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'Occupy Oakland' Leads City Strike; Herman Cain Gets Testy With Reporters; Wall Street Reacts to International Uncertainty; Wall Street Firm Missing $600 Million; 24 Hours At Occupy Wall Street; Starbucks' Job Creation Plan; Alcohol & Breast Cancer Risk; Homegrown Terror Arrests; Occupy Oakland Leads City Strike; Talk Back Question; Crack Sentencing Laws Take Effect; Cain Harassment Story
Aired November 02, 2011 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Let's get you up to speed.
Presidential candidate Herman Cain lashes out at reporters trying to ask about allegations of sexual harassment. Allegations that Cain denies. After a meeting behind close doors with a group of doctors, Cain got into a terse exchange with reporters. Our Jim Acosta says it ended with pushing and shoving by members of Cain's security team. Well, here's how it got started.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
CAIN: Let me say one thing, I'm here with these doctors and that's what I'm going to talk about. So don't even bother asking me all of these other questions that you all are curious about, OK? Don't even bother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a good question, though.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you concerned about the fact these women do want to --
CAIN: What did I say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- the one who wants to come forward? Are you concerned about --
CAIN: Excuse me. Excuse me!
What part of "no" don't some people understand?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Herman Cain there in Alexandria, Virginia.
Meantime, Greece's cabinet today backed the prime minister's call for a public vote on the European debt deal. News about the vote sent markets into a steep decline yesterday, but stocks are on the rebound today. The Dow is up 184 points. The markets are getting a boost from a better-than-expected report on jobs. "The people come first, not finances!" That's just one of the slogans protesters are chanting at the G-20 summit in France. So far, the protests have been peaceful, but past demonstrations turned violent. The G-20 includes finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, he's a step closer to being sent to Sweden for questioning on sexual assault accusations. An appeals court in London today rejected Assange's arguments against extradition. Assange denies that he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden. He says the allegations against him are just that, allegations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS FOUNDER: I have not been charged with any crime in any country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And we have new pictures today of a jetliner's dramatic emergency landing in Poland. Take a look.
Here you can see the plane coming in with no landing gear. Somehow the pilot manages to steer it on to the runway, on its belly. The pilot from the "Miracle on the Hudson" landing says that's no easy feat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHESLEY SULLENBERGER, FMR. US AIRWAYS CAPTAIN: They would have only the rudder on the tail to use to keep the airplane aligned with the runway and keep it from going off to one side. And as you slow it down, with less air flowing over the rudder, it would become less effective. And so it was very important to touch down exactly in the center and maintain that alignment throughout the stopping of the airplane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is speaking out about a presidential poison scare. Rice says it happened a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks, when the country was on edge and the White House on alert.
In an ABC interview, Rice says she was on a trip to China with President Bush when she got a secure video conference call from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: The vice president came on the screen and said that the White House detectors had detected botulism toxin, and we were all -- those of us who were exposed were going to die.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": He said that?
RICE: Yes, he said that. And I remember everybody just sort of freezing and the president saying, "What was that? What was that, Dick?"
STEPHANOPOULOS: Including the president?
RICE: Including the president, because the exposure time would have meant that we were all exposed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Rice says they spent 24 hours in Shanghai waiting for test results from the CDC before they learned it was a false alarm. She writes about the incident in her new memoir.
Occupy Oakland protesters are taking their movement to another level today. They are leading a general strike to shut down the city.
Tim Simons, an organizer with Occupy Oakland, joins us now by phone from the protest sites.
So, Tim, how is it going? Tell me about how many people have shown up.
TIM SIMONS, OCCUPY OAKLAND ORGANIZER: Well, there's already a lot of people here. We called for three convergences today, 9:00 a.m., noon, and 5:00 p.m. And the main intersections in downtown Oakland is already closed. Most of the businesses are also closed in downtown.
And it's real loud, it's festive. People are dancing in the street right now. It is pretty cool.
WHITFIELD: OK. So what's the broader aim here?
SIMONS: I mean, there is a lot of aim. I mean, I think one of the most important things about this Occupy movement is that it gives a whole wide range of constituencies and demographics a way to come together and make their voices heard about the way the current economic system isn't working.
But today what we're trying to do is we're trying to show the potential of this movement. And it's not just about camping, occupying plazas, parks, squares. We can take this into the streets, we can take it into workplaces, into the schools.
And really, it's an experiment to show how far we can go with this, and that this is really a movement about changing the economic system. And at this point we feel like we have the power to do that.
WHITFIELD: And so what's the benefit of shutting down Oakland, California?
SIMONS: We are -- the title of this protest is "Liberate Oakland, Shut Down the One Percent." The one percent shuts down ordinary working people and poor people every single day. And that's been happening with an increased rate since the economic crisis started in 2008.
So our goal here is to show that we can shut down the one percent. We are at (INAUDIBLE). There's violence and economic violence every single day. And today we are going to take that back and show that, you know, we are aiming for mostly large banks -- banks and large corporations, and we have asked that all banks and large corporations close today. And we're going to make sure that we can show that we can shut down the flow of capital and show -- basically show the potential, and it's sort of a warning shot to the one percent.
WHITFIELD: Is this objective for today only, or is it your aim or hope that this will be over a number of days?
SIMONS: I mean, well, we are starting off with one day. There hasn't been a general strike in the United States since 1946. And that last general strike was here in Oakland, actually, in 1946.
So, you know, we are -- I wouldn't say we are starting small, but I think we are going to start off one step at a time. We'll see what happens today. We've already heard rumors of national calls for general strikes, but, you know, if the momentum carried over into tomorrow I wouldn't be surprised.
WHITFIELD: All right.
Tim Simons out of Oakland, California.
Thanks so much.
And here is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. Today's question: Do weddings trump marriage?
Carol Costello, joining us from New York with more on this -- Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I had to get away from the subject of politics for just one day, so we're talking about Kim Kardashian, Fredricka, yes.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
COSTELLO: Kim Kardashian, reality show bride -- the flowers, the dress, the 20-karat ring, so beautiful and so over. Kim Kardashian's multimillion-dollar wedding drew huge ratings for the E! network, with Kim filing for divorce after only 72 days. Some speculate it was all a hoax.
Same-sex marriage advocates are having a field day. Have you seen this from the Facebook page of the National Organization for Marriage Equality? It says, "If you think gay marriage cheapens the institution, two words: Kim Kardashian."
That aside, let's face it, we're not just a celebrity-obsessed culture, we're a wedding-obsessed culture, at least when it comes to the theater of marriage. When it comes to the actual marriage, do we really walk the walk?
According to a Pew Research Center survey, only about one-fourth of 20-somethings are married. That's down from about two-thirds in 1960. And about half of all first marriages split up.
Why? Psychologists say the Kardashian wedding spectacle pretty much sums it up -- narcissism. The cultural fascination with weddings feeds into the "me," not the "we" culture.
As psychologist Stephen Fabick says, "The weddings is, on the one hand, a healthy way of making a public commitment to each other. But it preps like a cancer where the focus is on the show and not the long term or reality of the relationship."
So, "Talk Back" today: Do weddings trump marriage?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.
WHITFIELD: All right. I know you have already gotten a few saucy comments. And we expect more, I'm sure.
Carol, thanks so much.
COSTELLO: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right. Here is a rundown of the stories coming up.
Fire hydrants, they're not just for putting out fires. Apparently, they can lift stolen cars as well.
Plus, Herman Cain trying to turn the page. His new slogan in the midst of allegations from the past.
Then, a brokerage firm goes belly-up, and hundreds of millions of dollars go missing. Now questions for the man in charge, New Jersey's former governor.
Then, President Barack Obama off to France. But will he have any sway at this year's G-20?
And the Occupy Wall Street protests like you have never seen them before.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to be here until I die. I don't know how long some other people are going to be here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike check!
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Mike check!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, everybody. UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Hi, everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. In the race for the White House, Herman Cain is surging in the polls, but he's now fighting sexual harassment allegations that could damage his campaign. The Republican front- runner is denying that he did anything wrong, but now one of the two women reportedly accusing him of harassment is threatening to speak out.
CNN's Jim Acosta is joining us now from Alexandria, Virginia.
And Jim, while Herman Cain was trying to talk to or focus on talking with doctors in Alexandria, I guess he got a little hot under the collar as well.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, this was definitely a different Herman Cain that we saw a few moments ago here inside this Hilton hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, in northern Virginia. Cain was speaking to a group of conservative doctors here, and outside of that ballroom, obviously, there were a lot of reporters waiting for him to ask questions about this ongoing situation, that he's been accused of sexually harassing two women back in the late 1990s.
And Cain basically lost his cool. That's basically the only way to describe it. He lashed out at reporters who were trying to ask him questions about this matter.
Let's go to the videotape and show you exactly what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: Let me say one thing. I'm here with these doctors, and that's what I'm going to talk about. So don't even bother asking me all of these other questions that you all are curious about. OK? Don't even bother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But are you concerned about the fact these women do want to --
CAIN: What did I say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- the one who wants to come forward? Are you concerned about --
CAIN: Excuse me. Excuse me!
What part of "no" don't some people understand?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And if you can look at the video that followed that sound that we just showed you, it also shows there was a lot of pushing and shoving that went on outside of that ballroom. Cain's security staff was basically trying to get the media of their way so the candidate could go inside a conference room where he was again going to give another statement this group of conservative doctors.
A couple of members of the working press complained that they were elbowed by Mr. Cain's staff. So this was definitely a very nasty scene at this hotel.
And all of this is obviously about these ongoing questions, Fredricka. You know, we were trying to ask the question of Herman Cain whether or not he would call on the National Restaurant Association to release these two women who were accusing him of sexual harassment back in the 1990s, whether he would release those two women from confidentiality agreements that they apparently signed in order to receive settlement payments from that lobbying organization.
Cain was not willing to answer those questions. However, I did have a moment to talk to Cain's chief of staff after all of this occurred, and I asked him, "Are you in talks right now with the National Restaurant Association to try to get those agreements released?" And he basically held up his phone to his ear and said, "Well, this may be the call now," and then said, "It should be an interesting 48 hours."
So, Fredricka, we're all standing by to see exactly what happens in these next 48 hours. It should be interesting.
WHITFIELD: And then, from Alexandria, Herman Cain was off to where, Jim?
Oh, Jim, can you hear me now?
All right. It looks like Jim Acosta is not able to hear me.
But we understand that Herman Cain was scheduled to head over to Capitol Hill. Still unclear whether that is still the plan and whether he will be doing that.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Investors around the world are on edge over concerns an economic crisis in Europe could sweep around the globe. European markets seemed a bit confused about which way to go. Asian exchanges have finished mixed.
And Alison Kosik joins us now from New York.
How is it looking on Wall Street right now?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it looks like the European debt crisis is kind of being put on the back burner, at least a little bit today, because we got that rally continuing. The Dow is up 166 points, and it's normal to see this kind of bounce- back after we watched the Dow fall almost 600 points between Monday's session and Tuesday's session.
A couple of optimistic jobs reports are helping, one showing that private companies added more jobs last month, another showing a drop in the number of layoffs. But although the European debt issues are kind of on the back burner, investors are still keeping watch for those headlines that have come out of Europe, because there is still a lot of uncertainty over whether that European debt deal is even going to happen after yesterday's bombshell from the Greek prime minister.
He wants a public vote on the bailout measure, pretty much throwing everything into question. That's why we saw the sell-off yesterday, but now a bounce-back today.
All the bargain hunters are out -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK.
A lot going on at the Federal Reserve today as well. What should we be watching out for?
KOSIK: Well, there is a new kind of schedule that the Fed has put out. So, typically, the Fed puts out a policy decision and a statement every six weeks. But four times a year they kind of shake it up like today. So, this is sort of the schedule for today.
In about 10 minutes, the Fed is going to come out with its policy decision and its statement. It's going to come out with what it's going to do on its key interest rate. And that key interest rate is almost certain to stay at its historic lows. But there is an outside chance that the Fed could wind up rolling out a new stimulus program.
Then, at 2:00, the Fed is going to go ahead and deliver its new economic forecast. This will include GDP, unemployment, and inflation expectations. And GDP, by the way, is likely to be revised down.
And then, finally, at 2:15, Fed chief Ben Bernanke, he is going to step before the microphones, take center stage, and have his news conference. And this is really unusual, because the Fed chief usually stays pretty quiet because his comments, he knows this, can move markets. And this is something new that he started this year.
This is just his third news conference. And the idea behind doing this is to sort of give just the average person a better understanding of how the Fed makes its decisions -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Alison Kosik, thanks so much for that.
When President Barack Obama arrives for the G-20 summit in France tomorrow, it will be right down to business, but it won't be business as usual. With Europe's economic problems hitting the U.S., there is little he can do except urge European nations to do their part.
Here is Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the president meets with world leaders at the G-20 summit, keep this in mind: what happens in Europe doesn't necessarily stay in Europe.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The biggest headwind the American economy is facing right now is uncertainty about Europe, because it's affecting global markets.
If Europe is weak, if Europe is not growing as our largest trading partner, that's going to have an impact on our businesses and our ability to create jobs here in the United States.
YELLIN: France and Germany have just outlined a plan to rescue Europe's debt-strapped nations. At this summit, those leaders will be pressed to fill in more details and explain where they'll get all the money their plan requires. The answers to those questions matter.
KEN ROGOFF, FMR. CHIEF ECONOMIST, IMF: If Europe goes into a deep recession, it will hit us in many ways -- their direct effects, we trade with them. But much more importantly, it will shake confidence, it will hurt our financial sector and take our very, very slow growth and possibly push us into a recession.
MARTIN BAILY, FMR. ECONOMIC ADVISER FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON: If Europe really were to have a continuing crisis, or a worsening crisis, it would be very hard for the U.S. to avoid a double-dip recession ourselves.
YELLIN: And a recession would not only hurt the economy, it could wound the president politically.
JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: If there's a recession -- if the recession is caused by something in Europe, or it's caused by something in Asia, it's caused by something here, people are not going sort through it and sort of go, well, gee, let's -- you know what I mean? They tend to blame the people in charge and the presidents in charge.
YELLIN: But given America's economic slowdown, and the political stalemate in Washington, there's only so much the U.S. can do.
ROGOFF: Everyone at the G-20 wants their picture with President Obama. He is the central person everyone is looking to. But I don't think the United States can simply dictate the terms of an agreement the way it might have been able to 30 years ago.
YELLIN (on camera): Expect to hear plenty of questions about what role China, the U.S., or the International Monetary Fund will play in financing Europe's rescue. So far, the Obama administration's position has been Europe has to finance its own rescue.
Jessica Yellin, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Taking matters into his own hands, the CEO of Starbucks has a plan to get people back to work, and it includes you.
But first, can you guess which star is most popular on YouTube? Is it Rihanna, Justin Bieber, or Lady Gaga?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: We asked you of these three, which star is the most popular on YouTube? Did you get it right?
The answer is Justin Bieber. According to a social media monitoring company, the teenage heartthrob just became the first person ever to get two billion views on YouTube.
Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're working on.
Next, a brokerage firm run by former New Jersey governor and U.S. senator Jon Corzine is missing hundreds of millions of dollars after going bankrupt.
Then, inside the Occupy Wall Street protests. We'll find out what it's like for demonstrators who spend their days rallying and their nights camped out in a park.
And later, the man who leads Starbucks wants your help and your money in creating new jobs across America.
One firm that got caught up in the European debt crisis and suffered heavily is MF Global, the commodities and derivatives brokerage house which collapsed in bankruptcy Monday. MF Global is led by Jon Corzine, a former New Jersey governor. He was once on the short list for U.S. treasury secretary.
CNN's Lisa Sylvester reports the feds are investigating why hundreds of millions of dollars in customer money is missing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Things spun wildly out of control for MF Global Holdings. The firm had star power, run by Jon Corzine, former New Jersey governor, former Senator, and former CEO of Goldman Sachs. But the brokerage firm invested heavily in the European sovereign markets including Italy, Spain, and Ireland, with more than $6 billion.
With Europe's finances teetering, MF Global began to crumble.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the end of the day, they took a very risky position. It was very large. And because of its size, it became risky and put pressure on the capital firm, ultimately resulting in a lack of confidence by investors and other parties, and essentially creating a run on the bank.
SYLVESTER: The major ratings agencies downgraded MF Global's bonds to junk status. Corzine was close to finding a buyer for the beleaguered company over the weekend, but the deal fell apart when it was revealed that more than $600 million of customers' money couldn't be accounted for.
The question is, was it an accounting error, or did MF Global break the cardinal rule and use funds from private brokerage accounts to cover its losses? Keeping company money separate from customer funds is a bedrock of the investment and securities industry.
William Cohan, author of "Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World," describes Corzine as ambitious, determined, and out to make a comeback on Wall Street after his career in politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM COHAN, AUTHOR, "MONEY AND POWER": This was not about his fortune. His fortune was set, whatever it is, $400 million or $500 million. He was set.
This was about being able to strut his stuff on Wall Street again. So he's swinging for the fences with other people's money. He should have known how fragile his business was.
All of these Wall Street firms are houses of cards, as was shown in September and October of 2008. And for Jon Corzine not to realize that, it's beyond outrageous. This guy was the CEO of Goldman Sachs. He should have known better. And I'm -- as I said, I'm absolutely shocked that he let this happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right, so Lisa Sylvester with us now.
So people who have brokerage accounts with MF Global, what are they being told to do?
SYLVESTER: Well, Fredricka, first off, you know, we did contact MF Global for that story but we didn't hear back. They were not returning any of the calls.
But a trustee has been named to oversee the liquidation of MF Global. And his job is to see what's exactly missing, how much, from which customer accounts. And there is a website that people can look up. It's called mfglobaltrustee.com. And if there is any missing money, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation will cover up to $500,000 in potential customer losses. So right now at this point they're trying to wade through, look through all the documents, look through the books and figure out exactly what they're dealing with. They say that it could be as much as $600 million. Even, potentially, even a little bit more than that, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow, this is going to be a painstaking process. Thanks so much, Lisa Sylvester.
CNN "In Depth" now. Ever wonder what it's like living, eating, breathing the "Occupy" protest? Well, our Jarrett Bellini actually spent 24 hours with activists in New York's Zuccotti Park, home to the Occupy Wall Street protesters. Check out this day in the life.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm going to be here until I die. I don't know how long some other people are going to be here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My tent!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My tent!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My tent!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's falling apart. See the apple floating over there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys need towels?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I'm charging this deep cycle marine battery by pedaling this stationary bike. Then we're taking the deep cycle marine batteries all around the park wherever we need power.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate capitalism, that's why I eat a Burger King burger. But they criticized the Cuban revolution. Says the revolution eats its own children. If the revolution can eat its own children, I can eat Burger King.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) people. Everybody's like, oh, what are we here for? Why are we here? Why are we here? What are we going to do? Why are we here? I don't know, maybe it's to help people out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's all volunteer here. You see a need, fill it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're just going to eat right now. It's dinner time. I would like everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
CROWD: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, everybody.
CROWD: Hi, everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to general assembly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The NYC general assembly has been going on since 7:00 and it's currently 10:40 now. It will probably continue until midnight, as usual.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning. It's about 8:30. Zuccotti Park. Lower Manhattan. And I just woke up out of my bedroom. Had a little breakfast. And I'm ready to occupy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they shut it down today, what would I do? I'd pack up my stuff and we'd both go to my girl's parents house for a minute and then just look for work and, you know, live life all over again, you know. It's going to be a good day today. It's always a good day. Got to make the best out of it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: A day in the life of the occupiers in lower Manhattan.
If you drink alcohol, even if you drink very little, you'll want to hear about a new study on how it could raise your risk of breast cancer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, Starbucks wants your money to help create jobs across America. The giant coffee chain is selling wristbands and the proceeds go to a group that makes loans to small businesses. Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz sat down with our Poppy Harlow in a one- on-one interview to talk about that program.
HOPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Right now in Starbucks across the country, you're going to find these wristbands. And the company is asking for a $5 donation and then you get a wristband to try to help create jobs in America. All that money is going to go help fund small business loans. And the big question is, why is Starbucks asking for your money to create jobs? Well, we asked Howard Schultz the CEO. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD SCHULTZ, CEO, STARBUCKS: It's a real issue here. We have 9 percent unemployment in America. It's almost double that in the Hispanic and African-American community. People are losing faith and hope in America. And I'm saying to businesses and business leaders across the country, let's not wait for Washington. We, too, can make a difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Now, Fredricka, the back story on this is very interesting. This move comes on the heels of a pledge that Howard Schultz made earlier this year to stop any campaign donations to politicians until Washington really gets its fiscal house in order and gets a long-term debt plan. And he pledged to hire. He went as far as to ask business leaders across the country also to join his pledge to hire Americans.
Now, I asked him if he thinks there's a moral obligation for business owners in this country right now in this jobs crisis to hire. He said it's not a moral obligation, but he's encouraging businesses to do whatever they can and invest the money they have in creating jobs in this country. He explained why he thinks that is so important for businesses to do that right now. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: The old school of looking at profit as a singular goal for the reason a company exists, I think is a shallow, wrong approach. I also believe that those companies that are willing to embrace the balance between profitability and social conscience will make more money. You'll be able to attract and retain greater people because they will believe in the reservoir of trust of the company.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: And you can see a lot more from our interview with Howard Schultz. We've got it all right there on CNN Money. But certainly, Fredricka, an interesting move by a very, very big American business.
Back to you.
WHITFIELD: And indeed. Thanks so much, Poppy.
All right, to your health now. A new study suggests drinking even as little as one drink of alcohol a day may increase your risk for breast cancer. Elizabeth Cohen is here with details on this.
So what more do we know about this link between alcohol and now breast cancer?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've known for a long time, and I think you and I have done stories together on this, that drinking a lot of alcohol can increase a woman's chance of getting breast cancer. So the message was keep clear, don't drink a lot.
However, what this study finds is that women who drink three to six glasses of wine a week, OK, so that's not very much at all. That's even less than a glass a day.
WHITFIELD: Right, not even.
COHEN: That they had an increased risk of getting breast cancer. And the more they drank, the higher the risk of getting breast cancer.
WHITFIELD: Well, this is really astounding because there have been other studies that say if you drink alcohol or moderation of wine or, you know, red or white, and that reduces heart disease. And now we're seeing it -- like the flip, you know, flip side effect.
COHEN: This is -- this is a tough one, Fred. And this is an area where women really have to be empowered patients. And the reason why is that medicine doesn't have an answer to this, because this is a bit of a conundrum. So we know, as you said, that a little bit of alcohol can decrease your risk of getting heart disease, but now we're hearing that a little bit of alcohol may be bad for breast cancer. And so when I've talked to doctors about this, they say, look, if you have a lot of breast cancer in your family, you may be one of those women who does want to drink or wants to drink very, very little.
WHITFIELD: And it doesn't matter what type of alcohol? It doesn't matter wine or hard liquor or beer?
COHEN: No, it doesn't seem to. It doesn't seems to. I mean this study sort of looked at wine. But the theory is that alcohol is alcohol and it doesn't really matter exactly what it is because women who have -- who drink alcohol seem to have high estrogen levels. High estrogen levels are bad because breast cancers live off estrogen. So that seems to be the reason why.
But getting back to our empowered patient question, what you have to do is you have to use your head and you have to talk to your doctor. Again, if you've got lots of breast cancer in your family, you may want to stay away from alcohol. If you've got heart disease, for instance, in your family, you may choose to have a drink a day or maybe not but it's a decision you have to make because there's not a lot of really good science that's going to tell you what to do.
WHITFIELD: Yes, something you still need to talk -- talk it over with your doctor.
COHEN: And use your own head, too. And think about your family history. That's really important.
WHITFIELD: Sounds good. All right, Elizabeth Cohen, appreciate that.
COHEN: Thanks.
WHITFIELD: All right, today's "Talk Back" question. Does marriage trump a wedding, or vice versa? We're going to be checking in with our Carol Costello on that.
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WHITFIELD: Four elderly Georgia men will appear in federal court a short time from now on charges in a homegrown terror case. Prosecutors say they're part of a fringe militia group. They're accused of plotting to attack government officials with explosives and a deadly toxin. George Howell is live outside the courthouse in Gainesville, Georgia.
So, George, tell us more about how these suspects were uncovered.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the group is called "Covert Group," and investigators say while there is already focus on international terrorism, there's also concern about the rise of militia groups and anti-government sentiment and groups like this that allegedly plan to kill indiscriminately.
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SALLY QUILLIAN YATES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY: They had some of the ingredients that were necessary, but not all of the ingredients. And it's really important for the public to know and to be assured that the FBI was on top of this. And they were monitoring this every step of the way. And that these individuals were never at a point where they were actually able to carry this out without the FBI's knowledge.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOWELL: Definitely some scary stuff here. I've been reading through one of the affidavits here for one of the people who is considered the leader of this group, Frederick Thomas. I want to read you a few quotes, alleged quotes, in the affidavit. The first, quote, "we'd have to blow the whole build like Timothy McVeigh." Another quote that is just as striking. He says, quote, "there is no way for us to save this country, to save Georgia, without doing something that's highly, highly illegal."
Again, all of this information coming from confidential informants who were following this all along and tipped investigators off to let them know that the group was planning to buy ammunition and explosives, and that they planned to produce a deadly toxin called Ricin. Ricin can either be a pellet, it can come as a powder or even a spray. And if it gets on your skin or if it gets into your lungs, there's no cure. It is deadly. The plan, they say, was to spread Ricin on highways in Atlanta and several other cities in the U.S., Washington, D.C., Newark, New Jersey, just to name a few.
At this point we are waiting to see these men, the four men, Frederick Thomas, Dan Roberts, Ray Adams, and Sam Crump, to make their first appearance in federal court. Again, these men in their 60s and 70s, they allegedly planned to target government officials, corporate leaders and even members of the media. And we are told that they had planned to target several buildings in Atlanta, federal buildings, like the ATF and IRS.
WHITFIELD: George, are investigators saying whether the public was ever in any danger?
HOWELL: Well, from what we've been able to gather from the affidavit, it seems that these confidential informants were following these men all along. And when the men got to the point where they were ready to purchase the ammunition, the explosives, that is when it seems that these federal agents moved in.
WHITFIELD: All right, George Howell, thanks so much, from Gainesville, Georgia.
The threat of homegrown terror groups is always a huge concern for the U.S. government. CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend weighed in last hour. She says the arrests of the suspected militia members in Georgia suggest efforts to infiltrate suspected terror groups are paying off.
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FRANCES FRAGOS TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: And I think what we're seeing now is the results of an investment in building the FBI. The FBI's funding over the last 10 years has been increased. Their number of agents on the street has increased. Their capability and their membership in the intelligence community all pay off in this sort of an instance.
That coupled with their relationship with state and local law enforcement is the best of what the FBI can do. We've seen increasingly their use of these undercover informants to get into these plots, to identify all of the individuals involved, before they take it down and before they're -- these groups are able to actually act.
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WHITFIELD: Occupy Oakland is fired up today. The anti-Wall Street group is leading a city wide strike and labor unions are joining in. Plans include marches, pickets outside banks and an attempt to shut down the city's port. Our Dan Simon is in Oakland.
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DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This group of protesters in Oakland became really energized last week when they were evicted by the city, which, of course, set up that violent confrontation with police. Now they're back in full force. Tent city back here in front of city hall.
They want to see if they can take things to the next level by calling for a general city strike. They want workers to skip work. They're also telling teachers and students to not go to school.
We know that there are going to be several hundred people marching throughout the streets of Oakland. They say that this will be a peaceful protest. But given what we saw last week, police are preparing for all eventualities.
Dan Simon, CNN, Oakland, California.
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WHITFIELD: And today's "Talk Back" question -- do weddings trump marriage? Matthew says, "we don't give up. No infidelity, no reason to split. Where I come from, divorce is highly frowned upon. In America, it's a business venture." More of your responses next.
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WHITFIELD: All right. You've been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello is here with your responses.
Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I love that music.
WHITFIELD: I did too.
COSTELLO: Was that your idea?
WHITFIELD: No, but I heard the discussions. A little Frankie, yes.
COSTELLO: I love that because this certainly is true, right?
Our "Talk Back" question today, do weddings trump marriage? This from Samuel. "What's with all the indignation? It's like people never saw this before. And they should know better, especially with Kim Kardashian. This was never a marriage. It was business deal and a good story arc for their reality show."
This from Steven. "I married my wife of 24 years when we were a mere 20 years old. We made a decision that 'we' was more important and more rewarding than 'I'."
This from Shirley. "Kim's marriage was a sick attempt for ratings only. And to make it a case for same-sex marriage is sad. Not homophobic but same sex marriage goes against the laws of nature."
This from Caroline. "My fiance and I have been dating for eight years and are very excited to be married. The dress shopping and planning is a lot of fun, but I feel story for the people who get caught up in the spectacle of the event. I feel like they lose the real joy of the occasion."
Keep the conversation going, facebook.com/carolcnn. And thanks, as always, for your comments.
WHITFIELD: Yes, we knew that would fire up quite a few people. Thanks so much, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right, want to get a quick look at the numbers right now as we continue to watch the markets for you. The Dow up 160 points. Some good news there, especially on the precipice of the Federal Reserve saying that the economy is getting stronger, but the job market remains weak. Their holding rates near zero percent. And after a tough day yesterday, the markets are rebounding. As we say, 158 points now up.
All right, does the punishment fitted the crime?
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HAMEDAH HASAN (voice-over): I'm a 43-year-old mother and grandmother currently serving my 18th year into a 27-year federal prison sentence.
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WHITFIELD: We'll show you why about 12,000 inmates, locked up on crack cocaine charges, will be let out of prison much sooner than expected.
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WHITFIELD: Thousands of people convicted on crack cocaine charges will be getting out of prison early. It's because of a new sentencing law going into effect retroactively. Mary Snow has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Among inmates who stand to be released early from prison is Hamedah Hasan, featured in this video by the ACLU.
HAMEDAH HASAN (voice-over): I'm a 43-year-old mother and grandmother currently serving my 18th year into a 27-year federal prison sentence.
SNOW: The ACLU points out that had she be convicted of cocaine charges, she would no longer be in prison. New guidelines shortened sentences for an estimated 12,000 inmates.
MICHAEL NACHMANOFF, FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER: This really has been one of the great stains on our federal criminal justice system for 20 years or more.
SNOW: Michael Nachmanoff is a federal public defender who has fought for years to change crack cocaine sentences so they're similar to punishments for crimes involving powdered cocaine. While the U.S. sentencing commission changed the guidelines this summer, they only now went into effect for those in prison. Nachmanoff says 75 of his clients were freed.
NACHMANOFF: A lot of people have been sitting in jail for a long time, not because they didn't commit crimes, but because the punishment they faced was too harsh and unjustified compared to other people who had committed similar crimes in similar ways.
SNOW: And, he says, there has been a racial disparity, with the majority of people convicted of possession or dealing of crack being African-Americans. Congress created harsh sentences for crack cocaine when it hit the streets in the 1980s. Five grams of crack amounted to five years in prison. The same sentence for 500 grams of cocaine. In 2010, Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced disparities. It's something Julie Stewart, president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, has fought for.
JULIE STEWART, PRESIDENT, FAMM: Yes, the person has broken the law. Yes, there should be a consequence. But how much time is too much? And most mandatory sentences are so high and so rigid that judges can't get around them. And so people are going to prisons for extraordinarily long times, way beyond what they actually need to learn their lesson.
SNOW (on camera): The new rules mean more than reduced sentences and early releases for eligible inmates. The Federal Sentencing Commission estimates $200 million could be saved over the first five years.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
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WHITFIELD: And much more of the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead with Randi Kaye.
Randi.
