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'Second Mile' CEO Resigns; Supreme Court to Take up Health Law; Banks Quietly Impose new Fees; Penn State Tackling Sex Scandals; Russian Rocket Poses Danger; Cain's Wife Defends Him as Michele Bachmann Calls Foul on Debate; Obama Defends Positron on Waterboarding; Syria Increasingly Isolated

Aired November 14, 2011 - 10:59   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 Malveauz.

I want to get you up to speed for this Monday, November 14th.

And we're going to begin with a new development in the Penn State child molestation case.

I want to go to our Mary Snow, at the Penn State campus.

Mary, there are new developments now. What do we have?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, we're hearing from the organization Second Mile. This is the organization that former coach Jerry Sandusky founded.

The CEO of that organization is now stepping down. Jack Raykovitz had been with Second Mile for 28 years. This is an organization exclusively for troubled youth. And while it hasn't been charged with anything, the alleged sex victims were from this program, and Jerry Sandusky had been with Second Mile up until a few years ago, when he stepped down when an investigation began into alleged sex crimes.

In announcing the resignation of the CEO, Jack Raykovitz quoted a message from a mother who wrote saying, "I am saddened by the prospect of people losing faith in this amazing organization. What you have built in my child is a confidence, a sense of belonging, respect, joy in helping others and, most importantly, his self-esteem."

Now, Second Mile is also saying that it's begun its own international investigation, and that it has hired outside attorneys, and that includes Lynne Abraham, who's a long-time district attorney in Philadelphia.

And Suzanne, we haven't heard directly from anyone at Second Mile. We have seen paper statements over the last week, but there is increasing pressure on this group to come out and address these allegations of what happened. Again, they're not charged with anything, but this is the group where these alleged victims came from.

MALVEAUX: Do we suppose that this is just the beginning, Mary, that there's going to be a domino effect, or the head of the organization is the only one to fall?

SNOW: It's really very difficult to say, because like with so many things in this story, there are so many unanswered questions. So it's really very difficult to say.

MALVEAUX: We know they're under investigation, and now, Mary, there are questions about a possible conflict of interest actually involving the judge who set Sandusky's bail. Can you explain?

SNOW: Yes. This is Judge Leslie Dutchcot. And on a bio on the law firm that she works for, it clearly says that she is a volunteer for Second Mile. And this is the judge that set the bail for Jerry Sandusky last week. He was released on $100,000 unsecured bail, and there are questions about this and whether she should have, you know, recused herself from this case.

We did reach out to the judge to clear up whether this was a past affiliation, whether she has current ties to the group. CNN has so far not received a response from the judge.

MALVEAUX: And Mary, you've done an excellent job of actually combing the neighborhood where Sandusky lives. He has a home that I understand is very close to an elementary school, and there are a lot of neighbors who are really quite angry and upset about all this, because he's not even being monitored and he's out and about. Is that right?

SNOW: His house borders the playground of an elementary school. This is a school for kindergarten through second graders. And people in the neighborhood around this school -- we talked to some of them who are furious.

They didn't realize how close he lived. And, you know, obviously, they're worried, but they also -- the attention that it's brought to this case, the fact that he's around the school, and just that there's so many people looking, including news organizations, who have gone to his house.

You know, the police have stepped up patrols in the area, and they are just furious, though, that he is even out on bail. And that is something that they have been -- some of the neighbors that we've been talking to have been addressing amongst themselves.

MALVEAUX: And Mary, just to wrap this up here, the neighbors that you talked to, do they see him in the neighborhood? Is he walking around? Is he inside his home? Where is Sandusky?

SNOW: You know, there have been reports of sightings of Sandusky over the last week. One report said that he had been in a local store.

What we can tell you is we went to his house yesterday. The road leading to his house is partially blocked off now to traffic. And we did notice over the past weekend that there have been signs put up in the last 48 hours saying "Private property. Keep off." The police confirmed that someone through a cinderblock through his window a few days ago. So, obviously, somebody appears to be at that house.

MALVEAUX: All right, Mary. Excellent reporting. Obviously, we're going to get back to you as this story develops. Thank you very much.

Mary Snow.

The U.S. Supreme Court is putting President Obama's controversial health care reform front and center on its calendar. The high court announced just this last hour that it's going to take up challenges to President Obama's health care overhaul.

Now, the main issue, can the government force individuals to buy health insurance? We're going to have much more on what this could mean for you, as well as the president in the 2012 election.

And we are looking at more scuffles, more arrests, more chaos. That is the growing trend now at Occupy protest sites around the country right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back! Get back! Get back! Get back!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So you're seeing pictures in Denver. Twenty protesters arrested over the weekend after a clash that left one officer with a twisted knee, another hospitalized with a blow to the head. That officer was later released.

Now, Occupy Denver, they are firing back. They are accusing the police of brutality. Protesters say that cops on the scene threatened to break their teeth.

So here's the scene in Portland yesterday. Police swept three two city parks, arrested 50 demonstrators. Mayor Sam Adams says the crackdown comes after an almost 20 percent spike in area crime.

And it gets uglier. In Philadelphia, the city is ramping up police presence after a woman said she was sexually assaulted in one of the tents.

GOP candidates facing off, this time tackling foreign policy, national security issues. Well, they're all talking tough about Iran amid new allegations that the country is now developing nuclear weapons.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president should have built credible threat military action and made it very clear that the United States of America is willing, in the final analysis, if necessary, to take military action to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon.

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Maximum covert operations to block and disrupt the Iranian program, including taking out their scientists, including breaking up their systems, all of it covertly, all of it deniable.

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would not entertain military opposition. I'm talking about to help the opposition movement within the country. And then there's one other thing that we could do. We could deploy our ballistic missiles defense capable Aegis warships strategically in that part of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The wife of Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is speaking out. She defends her husband against accusations that he sexually harassed at least four women while he was head of the National Restaurant Association in the late '80s. Gloria Cain spoke to Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren in an interview that airs tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA CAIN, HERMAN CAIN'S WIFE: To hear such graphic allegations and know that that would have been something that was totally disrespectful of her as a woman, I know that's not the person he is. He totally respects women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Herman Cain has consistently denied sexually harassing anyone. His former company does acknowledge settling claims with two women, however.

The man accused of Norway's deadliest shooting spree has been ordered to be held for at least another 12 weeks. The judge is telling Anders Breivik authorities will control who visits him and who corresponds with him. Breivik is accused of gunning down 77 people in Oslo back in July.

A spectacular liftoff this morning in a snowstorm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.

Liftoff. Liftoff of the Soyuz TMA-22.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The Russian rocket with an astronaut and two cosmonauts on board now on its way to the International Space Station. It docks on Wednesday.

And the Academy Award goes to Oprah Winfrey. The media empress won an honoree Oscar at the Governors Awards in L.A. last night. The Humanitarian Award goes to those who promote hope and good will in the film industry. Oprah was given three standing ovations -- not surprising -- before she got emotional, saying she hadn't even prepared a speech.

More now on the big story of the day. Is President Obama's signature piece of legislation and its fate now in the hands of the Supreme Court? We're talking about health care reform and the decision by the high court to take up challenges to the law.

I want to bring in Jessica Yellin at the D.C. bureau.

So, Jessica, is the Obama administration reacting, first of all, to the court's decision to take on this case?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Suzanne.

Yes, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer has put out a statement saying that, in part, "We are pleased that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear this case. We know the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and are confident the Supreme Court will agree."

Administration officials, Suzanne, are cheered that three of four lower courts agreed with the White House that the law's individual mandate should stand at least for now. And in two of those cases, they were very conservative jurists who upheld it or agreed that it should stand for the time being. And so they feel that there's a good chance that this court will also do so.

The swing vote likely again is Justice Kennedy, who is often the swing vote on the court. And so they think based on his history that he will likely side with the law and uphold the individual mandate, the controversial piece of the law. But, you know, between us, you never know with the Supreme Court -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Yes. And this is something that the president has worked very hard. I mean, this really was a signature issue for him, health care reform.

YELLIN: Yes.

MALVEAUX: I imagine that either way this goes, it's going to have a huge impact on his reelection bid, because either he gets a big win or a big loss.

How do you see it?

YELLIN: Absolutely. And, you know, you were there. It was the single achievement of his first year in office. And if the individual mandate, that crucial piece of that law, were struck down, it would be a major blow to the White House and to the president.

It's likely that the decision would come out in the summer of next year, not in the fall, which would be the final stretch of the campaign. So the timing could be better than worse for the White House. Now, keep in mind we have a new CNN/ORC poll out today that shows that support for the individual mandate is growing. Forty-four percent of Americans approved of the individual mandate back in June, now 52 percent. So that's a sign that Americans are increasingly on the president's side with this.

I'll tell you, Suzanne, if the court were to strike it down, I would not be surprised if you saw the Obama campaign make that in itself a campaign issue, because we already see them gearing up to accuse whoever the Republican nominee is of being an extremist. And so if the court decided to go against what three or four lower courts have already decided, you could easily see them accusing this court of extremism and of moving -- you know, arguing that the nation shouldn't move toward an extremist position, and that the Republican nominee would do that.

So, you could see them use this as part of a campaign argument.

MALVEAUX: Right.

And Jessica, at the heart of this issue here is the so-called individual mandate, whether or not the government can even require Americans to buy health insurance or face a penalty. So, how does the administration defend actually requiring people to have health insurance?

YELLIN: Well, their legal argument in a sort of nutshell is that not having health care impacts everybody, because if a person doesn't have health care, they still use the health care system. And they go to the emergency room, and then you and I and others pay for it indirectly with our taxes and with higher costs to all of us.

So they're not exempting themselves out of the system, they're just making all of us pay more. So, asking everybody to buy in or pay a penalty is not -- Congress isn't asking them to do more than Congress asks people to do with other laws that they pass. So that's a simplified version of the argument. We'll see if the Supreme Court agrees.

MALVEAUX: All right.

Jessica Yellin.

Thanks, Jessica.

Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we are covering first.

First, what the Supreme Court's decision means for your health care, your doctors' visits, and the procedures that you have.

And the angry backlash against bank fees, well, they caused some banks to drop them, right? But now other fees are popping up.

And yet another Penn State outrage. It turns out the judge who released former coach Jerry Sandusky on bail has ties to his charity. Also, Michele Bachmann's campaign team, they say that it is proof now -- they have proof that she was deliberately snubbed during Saturday night's Republican debate.

And later, a spacecraft sent to explore Mars, ooh, stuck in orbit. Why scientists are scrambling now to get it down.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: So, the U.S. Supreme Court announced today it's going to take up the legal challenge to President Obama's health care reform law. So, what is does it mean for you, your medical care?

Want to bring in Elizabeth Cohen. She's here with some of those answers.

And let's talk about, Elizabeth, first of all, the provisions that are already in the health care legislation that are not going to be impacted.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. The ones that have already been in there likely won't be impacted. For example, children with pre-existing conditions, they can get insurance now. And that likely won't be impacted for the moment by this, because that's already in there.

But let's think about the future for a minute, and so let's take a step back and look what this case means, to put it in its simplest terms.

So, health care reform said, look, everybody is going to have to have insurance. And if you don't get insurance, we're going to levy a fine against you. And there are a couple of reasons for that.

One is, is who doesn't get insured? To a large extent, it's young, healthy people. They think they're infallible, nothing could happen to them.

Well, you know what happens if, God forbid, they get into a car accident? Who ends up paying for their care? You and I do.

MALVEAUX: We do.

COHEN: Right, we do. The taxpayers do. And so this is a way to make that problem go away.

And another reason is that right now, people with -- adults with pre-existing conditions have a really hard time getting health insurance. Most of them can't get it at all, because who wants to insure someone with diabetes? I mean, they're expensive. Why would you want to insure them?

Insurance companies have either said no or we're going to charge you a fortune. But if you bring in these young healthy people and make them get insurance, voila, you can afford to take care of those people with pre-existing conditions. MALVEAUX: So what's the objection to actually requiring an individual mandate?

COHEN: You know, requiring people in this country to purchase something is really, really unusual. I mean, we don't do that in this country.

We don't say, by virtue of living in the United States, we're going to force you to either buy something or to pay a fine. We don't do that. And some people, it kind of ruffles their feathers. They don't like that.

MALVEAUX: So what happens if the Supreme Court says, you know what, this mandate is illegal? How is that going to impact you and me and other folks?

COHEN: You know, to a large extent, health care reform falls apart, and all those people with pre-existing conditions -- and there's a ton of them, because it doesn't much, Suzanne, to have a pre-existing condition -- all those people with pre-existing conditions who were expecting that health care reform was going to solve their problems, it falls apart. You need that individual mandate in order for those people with pre-existing conditions to get insurance.

And you and I have both heard these horrible stories --

MALVEAUX: Right. Absolutely.

COHEN: -- of people who can't get insurance because they have -- sometimes it's a back problem. I mean, really, it doesn't take much for an insurance company to say, you know what? You're going to be expensive. Sorry, go look elsewhere.

MALVEAUX: Very controversial. Obviously, I mean, what the Supreme Court -- it's going to make a huge difference, what it ends up doing.

COHEN: It is. I mean, I think it's pretty unusual. Supreme Court decisions affect us all. This one really affects us all.

MALVEAUX: Every single person.

COHEN: Yes.

MALVEAUX: All right. Elizabeth, thank you.

COHEN: Thanks.

MALVEAUX: Checking stories from affiliates across the country.

Dozens of people are taking to the streets in New York to rally for tolerance and better security. Police are still looking for those who torched three cars and scrawled anti-Semitic graffiti in a Brooklyn neighborhood on Friday. Worshippers celebrate as the Washington National Cathedral reopens. It had been closed for nearly three months. You might recall an earthquake back in August damaged the cathedral and several other historic buildings.

And they are digging out in western Colorado right now. Some places saw near whiteout conditions this weekend. The blizzard dumped all that snow, also brought hurricane-force winds.

And how about this, getting big banks to back off charging debit card fees? Well, it may have been a hollow victory, because you're still being taken by a variety of hidden fees. We want you to find out what you need to know. Look out for your next bank statement.

And also, Thanksgiving dinner is going to cost you a little bit more this year. Last year, a 16-pound turkey cost about 17 bucks. Half a pint of whipping cream used to make that whipped cream for your pie, $2.60 it cost.

Guess how much they are today? That answer after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: All right. Get ready to shell out a little bit more money for Thanksgiving dinner.

Last year, a 16-pound turkey cost $17. Well, this year, it's $4 more, $21.

Last year, a half a pint of whipping cream for homemade whipped cream cost you $2.60. This year, it is $3.

The total cost of preparing a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people this year? Fifty bucks. Ten years ago, the same meal cost you just $31.

Well, here's another reality check. Big banks may have bailed on charging customers debit card fees, right? But you're still getting nickel and dimed in ways that are now flying under the radar.

Alison Kosik, she's standing by at the New York Stock Exchange.

So, Alison, you've got 50 cents here, you've got a dollar there. I mean, it's all adding up, right? People started celebrating, but it may be a little too early. Yes?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Put away those champagne bottles, because these banks, you can tell, are getting more and more creative.

Sure, they got rid of those obvious debt card fees of $5, let's say, for Bank of America, but now what's happening is a lot of these banks are tacking on fees in less obvious ways. "The New York Times" actually gives some great examples.

For one, if you're looking to replace your debit card at Bank of America, they're going to ding you five bucks for that. At U.S. Bancorp, they'll charge you 50 cents to deposit a check with your phone. Nice.

TD Bank is also going to charge you. They're going to charge you to have money wired to your account.

And keep in mind that most banks also charge you to have a checking account. And here's an extra zing for you, Suzanne. It's not just new fees. Some of these fees were already in place. But guess what? The size of the fee is going to grow -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: So, what is behind all this, Alison, this kind of relentless drive to charge new and higher fees?

KOSIK: Yes, there are two reasons. The recession, for one, and there's more regulation now.

The fact is that deposits are shrinking because people have less money in the bank, and there are new regulations in place that limit how much money banks could make. For one, before, banks charged retailers what's known as a swipe fee, and this paid for the upkeep of your account.

Now this new regulation significantly cuts that swipe fee. So what banks are essentially doing is they're looking to make up for that lost revenue. So they're getting really creative and dinging you with other these fees to make up for that -- Suzanne.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

MALVEAUX: All right. Alison, thank you.

More junk floating in space. Is it going to come crashing down to Earth? We're tracking that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Up next, new concerns in the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal. The same judge who granted bail to the former Penn State coach was reportedly a volunteer at his charity.

Then, an unmanned Russian spacecraft blasting off to Mars doesn't make it past the Earth's orbit. How engineers are scrambling now to save the mission.

And later, the e-mail that could help Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann prove her claims of media bias.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: There are questions today about the judge who set bail for former Penn State assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky. Judge Leslie Dutchcot was a volunteer for Sandusky's charity, the Second Mile. That's according to the law firm she used to work for. Prosecutors say Sandusky used the Second Mile too meet the boys he's accused of molesting. Dutchcot released Sandusky on unsecured bail, meaning he didn't have to come up with cash and she didn't require him to wear a monitoring bracelet.

We want to talk about Penn State students, football players, the fans, how they're dealing with all of this, this child molestation scandal.

Cory Giger co-authored the book "They Know Joe, Behind the Scenes: Paterno's Stories from Those Who Watched His Legend Grow." He covers sports for the Altoona Mirror newspaper and hosts a show on ESPN Radio 1450.

Cory, we watched over the weekend. We know Penn State lost to Nebraska. A lot of people were watching to see how fans and football players and everybody was behaving. What was the mood, do you think, predominantly?

CORY GIGER, SPORTSWRITER, ALTOONA MIRROR: It really was a remarkable weekend. Penn State president, Rodney Eriksson, just released a statement thanking everyone here for how they've handled the tough times.

At the stadium on Saturday, the pre-game ceremony, where the players from both teams took the field, they all met at midfield for a prayer. One of the most moving things I've seen in my 20 years covering sports. I had tears in my eyes watching that scene play out. And there was great respect and character shown by the Penn State community and also the football players on that day. There was a lot of support in the crowd for them.

They played a great game after getting down 17-0. The players on the team, caught in the middle of all this, they deserve a lot of credit for the character and leadership they've shown.

Really, it was interesting. Once kickoff started, it was kind of just another college football game to be honest with you.

MALVEAUX: Yes.

GIGER: You really wouldn't have known a whole lot else was going on after kickoff.

MALVEAUX: It's important to point out that the prayer was for the alleged victims and those who have suffered sexual abuse.

Cory, tell us how a little about how this focus is changing now. I notice it's now of Joe Paterno. It was a big deal last week he had been ousted. Now on to Jerry Sandusky, the guy who is actually accused of this sexual abuse.

GIGER: That's really where the focus needs to be. A lot of the frustration and anger here in the Penn State community is because so many of the people here, including the students, have said to me and said to many other people they think too much focus was placed on Joe. Joe was the big name here and the face of Penn State for so long. And they've said or many have said, this needs to be about Jerry Sandusky and not Joe Paterno. There's been a lot of frustration here about all of that. It's good we're focusing back on Sandusky, because clearly he's the main villain in all of this.

MALVEAUX: Cory, Paterno seems to have disappeared. Does anybody know where he is? Is he still on campus? Is he still at his home? Or is he intentionally kind of flying under the radar now?

GIGER: All indications are he's still in his home. He lives about a mile away from the football stadium. And a lot of support for him. Over the weekend people showing up at his house, very emotional for his son, Jay Paterno, who is on the football staff. As far as we know, he's still at his home. I'm not sure how he's handling it. He's not spoken much since all this has taken -- since this has come about.

MALVEAUX: True.

GIGER: So, but, yes, he is still around.

MALVEAUX: Cory, you mentioned something. You said it was pretty much like a football game, a regular football game after they had gotten over the prayer and the reflection there. Things were turned upside-down on that campus. And a lot of classes, either they were -- some were canceled, some were focusing on the scandal. Are things back to normal there in terms of classes and tests and that type of thing? Does it feel that way now?

GIGER: I'm not sure that things will ever get back to normal here, at least for a long time. I mean, this whole community has been rocked by this. It's really just all these stunning turns of events. Yes, I know a lot of class time was spent last week. I talked to a couple of professors who said they'd talked to many professors here who spent a lot of time on this last week. The plan is to get back to focusing on regular class work.

But again, this isn't going away anytime soon, so I imagine the students and professors will all continue to talk about this to a large degree. But as much as possible, and starting with Saturday's football game, because, again, this is such a huge football area. As much as possible the people here are trying to get back to some sense of normalcy.

MALVEAUX: All right, Cory Giger, thank you so much. We really appreciate it.

President Obama, he is a huge football fan, and he calls the Penn State situation heart-breaking. He told reporters it is time for soul-searching. The president spoke after wrapping up an economic summit in Hawaii.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think all institutions, not just universities or sports programs, have to step back and take stock, and make sure that we're doing everything we can to protect people who may be vulnerable in these circumstances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: We're headed to space next. That's where an unmanned spacecraft was headed before it got stuck in earth's orbit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Now for a situation in space, not with the crew that blasted off this morning, but with an unmanned Russian spacecraft. It seems like they're stuck in earth's orbit now.

Chad Myers is watching that.

So, Chad, is this serious?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is.

MALVEAUX: It is?

MYERS: It's a $170 million satellite that they were going to -- spacecraft that they were sending to Mars to land on one of Mars' moons and pick up soil and come back to earth.

MALVEAUX: Right.

MYERS: That's what this was about. But unlike some of the things we're doing now, and not unlike the Saturn 5 that had to go a long way, all the way to the moon, the Russian spacecraft had different stages. Stage one rocket worked and got it up into orbit. Stage two was supposed to fire. Nothing.

MALVEAUX: Wow.

MYERS: Click, click. Click, click. Nothing. They can't even talk to it right now.

MALVEAUX: What does this mean? Is this dangerous? Is it radioactive? Are there materials flying around that shouldn't be close to us?

MYERS: It's a couple hundred miles still in space and coming down. It's falling. It's losing its orbit quickly just like all the other sat satellites have lately. It seems like the sky really is falling.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: We better find out what Chicken Little is here doing for Christmas. The -- this will eventually come back down. If they can get it re-fired, it will come back down with 10 tons of toxic fuel. If the fuel remains liquid, it will burn up in the sky and it will be fine. Not great for the sky or atmosphere, but it will be OK.

MALVEAUX: Right.

MYERS: But if it comes down as a big block of solid fuel and it could make it down to the earth, then you have 11 tons of toxic plus a little bit of radiation heading somewhere.

MALVEAUX: Geez, so we still have to watch that.

MYERS: Not good.

MALVEAUX: But what about NASA -- NASA is sending up --

MYERS: Oh, Curiosity.

MALVEAUX: Yes. Right.

MYERS: I'm excited about this.

MALVEAUX: Tell me about this.

MYERS: It's an almost automobile-sized rover. You know how these little rovers we had up there?

MALVEAUX: Yes.

MYERS: And one of them is still going. They were even --

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: I was going to ask you about that.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: What happened to those things that were already --

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: They're still running around, right?

MYERS: I believe that Energizer put batteries in that. It keeps going and going and going and going. This thing has been fantastic. Opportunity is still walking around finding things, but Curiosity is on its way to what they think is a rock outcropping where there may have been some erosion. What will make erosion? Sand, but wind, but water as well. If they can prove there's -- has been some erosion with this Curiosity spacecraft as they drive it to the outcropping, we'll se if Mars, at some point, could have sustained life.

MALVEAUX: So it might have had water and maybe little Martians really? Maybe?

MYERS: Little amoebas, I don't know.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: Martian amoebas. There is life elsewhere. We know.

(LAUGHTER)

Thanks, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

MALVEAUX: President Candidate Rick Perry has been poking fun at himself for the last week and the blunder he made, but it hasn't stopped the late night comedians getting their laughs.

Here's how the cast of "SNL" took on Perry's brain freeze.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: All three now, ready, commerce -- I only know one now. Oh, god.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Maybe you have it written down in your notes.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Good idea. Yes, yes. I'm such a Messy Marvin. Debates are hard, right, guys?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Make it stop. Somebody make it stop!

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Really trying here, guys. I don't know what --

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Both cards are blank!

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Look, Maria, can we just move on. I want to be president, but not like this.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: Herman Cain's wife is defending him against allegations of sexual harassment.

Mark Preston is live from the political desk in D.C.

Hey, Mark. What are we hearing from Gloria Cain now?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Suzanne, we haven't heard anything from Herman Cain's wife since these allegations came out several weeks ago. But in fact, she sat had down for an interview on FOX News channel. She's going to be on Greta Van Susteren's show later this evening. But they did release a clip of it, and let's hear what Gloria Cain had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GLORIA GAIN, WIFE OF HERMAN CAIN: And I know that's not the person he is. He totally respects women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: So there you have Gloria Cain right there, Suzanne, rebutting the allegations that, in fact, her husband sexually harassed a handful of women that have come out and said so.

This comes in addition to a new offensive by the Cain campaign. In fact, just a few hours ago, I received an e-mail from the Cain campaign. It was eight pages long, where it not only touts Mr. Cain's fundraising success and his standing in the polls, but attacks the liberal media for shoddy journalism. Of course, we're all looking into the story -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: Mark, tell us a little bit about Michele Bachmann. She has complained about bias about how she was treated over the weekend debate. Now she's trying to turn that to her advantage?

PRESTON: Sure. In fact, she's trying to raise money off an incident that occurred Saturday night down in South Carolina at the CBS/"National Journal" debate. Now, at this debate, there was an errant e-mail that was sent to one of Michele Bachmann's staffers. In the e-mail, it acknowledged, prior to the debate now, that Michele Bachmann wouldn't get very many questions.

What the Bachmann campaign did with that is that they charged into the spin room, which is the room where all the reporters and campaign aides meet afterwards to talk about the debate, and charged bias against CBS. And, in fact, what they also did with that is they sent an e-mail out to all the supporters. In that e-mail, of course, they asked for their supporters to give financial contributions to help Michele Bachmann get out her conservative message.

Now, Suzanne, we will see Michele Bachmann at the next debate. Of course, that will be the CNN debate that will take place next week and our co-sponsors, ANI (ph) and Heritage (ph) will be part of that -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: All right. Great, Mark.

Also, we have to mention, too, CNN's Wolf Blitzer will host that Republican debate. That's two nights from Thanksgiving on November 22nd. This is the first debate to focus exclusively on national security and foreign policy. Don't miss this one. This is CNN Republican National Security Debate. That is November 22nd, 8:00 p.m. eastern.

As always, go to CNNpolitics.com for the latest political news.

And some Republican presidential candidates say President Obama's ban on waterboarding is a threat to national security.

Our Dan Lothian, he asked the president to defend his position. That's up next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Controversial practice of waterboarding back in the spotlight at the GOP presidential debate this weekend. Some candidates said that President Obama was wrong to ban the CIA interrogation method that simulates the feeling of drowning.

Dan Lothian, he is following the president from Honolulu and asked the president about it.

Dan, great to see you there in Hawaii.

(LAUGHTER)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You, too.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: A little jealous, I must admit. But, you know, this is a big deal under President Bush. It was overturned by President Obama. Why does this issue still resonate? Why is this so important for the president to defend?

LOTHIAN: Well, I think because it is a controversial practice, as the president himself said, that it doesn't set a good example to the rest of the world when the U.S. is involved in something that, as he told me, when I asked the question, he emphatically said this is torture. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, (R), MINNESOTA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I were president, I would be willing to use waterboarding. I think it was very effective. It gained information for our country.

(APPLAUSE)

HERMAN CAIN, (R), FORMER GODFATHER'S PIZZA CEO & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I would return to that policy. I don't see it as torture. I see it as an enhanced interrogation technique.

OBAMA: Let me just say this. They're wrong. Waterboarding is torture. It's contrary to America's traditions. It is contrary to our ideals. That's not who we are. That's not how we operate. We don't need it in order to prosecute the war on terrorism. And we did the right thing by ending that practice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Suzanne, what's important to note here is that not all of the Republican presidential hopefuls are on the same page. Mr. Huntsman, Jon Huntsman, says that "It diminishes the U.S. standing in the world," talking about waterboarding. Ron Paul as well doesn't agree with it.

And we caught a tweet from Senator John McCain. He said, quote, he said, He was "very disappointed by the statement at the South Carolina GOP debate supporting waterboarding. Waterboarding," he said, "is torture" -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: Not surprising, as McCain had been tortured himself. The president is wrapping up his APEC summit. What does he have next on the agenda, Dan?

LOTHIAN: Today is a down day for the president here in Hawaii. He will be do a campaign fundraiser. Then, of course, we hit the road again. He'll be making stops in Australia next and then headed to Bali. The big picture of what will be taking place on these next stops again will be focused on the economy and boosting jobs back at home.

MALVEAUX: We know what a down day for the president means. A little time on the beach there, Dan. But I know you'll be hard at work here. Want to bring up one last thing here. I know he is trying to push forward trade agreements with Asia. How does he plan on doing that? Why is that so important?

LOTHIAN: Well, it is important because, as we've seen what has happened in Europe recently, in Greece, also in Italy, a lot of concern about stability there, and not a whole lot of room for growth there. The administration, the president in particular, believes that there is a lot of room for expansion in Asia. That's what this was all about, looking to Asia in order to boost trade and create jobs at home. And the president came along with some of the top CEOs from U.S. companies who also said that they see the Asia-Pacific region as an area for growth.

And so that is the reason why the president is pushing this so hard in an aggressive way, and what came out of the APEC summit was this TPP, this Trans-Pacific Partnership. There was a broad outline agreement on this deal that would essentially drop some of the trade barriers and potentially allow the U.S. to export more and to get more investment from foreign countries in the United States, ultimately leading to more jobs. This is something that again was agreed to in a broad sense.

MALVEAUX: Right.

LOTHIAN: But the president will be pushing forward for full agreement in the months ahead.

MALVEAUX: All right, Dan. Enjoy that down day with the president there. I think I recognize that hotel and that beach there.

(LAUGHTER)

Thanks, Dan.

LOTHIAN: It is very nice back there.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: I hope you get a little down time yourself.

Next, a look at Syria's increasing isolation. First, the Arab League votes to suspend the country. Now, the king of Jordan is sending a clear and direct message to Syria's president.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It is a first in the Arab world. The king of Jordan is now telling Syrian leader, Bashar al Assad, to step down. This comes on the heels of Saturday's vote by the Arab League to suspend Syria over attacks on protesters. The U.N. estimates that 3,500 people have died since the trouble started back in March, as you recall.

Want to bring in Rima Maktabi.

Rima, give us a sense of just how much of a boost is this for the opposition group here?

RIMA MAKTABI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, this is a very significant statement by the king of Jordan. First, because it is coming from an Arab leader and addressing another Arab leader. Second, Jordan has a border with Syria. And this is the significance of this statement today.

Now, it is not clear whether Jordan will allow support to the opposition inside Syria. The king didn't mention any of this. But politically, it is a very important statement.

MALVEAUX: So let me ask you this. If Jordan and the Arab League are now turning on Assad, what kind of pressure is that putting on the government there?

MAKTABI: It is a huge pressure. However, Suzanne, as we are speaking, the death toll today, according to activists, at least reached 13 people killed in Syria today. Yesterday, it was 30. So the question is, to what extent is the regime listening to this pressure. As we see events on ground, they're not listening much. And every day we hear of more people being killed.

MALVEAUX: Rima, what is the response from Assad to this? Have he responded at all?

MAKTABI: Today, there was a very significant press conference by the foreign minister of Syria, Walid al-Moualem, and he said it bluntly. He said Syria is not Libya. And he also said, all of this is a conspiracy led by the United States and the Arab countries. So the regime is still refusing to admit there's real dissent and a call for democracy inside Syria.

MALVEAUX: All right, Rima Maktabi, thank you so much.