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Wilson Ramos Was Rescued from the Alleged Kidnappers by Police in Venezuela; Penn State Nittany Lions Lost; Italian Prime Minister Resigned; Penn State Post Paterno; Ramos Rescued; Obama in Hawaii; Tuskegee Airmen Story Lives On

Aired November 12, 2011 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Add insult to injury. Penn State, moments ago the Nithany Lions lost their last home game of the season. It was also their first game without legendary football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno was fired earlier in the week after not reporting enough that he knew about the child sex abuse scandal. A former assistant coach has been arrested along with Paterno the school's president was fired for not revealing enough. We will have live reports from Beaver Stadium in a moment.

And major league baseball player, Wilson Ramos, is safe and sound after being held by kidnappers for two days in the mountains of Venezuela. He expressed his thanks after those who rescued him after a fierce gunfight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILSON RAMOS, RESCUED BASEBALL PLAYER (through translator): I am very happy for the rescue operation they carried out. Very thankful to the government and the national army. I didn't expect them. Where they were holding me captive was a very remote place. Basically a jungle and I was praying to god to bring me home safely to my family. Look at these guys, they risked their lives to save mine and I am very thankful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The Washington Nationals catcher was in his native Venezuela playing in a winter league. The country's justice minister has issued an arrest warrant for Colombian man believed to be behind that kidnapping.

And on his way to tonight's presidential debate Herman Cain made a stop in his hometown of Atlanta today. He avoided any references to the sexual harassment allegation against him. He tried to get back on campaign message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is a political class at Washington, D.C. and then you have we the people out here. And they believe that they know better what we need than we do but the American people are saying we are tired of them being the political class and they treat the American people like the underclass. Not when Herman Cain is president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The candidate also took a jab at President Barack Obama. Cain says the president has an arrogant disregard for the American people and that is what inspired him to run.

Tonight's debate will be in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The focus is expected to be on foreign policy and national security. Experts say this could give Jon Huntsman a chance to show off his hands-on foreign policy experience.

President Obama is in Hawaii right now. He's hosting an economic summit with leaders from across the Asia Pacific region. Part of the agenda is looking at ways the United States can tap into Asia's economic potential. The summit begins a nine-day trip for the president that also includes stops in Indonesia and Australia.

All right. Let's go to Pennsylvania now and begin with our Mike Galanos there. Game over. 17-14. Nebraska. Mike, what was it like inside of that stadium? We know they started with a prayer for all the alleged victims. But then take it from there.

MIKE GALANOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It-to-the game it was just more emotion as Penn State was down 17-0. It came back and 17-14. They didn't have enough to come back tall way and win this. I say emotion, because it is bigger than football. But the feel inside was this was a big game and everybody, you could feel it from the crowd. We got to win this. We got to come together. For the victims, for the university but they couldn't come all the way back.

So again, Penn State loses 17-14. Again, some of the things you talked about, it was a different feel. Normally you see a team come charging through the tunnel and they break through some sign or something like that. Penn State came out arm in arm. Walking together. Showing that togetherness.

Speaking of togetherness, both teams came together and Nebraska and Penn State, for a pregame prayer and the heart of the pregame prayer was the victims. Speaking of that a moment of silence for child abuse victims and one thing that's just incredible, $20,000 raised here at Beaver Stadium as fans just out of the generosity of their heart and they as well putting victim first give of their heart and give $20,000. That is a good thing.

You know, I mentioned, Fred, emotion right off the top. Joe Paterno, we know doesn't take the sideline for the first time since 1966 as a head coach. His son, Jay, did take the sideline. And he became emotional. After the game, during an interview, said "Dad, I wish you were here." And the tears began to flow. I can guarantee you there are probably tears in that locker room as this tumultuous week comes to an end.

WHITFIELD: Yes, you have to think this cloud of suspicion, this scandal, certainly impacted the team today. The players. The distraction. How can they not be distracted on that field? GALANOS: Yes and the coach talked about that. Coach Tom Bradley in his post-game press conference talked about how proud he was of his team, that they fought and hung in there and kept fighting through all of the distractions. I mean football is an emotional game. And you got to think that these are 18 to 22, 23-year -olds. Emotionally they've got to be spent. Especially now with this all said and done. And you wonder did it affect their play? I'm sure we will be hearing about that through the evening.

WHITFIELD: All right. Mike Galanos, thanks so much and appreciate that.

All right. Also not far the stadium them our own Mary Snow. Let's check in with her. Earlier in the week we saw a different kind of expression. Really, a kind of - you know, range the gamut, the expression of the students and the student body, et cetera. How are things on campus today?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Fredricka, fans going into that game said they just didn't know what to expect at the game. They are coming out saying it was much more emotional than they anticipated. We actually have two fans here, Matt O'Brien, a Penn State alum and his fiancee, Jennifer Waddell. Jennifer, you said you actually got teared up at the start of the game.

JENNIFER WADDELL, ATTENDED TODAY'S GAME: I did. When Penn State and Nebraska teams gathered before the game and all kneeled down and you know they were praying or whatever they were doing, I got emotional. I had tear ran down my eyes. So I wasn't expecting that.

SNOW: And Matt, you have been a Penn State student and graduated several years ago. Tell me about the mood inside that stadium. You have been to many games, you've been here and lived here on campus. What was the mood? What are you finding?

MATT O'BRIEN, PENN STATE ALUMNI: I think the mood of the whole university, the whole campus was pretty somber today. It really started with senior day today. And the - traditionally the - team runs out on the field and they walked almost in unison, almost like marching out, in various somberly almost - it was very somber. It was - very - very not festive and -

SNOW: Very different feel.

O'BRIEN: Very different feel to a normal game. You didn't know what to expect.

SNOW: All right. Matt and Jennifer, thank you very much. Fredricka, we are going to send it back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Mary Snow. Appreciate that. On Penn State's campus.

All right. Meantime, the remains of America's fallen airmen dumped into a landfill. Now the defense secretary is ordering an independent investigation also. The lives of World War II's brave Tuskegee airmen brought to life on the big screen. Their historic mission is a subject of an upcoming George Lucas movie, a documentary. And also a focus of a book from an Atlanta historian. We will talk to two Tuskegee airmen as well and author of that book right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Breaking news out of Italy now. The country's long time prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has officially resigned. CNN's senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is in Rome right now. He is on the phone. We are going to hope we can get a clearer listen to him. Matthew, tell us what's taking place.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on the phone): Well, Fredricka, I hope you can hear me because there are crowds of thousands of people in the Italian capital. They have poured out on to the streets of Rome to celebrate the departure of Silvio Berlusconi from the office of prime minister. He has given his resignation within the last hour or so to the Italian president.

It is an enormous relief for many Italians who had seen Silvio Berlusconi as corrupt. They were chanting abuses, as he arrived at the president's office earlier tonight. Shouting that he was mafioso. Chanting that he should go to prison. Calling him a joker and a fool. At one point, he got quite aggressive and police were struggling to hold back the hundreds if not thousands, of people that had gathered outside the presidential palace in Rome to witness him going in to hand his resignation.

It got so bad that no one actually saw him come out. He must have been sneaked out of a side entrance. The decision being taken clearly as it was just too hostile for him to walk out of that presidential office no longer the prime minister of the country. But once the news came through, as I say, wild celebrations continuing now into the night in the Italian capital, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Matthew Chance, thanks so much from Rome. Appreciate that. That breaking news. Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi now officially no longer has since now resigned.

All right. The Tuskegee airmen, back to this country, now were the first African military aviators in America's armed forces. Close to 1,000 graduated from the elite pilot training during World War II at a time when the U.S. military was segregated.

Well, now, they are the subject of an upcoming film by George Lucas called "Red Tails," a (INAUDIBLE) documentary, double victory and on the market now (INAUDIBLE) has been a fantastic book. Helping you to get a better understanding of the Tuskegee airmen heroes and war heroes at home. We are lucky enough to have two Tuskegee airmen and author of that book Val Archer and Leonard Hall, Zellie Orr, author of "Heroes and War Heroes Home, A Tribute to the First Air Force Top Guns." Good to see all of you. Fantastic.

So this is really an extraordinary year where we are able to see - and hear for the first time many of these very personal stories about your experiences, more than 60 years ago, as a Tuskegee airman. We are going to see it in "Red Tails" when it comes out in January. This week we had a chance to see much of that in "Double Victory."

Mr. Hall, you first, you brought along a picture of you from 60 years ago as a Tuskegee airman, as an active duty serviceman. What are you hoping is in this documentary and is in this film that perhaps people have never known or understood about your experience?

LEONARD HALL, TUSKEGEE AIRMAN: Many people haven't heard about it for one thing. Because nothing with about the Tuskegee airmen is in any of the books in schools. You know. So the history books, kind of rare. As a matter of fact, when I was in grade school, I didn't see any colored people in the history books. I went home and asked my mother and father. I said, "Where are the black people?"

WHITFIELD: And then you made history.

HALL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: You are among those who made history. Mr. Archer, what are you hoping? I'm going to grab that photo from you. I'm going to hold it up too, if we can get another shot of it from one of the other cameras. What are you hoping is in the - you know, people will learn from these films, yes, it is entertainment, "Red Tails" in particular, it is a fictional story but it is based on fact. Based on real experiences. Many of you were asked about your experiences so that George Lucas wanted to put them in that film. What are you hoping people will walk away knowing?

VAL ARCHER, TUSKEGEE AIRMAN: I think an understanding that there are new possibilities for young people that - if they can understand that it is possible they will achieve more. They will have - be able to set goals and organize their - their education and training and experiences. So that they can accommodate the opportunities.

WHITFIELD: For a long time, people have felt that they - there was a dearth of information about the Tuskegee airmen, about sacrifices, about the commitments. For a long time, Ms. Orr you have been incredibly dedicated to piecing together a lot of these details and you have compiled it in your book. George Lucas and others a part of the Lucas Film knew about that dedication. And they really turned to you to find out more about the history of the Tuskegee airmen and compiled that in this film. What are you most proud of with this documentary and this upcoming film?

ZELLIE ORR, AUTHOR "HEROES IN WAR - HEROES AT HOME": I'm proud that I did get to work on "Double Victory." I did make a contribution. The thing is that as "Red Tails" comes out, it is a fictional account. The true story where the men are telling their own stories along with pictures you don't normally see will be displayed. So with "Double Victory," before seeing the movie they will get a true account. That's what is very important.

WHITFIELD: I said it was - an incredible year of compiling a lot of these stories and bringing it to the silver screen and the big screen. But really in the past couple of years, there's been a greater amount of attention paid to the honoring of the Tuskegee airmen. You got the congressional gold medal you received a few years ago. You were invited do the presidential inauguration for the first time.

What has it been like in the past few years knowing that there has been this sort of attention being paid to the history and there has been a relearning of something that happened that you experienced 60 years ago?

HALL: Yes. This - it is - learning curve for us as well. And - it is interesting to me to watch people today who are not familiar with our experience. To watch how they interpret and receive the information about our legacy and essentially - to watch us watching them. There is some - I find some humor in that.

WHITFIELD: Do you?

HALL: Although it is - it is very serious stuff. And - depending on how well we received this new information and will say a lot about how the next generation, generations, will interpret it and incorporate that into their experience.

WHITFIELD: Mr. Hall, did you talk about it openly, share it all of your experiences or good - a bit of your experience with your family members? Or are you similar to a number of Tuskegee airmen who kind of suppressed it and didn't share it because it was a very difficult time?

ARCHER: I shared it with my family. We communicated, my father and I, and may mother passed away before I joined. But I think it is good for the children today to know something about the history of the black people. You know. And it encourages them to maybe seek higher levels of everything.

WHITFIELD: You all have been an credible inspiration. Thanks for continuing to share your stories, share your legacy. And I appreciate your time today, too. And we really thank you for your service. And your dedication, all of these years. This is a cover of your book. It's a beautiful book. Beautiful pictures. And great detail. "Heroes in War, Heroes at Home." Zellie Orr, Leonard Hall, Val Archer, good to see all of you.

ORR: Thank you.

HALL: Thank you.

ORR: Thank you so much for having us.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

All right. I'm going shift gears. Quite a bit. You know what it is like. You walk in a room. You get this great fragrance, it's filled the room. But then apparently according to the medical community or at least some of the medical community, it could be dangerous to your health. We are talking about air fresheners and deodorizers, next.

But first, tomorrow Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a new show premiering right here on CNN On "The Next List," Dr. Gupta will be following exceptional characters and he will be talking to someone who represents the virtual magician of Marco Tempest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Tempest adding pop culture to his tricks in the mid 80s meant emulating what he loved most of all, special effects like those he was seeing in the move.

People would actually go to the movies to see special effects. So if I could bring the special effects of the movies to the stage, then in my mind, sure enough, I would have a recipe, a DNA to do magic which is contemporary and which would attract larger audiences.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Tune in Sunday to watch "The Next List" or set your DVR at 2:00 Eastern time, beginning tomorrow with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK. There's nothing like coming home to a great smelling house but then some home deodorizers and aerosol sprays apparently can come with health risks especially for those with asthma or allergies. In fact, one in five adults and children are actually vulnerable. That's the subject of our weekly look at how to get and stay healthy.

Dr. Bill Lloyd, our healthy living expert joining us now from San Francisco. Also, Dr. Bill, this is a drag to hear this because a lot of folks really love walking into a home. It smells like flowers and not because there are real flowers there you got a great deodorizer working. So what are some of the indicators that there may be trouble?

BILL LLOYD, HEALTHY LIVING EXPERT: Well, the nation's leading allergy group has called attention to an unrecognized problem that involves those plug-in room deodorizers aroma candles and of course, these popular aerosol odor eliminators. They are full of chemicals that can cause problems that involve your lungs and your heart and so people need to be aware that these products exist and they contain these chemicals and you will never find the information on the labels.

WHITFIELD: So we are talking about a host of things here. We are talking about aerosol deodorizers, plus scented air fresheners, even a scented candle. What are the symptoms when you know that there's a problem here? I'm having a reaction.

LLOYD: Certainly. Anyone who is familiar with allergies knows you are going to get watery, itchy eyes, nasal congestion but if you are asthmatic you will feel tightness in your chest and maybe even some wheezing as well. So these are symptoms that tell you have to get out of that room and you may just have one of these devices in your house that chemicals can get to every room in the house and this even applies to the unscented brands, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK. So you said there are some federal guidelines that may be on the horizon to what degree?

LLOYD: Yes, we are talking about indoor air pollution. And so these chemicals are called VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds. There is no safe level for an individual. If you inhale a small amount of this then you are susceptible you can get in trouble as we mentioned with acute allergies, asthmatic problems. And Fredricka, involving the ingredient isobutene, there is a reported medical story of a woman in the supermarket who collapsed with a heart attack after just inhaling one of this (INAUDIBLE) because it was full of the isobutene.

WHITFIELD: So what are the symptoms that you look for so that you can, you know, find out whether this is just a temporary reaction or it's something much more serious?

LLOYD: Well, I would say that you would know immediately if you went into the room. If you are having a problem. You would sense it right away. And your children as well. You mentioned that one out of five statistic. Fredricka, for asthmatics it is one out of three. So if you go into a room and all of a sudden you can't breathe, you feel trouble, you got to get out and tell your host to please disconnect that device. And open a window if want your room to be fresh just open the window and let in some fresh air.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks so much. Be careful with that aerosol. OK. Clearly you don't have an allergy. All right. Or asthma. All right. Thanks so much. Good to see you.

All right. American troops killed in battle but their remains thrown in a landfill. Very serious matter that is under the microscope right now. The Pentagon admits that ashes of dead troops were treated like medical waste. Generals want answers and the investigation is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: CNN reporters, anchors, and producers cover stories all around the world. And that means we get great tips on some of the best restaurants, hotels and travel spots. In this week's "Travel Insider," Patrick Oppmann takes us to a Mexican restaurant in Seattle that rents kayaks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I'm Patrick Oppmann in Seattle. One of the great things about living in this city is you don't have to go far to find amazing views of the watt are. Whether it's Puget Sound or many rivers and lakes that are nearby, it seems like you got incredible water views just about everywhere you look.

I'm in a restaurant called Aqua Verde, the Mexican place upstairs they serve food. Downstairs they actually rent out kayaks. The idea is you come in for a bite and then go out for a paddle. It's a unique way to get a different view of the city.

REY LOPEZ, AQUA VERDE PADDLE CLUB: But as you paddle along, you see the history of Seattle. You know, you go underneath the old bridges and you understand pretty soon it starts to sort of dawn on you that really to get that side of Seattle to this side you had to paddle. Now people are a little bit more remote. They see the water from afar. They think everything is, you know, great on the water and that it looks good to have it there. They are not really experiencing being on the water.

OPPMANN: For $15 an hour you can rent a kayak. The restaurant also organizes tours where you can go through lots and boats pass through. And nights that there's a full moon they have light paddles. Right now, I'm on Seattle's lake union where you have amazing views of a space yield. A short paddle away from here you can see some of the houseboats made famous by the movie "Sleepless in Seattle." Really, you get views of Seattle from the water you just can't get any other way. So whether you live here or you are visiting Seattle, don't miss out on the experience of going out on a kayak.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Very soothing and great.

All right. Top stories right now including security being very tight at Penn State during today's game. The school's first game without legendary football coach Joe Paterno. Just ended. With a loss. Loss for Penn State. Win for Nebraska. Paterno was fired earlier in the week after a former assistant coach was arrested and charged with child sex abuse. A report on that straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look to our top stories right now, major league baseball's Wilson Ramos is free and unarmed after a two-day kidnapping ordeal. The Washington National's catcher was taken at gunpoint from the family's home in Venezuela. He was rescued after a fierce fire fight between police and the alleged kidnappers.

A tough week, tough day, for Penn State. Last hour the Nittany lions lost their last home game of the season. It was also their first game without legendary football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno was fired earlier this week after a child sex abuse scandal erupted and he was accused of not doing enough. Former assistant coach has been arrested along with Paterno, and the school president was fired as well.

CNN's Sarah Hoye is outside Joe Paterno's house which is she has been for the most part during game time. And a whole lot of other people have been out there, too.

Sarah, any sign of the coach? Did he go to the window? What have they been anticipating?

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Out here today, relatively quiet from pregame to during the game until now after the game. You are now starting to see people who live in the neighborhood, students; residents make their way to Joe's house. We have not seen any movement of the coach today.

However, 30 minutes ago, his wife, Sue, did leave the house with about three other people in a vehicle. We don't know who those people were. However, we do not have any sight of Joe yet. And now, as I said, people who were at the game, residents, students have now been showing up on his front lawn.

WHITFIELD: And so, Sarah, what are they planning to do there on the front lawn? You know with their -- anything planned that they have shared with you?

HOYE: I don't know if there is anything planned per se. It just seems to be kind of the hotspot to be right now. There is rumor that some of the seniors on the football team excuse me, will be bringing the game ball here. We are not sure if that is what will happen.

There were other visitors throughout the day such as the postman and other neighbors and stuff like that. However, in terms of the students who are showing up now, they just seem to be kind of congregating and cheering, almost trying to entice the coach to come out. So, we will see what happen, whether it turns into any formal plans, Fred. There doesn't seem to be any.

WHITFIELD: Alright, Sarah Hoye, we know you will be there. You keep us posted. Thanks so much.

An Air force general says that we could have done better. He's talking about the way the military has handled some remains of U.S. troops killed in combat. Cremated ashes toss in the landfills like medical trash. The military promises an explanation.

Here now is CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the Virginia landfill where the air force dumped some incinerated remains of America's fallen.

Until 2008, the Dover air force base mortuary which handles war remains had contractors cremate and incinerate bone fragments, tissue, and other DNA material brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan where troops were killed. No bodies were involved.

The ashes were then taken to the landfill and disposed of as if they were medical waste. The air force changed the policy and is now burying remains at sea. But defense secretary Leon Panetta has ordered an independent review into how Dover handled remains of the war dead.

LEON PANETTA, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: None of us will be satisfied until we have proven to the families of our fallen heroes that we have taken every step possible to protect the honor and dignity that their loved ones richly deserve.

STARR: Some families are distraught.

BONNIE CARROLL, TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR SURVIVORS: Most devastating and it are saddening and it is shocking for our families to hear what happened.

STARR: There are growing questions about what the air force did once it learned of another problem, whistle blower reports of missing body parts at Dover. Panetta has ordered the air force to investigate itself again, this time to determine if the whistle blowers suffered reprisal.

SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL (D), MISSOURI: What I am concerned about is their investigation into what the air force did in response to the whistle blowers. And specifically, the fact that the E.G. of the air force, they failed to admit wrongdoing in their report.

GEN. NORTON SCHWARTZ, U.S. AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF: There were clearly were unacceptable mistakes made. Whether they constitute wrongdoing is another matter entirely.

STARR: But when asked if it was wrong to put remains of the war dead in a landfill, the chairman of the joint chiefs said --

GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: I don't know what right looks like.

STARR: Panetta initially supported the air force report on the investigation of whistle blower allegations at Dover of mishandling remains. But then he learned of new allegations that those whistle blowers suffered reprisals. So, he ordered this additional investigation. But this time he really believes, he says, that the air force can investigate itself.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Italy is without a prime minister tonight. At least the one you used to see. The latest from Rome next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Silicon Valley is the promise land for tech entrepreneurs. Now some minority entrepreneurs are risking everything to become the next big thing.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien explores this once in a lifetime opportunity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NAVARRO WRIGHT, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, INTERACTIVE ONE: So, right now all you should be thinking about is how I execute on my idea.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One week after the Google event, the entrepreneurs have dinner with one of their mentors. Navarro Wright, chief technology officer for the internet company Interactive One. Navarro was also one of the four dragons during the Google event.

What was your take? Describe for me that moment. NAVARRO: I said to myself they were not ready. Everyone is looking at this environment of this incubator and saying I don't want to be the first person to tell this black person that hey, they are not doing a good job, right? So, I guess to a certain degree that role has fallen on me.

SOLEDAD: Black guy?

NAVARRO: Black guy, yes.

Show of hands, who thinks they did well? Nobody thinks they did well?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did OK.

NAVARRO: I think you guys need to be a little bit harder on yourselves. And let's be clear. My goal to say that, is to not to belittle anybody in this room. My goal to say that is that I need you guys and want you guys to understand the vastness of this opportunity, right? You guys walk through Palo Alto to get here and this is probably the most black people who are in this town right now. Let's be honest, right? So, you need to understand that the reality of that you are in.

No one that walked into that room knew they were about to pitch.

Let's say walked in there and Mark Zuckerberg was in there and said wane to hear your ideas. So, you are going to tell me that it is OK to say, well, I didn't know I was going to pitch to him and I should not be ready?

You can make those excuses that either in nine weeks not is where you need to be but you have to recognize the only person that was in control or fault at that was yourself. It wasn't the valley. It was not the investors. It was you. Because you guys made the decision to come out here and it is bigger than you.

If an investor is only seeing one African-American a year to give a pitch, right, and you don't do well, you are not only affected you but you affected other people. It is that important.

I took what Angela -- there is a tag line. No whack demos on demo day.

SOLEDAD: For in America, Soledad O'Brien, CNN, silicon valley.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: For more from Soledad O'Brien join us for a new "black in America" special, the new promise land, Silicon Valley. That's tomorrow night, 8:00 Eastern time, right here on CNN.

Alright, some headlines from overseas now. The Berlusconi era is over in Italy. He survived sex and ethics scandals but Silvio Berlusconi could not weather Europe's economic storm and keep his job. He promised to resign if the parliament pass ad series of austerity measures and they did just that today. And Berlusconi kept his promise, he resigned.

Syria has been kicked out of the Arab league and alliance spokesman said Syria was suspended for failing to stop its violent crackdown against dissidents. Suspension is effective Wednesday.

And emergency officials in Turkey raised the earthquake death toll today 38 people. Rescuers have saved 26 people so far. The 5.6 quake hit Eastern Turkey on Wednesday.

Alright, there is a lot of star power at the box office this weekend but is it worth any of your time and money? We are going to check in with our critic in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So weekend and that means movies. Earlier I talked with critic Matt Atchity from rottentomatoes.com to find out which flicks are worth your cash and time. Let's start with "J. Edgar."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not want that to happen to you or your brother, sir. There's no reason we both can't get what we want. We can wage --

WHITFIELD: Wow. Look at that makeup. OK. That alone, to me, very impressive, Matt.

MATT ATCHITY, EDITOR IN CHIEF, ROTTENTOMATOES.COM: The makeup does look really good and DeCaprio turns out a great performance here. And the movie is relatively well directed. But I have to say this isn't one of Clint Eastwood's best films. I think part of the fill silver medal the subject matter. We don't really ever know that much about J. Edgar Hoover. It is not like he left memoirs.

And so, at the end of the film, you feel like he's still kind a cyfer (ph), you haven't learn that much. They do definitely address the rumors of his cross-dressing. They address the rumors of his homosexuality. He was a life-long bachelor. His number two man, Clyde Tolson (ph), was always life-long bachelor in this movie played by Army Hammer (ph) who people might remember as week of last twins from the social network.

They both put in great performances and the movie is not bad but ultimately it leaves you wanting a lot more than you really get.

WHITFIELD: All right. He's still an enigma. Alright, so, your grade on this one?

ATCHITY: My grade on this is a "c." If you are a big Clint Eastwood fan, if you want to know a little bit about J. Edgar, go can see it but ultimately you are better off reading the history book.

WHITFIELD: Wow. OK.

Next movie, "Jack & Jill." Adam Sandler. So, this is still pretty popular, you know, an actor playing more than one character.

ATCHITY: Yes. In is the second wide release with cross-dressing men.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: OK. Alright, let's take a quick look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daddy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't want to jump rope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your father likes to pretend his life started in California.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, daddy. Please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring it over here!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kick it!

ATCHITY: It is dopey Adam Sandler about what you would expect. In fact, this is not one of his better efforts. I would say that this movie is nearly unwatchable except for one thing that saves.

WHITFIELD: What?

ATCHITY: Al Paccino comes in as relatively main character playing himself. And he goes crazy in this movie. And the scenes with Al Pacino are so funny. He is completely self parody here. He, you know, he drops lines from famous movies like "Scar Face" and "the Godfather." hay has the funniest scenes in the movie. If you are a big Al Pacino fan you may want to see this. Otherwise I have to say, pretty much avoid it. It is really not a very good movie aside from the bits --

WHITFIELD: You are not setting up a very good grade.

ATCHITY: No, no. I have to give it a "d," lower grade. But Pacino really actually saves it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Matt's pretty harsh there. Isn't he? Well, remember you can go to rottentomatoes.com to get all of Matt's reviews. He is calling them as he sees it.

Much more of the NEWSROOM coming up. No harsh words for my colleague Don Lemon.

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I was -- that's one of -- "J. Edgar" was the only one movie in a while, I wanted to see to go to the box office. It looks amazing.

WHITFIELD: That's his point of view.

LEMON: Yes, from his point of you. WHITFIELD: How are you?

LEMON: I'm good. Little cold, like you. Everybody is dealing with.

WHITFIELD: Already had it. Don't give me anymore.

LEMON: Can't complain. Can't complain. Nothing like what the folks in Pennsylvania are going through, Penn State. And you know you have been covering it. They had their first game.

Coming at the latest of the Penn State child abuse case with live reports from the site of today's game against Nebraska. We are going to look at the impact on the victims. A legal case and the psychology of all those people accused of keeping quiet. Why does it happen? And it is a big story. We will have all the angles covered for you.

But it is surprising when you -- have you read that -- yes, you have because you have been covering it. The complaint, it says -- I was reading it and --

WHITFIELD: The detail, it's troubling. It's very unsettling.

LEMON: It reads like a novel. It reads like a novel and you just want to go oh, make this stop. Make it stop. And I was sitting on a plane and with some people who had read the complaint itself and were just stunned. They couldn't believe it, as most people can't. So, we are going to continue to delve into that, Fred.

Also, what can be people do to get through the holiday season without drowning in debt? Personal finance expert Terry Savidge has advice for you and our very own Shannon Cook, Fred, has a rare sit down interview with rock group R.E.M. how lucky is she? They talked about their recent decision to call it quits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHANNON COOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How do you feel this? Do you feel sad? Are you relieved?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is certainly there's sadness. You know, it is bittersweet by all means. But --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The feelings go from here to here. We are feeling every one of them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. Not relief, though. Relief implies like we are escaping something. Certainly isn't that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is the word that popped into my head, there's an odd feeling of liberation because it means that we can, you know, for the same reason we are breaking up rather than just going on hiatus, it is -- it means we are free to do whatever -- whatever between want without the shadow of R.E.M. hanging over, to the shadow of future projects hanging over. It's liberation. It's a clean break and a chance to move forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I-can't 2018 see.

WHITFIELD: Yes, fascinating.

LEMON: That's me in the corner. That's me in the spotlight.

WHITFIELD: Very good. You look have a nice voice, too.

LEMON: No, it is all right. I sing in the shower. That's about it.

WHITFIELD: That's very good, Don.

Alright, this is something that will entertain you coming from your hometown backyard, Louisiana. Catcher's mistake actually ends up being quite the prize for someone else, making him a millionaire. We will show you how the lucky lottery winner is showing his appreciation now. Giving back from the person he made the purchase from. Isn't that fascinating?

LEMON: Why doesn't that ever happen to me? Win the lottery or you, too.

(LAUGHTER)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Louisiana lottery winner is also giving back a cash cashier's mistake turned into a million buck force him. She accidentally added the power play option which multiplies the winnings by five for him.

(BEGIN VIDE CLIP)

ROBERT THIBODAUX SENIOR, LOTTERY WINNER: This is the million dollar ticket. Yes, yes, yes! I won a lot of money. But you know what, this lady who sold me the ticket is a big part of this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: He is a big winner all right. The Lotto winner is showing his gratitude now by giving the cashier some of the winnings. Very generous. Nice big old hug there.

And Jacqui Jeras right here in the weather center. She is very generous to deliver a lot of nice weather out there.

(LAUGHTER)

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, there's some nice weather out southeast and that's the good news. But -- if you are like the Rockies westward, Fredricka, forget about it because it is a real ugly mess. We have a very powerful area of low pressure and not just do we have snow to deal with, we have incredible wind gusts. And you put those things together and it is a terrible mess for travelers. We are talking peak gusts between 60 to 70 miles per hour. And the snow falls could be as much as one to two feet in parts of Rockies as well. We will show you a live picture quick also from the ski resort there. You can hardly even see anything. The snow is coming down so heavy. And as we take a look at the big picture for the weekend, we really have three storm systems out west, the Pacific northwest and then rain into southern California. (Inaudible), Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: That's right, half glass full. That's the way I like to look at things.

Alright, Jacqui thanks so much.

And that is going to do it for me. Thanks for being with us this afternoon. We will see you again tomorrow at 2:00 Eastern time.

Meantime, much more of the NEWSROOM, straight ahead with Don Lemon.

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