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Campbell Brown
Michael Vick Returning to NFL; Michael Jackson's Final Dose
Aired July 27, 2009 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Breaking news: Michael Jackson's final dose. Sources say the pop star's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, gave him the powerful anesthetic that police believe killed him. New information tonight on the investigation.
The FBI makes a major bust, uncovering a worldwide black market, and, for sale, organs. What would you do to save the life of a loved one? Break the law? How about buy a stranger's kidney for cash? And the going rate?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His business was to entice vulnerable people to give up a kidney for $10,000, then sell for $160,000.
BROWN: Meet one doctor who says it should be legal to sell your organs.
The NFL says Michael Vick can play ball again. He did nearly two years behind bars for dogfighting. Should he be allowed back on the field?
Plus, secrets from Washington's top chef. He's cooked for everybody from Oprah to the Obamas. Tonight, chef Art Smith has D.C.'s dish.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is your only source for news. CNN prime time begins now. Here's Campbell Brown.
BROWN: Hi, everybody.
Those are our big questions tonight.
But we start, as always, with the "Mash-Up." It is of course our look at all the stories making an impact right now and the moments you may have missed today. We're watching it all so you don't have to.
And we begin with the breaking news. Investigators say Michael Jackson's personal doctor gave him the powerful drug that killed the singer. Authorities believe Dr. Conrad Murray gave Jackson anesthetic called propofol the last night of his life. We're going to have much more on this breaking news coming up very shortly.
Police in Cambridge, mass, released a phone call from the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates. And we don't hear Professor Gates, but we do hear the woman who alerted police to a possible break-in at his house. Take a listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know if they live there and they just had a hard time with their key, but I did notice that they kind of used their shoulder to try to barge in. And they got in. I don't know if they had a key or not, because I couldn't see from my angle. But, you know, when I looked a little closely, that's when I saw...
DISPATCHER: Black or Hispanic? Are they still in the house?
CALLER: They're still in the house, I believe, yes.
DISPATCHER: Are they white, black or Hispanic?
CALLER: Well, there were two larger men. One looked kind of Hispanic, but I'm not really sure. And the other one entered, and I didn't see what he looked like at all.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: OK. So, you hear there that the caller, the caller never mentioned that the men were black. She was asked specifically white, black or Hispanic. She says she didn't know, only saw one guy from what she could tell and the one she saw did not look like a black guy.
ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC NEWS: She says, I don't know if they live there. And she referred to them as individuals, gentlemen. She's not alarmed as we might have been led to believe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Now, that call is not going to end the racism debate over the arrest. But perhaps a meeting over beers at the White House later this week could.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time to move forward, look at lessons learned, and go from there. I hope that they enjoy their beer at the White House.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's great that they're doing that. You know, I hope that Crowley says to Obama, can I see your I.D.?
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just love it with the fact that men can get together over beer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just hope it's not an opportunity for the Obama administration to appoint another czar, like the 37th in, what, six months, like the beer czar for like the perfect brew for the group. QUESTION: Officer Crowley is drinking Blue Moon. We hear Professor Gates is drinking Red Stripe or Beck's. What's the president drinking?
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president had a Budweiser at the All-Star Game, so...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Yes, the president started his public love of Budweiser during the campaign, downing one in this Indiana VFW hall.
News bulletin: President Obama was born in Hawaii, everybody. It may not seem like news to you, but it is to the birthers, a very small sliver of ultra-conservatives who want evidence, his birth certificate, for instance, even though we have already seen it. So, here are the crib notes from today's White House briefing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Is there anything you can say that will make the birthers go away?
GIBBS: No.
I almost hate to indulge in such an august setting as the White House -- and I mean this in seriousness -- the White House briefing room discussing the made-up fictional nonsense of whether or not the president was born in this country.
A year-and-a-half ago, I asked that the birth certificate be put on the Internet, because Lord knows, if you've got a birth certificate and you put it on the Internet, what else could be the story?
If I had some DNA, it wouldn't assuage those that don't believe he was born here.
But I have news for them and for all of us: The president was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the 50th state of the greatest country on the face of the Earth. He's a citizen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: We all might hope that's the last word. Unfortunately, I don't think Mr. Gibbs' statement will in fact be the last word on this topic.
While health care is still dominating the conversation on Capitol Hill, the president took a detour to China. The president and Secretary of State Clinton kicked off two days of talks and stayed on message: China and the U.S. are tightly-linked partners, if you will.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century. That really must underpin our partnership.
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We already have promising partnerships.
OBAMA: Our ability to partner with each other is a prerequisite for progress.
CLINTON: A multi-partner world.
OBAMA: A future when our nations are partners out of necessity, but also out of opportunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: The other issues on the agenda, climate control and North Korea.
The U.S. government wants to stimulate you to go buy a new car. But there is a catch. There is always a catch. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Car owners can take advantage of a government program called cash for clunkers. The dealerships didn't have enough information about the program yet to explain it to their customers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct. The federal government hasn't provided them with all the details yet. It's a long process, but they will have the details here in the next two days.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your old car must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date. It has to get 18 miles per gallon or less and must be registered or insured under your name for at least a year. And the new car needs to get at least 22 miles per gallon. The credit will be anywhere from $3,500 to $4,500 based on how many more miles per gallon your new car gets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: You got that? Well, can actually get more info by downloading the government's 135-page explanation, yes, 135 pages, at cars.gov.
The weekend was filled with some dangerous driving on land and on sea. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An Indy race car driver is recovering from second- degree burns after this scene at a race in Canada. You will see driver Tony Kanaan catch fire before crews finally hose him down. He had been accidentally sprayed with gas when a hose malfunctioned.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A world record attempt comes up dangerously short. This is stuntman Spanky Spangler crashing head-on into a ramp, his car immediately bursting into flames. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A hydroplane boat was zipping along during a preliminary heat. Then, suddenly, it wipes out, flipping over several times before landing upside down. I understand he would have went 100 yards before he landed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doctors of Felipe Massa say the Formula One driver's condition is slightly improving after a high-speed crash in Hungary on Sunday. A loose part from another car bounced off the track and hit the Brazilian, who was racing for a spot in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: All four drivers are expected to recover. And that is it for tonight's "Mash-Up."
The breaking news tonight: Michael Jackson's final dose. Investigators now believe his personal doctor gave him the injections that killed him. The big question tonight, will he face criminal charges? We have got the latest on that when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Now, we have got tonight's breaking news. This is on the Michael Jackson case. A source close to Jackson's family, someone with knowledge of the investigation, confirms to CNN tonight that Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered the drug that authorities believe killed him.
Dr. Murray and his lawyers have not commented yet.
Here to tell us what this means and what more we know, CNN's Ted Rowlands, Jim Moret, chief correspondent for "Inside Edition," also a former CNN anchor, and senior CNN legal analyst Jeff Toobin here in New York with me as well.
Ted, let me start with you. What do we know right now?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, basically, Campbell, we know through this source, which is close to the Jackson family, but is very knowledgeable about the investigation, that Dr. Conrad Murray -- this is the personal physician that was with Jackson when he died -- did administer propofol or Diprivan to Jackson within a 24-hour period proceeding his death.
It's significant because it now, for the first time, really does connect Jackson with this medication that is not normally used outside a hospital setting. Now, did this kill Michael Jackson? We don't know that by any stretch of the imagination, but still a significant development that these two have been linked.
BROWN: So, Jeff, how close -- I mean, this is a little speculative, I know, but how close do you think they are to bringing charges? If they are close, what sort of charges are we talking about or could we be talking about? JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Well, I think we need to treat this with a great deal of caution, because think about it. There's no cause of death established. The autopsy report is not out yet. This is not an illegal drug.
The doctor, if in fact this is true, who administered this will have some explanation about why he did it. And even if it caused his death, that doesn't mean there was a crime there. Obviously, the possibility is manslaughter, unintentional killing.
BROWN: Right.
TOOBIN: But I think we really have to be careful to be fair to Dr. Murray here, because this is far from clear that any crime was committed here.
BROWN: OK. So, go back to the point you made a moment ago. We're not talking an illegal drug. What -- like, that does complicate things in terms of how you prosecute it. I just didn't think about it in those terms. How would they go about it?
TOOBIN: Well, you can kill someone with a legal drug. If you give a legal drug in an inappropriate way or at an inappropriate time or for a disease it's not recommended for, you can still kill someone with it.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: As a doctor...
TOOBIN: Yes, as a doctor, you have access to legal drugs.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
TOOBIN: ... why he did it. Absolutely.
BROWN: OK, Jim, let me bring you into this.
We talked to Dr. Murray's lawyer. This is just days after Jackson's death. And he told me that everything Dr. Murray prescribed was for specific medical conditions. I want you to listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What he prescribed during the two-month period of time of that he was with Michael Jackson as his private physician was prescribed specifically for medical conditions or medical complaints, and -- and was prescribed appropriately, indicated for those complaints.
We know only what we saw administered -- or what Dr. Murray administered, if anything, to Michael Jackson and what Michael Jackson might have taken, it was not sufficient to cause heart attack. It was not sufficient to cause failure, heart failure or respiratory failure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: OK. So, Jim, knowing what we know tonight, do you think those explanations are going to hold up?
JIM MORET, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": I think the doctor really has a lot of explaining it do. Jeff is right about this.
And it doesn't automatically follow that there's a manslaughter charge brought in this case. First of all, if you look at the Anna Nicole case, there weren't criminal charges brought for more than a year, and those charges were conspiracy and illegal prescription of drugs. They were legal drugs, but they were prescribed in an abusive way.
In this case, we do know that a warrant was issued, rather substantially, with a large number of agents last week on Dr. Murray's offices. And in the warrant, it said specifically that they were looking for evidence of manslaughter.
And Jeff is correct. This would be, if it is manslaughter that the charge -- that the prosecutors ultimately settle on, it's the unintentional killing. The questions that the doctor has to answer, did he get those drugs for Jackson? Did he, in fact, administer those drugs? Why did he do so?
The strange thing about this particular drug is, you can't generally get a prescription for it. It's given only in a hospital setting, not in someone's home. This is a rather unusual situation. So, I think that this certainly raises the stakes for the doctor to be sure.
BROWN: All right, Jim, quickly before -- or go ahead, Jeff.
TOOBIN: Well, I just wanted to add, there were other doctors involved with Michael Jackson's care. Other people were prescribing things. So, I think we're also going to need to know what other doctors were involved, what did they prescribe, what connection did they have, before we put this all on one doctor who had a relatively brief relationship with Jackson.
BROWN: And, to that point, Jim, let me just have you go back on this. We knew at one point they were investigating quite a number of doctors. Do we know how many are still sort of the focus?
MORET: I spoke to one doctor who has seen, he told me, the second autopsy. That doctor told me there are 19 doctors to his knowledge being investigated and that there were 11 aliases used. And in the doctor's words of those 19 doctors, he said they're going to start dropping like dominoes.
Jeff is right about one thing. This could very well be a cocktail of medication, much as we saw in Anna Nicole's case. So, you don't want to look specifically at one doctor. But this doctor, unfortunately, even in his own words, was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died.
BROWN: All right, to Jim, to Ted, to Jeff, as always.
And we should mention Jim Moret is going to have a lot more on the Michael Jackson latest when he fills in for Larry King tonight of course at 9:00 Eastern.
The NFL says Michael Vick can play ball again after nearly two years in jail for dogfighting. Tonight's big question, can he make a comeback? Should he make a comeback? We will have that, plus the real dish on President Obama, top chef master Art Smith.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART SMITH, CHEF: Well, you know, President Obama and Mrs., they particularly enjoy fish. And, so, there's usually -- they eat a lot of grilled fish and a lot of greens, particularly, you know, broccoli. Broccoli has never been quite a very popular vegetable in the White House, and they love, you know, just really lots of vegetables. I mean, they are the epitome of great health, because I don't think we have ever even had a presidential family as healthy as they are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Now a look at the other must-see stories of the day.
Erica Hill is here with tonight's "Download" -- Erica.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Campbell, newly released transcripts are raising more questions tonight about the crew of a commuter plane that crashed near Buffalo last winter.
That extended transcript of cockpit conversations shows first officer Rebecca Shaw told the captain she felt ill, but didn't want to get a hotel room. Instead of suggesting that she reconsider, the captain recommends she try to -- quote -- "kill it with orange juice or vitamin C." Both pilots were among the 50 people who died in that accident.
Taking a look at the economy, some positive news to report, new home sales jumping last month, up 11 percent for May. In fact, that's much more than predicted. Now, at the same time, the median price of a home dropped 3 percent. But, if you are a buyer, we should point out here there could be a downside, one expert warning, great deals like maybe a great swimming pool or a high-end appliance to seal a deal, those could start to go away.
Nadya Suleman is about to get a little help with her octuplets whether she likes it or not. A judge has now appointed a guardian to oversee the estate of the octomom's 14 children, actually the latest eight. A former child actor filed the petition to make sure the children are allowed to keep any money they earn and to make sure they will not be forced to work more than the law allows. A reality show crew is set to begin filming the family in September -- Campbell. BROWN: A little frightening.
All right, Erica Hill for us tonight -- Erica, thanks.
Tonight's "Great Debate" coming up, should it be legal to sell your organs? We're going to talk to one doctor who is also a kidney transplant recipient, who says it would help people who spend years on waiting lists.
That when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Time now for our "Great Debate."
And tonight's question, should selling human organs be legal? In what may be the first documented case of organ trafficking in this country, a New York man is charged with attempting to sell a human kidney for $160,000. So, should that be a crime?
Joining us to debate right now, Dr. Sally Satel, a psychiatrist and resident scholar the American Enterprise Institute. In 2006, she received a kidney donated by a friend. But in an op-ed in today's "Wall Street Journal," she writes she have considered paying for one.
On the opposite side of this issue, Nancy Scheper-Hughes, who is a professor of medical anthropology at the University of California Berkeley and co-founder and director of Organs Watch, a medical human rights project.
We're going to have a first quick opening statement from each of you, 30 seconds on the clock, as we do always.
Sally, the question is, should selling organs be legal? You believe it should be legal. Make the case for us.
DR. SALLY SATEL, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: I believe what Mr. Rosenbaum did and the fact that there is a thriving global organ market in the Third World is evidence that we need to be able to reward people who are interested in selling a kidney to save a life.
And let me tell you the kind of plan we talk about here. We're not talking about cash. Talking about a situation where if you, Campbell, wanted to give a kidney to the next person on the list -- people do that -- they're called good samaritan donors -- you could get a tax credit or a contribution to your 401(k) or something like that. We're not talking about cash, and we're talking about giving it to the next person on the line.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: All right, Nancy?
NANCY SCHEPER-HUGHES, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY: Yes, I disagree with Sally, and I think that we should always give a preferential option to using deceased donors. It works throughout many countries in Europe. I just came back from France, and they don't have a waiting list that is exceedingly long or large. Only 7 percent of kidneys are from living people. And I think that it's actually an atrocious idea that we should, as Sally says in her article today, give health insurance to people who don't have it in exchange for their kidneys.
So, she's talking about poor people supporting relatively affluent people who are able to pay for it.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: But let me ask you this, Nancy. I mean, there are something like 85,000 people waiting for a kidney in the United States. I mean, could this possibly -- I mean, if you're willing to pay people, can't that save lives? And is that not a reason to explore it?
SCHEPER-HUGHES: Well, it's a long discussion.
Let me just say that that waiting list is -- like all waiting lists in other countries, needs to be examined. There are many people in -- the fastest-growing demographic on our waiting list for kidneys are people over 70 and 75.
I'm not saying that a 75-year-old person doesn't have the right to a kidney, but we have many, many inactive people on the waiting list who are too sick, that no transplant surgeon would in their right minds want to transplant them. So, we have to examine that waiting list.
(CROSSTALK)
SATEL: And, of course, the reason that they are too sick to transplant is because they have waited four, five and six years. That's a symptom of the problem.
And I want to repeat, I'm not talking about the individual who needs the organ buying one or giving something. We're talking about a third party, a state or federal government, giving a tax credit to someone willing to come forward and save the life of a stranger.
These people would be examined just the way they are now, with a very extensive medical workup, psychological workup. Everyone, of course, can back out. And it's mainly the poor people who will get it. African-Americans and Hispanics are over-represented on the list. They can't go out of the country. They don't have relatives...
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Sally, let me ask you, though, because Nancy touched on this. France has what's called an opt-out program...
SATEL: Sure.
BROWN: ... where everyone is automatically a donor, unless you specifically choose not to be. Why couldn't something like that work?
SATEL: Oh, that's fine. That's called presumed consent.
And, actually, Spain is usually held up as the best example of that. And I'm all for presumed consent, except that it would not nearly provide enough kidneys. Even if every person -- many people don't know this -- and I didn't know it either until I got involved in this issue -- if everyone signed their organ donor card, there still would not be enough kidneys.
As you said, there are 80,000 people waiting up to five and 10 years -- 13 of them will be dead tomorrow at this time.
BROWN: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
SATEL: And, in Spain, they have a waiting list.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHEPER-HUGHES: Excuse me, Sally. The reason we have 80,000 people on a waiting list, disproportionate, out of touch really with our own population is because we have many people with diabetes who have not had medical insurance and have not had adequate care and they have ended up on the waiting list, when their disease was really treatable.
(CROSSTALK)
SATEL: I agree with you. What does that have to do with 80,000 people who are waiting now? I agree with you. We need more prevention, better up-front care, definitely.
BROWN: All right, guys, I wish we could go on, because, as you both point out, there are much bigger issues well beyond this limited issue about selling organs at play here that deserve time and attention.
But I want to end on common ground. And I think the health care notice is the right one to end on, because it is where we all agree.
Many thanks to all both. Appreciate your time tonight.
SCHEPER-HUGHES: Thank you.
SATEL: Thank you.
BROWN: The NFL says Michael Vick can return to the playing field. But after almost two years behind bars, has he paid enough for the price -- paid enough of a price, rather, for dogfighting?
We're going to talk about that when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Vick is off the bench. That is if any NFL team still wants him.
The former Atlanta Falcon's quarterback spent almost two years in prison for financing a dog fighting ring on his property in Virginia. Well, now, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is giving Vick a second chance allowing him to return with conditions. If he stays out of trouble, Vick could be cleared to play in regular-season games by mid- October. But Goodell made it clear this afternoon that Vick will be watched closely.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: Whether he makes it on the field for the NFL is something that will be determined on the field. But he has some big decisions off the field to make in the way he conducts himself. I think he is at a point right now where he is prepared to make those decisions and hopefully conduct himself in a more positive way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: With me now in a CNN primetime exclusive, Michael Vick's agent, Joel Segal, whose clients include Reggie Bush and Jason Campbell. He's joining us right now by phone.
Joel, give us some reaction. Michael Vick's reaction to the commissioner's decision?
JOEL SEGAL, MICHAEL VICK'S AGENT (via telephone): Well, the commissioner called Mike. We've been waiting all day. Sort of like we've been out waiting for a jury. And Mike called me. He was emotional, excited and just -- we're really thankful for the commissioner for giving us a chance.
BROWN: You know, some players, I think, Terrell Owens is one of them, have openly condemned the league's decision to suspend him on top of his time served. What did you think of that?
SEGAL: Well, you know, as far as decision, the most important thing is Mike is ready for this opportunity. He knows he's got a lot to prove and he just really can't wait for the next step which is hopefully signing with the team.
BROWN: So have you been contacted by some of these teams?
SEGAL: Yes. You know, it's going to be one day at a time. There will be a host of clubs interested in Mike. And I think tonight we just got off the phone. We said, you know what, let's enjoy tonight. Be thankful we're back in and talk about the teams tomorrow.
BROWN: OK. So has anybody called you? Presumably, yes.
SEGAL: Oh, yes. We've been in contact with teams, but it's going to be one day at a time before anything happens.
BROWN: All right. What sort of shape is he in? Is he ready to return to football? Is he, I mean, physically ready to resume playing?
SEGAL: Well, you know, he's always in great shape, especially compared to, you know, those intramural players. But, you know, as far as Michael Vick's shape, I think that will take a little bit more time but it will be short before he's ready to participate.
BROWN: All right, Joel Segal. Joel, thanks for your time tonight. Appreciate it.
We want to bring in entertainment sports attorney Ryan Smith and Philadelphia journalist and sports analyst, Stephen A. Smith, joining us as well. And in Atlanta, sports attorney David Cornwell also with us.
So Stephen, let me start with you in Atlanta. What's your reaction to the commissioner's decision?
STEPHEN A. SMITH, JOURNALIST/SPORTS ANALYST: Well, I think it's a disgrace as far as I'm concerned. It's very, very nice of him to reinstate Michael Vick. I understand that. But the fact that this man spent about 23 months in federal prison and he comes out and still has to suffer with a suspension that will last anywhere from a month to six weeks I think is utterly ridiculous.
I co-signed with Terrell Owens when he said that, hey, wait a minute. You know what, I think it's a bit excessive. Some point in time there's a level of compassion that could kick in. If the man never served prison time and he just lost his contract and lost out all the debt money and just suffered in the court of public opinion, that would be one thing. But this man was in federal prison for almost two years. I don't think any suspension should have come down at all.
BROWN: But he didn't seem to care.
S. SMITH: Excuse me?
BROWN: Listening to his lawyer, they didn't seem to care that much.
S. SMITH: Well, Campbell -- Campbell, what is he supposed to say? Oh, my goodness, I have a problem with the commissioner? Now that I'm out of prison and looking for a job back in the NFL? Of course, he's going to say that.
BROWN: All right.
S. SMITH: He can't say anything else.
BROWN: All right. David, let me to go you on this because I know you disagree. You think the NFL commissioner made the right decision here.
DAVID CORNWELL, SPORTS ATTORNEY: I really do. I think that this, frankly, is a breakthrough decision. Michael has obviously learned humility from being in prison. He showed maturity in the way that he's handled himself. And no question, he couldn't pull the wool over Tony Dungy's eyes and the commissioner's eyes. There's authenticity in this.
Joel Segal has handled this perfectly. And this was not the new sheriff in town commissioner that we've read about a lot. This was Roger Goodell showing compassion but also taking his leadership of the NFL seriously.
Michael may very well play the first game of the regular season if he conducts himself in the way that the commissioner expects and works out this transition plan that the commissioner has laid out for him. I think this actually may be a breakthrough and we could have a success story coming out of this.
BROWN: So what is he going to get on the open market money-wise?
RYAN SMITH, ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS ATTORNEY: That's a good question. Right now, I think he's going to get probably the minimum for a player of his year. Teams are going to look at him right now and they're going to say we're taking a chance. And the important thing for Michael Vick to do is to rehab his image.
That's what the commissioner is trying to do here. He's trying to create athletes who are good citizens in the public's eyes. So what he's saying is, I'm going to take you out for a little bit because I have to. I have to give you a chance to rehab your image, do what you're going to do with humane society, be a good spokesman for what you've done. And then when you come out, maybe the veteran's minimum.
S. SMITH: Hold on, hold on.
BROWN: Go ahead.
S. SMITH: Has anybody forgotten that this man is suffering with bankruptcy? He's got about $16 million in assets. He's got about $20 million in debt. He's trying to address that.
There's no job out here in the 9:00 to 5:00 market that's going to pay him that $4 million difference that he has to take care of. Not to mention the fact -- I respect Roger Goodell a great, great deal.
But let's be real about something fellows. He isn't just doing this out of the kindness of his heart. Certainly it has something to do with it but at the same time his position has a lot to do with these animal rights activists who will come pounding on his door because they want to make sure that Michael Vick continues to suffer.
If he comes back at the beginning of the season, hey, Roger Goodell deserves all the props in the world. But if he suffers a suspension that lasts more than a month or whatever the case may be, I think that's a bit excessive. That's been expected of a man with a federal --
BROWN: Let me -- hold on. Ryan -- let me let Ryan respond to that.
R. SMITH: Yes. Stephen, you have to look at it like this commissioner is looking at how in a down economy how people are looking at this league. They want their athletes to be the Peyton Mannings, to be the Damien Thomases (ph), the good citizens out there.
Now if he gets out of jail and they let him right back in the league, what message is that sending to athletes out there? That's what Roger Goodell is saying.
S. SMITH: Oh, so you're saying --
CORNWELL: There was plenty of cover.
S. SMITH: So you're acknowledging that he's not doing it out of the goodness of his heart. We're not acting like the commissioner is an angel in all of this.
CORNWELL: There was plenty of cover. There was plenty of cover.
BROWN: Go ahead.
CORNWELL: There was plenty of cover for the commissioner to come down with the draconian decision that could have kept Michael Vick out of the league for a year or more. Michael Vick looked in the commissioner's eyes and lied to them before all of this went down.
S. SMITH: That's a good point.
CORNWELL: And the commissioner said I trust your representation to me that you're going to make a difference. It's up to you and I'm willing to give you a chance.
I don't know that there's anybody that could have asked for more. We can't undo the sentence. We can't undo the bankruptcy.
BROWN: All right.
CORNWELL: But we are in a position now to start anew and give Michael Vick the chance to be a success story in the National Football League.
BROWN: Gentlemen --
CORNWELL: And the reason is that the commissioner gave him a chance, Joel handled this perfectly and Michael has showed the authenticity that was necessary to get back on the field.
S. SMITH: Of course he would. He want to work again.
BROWN: All right. Stephen, you always get the last word in. Many thanks, guys. Appreciate it. We're out of time here.
Cooking for the president. Top chef master Art Smith. Tonight he's sharing the real dish on Washington and the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART SMITH, OWNER & CHEF, "ART AND SOUL": We recently had Bill Clinton in the restaurant. President Clinton, and, of course, you know, President Barack Obama at table 52, you know. One of the things that I find, and this comes from working for all these years for Miss Winfrey is that, you know, people regardless of title, economics, et cetera, I think that, you know, the bigger people become the more they want to get closer back to home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Before we get to tonight's newsmaker, we want to hear or we want you to hear a few words of dietary advice from the country's nutritionist in chief and his gardener. You'll recognize them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It also means cutting down on all the junk food that's fueling an epidemic of obesity. This puts far too many Americans, young and old, at greater risk of costly chronic conditions.
That's a lesson Michelle and I have tried to instill in our daughters. Some of you know we started a White House vegetable garden. I say we generously because Michelle's done most of the work.
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: This garden cannot only feed my family, but it's going to feed all the staff at the White House. We're going to use these vegetables to help feed you guys. We're going to serve it at some state dinners.
So with this little plot of land -- and this is a big plot. You don't even have to plant this much. We can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed us for years and years to come for just a couple hundred dollars. Isn't that amazing?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: So eat healthy, the order of the day from the very top. Our newsmaker tonight, Chef Art Smith is the right person to ask about this new way of eating.
The president and first lady were introduced to his cooking by their friend, Oprah Winfrey. And his new D.C. restaurant already a favorite with the most sought after diners in town. He has cooked for a number of presidents now. So we asked him how cooking for the Obamas is different.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: So, the president and the first lady, I know they've been in a couple of times. They had a Valentine's Day date at one of your restaurants.
ART SMITH, OWNER & CHEF, "ART AND SOUL": Yes.
BROWN: What specifically did they -- did they typically order?
SMITH: Well, you know, President Obama and Mrs., they particularly enjoy fish, and so usually they eat a lot of grilled fish and a lot of greens, particularly, you know, broccoli. You know, broccoli has never been quite a very popular vegetable in the White House and they love, you know, just really, lots of vegetables. I mean, they are the epitome of great health because I don't think we've ever even had a presidential family as healthy as they are. And so, they are always -- you know, I've been cooking for them for probably now three to four years. I met them through Miss Winfrey. We were neighbors in Kenwood-Hyde Park. I've done a lot of family events and I do traditional Southern foods, traditional holiday foods, but I also cook, you know, just healthful foods that would usually would involve chicken or fish or vegetables.
BROWN: So if they're so healthy, how does that contrast with the kinds of foods that the Bushes or the Clintons liked to eat?
SMITH: Well, I think the reality is this. I think that everyone knows, I think we've actually reached a time now where people are more serious and more -- and, you know, evidence has shown that if you eat more vegetables and more fruits, that you'll have, you know, a better life and not be at risk of all of these things.
And I think it's just now we've come to a time where people are really believing everything that's been taught. I mean, historically, our mother says eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables. But I think, you know, they're the days when, you know, President Clinton eating hamburgers and things of that sort, which there is nothing wrong with a hamburger and I love a hamburger. And I don't think he actually ate hamburgers every day, but I think that we realize that, you know, to have a wonderful healthful life, that we have to have -- make better choices in terms of what we eat. And yes, we can have a hamburger, but not have one -- you know, have one once a week and have more fish and more vegetables...
BROWN: Right.
SMITH: ... and looking at protein. And, you know -- you know, I'm famous for fried chicken. You know, I've won "Top Chef Masters" last week for fried chicken.
BROWN: Well, hold on there, because that's what I want to ask you. You're talking about all this healthy eating, but I watched you on "Top Chef Masters" and here was your winning dish, fried chicken and smothered chicken and pie. So how do you reconcile that with your healthy eating mission?
SMITH: Well, how I reconcile that was, was you had to look at the situation. Here I was with three fancy chefs and the reality is everybody is kind of ashamed to cook something as humble as fried chicken or pie, but the reality is, they may say, oh, no, no, no, but the fact is, people really want to eat that. And you've got three judges who've tasted possibly everything possible under the, you know, the sun.
You know, the fact was, I wanted to really be unassuming, but yet have lots of great flavor, and that's why I chose to do that, because I knew that they wanted to taste things that were comforting and that were authentic. And it worked.
BROWN: Well, you mentioned earlier that you were Oprah's personal chef and I know she was really focused on trying to lose weight. I mean, she struggled with her weight. As a nation, we're struggling with our weight.
I was reading today, the CBC releases this new statement that says obesity is costing us almost $150 billion a year in medical bills. So, we do love comfort foods. How do you do that? How do we balance that, I guess, with our need to be healthy? Is there a way to do what you're talking about, fried chicken, for the health-conscious?
SMITH: Well, Campbell, I think what we have to do one, like I love just grains and stuff for breakfast and I think it's all about what we ate during the day. If you're going to eat, say, a piece of fried chicken, have it for lunch, not for dinner.
BROWN: Right.
SMITH: You know, try to enjoy your carbs early in the day, rather than at night. I mean, I think that life is kind of sad if you're constantly just, you know, going after yourself about what you're putting in your mouth. Yes, we have this problem. Yes, we need to address it.
But you know what? It's not about what you eat, it's about how much you eat. And, you know, everything tends to be kind of on the big size.
I mean, number one, you know everything like when you go to have a coffee, every muffin, every bagel, it's all like this big. And, you know, and we never think about like, oh, I'll eat half and then I'll save the rest. I think that it has a lot to do with just portion size. And I think, you know, all of us, including myself, deal with, you know, weight issues and stuff.
BROWN: Let me just go back to the restaurant in Washington because I wanted to ask you about this earlier. Who -- it is like the hot place. Everybody is hanging out there from what you read. You're getting lots of buzz, the whole political crowd.
SMITH: Right.
BROWN: Just give us a sense of who's been coming in, what they're ordering, what they're eating.
SMITH: Well, you know, I've had the pleasure to having House Speaker Nancy Pelosi many times. A lovely, lovely, lovely lady who I adore and she loves great food. I love the fact that she loves pretty flowers and I just think she's an amazing woman.
I made a pit stop last weekend and Attorney General Holden was there and I had a lovely conversation with him and he enjoyed his meal. You know, we've had the head of the CIA and some other great people. Rahm Emanuel was there.
I think every congressman on Capitol Hill has been there, and senator. And it's just -- it's been a pleasure.
I mean, when I went there and I saw that location, Campbell, I said to myself, you know, this -- the Hill needs a place where people come together. I mean, let's face it, you know, if we spent more time at the table, I think we'd have a lot less problems because the fact is that we communicate. And, you know, historically, you know, whether it be politics, whether it just be family business, you know it all was centered around food.
BROWN: Right.
SMITH: And "Art and Soul" has become the political hub for lunch.
BROWN: All right. All right. I can't let you go without asking you, who is the chef to beat on "Top Chef Masters," in your view?
SMITH: Well, you know, there are some -- there are some real -- I want to tell you something, Hubert Keller and, you know, all those -- there are some really great ones. I mean, now it's all down to the -- you know, out of 25 chefs, you know, there's six of us left. And it will be very interesting to see. Like I said, it's going to be some tough competition and look out for drama, drama, drama, drama.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Lots of drama. We love that. Congratulations to Art Smith.
No shortage of corruption or alleged corruption in politics. But when we come back, we have found one young mayor who may have set a new record. Just three weeks in office and he has already been arrested. Wait until you hear what he said before he was nabbed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Fasten your seat belts, everybody. Time for the "Wingnut Watch." That is the beat of our next guest, "Daily Beast" contributor John Avlon who fearlessly calls out those who divide rather than unite us, whether they are on the left, to the right, or off the map entirely.
And, John, today's "wingnut" is somebody who's been in office a mere three weeks and already finds himself mired in scandal.
JOHN AVLON, CONTRIBUTOR, DAILYBEAST.COM: Already mired in scandal. Yes, this "Wingnut Watch" is right out of the scripts of "The Sopranos."
32-year-old Hoboken, New Jersey mayor, Peter Cammarano, was caught up in a sting this past week with 44 other of his fellow New Jerseyans taking $25,000 in cash allegedly in bribes. That's not the worst part. The worst part is the guy campaigned as a reformer. He campaigned on a zero tolerance policy against corruption.
And what's the first thing he does during the campaign and after he takes office? Three weeks, takes cash bribes allegedly. That's "wingnut" stuff. Unbelievable.
BROWN: And according to the FBI, he was pretty blase about the consequences of getting caught, right? AVLON: Yes. When he was soliciting bribes right up front in a diner in downtown Hoboken, here's what he got caught saying on tape. "Right now, the Italians, the Hispanics, the seniors are locked down. Nothing can change that now. I could be indicted, and I'm still going to win 85 to 95 percent of those populations."
Man, that is some cynical scumbaggery. That is just wow.
BROWN: Cynical scumbaggery. I'm stealing that phrase from you. John Avlon with this week's "Wingnut Watch."
John, good stuff. Thanks very much. Appreciate it.
AVLON: Thank you.
BROWN: A tow truck operator was going to give up and move to Florida. But he's just found a way to stay ahead of the recession. That's tonight's "Money & Main St." when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Time now for "Money & Main St.," our look at how regular folks are coping with the recession. And Erica Hill found a guy who is literally towing himself out of trouble.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Mike Fisher, the downturn started more than two years ago. Despite selling his house and nearly everything else, his towing and repair business was barely surviving. This third-generation garage owner was close to giving up with plans to start over in Florida, but his heart was firmly in this New York shop.
MIKE FISHER, OWNER: When the going gets tough, you can't just crawl up into a little ball and hide. You know, you've got to -- you've got to fight back.
HILL: Already nearly a half million dollars in debt, Fisher knew he had one last shot. A coveted towing contract with AAA.
(on camera): So when you were trying to get a AAA contract initially, did they come up here and this is what they saw?
FISHER: Yes. This is the door he came through.
HILL: And that was your first clue that maybe you should change the door?
FISHER: Oh, I'll tell you, the guy walked in, looked around like this, introduced himself, shook my hand, handed me a card and said we don't need anybody but if we do we'll give you a call.
HILL (voice-over): Instead of waiting for the call, Fisher got busy turning that garage door into a proper entrance and creating a waiting area complete with upscale magazines, a flat screen TV, even fresh baked pastries. The overhaul set him back another $40,000, and still no phone call and few new customers.
FISHER: I guess it took about four or five months of me harassing them before they finally came in and said, look, we'll give you a shot as a backup.
HILL: It still wasn't enough. Fisher made plans to sell the business. And then two days before the closing, the phone rang.
FISHER: I got a call and they said, are you ready? And I had to pause because my wife was already looking at houses.
HILL: The Fishers put Florida on hold. In just two weeks with AAA, business is up 60 percent.
FISHER: I'm fighting to succeed, and in that fight to succeed, I'm getting further in debt. But that's the only way I could see my way out. You've got to take a chance. You've got a take a chance and chase it.
HILL: For Fisher, it's a fight he's not ready to give up on just yet.
Erica Hill, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And for more creative ways to reinvent yourself for a new career, visit us on the web. Check out CNN.com/moneyandmainstreet.
And before we go tonight, we do want to recap for you tonight's breaking news on the Michael Jackson case. As we reported, a source close to Jackson's family, someone with knowledge of the investigation, confirming to CNN tonight that Jackson's personal physician who you will remember here, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered the drug that authorities believe killed him.
Now, Murray allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic Propofol in the 24 hours before he died. This is all according to this source.
Dr. Murray and his lawyers have not yet commented. Last week, Texas authorities searched Murray's Houston medical office and storage unit, looking for evidence of the offense of manslaughter. This is according to court documents.
We're going to have a lot more on this coming up at the top of the hour. "LARRY KING LIVE" starting next with Jim Moret filling in for Larry tonight. They're going to have all the details for you.
That does it for us tonight. Have a good night everybody and a good week. We'll see you back here tomorrow night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM MORET, GUEST HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Tonight, breaking news bombshell in the Michael Jackson case. His personal doctor administered the powerful anesthetic that authorities believe killed him. Why did he give Jackson propofol? Did he provide it on the day Jackson died? Is he officially a suspect in the King of Pop's death? Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers aren't talking tonight but inside sources are.
Plus, the Gates take. What did the Harvard professor's neighbor report to police? Hear her 911 call for yourself right now on LARRY KING LIVE."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
