowa 23 percent -- only 23 percent of Republicans in Iowa have made up their minds. They are notoriously fickle voters. They're in the hawk eye state and they have not made up their minds yet.
Similar numbers in Florida, South Carolina and New Hampshire, all in the 23 percent to 32 percent range in terms of whether or not they definitely support their candidate right now.
So, Kyra, even though we're just two months way from the Iowa caucuses and you know, basically, the beginning of winter madness in term of those primaries one after the next.
You know, a lot of these Republicans out there have not made up their minds about their candidate at this point. So good news for Mitt Romney, he's doing quite well in all of these early voting states. But he still has not closed the deal -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Got it. Jim, thanks. Testimony this hour from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She's appearing before the house Foreign Affairs Committee and topics will range from the killing of Osama Bin Laden to our deteriorating alliance with Pakistan.
Jill Dougherty at the State Department. So Jill, you were actually on this trip with the secretary of state. She got a firsthand look at the situation in Afghanistan, but also had tough words for Pakistan. What's she going to tell lawmakers on the Hill?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think we're going to hear some of what she said on this trip, which is really kind of a dual prime approach.
Number one, of course, Afghanistan, but Pakistan is key to this because if you look at that border between the two countries, the U.S., the State Department, Hillary Clinton are saying that you really have to have Pakistan get very serious about hitting those terrorist networks on their side of the border because the terrorists are coming over the border into Afghanistan.
So that's -- I think one of the key issues. Also you could hear some about Iran because there's the overriding theme right now that Iran in that general region might try to take some type of role or exploit the situation.
Don't forget in both of those countries, Pakistan and Iran, relations with those countries are very bad as we know. So I think it's quite predictable that on the Hill you're going to hear quite a lot about that.
PHILLIPS: Well, and Republicans controlling the committee, how tough will the line of questioning be on her?
DOUGHERTY: Well, I think probably, again, this would be just kind of predicting, but they might want to know so did you talk tough to Pakistan?
Because after all when we set out on that trip that was one of the things that Secretary Clinton was saying that she was going to do. In fact, we went to Afghanistan first and it was almost looking like a showdown.
Now behind the scenes, it was a pretty frank discussion. But I think the congressmen are going to want to know what can you do to make sure that Pakistan actually, you know, does hit hard and especially not only against al Qaeda because there have been a number of victories against al Qaeda, of course.
But the Hakani Network, that's the terrorist network that actually is based in the tribal areas in Pakistan. They are the terrorists who now are creating real problems in Afghanistan. So you'll be hearing a lot about the Hakani Network as well.
PHILLIPS: Jill Dougherty from the State Department. Jill, thanks.
He lived in a life of luxury while his countrymen lived in comparative squalor. The U.S. is going after millions of dollars it says it's owed to New Guinea. CNN's Zain Verjee has more now from London -- Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. The Department of Justice says that it's pursuing $32 million. Let's just put this in a little bit of perspective here.
There's a guy called Teodoro Obiang. Now his father has been the ruler of Equatorial Guinea for the last 32 years. Equatorial Guinea is in Africa. It's on Central Africa kind of on the west side of the continent.
Now the leader is accused of using money that's supposed to go to the poor and to help people and development, but he actually siphons it off for himself and his family, that's the accusation.
Well, there's been a senate report that came out in 2010 that essentially accused the youngest son of moving something like $110 million to the United States to support his very extravagant lifestyle.
OK, Kyra, let me just give you an idea of what he spent some of his cash on, $30 million to buy one of Malibu's largest mansions. And then of course, you can't have that kind of cash and not have your own top of the line gulf stream.
So he is believed to have spent almost $40 million buying that. He's got 32 cars and motor bikes including a Ferrari. And get this, Kyra, $3.2 million was spent buying Michael Jackson memorabilia.
So you know, the white glove from "Bad" and "Heal the World" and all of that stuff, he's actually got that. So people are just saying, how can this poor country have a ruler's son like this who spends all this kind of money?
And the U.S. essentially is investigating and they want to freeze his assets.
PHILLIPS: What's this connection to the rapper, Eve?
VERJEE: Yes. Well, he wanted to impress Eve, apparently, and rented a $700,000 a day yacht just so he could look good. So this is the kind of money he's spending and if this is the case.
And it's money that was supposed to go to the people of the very, very poor country of Africa, Equatorial Guinea. It raises a lot of questions. This is what the U.S. is trying to pursue.
PHILLIPS: We'll follow it. Zain, thanks.
Denver's first snowfall of the season is sure to be remembered by tree companies not to mention the 90,000 people who lost power during the storm, cross country is next. And Duchess Kate dines alone in a good way. Max Foster is live from London.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country now. In Los Angeles, Dr. Conrad Murray cried during testimony in his involuntary manslaughter trial Wednesday.
Character witnesses told the court how Dr. Murray cared and treated poor and elderly patients who are unable to pay. Murray's accused of causing pop star Michael Jackson's death.
Denver's first snowfall of the season arrived yesterday. It was blamed for stressing trees and power lines as many as 90,000 customers lost power during the snowstorm.
And 554 days after the deep water horizon explosion. Petroleum giant BP back in the Gulf of Mexico. The company announced yesterday it had earned its first permit to drill in the gulf since last year's oil spill disaster, one of the worst in American history.
A big night last night for Duchess Kate of Cambridge. Max Foster was her date in London. He's got all the details. Wait a minute. Did I get that wrong, Max? I'm sorry.
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One day, Kyra. One day, I'll be out on the town.
PHILLIPS: Keep dreaming.
FOSTER: It's quite the opposite. The duchess of Cambridge had her first solo engagement last night. It's a big moment in her sort of emergence as a duchess and princess. She always does things with Prince William normally.
We just had these pictures come in to us. What happened was Prince Charles was meant to be hosting an event at Clarence House, his main residences, but he had to fly to Saudi Arabia to pay his condolences to the crown prince who died there.
So the duchess stepped in. These are the images we've had of her in the Twitter sphere, Facebook sphere. They're going crazy over these pictures. They say she looks fabulous. You're probably a better judge of that, Kyra, than me. What do you think?
PHILLIPS: I think she looks absolutely stunning. I tell you, I don't know for you, Max, I mean, this is where you have lived for so many years with your family. Just watching this and thinking of history, you think so much of Diana and how she was such an independent woman. This is how she was.
FOSTER: Absolutely. People are saying it's taking too long for Katherine to move into that role. She's still on her public engagement supporting her husband. She's not actually out there on her own with her own charities. It's interesting.
Today in the most fabulous house I've ever been to in London, Kyra, I was in the crown prince of Greece's residence here in London. He's very good friends with all the royals here in the U.K.
He was telling me a bit about how this next generation of royals are much more -- they're much more in touch with the public. He was using examples where crown princes and princesses are actually marrying commoners or as he put it people outside the immediate circle.
They're becoming much more normal. He was talking about Katherine as well saying she's from a very solid family background and that's really helping her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWN PRINCE PAVLOS, GREECE: She's had a wonderful upbringing, gone to great schools. For England it's been a huge benefit to have somebody like her around. It just shows you how somebody that's put in the work, gone to good school, gone to good university can present herself as a really modern, good person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: There you are. Kyra, she's not doing much on her own, but this is the beginning of it, maybe.
PHILLIPS: We'll follow it for sure. Max, thanks.
Coming up, history, tourism and piracy collide. The salvage effort off the Carolina Coast. We're going to take you the big gun once belonged to, an artifact now getting daylight for the first time in nearly 300 years.
Tonight, you're going to think it's 1995 all over again. "Beavis and Butthead" are back. Watching TV and making their cerebral comments about society in 2011. The man who unleashed them on the world, Mike Judge, joining me live later this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Michael Lohan is giving daughter Lindsay a run for her money. He's just been arrested again for the second time in three days. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S," A.J. Hammer here with all the headlines for us. A.J., what's going on?
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, HLN's "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, Kyra, Michael Lohan was arrested. He took a trip to the hospital early this morning and if you're hearing this and getting a little sense of deja vu.
That's because it's his second arrest and hospital trip this week. Lindsay's dad was arrested for violating the terms of his release from jail. He was arrested on domestic violence charges for allegedly battering his ex-girlfriend, Kate Major.
Lohan only got out of jail on bail yesterday. When he was released a judge told him stay away from Major. He said it in no uncertain terms. Well, at around 1:00 in the morning, Kate Major called police claiming that Lohan was calling her and harassing her.
According to the Tampa P.D., while they were on the phone with her, Lohan called back. So Major put them on speakerphone and that was enough for prosecutors to authorize his re-arrest.
Now the whole hospital part comes in because when police went to Lohan's motel to arrest him, they say he decided he didn't want to go to jail. He jumped off a three-story balcony in an effort to escape and he landed in a tree. Cops caught him. He apparently hurt his foot in the process, which, of course, required a doctor to check him out. Kyra, you know a family's got issues when the headline is Lohan arrested and you're not quite sure if it's father or daughter.
PHILLIPS: It is pretty sad tale that family drama.
All right, the Guiness Book has just named Hollywood's biggest box office star and his name might surprise a lot of folks, right?
HAMMER: Yes, one of my favorite actors. This is according to the Guiness Book of World Records, Samuel L. Jackson has the highest grossing career of all time.
Here's the deal, they say if you add up all the money made by all the movies he's appeared in, his films have grossed $7.5 billion. Now this is partly because Jackson works hard. He really is one of the hardest working actors in the business.
He's appeared in more than 100 films. He still averages around four movies a year. The caveat here is some of these box office figures come from films where Jackson made at most a cameo.
For example, he was in one scene in the first "Ironman" movie that came after the credits rolled. Still he was in the film. So Guiness gave him the credit for it and the more than $300 million that the film made. If you take a look at films that he's played a major role in according to Box Office Mojo, they track these things. Those films have taken in around $2.8 billion. Kyra, that obviously is still very, very impressive. Go, Sam.
PHILLIPS: Go, Sam. An MTV classic as we've been talking about all morning has been resurrected after 14 years off the air. And A.J., we have a special guest coming up live, too.
But I'll let you give our folks the inside scoop on what we're talking about first.
HAMMER: All right, this is very exciting to me, Kyra. They are back. "Beavis and Butthead" will return to MTV tonight. I for one say it has been far too long.
The pair of morons are back here to lend their particular insights into pop culture. The show always had a consult following. We haven't seen an original episode of the series since 1997.
As you mentioned, Kyra, I know you're going to be speaking with Mike Judge the creative genius behind this show and so many others. Please if you would thank him on my behalf, on behalf of "Beavis and Butthead" fans everywhere for not messing with the show to bring it up to date.
I've seen a little bit of the first new show, it is "Beavis and Butthead" as we knew them and loved them.
PHILLIPS: Did you just call Mike a misfit moron? Is that what I just heard?
HAMMER: No. I referred to "Beavis and Butthead" as misfit morons. I'm sure Mike would thank me for getting that portrayal accurate.
PHILLIPS: We all have a little misfit in all of us, A.J.
HAMMER: Not Mike.
PHILLIPS: He's a genius.
HAMMER: "Beavis and Butthead," misfit morons.
PHILLIPS: He makes them smart. Put it that way. A.J., thanks so much. And as A.J. just said, they're back. How about a little more tease here?
Well, hopefully we're not going to have to beep creator, Mike Judge. But we're going to talk to him about "Beavis and Butthead." You won't want to miss it. He joins me live in 15 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now. E.U. leaders have come up with a plan to deal with the debt crisis. They've agreed to expand Europe's bailout fund and take major losses on Greek bonds. World markets are responding positively so far.
The death toll from Sunday's quake in earn Turkey has risen now to 534. Rescuers still hoping to be find survivors like this one beneath the rubble.
And "Occupy Wall Street" protesters say an Iraq war vet had his skull fractured by a police projectile. This is Scott Olson who is injured in a demonstration in Oakland and police are now investigating what happened.
All right. "Political Buzz," your rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock. And playing today, Democratic National Committee member, Robert Zimmerman, founder and editor of Citizen Jane Politics, Patricia Murphy, and CNN contributor Will Cain.
All right, guys, first question. Rick Perry's campaign tells CNN he may not take part in future debates and you know Conan O'Brien. He always has his take on why these things happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O'BRIEN, HOST, "TEAM COCO": Anyway, Rick Perry said it was a mistake for him to participate in the presidential debates. Yes. Perry said, I'm not one of those word talkers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All right. So with Perry dropping in the polls, can he afford to skip the debates, Robert?
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: He can't afford to be in the debates, he can't deliver a speech on policy. We saw that at the Values Voters Summit. He can't articulate -- he can't campaign on the street because of the missteps he makes when he talks to voters one-on-one.
The bottom line is -- and we Democrats are so frustrated by this -- Rick Perry is a minor league player in a major league sport. He's not equipped to run for president. He's going to follow great Texas history like governor -- former Governor John Connelly and Senator Phil Graham who were taxing to run for president. They all had record amounts of money. They got a delegate and a half between them.
PHILLIPS: Will?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, Rick Perry is saying that these debates are designed to tear each other down. They're just designed to bring all the candidates on stage down.
I want to make a couple of points, A, there's a ton of debates. Do we need this many debates? B, he's kind of right. When you have a minute to respond to each other, a minute to make a point, you're not really able to put out ideas, policies.
That being said, it does ring as an excuse by Rick Perry because he performs so poorly in these debates. I think Robert is right, he can't afford to participate in these things anymore. It's a no-win proposition for him.
PHILLIPS: Patricia?
PATRICIA MURPHY, CITIZEN JANE EDITOR: Well, I have to say it's not that he can't afford to participate in these debates, is that he just isn't very good at them. He can't afford to not be there because everybody knows why he wouldn't be there. He says it's because he wants to spend more time with the voters.
It's really because I think it's just been such an embarrassment for him. And these debates, I'm going to count myself in the group of people who actually love them. I think we've learned so much about these candidates. We've also had some of the smaller candidates come up with some really good ideas. People like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have been able to really shine in these debates.
And that's what they're for. It's for people who don't have a lot of money like Rick Perry but do have ideas. If you can't perform well in the debates, you can't be president. You don't need less time in front of a camera. You need to be better when you're doing it.
PHILLIPS: All right. Question number two. The State Department facing criticism after it was revealed that they've spent more than $70,000 on President Obama's books.
So is this our best effort at international diplomacy? Will? CAIN: I don't think it's probably our best effort at international diplomacy. At least I hope not. But I don't think it's inappropriate either. If there's -- you know, as people are making the point that this is about government waste and it's an illustration of government waste, that's kind of nonsense.
If you're really worried about government waste, please, let's pool all our efforts and talk about entitlements. If you want to talk about spending, focus it there. If there's any tinge of dirtiness or ugliness to this, Kyra, it's while he's president they're buying his books and some of the royalties go to him. That's kind of ugly. But look, in the end this is just not a big issue.
PHILLIPS: Robert?
ZIMMERMAN: It's kind of ugly or inappropriate, Will? Just to paraphrase Mitt Romney, Will, I think maybe you're a little testy because the Texas Rangers are in a close competition for the World Series.
CAIN: We're up 3-2, Robert.
(LAUGHTER)
ZIMMERMAN: I know, but it's still pretty tight. Good luck with the games.
Anyway, the point simply is that it's entirely appropriate. This is part of a tradition of doing this, providing books about our presidents in foreign governments to foreign libraries. And it really is a tribute to the president. That in fact this best-selling book is being shared around the world.
So this topic goes under the category of trivial political pursuit.
PHILLIPS: Patricia?
MURPHY: I think what makes me a little uncomfortable about this situation is that it really is not a part of the tradition. There was a search of State Department records they did not buy books about President George Bush and put them in foreign libraries, didn't do the same thing for Bill Clinton.
So there seems to be something that, if the media reports are right, is specific just to President Obama. That is the part that makes me uncomfortable. I also don't know that we need to be spending money on books when there are huge questions about how the State Department is spending its money and the federal government generally.
But I do think President Obama -- the reason they're doing it President Obama's personal story as an American is the type of story they want to get out there. It's a good story, just don't spend our taxpayer dollars selling it.
PHILLIPS: All right. From books to TV. A former speech writer for President Obama now writing a sitcom pilot called "1600 Penn." So what do you think, guys? Will this president make a good comedy and who should play him on TV, Will?
CAIN: Yes, I don't know. Does he make a good comedy? It seems like such a teed up answer for me on this. I would say this. The obvious answer is Will Smith, right? He kind of looks like him. But we all know Will Smith is not going back to TV. I mean he is a legit movie star. In fact his whole career is about being a movie star.
But he kind of looks like President Obama. He could play President Obama. Who would be the sitcom actor? I'm sure it's somebody we've never heard of.
PHILLIPS: Robert?
ZIMMERMAN: Well, this is supposed to be a sitcom about a dysfunctional family in the White House. And this president has a lot of skills but sitcom is not one of them. And certainly his family is really a role model for the country.
I think, though -- I can think of one individual, very frank, who's going to need a new gig in the few months who certainly has shown himself to be dysfunctional and funny.
Herman Cain, this is your moment.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Patricia?
MURPHY: That is so mean. Well, you know, if I watch any president on TV my personal preference is for Martin Sheen. I feel like he has the acting chops to kind of take that role in either direction. So I say Martin Sheen.
But I put it out to Twitter and my favorite answer was Orlando Bloom playing a charismatic librarian. So that was sort of the most interesting answer that I got. But I say Martin Sheen, he can still do it.
PHILLIPS: All right, guys. Until the next time.
CAIN: 3-2. 3-2. Tomorrow it will be 4-2.
PHILLIPS: Are we going back to baseball now?
CAIN: That's not tight.
PHILLIPS: This is a political segment. Up next --
ZIMMERMAN: We're cheering you on.
PHILLIPS: All right. Coming up after the break, we're talking more about that rare crime wave in an Amish community. The suspects are accused of breaking into homes, kidnapping families and cutting off their sacred hair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SHERIFF FRED ABDALLA, JEFFERSON COUNTY, OHIO What's been going there is not true Amish. True Amish don't act like that. True Amish don't go out roaming around attacking people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Live report next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: For the Amish people their hair is sacred. They believe the bible forbids them from cutting it. So when the story broke that people were not only burglarizing Amish families but dragging their victims out of their homes and chopping off their hair, it outraged this Ohio community.
CNN's Chris Welch has been investigating this.
And Chris, the allegations actually include an Amish bishop.
CHRIS WELCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Yes. We'll get to that in just a second. I want to first point out, we just learned just the other day actually that the FBI is now investigating this very, very bizarre case.
And here's what has gone down in recent weeks. Members of a rogue Amish group have been going to Amish families' homes late at night around 11:00, 10:00 at night. Families are in bed. They knock on the door, husband, wife answer the door, and members of this group will pull the husband out by the beard, hold him down and cut off the beard using battery operated clippers and scissors.
And this is not an isolated incident. That's another factor that makes this such a strange case. Not just one incident. A handful of similar beard cutting incidents.
The other thing we want to point out with this story, as you alluded to, authorities believe this is not just a group of kids playing a prank. Authorities say this is the work of one man and they believe it is the work of one man who's created a more sinister organization.
Here's what a local sheriff told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDALLA: He's like a cult leader. Because what's been going on out there is not true Amish. True Amish don't act like that. True Amish don't go out roaming around attacking people throughout the countryside. They just don't do it. True Amish don't do that. And when I tell you nothing moves out there unless he says it moves, that is the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WELCH: I tracked down Sam Mullet, went to the compound where he lives. Knocked on his door. He answered. He declined to do an interview with us on camera. But I did ask him about these allegations that he started and has created and is running a cult on this property. He said, no, this is not a cult.
Now as to whether he's behind these beard cutting allegations, the only thing he would tell me -- he wouldn't say whether -- he wouldn't give me a yes or a no, but he only said beard cutting is a crime, is it?
So I guess you could take that for what it's worth. So, Kyra, I'll send it back to you. But this is certainly a very, very bizarre story that's got a lot of folks very worried around here.
PHILLIPS: So why hasn't the bishop been arrested?
WELCH: That's a very good question. Actually I find myself wondering that over and over this weekend. What authorities say essentially is look, we've had witnesses come forward and tell us several stories, you know, firsthand accounts from living on this property what this man has done.
But in the Amish community, Amish people do not believe in getting law enforcement involved so charges aren't pressed. Until charges are pressed, officials basically can't do anything. Their hands are tied. They can't make any arrests. So that's what's made fighting this case so difficult.
PHILLIPS: Chris Welch, we'll follow the investigation.
And you can get much more on this story, just go to our "Belief" blog, www.CNN.com/belief.
Measles cases are at their highest level in the U.S. in 15 years. Researchers say unvaccinated people are traveling to other countries and returning with infections. The CDC reports 214 children have gotten measles in the U.S. so far this year with about a third of them hospitalized.
More parents have rejected vaccinations for their children in recent years citing safety concerns. Most health experts say the vaccines are safe.
Two of America's premier juveniles return tonight after 14 years. Haven't you missed stuff like this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that is where the screw made its point of entry.
MIKE JUDGE, "BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD" CREATOR: Yes. Entry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you need to be here?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER) PHILLIPS: The genius behind all that dumb. Mike judge joining me live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. After 14 years "Beavis and Butthead" returned to our world tonight. You remember those two annoying little nose pickers, right?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE: You will be my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) for I am the great Cornholio. I need kippy (ph) for my (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: All right. I have to admit, I've never watched this show because the people who quoted it nonstop annoyed me to death until my news team said, Kyra, you have to get in touch with your inner delinquent. You're never too old to be immature, hence, my new favorite clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's so beautiful. What are you guys going to name him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we've always liked the name Theo.
JUDGE: I am Cornholio. You will name your baby (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Cornholio.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: So who is the genius who created such wonderful dumbness? Well, a guy who also nailed corporate America with a classic movie, my favorite, "Office Space."
Mike Judge, the brain behind the Butthead, the brilliance behind the Beavis. Giving a voice to the vapid.
Mike, thanks to you, dumb has never been so smart or fun. Welcome to our show.
JUDGE: Thank you. Thanks for having me.
PHILLIPS: So I have to ask you this. Which one of these guys was you in high school?
JUDGE: I'd like to think neither of them.
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: I mean maybe a little bit of Beavis sometimes, but, you know.
PHILLIPS: Sometimes. All right. Well, it was great in the 1990s as we know. So tell me what do you think and why it's going to work so well in 2011?
JUDGE: Well, where it clicked for me was when I started watching all the stuff on MTV, which I only watched because I had to for work, "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" and "Jersey Shore," which I then started watching actually in my free time.
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: Got a little hooked on "Jersey Shore" but when I started having "Beavis and Butthead" --
PHILLIPS: I don't know if you want to -- admit that, Mike.
JUDGE: Yes. I know. It's kind of too late now.
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: But something clicked for me with that having Beavis and Butthead watch that stuff. I don't know. It just got to be really fun. And I actually of all the stuff that I've done, I probably enjoy doing this the most so --
PHILLIPS: And I'm noticing by the clips that the boys haven't aged. Clearly they keep flunking school. So are they sitting on a new couch at least?
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: No. The couch is the same. It's --
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: We repainted it. It's not reupholstered. Has the same tear in it.
PHILLIPS: Now you made fun of the lame -- the lame music videos, you know, the cheesy rock stars. So you mentioned "Jersey Shore." I'm wondering who's your biggest target now. You've got to give me something.
JUDGE: Well, let's see, probably the biggest target -- let's see, I mean maybe the person that we've been the meanest to?
PHILLIPS: Yes. Exactly.
JUDGE: That would be like a three-way tie between all the teen moms, probably. Farah, probably Farah -- I think her name is Farah. Yes.
PHILLIPS: OK. All right. We're going to keep our eyes on that. Now, you know, Beavis and Butthead, I've got to ask you at least one serious question. You got into trouble with Congress. It inspired TV rating system now that you've seen, you know, shows like "South Park" pushed the envelope even further.
Do you feel vindicated in any way that the criticism was overblown? JUDGE: Yes, I do feel vindicated. I mean also -- I mean you look back -- you know, I mean, when I hear people tell me, oh, I grew up on Beavis and Butthead, usually they turned out OK. They're not usually --
(LAUGHTER)
JUDGE: they seem to have jobs and -- yes, so --
PHILLIPS: They're not complete misfits, is that what you're saying?
JUDGE: Yes. Yes. So -- and also, you know -- you know, the crime rate in almost every category went down all those years Beavis and Butthead was on the air. So --
PHILLIPS: You're actually giving credit then.
JUDGE: And the economy got better.
PHILLIPS: Yes -- OK, so you're giving the lower crime rate and economy to Beavis and Butthead. Is that what I'm hearing here? Are you breaking news?
JUDGE: Well, I -- you know, you can draw your own conclusions. I'm just reporting the facts here.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All right. So I understand you're going to be the big 5-0 next year. Is that true?
JUDGE: Yes, I turned -- I turned 49 last week. So yes, how about that? Yes.
PHILLIPS: Well, is it going to be --
JUDGE: Wow.
PHILLIPS: Yes. I know. Imagine how time flies. Isn't it incredible?
JUDGE: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Is it harder to think like a middle schooler when you're nearly 50?
JUDGE: I think it might be getting easier, actually. Maybe I'm going senile. I -- one of the writers that I worked with in the beginning had said that when he -- a way to think of this is like you go to the place in your mind where thoughts begin and then just stay there.
And that's when you write Beavis and Butthead. And I think that's kind of -- it's just -- actually it's just as easy to do, I think. I was already pushing 30 when the show started, you know, which was almost 20 years when I was -- or it was 20 years ago when I was first animating them and drew them. So yes. So I was already immature at the age of 29.
PHILLIPS: And is already -- and he's missing the mullet at the age of 29.
Mike Judge, so many people will be watching and paying close attention. Thanks so much for joining us out of L.A. this morning. It was great talking to you.
JUDGE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
Well, Ruth Madoff has finally broken her silence in what everyone is talking about today, her revelation that she and husband Bernie tried to commit suicide when his massive Ponzi scheme became public. She told "The New York Times" reporter Diana Henriques all about it. And coming up Diana is going to be right here in the newsroom. She's also been in touched with Bernie with the last week. You're not going to want to miss this interview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Stories making news later today 11:45 Eastern Time.
In Los Angeles, testimony resumes in the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial. 5:00 p.m. from New York, the Education Election 2012 Presidential Candidate Forum gets underway. And at 7:00 Eastern in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the city's mayor reflects on the deadly tornado that struck his community six months ago today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Donald Trump telling Rick Perry that he should continue to question President Obama's citizenship.
Senior political editor Mark Preston, following the drama.
Mark, is Perry listening?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: No. And you know what?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Bottom line, no. OK. Let's move on.
PRESTON: Bottom line, no, let's move on then. Next subject.
Look, why? Why does Donald Trump keep saying this? He keeps talking about it because it's putting Donald Trump in the headlines.
Look, bottom line as we've seen over the past couple of days Rick Perry has got himself in a little bit of trouble because he has expressed some doubt whether or not President Obama was born here in the United States. But he did do an interview down in Florida yesterday. He said he was just having some fun. He said he does believe that he was born here in the United States. Now Donald Trump in an interview with Piers Morgan says that this is an issue that could help Perry in the primary, the Republican primary, but might not help him in the general election.
Here's my take on it, though. Bottom line is, I don't think it's going to help him in the Republican primary, Kyra, because as we know all people really care about right now is the economy, the economy, and one more thing, the economy.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
PRESTON: So Rick Perry trying to move on, Donald Trump trying to keep it in the headlines.
PHILLIPS: People want jobs.
All right. You've got some staffing changes to announce on the campaign trail, right? Bachmann, Gingrich, also doing some reorganizing?
PRESTON: Yes. Yes. No question. Look, we are in the final sprint right now to the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary. Newt Gingrich who we thought his campaign was left for dead has now added four people up in New Hampshire to try to help him win the first in the nation primary state.
And Michele Bachmann out in Iowa which is a must-win for her has added people to her staff including naming Eric Wilson to manage her campaign out there in Iowa.
Why is that significant? Well, Wilson is the gentleman who helped Mike Huckabee win the Iowa caucuses in 2008.
So you know that we're heading into the final stretch run of this very long Republican primary when you see these staffing changes being announced -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. We'll follow it. Mark, thanks.
We'll have your next political update in just about an hour. And a reminder for all the latest political news just go to our Web site, CNNPolitics.com.
That does it for us. Suzanne Malveaux, back in the hot seat.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Back in the hot seat. Got to love it.
PHILLIPS: Yes, talking politics. All these politics.
MALVEAUX: Love it. See you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right.
