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Major Fire Burning in Reno; Deadline Looms for Congressional Deficit Super Committee; Joe Paterno Reportedly Battling Cancer; Son of Muammar Gadhafi Captured in Libya; Financial Planners Give Advice on Holiday Travel; Film Critic Assesses Recent Box Office Arrivals; Actor Isaiah Washington Interviewed.
Aired November 19, 2011 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. You're in the CNN newsroom where the news unfolds live this Saturday, November 19th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Within the hour Reno, Nevada authorities are going to let some people go back home. They were evacuated because of a fast-moving wildfire. It is now 65 percent contained. Official say it will be a while before they know how much damage was done, but they think they know how it started.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF MICHAEL HERNANDEZ, RENO FIRE DEPARTMENT: We have been able to rule out two causes. We've been able to rule out the homeless encampment potential cause and we've been able to rule out the possibility of teenagers that may have been in the area. We are currently working with NV Energy. We believe although this has not been confirmed but we believe the cause of the fire may have been electrical arcing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: On Capitol Hill the deficit cutting super committee has just four days to come up with a plan and right now still no deal. The committee must trim more than $1 trillion from the deficit. If there's no deal there could be cuts from defense spending and other federal programs, but that would not kick in until 2013.
And 1,000 Detroit city workers face layoffs this holiday season. Mayor David Bing says they are necessary to make us the city's $45 million budget short fall. The layoffs could save the city about $14 million, but the mayor says he'll try to protect core services like police and fire.
And there was a tragic accident today before the annual Harvard-Yale football game. Police in New Haven, Connecticut said a driver pulling into the parking lot lost control of his van. One woman was killed. A second woman is in serious condition, and a third woman was treated for minor injuries.
Oklahoma State University football players held a moment of silence for two women's basketball coaches. Head coach Kurt Budke and Assistant Coach Miranda Serna were killed when their plane crashed on the way to a recruiting trip in Arkansas Thursday. A memorial service will be held on campus on Monday.
And one of Joe Paterno's sons reveals a bombshell, that the 84-year- old is fighting a treatable form of lung cancer. Another son is speaking out about how the family is dealing with being under the microscope.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY PATERNO, PENN STATE ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH: It's pretty surreal. It's almost like the book of Job. I'm not a Bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination but job went from having everything to having nothing. It's not quite like that. But I think to keep things in perspective, one thing that Joe has said to me is we need to keep focus on the victims of this whole tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And we'll take you live to the Penn State University campus in just a few minutes.
Our other top story this hour, the arrest and capture of Saif Gadhafi. This is Muammar Gadhafi's second oldest son, one seen as the potential next leader of Libya. That was before this year's uprising and overthrow of his father. Saif Gadhafi was one of the few remaining high ranking Libyan officials still on the run. He was tracked down and arrested today in Libya's southern desert. Let's get right to CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance. So Matthew, tell us more about how this capture unfolded.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It unfolded after a 15 day pursuit in the south of Libya. Apparently Saif Gadhafi was trying to cross into the neighboring country of Niger when his convoy was intercepted. There was a firefight that lasted a couple of hours after which Saif and a number of other close aides were taken into custody and flown to a town in the western area, a town which rose up against Colonel Gadhafi, Saif Gadhafi's father, of course, early on in February when the uprising in Libya began. He's currently being held there at the moment.
The big question currently, and we've seen he seems to be in pretty good shape with a few injuries. The big question is where will he be tried? Libyan authorities made it clear they want to try him in the country but of course there are indictments at the international criminal courts at the Hague in the Netherlands. So there are negotiations between the ICC and Libyan authorities to decide what the outcome will be, where's he's going to be put on trial. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: So Matthew one of the other sons apparently is in Niger. What is likely to happen to him?
CHANCE: There's still arrest warrants out for various members of the Gadhafi family. There will still be charges inside the new Libya, of course, for the alleged crimes committed by not just Colonel Gadhafi and his sons. One of the things that inside Libya and of course the criminal court in the Hague that Saif Gadhafi is wanted for supporting so ferociously his father's crackdown on the uprising which began in February in Libya, but they also want from him some indication, perhaps, of where the billions of dollars potentially of cash which is believed to have been snatched by Colonel Gadhafi's regime around the world, where that may be hiding. Saif Gadhafi headed a charitable organization and may very well be placed to give some information on that.
WHITFIELD: All right, and any other searches under way, whether it be any kind of evidence or any other witnesses that could help corroborate if the international -- if the Hague does indeed conduct its investigation and a hearing or trial, there are other people they're looking for?
CHANCE: Saif al Islam Gadhafi is really the big fish that remained after his father. The focus at the moment, Fredricka, is to make sure Saif Gadhafi doesn't meet the same fate as his father did just last month. There is a lot of international condemnation about the way that Muammar Gadhafi, colonel Gadhafi died. He appeared live first and then said to have been caught in the crossfire. There's an investigation underway. But clearly there was mob rule applied in that case.
There's a lot of pressure coming to bear right now on the Libyan authorities, the new Libyan authorities to make sure that doesn't happen. Many organizations around the world, many governments are saying this is an opportunity for Libya to show that there is the rule of law in their country.
WHITFIELD: Matthew Chance, thank you so much from London.
Back here in the U.S., the Penn State community reacting to news that Joe Paterno is battling lung cancer. They are dropping by the legendary coach's home, dropping off gifts and food, all this as the NCAA pushes Penn State to take a closer look at its policies. CNN Mike Galanos is life from university park, Pennsylvania. Tell me more about why people are turning out and feeling like they want to lend some support to coach Paterno.
MIKE GALANOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a way of saying thanks, Fred. Think about, two weeks ago, Penn State was al about football. They were eigth-one and Joe Paterno was leading them to another great season. Two weeks later scandal, Joe Paterno is no longer coach and as you mentioned now has been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer.
And people, yes, on a game day, play their arch rivals Ohio state, going by Joe Paterno's house they want to let him know thank you for all the years, thank you for what you've done. They want to let him know they are supporting him with their thoughts and prayers. They pretty much a steady stream of people coming by, dropping off gifts, a Billy Graham book. Another person brought food for Joe Paterno as he begins to battle this treatable form of lung cancer.
And I want you to listen to one couple who made a 100-mile drive to come by Joe Paterno's house, take some pictures and then go watch the game at one of the local restaurants. Here's what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As far as his health, I just wish that, you know, he could go into it with a positive mind. Mind heals the body. I strongly believe that. And the comfort of his family and friends with a positive feedback will help him recover.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GALANOS: And, again, Fred, we all have to keep in mind the perspective of what Joe Paterno has meant to this community. Again, coach since 1966, the head coach, a big part of the program since 1949. I was on a radio show yesterday and they will tell you, they will say Joe Paterno has done more for this university than any coach has done for any university ever.
WHITFIELD: All right, Mike Galanos, thanks so much. Appreciate that.
American generals have a new plan for troop movement. Find out where next.
And it's been four years since actor Isaiah Washington was fired from "Frey's Anatomy" for making an offensive remark. You may be surprised to hear what he has to say about the controversy now. My face to fay interview with him coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Headlines from overseas now. Police in Egypt forcefully cleared Cairo's Tahrir square today one day after a massive demonstration there. When darkness fell police fired tear gas and warning shots. More than 160 people were hurt and a police van was burned.
Expect to hear about more sanctions to hit Iran. U.S. diplomatic sources say the Obama administration plans to toughen the rules that restrict companies from doing energy business with Iran. We're told the new measures will be announced on Monday.
And the president of Afghanistan has the support of tribal leaders for his planned partnership with the United States. President Hamid Karzai listed his demand over the past few days during a security summit. The 2,000 community members say that they oppose U.S. bases in Afghanistan but will tolerate them for now.
In another month-and-a-half most U.S. force will be out of Iraq but the number of U.S. troops elsewhere in the Middle East are expected to rise. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: CNN has learned General James Mattis, the head of U.S. military operations in the Middle East, will soon brief the Obama administration on proposals to increase the number of troops in the Persian Gulf for just one reason -- Iran. GEN. JAMES MATTIS, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: So, you see, everywhere you go, you find Iran's hand in the subterfuges of their nuclear program keeps spinning, so it is a very difficult situation.
STARR: Increasing troops, warships, and aircraft in the region as a hedge against Iran comes just as U.S. troops are leaving Iraq.
MATTIS: What do we do in this region? How do we try to make sense of a region in so much turmoil?
STARR: President Obama has to approve the deployments and Gulf nations have to agree to take the new troops. The U.S. already has 24,000 troops in Kuwait. An additional 4,500 soldiers leaving Iraq are scheduled to remain in Kuwait for seven months. And there are 7,000 droops in Bahrain, another 10,000 in various Gulf States.
Right now, up to 30 U.S. warships are patrolling the region at any one time. Mattis wants to now increase both ground and naval units across the Gulf according to a senior military official. He also wants more military exercises with Arab countries, a signal to Iran of regional support for the U.S. presence.
So far, no one is saying how many more troops might go, but there is a problem -- money. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta already has to cut at least $450 billion from the budget, so adding capability in the Middle East means cutting somewhere else.
Analysts say the U.S. military has to remain a global power even in tight times.
MICHAEL O'HANLON, SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: What you have to do is try to protect those interests in the western pacific and the Persian Gulf Middle East, but do it in a more creative, innovative, efficient and economical way.
STARR: General Mattis isn't commenting publicly on any of this. But a senior military official tells us, the message the military wants to send is the war in Iraq may be winding up, but the U.S. military is still in the region keeping an eye on Iran.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: With the Thanksgiving travel season less than a week away, Orbitz released its annual list of major airports that will be least busy. Number one, Mineta, San Jose International. Then Kahului airport in Maui Hawaii, John Wayne airport in Santa Ana, California, and Jacksonville International, and then Sacramento International. So, which airports will actually be the busiest? That's after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: OK, so before the break we named the five least busy airports for the Thanksgiving travel season. What are the busiest? You probably guessed it. Los Angeles international, Chicago O'Hare, Orlando, San Francisco, and Boston's Logan International Airport, all busy places. It's probably unavoidable if you're trying to get to grandma's house.
The holidays are right around the concern. And a lot of folks are making travel plans for the next set of holiday getaway opportunities. Ken and Daria Dolan join us now with have six ways to save big bucks. Good to see you guys.
KEN DOLAN, FINANCIAL PLANNER: Hey, Fred, how are you?
DARIA DOLAN, FINANCIAL PLANNER: Hi, Fred, how are you?
WHITFIELD: Great to see you.
KEN DOLAN: Fred, we're staying at home for the holidays.
WHITFIELD: You're staying in west Palm Beach. For those who want to fly you have some great travel ideas how to save money or at least get the best deal. So buy your tickets right now for one?
DARIA DOLAN: There's 40 million traveling over the holidays and the fact of the matter the airlines boosting their fares --
KEN DOLAN: What a surprise.
WHITFIELD: Fares are very high right now. Yes.
DARIA DOLAN: They are. But, you know, you just mentioned before going into the segment one of the best ways to cut back on expenses when you book your tickets for the holiday travel, and that is using those out of the way airports that aren't so busy because if they are not so busy you'll get better fares for them.
KEN DOLAN: If you buy your tickets now every day you wait it will cost you money. Here's the key that many people don't realize and I want our CNN viewers to realize. Those last minute sales aren't you glad you waited you're so smart to wait so late, much fewer because there are fewer seats available.
DARIA DOLAN: In fact the more you put it off could cost you five bucks more for every day.
WHITFIELD: OK. But even once you purchased a ticket you all are encouraging people to check, to compare the cost that you may have taken advantage of?
(CROSSTALK)
KEN DOLAN: A lot of people don't realize that many online travel agencies and airlines will actually reimburse you if the fare goes down during the time you're holding it, between the time you buy it and the time you use it. Likely, they will not pay you cash but give you some sort of travel voucher. Many people won't say I won't check. Check. If it went down you'll get something. DARIA DOLAN: Particularly check if you're flying something like Alaska Air or JetBlue which don't charge you any trip cancellation or trip switching fees which could be as much as $50 to $175.
KEN DOLAN: What have you got to lose, Fred?
WHITFIELD: Then you say avoid those peak travel days like the day before Christmas, the day before Thanksgiving, but what are some of the other -- you're trying to get home for the holidays. How to avoid --
DARIA DOLAN: Well, one way to do it is to postpone your holiday, or make another week. There's a dead week in between Thanksgiving, a few dead weeks there for airline travel because even the business traveler isn't buying tickets and going anywhere in early December where you could sort of put together your Thanksgiving and your Christmas all in one fell swoop.
But certainly if you're flying for Thanksgiving you want to avoid the Wednesday and the Saturday flights and the Sunday afterwards because those are the most expensive days that you could travel. And for Christmas and New Year's, the Thursday through the Saturday of both Christmas and New Year's, those are peak travel days.
KEN DOLAN: Turkey is waiting.
WHITFIELD: To get there with the best deal you say, you alluded to this earlier. Pick those alternative airports. You want to negotiate that hotel rate. And then actually go to the source.
KEN DOLAN: Using the, getting the best price, going right to the source, there are many airlines that have e-mail alerts and frequent flyer clubs, and they are often the best source of sale information as the airline themselves.
DARIA DOLAN: And for the hotels certainly you're better off talking to the individual hotel at your destination or better yet booking your airfare and hotel together.
KEN DOLAN: Don't call 800 hotel number. They don't know local promotions and sales. Call the local hotel and say I'm looking for a hotel, I'm visiting for this holidays, give me the best price can you.
WHITFIELD: But they are not necessarily willing to negotiate either.
KEN DOLAN: Maybe not, but the 800 number doesn't even know there's a chance --
DARIA DOLAN: On the ground in the town you're headed for they know if they are going to have an empty room and once that room, the night passes that room has lost money.
WHITFIELD: Ken and Daria Dolan, always good to see you. Thank you so much. Have a great holiday.
KEN DOLAN: Happy Thanksgiving, Fred. WHITFIELD: Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
KEN DOLAN: See you next month.
WHITFIELD: I look forward to it. And for more holiday travel tips and to sign up for the free newsletter go to Dolans.com.
All right, and while we try to help you get your financial house in order Congress is still trying to decide on a deficit cutting deal.
And later, "Happy Feet" returns to the movie theater.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Push me. Baby penguins, cute but ruthless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: What did our movie critic have to say about this. Thumbs up or down?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories. A major security breach -- a 125-page booklet detailing President Obama's every move during his trip to Australia was found in a gutter near Australia's parliament. The journalist that found it says the detail is staggering down to which limo doors the president use.
Two years in prison, that is what James Arthur Ray was given. The self-help expert was convicted of negligent homicide in connection with the deaths of three people at his Arizona retreat. They died from extreme heat during a sweat lodge ceremony back in 2009.
And a bizarre story out of Florida today. Police say the self- proclaimed doctor, a man who dresses as a woman, injected a woman's buttocks with a concoction that included cement, mineral oil, and super glue. The woman thought she was getting buttocks enhancement but she nearly died instead. The self-proclaimed doctor went to jail.
Regis Philbin is moving on. The legendary talk show host said good- bye to his "Live with Regis and Kelly" yesterday. Philbin spent 28 years co-hosting the morning talk show. A number of celebrities and politicians, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, all were there to bid him a farewell.
WHITFIELD: The clock is ticking as a congressional super committee faces a looming deadline. They have until Wednesday to trim more than $1 trillion from the federal deficit. Our Joe Johns is keeping tabs on the progress or lack thereof. Joe, what's happening on Capitol Hill? Any movement?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Fred, it's so quiet here you would think it's the weekend before Thanksgiving, which it is, of course.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: We're in the position where we're asking a lot of questions. We're not getting a lot of answers. We do know that the Republicans on the super committee, there are six of them, did have some type of a conference call today. They haven't told us what they discussed. And there's frankly a lot of pessimism that some type of deal to get $1.2 trillion in budget cuts is going to happen by the deadline, which would occur on Wednesday.
Privately we've talked to a lot of members of congress, especially Democrats who have said they do not expect a deal to come out of the super committee. And, of course that would leave open the possibility the so-called triggers would go into effect which would allow a series of automatic spending cuts to occur that have already been voted on by the United States Congress pap lot of people have called those fairly draconian. Nonetheless if the super committee can't get a deal that's probably what we're headed for. But that wouldn't start happening until the year 2013. Back to you, Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK, and so, we have tried to reach out to some of the super committee members. They are not saying anything. Are they elaborating in any way on kind of the sticking points, taxes being one of them?
JOHNS: Clearly taxes is the big sticking point. And that's been the sticking point all along. It's really a philosophical difference between Democrats and Republicans, the so called budget enhancements, or what have you, that people would like to make would include taxes if the Democrats had their way and mostly spending cuts if the Republicans had their way, although there's been a few slight revisions on each side, not enough to bridge the gap. And here we are, $1.2 trillion they have to get out of the budget over the next 10 years and they have to do it in a proposal by, by Wednesday and they haven't figured it out yet.
Joe Johns on Capitol Hill, keep us posted if there's any movement. Thanks so much.
WHITFIELD: A wildfire near Reno, Nevada is now 65 percent contained. In about 30 minutes officials say they are going to let evacuated residents back into their neighborhoods. And 15 homes were destroyed at least 40 damaged. Investigators say they believe the fire was caused by electrical sparks.
Let's check in with our Jacqui Jeras for more on the wildfires and what's already very much winter in other parts of the country.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it really is. The good news with the weather conditions for the fires it's improved so much. Temperatures are much cooler today. The humidity is much higher. People are going to be allowed to return to their homes in just a couple of hours, so that's some great news there.
Now the big weather story that we'll be focusing in on today that will be impacting millions of people especially if you're trying to travel is this storm system across the upper northwest. It brought some record snowfall totals and will track up along the great lakes bringing in a heavy band of 10 inches of snow in these areas. That's the first snowfall four especially in places like Minneapolis that haven't seen that just yet. So you have to be those winter driving rules and make sure you've got that winter safety kit in your vehicle.
Also we'll zoom you in here and show you where the heavy banding is. We could see an inch an hour north of St. Cloud and snow is coming down in Minneapolis and winds are gusting up 230 miles per hour.
Let's show you a couple of those snowfall totals. New castle, Wyoming a foot, Mount Rushmore, tough trip today with 9.5 inches of snowfall.
Now, this is going to continue move and bring rain in places like Milwaukee and Chicago this afternoon and for tonight. Winter storm advisories are in effect for areas getting that snow and much colder air coming in behind this, Fredricka. Highs in the 20s for many of these places today even down into the teens for parts of the Dakotas late tonight, but warm and nice across parts of the southeast ahead of this system. It will be a nice shock when that cold air comes in.
WHITFIELD: That's right. Maybe welcomed too. You can pull up the jackets.
JERAS: That's right.
WHITFIELD: Jacqui, thanks so much.
A little chill in the air, it's a good time to go a movie too. It's always good to go to a movie theater. We'll be joined by our movie critic to tell you whether it's worth your bucks to go to see the "Twilight" saga "Breaking Dawn Part One."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's my favorite one out of all of them, but I can't wait for the next part.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The dialogue is laughable. The movie could easily have been half an hour long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not really a regular movie. It's a worldwide social event. It's kind of like a movie on Facebook on steroids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK. We'll check in with our movie reviewer Grae Drake to see what she thinks about it next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, it's the weekend, so let's see what's playing at the movie theater. Our movie critic from Fandango and Movies.com joining us today. Good to see you, Grae. Let's talk about our first film, highly-anticipated, people are crazy about this whole "Twilight," you know, series. Let's take a look at "Breaking Dawn, Part One."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can this happen? Whoa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: OK, so you're shaking your head already, no. What? Right out of the gate?
GRAE DRAKE, FILM CRITIC, MOVIES.COM: Listen, starting out, OK, this movie has already made $70 million and it's just Saturday morning. So it will make like $150 million by the time the weekend is over, and no one is listening to what critics say. Now, having said that, if I wanted to watch a bunch of children staring at each other I would shop at Hot Topic more. This movie is awful.
WHITFIELD: Awful.
DRAKE: Boring. Boring.
WHITFIELD: What's missing?
DRAKE: Any kind of action whatsoever. It should have been good because this movie has the craziest plot points out of any of the stories. She gets impregnated by a vampire and there is a baby vampire growing in her tummy. The Wolf falls in love with the baby. There's a wedding. It's not because they are just small moments of action in a whole bunch of moments of inaction. And it's like a very special thing that "Twilight" has made happen where audiences are somehow like hypnotized by nothing happening at all.
WHITFIELD: Yet so far still a big hit. OK, but you didn't like it so something tells me. You'll give at it poor grade. What is it?
DRAKE: The reason I give it a D is because I liked her wedding dress. Otherwise I would have given it an f because it was breaking yawn. Boo.
WHITFIELD: Oh, no. Please tell me that "Happy Feet" put a smile on your face. "Happy Feet 2," the sequel.
DRAKE: It's penguin singing.
WHITFIELD: Let's watch a clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are my world entire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're beautiful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Only on the outside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Singing and talking. OK, did you like?
DRAKE: OK. The only reason I think that people liked the first "Happy Feet" because it's a bunch of cute penguins singing and dancing to pop songs.
WHITFIELD: And the storyline, too. I was a fan.
DRAKE: We'll agree to disagree. But there's something to it because they made a second.
And so like in the clip, Robin Williams is very funny and they have a lot of great chemistry these actors. My only problem with the movie it seemed like it wanted to be a ton of things and I didn't care about any of them. The only thing I cared about was a bizarre subplot with Matt Damon and Brad Pitt as Will and Bill the Krill.
(LAUGHTER)
DRAKE: They are little shrimp. And I am a huge fan of anything that makes me have an existential crisis and think of cocktail sauce at the same time.
WHITFIELD: Oh, no. You're not supposed to be thinking about eating when you're watching this. But go ahead.
DRAKE: There's something in this for everybody. The kids in the theaters seem to be entertained by it. And like I said, there's a lot of good chemistry between the actors. So for everyone who loved the first one, this is just more of the same. And for everybody that was a little on the fence, Will and Bill are my favorite Krill of 2011. Short list, but still.
WHITFIELD: What's your grade?
DRAKE: This one I gave a C. I thought it was completely average. And I know Will and Bill will get a spinoff and be ruined, but I'm enjoying them right now.
WHITFIELD: I'm sure the kids adore this, right?
DRAKE: Yes. They were laughing and yelling questions at their parents and they seemed very engaged.
WHITFIELD: That's sweet. Thanks so much, Grae Drake, keeping it real. We like that.
(LAUGHTER)
DRAKE: Bye, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much. Have a good holiday, too. Happy Thanksgiving. Remember you can get all of Grae's movie grades at Fandango and Movies.com.
Isaiah Washington was fired for making an offensive remark on the set of "Frey's Anatomy." But has it been easy for him to move on? (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Do you ever watch the show?
WASHINGTON: I peek in. I won't lie to you, because I love Sandra Oh.
WHITFIELD: What happens -- OK.
WASHINGTON: I see her with that Owen guy.
WHITFIELD: That was your counterpart, your love interest.
WASHINGTON: I would be lying to you. I just adore Sandra Oh.
WHITFIELD: Do you ever tune in and say I wish I was still there?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: My face to face interview with actor Isaiah Washington. "Face to Face" is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Time for a CNN = Politics update. We're keeping an eye on all the latest headlines at the CNNPolitics.com desk. And here's what's crossing right now. Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry is standing by his latest attacks ad which calls President Obama a socialist. The add claims Obama believes Americans are lazy, and it uses a video clip of the president saying quote "We have been a bit lazy." Critics say the ad takes the president's comments out of context.
Another GOP presidential hopeful, Newt Gingrich is going on the offensive against his attackers. His campaign set up a section of its website to respond to attacks against Gingrich. The aim according to the campaign to clear up or clarify Gingrich's stance on past issues.
And one more GOP candidate is making headlines for the people joining him on the campaign trail. Herman Cain now has secret service protection. He's the first Republican hopeful in this year's campaign to get it. Cain has received numerous unspecified threats against him.
And for the latest political news you know exactly where to go, CNNpolitics.com. And join us every Sunday afternoon at 4:00 eastern when we dedicate an entire hour to the presidential contenders in the 2012 election.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, time for a little viral action. It's usually a baby or an animal. And this time we got -- we got animals in this one again.
JERAS: And there's people.
WHITFIELD: The cutie pie moment involves the animals.
JERAS: It was nice to see people get involved.
WHITFIELD: Let's check it out. You got this gorgeous horse making friends with the little poochie, a French bulldog.
JERAS: Look, the dog is jumping circles.
WHITFIELD: The dog's name is Frenchy.
JERAS: It's a French bulldog.
WHITFIELD: Of course. What other name could you name a French bulldog than Frenchy. I love the horse is just so calm and at ease. He's a mounted horse. So they are trained to tolerate.
JERAS: I love that.
WHITFIELD: This one has gotten a million hits on YouTube. Folks are loving that. They like to see.
JERAS: Living things getting along.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. We got a lot straight ahead. Are you a big "Grey's Anatomy" fan?
JERAS: I'm OK with it.
WHITFIELD: You remember when it first started out and who some of the big stars were. Among them Isaiah Washington. You know he and "Gray's" parted way after an offensive comment got him kicked off that popular TV show. So does he have any regrets? His answer when he sits down with me face to fact, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Four years after actor Isaiah Washington was checked out of the hit television show "Grey's Anatomy" he has been far from sedentary. He says he's produced two movies, a documentary, and he's written a book. In "A Man from Another Land" Washington talks about that offensive remark in 2007 that got him fired. He opens up face to face with me about regret and renewal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Do you mind taking me back to that moment of when things started to unravel between you and "Grey's Anatomy"?
WASHINGTON: I talk about it in the book. I mean there's really different for me to continue to comment on it. I spoke candidly about it with Larry King on CNN.
I don't care what Patrick was doing. He comes in. Ready to go which is always Patrick. I said it was odd because everyone has been waiting you're late. I mentioned it to him. And I said if you were here 20 minutes ago you would have been able to shoot the scene and be on your way by now. He said I'm not late, I'm never late. I'm like, we're standing on here waiting for you for 20 minutes. He goes whatever and blows me off.
WHITFIELD: You did use the "f" word.
WASHINGTON: I used a lot of words.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Instead of using the "f" word in particular about someone's sexual orientation, in your way it was being used as a sign of weakness --
WASHINGTON: For me.
WHITFIELD: -- is how you interpreted.
WASHINGTON: For me. The other guy who got on the show, as I said again it was all about him. He wasn't even on the set. He wasn't even around.
WHITFIELD: It was never about you calling T.R. Knight the "F" word in reference to his sexual orientation?
WASHINGTON: Never. It's about people who have agendas and people who are insecure and people that listen with filtered ears and about people who want to hear what they want to hear.
WHITFIELD: So a lot of word took place here. You said you and Patrick Dempsey shook hands over it. Later --
WASHINGTON: It's been documented. "People" magazine heavily documented.
WHITFIELD: But then ultimately this would be the demise of you in "Grey's Anatomy."
WASHINGTON: Ten years after I played the main character on "Get on the Bus."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Few more handouts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A gay black Republican. Now I know I've seen everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You haven't seen much.
WASHINGTON: A lot of people got hurt, a lot of innocent fans, a lot of people still pining for Dr. Burke to come back. You have to look into that. I've been invited back. I was invited back. I got a call.
WHITFIELD: You didn't take them up on the offer?
WASHINGTON: Of course. WHITFIELD: You're not on the show anymore. And in large part you're not able to get the kind of work that you feel unfortunately at this point of your career you should be getting.
WASHINGTON: I couldn't get that kind of work before "Grey's Anatomy" and with the recession and the WGA strike. That's pretty cool. That's not it. Nobody was working. When was the last movie you saw Will Smith in? Cuba Gooding? It's just not there.
WHITFIELD: Do you think it's mostly because of the economy and less because of what happened to you?
WASHINGTON: Yes. I work all the time.
WHITFIELD: And your parting with "Grey's Anatomy"?
WASHINGTON: I work all the time. I just finished "Law and Order." I have two movies I produced myself. Dick Wolf pretty much wanted me to be in the show.
WHITFIELD: Do you feel like you've recovered, you're back to --
WASHINGTON: I don't think about it.
WHITFIELD: -- that point in your career where you were.
WASHINGTON: I don't think about it. You have to remember, I became an actor to change the world, to change the perception of what I thought was a negative for an African-American male.
WHITFIELD: You don't write of regret of any regrets as it pertains to the episode that helped end your relationship with "Grey's Anatomy." But I would love you to read what you were feeling and experiencing around that time. You write about --
WASHINGTON: What part?
WHITFIELD: -- what you were feeling.
WASHINGTON: "I was sleeping less than four hours a night filled with an indescribable level of anxiety. All I could do was operate as a human being. One minute at a time. I prayed constantly in between GLAAD meetings, writing and rewriting letters of apologies, filming PSAs, and dealing with what had become media insanity.
I was forced to pay thousands of dollars for quote "crisis management," end of quote. I was in big trouble. I was now considered a monster." You have this towering black man monster attacking this little cowering little human being because of his sexual orientation. That just is not true.
WHITFIELD: Do you ever watch the show?
WASHINGTON: I peek in. I won't lie to you, because I love Sandra Oh.
WHITFIELD: What happens -- OK. WASHINGTON: I see her with that Owen guy.
WHITFIELD: That was your counterpart, your love interest.
WASHINGTON: I would be lying to you. I just adore Sandra Oh.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Do you ever tune in and say I wish I was still there?
WASHINGTON: No.
WHITFIELD: You've moved on.
WASHINGTON: Oh, yes. Four years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Isaiah Washington is keeping busy. This weekend he's in Florida discussing his new book "A Man from Another Land." And you'll see him on the big screen soon in the movies "The Suspect" as well as the movie "Area W." coming up next hour his reawakening and new passion in West Africa.
Happening now this hour, lawmakers on a Congressional super committee are busy this weekend with a Wednesday deadline looming. They are trying to trim more than $1 trillion dollars from the federal deficit. Still no deal. If no agreement is reached it would trigger automatic across the board budget cuts. But those cuts don't kick in until 2013.
And 1,000 Detroit city workers face layoffs this holiday season. Mayor David Bing says the layoffs are necessary to make up the city's $45 million budget short fall. It could save the city about $14 million, but the mayor says he'll try to protect core services like police and fire.
And former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is fighting a treatable form of lung cancer. One of his sons describes how the family is handling the diagnosis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY PATERNO: It's pretty surreal. It's almost like the book of job. I'm not a bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination but job went from having everything to having nothing and it's not quite like that. To keep things in perspective, Joe said to me throughout this whole this is keep focus on the victims of this whole tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The NCAA is now investigating how Penn State handled the child rape allegations against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
