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Obama: Not Quick Fix for Economy; Outrage from Palestinians Follow Newt Gingrich Comments; Former FBI Agent Held Captive Heart- Wrenching for Family; Stocking Stuffer Gadgets Under $50; Jury Recommends Death Penalty; Virginia Tech Shooter Identified; Report: AAU Chief Molested Boys; Sex Abuse Charges and Families; The Impact Of Sexual Abuse; Top Apologies Of The Year; Eurozone Reaches Deal; CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute

Aired December 10, 2011 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Congress is still focused the payroll tax cuts. Democrats and Republicans have competing plans. President Barack Obama is pressing lawmakers to cut a deal. But even with that, he acknowledged to "CBS News," there's no quick fix for the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CO-HOST, "60 MINUTES": Did you over promise? Did you underestimate how difficult this was going to be?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I didn't overpromise and I didn't underestimate how tough this was going to be. I always believed that this was a long-term project. This wasn't a short-term project. And, you know, for individual Americans who are struggling right now, they have every reason to be impatient. Reversing structural problems in our economy that had been building up for two decades, that's going to take time. It's going to take more than a year. It's going take more than two years. It's going to take more than one term. It probably takes more than one president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Now more on that investigation out of Memphis. Sexual abuse allegations are surfacing against the head of the Amateur Athletic Union. Two men tell ESPN that Robert "Bobby" Dodd molested them back in the 1980s when they were playing on Dodd's AAU basketball team.

CNN George Howell is in Memphis. He joins us now live.

So, George, what more, if anything, is being said about these allegations?

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, we just got off the phone with police. They say there's an active investigation into the alleged actions of Robert "Bobby" Dodd, long-time president and CEO of the Amateur Athletic Union, which is one of the largest sports organizations in the country. Two men spoke out claiming they were sexually abused back in the 1980s by Dodd. One of them spoke anonymously to ESPN's "Outside the Lines." But Ralph West spoke out. He said he was sexually abused six times while a teenager. Listen to what he told "Outside the Lines."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RALPH WEST, ALLEGED MOLESTATION VICTIM: I was dead asleep and I don't remember anything but waking up and he has -- he's trying to put his hand in my boxer shorts. I jumped up straight out of bed and he's not there, but he's laying on the floor next to me down by the bed. And, of course, I was freaked out.

UNIDENTIFIED ESPN REPORTER: How did he get in the room?

WEST: He had a key. He always somehow had a key to whatever room I was in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: We are just starting to see bits and pieces of this story online. The full story is expected to air Sunday on ESPN.

Again, since this story broke, the AAU has confirmed that they contacted police, which have, again, started an investigation. And the AAU has also started its own investigation. Also naming a new interim president.

And new word today that we should get a video statement from the new interim president, Louis Stout. Again we're waiting to see if that happens today but we're told that Stout will say something about this situation that's unfolding here in Memphis -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Any reaction coming from Dodd and a location of him?

HOWELL: You know we took some time to check here in Memphis several different addresses. We also checked in Orlando where he apparently has a house provided by the AAU. But at this point, it's still unclear. Police say it's unclear his whereabouts -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: George Howell, thanks so much in Memphis.

Shock and outrage now from Palestinians following remarks from Republican presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich, in an interview with the Jewish Channel, U.S. Cable Network. He said quote, "Palestinians are an invented people."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, (R), FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I believe that the Jewish people have the right have a state and I believe that the commitments that were made at the time -- remember, there was no Palestine as a state. Part of the Ottoman Empire. I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people, who, in fact, are Arabs and are historically part of the Arab community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Gingrich's campaign is responding to the outcry with the following statement saying this, quote, "Gingrich supports a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians." The statement adds, "However" -- I'm quoting again. "However, to understand what is being proposed and negotiated, you have to understand decades of complex history."

The top Palestinian peace negotiator condemns Gingrich's comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, PALESTINIAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: It's a very, very wrong statement. It's a racist statement. And we condemn it with the strongest possible term. And such statements are really inciting for bloodshed of Muslims, Christians and Jews in that region, and we don't need such statements.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Let's bring in Ron Brownstein, senior CNN political analyst.

On this day of yet another debate, it's scheduled for this evening, Ron, you got Newt Gingrich making these comments. Did he just lose significant Republican support? He has been enjoying being a leader, according to some polls.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Not from the substance -- not from the substance of the comments. The Republican Party has moved to a very hard line in support of Israel, particularly of Benjamin Netanyahu. I don't think it's the substance.

But it's the style. With Newt Gingrich, this is part of what you get. Whether the criticism is aimed at left, when he talked Hillary Clinton the enemy of, quote, "normal Americans," or right when he termed Paul Ryan's Medicare plan right-wing social engineering. and I think part of the issue that Republicans will be dealing with is, although Gingrich is a very smart person and has thought about a lot about a lot issues, he tends to express him else flamboyantly and in a volatile way. This is just another example of that. I think it will go the question they will ask, is this someone they are comfortable with as a nominee and as a potential president in terms of their temperament.

WHITFIELD: So, not only are those remarks, I guess, getting quite the reaction, but perhaps even his explanation or his campaign's explanation is also inciting some reaction. His campaign saying that Gingrich does back a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. And the camp says no apology will be made for this remark.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes. Well, you know, if Gingrich was to apologize for every incendiary remark he's made in his career, he would be dividing his time evenly between remarks and apologies. His position, what he's saying -- again, as often there, on the other side here, this position is in tune with what's been the position of successive U.S. government, you know, on negotiating a two-state solution. Now whether we actually -- you know, whether it's not just waiting for progress for that is another question.

As I said, on substance, you know, the overall tenor of his remarks, placing the blame on the impasse on the Palestinians and leaving open the door for a two-state resolution is broadly within the framework of the Republican think but with Gingrich, as is often the case, it's the way he does something that raises as many sparks as what he does.

WHITFIELD: How do you suppose this may redirect conversations this evening at the scheduled debate in Iowa?

BROWNSTEIN: I think it will point the issue very directly toward his temperament. The biggest question he faces, within a Republican context -- the general election is very different from the questions potentially. But in a Republican primary, the biggest question is about his capacity for executive leadership and whether he has the kind of the skills and, again, the temperament and stability to be the leader of the free world.

You have to remember that he was out as House speaker after only four years. It wasn't Democrats who evicted him, it was Republicans. He was a tremendously effective guerilla leader, leading the Republicans from the wilderness to take their first House majority in 40 years in 1994. But once he was put in charge of something, it was actually a great deal of turmoil in the House. And you have many House members who served in that period, Republicans, who are among the sharpest critics of the idea of Gingrich being either nominee or the president.

WHITFIELD: Ron Brownstein, thank you for your insight.

BROWNSTEIN: Fredricka, thank you.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk more about that scheduled debate this evening in Des Moines, Iowa. Our Rachel Streitfeld is there with a preview of what's expected.

We know that some of the questions are being redesigned and re- crafted, as we speak, as a result of what Newt Gingrich has said. What now about the format of this debate this evening?

RACHEL STREITFELD, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Sure. Fredricka, when those six GOP candidates take the stage tonight, all eyes will be on Newt Gingrich. And I think we'll all be waiting to see how long the other candidates take before they start going after him.

Gingrich is coming in to this debate on a high. He's got solid support in several of the early voting states. And he's credited that success to his performance in previous debates.

So, of course, we'll all be looking at Mitt Romney. His front-runner status has been threatened by Gingrich. Romney has not been attacking Gingrich lately. It will be interesting to see if that happens tonight.

Important to note, those two men, who many people see as the front- runners in the race, they're seeing as a two-man race. They will be standing in the center of the stage right next to each other.

There also Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Paul has not been shy about going after Gingrich. He's called him a flip-flopper and he says he's not a true conservative. Those two know each other from their time spent in the House together. We'll see if he repeated those claims tonight -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Rachel Streitfeld, thanks so much.

All right, he disappeared in Iran. Now he may be in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Stay with us for the latest on the search for a missing former FBI agent.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Checking international headlines now. Argentina's president Christina Fernandez begins her second term. She was sworn in today. Fernandez is not only Argentina's first female president, she's also the first female Latin American president ever to win re- election.

Panama's foreign ministry said the former dictator, Manuel Noriega, will be extradited from France tomorrow. They are working to guarantee his safety in a Panamanian prison. They want Noriega to face charges there.

A Syrian group says a prominent doctor is dead as violence flares again today. Security forces reportedly killed at least 60 people across the country. Amateur video showed gunfire Friday as mourners tried to bury the dead. The U.N. says over 4,000 people have died during the eight month government crackdown.

A former FBI agent, missing for years, pleading for his life on a recently released videotape. A heart-wrenching case for his family and a story with more questions than answers.

CNN's Jill Daugherty reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DAUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the video --

ROBERT LEVINSON, HOSTAGE & FORMER FBI AGENT: I've been held here for three and a half years.

DAUGHERTY: -- a gaunt, bearded Robert Levinson pleads for help.

LEVINSON: I'm not in very good health. I am running very quickly out of diabetes medicine. I have been treated well. I need the help of the United States government to answer the requests of the group that has held me for three and a half years. CHRISTINE LEVINSON, WIFE OF ROBERT LEVINSON: When I saw it I was very sad to see him looking the way he does. However, at the same time, I was happy to learn that he was alive.

DAUGHERTY: Christine Levinson, his wife of 37 years, mother of their seven children, tells CNN the family received the video a year ago and finally decided to post it on their family web site, along with a new plea to release him.

DAVID LEVINSON, SON OF ROBERT LEVINSON: We need to know what you want our family to do so my father can come home safely. We will do everything we can within our power to bring him home.

DAUGHERTY: Who sent it? Who is holding him? Christine Levinson still doesn't know.

CHRISTINE LEVINSON: Since we've received that video, we've tried to get in touch with the group that is holding Bob. Unfortunately, we have not received any response from them. And we feel that this is a way to try and reach them with our plea and the video to get them to let us know what the family needs to do to get Bob home alive and quickly.

DAUGHERTY: 63-year-old Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent-turned- private investigator, disappeared in March 2007 from Iran, where it's believed he was investigating cigarette smuggling. For years, there were almost no leads. Iran's government claimed it was not holding him and did not know where he was.

Then last year, the family received what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described as proof of life. In March, CNN was told some discussions with Iran were being held about Levinson.

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We continue to welcome any hope that the Iranian government can provide in determining Mr. Levinson's welfare and whereabouts.

DAUGHERTY: The State Department says it's still in the dark.

UNIDENTIFIED STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We're not in a position to confirm even where he is, and what we have said, and the FBI have said. What the secretary said it in March is that we've received indications that he's being held captive in southwest Asia.

DAUGHERTY: Christine Levinson tells CNN she believes her husband is still alive.

Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said he's willing to try to help find Levinson. And Mrs. Levinson hopes he follows through on that. But with U.S./Iranian relations more strained than ever, the prospects for that seem even more bleak.

Jill Daugherty, CNN, the State Department.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Did you wake up in time to see it? A total lunar eclipse wash visible in certain U.S. cities this morning? That story is coming up next.

And winter officially begins on December 22nd. For those of you thinking about escaping the cold, "Travel & Leisure" magazine named the best cities for winter travel. The top picks in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: With the winter travel season approaching, "Travel & Leisure" magazine has named the best places to travel for winter. Coming in third, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Arizona. Spend time golf, shopping, relaxing at the spa in the metro area. Coming in at second, Honolulu, Hawaii. Great for couples, families, because of the weather, of course, obviously. And great outdoor activities, always so pretty, and the surfing. And claiming the top spot, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Stellar deals and a big dose of sunshine boosted to it the top spot.

OK. So folks in some western U.S. cities got a chance to view the celestial wonder this morning, a total lunar eclipse. The moon passed through the earth's shadow about 6:00 a.m. pacific time. This is video of the eclipse in Seattle. So they don't care about those other top-three spots. They are in the best spot because they got to see the total lunar eclipse.

How cool is that?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Very. You had to get up at 6:00 in the morning to actually able to see it. Unfortunately, those of us on the east coast kind of got gypped.

(CROSSTALK)

JERAS: We didn't get to see it. It was too light here to see it. Of course, a total eclipse happens when you got the moon, the earth and then the sun. The earth is sandwiched in between and catches that nice shadow.

This is the second one, by the way in this calendar year. There was another one in June. Once again, nobody on the east coast --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: I missed that one.

JERAS: Nobody in North America got to see it.

This one was cool. What makes this cool, because the timing of this, the moon was setting, the sun was rising. So the window was very small. About 51 minutes that people were actually able to see this thing. Because of that, you could actually see the moon and sun at the same time for a very brief period. You might be saying, wait a minute. If they are lined up. how could that happen? It has to do with refraction. As the moon sets, it appears larger in the sky. So this looked like a super lunar eclipse to people.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. What a treat.

JERAS: It is. The picture we're seeing here -- we have pictures from China and also picture from Japan. They saw it better in eastern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and then the west coast of the United States. If you lived in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Phoenix, you know, skies were clear, things looked absolutely beautiful. You could see this in Denver as well. It was just the east coast didn't get a shot.

WHITFIELD: Wow. A good part of the world getting a wonderful view.

JERAS: I know. Thanks to things like CNN and the Internet --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: If you were at the wrong place, you get to see it on videotape. Sometimes that's the next best thing. Well, it is the next best thing sometimes.

JERAS: It is, yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thank you.

So, a new survey has found why most Americans go online. Do you think it's to meet a Mr. or a Ms? Is it to shop? Find clothes? The answer in a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So why do you think most Americans go online? A new report finds most Americans surf the web for no particular reason at all, just for something to do. 58 percent say they use the Internet to simply pass the time or have fun.

So with Christmas just two weeks away, we continue our hi-tech gift guides for the holidays. This week, we have stocking stuffer gadgets, all for under $50.

Joining us via Skype, technology analyst and syndicated writer, Marc Salsman.

Good to see you.

Let's start with the iPod Shuffle for $49. Under the 50 mark. Why that?

MARC SALTZMAN, SYNDICATED TECHNOLOGY WRITER: Yes. So I like this M.P.-3 player for a couple of reasons. Of course, it synchronizes smoothly with iTunes. Once you connect to it your P.C. or Mac, anything you have in your library gets copied over like music and podcasts and audio books. It's intuitive to use. Plus, the main reason is that on the head phone jack that it comes with, there's a little button, when you press the button, it will tell the name of the song you're listening to. It's a female-like voice. Kind of like Siri, which is in the new iPhone. I want will tell the name of the song, the artist. Press and pause on the cord. You get a lot of bang for your buck under 50 bucks. This is a little money clip-like attachment so you can put it on your clothes if you are fit. If you're active, you want to go hands-free.

WHITFIELD: Amazing. Speak being of music, $20 speaker? It can stick to anything? How is the quality on that?

SALTZMAN: Yes. It's decent. This is what it looks like. Called the Rocket 2.0. Tiny little speaker. I'll put it up here. You attach one end to your M.P.-3 player or your Smartphone or tablet. The other end, a cap comes off and you can pull it a little bit. And it actually sticks to any surface. It uses vibration technology to have sound come out of your desk, out of a cereal box or, in this case, a cup. I'm going to press play on the music. You won't hear anything right now because it's not connected to anything. But check this out.

(MUSIC)

SALTZMAN: Connected to a cup and you can actually hear music.

WHITFIELD: Mega phone. Oh, my goodness. How clever. The hits keep coming.

SALTZMAN: Great stocking stuffer. 20 bucks. And get that at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Called Rocket 2.0.

WHITFIELD: Next up, a webcam for high-definition video calling.

SALTZMAN: Right. So similar to what we're using right now for this live call, between the U.S. and Canada, the Microsoft Life Cam 3,000. H.D. web camera capable of 720P video quality. So better video quality than probably your webcam has now, including the one that may be built into your laptop already. It's a USB-based webcam. Plug it into an available USB port, your desk top, notebook, and you're good to go. It has a sensitive microphone and also an ideal web camera for low light situations. Kids in dorm rooms, while they are studying, they can chat with their friends late at night. And you can have a multi-person conference call, if you will, over Skype. So that one is 39.99 for the H.D.-3,000 Life Cam.

WHITFIELD: For those who have not gone wireless at home yet, you have something that's rather enticing.

SALTZMAN: Yes. May not be the sexiest of gadgets but it's a wireless router. Whether you don't have one yet or ready for an upgrade, this is from Cisco. This is from Linksys Wireless Router # 1200. You have wireless connectivity in your home. Let's face it, no shortage of devices that go on the Internet wirelessly now from your TV to video game system, eBook reader and Smartphone. Even the Nintendo 3-Ds are Wi-Fi. This has the latest technology. So it can support more devices at the same time. And it's got faster speeds and broader range, so you can even surf the web while you're outside on your back patio or front porch. And that one is for 49.99, and that's Linksys E 1200.

WHITFIELD: Finally, some ways to personalize your favorite gadgets. In what way?

SALTZMAN: A company called Gello Skins. For $15 to $20, you can attach this to your favorite devices. These are high-quality skins to affix to your favorite device. This is for tablets and eBook readers. This is one for the back of your laptop. Just to give you some personality.

Speaking of tablet, I love this guy. This is called the iGuy from Speck. This is a kid-friendly -- isn't that cute?

WHITFIELD: That is cute.

SALTZMAN: It stands up on its own but it's a foam case to protect your iPad. And kids can watch video on it because it stands up on its own two legs. It's 39.95 from Speck.

WHITFIELD: Marc Saltzman, great ideas, great stocking stuffers. Thanks so much for that.

For more on hi-tech ideas and reviews, go to CNN.com/tech, and look for the gaming and gadgets tab. You'll find lots of information there.

Child sexual abuse is a devastating thing for victims and it's devastating for the families of the abuser as well. We have one woman's story, in her own words.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Time to look at some top stories now.

A jury recommends the death penalty for the man convicted of killing a mother and her two daughters back in 2007. Joshua Komisarjevsky was found guilty in October of killing the Petits and setting their house in Connecticut on fire. William Petit survived the brutal attack. He says, quote, "we believe justice has been served."

They gathered last night for a candlelight vigil at Virginia Tech. A campus police officer was shot and killed there Thursday. State police say, 22-year-old Ross Truit Ashley killed the officer before turning the gun on himself.

They are still looking for a motive in the shooting. More than four and a half years ago, 33 people died in a mass shooting on that same campus.

A new child sex abuse allegation involving a sports figure surfacing today, this time against the head of the Amateur Athletic Union.

Two men tell ESPN that Robert Bobby Dodd molested them back in the 1980s when they were playing on Dodd's AAU basketball team. Police in Memphis, Tennessee have opened an investigation.

One of the men tells Reuters news agency that Dodd drugged him and offered him $1,000 for oral sex. No comment from Dodd who is battling colon cancer. The Robert Dodd investigation is only the latest child sex allegation to hit the athletic world. It started with charges against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Dottie Sandusky said this week, his wife, that she continues to believe in the innocence of her husband. Jerry Sandusky has not been tried yet, but it's not unusual for abusers' families to remain in denial even after the alleged abuser has been convicted.

This next story may not be appropriate for all audiences, CNN's Julie Peterson spoke with one sexual predator's ex-wife.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

"JANE," EX-WIFE OF SEXUAL OFFENDER: He was arrested for soliciting minors on the internet.

JULIE PETERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jane's nightmare started eight years ago with a phone call from jail. It was her husband. He'd been arrested in a shopping mall preparing to meet an underage young girl he'd met online instead of a young girl though it was the FBI.

He was indicted on five counts and pleaded guilty to one charge, transferring obscenity over the internet to a minor. We've changed her name and hidden her face because she wants to protect her daughters.

JANE: He spent 18 months in a federal prison and then six weeks in a halfway house after that.

PETERSON (on camera): And you stuck with him, didn't you?

JANE: I did.

PETERSON: Why?

JANE: I was terrified of being alone. I had a 10-year-old child and a 1-year-old at the time of his arrest, and no job. I was a stay-at- home mom.

PETERSON (voice-over): Jane continued to hope her husband would be rehabilitated.

JANE: There was a lot of shame that I didn't want to face. I stayed in that place of denial that there was a possibility of anything else.

PETERSON (on camera): How long did you stay in that place of denial?

JANE: The whole 18 months he was in prison until about two months after he returned home and then I started to wake up.

PETERSON (voice-over): She left her husband and moved in with family.

JANE: I never experienced such a low. I felt, I felt awful about myself. How could I have fallen in love with this? How I could have not seen it?

PETERSON: Psychologist Julie Medlin runs a large practice that treat offenders and written a book about protecting children from predators.

DR. JULIE MEDLIN, PSYCHOLOGIST: It's very hard for women when their husband or boyfriend has been accused of sexual abuse because the woman wants to believe that their husband is telling the truth.

PETERSON: Medlin says it's confusing for people to accept that there's been a secret area hidden for such a long time.

MEDLIN: Child molesters can seem so normal in every other area of their lives except for this one area, which is the sexual deviancy on the sexual problem.

PETERSON: The six-year marriage ended in divorce. Jane says her ex- husband now out of prison still has excuses.

JANE: I didn't do it. No, I'm not sexually attracted to children.

PETERSON: As Jane looks back, she says she missed red flags along the way.

JANE: Checking my e-mail and there's a pop up that comes up on his computer and so I looked in the history of the computer, and there were horrifically disgusting pornographic sites there.

I asked him about it and he blamed it on a friend who had been visiting. He'd been staying at work late, longer than normal trips out of town.

PETERSON (on camera): Why were those things happening?

JANE: I thought he was having an affair, but apparently what was happening was he was online at the office.

PETERSON: So is he still doing it now?

JANE: I don't know. It wouldn't surprise me. It terrifies me. Not for me and my children any more, but for anybody else that he could hurt. I believe that's a possibility.

PETERSON (voice-over): At 42, Jane is optimistic about her future. Her advice to other --

JANE: Trust your gut because those red flags pop for a reason. Trust it.

PETERSON: Julie Peterson, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Next hour, a woman who was sexually abused by her stepfather tells her story. Each state has its own statute of limitations for these kinds of crimes. We'll talk about why it is so hard in some cases to prosecute. In New England, police swept through an "Occupy Boston" campsite early this morning. According to the "New York Times," 46 people were arrested in what was mostly a peaceful eviction. Boston's mayor says safety was the primary motivation for that action.

What were the biggest apologies the year. Josh Levs has them. You're going help us look back at the year. There's been so much content on so many levels. You need to remind us.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this one is a heck of a list. The apologies the year that's where we're going to take a look at. There's entertainer, major business figures. They have some of the biggest gaps and apologies this year, but in the end what was the number one Mea Culpa of 2011? I'll have it right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Don't you love this time of the year when you get to look back at the whole year? It's kind of the big stories, the latest gaffes. How about the top ten apologies the year?

It's a list like no other. Comedians, top government figure and business tycoon and Josh Levs has been sorting through all it to help us remember the year.

I can't believe it. It was so hard for me to try to remember some of the moments the year until you gave me a little --

LEVS: Yes, we were chatting about it. OK, so here's what I like at the end of the year list because some people say they're (inaudible) to do this. I like these because it's a chance to stop and take stock.

It makes us realize, when you see this list it makes you realize all these things that have happened in the past 12 months. It has dominated the news cycle a lot of days. So what we have is this list from "Time" where they put together the top five apologies the year.

At number five, this is the quote, "I didn't mean it from the bottom of my heart, I apologize to everybody" and that was comedian, Tracey Morgan at that stand up performance in which he said that if his son was gay, he would stab him. He then apologized in a statement. And then a few weeks later, he apologized again during a meeting with the organization Glad.

Number four on the list top apologies, a little more complicated. This one brings us over to Japan. After the earthquake and the tsunami, in Fukushima Prefecture, triggered this nuclear crisis there, so the Japan's minister of trade and industry called that a town of death.

According to the "New York Times" jokingly rubbed his sleeve against a reporter saying look out radiation as though it was OK to joke. He ended up resigning. He stepped down. Obviously, a lot of people were upset about the way he spoke about that. Let's go to number three now. The number three apology can be sum summarized one word, Netflix. The company angered customers when they announced they would prices and split its live streaming and DVD services.

As CEO Ray Hastings posted this message, he said, quote, "I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation. Netflix reversed their decision."

Number two now, which was Rupert Murdoch after, you know, all the news surrounding his media empire "News of the World" after it was revealed the tabloid had been involved in phone hacking messages. Take a look at something he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUPERT MURDOCH, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, NEWSCORP: I'm the founder of the company. I was appalled to find out what happened. I apologize. I have nothing nor say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: There you go. He said he apologized and nothing more to say.

And finally, here it is, Fred. According to "Time" magazine the number one apology of the year, I think if you are trying to guess at home, you probably guessed it right. Here it is, folks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPRESENTATIVE ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: I apologize. I apologize to many other members of the media that I misled. I apologize first and foremost to my wife and to my family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Congressman Anthony Weiner after admitting he had sent sexually explicit messages and photos to various women online. I got the whole list for you. A lot more at my pages, cnn.com/josh. Feel free to weigh in.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's been one heck of a year. That's just the list of apologies.

LEVS: Maybe some people are thinking about the apologies that didn't happen. If you want to weigh in on that, let us know.

WHITFIELD: OK, very good. Thanks so much, Josh.

LEVS: You got it.

WHITFIELD: All right, European leaders have come out with their latest plan to contain the debt crisis. Is it enough? We'll talk it over next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Europe's debt crisis threatens the entire global economy. European Union leaders created an intergovernmental treaty this week aimed at stabilizing the Eurozone. But will it be enough? Christine Romans breaks it down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Many European leaders agreed to create a new governmental treaty this week in an effort to stabilize the Eurozone.

Richard Quest is there. You're in Brussels where the meetings took place. Is there a feeling there that this will actually help solve the Europe's debt crisis in a meaningful way, Richard?

RICHARD QUEST, HOST, CNN INTERNATIONAL'S "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": If you look at what they decided on the core question, Christine, of the financial crisis as strengthening the bailout fund, lending money to the IMF so they could lend it back again, doing all those sort of things then they may just have bought themselves some time.

The general view here is it may not be the big bazooka of the ECB, the European Central Bank coming in to do things, but it was the best they were able to get. The bigger, more serious and difficult question, of course, is the longer term reform of the euro.

ROMANS: We've already, Gillian, established that it's a huge head wind to the United States. I mean, no question. I mean, the treasury secretary is there right now. Not here.

Is there anything President Obama and Congress can be doing at home right now, Gillian, to better position the U.S. to deal with the potential fallout from Europe?

GILLIAN TETT, SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES: Well, I think there are three key things that they should be about. Firstly, it is very important that the U.S. gets behind the IMF right now.

And actually shows that the IMF can play a very important role in helping sort out the Eurozone mess. That's tough for a lot of congress members to agree, but it's important.

Secondly, it is very important that they reopen discussion about fiscal stability and about measures to deal with American debt problems. Otherwise, you can guarantee the next year that will be a lot of discussion about whether the U.S. had heading in the same direction and, say, Greece, or something like that.

Thirdly, these issues to do with the payroll tax reforms, stimulus questions, I mean, if the U.S. economy is softening and the data in recent days has been mixed, then it is going to be very important that the folks in Washington show that they can actually take the initiative and provide some type of reassurance at a time so many consumers and businesses are feeling very scared.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Top stories are straight ahead, and we'll tell you what these three women did to earn the Nobel Peace Prize.

All right, Jacqui Jeras with me now. Holiday season, just a few weeks away. It's kind of under two weeks away. Can you believe it.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, two weeks after tomorrow I think, right?

WHITFIELD: Incredible. People are really in the holiday spirit, no matter where you are around the globe.

JERAS: In that final stretch.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Interesting viral videos, this one in particular that if you're not in the holiday spirit --

JERAS: This will do it.

WHITFIELD: I like it.

JERAS: It is. It is very entertaining, exciting and brings a tear to your eye.

WHITFIELD: Let's look.

JERAS: That is so cute to have these British Navy or the Royal Navy members, right? Men and women.

JERAS: They are so excited. They are headed their way back home for the holiday season.

WHITFIELD: And a little homage to Mariah Carey too. She said this made her day.

JERAS: They were on the ship, the "HSM Ocean" for seven months. They were only supposed to be on it for seven weeks. I want to say they are a little excited to come home.

WHITFIELD: So cute. Yes, makes you happy.

JERAS: Very creative with interesting little motif there. After seven months, that's true.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. Have a little fun with that viral video.

We are also counting down to the hours of this year's CNN's Heroes: All-Star Tribute. You know, that's tomorrow. Finally, it's right around the corner. A behind the scenes look at the big extravaganza for tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: We are just hours away from tomorrow night's CNN Heroes, An All-Star Tribute. The show honors those who go above and beyond to make the world a better place.

A.J. Hammer, host of HLN's "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" will co-host a special preview show and he's joining us right now from the Shrine Auditorium where they are trying to put those final special touches on before the red carpet is rolled out -- A.J.

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, it's all coming together. If you look over my shoulder here, the staging is getting in place. All trusses are going up. The red carpet is going to be rolled out this afternoon.

It's a gorgeous day here in Southern California. The good vibes are surrounding us all around. We have so many celebrities showing up to honor our Top Ten CNN Heroes honorees.

But of course, the real stars of the night are our Top Ten honorees. One guy who knows all about that, somebody who, anyone who paid attention or has been around CNN Heroes before, knows this man, knows your face, knows your story.

The great Dock Henley, one of our honorees from 2009. We can't keep him away. We are actually really excited you're here with us this year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm actually honored to be here.

HAMMER: Doc's program has brought sustainable drinking water systems to close to 100,000 people around the world. In fact, Doc, I my understanding is that by the end of the year you will hit the hundred thousand mark.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

HAMMER: Before CNN Heroes, you were in four countries, which was incredible to begin with. Since CNN Heroes you expanded to 12 with no signs of slowing down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has given us such a platform. I tell you. Even just one month after the Heroes show in 2009, we raised the same amount of funding as we did the entire year before that.

And then last year in 2010, we basically doubled in size again and this year, we're hoping to double in size again, and it is all because of the Heroes platform. It is phenomenal.

HAMMER: Well, it's because people are moved to want to help -- they're moved to action just like you were. You'll watch CNN Heroes. You will want to help out. People will want to volunteer with various organizations or perhaps even donate.

Right now, anybody can go to cnn.com to donate even a dollar, $10. Google is waving all of the fees and even $1 makes a difference Doc is the first to tell you that. But we're putting him to work this weekend, which is really cool.

You've been hanging around backstage behind the scenes. We are going to see all that with the back stage pass tomorrow. Tell me about some of what you have seen and what you have spoken with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been a phenomenal day and crazy day. I just had an interview with Will. I.M., which is amazing and everything he says sounds like rhythmic and like really, really cool.

It was just awesome to interview him and hear what he had to say. But so many kind words about the show itself and why he wants to be involved. Just things like that. I'm like, why am I here? It's crazy.

HAMMER: We will check out all of your back stage action tomorrow. All day long it's going to be on the CNN back stage pass.

And of course, Fred, once again at 7 p.m. Eastern, it's "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," at CNN Heroes, the red carpet special leading up to the big event when CNN names its hero of the year. Anderson Cooper is hosting the CNN All-Star tribute at 8:00 Eastern. I can't wait. You're excited. We're all excited.

WHITFIELD: I'm excited too. I can't wait. All right, thanks so much, guys.