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American Morning

Jackson PR Campaign

Aired November 25, 2003 - 09:14   ET

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

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


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson's telling it like it is, or at least anyway how he sees it. Online Jackson has launched a Web site, trying to deliver his message directly to his fans and the public, and counter the multitude of media reporting about the child molestation accusations now that he is facing.
Advertising executive Jerry Della Femina is with us this morning.

Nice to see you, Jerry.

Also our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is going to get a workout over the next six months at least.

Good morning.

How's he doing in the PR campaign right now? Is he behind the curve?

JERRY DELLA FEMINA, ADVERTISING EXEC.: Behind the curve? The Web site is the funniest thing I've ever heard.

O'BRIEN: Why?

DELLA FEMINA: Well, it's a man falling out of a 50 story building and someone says wave your arms, and they say will it help? No, but it won't hurt. You know, somebody -- that's the new thing.

HEMMER: You say this is like Saddam Hussein opening a Web site, trying to get himself out of a bind?

DELLA FEMINA: Exactly. Saddam Hussein says, OK, I'll change my PR, I'll do a Web site.

HEMMER: Do you see someone on his side right now who can take up his defense and counter this right now?

DELLA FEMINA: Other than Liz Taylor? The next person to come out for him is going to be Liza Minnelli. So he's have Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli and his family. That's it.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think there's more to it than that, and I think actually Mark Geragos is the key, but there are real questions about this case. Sure, he is a weird guy. He has an unhealthy, it seems, relationship with children. Is he guilty of a crime? We really don't know that. And there are legitimate questions to be asked about the accuser in this case, about what you know -- whether there are financial motivations at work here. I mean, this case is not a slam dunk for the prosecution.

HEMMER: We're starting to see also this relationship between the parents come forward.

TOOBIN: Relationship between the parents is obviously very complicated. There is criminal investigation of the father. He's completed no contest to abuse in the past. This stuff is relevant. And I think Michael Jackson putting his side out, getting his side of the story out is not a bad idea.

HEMMER: What do you think? if you were advising him, say he called you up and said Jerry, I need some help here.

DELLA FEMINA: He needs a priest. He doesn't need me.

HEMMER: You really think this is much of a slam dunk?

DELLA FEMINA: I don't know if he's going to be convicted of this crime, but they have to roll some film where he shows up and say, yes, I like to sleep with children, with little boys, he has said that publicly. So he's not going to beat that rap. Will he beat the rap against -- from this boy? Maybe. There's a chance. But that doesn't change that he's wrecked. He's ruined. It's over. He's never going to come back.

TOOBIN: There is a core of support for him. I mean, you know, it all depends on who you talk to actually.

HEMMER: Strong corps if you look over the weekends.

TOOBIN: It not just a handful of fans at these vigils. You just talk to people in the street. People say look, the guy's weird. But people are picking on him, and they feel sorry for him. So I don't think it's quite as overwhelming as all that. It's all, you know, sort of how you feel what's in the air. I don't think it's scientific. But I think there is some sympathy for him.

DELLA FEMINA: I think that there's sympathy because this might not be the fact is he paid off the first kid, and that paying off the first kid is going to play against him.

HEMMER: Millions.

DELLA FEMINA: Yes, millions of dollars, but he says he was innocent. This might not be a slam dunk case, I agree with you.

HEMMER: You said an interesting thing, though, Mark Geragos could be his best ally. I think Johnnie Cochran said a very interesting thing when he was here on AMERICAN MORNING, talking about Geragos in the Scott Peterson matter, talking about putting the message out to the people in Modesto, putting his message out to the people in California, to try and influence minds before that jury is picked.

TOOBIN: Very important. I mean, because this, they have to have a side of the story here. He is so weird. He has paid off -- everybody knows, he did pay off the first kid. Everybody knows he said on television that he sleeps with children, but that doesn't mean he's guilty in this case, and that doesn't answer the question of what this second accuser's motivations are.

DELLA FEMINA: Johnnie Cochran says if the white glove doesn't fit, you can't convict. He may beat this rap. But the fact that he's ruined, it's true, he's not going to come back.

TOOBIN: As a public figure I think that's completely true.

DELLA FEMINA: Ultimately he might want to...

HEMMER: Let's save the speculation for next month. Thank you, Jerry, good to see you. Jeff, too, all right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 25, 2003 - 09:14   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson's telling it like it is, or at least anyway how he sees it. Online Jackson has launched a Web site, trying to deliver his message directly to his fans and the public, and counter the multitude of media reporting about the child molestation accusations now that he is facing.
Advertising executive Jerry Della Femina is with us this morning.

Nice to see you, Jerry.

Also our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is going to get a workout over the next six months at least.

Good morning.

How's he doing in the PR campaign right now? Is he behind the curve?

JERRY DELLA FEMINA, ADVERTISING EXEC.: Behind the curve? The Web site is the funniest thing I've ever heard.

O'BRIEN: Why?

DELLA FEMINA: Well, it's a man falling out of a 50 story building and someone says wave your arms, and they say will it help? No, but it won't hurt. You know, somebody -- that's the new thing.

HEMMER: You say this is like Saddam Hussein opening a Web site, trying to get himself out of a bind?

DELLA FEMINA: Exactly. Saddam Hussein says, OK, I'll change my PR, I'll do a Web site.

HEMMER: Do you see someone on his side right now who can take up his defense and counter this right now?

DELLA FEMINA: Other than Liz Taylor? The next person to come out for him is going to be Liza Minnelli. So he's have Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli and his family. That's it.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think there's more to it than that, and I think actually Mark Geragos is the key, but there are real questions about this case. Sure, he is a weird guy. He has an unhealthy, it seems, relationship with children. Is he guilty of a crime? We really don't know that. And there are legitimate questions to be asked about the accuser in this case, about what you know -- whether there are financial motivations at work here. I mean, this case is not a slam dunk for the prosecution.

HEMMER: We're starting to see also this relationship between the parents come forward.

TOOBIN: Relationship between the parents is obviously very complicated. There is criminal investigation of the father. He's completed no contest to abuse in the past. This stuff is relevant. And I think Michael Jackson putting his side out, getting his side of the story out is not a bad idea.

HEMMER: What do you think? if you were advising him, say he called you up and said Jerry, I need some help here.

DELLA FEMINA: He needs a priest. He doesn't need me.

HEMMER: You really think this is much of a slam dunk?

DELLA FEMINA: I don't know if he's going to be convicted of this crime, but they have to roll some film where he shows up and say, yes, I like to sleep with children, with little boys, he has said that publicly. So he's not going to beat that rap. Will he beat the rap against -- from this boy? Maybe. There's a chance. But that doesn't change that he's wrecked. He's ruined. It's over. He's never going to come back.

TOOBIN: There is a core of support for him. I mean, you know, it all depends on who you talk to actually.

HEMMER: Strong corps if you look over the weekends.

TOOBIN: It not just a handful of fans at these vigils. You just talk to people in the street. People say look, the guy's weird. But people are picking on him, and they feel sorry for him. So I don't think it's quite as overwhelming as all that. It's all, you know, sort of how you feel what's in the air. I don't think it's scientific. But I think there is some sympathy for him.

DELLA FEMINA: I think that there's sympathy because this might not be the fact is he paid off the first kid, and that paying off the first kid is going to play against him.

HEMMER: Millions.

DELLA FEMINA: Yes, millions of dollars, but he says he was innocent. This might not be a slam dunk case, I agree with you.

HEMMER: You said an interesting thing, though, Mark Geragos could be his best ally. I think Johnnie Cochran said a very interesting thing when he was here on AMERICAN MORNING, talking about Geragos in the Scott Peterson matter, talking about putting the message out to the people in Modesto, putting his message out to the people in California, to try and influence minds before that jury is picked.

TOOBIN: Very important. I mean, because this, they have to have a side of the story here. He is so weird. He has paid off -- everybody knows, he did pay off the first kid. Everybody knows he said on television that he sleeps with children, but that doesn't mean he's guilty in this case, and that doesn't answer the question of what this second accuser's motivations are.

DELLA FEMINA: Johnnie Cochran says if the white glove doesn't fit, you can't convict. He may beat this rap. But the fact that he's ruined, it's true, he's not going to come back.

TOOBIN: As a public figure I think that's completely true.

DELLA FEMINA: Ultimately he might want to...

HEMMER: Let's save the speculation for next month. Thank you, Jerry, good to see you. Jeff, too, all right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com