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Romney Makes His Case; Democrats Gear Up For Convention; Surprise Speaker Gets Laughs; Alleged Killer's Last Minute Call; Call Before Colorado Shooting; Eastwood talks To Empty Chair; Paul Ryan Campaigns in Virginia; Bill Nye Says Parents Stop Teaching Kids God Created Earth; Wall Street Waits All Week to Hear from Bernanke; David Koch Responds to Democrats, Obama Campaign; More Hollywood Heavy Weights Coming Out for Republicans in Left-Leaning Hollywood

Aired August 31, 2012 - 13:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux. This hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, Mitt Romney heads to flooded coast of Louisiana after making the most important speech of his political career.

And Clint Eastwood makes some laugh, others cringe at the RNC.

And Isaac spreads more misery now heading to the Midwest. I want to get right to it.

Mitt Romney back on the campaign trail today after accepting his party's presidential nomination and delivering the biggest speech of his life. At last night's Republican convention, Romney focused on what he calls the disappointment of the Obama presidency.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hope and change had a powerful appeal, but tonight, I ask a simple question, if you felt that excitement when you voted for Barack Obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he's President Obama? You know there is something wrong with the kind of job he has done as president when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Romney also took a page from Ronald Reagan's playbook when Reagan asked if people were better off than they were four years earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: This president can ask us to be patient. This president can tell us it was someone else's fault. This president can tell us that the next four years, he'll get it right. But this president cannot tell us that you are better off today than when he took office.

Now is the moment when we can stand up and say, I'm an American. I make my destiny. We deserve better. My children deserve better. My family deserves better. My country deserves better. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Political Editor Paul Simon is now joining us from Charlotte, North Carolina. As for the Democrats, they're going to be meeting next week. Paul, you're already ahead of the game there. You've left Tampa behind, you're moving on. But obviously, Romney and Paul Ryan, they want to see if they've got a bump here out of the convention. They're heading to battleground states, Florida and Virginia here. How did they assess how things happened and how they went over the last four days?

PAUL SIMON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you are absolutely right. What their strategy now is to take the momentum they think they got coming out of the convention in Tampa and to build on it. And as you said, they're hitting battleground states, they did it immediately, Suzanne. A big rally in Lakeland, Florida, just about an hour northeast of Tampa. You saw Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan at that rally earlier this morning. We took a little bit of it live at CNN. They unveiled their new campaign claims (ph). And Mitt Romney hit a theme that he was hitting last night at the convention as well, accountability. Take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: We want to be held accountable for the promises we made last night and the night before. Paul Ryan and I both spoke to the American people about what we'll do if we become president and vice president. And I contrast that with what the president said four years ago when he was candidate Barack Obama. He got up and made a number of promises in Denver with the Greek columns behind him. He doesn't remind us of the Greek columns, because he said he would cut the deficit in half. Measure him on that. How did that work out? He doubled the deficit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: As you mentioned, they are taking the show on the road. Paul Ryan will be in the battleground state of Virginia this afternoon. Both Ryan and Romney in the crucial battleground state of Ohio tomorrow and they're right back in Florida tomorrow afternoon -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Paul, we're hearing kind of a familiar refrain there, talking about the president not fulfilling certain campaign promises or promises that he made as president. But is Romney giving any more specifics to his own plan to turn the economy around?

SIMON: We heard a little bit out of the speech last night. You know, once again, he went through his five-part plan of how he would fix the economy. So, yes, they're giving a couple -- a little more taste -- a little more bites of what they would do. And then, of course, the campaign says they have put out their full plan already. So, we're hearing more of that on the campaign trail. And, of course, Suzanne, the big news, today, of course, is where Mitt Romney is right now. In fact, he just landed in the last half hour in Louisiana, and he will be touring some of the storm damaged areas with Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana. I asked the Romney campaign how this came about, they said, Jindal invited Romney to go down with them and tour the areas so it would maybe give more attention to more people to help those in need. Suzanne, and, of course, we've also learned just in the last hour, that President Obama will be going to Louisiana himself on Monday to tour some of the damaged areas -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Paul, has anybody brought up the question or the issue, because this often happens where if you've got a whole entourage, you've got secret service going to an area that has been recently been hit by a hurricane. You can kind of get in the way of some of the progress and some of the things that need to happen to get people back into their homes and on to their lives. Is that something that the Romney campaign has even addressed here? Because we know the president, you know, he does this kind of thing, he's going to do it on Monday. Do they really need to have all of these people in Louisiana?

SIMON: Well, good point, good point. In fact, that's what the White House -- the Obama campaign and the White House is saying that's why they are waiting until Monday. Of course, they travel a little bit larger than the Romney campaign. The Romney campaign pointing out that this trip to Louisiana is a very small one, it's just Mitt Romney. It's not Paul Ryan and they're going with a much smaller, smaller group. Again, though, they say they were invited by Jindal. They didn't ask to go, they say they were invited by Jindal -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Yes. And interestingly enough, Governor Jindal was invited to go to the RNC. He was going to be a big part of that. He was not able to because of the hurricane, so, obviously, he'll have some sort of part in being seen with governor -- with Mitt Romney, rather. Tell us what -- looking ahead here, the Democrats have on their schedule, what they got planned, because we'll be there in just a couple days.

SIMON: You got it. The -- of course, I'm in downtown Charlotte here. It all gets under way on -- some of it gets underway Monday with the some festivities, but the main convention gets underway Tuesday. The big speakers that night, first lady Michelle Obama and San Antonio mayor Julian Castro will be giving the keynote address. On Wednesday, the speech a lot of people were anticipating, former president Bill Clinton.

And then, on Thursday, of course, Joe Biden, the Vice President, and President Barack Obama with their re-nomination speeches. Some of the themes here this week -- next week you're going to hear, they're going to be counting the president's accomplishments over the last three and a half years, a lot of personal stories about how the president, his policies have helped people. You're going to hear a lot about that. But, of course, the big thing is they're going to be saying that we, the Democrats, are reaching out and trying to help the middle class, and they're going to try to say that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, the Republicans, are not looking out for the middle class. I think you're going to hear a lot of that next week right here in Charlotte -- Suzanne. MALVEAUX: All right, it looks like it's a lot drier in charlotte than it was in Tampa. I will see you in a couple of days, Paul. Good to see you.

The Republican National Convention was very disciplined. Scripted down to the minute, pretty much according to plan. And then came the make my day moment from Clint Eastwood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: So I've got -- I've got Mr. Obama sitting here, and he's -- I just was going the ask him a couple of questions. I mean, what do you say to people? Do you just -- you know, I know people are wondering, you don't -- you don't have it? OK. I wondered about, you know, when the -- what do you want me to tell Romney? I can't tell him to do that. He can't do that to himself. You are crazy. You are absolutely crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Clint Eastwood talking to an invisible President Obama. The crowd was laughing. They were also cringing, too. Is this what the Republicans expected when they brought Clint Eastwood on stage? We're going to find out.

And the Democratic national convention kicks off Tuesday. We'll be live there -- live in Charlotte, North Carolina to cover the speakers, the party's high-profile guests, and, of course, all politics.

Here is what we've got going on for this hour.

(voice-over): More than 800,000 homes and businesses are without power as Isaac moves into the Midwest. We'll take a look at the damage the storm caused along the Gulf Coast.

Bill Nye the science guy questions parents who teach their kids creationism instead of evolution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL NYE: If you want to deny evolution and live in your world that's completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And we've learned the man accused in the Colorado theater shooting tried to reach out to university faculty members just minutes before the attack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Even as Isaac, now a tropical depression, moves through the Midwest, damage estimates now are rolling in. They are pretty staggering. If you'll take a look at this, the storm which made landfall Tuesday as a category one hurricane, already has caused already $700 million in insured losses. It doesn't even include flood damage. The New Orleans airport, it has now reopened, but more than 600,000 in four states have no power. Hundreds of homes are still flooded. Our Brian Todd found out that some people are still sticking it out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Billy Nungesser has little time and way too much water to cover. The Plaquemines Parish president is on the second day of a search mission trying to find anyone stranded from a massive flood surge. We ride with him in a convoy of airboats, one of few ways to reach the residents isolated by floodwater. In the tiny town of Irontown, complete devastation, houses inundated by not only water, but a grassy, muddy sludge. A rescuer says they got three people out of this house during the storm.

(on camera): In places like this, rescue officials tell us that what they are looking for are signs of people on the roofs unless they're incapacitated, they say, they'll come out and let you know they are there.

(voice-over): This was all triggered by the overtopping of a levee during Hurricane Isaac. Nungesser believes about a 30-mile stretch of that levee is under water, meaning he and his teams may have to cover about 60 square miles of engulfed villages and he's already exhausted.

(on camera): What have you got in here?

BILLY NUNGESSER, PRESIDENT, PLAQUEMINES PARISH: It's unbelievable, deja vu, man. This is unbelievable.

TODD: You've been through the oil spill, you've been through Katrina. How do you rate this?

NUNGESSER: More water here than Katrina.

Reporter: And potentially more people stranded.

(on camera): Coming in off the flood water, stopping here at Billy Nungesser's house, he says he built the house and this wall here to withstand hurricanes. It's barely holding up but it's got to. He's got 11 survivors of the flood staying here.

(voice-over): We watch 65-year-old Melanie Bekerus (ph), handicapped and with dementia, being brought out for air lift. A sheriff's deputy tells us her husband tried to drive her out during the storm. Their car got pushed into a flooded ditch, then --

RANDALL FORTMAYER, SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, PLAQUEMINES PARISH: And then they got on top of the vehicle and the water got deep to where they had to start swimming. Ad they found a log or telephone pole ad they was hanging on to that. And then, when they got to the (INAUDIBLE), they couldn't go no further. So, he kind of tied his wife to the pole, with her head up out of the water, and he trying to crawl over the debris to the levee and the ran up the levee and came here.

TODD: How's this for clinging to whatever is not underwater, two cows take refuge on a porch. This one stuck on a barbed wire fence, it was later freed. The humans who stayed in this area during Isaac had been warned.

(on camera): Why did you stay here when everybody was told to get out?

SHIRLEY JOHNSON: Because we had nowhere to go and no way of getting out, so we stayed together as a family.

TODD (voice-over): Others stranded said they stayed because they knew it would take a long time to get back to the homes. Billy Nungesser says these waters will take at least a week to recede, and that's only because they're going to be punching holes in that levee. Brian Todd, CNN, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: A phone call just minutes before the Colorado movie theater shootings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Early morning shooting has left three people dead at a supermarket in New Jersey. Police say a 23-year-old employee killed two co-workers and then himself. Police are still investigating a motive.

Health officials are confirming more cases of a rare lung disease among people who visited Yosemite National Park in California. Six cases of hantavirus are now confirmed. Two people have died. Hantavirus is spread by rodents. At least three of the victims stayed in tent cabins in the park's Curry Village in June. Now those tent cabins are shut down.

Actor and director Clint Eastwood pokes fun at the president during the Republican National Convention.

Don't forget, you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work. Head to cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're now learning more about what happened in the minutes leading up to the Colorado movie theater shooting. The suspect, James Holmes, appeared in court on Thursday. Jim Spellman has been following the case from the very beginning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Startling revelations in the Aurora theater shooting case as alleged gunman James Holmes faced his psychiatrist, Dr. Lynne Fenton, testifying in a preliminary hearing. At issue is a notebook Holmes mailed to Fenton in the hours before the shooting. Prosecutors want it, but the defense argues it's privileged doctor/patient communication. Attorney Rick Kornfeld is not connected to the case.

RICK KORNFELD, ATTORNEY: If on the other hand he somehow terminated that relationship prior to sending whatever he sent to Dr. Fenton, then arguably it's not privileged and the government may be able to get at it.

SPELLMAN: James Holmes, his hair still red but fading, watched intently as Fenton said that though she once treated him with psychotherapy, their relationship ended after a June 11th appointment, over a month before the shooting. After which she notified campus police of unspecified concerns about Holmes. To make their point that Holmes still considered Fenton to be his doctor, the defense attorney said that nine minutes before the shooting began, Holmes called a main number at the university hospital. A number that could be used to reach Dr. Fenton after hours. Eyewitnesses in the theater the night of the shooting reported Holmes making a phone call shortly before stepping out of the theater. It's not clear if that was the same phone call. Prosecutors say he returned to the theater heavily armed wearing body armor and began shooting. The judge has not yet ruled on the notebook issue.

KORNFELD: And assuming that these documents speak to his prior planning and a methodical, you know, a methodical set of actions in advance of this terrible crime, the government is absolutely going to use that as evidence that he was sane, and therefore not subject to an insanity defense. And then, down the road, absolutely subject to the death penalty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Jim Spellman, he's joining us live from Denver.

So, what do we know about Holmes' behavior in court? What is he like?

SPELLMAN: You know, over the last few hearings, he had gotten really more bizarre looking. He grew these big mutton chop side burns and grew a big mustache. And he definitely seemed, you know, pretty out of it. He seemed much more lucid at yesterday's hearing. He seemed to be following everything that was going on. He had shaved those things. He was clean shaven now. Especially when his one-time psychiatrist Dr. Fenton was testified, he followed everything the judges, the attorneys and Dr. Fenton was saying. He even laughed, Suzanne, at a few jokes that popped up during this three and a half hour long hearing. Definitely he's changed his demeanor in that courtroom a lot from the sort of zoned out, you know, kind of demeanor he had at the very first one.

MALVEAUX: Jim, what more are we learning about him?

SPELLMAN: Well, we're learning a lot about what's happened in that maybe six week long period before the shooting. So he, all in this very sense of a -- part of a few days here, decides to drop out of school. He sees the psychiatrist on June 11th. But that's the last time he sees her. And he drops out of school. He has his access to the buildings revoked. Then he goes into this period where prosecutors say he's buying all this ammunition and guns and figuring out these booby traps, really removed from all the people that had been part of his life when he was in school. And now we discover that he apparently sent this package to Dr. Fenton and made this phone call just nine minutes before the shooting. That's what the prosecutors are using to say, look, even if Dr. Fenton thinks they no longer have a relationship --

MALVEAUX: Right.

SPELLMAN: James Holmes thinks they did.

Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And, Jim, real quick, what's next in the case?

SPELLMAN: September 20th is the next hearing. They still haven't ruled yet on whether this notebook will be admissible. They hope to wrap that up September 20th.

MALVEAUX: All right. Jim Spellman. Thank you, Jim. Good to see you.

It is one of the most talked about moments from the Republican National Convention last night. We are talking about Clint Eastwood's empty chair routine. Yes. Where he took aim at President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EASTWOOD: So I've got -- I've got Mr. Obama sitting here. And he's -- I just was going to ask him a couple of questions. I mean, what do you say to people? Do you -- do you just -- you know, I know people -- people are wondering -- you don't -- not ever. OK. I wondered about -- you know, when -- when the -- what? What do you want me to tell Romney? I can't tell him that -- do that. He can't do that to himself. You're crazy. You're absolutely crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Want to bring in Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's "Reliable Sources."

So, Howard, there's a lot to talk about here. When I tweeted this out last night, my Twitter account blew up. People saying that they thought that this bit in particular that we just played was disrespectful of the president, that it was over the top. First of all, when you see this, you see something like this, do you think that there's an erosion of respect for the president, the office of the presidency, since Obama took office?

HOWARD KURTZ, CNN'S "RELIABLE SOURCES": I was sitting in the arena when this happened, Suzanne. And it's not so much that it was disrespectful, it was just weird. It was cringe-inducing. Now, some people in the crowd laughed because he was making fun of Obama, but it went on. He was rambling. There was no prompter. I could see that. And it just was the strangest moment of any convention I've ever covered. And I would have to say, unlike Tropical Storm Isaac, which overshadowed the convention in the early days, this was a manmade disaster.

MALVEAUX: And, Howard, I mean I guess the disrespect part comes in what he was actually implying, what the president was saying to him if you listen to that little bit there. And you know what I'm talking about.

KURTZ: I know exactly what you're talking about. And, yes, it did seem demeaning. I didn't think it was all that funny. Some people may disagree with my comedic assessment. But beyond the off-colored nature of the implied jokes, it just seemed to soak all the energy out of the room. I think a lot of people love Clint Eastwood as a movie action hero, but it didn't -- it wasn't clear what he was doing up there. And I think this is actually very damaging for this reason. It not only overshadowed Mitt Romney's speech, everybody talking about it this morning. We're talking about it right now. But by tomorrow, by the weekend, by Monday, no one's going to be taking about Mitt's speech, which didn't have many memorable moments. Everyone's still going to be talking about Clint Eastwood and therefore it was a squandered opportunity by the Romney campaign to put this guy on, doing this kind of routine minutes before the nominee comes out to give his all- important acceptance speech.

MALVEAUX: And one of the things here that we talk about is stage craft. And that this is really -- I mean it's a highly scripted affair. How is it that something like this happens? He was supposed to have five minutes. He went on for 12 minutes. And it was really kind of this impromptu improv (ph) that happened?

KURTZ: I guess even at the age of 82, Clint Eastwood likes the spotlight. But it is so true, these conventions, we all complain about it as journalists, every moment is choreographed and yet they let this guy, you know, take the stage without a script and to do this kind of routine. You know, whether you thought it was funny, over the top, or, you know, disrespectful, as I think a lot of people would agree. There's even an invisible Obama account now on Twitter. It just seemed to go off of the rails. What did this have to do with getting Mitt Romney elected? What did this have to do with setting up the big moment on Thursday night for Mitt Romney to make his speech and try to connect with American voters? It just was, you know, the next thing we have to find out is, who in the Romney campaign thought this was a good idea or is everybody going to be pointing the finger at somebody else.

MALVEAUX: All right. Howard Kurtz, thank you very much. We appreciate your analysis, as always.

We're going to bring in Paul Ryan. He's speaking in Richmond, Virginia. Let's dip in.

(BEGIN LIVE FEED)

PAUL RYAN, (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We've got a choice of two futures. And what you need at a moment like this, when our economy is in doubt, when a debt crisis looms on our horizon like it's plaguing Europe, when we know without a shadow of a doubt that our children are going to get a diminished future if we stay on the current path, moments like this, you need leadership, you need principled leaders. Guess what? That's exactly what Mitt Romney is.

You're getting to know this man like the rest of us know him. You're getting to know a decent man, a faithful man, an honorable man. A man who, in everything that he has done in his life, exemplifies leadership. A man of achievement. A man of integrity. Take a look at what he did in his private life, in private business. And by the way, being successful in business is a good thing. It is not a bad thing. We don't look at other people's success with envy. We look at it with pride. We don't resent people's success. We want to emulate people's success. This man started small businesses. This man grew businesses -- Sports Authority, Bright Horizon, Staples. This man turned around struggling businesses with an astounding degree of success in tens of thousands of people got jobs as a result. I'm proud to stand with a man like that. I'm proud to stand with a man who knows that, if you have a small business, you did build that business.

You know, take a look at what this man did when leadership called. He was in Massachusetts running businesses and creating jobs, and the Olympics was in trouble. The Olympics was plagued with a scandal -- corruption, wasteful spending. Sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? So they asked this man to help and take over, and he did that. He dropped what was he doing, and moved for three years to Utah and he fixed it. And he turned around the United States Olympics, and we are all the better of it, and we are proud of that moment.

(APPLAUSE)

RYAN: Look at the difference in leadership and results between President Obama as president and Mitt Romney as governor of Massachusetts. Under President Obama, the credit rating of the United States of America --

(END LIVE FEED)

MALVEAUX: The Democratic National Convention is kicking off next week. We will be in Charlotte, North Carolina to cover the speakers and the parties and the high-profile guests and the politics.

The man who makes a living teaching science says that the kids should not be taught creationism instead of evolution. He is Bill Nye, the science guy, and he is going to make his case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: Hi, everyone. Today on the "Help Desk," we are focusing on planning for retirement. Very important no matter your age.

Joining us this hour, Donna Rosato, and Ryan Mack.

Ryan, take a listen to this question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband is self-employed and I want to know if it is too late for him to get a retirement plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Assuming that the husband is about her age, middle aged, what do you think?

RYAN MACK, PRESIDENT, OPTIMUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: A lot of different options for individuals self employed. First, you have a simple IRA, and the simple incentive matching program to put up -- if you have between five and 10 employees, put up $12,000 of the first year of what the employees are contributing. You have the SEP IRA, you can put up 25 percent of income or the lesser value up. And you can have a solo IRA. And a flexible one. And the dinosaur program, the defined benefit program. Not much if he has a mountain of money to put away, but that could be an option as well.

DONNA ROSATO, SENIOR WRITER, MONEY: If you are self-employed, if you do this. You can sock away a lot more into a 401K than you can when working for a traditional employer where the contributions are capped at $17,500 a year. So that the opportunity is there if you have enough money to sock away for retirement, you can be in better shape.

HARLOW: It is never too late. And it is never too late. Absolutely not.

MACK: Absolutely, not.

ROSATO: It is never too late.

HARLOW: All right. Thank you, we appreciate it.

Folks, if you have a question you want our experts to tackle, upload your video with your "Help Desk" question to ireport.com.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Major earthquake in the Philippines. A magnitude 7.6 quake hit the Philippines. YouTube video shows some of the shaking. At least one person was killed. Authorities warn of a possible tsunami, but cancelled that a short time later.

Legendary astronaut, Neil Armstrong, is being memorialized in a private ceremony in Ohio. The first man to walk on the moon died at 82 years old. and even the moon is paying tribute. If it is clear where you are, you will see a rare lunar event in the sky tonight, the so-called blue moon. It is not really blue. But it occurs when two full moons occur in the same month. It won't happen again until November of 2019.

Bill Nye the science guy is explaining science, but his new video he posted a couple of days ago has already gotten three million hits on YouTube. Bill Nye is urging parents to stop teaching their kids that God created the universe in seven days.

Bill Nye, the science guy, is joining us from Los Angeles.

And why do you suppose that your video, and three million views in a week, has become so popular?

BILL NYE, SCIENCE GUY: Well, I guess it is a little bit of a controversial topic, but I emphasize that I did not post this video. That was recorded in June. It languished on the Internet all summer.

But here's the thing. If you had a political faction that insisted that we teach that the world is flat, and it is a conspiracy of scientists and others who publish these pictures where the world was round, after a while, people would insist that you are not teaching that anymore. and let me say that the evidence for the age of the earth is every bit as compelling. The earth is 4.5 billion years old and not 6,000 or 10,000 years old.

MALVEAUX: And what would you say to some of the parents who are like, look, we will go ahead and learn about the evolution, but we believe in creationism, and what is the harm of learning the Bible creation story?

NYE: Well, learning the story is fine. That is great. But it is not science. And tax dollars used for science education shouldn't be used to teach creationism as an alternative. Creationism is not right. It is -- that assertion that the world is that young, and was created that quickly, and that ancient dinosaurs are some sort of deities' schemes to trick you. That is not right. That is not science. So the tax dollars should not be used to teach that.

MALVEAUX: A Gallup poll says that 46 percent of Americans believe in creationism and God created man in the past 10,000 years or so. So why do you believe that the belief persists?

NYE: It is troubling. I guess because guys -- people like me, have not done our job. The evidence for the age of the earth is remarkable. It is wonderful. It is empowering and it fills me with reverence. Why I often question that the poll has been quoted several times in the last week, and I wonder if that question was phrased properly.

Everybody relies on technology. You and I are talking on television, and last night the guy running for president made reference to apple to iPods and to the innovators in Silicon Valley and those people are all engineers who understand science and understand the role of radioactivity in showing the age of the earth. This is quite an irony that people are embracing that, the technology and the science in this way, but denying the fundamental idea behind it in this other way.

(CROSSTALK)

NYE: It is not good for the country. MALVEAUX: And so I want to play a little bit of the YouTube video that is part of the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NYE: If you want to deny evolution and live in your -- in your world that's completely inconsistent with everything that we have observed in the universe, that is fine, but don't make your kids do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Are you worried, Bill, in any way that you are taking on a lot of folks here. It is a very emotional and sometimes passionate subject here that people are going to turn away -- turn away from you as the science guy and turn away from some of the things that you are pointing out that you want people to pay attention to?

NYE: Well, I have followed you, and I know just what you mean, but shooting the messenger is not going to change the science. I emphasize again, in the video, I was talking about the use of tax dollars for science education. So, this is a very important thing if we want to have jobs. If we want the United States to be the world leader, the innovator to come up with the new inventions and the new iPad and the new sources of energy and the new ways to transmit and store it, this is all going to take science, and engineers. And I'm talking about jobs. So it is important and very important.

Thank you for having me on.

MALVEAUX: We have to leave it there.

Thank you, Bill. Appreciate it.

He speaks, markets react. Ben Bernanke is hinting that help could be on the way. We will read between the lines of his remarks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Wall Street has been waiting all week to hear from Federal Reserve chief, Ben Bernanke, and he spoke this morning at Jackson Hole.

I want to talk to Felicia Taylor about what investors were hoping to hear about additional stimulus.

Did he make any news?

FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he hinted at it. Suzanne, everybody wanted to know basically would Bernanke announce new action to juice up the economy. He did not really, but he left the door wide open saying, quote, "The Federal reserve will provide additional policy accommodation as needed to promote a stronger economy." He defended the Fed's move up to now. As you know, its previous large-scale bond purchases have been controversial especially among the Republicans, who say that the Fed is printing money at risk of inflation. But Bernanke says that the bond buying, known as quantitative easing, has helped the boost of stocks and created two million jobs. He also said that inflation is within the Fed's target range and that is good. Immediately following the speech though, stocks did dip as investors were disappointed that there was not a bigger announcement. But also part of that is what they call short covering.

So the stock market has since digested the remarks and realized that the Federal Reserve is poised and ready to step in if need be -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: What did he say about the overall state of the economy?

TAYLOR: Well, he was bold. He called the current situation is far from satisfactory and that is blunt considering we have an election in a couple of months. He said some movement in the job market, but painfully so. You have heard me talk about this ad nauseam. It is noting that the unemployment rate has been stuck since January and the job creation has not picked up. So that's one of the ironies that Bernanke's hands are tied, because of some recent economic reports that have not been that bad to justify further stimulus. But the retail sales were strong for August. And home sales prices have been good. the spending edging up, which makes it harder for him to justify whether or not he can step in and take on this additional stimulus that we call QE3 or Operation Twist, especially when there are critics who say that the Fed has done what it can, and even some who say it is overstepped their role -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: All right. Thanks.

We will take a quick break and come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Billionaire David Koch says the greatest threat to American freedom is ignorance. Koch and his brother are spending millions to campaign against President Obama. Their company makes Dixie Cup, Northern bath tissue, Stain Master Carpet, Sparkle and Brawny paper towels and Angel Soft bath tissue. A liberal super PAC is pushing back on Koch in a multimillion-dollar campaign ad of its own.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AD ANNOUNCER: The oil-billionaire Koch Brothers and their special-interest friends are spending their billions on false attacks and TV smear campaigns to try to buy our elections and advance their greed agenda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Koch rarely speaks to the media, but last night he responded to a CNN question.

Shannon Travis joins us live from Charlotte, North Carolina, the site of the Democratic National Convention this week.

Shannon, what did he say?

SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think we can underestimate, Suzanne, how rare it is for the Koch to say anything to the press. They pretty much operate behind closed door, private meetings. They held a private fundraiser in July for Mitt Romney that a lot of press wanted to get into but couldn't. They keep press at arms length. The fact I was able to get a question to David Koch yesterday at this event at the RNC in Tampa was extraordinary.

Let me give you a bit of brief background. They themselves are staunch promoters of the free market and free enterprise. They do a lot of philanthropic work. There was a fundraising e-mail that accused them of bankrolling $200 million to destroy the president.

(CROSSTALK)

TRAVIS: Given that context, I took that question to David Koch. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID KOCH: We live in country that believes in free speech. And -- so I'm Republican and I believe in fiscal responsibility and supporting American business and the like. I think I have a right to speak out. The president says what he wants to. I believe in free speech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS: There you have it, David Koch responding to some of these Democratic charges, even the Obama campaign -- Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: It's pretty amazing there. Good to get that in there.

"Politico" says he disagrees with the Republican stance on gay marriage and also raising taxes to balance the budget. Is there any reaction from fellow conservatives?

TRAVIS: What's remarkable is that David Koch is a staunch economic conservative but he told politico he disagrees with Mitt Romney on the issue of gay marriage. He wants to balance the budget and talk about the potential for raising taxes. That would put him at odds with a lot of Republicans. Some of the Republicans have raised eyebrows. Someone like David Koch, who is so powerful, there's not going to be a lot of loud criticism.

MALVEAUX: Shannon Travis, way to get that exclusive sound. Appreciate it.

Got to go. We'll see you at the convention.

Clint Eastwood firmly on team Mitt Romney. We're talking about big star power. Brought lots of Hollywood juice to the Republican National Convention last night. While this election season is challenging, the notion that much of Hollywood leans to the political left. Clint Eastwood is not alone. More than a few show business heavy weights lining up behind Mitt Romney. Throwing a lot of money his way, too.

Here's Kareen Wynter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Away from the glare of the red carpet, some Hollywood celebrities are harboring a shocking secret -- they're not all card carrying liberals.

MITCHELL SCHWARTZ, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: There's a lot of Hollywood people that support Republicans.

WYNTER: In fact, democratic strategist, Mitchell Schwartz, says there's an impressive list of famous movers and shakers backing Mitt Romney. Clint Eastwood endorsed him.

CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: I think the country needs a boost somewhere.

WYNTER: Romney got a boost from comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, who campaign for him back in the primary.

MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Jeff Foxworthy is going to make all the difference in the world.

WYNTER: Mega producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, attended a private fundraiser for Romney in May. And actor, Dean Cane, prefers the Republican contender.

DEAN CANE, ACTOR: I firmly support Mitt Romney.

WYNTER: Romney's celebrity support may strike some as ironic, given Republican attack ads like this one from a GOP super PAC, calling Obama a celebrity president who is tight with the in crowd.

(SHOUTING)

WYNTER: Historian Stephen Ross, author of "Hollywood Left and Right," says Romney has made several under-the-radar stops to California to stuff his campaign war chest. Open secrets.org says he's collected more than $17 million statewide and rubbing shoulders with the entertainment industry elite.

STEPHEN ROSS, HISTORIAN & AUTHOR: He is coming to Hollywood. and there is conservative money. It's always been here. It's always going into (INAUDIBLE)

WYNTER: But quietly. In Hollywood, few celebrities seem willing to go public their Republican beliefs, and some that have, say they have paid a price for it.

KELSEY GRAMMER, ACTOR: I am a declared out-of-the-closet Republican in Hollywood.

JAY LENO, HOST, THE TONIGHT SHOW: Oh!

WYNTER: Kelsey Grammer recently told Jay Leno he thinks it's possible he didn't get an Emmy nomination this year because of his politics.

LENO: You have five Emmys?

GRAMMER: Yes, I do have five Emmys.

LENO: How long have you been a Republican?

GRAMMER: Just after that last one I became one.

(LAUGHTER)

LENO: Oh, I see.

WYNTER: Still, some Hollywood conservatives won't hide their contempt for the president. Oscar-winner Jon Voight is outspoken.

JON VOIGHT, ACTOR: Obama is not a Democrat. He's a radical socialist.

WYNTER: And producer, Gerald Mollen (ph), whose credits include "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park," is behind a new document, "2016 Obama's America," a scorching critique of the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NARRATOR: Obama has a dream that the sins of colonialism be set right and America be downsized.

WYNTER: USC professor, Dan Schnur, a former Republican politic consultant, notes...

DAN SCHNUR, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: There are pockets of Republican support throughout the entertain industry. They tend to be very strong willed in their opinion, to the point where they are willing to risk some professional backlash in order to stand up for what they believe in.

WYNTER: So while Hollywood's Republicans may appear few in numbers, they are proving a true-blue town still has streaks of red.

Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: CNN NEWSROOM continues with Brooke Baldwin.

Hey, Brooke.