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Boy's Mom Wants Justice; Greek Prime Minister Sworn In; Honoring Our Veterans; Keystone Pipeline Decision Delayed; Giffords Speaks; Minutes Away From History; Bridal Gowns; Dying Species; Western Black Rhino Extinct; MLB Player Kidnapped; Two GOP Candidates Gain Traction; Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal Continues to Unfold; Penn State Affects Pennsylvania Law
Aired November 11, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, there. Interesting story there about the black rhinos. We're going to talk about it a little bit more this hour, but you have a good weekend, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Yes, you, too.
HOLMES: We'll see you soon. It's the top of the hour now here, and I'm T.J. Holmes in today for Randi Kaye.
Just a week ago, a meeting of the Penn State Board of Trustees would not have led a network newscast. But, we're talking about it today. The beloved institution in crisis. The trustees at Penn State are acting and the nation is watching. Today, they are launching their own investigation of the serial rapes of young boys allegedly by a former assistant coach and allegedly covered up or at least ignored by other Penn State officials. We get the latest from our Mary Snow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two days after ousting its president and former coach Joe Paterno, Penn State's Board of Trustees announced today that it is forming a committee to investigate the failure surrounding the reporting of sex abuse allegations surround former coach, Jerry Sandusky, and a committee to find out who is responsible. The Board of Trustees says that no resources will be spared, that it'll have independent counsel and investigative teams saying that there are no restrictions on the scope or activities of this committee. This as a new interim president of Penn State, Rodney Erickson, addressed the board about moving forward here at Penn State.
RODNEY ERICKSON, INTERIM PRESIDENT, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY: I accept this new leadership role under circumstances that I never could have imagined. It has been truly difficult to comprehend the terrible nature of the allegations that were revealed in the Attorney General's presentment last week. My heart aches for the victims and their families and my mind searches for answers like millions of others across the nation. This is a tragedy for many lives, and it will take all of us some time to come to grips with the full magnitude of all the damage that has been done.
SNOW: Sandusky's attorney insists to CNN that his client maintains his innocence. Mary Snow, CNN, State College, Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And the mother of one of Jerry Sandusky's alleged victims says she wants Sandusky, quote, "put away for a long time." Victim number one as described in the graphic "Ranger Report (ph) belonged to a charity Sandusky founded for troubled kids when victim one started gives clues that something was wrong. His mom wants to guard the family's privacy, but she did tell ABC about the day her son tried to find information on, quote, "weirdos." Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had asked him who he was looking up and he said he wanted to see if Jerry was on there. And I said, well, why would you look him up? And he said, I don't know, he's a weirdo.
And I proceeded to ask him if there was something he needed to tell me, and at that point he didn't indicate anything. I called the school and expressed my concerns. I told them to pull my son down to the guidance office and talk to him, and they did. At that point they called me and told me it was very important that I get there immediately, which at that point I already had suspicions so I kind of knew what it was about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Tonight, Penn State students plan a candlelight vigil for the young victims.
Now, a lot of people think it should be a crime to not report child molestation to police. Some states already have those types of laws in place, Pennsylvania, however does not. One representative wants to change that, his name's Kevin Boyle, lives in Philadelphia, introduced a bill to close what he calls a loophole in existing law. He will join us live a little later this hour.
Also, a couple other stories to bring to your attention this hour. Greece has a new prime minister to deal with the country's financial crisis. Lucas Papademos took the oath of office this morning. He's got the resume to take on Greece's huge debt. He's an economist and former vice president of the European Central Bank. He promises to move ahead with a bailout package and austerity measures set by European leaders to keep Greece from defaulting. European markets reacted favorably to the news, Wall street opened the day 175 points higher.
Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, calling for a deeper investigation into the mishandling of fallen troops' remains at the Air Force mortuary. He's directing the secretary of the Air Force to determine if proper disciplinary action was taken after partial remains of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan were incinerated and dumped into a Virginia landfill. That practice was stopped in 2008, but just recently this all came to light. Two civilian workers have been transferred to other jobs, and one military officer has been given a career-ending letter of reprimand. The annual solemn observance at Arlington National Cemetery on this Veterans Day. President laid it at the wreath of the unknowns to honor all men and women who serve or have served the military. Then turns his attention to America's two wars in Iraq an Afghanistan and said it's time for some good news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can stand here today and say with confidence the tide of war is receding. In just a few weeks, the long war in Iraq will finally come to an end. Our transition in Afghanistan is moving forward. My fellow Americans, our troops are coming home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And they'll come home to maybe a little more good news here. The Senate approved the president's plan for tax credits for those who hire unemployed vets, one of the major obstacles returning soldiers face.
And also a victory, at least for now, for components of an oil pipeline that would run from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The Obama administration is putting off the decision on the route until after next year's presidential election. The Keystone Pipeline, as it's called -- it's currently planned path would cross over a source of critical drinking water for the great plains.
And Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, speaks on national television for the first time since she was shot in the head and critically wounded. Giffords was at a meet and greet at a supermarket when a gunman opened fire. Six people were killed, she and 12 others were wounded. In an upcoming interview, Giffords talks with ABC's Diane Sawyer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANE SAWYER, ABC NEWS CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: How do you feel?
REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (D), ARIZONA: Pretty good.
SAWYER: Is it painful? Is it hard?
GIFFORDS: Difficult.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: It's been just over ten months now since Gabrielle Giffords was shot.
And we're at seven minutes past the hour now. We're taking note of the time, because a rare moment in history just a couple of minutes away. Should we be getting ready for the worst, possibly? Should we be celebrating? Making a wish? We don't know what to do. But in a couple minutes we're going to tell you, if we're still around, what we should be doing. But a moment in time we'll never have again is about to take place just minutes from now. Stick around for that.
But first, you hear that saying, too good to be true? When something is too good to be true, it means it's, well, it's too good to be true. Not this time though. This is brides across America. Bridal shops across this country are giving away free, and we do mean free here, no strings attached, no catch. They're giving away wedding gowns worth up to $3,000 to military brides to be, just in time for Veterans Day here. You can check out BridesAcrossAmerica.com for a give-away near you. Everybody taking part of the program, you're a "Rock Star."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 10 minutes past the hour, about to be 11 minutes past the hour on November the 11th 2011. That's 11-11-11, say this backwards and forwards in case you didn't know that already. Some people are making a pretty big deal of this are they not? Chad Myers, and now here we are just seconds away from being 1:11 on 11-11-11, what's the big deal?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Unless you're in the Mountain time zone and then it's 11-11-11 because they're two hours behind East Coast time.
HOLMES: OK.
MYERS: So, here we go.
HOLMES: People are really --
MYERS: People are scared about the number 11.
HOLMES: Why?
MYERS: Well first of all, 9-11. Most earthquakes that we've seen that have a lot of damage were at 11:00, some were.
HOLMES: Oh, you didn't tell me -- you didn't tell me that part.
MYERS: It's been -- it's been a crazy number.
HOLMES: It's 1:11 now, should we hold our breath, what should we do?
MYERS: We have four seconds. Let's see if we can make it.
HOLMES: If we make -- don't scare me like that.
MYERS: OK, we're good.
HOLMES: You sure? Maybe we should give it a second. We're really good.
MYERS: No. People do have a little bit of a fear of 11. But I tell you what, there are so many weddings going on right now in Las Vegas.
HOLMES: What's the point of that?
MYERS: Well, 11-11-11, they're hoping it's a good number, hoping it's a lucky number.
HOLMES: OK. You told me it was unlucky.
MYERS: Now, I got married 02-02-02 which was Groundhogs Day, that didn't go so well. But anyway. I had to think of a story.
HOLMES: But also, they hope the guys will remember -- you can't forget that anniversary, right? If it's 11-11.
MYERS: I think that's probably -- as well. But people around the globe, people around the world -- you can go on to Wikipedia, Google, whatever, just type in 11-11. People have a phobia about all this, but I think we're OK. It seems like the earth didn't shake, I think we're OK. We're all right. What else is there -- we still have California to go, because the next hour it will be 11:11:11 in California.
HOLMES: But what about right now? It's 11-11 -- they're three hours behind us, right? So, this is an important time.
MYERS: We're in Mountain time now.
HOLMES: Mountain time now.
MYERS: It's 10:00 still in California, so in 59 minutes, we'll be doing this again.
HOLMES: No, we probably won't. We're going to off. What about the lottery? Are many people buying lottery tickets today at all?
MYERS: You can't just buy all one number.
HOLMES: They won't let you do that?
MYERS: They won't let you -- even like a Powerball, you can't 11s -- six 11s. It would be a good Powerball number.
HOLMES: OK. What else do folks --
MYERS: We're all good, man.
HOLMES: Whatever you folk are doing out there, if you have plans for this day, let us know, please. 11-11-11. Send us your iReports, ireport.com the iReport@CNN.com is what it is and let us know what you're doing today. Chad says it's all good.
MYERS: A lot of people are predicting earthquakes, we just haven't seen it. One hundred years ago today, 11-11-11, 1911, the temperature dropped 60 degrees in a couple hours in Kansas City. They had a record high and record low on the same day. That's the biggest thing I can find.
HOLMES: Other than that, you've not seen anything odd?
MYERS: No, we're good.
HOLMES: All right, OK, thank you, I feel better.
Well, here we are at 13 minutes past the hour. We're still here but one particular animal species is not. An animal going extinct in Africa. Other dying species as well, and they matter to you. It involves everything from putting food on your table to saving your life? We're talking about that in two minutes, stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, a quarter past the hour now.
I've got some pictures I want to show you. Pictures of Africa's western black rhino. Our views of these rhinos will now be limited to just this for the most part. Pictures or maybe old videos, like this one, because the world's largest conservation network says the western black rhino is now extinct in the wild. The northern white rhino on the brink of extinction as well.
That's just some of the bad news from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the IUCN. It recently reviewed 60,000 species. It's an "Under Covered" story that we think deserves a little more attention. And James Deutsche has dedicated his life to saving wildlife. He's director of the Africa program for the Wildlife Conservation Society, with us from New York.
The black rhino here, is that it? Can't find one in the wild anywhere?
JAMES DEUTSCH, DIRECTOR OF THE AFRICA PROGRAM, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY: That's it. They're all gone. I mean I think we knew they were on their way out, but it's a depressing day.
HOLMES: OK. How long does it take for something like this to actually happen? Till we get to the point where you can say there are no more in the wild?
DEUTSCH: There has to be real surveys that have gone out and double- check where the last rhinos were found. And we have to be 100 percent sure. In this case, we're completely sure they're gone.
HOLMES: OK. Now, people who are watching this and would say, OK, that's too bad, but I assume there are other species of rhinos out there. You know, rhino's not playing a role in my everyday life. What's the significance of one species being gone?
DEUTSCH: You know this is the canary in the coal mine, because rhinos are big. Everybody's heard of them. When they go extinct, we hear about it. But there are thousands of species going extinct every year that we don't hear about and many of those are really important to our lives. Whether it's bumble bees in the United States and bats in the United States, or sharks in the world's oceans, a lot of species have made a big difference to us are going fast.
HOLMES: OK, is this not a matter of just natural evolution and just the way things go, species come and go, or do human beings have a lot to do with this? DEUTSCH: Species come and go and about five or six times in the ancient past they've gone when meteors have landed on earth. But species are actually going extinct faster now as a result of us, as a result of human action on the globe, than at any other time in history.
HOLMES: Are we not doing enough to save these species? Is the will not there to save these species? What is it?
DEUTSCH: I think the will isn't there. The consensus isn't there. You know, it's no accident that this species that's gone extinct is a species which is prized for one part of it, that is the horn, to Asia, to the Middle East. Species which are subject to a global trade in wildlife parks, those are among the species at greatest risk.
HOLMES: Now -- and you can save them. There are efforts that have been underway. We talked about the white rhino, I believe was one example. But some of the efforts that we're seeing on the screen right now to relocate, to put them into a habitat that's more favorable to them. But this takes a lot of manpower. This takes a lot of money. And I assume it takes a lot of time as well. But we can save them.
DEUTSCH: We can save them. We can make heroic efforts after a species has been wiped out of the wild to put it back. But, you know, that's actually not the most sensible and cost effective way to do it. The most sensible and cost effective way to do it is to create national parks in protected areas and to get in and save the habitat first. It's a lot cheaper and you save thousands and thousands of species and the whole ecosystem on which a whole community depends, instead of just jumping in and spending a fortune on one species.
HOLMES: Well, not doubt an "Under Covered" story. And I know one that you spend so much of your time with that a lot of us maybe don't pay enough attention to, but this one certainly got a lot of our attention. We'll be talking about it plenty more throughout days and weeks and certainly this weekend as well.
James Deutsch, we appreciate your time.
DEUTSCH: Thanks for your focusing on this.
HOLMES: All right. We are at 20 minutes past the hour now.
Turning to a story out of Major League Baseball. Not the kind you're used to hearing about a Major League Baseball player. Kidnap from -- at gunpoint from his home? Now we've got new information on this case and details on just how often pro athletes have actually been targeted by kidnappers.
But first, a Twitter sabbatical for one of the site's most prolific users. You may not follow aplusk, but chances are you know Ashton Kutcher. You know him from TV, the tabloids, wherever. The other half of Demi Moore. But according to "People" magazine, the actor sent out a tweet on Wednesday night and this is what it said. Quote, "how do you fire Jo Pa? #insult. #noclass." He goes on to say, "as a Hawkeye fan, I find it in poor taste." Well, what Kutcher didn't know before posting that, he didn't know the full story. Now, we know more about what's happening at Penn State. We'd like to show you the tweet, but it actually disappeared from the star's feed. And in its place there's a bit of an apology and it reads, quote, "as an advocate in the fight against child sexual exploitation, I could not be more remorseful for all involved in the Penn State case."
So, aplusk says he's taking some time off from Twitter to, quote, "insure it's managed properly." We're taking some time off from Ashton Kutcher as well. Your 15 minutes are up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: About 25 minutes past the hour now. New developments to report in the case of a Major League Baseball player kidnapped in Venezuela. The Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was taken at gunpoint from his home Wednesday night. Authorities now believe they found the vehicle used in the abduction and they say they have new clues about the alleged kidnappers, who those alleged kidnappers might be. Our Luis Carlos Velez joins us now from New York.
How much do they know? Do they think they know who might have taken him?
LUIS CARLOS VELEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's the big question. Hi, T.J.
It's been three days since Wilson Ramos' kidnapping in Valencia (ph), Venezuela, and we still know very little about what happened. Venezuelan authorities said they found the vehicle used in the kidnapping and determined that the kidnappers tried to set it on fire. They also say they have assembled sketches of two of the alleged perpetrators. They say four people in total participated in this.
The minister of the interior said an elite group has been formed to investigate the case and rescue Ramos. He said they hope to find him soon. The president of the Venezuelan baseball league talked to CNN in Caracas about this shocking case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSE GRASSO, PRESIDENT, VENEZUELAN NATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE: It's a really terrible news for Venezuelan people, for Venezuelan population. Baseball is the number one sport in our country and our concern at this point is to have Mr. Ramos back with us. We (INAUDIBLE). We are waiting for a solution. We talk with the authorities and they assure us that they're working very hard to solve this situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ: Last night in Valencia, Ramos' hometown (INAUDIBLE) baseball fans held a vigil and prayed for his release. He's very popular in his home country. They see him as an international star who plays the nation's favorite sport. T.J., now, you might be asking yourself, what can the United States do about this? Well, the answer is very little. The FBI offered to help, but it hasn't heard back from Hugo Chavez's government. It has its hands tied because Ramos first is not a U.S. citizen and the crime did not occur in the United States.
T.J.
HOLMES: And the last thing here quickly, if you can, this isn't necessarily unheard of that a pro ball player would be targeted.
VELEZ: Yes, exactly. We have several cases. I'm going to give you a couple of examples. First, in 2002, Mets outfielder Richard Hidalgo was shot in the arm during a carjacking. 2004, kidnappers dressed in police uniforms, kidnapped the mother of Detroit pitcher Ugueth Urbina. In 2008, Venezuelan-born catcher's Henry Blanco's brother was kidnapped and then killed. Also San Diego Padres' Yorvit Torrealba's son was kidnapped. The boy was released. And in 2009, T.J., the mother of former Mets pitcher Omar Minaya was abducted.
HOLMES: All right, Luis Carlos Velez, thank you, from New York. As we get close to the bottom of the hour now, a top 10 appearance. Can that really be what's going to save Rick Perry's presidential campaign. Also arguably the most qualified GOP candidate finally making a move toward front runner? Maria Cardona, Will Cain, taking on those topics, taking on each other, as always. That's next.
But first, get ready, political junkies, polls measure everything in politics, even religion. So with the election just a year away, which party do you think is more religious? At least as measured by church attendance. Hmm. The answer next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Before the break, we asked you the question -- which political party is more religious, at least based on church attendance. The answer, according to the Gallup poll, is most definitely Republicans. 40 percent say they attend church weekly. 38 percent of Republicans say they attend seldom or never. Religion slips on the Democratic side. 27 percent of Democrats say they attend church weekly. and more than half, 52 percent, say they seldom or never attend.
Two names gaining some traction in the presidential debates. For completely different reasons here. Rick Perry's problems continue to grow while Newt Gingrich is using his strong debating skills to gain momentum in the polls.
It's all "Fair Game" right now.
First, let's tackle Perry and his choreographed attempts to rehabilitate his campaigns after a debate gaff, even to the point of going on late night TV to make fun of himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RICK PERRY, (R), GOVERNOR OF TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Listen, you try concentrating with Mitt Romney smiling at you. That is one handsome dude.
(LAUGHTER)
I had a five-hour energy drink six hours before the debate.
I wanted to help take the heat off my buddy, Herman Cain.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, LATE SHOW: And the number one Rick Perry excuse --
PERRY: I just learned Justin Bieber is my father.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: OK, Maria Cardona, Will Cain, you got to give the guy credit, that was pretty funny.
But, Will, seriously though -- can he skip debates? Is that even an option? It seems like we're talking about him after every debate for the wrong reason.
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I don't think that is an option. I just don't know how you skip debates, especially after this debacle. That would be a sign of defeat that would be. You do have to say this -- one of the most endearing human qualities is that of being able to laugh at yourself.
HOLMES: Yes.
CAIN: Self-deprecating humor. And the man has handled this as well as could be handled. I mean, go out, make fun of yourself, laugh at yourself. There is no way to make this thing a positive but that's about as close as you can get to it.
HOLMES: Maria, can you give him credit as well? Yes, it was a bad moment. We have them all every ay, just not on a national stage. He's making light of it now, but can we move on? He's going to be OK?
MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST & CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Well, I don't know if we can move on. I think it all depends on how he does in the upcoming debates for exactly the reason that you and will have said.
But I do agree with Will. he's handled this about as well as anybody could expect anybody to handle it after the kind of debacle that he had. He was very funny. and let's not forget he has raised some serious money. He has some serious staff in terms of infrastructure in the state. So let's see what happens from here on out.
The problem is, is that what happened to him really solidifies in his critics' minds everything that has been thought or said about him in terms of not being ready for prime time. He was really funny last night but we don't want a comedian in chief. We need a commander in chief.
HOLMES: All right, Will, let's turn now to Newt Gingrich. You talk about Mitt Romney, just steady as she goes. But Newt Gingrich has been the same. Everyone almost agrees, he's maybe the smartest candidate in this race who hasn't quite found traction. but he's putting together a lot of good debate performances. He's been pretty solid now. Some of he polls show he is gaining momentum.
CAIN: I will make three points about Newt Gingrich, and I will remember everyone of them.
(LAUGHTER)
Number one, Newt Gingrich, as you said, obviously one of the smartest guys up there. He can date any social ills problems back to its genesis, even if it's at the turn of the last century. Number two, unfortunately, he's also coming off as pretty petty. Constantly attacking the media on a personal level with Maria Bartiromo, not a good sign. Last, there was a moment in that debate where John Harwood said, did you think $300,000 from Fannie Mae and what for? What he got at was a very important issue, and that's art of crony capitalism. Should Newt Gingrich rise in the polls to become the Mitt Romney alternative, there is a dossier of opposition research out there that will look very ugly for Newt Gingrich.
HOLMES: So is that what happens, Maria. You hear it all the time. Once you become the frontrunner, once you get to the top of the polls, people start looking at you and examining you in a way they don't really pay attention if you are in single digits.
CARDONA: There is no question about that, T.J. The reason Newt has risen in the polls is because he really had nowhere else to go. He was at rock bottom. Until he does rise in the polls, he is going to get a free pass. But will is exactly right. He has a huge record. And that record is going to be examined and re-examined and re- examined, and it already has. There are already traits about Newt that neither conservative like, in terms of the three marriages that he has had, nor Independents, nor Democrats, clearly. He also has an issue with discipline. We saw it at the beginning of his campaign. He a ton of pretty serious stumbles, which made him stay at rock bottom until now, because clearly conservatives haven't found the knight in shining armor they are looking for.
HOLMES: Last thing, Will Cain -- and both of you this lat question. I've got to do this one quickly. Has Herman Cain steadied after all these allegations this week?
CAIN: No. No. The issue's just been distracted. Herman Cain can thank his lucky stars for Rick Perry and the Penn State scandal.
HOLMES: Maria?
CARDONA: There is no question that Herman Cain's -- on the debate night, was the best one because of what happened to Rick Perry. The focus was taken off of him. But I don't think this is the end of it. He has not answered these allegations in a way that voters deserve. He's asking voters to trust him with the most sacred oath of office. He hasn't given them a reason for all voters to trust him with that.
HOLMES: Maria Cardona, Democratic strategist and one of our contributors here, I will see you tomorrow morning, on "CNN Saturday Morning," as always.
CARDONA: Yes, you will. Looking forward to it, T.J.
HOLMES: Will Cain, answer the phone when we call you to come in on "CNN Saturday" and "Sunday Morning," will you?
(LAUGHTER)
CAIN: Happy to be there.
HOLMES: We've been calling for weeks. He won't answer.
(LAUGHTER)
CAIN: That's a lie!
(LAUGHTER)
That's not true! You just told everyone on TV a lie.
HOLMES: Oh, no.
(LAUGHTER)
I'll see you guys later. Thanks so much.
CAIN: See you.
CARDONA: Bye. Thanks.
HOLMES: We have a "Fair Game" postscript for you here. With all of the Herman Cain problems, we were just speaking of there, allegations of sexual harassment, a joke, right now, about Anita Hill? You remember, she's the woman who was involved right in the middle during Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court, claiming he made unwanted sexual advances? Here now is Herman Cain. It's a little hard to hear, so we've added the words up for you so take a look and a listen right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you hear the latest news today? Anita Hill is going to (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
HERMAN CAIN, (R), FORMER GODFATHER'S PIZZA CEO & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Is she going to endorse me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: As you know, Thomas survived a hearing as and was confirmed for the high court.
38 minutes past the hour.
We want to pass along some information we are just getting into CNN. A helicopter crash just outside Mexico City that has killed nine people. We have confirmed that Mexico's interior minister -- we'll try to get a shot up for you. But the interior minister -- there he is -- of Mexico, killed in this helicopter crash. Jose Francisco Blake Mora was on-board that aircraft. Nine people dead, including that man, Mexico's interior minister. Two other ministry officials also on that helicopter. A story we are just getting in. A breaking story that one member of the government there in Mexico killed. We don't know about the conditions, any weather conditions or mechanical issues on that particular helicopter just yet, but we are working to get that for you. Breaking news, nine people killed, including the interior minister of Mexico.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Once again the breaking news we are following. This is just coming into us here at CNN. A helicopter crash just outside Mexico City has killed at least nine people. We've also confirmed that one of those people killed, Mexico's interior minister, the man you are seeing on your screen, Jose Francisco Blake Mora. He was on-board. Nine altogether killed, including the interior minister. We are working to get more information on the crash, what may have caused it. But two other ministry officials on that helicopter as well but the interior minister along with at least eight others killed in a helicopter crash right outside of Mexico City. We'll keep an eye on that as we continue to go "Globe Trekking" now.
President Obama heading home to Honolulu tonight for the APAC summit. U.S. is hosting the meeting of the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner already there, promoting the president's push to strengthen Asia-Pacific in an effort to create new jobs at home. APEC countries account for 55 percent of the world's gross domestic product and 43 percent of world trade.
Also the death toll rising in the 5.6 earthquake that shook eastern Turkey Wednesday night. 22 people were killed now. The search goes on for dozens believed still trapped in the rubble of a five-story hotel. Crews are using jack hammers and hacksaws to dig for survivors. So far, 30 people have been rescued.
If you haven't already made it to the Seven Wonders of the World, you have some more traveling to do. In about 30 minutes from now, there may be seven new natural wonders of the world, chosen by millions of online voters. Some of the top sites in contention, the Dead Sea in Israel, the Grand Canyon in the U.S. and Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Also polling high, Indonesia's Komodo Island. A Swiss foundation organized this vote.
Speaking strictly of the law, Joe Paterno did nothing wrong technically there. Neither did the graduate assistant who witnessed the alleged rape. But maybe it is time for the law to change. One guy certainly thinks so. He's about to do something about it. And he's about to be here to tell us about it. Stay here
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Penn State gearing up to play its first game without legendary coach, Joe Paterno. That happens tomorrow. The alleged child sex abuse scandal unfolding at the school is still raising some troubling questions about past suspicions surrounding former Coach Jerry Sandusky and how those were dealt with.
The mom of one of the alleged victims spoke out this morning to "Good Morning, America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST, GOOD MORNING, AMERICA: And at some point, he came to you and he said he wanted some information about how to look up sex weirdoes?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What did you think about that?
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: She asked him who he was looking up and he said he wanted to see if Jerry was on there. And I said, "Well, why would you look him up"? And he said, "I don't know. He's a weirdo."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now her son, not the first or the only alleged victim, his case is key, because he reported it and, as a result, triggered the sex abuse investigation against the former Coach Sandusky.
According to the grand jury, Sandusky victim alleged victimized eight boys, at least one as young as seven or eight years old. This goes back as far as 1994. A time line to take you back to thse alleged victims: The grand jury only identifies the alleged victims by number. But we said 1994. So let's take you back to them, victims six and seven. This is only how they are identified, by number. Six and seven, they allege sexual abuse. This is when it all allegedly began. Then another a year later, another victim, victim five, as referred to in the grand jury indictment comes forward. Then just a year later, another victim comes forward.
Let's move forward a few years now to 1998. What happens in '98? Police begin to investigate Sandusky for victim six that you just saw there a while back. Now we're moving forward some five years after this all started. He retires from Penn State. He'd been there a number of years. He also has been under -- worked under JoePa for a number of decades there at the school.
Let's go now to 2000. We have victim number three and victim number eight. Again, this is how they are referred to by the grand jury, not their names. Also alleged sexual abuse. Couple years later, 2002, this is when the incident took place you are hearing about -- and it's very difficult to hear about it -- when the grad assistant, McQueary, allegedly saw Sandusky having sex in the locker room with a victim, victim number two. Now according to the grand jury indictment, this is when two school officials were then notified about this alleged incident.
Let's fast forward a little more to 2005. Victim number one alleges this is when the sexual abuse began. 2009, a couple of years ago, Sandusky is barred from a school district and the attorney general then begins an investigation. That brings us up to where we are now.
Here we are now, 2011. Sandusky, Curley, Schultz, and two other school officials have been charged and now Paterno and the school president have been fired.
People are wondering, did they do the right thing? Coach Paterno, he went forward, he told his superiors. Is that enough? Only two cases were actually reported directly to police. Of all these cases we just took you through, only two reported directly to police.
Penn State representative, Kevin Boyle, is with us now from Philadelphia. He says this case highlights a loophole in the state's law.
Sir, thank you for being here.
What's wrong with the law now and how do you want it changed?
STATE REP. KEVIN BOYLE, (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Quite simply, T.J., what's wrong with the law is that neither Mike McQueary or Joe Paterno violated the law. They were completely immoral and unethical with their behavior. Mike McQueary saw a rape of a 10-year-old boy and did absolutely nothing besides telling his father and Joe Paterno. Joe Paterno was informed by Mike McQueary. He informed the athletic director but then did nothing more about it for another eight or nine years, and even allowed Jerry Sandusky access to the locker room at Penn State with troubled youth from his charity organization.
HOLMES: But do you think the law would have changed anybody's behavior in this case? These were moral failings, it appears, by some people. So you think they would have to be aware that, OK, if I don't report this to the police, then maybe I could get in trouble? Think maybe if they would get in trouble, that would be the incentive to go forward? It seems that there was a personal moral failing that no law would have changed?
BOYLE: Obviously, the biggest culprit is Jerry Sandusky. His transgressions are abundantly clear. But if Mike McQueary or whoever else, the janitor at Penn State, the people at Penn State who saw this abuse firsthand or heard about it secondhand, if they had reported it directly to the police, the chances of Sandusky being arrested some time ago would have occurred.
HOLMES: Let's say the law you want imposed now would have been in place a long time ago, and Coach Paterno then took the information he had to his superiors, in violation of the law that you now want. What would be an appropriate punishment for failing to report to the police and reporting to your superiors? In your opinion, what's the right punishment?
BOYLE: My bill proposes a third-degree felony. Currently, not reporting when you're a doctor, not reporting suspected abuse in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a misdemeanor. This is not a misdemeanor. These are serious crimes, and they should be felonies.
HOLMES: Representative Boyle, a lot of states do have these types of laws in place. Do you have the support you need in that state? Do you think there's going to be a problem getting this past?
BOYLE: I spent the morning calling both Republican and Democratic colleagues and everyone has been on board. Everyone is outraged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on what has happened and what has tarnished a fine institution like Penn State.
HOLMES: Representative Kevin Boyle. We'll follow up with you, OK?
BOYLE: Thank you.
HOLMES: All right. Thanks so much.
We're getting close to the top of the hour. If you have a child, know a child, then you know the education system is going through some tough times. How about paying kids to get good grades?
(LAUGHTER)
Where was this when I was in school? It's actually raising some eyebrows. But before you jump to conclusions, we'll let you hear the details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Any parent who has ever cringed at a kid's report card has probably thought about offering a little incentive for better grades. It might work. Money, yes, at least when it's part of a targeted program such as the National Math and Science Initiative whose director of A.P. Training and Incentives, is joining me on the phone from Hawaii.
Greg Fleisher, on the line.
Explain to me this how this work and how I can get paid, or rather how a kid can get paid. This National Math and Science Initiative, explain that first.
GREG FLEISHER, DIRECTOR, A.P. TRAINING AND INCENTIVES, NATIONAL MATH AND SCIENCE INITIATIVE: Well, T.J., you'll have to go back to high school in order to get paid.
(LAUGHTER)
We have a multifaceted comprehensive program that includes incentives but also teacher training, more time on task for students and provided much-needed equipment and materials. And our results are unparalleled for students being able to pass A.P. exams.
HOLMES: Explain to me, though, the incentive, the financial one.
FLEISHER: Well, if students are able to get a three or greater on A.P. math, science or English exams, they get $100. It encourages them to not only just take the course but it teaches them the value of knowing what it is to work hard.
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: Greg, why do you have to offer money? Why do you have to offer them money?
FLEISHER: Well, our results -- our program has been proven for about 16 years. Nobody has the results like we do. And we have a crisis in this country. We have a dearth of stem professionals and we have an economy in crisis. And this is a solution, T.J., that we can use and should replicate across the country. It's something -- the entire program we know works very well.
HOLMES: And, Greg, you know people, they lose their minds when you hear the idea of paying kids for their grades or paying them for what they should already be doing in the first place. Is your stance simply, hey, whatever works?
FLEISHER: It's shortsighted a little bit to just concentrate on the incentives because it's a small part of what we do. We know the entire program works. And if anybody is skeptical, come to the hundreds of schools around in effect across the country and talk to our students and see how it motivates them to better their lives.
HOLMES: You hit on this a while ago. We need kids in these A.P. courses. Why are they not trying them any way? Why do we have to have a financial incentive? Why are they not motivated enough in the first place to go into these tough courses?
FLEISHER: Well, they are. We just really enhance the supports of the schools. We double and triple the enrollment. and it's not just the incentives. It's all the supports that we provide for the schools, for the teachers, for the students. It's a comprehensive program and the results speak for themselves. There's no reason to mess with something that works.
HOLMES: Last thing here, I know people are wondering, where does this money come from?
FLEISHER: We have wonderful private and public support. And our original donors are ExxonMobil, Gates, and Dell and hundreds of donors across the country who want to improve the economy, want to do something about the education. And we're providing results for them.
HOLMES: So you're saying, and for folks wondering, no taxpayer money is going, or a small fraction going towards this initiative to pay kids?
FLEISHER: Very small fraction. HOLMES: Greg, I wish you were around when I was in school, my man.
Greg Fleisher, good talking to you today. Appreciate you hoping on the line.
FLEISHER: Thanks for having me.
HOLMES: Now we're going to go to Paul Steinhauser in Washington, D.C., for me now.
Paul, good to see you today.
All of the story lines in politics, and one of them being Newt Gingrich gaining some traction, possibly?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: T.J., this is a great dynamic. We've been seeing it for a while now. Newt Gingrich, remember, he was almost left for dead back in May and June. He lost a lot of his staff. His campaign was in the red. But he's been sneaking up in those polls. Sneaking up. Brand new ones out this morning.
Take a look at this one. Maris McClatchy (ph). I have two I want to show you. Here is Maris McClatchy (ph). Look at Newt Gingrich at 19 percent. Romney has been up there near the top for a long time. But basically, if you took the sampling there, Newt Gingrich is basically tied at the top with Mitt Romney.
Go to the next one, "CBS News" poll. Same kind of numbers. You can see Cain, Romney, and Gingrich all tied at the top of a three-way split in a battle for the GOP nomination. This is really fascinating. Newt Gingrich was on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. Here's what he had to say about the polls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH, (R), FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The real means of the poll is, when the front-runner is at 18, the next two tied at 15, it is a wide-open race. I think that the American people are looking, asking questions, thinking about it. And I think it will stay wide open until January. I think we'll be up here in January in a relatively open race.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: You know, we have seen so many people go up and down, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry. Herman Cain has been up. Maybe he'll start slipping. We don't know yet. There's been so many things going on in this race for the White House on the GOP side.
T.J., just 7.5 weeks to the first votes in the Iowa caucus.
HOLMES: 7.5 weeks? Can't wait. I know you can't either.
Paul Steinhauser, we'll see you in Iowa. We'll probably see you this weekend, also. STEINHAUSER: Yes. You got that, too.
HOLMES: Thanks so much -- Thanks so much, Paul.
We're getting close to the top of the house. And I usually look to my left, and I hand this off to Brooke Baldwin, but I'm told that Brooke Baldwin --
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: She's up north.
HOLMES: -- is up north now in D.C., right?
BALDWIN: You're right. I'm in Washington. I got to M.C. this event last night, so it's any good excuse to do my show in the D.C. bureau.
HOLMES: Good stuff.
BALDWIN: Any good excuse.
HOLMES: Good stuff. Well, have a good show and have a good and have a good weekend, Brooke.
ANDERSON (ph): Thank you, T.J. and we'll see bright and early tomorrow morning. Thank you, sir.
