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Occupy Movement in New York Evicted; New Poll Numbers on President Obama's Performance; Child Predators Look for Charities; Keeping the Movement Alive; Penn State Coach Holds News Conference; Group Wants Peacekeepers in Syria; Tablet War Heats Up; Talk Back Question; Neo-Nazi Terror Cell Busted
Aired November 15, 2011 - 11:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Suzanne Malveaux.
I want to get you up to speed.
Jerry Sandusky says he is a fun-loving guy who enjoys young people, but the former Penn State assistant coach insists he never molested children. In an interview with NBC's Bob Costas, Sandusky does admit he showered with young boys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY SANDUSKY, FMR. PENN STATE ASSISTANT COACH: I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their leg without intent of sexual contact. But, so, if you look at it that way, there are things that wouldn't -- you know, would be accurate.
BOB COSTAS, NBC: Are you denying that you had any inappropriate sexual contact with any of these underage boys?
SANDUSKY: Yes, I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Sandusky's attorney tells CNN that showering together is simply part of the jock atmosphere in the locker room. Sandusky is charged with molesting eight boys, some at the Penn State athletic facilities.
Well, fighting now for the right to Occupy. Now, these are some shots of protesters returning to New York's Zuccotti Park. Right? Well, after the protest site was cleared out in a police sweep that happened early this morning, over 100 people were arrested.
This morning, Michael Bloomberg said that camping out in the park, over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: Protesters have had two months to Occupy the park with tents and sleeping bags. Now they will have to Occupy the space with the power of their arguments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: But a New York judge is firing back, issuing a restraining order that would allow the protesters to set up camp again.
We're following all the latest developments later this hour.
Well, he was pausing to gather his thoughts. That's at least how presidential candidate Herman Cain explains this embarrassing moment before a newspaper editorial board.
In a meeting with "The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel," Cain was asked whether he agreed with President Obama's reactions in Libya. After an awkward eight-second pause, here's how he struggled to answer the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not agree with the way he handled it for the following reason -- no, that's a different one. I've got to go back to see. I've got all of this stuff twirling around in my head.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So, Cain's campaign, they say his response was taken out of context. Now, the paper's editor disagrees. He says that the video speaks for itself.
Ten months after being shot in the head, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is talking about her remarkable, even tough road to recovery. She says she can never forget those who did not survive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIANE SAWYER, ABC: And when Mark told you what happened?
REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (D), ARIZONA: I cried. I cried.
MARK KELLY, GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' HUSBAND: It's sad.
GIFFORDS: It's sad. It's sad. A lot of people died.
SAWYER: It hurts you, right?
GIFFORDS: Yes.
SAWYER: Do you ever get angry at what happened to you?
GIFFORDS: No. No. No.
SAWYER: No?
GIFFORDS: No. Life. Life. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Life. Giffords says that she intends to return to Congress once she is stronger. We wish her the best.
Well, the NBA season now is in serious jeopardy. Team reps unanimously voted yesterday to reject the latest offer from the owners, and instead take their fight over splitting the revenue to federal court. That court process could take between 60 and 120 days, which could wipe out the season.
Africa's most active volcano is putting on quite a show. Just take a look at this.
This is lava shooting almost 1,000 feet in the air. You have to go to the Congo to see it in person, but scientists say this could be the biggest eruption in 100 years.
So, protesters in New York's Zuccotti Park, they are fighting now for their right to Occupy. That is after their protest site was shut down by New York City police. That happened early this morning, an early morning raid.
More than 100 demonstrators were handcuffed, arrested, the tents were pulled down. The two-month old revolution site, cleared.
Well, here's how Mayor Mike Bloomberg justified the move.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: We have an obligation to enforce the laws today to make sure that everybody has access to the park so everybody can protest. That's the First Amendment, and it's number one on our minds. We also have a similar, just as important, obligation to protect the health and safety of the people in the park.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: But the protesters are now returning. They are back in numbers.
Our own Poppy Harlow is live in New York, on the scene there.
Poppy, tell us what is taking place.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is interesting, what just happened, Suzanne, about five minutes ago. You see a lot of protesters, supporters, and really just observers all around the park. A protester holding an American flag jumped a barrier here because the park is still blocked off by a number of New York City police officers. They jumped the barrier, ran in.
I watched as probably seven police officers took that protester down, handcuffed him -- he looked like a young man -- and took him away. So we've seen stuff like that happening this morning. Two hours ago, a group of protesters war able to get in Zuccotti Park, but it has been shut by the police since they raided it last night at about 1:00 a.m. We came here at about 2:00 a.m., after being alerted of what was going on. One of the protesters actually called me and said this is happening, we came right down.
Through the night, it got progressively a bit more aggressive between upset protesters and the NYPD. Eventually, at about sunrise this morning, the NYPD was able to clear the streets down here of lower Manhattan. But within the hour, protesters have returned.
And I want to play you some video of those protesters, hundreds and hundreds of them returning to the outskirts of Zuccotti Park. We had a chance to speak with one of those protesters about what he thinks the next move is now for Occupy Wall Street.
Take a listen to what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're intent on keeping our political movement going. The ideas that have been unleashed by Occupy Wall Street about who gets what, who has a safety net, who gets thrown under the bus, they are going to continue. This is a setback. This shows how far our billionaire mayor and the NYPD will go to snuff out protests rather than honor very cherished constitutional rights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: And Suzanne, that's the overwhelming sentiment here that I've heard from protesters, is that this setback will not stop the movement.
MALVEAUX: Poppy, it's interesting, because you have got this New York judge who has issued this restraining order that's allowing these protesters to come back and set up camp. And then you've got Bloomberg on the other side saying that this is not acceptable here.
Is there a sense that the community itself, the people around this park, are torn? Are they fed up with this? How do they feel about the fact that you have got protesters who are now coming back?
HARLOW: Well, the protesters that have come back, Suzanne, are committed to staying in there.
You're talking about this ruling that came down from a court earlier today that basically said two things. It said that the protesters were allowed back in the park, and it said that the rules could not be enforced on those protesters such as a 10:00 curfew, or not being allowed to bring in tents, et cetera.
There's a hearing going on right now trying to figure out the legality of this, and the mayor has said we're going to keep them out for now. There's a lot of curiosity among spectators and anger among protesters who want to get back in that park. The police, for all intents and purposes, are completely silent at this point, but they are holding strong and holding the protesters out.
MALVEAUX: All right. We'll be following this very closely, Poppy. Thank you so much. Obviously, since 2:00 in the morning, doing an excellent job. Thanks, Poppy.
So, what are the health dangers of a 2-month-old outdoor protest? We're going to break that down for you later this hour.
All right. For some, right, the perfect day, after Thanksgiving. What do you do? You go shopping. So popular, the day has a name, Black Friday.
A lot of folks do it. Stores, they open early. The shoppers, they wait outside. The bargains are everywhere. People go rushing into the store.
But not everybody is looking forward to the event this year. There's a reason why.
Carol Costello from New York with today's "Talk Back" question.
Carol, you know, some people, they love to do that. And some like to -- you know, they've got to get away from the family gathering a little bit and get a break. Right?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sometimes that is the feeling. I understand that. But for the people who work in the stores, it's a whole different matter. At least for some of them.
We hear it all the time. With unemployment at 9 percent, you should be grateful for your job.
Anthony Hardwick (ph) may be thankful, but he's not afraid to complain publicly to save Thanksgiving and the family. Hardwick (ph) works at Target. He planned to spend Thanksgiving proposing to his girlfriend at his family's house. Instead, he'll have to sleep in that day to be ready for work at Target at 11:00 p.m.
Good-bye, holiday. Good-bye, family.
Hardwick (ph) has started a petition called "Tell Target to Save Thanksgiving." It certainly has struck a chord. More than 84,000 signatures since Monday.
It's easy to understand why Target wants to interrupt its employees' Thanksgiving holiday. More people than ever are shopping on Black Friday, a whopping 22.3 million last year. We've all seen them out at night, sacrificing sleep and shelter, anything for a good deal. Anything.
In 2008, a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death by shoppers at a Long Island Wal-Mart. This year, big retailers are opening earlier than ever. Target, Best Buy, Macy's and Kohl's will open at midnight Thanksgiving Eve.
For some employees, enough is enough. So the "Talk Back" question for you: Is it necessary for retailers to open their doors on Thanksgiving night?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.
MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.
Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're covering over the next hour.
First, well, we've heard about the GOP candidates, but how is President Obama doing in the polls? We've got some brand-new numbers for you.
Also, pressure in the Arab world is growing for Syria's president to step down.
Then, police uncover a Nazi terror cell that some are calling a new form of right-wing extremism in Germany.
Also, how a 9-year-old girl survived two days trapped in a car.
And later, will a new e-tablet give iPad a run for its money?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We've got some new poll numbers that have just been released. They're not about the GOP presidential candidates but, rather, they are about the man Republicans are trying to beat, President Obama.
Wolf Blitzer is joining us live from Washington.
So, Wolf, what do these new numbers tell us?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The new CNN/ORC numbers show us that President Obama's approval numbers, his favorability numbers, remaining about the same.
Take a look at this. Forty-six percent say they approve of the job President Obama is doing as handling his job as president of the United States, 52 percent disapprove. How does that compare over the past several months? Well, we'll show you.
Right now, he's at 46 percent. Back in October, he was at 46 percent. September, 45; August, 45; July, 45. So he's been relatively steady all of these months.
So, he's holding steady. He's not going up, he's not going down. He's at that same 45, 46 percent level of job approval, which is adequate, but is by no means great, especially a year out from an election.
MALVEAUX: So, Wolf, how does that compare with some of his predecessors during this time, during the reelection campaigns? BLITZER: We did take a closer look and we have got the numbers for you, Suzanne, and for our viewers. I'll put them up on the screen. Take a look at this.
Right now, President Obama is at 46 percent. At this point, George W. Bush, he was at 50 percent and he was reelected. At this point in his presidency, Bill Clinton was at 52 percent. He was reelected.
The first President Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush, in '91, he was at 56 percent. Remember, he was riding really a wave of popularity because of the first Gulf War, but he was defeated to Bill Clinton because the economy took a negative turn in '92.
Ronald Reagan, at this point in his presidency, 53 percent. He was reelected. Jimmy Carter, back in '79, 38 percent approval. He was defeated by Ronald Reagan.
Gerald Ford, in '75, 41 percent approval. He was defeated by Jimmy Carter. And Richard M. Nixon, October, '71, he had a 49 percent approval number, and he was in fact reelected, although he was -- he was forced to resign shortly after his reelection because of the Watergate scandal.
So you never know how these things turn out, but if history is a guide, the president, if he wants to get reelected, he should try to improve that number. Right now, 46 percent, I guess is OK, but it's not by no means good enough. Usually, they want it to be above 50 percent to have a reasonably stronger chance, as you know, Suzanne, of getting themselves reelected.
MALVEAUX: And he has got a little bit of time, still a year left or so.
BLITZER: There are a lot of incumbency advantages though when you're the commander-in-chief, when you're president of the United States. You certainly do have some certain advantages over a challenger to -- but you've got to have good job approval numbers. That will certainly help.
MALVEAUX: One big advantage, the bully pulpit.
And we also want to mention here, too, Wolf, that you are hosting a Republican debate, the others trying to get that pulpit as well. This is two nights before Thanksgiving. This is happening on November 22nd.
It's going to focus exclusively on national security and foreign policy. This is something you're not going to want to miss. This is the "CNN Republican National Security Debate." It is happening November 22nd, 8:00 p.m. Eastern, my colleague, Wolf Blitzer.
Well, Jerry Sandusky is declaring that he is innocent. You're going to hear from the former Penn State coach in his own words.
Plus, people who use community organizations to prey on children. Is it a widespread problem? We're going to find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky told NBC's Bob Costas last night that he is innocent of the sex abuse charges, but he admits to horseplay and other odd behavior with kids.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDUSKY: I say that I am innocent of those charges.
COSTAS: Innocent? Completely innocent and falsely accused in every aspect?
SANDUSKY: Well, I could say that, you know, I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them, and I have touched their leg without intent of sexual contact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Allegations of child sex abuse against Sandusky bring to light a much bigger problem, well beyond Penn State, and that is child predators who actually seek out charities to prey on children. Sandusky founded the charity Second Mile for disadvantaged children. And now he's accused of molesting boys from that charity.
We want you to take a look at some other recent cases.
Just this month, a man in Utah who started an orphanage was sentenced for sexually abusing children. Last week, a priest was convicted of sexually abusing dozens of boys in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood. And also, in Portland, a jury found the Boy Scouts negligent last year in a sex abuse case involving an assistant scout master and convicted pedophile.
Joining me now is Kelly Clark. He's an attorney in Portland, Oregon. He's represented more than 300 sex abuse victims.
First of all, thank you for being here, for really putting this into a larger perspective here.
When you hear Sandusky say these things about how he's touched the legs and he's engaged in horseplay, but not sexual abuse, what do you make of those comments?
KELLY CLARK, ATTORNEY: It sends about 25 red signals up in the air for me. I mean, you don't shower with kids. You don't hug kids in the shower. You don't touch kids' legs in the shower. All of these things are basic commonsense boundaries.
They are also things that every charity should have rules about. One-on-one time with kids, what is it like, where is it? When does it happen? I mean, everything he said just triggered red light after red light for me.
MALVEAUX: And you have dealt with so many, hundreds of those who have been victimized. Is this a common defense? Do you hear people talking this way, saying, oh, it was kind of an innocent thing that I was doing? Does this ring familiar in some of the cases that you've covered?
CLARK: Yes. I'm just a big kid. It's just what we do. It's just the kind of stuff we do.
Every pedophile I've ever deposed or talked to was just a big kid, in his mind. And whatever goes on in his mind we don't care about. What we care about what happens with kids. What are the procedures? What are the rules? How does this stuff happen?
MALVEAUX: How big a problem is this when you look at charities, organizations who have had to deal with something like this? And like Penn State, do they handle them well?
CLARK: Well, it's a huge problem, because these are institutions of trust. And we in society give them enormous trust and respect.
And in exchange, we expect them to take care of our kids. That's the deal. I don't let my kid go off with Smiling Joe's Day Care Center, but I might let my kid go off to the Boy Scouts of America because I trust the Boy Scouts of America because of who they are. So it's a problem.
They have to have their guard up. They have to have cutting-edge standards, rules and policies. They have to anticipate this kind of situation and keep kids safe. That's what they have to do.
That's the tradeoff. They get the respect and they trust from the rest of us, they give us that in exchange.
MALVEAUX: Give us the specifics. What do these charities need to do? If you're a parent there and you're relying on these people to be trustworthy, when you look at a charity and an organization that's taking your kid, spending some time with them, what do they need to have set up in place to make sure this does not happen?
CLARK: Right. Parents need to ask, show me your child abuse policies. Show me. Don't tell me, show me.
Where are they written down? Who do we go to if we have a concern? What is my child told? What are we told about the policies and the procedures that you use?
What are your background policies? What kind of checks do you do on these people? Do you have a policy, for example, that there's no one-on-one time with these kids? Do you have a policy that there's no time alone outside of the program activities?
That's where a lot of this abuse happens, is at the trusted adult's home, or we're going to have dinner afterwards, or we're going to go have ice cream. That's where a lot of this abuse happens. So the parents should be asking, where are the policies? And the organization should say, glad you asked, right here, we just revised them last month, they are up to date. That's what needs to happen.
MALVEAUX: All right. Kelly Clark, thank you so much. We appreciate your time. Thank you.
CLARK: Glad to be with you.
MALVEAUX: In a few moments, Penn State's acting football coach, Tom Bradley, is going to hold a live news conference. We're going to be watching that and bring it to you as soon as it happens.
And an early morning crackdown by police not enough to snuff out New York's Occupy movement. But how long can those protesters hold out against the elements there? We're going to take a look at the possible health concerns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories ahead.
First, a dark chapter from Germany's past raising now its ugly head. We're going to look into an alleged killing spree carried out by an alleged neo-Nazi terror cell.
Then, is the Occupy movement taking a wrong turn? We're going to take a look at the gradually hardening stand of some of the protesters there.
And later, tablet wars heating up now. Amazon's Kindle Fire bringing it to the apple iPad.
So, this is how it all began --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell people everything. Why are we here? Why are we here? What are we going to do?
Why are we here? I don't know, maybe it's to help people out!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So, this is what it has now turned into --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) presents a (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: -- chaos, as police tear down the heart of the Occupy movement in New York's Zuccotti Park.
More than 100 people were arrested in an early morning raid at New York's park there. And now protesters, they are struggling to take that park back.
Similar scenes have been taking place across the country. Suddenly, a movement that began as a peaceful protest has now hardened into a more aggressive standoff with authorities.
So what is the end goal of the protesters?
I want to bring in Eric Bates. He's executive editor at "Rolling Stone" magazine. And it's a publication that some say are supporting, taking the side of the Occupy movement.
So, Eric, let's talk about this a little bit.
It's been two months now. People are trying to take away a clear message, a definitive statement from this group, from the protests. Have they lost sight here? Have they lost that message?
ERIC BATES, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Well, I think, first, you have to understand that a lot of the protesters themselves are against having any sort of centralized message or clear demands. That's not the way they approach this. But I think that over time, a sort of theme to the movement has emerged, and that is of income inequality and the growing gap between rich and poor in this country, and how that's been fueled by government subsidies and government handouts to the rich and by crime on Wall Street. And I think that that's become a very clear focus that has really spread the movement all over country and all around the world.
MALVEAUX: Eric, what's the problem now? What's going wrong here now that you have these scenes that are playing out on the streets, people who are saying this has turned into something that's become violent and sinister? What do they need to do now to move this forward and to make this something positive again?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, first off, I would say the only accusations of violence and sinister are coming from the right. The movement itself remained remarkably peaceful. The violence in recent weeks has come from the police all over the country attacking the demonstrators in Oakland, clearing out Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
If you see scenes of the raid, it looks like scenes out of Baghdad and now New York City. So the protesters themselves I don't think lost focus at all. I think the question is how are the authorities going to continue to crackdown on this? And is that going to escalate the violence?
MALVEAUX: I'm going to leave it there. I'm sorry. We want to go to a live event that's taking place on Penn State's campus as this is the acting main coach, Tom Bradley who's taking some questions now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark Olgain Rich in Allentown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the coaching staff held up with the changes that you have made last week?
TOM BRADLEY, ACTING HEAD COACH, PENN STATE: I should go over those changes right now. For this week's game, last week I still was involved with the defense calling the defensive most of the calls during the game.
But this week, Coach Johnson and Coach Vanderlin will make the calls on defense and I've elevated Elijah will become one of our full-time coaches and Bill Cavanau will move up and Bill will be our wide receiver coach from here on out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Frank Perdini in York.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tom, now that the players had last week's emotions and all that behind them, do they get any kind of sense, can you maybe explain how you think they'll react this week to everything? Do you get a sense of that at all already?
BRADLEY: Well, they were great yesterday at practice. We talked briefly before practice about the game and where we were headed. I think a lot of times with everything that's swirls around them, they enjoy coming to practice because it's the one time they can kind of be themselves and no one is asking questions, they are there to play football.
They know they have a job to do this week. We're still on the hunt for the Big 10 Championship and they know where they are headed to. They know it's going to be a tough football game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Juliano in Philadelphia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tom, are you concerned for your players and coaches as representatives of Penn State going into another city, following all of the troubling news of last week?
BRADLEY: No, not at all. We've been contact by Ohio State. I talked to Luke Fickle called me the other day. We've been assured there will be no problems.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike Gross in Lancaster.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, Tom, are you concerned at all -- you talked a little bit about confusion and sort of communication issues early in the game last week with the offense. Are you concerned in giving up calling the defensive signals you create that possibility on the defensive side?
BRADLEY: Well, it's a good question. With a week to work on it we should be OK. I'm always there if we have to go back to doing things the old way. But I just don't have my hands on it this week at all, very little.
I've watched film and tape. I'll have the game plan in my hand and know obviously what we're calling. I can interject if I want to and get back in that at any time. The confusion on offense was one that when we lost Mike for the game and the way we operate with Coach Paterno upstairs and Mike downstairs.
We have a system and when you change a system. We didn't have a chance to prep the system a whole lot, personnel group with the wide receivers there was a little bit of --
MALVEAUX: All right, we've been listening to Tom Bradley, the acting coach for Penn State. The one who's replaced Joe Paterno. If there are any questions regarding the child sex abuse scandal, we'll obviously dip back into that and take that live.
We're about to go beyond the headlines as well with CNN's international, Hala Gorani. It is about Syria. Syria's eight months into the uprising against the absolute rule of Bashar Al-Assad. Now a call for United Nations peace keepers to end a bloodshed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Anti-government forces battled Syrian troops overnight as the pressure on the country's president is racheting up. Today, a leading opposition group called for U.N. peace keepers to be deployed in Syria.
That is according to Russia's news agency and an Arab leader now says that if he was Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, he would stop down.
Hala Gorani of CNN International, she's joing us to go beyond the headlines. First of all, you and I were talking about this. Unbelievable, the number yesterday, more than 80 people killed.
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: This is according to the local coordination committees who report their numbers outside of Syria. Eighty killed in a country of 22 million people. You have to put that on a U.S. scale, equivalent in the U.S. of 1,000 people killed in one day.
It's the most in any one day of dead people in the Arab uprising so far this year. It's becoming bloodier and bloodier and the important thing, Suzanne, is to look at why this is happening. On the one hand, the crackdown is intensifying.
The government is intensifying its crackdown on protesters according to the eyewitnesses we're speaking to in Syria. But we're also hearing reports of something more worrying and that is defecting soldiers have been fighting, regular army soldiers leading to the intensified bloodshed.
And soon parts of Syria, especially in western Syria, which has been a flashpoint really of the demonstrations and anti-regime movement in Syria.
MALVEAUX: So that means that could turn -- this could turn into a civil war?
GORANI: That is the big concern. It has been for months, but we're seeing more and more evidence of it. We're hearing more and more from sources inside of Lebanon that arms are being smuggled into defecting soldiers and opposition leaders from Lebanon and Turkey.
That is not to say the crackdown has not been responsible for the vast majority of the deaths in the country since mid-march in Syria where you've had civilians, including children according to the human rights organizations who we've been talking to killed on a daily basis there.
MALVEAUX: What do we think the U.N. peace keepers can do? Is that even possible to make a difference on the ground?
GORANI: Well, first of all, the peace keepers only go into a country when both sides in a conflict agree to let them in. In this case, we have a regime and protesters on the other side. This is not an armed conflict between two sides like the case in other conflicts like in African nations. So this just seems more of a symbolic call for international intervention more than anything realistic.
MALVEAUX: And what's interesting about this too is that you have an Arab leader. You have Jordan's King Abdullah who said something very telling. I want our audience to just quickly listen in here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING ABDULLAH, JORDAN: I would believe if I were in his shoes, I would step down. However, it's not -- if I was in his position -- if it was me, I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we're seeing.
Again, I don't think the system allows for that. So if Bashar has the interests of his country, he would step down. But he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The fact that he is putting out this hypothetical, that's pretty extraordinary. You have another Arab leader who has come out. Is he actually trying to get a hint here and say, look, you actually need to step down now?
GORANI: It's more than a hint. He's exclusively saying if it were me I would step down. What I find interesting as well, the Arab League, this toothless, pointless organization according to so many, is now tightening the noose on Syria.
So even coming from these leaders across the region who themselves have not allowed in many cases their own citizens to voice their opinions and contest elections freely, even they are saying enough is enough.
They are meeting in Morocco tomorrow in order to tighten the news even more on Syria. Syria has been suspended from Arab league meetings that called for an emergency summit. But even the gulf countries including Kuwait and the U.A.E. are saying this is not a worthwhile meeting that you're going to hold.
MALVEAUX: So this is a critical time. This is potentially a turning point for Syria? GORANI: It is, you know, the Arab uprising, if they taught us one thing is that every week or every 10 days or, something you thought would never happen happens. In the case of Syria, it's unfolding in front of our eyes. It's fascinating to watch and a very tragic situation.
MALVEAUX: Hala Gorani, thank you, Hala.
Well, in case you haven't heard, there's another tablet on block. The Amazon's Kindle Fire expected to give the iPad a run for its money. We're going to see how they stack up against each other.
At first, we want to bring in our free money advice from the CNN Help Desk.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: Time now for the "Help Desk" where we get answers to your financial questions. Joining me this hour, Jack, is the executive editor of CBS moneywatatch.com
Donna Rosato, is a senior editor at my magazine, guys. Thank you for being here. Donna, first to you, your question comes from Luis in California.
He took his 10-year-old daughter to the bank and discovered that someone had opened a bank account using her Social Security number. So the question is, how can he monitor her identity and credit? Can you believe it, 10 years old?
DONNA ROSATO: It's so shocking, but it's not uncommon. People can steal identities often target young people because it takes so long for them to discover that there's a problem. You know, usually it happens when they are taking a student loan or even getting a job.
That's one of reasons so it's really great this person discovered this now. You do want to keep an eye on the account. There are credit monitoring services where you can do this.
But they can be kind of expensive, ends up being $200 a year. You can do it yourself at no cost. You can get three times a year at annualcreditreport.com, you can get the credit reports for no cost. If you want to do it more often, you can just buy them yourself and not that much money.
HARLOW: Yes, worth checking. Jack, your question comes from Muriel. The only investment is through the military thrift savings plan. Invests 5 percent, but the military doesn't match that. How risky is the investment and should she lower the percentage she's contributing?
JACK OTTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CBSMONEYWATCH.COM: So, first of all, she is very lucky. The Thrift Savings Plan is literally the best 401(k) known to man. The expenses are so low that the average 401(k) is 67 times more expensive than the thrift savings plan. If anything she should raise the percentage she's putting in.
HARLOW: Go to the max. OTTER: The risk has nothing to do with the actual plan, it's the investments within the plan that she chooses. In this case, I would say take the life cycle fund, it's very good, low expense and it will get more conservative as she ages. Sounds like she may not be that into investing so I would go on auto, take the life cycle plan and be glad that she has that.
HARLOW: She has a good option there. Thank you guys so much and if you have a question, you want answered, please just send us an e- mail any time to CNN helpdeskatcnn.com.
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MALVEAUX: With its new Kindle Fire, Amazon is taking the fight for tablet superiority and market shares straight to Apple. Alison Kosik is joining us from the New York Stock Exchange to explain this tablet war that's going on against iPad, yes?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. So and if you compare the two just very quickly, you can see that with the Fire you're not going to necessarily have as much freedom because it has wi-fi but it doesn't have that 3G connectivity. So that means you're going to have limits on where you can surf the net. Also the Fire doesn't have a camera or a microphone.
But Amazon is very, very smart with this device because it's not trying to be the iPad because it's offering something different at a much lower price. And analysts say it could wind up being pretty successful for a few reasons. And for one, that price. You can't beat that price at $199 compared to the $499 base price for the iPad.
Secondly, Amazon has its own line of faithful followers just like Apple does and people know Amazon, Suzanne, as a site where you can buy everything from toilet paper to TVs to diamonds. So they already have an established large consumer base that they can tap into.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Sure. And what does Wall Street expect in terms of the kind of sales that the Fire is going to get?
KOSIK: Oh, yes, and you mentioned those expectations. And expectations are very high. Analysts expect Amazon to sell anywhere from 3 to 5 million Fires by the end of the year. And that's actually about what Apple's original iPad sold when it came -- first came out last year. And if the Fire can pull it off, it would be a great start for it.
But then you look at the iPad. IPad sales, they've skyrocketed since then, selling anywhere from, oh gosh, 9 million iPads per quarter. So, you know, clearly the Fire isn't going to kill the iPad. But the thing is, with the Fire, by taking a different approach, the Fire could be the first successful rival to the iPad.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Wow, that's big news. And could they still make money if they're just charging, what, $199?
KOSIK: And that's a really good point, because if Amazon was actually just selling the tablet, it would wind up being a money loser. But for Amazon, it's not just about the actual tablet. It's about what you can add to it or buy with it. The Fire has an Amazon digital storefront so you can shop and get movies and music and those ebooks straight from Amazon. So, Suzanne, that's really the money maker for Amazon.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right, we'll see who wins this war.
Thank you, Alison.
KOSIK: Yes.
MALVEAUX: We're getting a lot of responses to today's "Talk Back" question. We asked, should retail stores be open on Thanksgiving night? Well, Sue Hoffman says, "for me, Thanksgiving weekend, all four days, is for my family. I'll shop before, after or online." Carol Costello, she's back with more of your responses.
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MALVEAUX: Well, you've been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello, she's live with some of your responses.
Hey, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Suzanne.
Today's "Talk Back" question, is it necessary for retailers to open their doors on Thanksgiving night?
This from Jackie. "As someone who's worked in retail for years, you're already working long shifts for the holidays. I work 70 plus hours on Christmas week alone. And don't give me this happy you have a job stuff. Last time I checked, sweatshops were illegal."
This from Steve. "The whole holiday season has been ruined by retailers, but they only provide the means. It takes consumers willing to be complicit in their greed. Now we won't have to wait until 5:00 a.m. for news of the first people shot to death over whatever this year's Tickle Me Elmo is."
This from Ernie. "The people at the retail end work while the people in the corporate offices enjoy time with the families."
This from Kelly. "Necessary? Absolutely not. But in a capitalist society, I can see why retailers would want to. However, employees should be allowed to choose whether or not they work that night and not be expected to."
And this from Lynn. "Boycott these retailer that show no respect for people's rights. Disgusting! We do not need all this crapola." Haven't heard that term for a long time, crapola. "Be thankful on Thanksgiving for your family or health, your job, if you have one, and leave the stores alone."
Facebook.com/carolcnn. Thanks, as always, for your comments.
MALVEAUX: What would happen, Carol, if we decided none of us are going to buy the crapola, huh, and we just all like said, oh, hey, you know, wished everybody a (INAUDIBLE) happy holiday. Nobody bought anything. I don't know. How would that work out?
COSTELLO: Well, I'm working Thanksgiving, so I could say that, but it wouldn't be true.
MALVEAUX: I want you to see something, Carol. So we've got yours and my favorite, Brad Pitt. He's making some news today.
COSTELLO: Oh, a beautiful man.
MALVEAUX: Yes. Dreamy. OK. Forty-seven years old. He's telling Australia's news line that he is enjoying the production side of filmmaking and he plans to retire from the acting side of all of this at some future point. And not only that though, Carol, this is what I want to you focus on here. He wants to focus on his wife, Angelina Jolie, and they're not done yet with the family, growing the family. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: I mean family's family, isn't it? When you're around, you know, trying to make breakfast for everyone, it seems to be the same.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How big do you want your brood to be?
PITT: You know, I don't know that we're finished. I don't know yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: OK, Carol, first of all, I'm sorry, they're not married. So it's not his wife. But I think they're on six now. So they --
COSTELLO: Yes.
MALVEAUX: I think they're going for more. You and I are way behind here.
COSTELLO: Well, if I was with Angelina Jolie, I'd want more children too.
MALVEAUX: OK. We're just going to leave it there. All right, Carol, we've got more after the break. Thanks.
COSTELLO: OK.
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MALVEAUX: Germans are stunned. They want some answers. A Neo-Nazi terror cell is accused in a killing spree that went on for a decade, yet German intelligence never even knew that the group existed. Here's our Frederik Pleitgen in Berlin.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A burned out apartment in eastern Germany that held a dark secret. German authorities say this was the hiding place for a Neo-Nazi terror cell probably responsible for murdering at least 10 people.
"Going by the information which we now have," Germany's interior minister says, "it looks like we are dealing with a new form of right wing terrorism."
Officials say by all account it's the first time in post World War II German that a Neo-Nazi terror group carried out a series of killing targeting mostly foreigners. The victims, eight ethnic Turks, one ethnic Greek and a female police officer. The murders took place from 2000 to 2007 and police say at least some were funded by bank robberies. The prosecutor general's office says the group admitted to the crimes in a video they apparently planned to send to German media.
Chancellor Merkel has called the group a shame for Germany.
"I think the investigation needs to be carried out carefully," Merkel said. "This is shocking information and I hope that the investigations are soon concluded so that we have complete clarity."
According to police, the terror cell consisted of three members. Two allegedly committed suicide after a botched bank robbery last week. The third, a woman, set fire to the apartment and later turned herself in. A fourth man, allegedly a supporter, has also been arrested, but they've not yet been charged, nor have they responded to the allegations.
Still, officials are questioning how this group managed to stay undetected for so long and why authorities were never able to link the murders. Hajo Funke, an expert on right wing extremism, says that for years German politicians and law enforcement authorities have grossly underestimated violent Neo-Nazi groups.
HAJO FUNKE, FREIE UNIVERSITY, BERLIN: This has to do with police segments, with the ministers of -- ministers of interior, with the justice system, all they lack to put a good will (ph) to go after them consequently and decisively.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Government officials say there's a need for better cooperation between Germany's law enforcement bodies as this country learns in disbelief the crimes allegedly committed by a terror cell living in their midst. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Randi Kaye. Hey, Randi.
