Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Fourth Herman Cain Accuser Goes Public; Hot Microphone Fiasco at G-20

Aired November 08, 2011 - 11:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

Want to get you up to speed for this Tuesday, November 8th.

Presidential candidate Herman Cain says he is going to set the record straight about allegations of sexual harassment against him. Now, Cain is going to hold a news conference later today. A fourth woman has now accused him of inappropriate behavior. She says it happened after she had lost her job at the National Restaurant Association and she went to Cain for help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARON BIALEK, ACCUSES HERMAN CAIN OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT: He suddenly reached over and he put his hand on my leg, under my skirt, and reached for my genitals. He also grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch. Mr. Cain said, "You want a job, right?" I asked him to stop, and he did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Cain told ABC's Jimmy Kimmel that the allegation is false and he got angry watching it with his staff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And they could see steam coming out of my ears, and the feelings that you have when you know that all of this is totally fabricated, you go from anger, then you go -- you get disgusted. You try to control yourself to make sure you watch this thing all the way through. And I was listening very closely. And then when it was all over with I said, "Well, I know what we've got to do, because there is not an ounce of truth in all of these accusations."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So we're also going to be listening very closely. We're going to bring you Cain's news conference. That is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Joe Paterno is going to face a barrage of questions about the Penn State sex abuse case. That is happening today. The legendary football coach is meeting reporters in the next hour. We're going to bring that to you live.

Jerry Sandusky, an assistant coach for Paterno for three decades, has been charged with molesting eight boys. A grand jury report says that Paterno was told about an incident involving Sandusky and a boy back in 2002. Paterno says that he reported the allegation to his bosses, but he never called police.

So, how much time does Dr. Conrad Murray serve for Michael Jackson's death? Well, his lawyers plan to ask for probation, maybe a little time in county jail for the involuntary manslaughter conviction. Murray was handcuffed, locked up after the guilty verdict was announced. Well, the sentencing that is set now for November 29th, Jackson's family, they couldn't be happier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LA TOYA JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: Michael loves everybody out here. I love them. We all love them. And guess what? He was in that courtroom and that's why victory was served.

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Justice was served, yes. It wasn't enough time, though.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And we're actually going to talk about the case with a criminal defense attorney later in the hour.

Well, on Wall Street, despite trouble in Europe, the Dow is back up above the 12,000 mark. That's thanks to the rally yesterday. Right now the Dow Jones is down by four points.

President Obama is in Pennsylvania today. That's where he is going to be talking about his jobs act and early childhood education. We're going to have that for you as well later in the hour, but everybody is talking about the comments that he made last week in what he thought was a private conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

According to Reuters, Sarkozy called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a liar, and President Bush (sic) -- well, sorry, Obama did (ph) actually shout him down. A hot mike caught the whole exchange. We have more on that coming up.

And this takes some guts. Want you to check it out.

This is storm chaser Aaron Brodie driving toward a monster tornado. This one touched down in Tipton, Oklahoma, yesterday. Emergency officials say, thankfully, no one was hurt, but one building was destroyed, at least three others damaged.

So check it out. Get out your telescope. An asteroid the size of four football fields is flying by today.

Planetary scientists, they say there is no need to worry. It is passing between Earth and the moon's orbit. Now, asteroids this size come close to the Earth about once every hundred years. Try to catch it.

Former boxing heavyweight champion Joe Frazier has died. He was battling liver cancer.

"Smokin' Joe," as he was called, fought Muhammad Ali three times, beating him once. The third fight, the "Thrilla in Manila," considered one of the best of all time.

A statement from Ali today says, "The world has lost a great champion. I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration. My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones."

Here is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. In light of the latest allegations against Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, today's question: Is Cain's accuser's statement a game-changer?

Well, Carol Costello is joining us from New York with more on that.

Carol, a lot of people thought a face, a name, identity going public now, that this could really work against Cain and really change the game here.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It could. And that's the basis of our question this afternoon, Suzanne.

After days of blaming the media, Rick Perry, and all those women named "Anonymous," Herman Cain can at last point to an accuser with a face and a voice. Sharon Bialek, a former National Restaurant Association employee, accuses Cain of groping her sexually in 1997 when she asked him to help her find a job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIALEK: And initially, I went into this hoping every hope of hopes that Herman would just step forward. That was actually my primary goal, just admit it. Step forward, admit it, and move forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bialek says she is ready for the media onslaught, and it's already begun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I assumed it was Bialek, but Gloria Allred says her name is Bialek, as in buy (ph) a lick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bialek is also criticized for her choice of lawyers, Gloria Allred, a celebrity whose last client was a porn star who received sexual texts from former Congressman Anthony Weiner. Herman Cain is denying Bialek's claims and fired off this statement -- and I quote -- "Just as the country finally begins to refocus on our crippling $15 trillion national debt and the unacceptably high unemployment rate, now activist celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred is bringing forth more false accusations against the character of Republican front-runner Herman Cain."

But Bialek's claims go beyond sexual harassment. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin says Bialek's allegations amount to assault, and he says Cain may never recover.

So the "Talk Back" today: Is the Cain accuser's statement a game- changer?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.

MALVEAUX: And Carol, I guess we'll all watch and see what Cain has to say himself later today at his press conference, whether or not he can actually address or answer some of the issues that have been brought forward. I imagine that's going to change the game as well. Yes?

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, because I think that Cain's critics want him to go allegation by allegation and tell people exactly what he was accused of and why he's innocent of those accusations. So we'll see what he does in Arizona at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.

Here's a rundown of some of the stories ahead.

First, a name, a face to the accusations. They're now public. How the Herman Cain presidential campaign is responding after one accuser tells her story.

Plus, tell us how you really feel. An open mike catches French President Sarkozy and President Obama discussing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Not so flattering.

Then, enjoy it while you can. Yes? There's been a drop in gas prices, but experts don't expect it to last.

And also, Michael Jackson's personal doctor spends his first night in jail. But how long are they going to keep him? We're going to find out what is next for Conrad Murray.

And a deer doesn't bother with the front door at this Atlanta area restaurant. Take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Presidential candidate Herman Cain holds a news conference. That is happening today to respond to the latest allegations of sexual harassment against him. A fourth woman has leveled charges against Cain, and she went public with her story.

Mary Snow, she joins us from New York with some of the details.

So, Mary, tell us -- Cain's accuser talked this morning about her decision to come forward. She's always getting some criticism because of that. What did she say?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, she said she fully expected scrutiny, and that she has braced herself for it, calling herself, her words, "a tough girl." Sharon Bialek is a single mother living in Chicago, and she also says that her teenage son played a part in her decision to come forward even though she'd face scrutiny.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIALEK: I expected it, and I still knew I had to come forward. My biggest concern and my biggest fan is my son. And actually, the night before that I was about to do this, I called him. He was with his dad. And I said, "Nick (ph), what do you think I should do?" Because he knew about this, he had heard me speaking to Gloria.

And I said, "What do you think I should do?" And he said, "Mom" -- he's 13 -- he said, "You have to do the right thing. I think you need to tell on him." And that's out of the mouth of a 13-year-old, so that confirmed it for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Now, the Cain campaign is also questioning Sharon Bialek's motives for these accusations that they say are completely false. And they are saying that because she has had a history of financial troubles, filed for bankruptcy (AUDIO GAP) tell us on CNN this morning that she had filed for bankruptcy in the past, partly, she says, because she had bills, medical bills associated with her late mother. But she insists that she is not standing to profit by coming forward. She said she wanted to give a voice and a name to these accusations and speak up publicly for other women who could not or chose not to come forward -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Cain is holding a news conference this afternoon. What do we know about how he is responding to her allegations?

SNOW: Well, we saw him publicly last night appearing on Jimmy Kimmel show, and he is saying that all these accusations are false. Take a listen of some of what he had to say last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAIN: I was listening very closely. And then when it was all over with I said, "Well, I know what we've got to do, because there is not an ounce of truth in all of these accusations." And my team is putting this stuff together. That's why I'm willing to do a press conference tomorrow to set the record as straight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: And that press conference will be taking place later this afternoon in Phoenix.

And also, Suzanne, the campaign has questions. You know, why she's come forward now, Sharon Bialek, and also saying that there's no formal complaint, no record of this. And Bialek has said that she did not go to the National Restaurant Association back in 1997, she said, because she no longer worked for the organization, that she had been fired about a month before this alleged incident took place.

MALVEAUX: All right, Mary. Thank you so much. We'll be keeping a close eye on this story.

Herman Cain is a story that's just not going to go away. Now his campaign is in full damage control mode.

Last night, as we mentioned, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Cain said he is now ready to confront all of the allegations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAIN: I will talk about any and all future firestorms, because here is one thing people don't know about Herman Cain. I'm in it to win it, and I'm not going to be discouraged.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Joining us to talk about how Cain is handling the scandal, what he needs to do to move forward, our CNN senior political analyst David Gergen.

And David, good to see you.

Cain continues to assert that all of this is not true. So do you think that is a strategy that's going to work when he confronts all the questions later today, this afternoon?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: A strategy of simple denial and of dismissing the accusers accusing him of bad faith, of conspiracy, that strategy has not worked for him so far, and I do not think will work as yet a fourth woman comes forward.

The only strategy I think at this point, and still may not work, is to work through each individual allegation, try to provide the facts as he knows them, stay calm, don't be accusatory, don't go after the character of these women, and try to set the record as straight, as straight as he can. I think there is an outside possibility, and I say it's very outside, that he may leave the campaign today.

He may find this to be so damaging, distracting. Other Republicans are really beginning to question this, and his support may be eroding in Iowa, as "The Des Moines Register" reported this morning. In trade, interestingly has it a 40 percent chance now he'll withdraw before the end of the year

MALVEAUX: David, you've covered a lot of campaigns. Are there signals? Are there signs at this moment that he could withdraw?

GERGEN: No. Just the opposite.

Last night, of course, with Jimmy Kimmel he was very insistent that he would set the record straight, but at some point you've got to sit down with your advisers and see what you have to say that would set the record straight. And if you don't say -- have a heck of a lot to say, and if you have any idea that there are more people out there, you may want to cut this off now. I think that's a very low possibility, but I don't think it's one we should dismiss.

MALVEAUX: What do we think of the fact that Republicans now -- he's been able to raise some $2 million in the week that this scandal first came about and this news broke. It doesn't seem to me like he is losing a lot of support in his own base and his party.

Does that seem true to you?

GERGEN: Well, Suzanne, last week he was raising a lot of money. That's at a time when all of the accusers were anonymous, and it just seemed to be coming out of the dark against him. Now that a woman has come forward and put a face on this, I do think that -- I'm not sure it's a game-changer, but I definitely think it has changed the dynamics of what we see.

Again, going back to "The Des Moines Register" reporting this morning, they went back to 15 conservatives in Iowa that they polled earlier, 11 of whom said they were troubled by this, by what this woman was saying, and one of whom said it dramatically changed his understanding of what was going on.

People -- you know, this has humanized the story. And of course the graphic nature of it is also, I think, a lot of people sort of just said, yuck. So we'll have to wait and see.

I think the most critical thing he can do right now is to provide facts and a very lawyerly presentation of what is going on. Not this hyperbolic "she's this and she's that."

MALVEAUX: Right. And we know that the way people react in Iowa, of course, is very important, but also the general public here. There is a new Pew research poll. Thirty-nine percent of people who have heard about the allegations think that they're true, 24 percent think they're false, 36 percent say they're not so sure. This was all before the fourth accuser came forward.

Do we think that he has credibility here, that he still has standing within the general public?

GERGEN: Well, I think it would have been a lot better had he asked for (ph) this last week. I think he would have had a lot more credibility. This is pretty late, when you've got four now.

But I do think -- you know, and there's the other side of this and what he may be drawing some inspiration from. You'll remember the '92 Clinton campaign in New Hampshire, when Gennifer Flowers came forward --

MALVEAUX: Sure.

GERGEN: -- with that bombshell set of allegations. But Bill and Hillary Clinton really rallied, and he admitted that he made mistakes in his life, he sort of fessed up. They went on "60 Minutes" together and he weathered it. He came in surprisingly well in New Hampshire, and went on to win the nomination of the presidency.

So, this may not be fatal, but a lot depends upon the -- not only upon the facts, but upon the attitude of the candidate. And so far he's been sort of wildly swinging at people like Rick Perry --

MALVEAUX: Right.

GERGEN: -- and accusing Rick Perry of being behind this. And that has given a sense of he is flailing, as opposed to sort of competently and in a wholly professional manner, a presidential manner, if you would like, trying to set the record straight --

MALVEAUX: OK.

GERGEN: -- and move on. And that's what he's got to do today if he has any shred of hope of holding on here.

MALVEAUX: All right. David, thank you so much. We'll all be watching --

GERGEN: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: -- the 5:00 press conference with Herman Cain.

Presidential candidate Herman Cain, he says he's going to set that record straight, these allegations of sexual harassment against him. That news conference, 5:00 Eastern. And, of course, we're going to bring that for you live.

Well, it is the hot mike heard around the world. Could it be bad news for President Obama? That is the question. A little trash- talking from the French president. Is that enough to throw a wrench in the American relationship with Israel? We're going to find out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It's a hot mike fiasco involving world leaders. According to Reuters, President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were overheard having a private conversation at last week's G- 20 summit in France. When the topic turned to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, things got a little ugly.

Dan Lothian is traveling with the president in Pennsylvania.

So, Dan, we've experienced this. We've covered this many times, that open mike situation where people don't even realize that what they're saying is going and broadcasting everywhere. Reportedly, Reuters is saying that Sarkozy called Netanyahu a liar, and President Obama didn't really defend the guy or disagree with that statement.

Has the president responded, President Obama? Has there been any fallout from this?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Look, I think it's a little too soon to gauge what the fallout from this will be. And I should also point out that in terms of what's attributed to what President Obama said and Sarkozy said, we don't know the full context of it.

These quotes that are being reported are only a snippet in an overall conversation. So I think we have to get a bigger picture of that conversation to really gauge how big a fallout will be.

In terms of specifically reacting to this, the White House choosing not to comment on the conversation, this private conversation, as you pointed out, but instead, White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked about this on in a gaggle aboard Air Force One as the president was coming here to Pennsylvania to highlight a Head Start program. And what he pointed out was that the United States and France have not seen eye to eye on this Palestinian push for entry into a U.N. agency.

So I think what this shows is that all of these U.S. allies have unique relationships with Israel, and those relationships and those feelings don't always fall in line with the U.S. position -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Did the White House offer any explanation for why President Obama didn't kind of give a robust defense of Netanyahu when Sarkozy allegedly called him a liar?

LOTHIAN: You know, not at all. Again, they did not comment on that specific conversation.

And again, we don't know that perhaps the president did not say something much stronger later on in that conversation. Again, we're just seeing a small slice in the terms of the quote that the president supposedly made --

MALVEAUX: Sure.

LOTHIAN: -- and then the quote from Sarkozy. So, at this point, the White House not talking specifically about what was said.

MALVEAUX: Sure. And it's a very good point. We don't have the full context here, or even the full conversation. It really is just a snippet from what we've been able to glean.

But we know that in the past, we know that there has been some tension between President Obama and Netanyahu. Where do they stand now? Because, clearly, they want to move the talks, the peace talks forward, but they have got very different ideas on how to do it.

LOTHIAN: They really do. And I think if you wanted to boil it down to one word, ,is that it is and continues to be a complicated relationship. The quote from the president responding to Sarkozy, the president said, "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you." So the president sort of pointing out that this is something that he has to deal with on a regular basis.

But it is a complicated relationship, but the U.S. position all along has been that the best way to achieve Middle East peace is for both sides to sit down, have face-to-face negotiations. And this doesn't change that.

MALVEAUX: All right. Dan, good to see you. Thank you very much.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

MALVEAUX: A sex abuse scandal is raising some questions for a close-knit college community. Why didn't Penn State officials who knew about allegations, why didn't they go to police? Head coach Joe Paterno soon to take some questions.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories we're working on next.

Penn State coach Joe Paterno talks today after one of his former assistant coaches charged with sexually abusing boys.

Then, in a few minutes, the president is going to announce his next stop in We Can't Wait jobs campaign, that in Pennsylvania.

And later, your answers to today's "Talkback" question: Will the new sexual harassment allegation against presidential candidate Herman Cain be a game-changer in the race?

Well, coach Joe Paterno faces questions about the sex abuse case that has shaken the Penn State campus to the very core. CNN is going to have his remarks live in the next hour. Now, Paterno's long-time assistant Jerry Sandusky is charged with molesting eight boys, some in Penn State's athletic facilities.

CNN's Jason Carroll, he is on the story in State College, Pennsylvania.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two Penn State officials charged with perjury were each released on $75,000 bail. Athletic director Timothy Curley and senior vice president, Gary Schultz, resigned in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal involving former football coach Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing eight boys. The attorney general says Curley and Schultz failed to report one of the incidents of sexual abuse to police and lied to grand jurors.

Their attorneys say the charges are bogus. CAROLINE ROBERTO, ATTORNEY FOR TIMOTHY CURLEY: It is a distraction in this case, the charge of perjury, and it is unconscionable that the attorney general's office would level such a weak case against a man of integrity like Mr. Curley.

THOMAS J. FARRELL, ATTORNEY FOR GARY SCHULTZ: This is disappointing, because rather than follow the law, the attorney general has fabricated a fiction.

CARROLL: The attorney general stands by the accusations laid out in 23-page grand jury report which alleges Sandusky used his position as a former coach and founder of an organization to help troubled youths to befriend young boys so he could sexually assault them. Sandusky maintains his innocence.

Prosecutors say that Penn State official reported the allegation of abuse to police, which is required under Pennsylvania law, it would have stopped Sandusky from allegedly finding more victims. Eight boys are described in the report but prosecutors say their investigation is not over.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think it would be beyond the realm of possibility that there are other victims that exist here.

CARROLL: Head football coach Joe Paterno is not charged in the case. In 2002, a grad student reporting seeing Sandusky sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy in the shower at the university. That student reported the incident to Paterno and who in turn told his immediate supervisor Timothy Curley. Prosecutors say, in the eyes of the law, that was enough.

FRANK NOONAN, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER: I wouldn't characterize how I feel about Joe Paterno or another individual in this case. All the sympathy I have is directed towards the children.

CARROLL: Sandusky, once celebrated as a hero, he was carried off the football field during the Alamo Bowl in 1999. Now, he's out on $100,000 bail and facing life in prison if convicted on all accounts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: So, Jason, is there any outcry or backlash against Paterno, because he didn't call the police back in 2002 to even report this incident that allegedly took place in the shower?

CARROLL: That's correct.

And just to put this into a little bit more perspective, and it is graphic when you -- when I looked at this grand jury report, Suzanne -- that 2002 incident that Paterno was allegedly told about, once again, involving a 10-year-old boy and involving sodomy.

And when you think about that type of ugly allegations, all sorts of questions are raised as to Paterno's reaction to it, in terms of, OK, legally, in the eyes of the law, he did what he was supposed to do by reporting the incident to his superior. But the questions that are out there are why didn't any of these school officials report these allegations to the police? And that's why you have got calls for Paterno's resignation.

And, by the way, it goes all the way up to Penn State's president. I mean, that's why you have got so much outrage in the community, but having said that, there is still support for Paterno in this community as well.

MALVEAUX: Jason, this may be a very hard question to answer, but do you get any sense at all, this press conference, this teleconference, whatever they're calling it, that there may be some announcements of resignations or people who say, look, this is enough, we're stepping aside?

CARROLL: Well, it's a good question. And I think it's a fair question because quite frankly a lot of people are asking the same thing.

All we have been told so far from Penn State officials is that Paterno will not be answering any questions about the allegations, that all the questions that he will be answering will be focused on football. But when you look at a man who has been the face of football here in Penn State for generations, who is a legend here, not just here, but throughout the world of college football, it would be hard to understand how a man who has answered so many questions in the past and has stood by this team would not be able to answer questions when a team is in crisis and a school is in crisis.

MALVEAUX: And, Jason, real quickly here, how did this come about, even the fact that he is going to be taking questions in the first place?

CARROLL: Well, this was his normally scheduled press conference. He does things like this every week. You have got a big game with Nebraska coming up this weekend.

And so it was regularly scheduled. And he is the man. He is the head football coach here, so that is why he would be here attending this regularly scheduled press conference.

MALVEAUX: All right. We will see if he takes some of the tough questions obviously that he is going to get during that conference. Thank you very much, Jason.

Stay with us. Next hour, we will talk live with former national hockey league player Sheldon Kennedy. As a teenager, he endured years of sexual abuse by a hockey coach. And today he is an advocate for adults who have been victimized.

Doing time for the death of Michael Jackson, Dr. Conrad Murray behind bars right now after his involuntary manslaughter conviction. I'm going to talk to a criminal defense attorney about the case, as well as the sentencing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MALVEAUX: So the man convicted of causing Michael Jackson's death is said to be confident that he is going to win an appeal. That is according to one of Conrad Murray's attorneys. His defense team is focusing first on the sentencing. That's set for November 29.

Criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Holly Hughes is here.

So, Holly, you were following this very closely. You were not surprised by how this all turned out. As a matter of fact, you actually predicted this.

HOLLY HUGHES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes.

MALVEAUX: That he would be found guilty. But I thought it was surprising at how he was treated, handcuffed and carted off to jail. Why do you suppose the judge made that call?

HUGHES: Well, interestingly enough, the judge was very strong in his language. He talked about, this is a homicide charge essentially, even though it's a lesser intent, you know, you didn't intend to kill him.

MALVEAUX: Right.

HUGHES: You're still responsible for killing someone. And you have got ties to other countries. You know, you're not originally from here. So he was afraid, you might just flee the jurisdiction.

So he in very strong language said I find that you're a danger to the public, to the public safety.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: I didn't understand that because it's not like the guy is going to administer more propofol going around with an I.V.

HUGHES: Right.

MALVEAUX: What did you make of that?

HUGHES: What I think he based it on is the fact that this verdict said basically you were criminally negligent.

And, remember, Dr. Steven Shafer, who testified for the prosecution, listed 17 points that he considered negligent. So it isn't just the administering of propofol that got Dr. Murray. It's the lack of keeping medical records, it's the abandoning your patient, the not having proper resuscitative equipment.

When you look at all of that, what the judge is saying is you're so careless in how you take care of people, we can't take a chance you will hurt somebody else.

MALVEAUX: Do you think the judge is making an example of Conrad Murray in the way that you have these other kind of so-called feel- good doctors prescribing these medications to celebrities? They're getting all kinds of weird or special treatment and some people argue not even good care from these doctors.

HUGHES: Right. Exactly. I think what's happening, I don't think that's the judge's main focus is I'm going to use you as an example. I think he is going to sentence him because he killed a patient.

But there will be a dual effect, because this will be a chilling effect to all of those, you know, doctors out there who will give in to the celebrities. We see this. The DA himself said yesterday...

MALVEAUX: Right.

HUGHES: ... that the leading cause of death right now in L.A. is pharmaceutical overdoses.

MALVEAUX: Wow. Really?

HUGHES: Right. We just went through Anna Nicole Smith and we saw how many different prescriptions she had. It's a big problem. When you have that kind of money and that kind of fame you can talk anybody into anything.

And I think this will make some of the doctors pause and say, hey, you know what, I'm not going to lose my license for you no matter how much money you're offering me.

MALVEAUX: Is he going to see jail time, do you think?

HUGHES: I think he will be sentenced to jail time. How much he actually serves will be up to the Department of Connections. We know that they are under an edict if it is possible to put somebody on house arrest, instead of incarcerating them, we need to do it because it's cheaper. So the judge can hand down a four-years-to-serve sentence, but the Department of Corrections is a totally independent agency and they will make the decision how much time Conrad Murray actually spends inside a prison.

MALVEAUX: Is there any chance that he can rehabilitate his image? Is there anything that he can do?

HUGHES: Not at this point.

Sadly enough, we call it a celebrity trial, but the celebrity here was the victim. Dr. Conrad Murray was never a celebrity. He was a doctor to a celebrity, a friend of a celebrity. And he hasn't exhibited the type of personality or kind of, what do you call it, I don't know, just essence that you would need to captivate people to draw them in, to make them be on your side.

The whole trial, we saw him. He was very stoic, didn't show any feelings. I don't think people can identify with him.

MALVEAUX: All right. We will see how he does.

Holly Hughes, thank you so much for joining us.

HUGHES: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Want to go to a live event, President Obama speaking in Pennsylvania. He's talking about his jobs program and also early education. Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is why I have Secret Service along.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: Now, I want to start by acknowledging some of the folks who are with me here today. First of all, I want to thank one of our finest public servants in this country.

And she is just a great friend, but somebody who cares passionately about the health and the welfare of our kids and our families, Kathleen Sebelius, our secretary of health and human services.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I want to acknowledge the mayor of Yeadon. Dolores Jones Butler is in the house.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Two of my favorite members of Congress, Chaka Fattah and Bob Brady.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: And one of my favorite former members of Congress who I think is going to be doing big things here in Pennsylvania is here as well.

Congress -- I guess I can't call you Congressman, huh? That's all right? The -- Congressman Murphy.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I had a chance to say hello to Mayor Nutter when I landed in Philly. He couldn't be with us this morning. I guess there are a few things going on here today.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: But I wished him well. He is a great partner of ours.

And I also want to say thank you to Ms. Plazan (ph), Dr. O'Shea, all of the staff and the teachers who are here. They are just doing a great job.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: I had a chance to visit one of the classrooms here. And I have to say it got me a little choked up, because, Patrick, you need to remember this. Patrick's got small kids, and they are just so huggable at this age.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: And now they're still huggable, but they're 5'9'' and 5 feet.

But, obviously, you got a lot to handle when you're here. And the teachers, the staff who are here, they wouldn't be doing this for the money. They're doing it out of love of children.

All of you do it because you know that when it comes to learning and when it comes to growing, this is an absolutely critical period in a child's life. We know that 3- and 4-year-olds who go to high- quality preschools, including our best Head Start programs, are less likely to repeat a grade. They're less likely to need special education. They're more likely to graduate from high school than the peers who did not get these services.

And so this makes early education one of our best investments in America's future, one of the best.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: Right out of the gate, it helps prepare our kids for a competition that's never been tougher, a competition for good middle- class well-paying jobs.

And we're competing now with countries like China and South Korea and Europe, all of which are serious about educating their children. So at a time when a company is able to move anywhere they want in the world and a lot of times will make the decision based on where they can find the most highly skilled work force, it is absolutely imperative that we make sure the United States is the place where we have got the best trained, best educated young people.

That is a priority.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: And this is not and should not be a Democratic priority or a Republican priority. This is an American priority.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: It's an economic imperative. Our future depends on it. And people understand this outside of Washington, which is why we have been able to work with Democratic and Republican governors on our efforts to strengthen education from cradle to career, not only with more money -- money is important -- but also with reforms that challenge schools to develop higher standards and the best practices for teaching and for learning. Now, unfortunately, in Congress right now, it's a different story. The Republicans in Washington have been trying to gut our investments in education. Earlier this year, nearly every Republican in the House voted for a budget that would have cut hundreds of thousands of children from Head Start. They tried to cut Pell Grants for college students.

They just voted against a jobs bill that would have put 400,000 teachers back in the classroom. Their argument is that we don't have the money. And what I have said is, we can make these investments in our children without adding to the deficit simply by asking people who make more than $1 million a year to pay a little more in taxes.

MALVEAUX: We have been listening to President Obama talk about the economic plan, the jobs program. We have seen in recent weeks executive orders to try to accomplish some of the smaller things around the edges. But the president is still insisting that Congress needs to act to pass that bill, arguing that it will create jobs, also talking about his plan for early education.

We have just learned as well -- this is breaking news -- that the news conference that was supposed to take place at Penn State involving the football coach Joe Paterno has been canceled. This is amid allegations of sexual abuse of young boys on campus.

We will have more on that. We will go to the Penn State campus after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Want to go to Penn State. That's where we're getting breaking news. The press conference that was supposed to take place with Joe Paterno, the head coach there, has now been canceled.

Want to go to Jason Carroll, who is on campus.

What actually happened?

CARROLL: Well, just a few moments ago, Suzanne, we got word that, as you said, the press conference was canceled.

They basically released a statement, Penn State University saying -- quote -- "Due to the on going legal circumstances centered around the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference cannot be held and will not be rescheduled."

As you know, head coach Joe Paterno was scheduled to have a press conference today. Penn State made it very clear yesterday that he would not be answering questions about the sexual abuse scandal. There was a lot of critics out there who have been calling for his resignation. A lot of people had a lot of questions for him.

And you have to wonder from a P.R. sort of standpoint if there was some sort of discussion that said, if he doesn't answer questions, it looks like he's hiding. If he does answer questions, it might open a whole new can of worms. This is a school that likes to win and perhaps it was a no-win situation for them -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Jason, is there any sense at all that he is going to talk? You have told us before on campus that people are calling for his resignation. I would imagine that he needs to come out and say something.

CARROLL: Well, I think when you look at the -- look at this case in its entirety, what I think a lot of people, whether you support the school and some of these officials and how they responded to these allegations of sexual abuse or whether you do not, at some point, I think some people out here would say someone in an official capacity has to get out here and get in front of the camera -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right, Jason Carroll, thank you very much.

By now you have heard the latest allegations, and you have even met the woman behind them. So, today's "Talkback" question, is the latest Herman Cain accuser's statement a game-changer.

Well, Anita says, "I see it as totally wrong, but if they elect him, it means it just moves from the Congress to the White House. Look out, interns."

More of your responses up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: So, you have been sounding off on our "Talkback" question. Is the latest Herman Cain accuser's statement a game- changer, actually coming forward and saying she, too, was sexually harassed? Is that even going to make a difference here now you have a name, a face to these accusations?

Our Carol Costello, she is joining us from New York.

So, Carol, what do we make of this? Do we think it's a game- changer?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Interesting responses, Suzanne.

The "Talkback" question: Is the Cain accuser's statement a game- changer?

This from Kim: "In today's political game when every candidate is under the media microscope, you can't have a story like this hanging over your head. Right, wrong or indifferent, the media won't let this one go until the man drowns in the quagmire."

This from Paul: "It makes a difference, yes, that he has someone now not bound by a confidentiality agreement. It certainly puts an end to his strategy that says everyone else is lying and I'm the only one telling the truth."

This from Grace: "This is definitely a game-changer. Why the accusers didn't make a job request with the human resources, but with the CEO in his car? If she did have a shameful motive, the accuser is being disingenuous."

Of course, the accuser had been let go at the National Restaurant Association before she asked Herman Cain to get her a job.

This from Joy: "No game-changer from me, not until all accusers and all accompanying affidavits are proved to be true. The timing is way too suspicious. It's not as if Cain just started campaigning yesterday."

And this from Bryan: "Of course it's a game-changer. No matter how much Mr. Cain denies it, the more information we get about the allegations, the more his story changes."

Keep the responses coming.

We will take a quick break. Suzanne will be back with more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)