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American Morning

Chris Christie and Sarah Palin Noncommittal Regarding Presidential Run; Trail of Michael Jackson's Doctor Enters Second Day; Trial of Michael Jackson's Doctor Enters Second Day; U.S. Stock Futures Up; Iran Navy Ship Threat; Will Christie Run?; Jackson's Personal Assistant to Testify Today; Seven Arrested in SAT Cheating Scandal; Protesting Wall Street; Wall Street Protesters Give Confusing Messages; Listeria Outbreak Deadliest in a Decade; Insurance Costing More for Families; Teen Lack of Sleep Could Cause Risky Behavior; Iran's Navy to Send Ships to U.S. Coast

Aired September 28, 2011 - 06:59   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Opening day in the Michael Jackson death trial as dramatic as the life he lived. The doctor on trial for killing him, and the jury hears a chilling drugged-up Jackson audiotape.

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Iran planning a threatening move putting navy ships off the U.S. coast. What are they trying to prove and who are they trying to test? >

COSTELLO: Dishonor roll. An SAT cheating ring busted. Seven students arrested. High school kids accused of paying a college guy to take the test for them.

VELSHI: And with many GOP voters saying none of the above, is there room for two more? Like these two? Why it may not be too late for Chris Christie and Sarah Palin on this AMERICAN MORNING.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. It is Wednesday, September 28th. Christine has the day off. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING.

VELSHI: Up first, day two of the Michael Jackson death trial, again with plenty of drama in the court. Jurors heard a chilling audiotape with Jackson just weeks before he died barely coherent and apparently in a drugged-up state. Prosecutors say Dr. Murray repeatedly gave Jackson the dangerous drug Propofol to help him sleep. The defense says Jackson administered the fatal dose himself.

CNN's Don Lemon is live outside the courthouse in Los Angeles. Don, tell us about that recording. I remember hearing about it yesterday. I asked somebody is that really Michael Jackson's voice?

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and they had to play it twice in court, Ali. Imagine having to sit through that as a family member, as a mom. It came from an iPhone. There's an app on an iphone you can record that. I imagine that's where it came from. Not sure if it was a voicemail or that, but prosecutors played that during their opening statements, and I want you to take a listen. It's very, very sad to hear. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER/SONGWRITER: When people leave my show. I want them to say I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, that's really how the day started in court yesterday, and, again, I just -- it just -- it was jaw-dropping.

Not only that, Ali, there's that photograph. Have you seen the photograph? I'm sure you have, of Michael Jackson on a gurney in the hospital. And when they showed that as well, people were wondering how much more, how much more can we take in the courtroom? Especially the family, and the jury to see, that photograph was unbelievable. This was taken just hours after a rehearsal that, just the night before, where Michael Jackson seemed to perform well.

VELSHI: I can't imagine being his family and listening to this audio and seeing that photo. You were in the courtroom right behind his family. What was the mood like?

LEMON: Listen it was just the luck of the draw. And I'm not sure if it was lucky. As we got to the go in, members of the media have a number of seats, and I sat right behind Katherine Jackson, Joe Jackson, Janet, LaToya. And when this came on the whole family just sort of looked at each other and started passing tissues down the row to each other and to their mom. Everyone was looking at Katherine, and Katherine seemed to look back saying, I'm OK. But they were all crying and the lights were down so that you could see the videotape.

Quite honestly, Ali, it was almost like being in church. You're not supposed to have contact with the family. Even though they were turns around and talking to me because I've interviewed them before, I just wanted to reach out and hug them and say, you know what, I'm sorry you're having to deal with that because I can only imagine my mom and my family.

It's just a human emotion. It's nothing to say about the innocence or guilt of Conrad Murray, just as a human being, you just want to comfort those people and you can't believe. My gosh, I can't believe you have to sit through that.

Final thing, this family is banded together and they are taking care of each other and taking care of Katherine Jackson, and she is a strong lady.

VELSHI: I want to ask you. Was Conrad Murray there? LEMON: Oh, yes. Conrad Murray was in there. I bumped into him in the hallway, with his lawyers and security detail. We had a long stare. I guess he said that's the guy from CNN. And he was very sullen looking, longer than normal.

And then in the courtroom, when his attorney started to talk about him and he said, oh, he and Michael Jackson were friends. Of course, you saw it on television. He started to tear up. We could see the back of his head, we saw him reach for a tissue and then we saw the jury. The jury saw it all. Saw him doing that. They looked over to the family during emotional time. They saw the picture, some couldn't look at it. It was just unbelievable. I've never seen anything like this in court.

VELSHI: Very emotional. Don, thank you. We'll check in with you later. Don Lemon outside the courthouse in Los Angeles.

For complete coverage and analysis of the Michael Jackson death trial check out our sister network HLN.

COSTELLO: Never been seen before, but there's a 2008 jailhouse videotape of Casey Anthony reacting to the news her daughter Caylee's remains had been found. This afternoon in Orlando the judge who presided over her murder trial will decide whether it will be release it to the public. The original judge in the case ruled three years ago the tape could not be released in court because it would hurt Casey's chances of getting a fair trial.

Some tough talk from Iran. The country is threatening to move a powerful presence of Navy ships very close to the U.S. coast. A state-run news agency says the move is in response to the presence of U.S. war ships in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. government has had no immediate response.

Back in February, two Iranian Navy ships passed through the Suez Canal. That's their boldest move in decades.

COSTELLO: Will they or won't they? Two influential Republicans getting a lot of buzz these days simply by playing coy. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie after spending months denying he's running for president didn't really deny anything at a speech in California last night. And Sarah Palin may have finally tipped her hand for her 2012 plans in an interview with FOX News.

Jim Acosta is tracking it all. He's live in Washington. So if you had to lay bets, come on, do it.

(LAUGHTER)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, boy. My bet is, that the field is the field, and there are politicians who run for president and there are politicians who run for publicity, or run for, perhaps, the next election cycle, and that might be what we're looking at last night.

Carol, for a governor known for his New Jersey brand of straight talk, Chris Christie never really came out and said he was not running for president last night, and he sounded very much like a candidate at the Reagan Presidential Library. The New Jersey Governor accused the president of dividing the country in order to win reelection.

He also took a subtle dig at Rick Perry when a woman asked in the audience for Christie's views of giving in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants. Christie said it wasn't heartless to oppose that policy. But twice last night Christie was asked whether he is reconsidering his repeated statements that he is not running for president. One woman got very emotional, imploring Christie to run. Christie seemed to say, sorry, it is just not his time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do it for my daughter. Do it for our grandchildren. Do it for our sons. Please, sir, don't -- we need you. Your country needs you to run for president.

(APPLAUSE)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: It's extraordinarily flattering, but, by the same token, that heartfelt message you gave me is also not a reason for me to do it. That reason has to reside inside me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And that was not a definitive answer. I talked to a close adviser to the New Jersey governor yesterday who said basically that only Christie knows what Christie is doing, adding, quote, "The storm of speculation is incredible, but this is a decision that will come from Chris Christie on his terms." Carol, we all thought the decision was already made. So --

COSTELLO: I know, but let's face it, he is running again in New Jersey, right? And all of this publicity is good for him afar as raising money goes for his reelection campaign and other things he wants to do with the state of New Jersey. It can't hurt. His approval ratings have gone up since all of this talk about running for president.

ACOSTA: That's right. His approval rating has gone up in New Jersey. It's now above 50 percent. It wasn't just a few months ago. And so this is good for Chris Christie. If he wants to fundraise, this certainly does not hurt. And you have a whole slate of politicians who like to keep their names out in the hopes they'll be remembered in 2016. Chris Christie appears to be weren't ever those guys. Mitch Daniels is another one, Marco Rubio is another. So I think that's what you're seeing here. Chris Christie is really playing for the next cycle, not this one.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about Sarah Palin. Quickly, I think she was on Greta Van Susteren's show on Fox News last night. I watched a bit of it, but what did you take away from it.

ACOSTA: You said earlier this morning that she did seem to tip her hand last night, and I think that's right. The former Alaska governor basically said she likes to play the maverick and running the president might get in the way of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So in other words, she probably won't?

SARAH PALIN, (R) FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: As a title and as a campaign, too shackling. Does that prohibit me from being out there? I'm out of a box, not allowing handlers to shape me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And, Carol, the reality is -- here's the reality -- both candidates are running up against looming fall deadlines to get on the ballots for next year's primary. For example, Florida's deadline is at the end of October. If you're not on the ballot for Florida, Carol, you are not running for president.

I talked to Ed Rollins on the phone yesterday, the longtime Republican strategist, and he said it is extremely difficult to set up a campaign for president on the fly. And that is basically what both governors would have to do and basically a month from now.

COSTELLO: Jim Acosta reporting live from Washington. Thanks.

ACOSTA: You bet.

VELSHI: Still to come this morning, jurors in the Michael Jackson death trial hear a chilling audiotape from the king of pop. We'll have analysis of the trial's first day.

COSTELLO: And a test-taking scheme uncovered on long island. Six high school students allegedly paid a former classmate to take the SATs for them. And the scandal is still growing.

VELSHI: The old saying says you can't fight city hall. What about Wall Street? Protester trying to occupy the center of the financial system. Are the people with the money and power listening?

You're watching AMERICAN MORNING. It is 10 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It is 13 minutes the hour. Good morning to you.

The manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, resuming later this morning. It was a dramatic and emotional first day in court. Perhaps most memorable and most disturbing was an audiotape of Jackson taken in the weeks before he died. He was barely coherent. He was slurring his words. And Dr. Conrad Murray, he broke down several times at the defense table.

Joining us now with his analysis is Paul Callan, CNN legal contributor, and he's also a criminal defense attorney. So let's talk about the defense first off, because while defense attorneys were presenting their opening arguments, Dr. Murray broke down in tears. And I guess the defense is trying to say Dr. Murray did the best he could with a man clearly addicted to drugs. He was just doing what he thought was best for Michael Jackson. How do you think that came off?

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: The sympathy aspect will be really important for the defense here. As a matter of fact, I'm going to name this defense. I think it's the "Good Samaritan defense." You've heard of the Twinkie defense and some other defenses.

Here's what the defense is saying. The defense is saying when poor Dr. Murray got involved with his good friend Michael Jackson, Jackson was already addicted to drugs and had been addicted by other doctors, and they had been giving him Propofol. And Dr. Murray was desperately trying to wean Michael Jackson from those drugs.

And as a result, on the night in question, he had given Michael Jackson only a tiny amount of Propofol to help him get to sleep. And then Michael Jackson self-administered enough additional drug to kill himself. So like a doctor arriving at the scene of an accident or a train wreck. You know, there are laws in all the states that say the doctor can't be sued for negligence if he's trying to help somebody else out and he make a mistake. They're called "Good Samaritan laws." This is an attempt to use it in a criminal case.

COSTELLO: Let's talk about that Good Samaritan defense, because also introduced at trial by the prosecution was this audiotape taken from the doctor's iPhone. Let's listen to it and talk about it later. This is Michael Jackson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKSON: When people leave my show, I want them to say, I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So the prosecution says Dr. Murray had this conversation with Michael Jackson. He knew Michael Jackson was terribly addicted to drugs, especially in the weeks before he died. And Conrad Murray continued to give him these drugs.

CALLAN: Well, and that, you know, that video and that audio, I should say, there were video presentations and pictures as well. It was so Hollywood. You know, in California, they try a murder case and all of a sudden, you know, you've got all this audiovisual stuff, media stuff. It was all presented.

But that tape, that audio is chilling, because it says to the jury, this is a guy terribly sick and depending on a doctor to protect him. And what does the doctor do? He prescribes Propofol, a drug that is only allowed to be used in operating rooms with an anesthesiologist present. And of course the claim is Murray was unqualified to administer the drug.

And this I think is what really hurts, Carol. He was charging $150,000 a month as his fee to Jackson. Now, does that sound like you're hiring a drug dealer? It certainly does. But he happens to be a doctor.

COSTELLO: I don't know how you get around that with the Good Samaritan defense?

CALLAN: It's a Hail Mary pass for the defense. And it's really going to come down to this, and we get back to your first question -- sympathy. If in the end the jury likes Dr. Murray, and if in the end the jury says, you know, a celebrity like Michael Jackson has the ability to go out and hire any doctor he wants. And these celebrities, they spend a lot of money. If it wasn't Murray, wouldn't it be somebody else giving drugs as has been done in the past to Michael Jackson? So is it fair to single out Dr. Murray and convict him of murder?

And the defense with this approach gives the jury something to hang their hat on. He was trying to wean him from the Propofol. Even though he knew it was improper to give his Propofol, what would Michael Jackson have done if Conrad Murray hadn't come along? He was found somebody else, or he would have gotten the drugs himself and killed himself. But Murray was trying to save him doing this unorthodox medical practice.

I don't know if it will work. I think the prosecutor put a very, very strong case on the boards, but it's a very inventive, unusual defense, and we'll have to see how the jury reacts.

COSTELLO: And this is the final question, and we need to keep it brief, but this jury, it's astounding to me that this jury can be impartial in this case.

CALLAN: It is astounding. Seven men, five women who are not sequestered, and the press coverage is unbelievable. Have they formed opinions before? I will tell you, they did a questionnaire with the jurors. Most are Michael Jackson fan. Most of them had some knowledge of the case, but all said they would base their verdict on the evidence.

Now, we've done this in high-profile cases in the past. We did it in the O.J. Simpson case. Jurors promised that they'll only base their verdict on the evidence they hear in the courtroom. And by the way, Casey Anthony --

COSTELLO: They were sequestered, though.

CALLAN: That case, there had been so much publicity before jury selection began, that jury knew a lot about the case, and they seemed to come out with a verdict that was totally at odds with public opinion, because, let's face it, public opinion says Casey Anthony's guilty. So I think more often than not jurors surprise us even in these high-profile cases.

COSTELLO: I think you're right about that. And you'll be watching today's proceedings and maybe join us tomorrow. Thanks, Paul. We appreciate it. (WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Now's your chance to talk back on one of the stories of the day. Our question for you this morning, are job loss greeting cards kind or inappropriate? I know it's a strange question when there are Hallmark cards for everything, birthdays and Kwanzaa and Valentine's Day, depression, divorce, cancer -- yes, cancer.

Well, Hallmark's latest, unemployment. Hallmark launched a line of job loss cards. That's right, if a loved one just lost their job and is on the edge of bankruptcy, just send them a card. Imagine them opening up that card and experiencing this hallmark moment.

"Is there anywhere -- is there anywhere I could hack up a hairball like on a former employer's head?" Other messages are a little more thoughtful, like this one about taking the lemon life gives you and making a martini with a twist. "You'll handle this like everything else in life. In your own unique way and everything will be more than OK."

Psychiatrist Gil (ph) Salt (ph) says although Hallmark is capitalizing on a niche, that niche does work for some people. Hallmark told us, quote, "Cards for people who have lost their jobs are a reflection of the times. Hallmark customers were asking for these cards to offer support to their friends or family going through a difficult time. People in times of need always look for ways to connect."

Maybe I'm being a tad harsh, but with unemployment perhaps the biggest fear in America, I'm not sure a Hallmark moment can make it better. Or can it? So the talk back question today, are job loss greeting cards kind or inappropriate? Facebook.com/AmericanMorning, Facebook.com/ AmericanMorning. I'll read your responses later this hour.

It's 22 past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: It's 26 after the hour. Welcome back.

"Minding your Business" this morning. Right now U.S. stock futures are up. Stocks have closed higher for the past three days on hopes that Europe's debt crisis is in the process of being resolved. But this morning there are new concern about the bailout for Greece and it could be in jeopardy. According to the "Financial Times," euro zone members are split over the terms to the agreement. Some members are demanding that the private sector put more money in.

A new report just out says the number of mortgage applications in the United States was up slightly last week. More people are taking advantage of those low, low mortgage rates and refinancing. But a glut in home purchasing is still holding back a number of mortgage applications.

Later this morning we'll learn if order for durable goods are up, things that last more than three years, including planes and cars.

Gas prices dropping for the 18th straight day. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.47. That is 65 cents lower than the record set back in July of 2008.

VELSHI: The popular iPad expected to get more competition. Amazon is expected to reveal its new tablet computer. Rumors are it will be called Kindle Fire and will be able to stream movies and TV shows.

And Apple is expected to unveil the long awaited iPhone 5 at a precedent next Tuesday. It's been 15 months since the iPhone 4 was announced. Among the expected upgrades, a bigger screen, better cameras, voice recognition, and more carriers.

AMERICAN MORNING is back right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: Top stories, the Iranian navy threatening to move Navy ships near the U.S. East Coast. The announcement coming from an Iranian naval commander. A state-run news agency says the move is in response to the presence of U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. government had no immediate response.

Chris Christie is still keeping everyone guessing. The New Jersey Governor delivered a foreign policy speech at the Reagan Library in California last night. Many Republicans hoping he might make a big announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you reconsidering or are you standing firm?

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Listen, I have to tell you the truth. You folks are an incredible disappointment as an audience. The fact that that took -- the second question -- shows you people are off your game. That is not American exceptionalism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELSHI: Deflected. Governor Christie told audience members he's, quote, "incredibly flattered and touched by all the support."

Jurors this morning will hear from Michael Jackson's personal assistant about the chaotic moments after Dr. Conrad Murray realized that Jackson had stopped breathing.

Opening day testimony was shocking yesterday. Jurors heard an audio recording of a barely coherent Jackson just weeks before his death and they saw a picture of him dead on a hospital gurney.

Prosecutors blamed Murray for Jackson's death claiming he reportedly gave him the dangerous drug Propofol as sleep aid. The defense claims Murray was trying to wean off the drug. They say Jackson gave himself a fatal overdose.

COSTELLO: An alleged SAT cheating ring busted. Seven people are under arrest this morning on Long Island, New York. Authorities say 19-year-old Sam Eshacoff was paid as much as $2,500 to take the test for six former classmates at Great Neck North High School.

They say the college student scored as high as 2200 out of 2400 while impersonating them on the SATs. There's concern the test- taking scandal could grow. Joining us now is Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. Welcome. I can't believe this story.

KATHLEEN RICE, NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It's really unbelievable when you think about it. You know, this weekend hundreds of thousands of high school students are going to sit for the SATs.

And I think the message has to be sent loud and clear that if you cheat, you're going to get caught, and you're not going to be able to go to the college of your dream.

That's the most incredible thing about this. There are kids, who most kids study really hard and do the right thing. These kids didn't.

COSTELLO: So this kid would impersonate -- I mean, how did this work? So he -- how did the kids find out about him, I guess? And then how did he pose as them and take the test?

RICE: Well, Sam Eshacoff graduated from the Great Neck North High School. So it's very likely that he knew some of the kids for whom he took the test and he had a great business deal going. You know, he would make up the fake school I.D., went to different test centers so the proctors wouldn't recognize him. Sat for the test.

He's incredibly smart. He tested in the 97 percentile. He did it for a lot of money. These kids had access to money. They were able to pay him, but the school administration after hearing rumors in the school that some kids were cheating actually did an investigation.

And compared these test scores that were, again, 97 percentile to the GPAs of these students were carrying and there was just such a wide gulf between the two that it raised a big red flag.

COSTELLO: So he charged $2,500. That's a lot of money for any high school student to come up with to pay this.

RICE: Yes, it's an enormous amount of money. When you think about how much money the kids who play by rules have to pay to take the SAT prep scores, to get tutors. I mean, look, this is all about -- the real victims in this case are the students who do everything right.

Who study hard, who work hard to get a high GPA, who study hard, take the courses to do well on the SATs and to get into a good school. We have to level the playing field. When kids get caught cheating, they had to be held accountable. COSTELLO: So, I guess what -- why I was asking that question, 2,500 bucks, it makes you wonder if the parents were involved?

RICE: Well, in this case we don't have any evidence that the parents were involved. Look, we're talking about an area where there is enormous amount of pressure. Not just from parents to the children, but on the children themselves, in the school that they go to.

This is a very high-performance school. It's one of the highest performing schools in the country. But you know, we need to do and what we need to talk about as a national issue, ETS is the non- profit organization that administers the test and they do it across the country.

So kids across the country are going to be taking SATs this weekend. We need ETS to tighten the security that they have at these test centers. Take a picture of each student as they come to take the test, and attach that picture to the test results.

They're sent to the high school. So there can be a check and balance to ensure that the child who showed up to take the test is actually the student who is -- whose name is on that test.

COSTELLO: I found it interesting that you guys chose to also charge the kids who paid this kid to take the SATs for them.

RICE: Well, there's no Sam Eschacof without these six students who were willing to pay him to take the test for them. I think that, you know, the criminal justice system is going to deal with them as it will.

But the way that you hold kids accountable, the way that you hold kids accountable for cheating, like these kids did, is to ensure that when this scandal, if this scandal ever happens again, and we don't know yet how broad this is going to be.

But when this happens, there has to be a mechanism by which the colleges these kids are applying to are informed that they cheated on the test whether that's from ETS informing the school.

Right now all they do is withdraw the score. They don't tell the colleges why and I think the high schools have to have the responsibility of informing the schools that these kids are applying to as well.

COSTELLO: So the guy that took the test, if he's convicted, what could be his sentence?

RICE: Well, he is charged with an e-felony. He faces up to four years in prison. You know, look, he's a smart kid obviously, but he should have been using his brain in a different way.

He's obviously in college himself now and going to have time to think about the mistakes he made, but the message has to be clear. We have to level the playing field so that honest kids are not bump out a seat in the college of their choice because of a kid ahead of them because they cheated.

COSTELLO: And the cheaters are going to juvenile court. So probably no time in a detention center at all, but there will be consequences, most likely?

RICE: I think, my hope is that there will be consequences and certainly going forward my hope is that by sending this message, especially now when just four days, three days from now, on Saturday, kids are going to be sitting for this exam.

The kids have to understand that they can't cheat, and if they cheat they're going to get caught, and they're really putting in jeopardy the rest of their educational career. It might not be able to go to the college of their choice. That's a big penalty.

COSTELLO: Yes. That's a big, big penalty. It's not only for the kid, but for the parents these days.

RICE: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Kathleen Rice, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it. Ali.

VELSHI: Thanks, Carol.

Coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING, the protesters rallying against Wall Street are digging in. but what do they want to accomplish? Do they have a clear goal? Alison Kosik talks to one of the organizers. We'll talk about that on the other side. It's 38 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Good morning, New York. It is cloudy outside, 69 degrees. It was raining when I came in.

VELSHI: Me, too, yes.

COSTELLO: Just a little drizzly. We're expecting showers later today too with a high of 70 degrees.

VELSHI: All right, welcome back.

So they say they are marching for the average American. Hundreds of protesters for days have been out on the streets in Lower Manhattan trying to call attention to what they say is greed and corruption in the financial system.

It is remarkable that they've caught up with this whole idea several years after the financial collapse. Alison Kosik joins us now live. She went out and spoke to some of these organizers. Did you get any sense of their goal? I've seen their tweets. It looks much more like a Twitter movement than an actual protest?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it kind of is. You know, it got it start on Twitter and you've really asked a really good question. You know, what's their goal?

It's really hard to pinpoint to really get them -- to really tell you what their goal is and put it in one sentence. Their grievances are just a mile wide. I mean, you know, they're against - they want to see electoral reform, financial reform.

They were even asking for a four-day workweek. So yes, they're all over the map. But one thing really stood out to me when I was out there talking with these protesters, that is, they've really believe in their cause or their causes. And now they are actually getting some celebrity help.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK (voice-over): On day 11 of "Occupy Wall Street," the number of protesters didn't appear to be growing, but their star power was.

SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS: I think that all change starts from the bottom up, and I think people have gotten tired of hearing the same -- little news quotes every day, day in and day out and it's time for a new paradigm.

KOSIK: The protesters have descended on Lower Manhattan to express their outrage against a financial system they say is broken, but no one can agree on how to fix it.

JULIEN HARRISON, PROTESTER: Most people agree, you're right. The system isn't working for most average Americans. So that's what we want to focus on. What do we agree on? What do we as Americans agree on and what can we do about it?

KOSIK: Organizers say that lack of focus hasn't stopped the movement from growing, but it is fuelling skepticism about their ultimate goal.

(on camera): There are so many reforms "Occupy Wall Street" wants to see happen and this signs really gives you a good idea about how many different demands that they have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's usually summed up as social and economic reform.

KOSIK (voice-over): But it's clearly a protest against corporate America and Wall Street and yet it's a big corporation these protesters are relying on to get their message out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You bought a computer from one of the most valuable companies in this country.

KOSIK (on camera): Apple next to Exxon is the most valuable company. It flies in the face of what you're sitting here for day after day?

BARBARA ROSS, ORGANIZER: I think that's a very good point and it is true that this Mac is, represents the values that I'm not, but I'm just one person, and 90 percent of my life is in the direction I want to be.

KOSIK (voice-over): One of hundreds who really believe in their cause, so much so they've traveled thousands of miles to be here.

JOSH NELSON, PROTESTER: It's a matter of working the same job for next to nothing for the rest of my life or creating a system in which there is an opportunity for advancement.

KOSIK (on camera): Has your boss called you yet?

NELSON: I called in and told him there was a family emergency.

KOSIK: I think he's going to know the truth now.

NELSON: I hope not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: That was another ironic moment there. Josh talking how he pretty much ditched his job, paid a $250 airline ticket to come to these protests and a lot of these protesters are actually protesting the fact that they're college educated and they can't get jobs yet this guy left his job because he says that he believes in the cause. We can understand that.

COSTELLO: How many people did you talk to? I mean, we heard from three who didn't seem to have it all together, frankly, but there are plenty of others down there.

KOSIK: I talked to a good amount of people. I also talked to bystanders, a lot of people just walking down Wall Street, grabbing lunch. They asked me, they said, what is the message? They don't know what the message is. The signs -- they run the gamut. So I think the focus is the issue that these protesters are really -- are really looking at --

VELSHI: We've seen this at G-20s or at World Bank events, things like that, where it attracts a group of protesters who are generally dissatisfied with the social structure. But one of the things that's happened in the last few years, we've actually had a movement in this country that is dissatisfied with the social structure for other reasons, and they went and formed the Tea Party and they got a lot of people elected to the House of Representatives.

COSTELLO: Right.

VELSHI: And there are real problems going on in Washington that could be very specifically protested, like the fact that there's no head of the Consumer Protection Bureau.

KOSIK: Good point.

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: -- started. I'd love to hear if these people have a view on that, whether they might protest somebody's office who is holding that appointment up, as opposed to this generalized protest about stuff that isn't working so well.

KOSIK: Maybe they'll tweet you.

VELSHI: Oh, they've been tweeting me.

(LAUGHTER)

I'll tell you.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: -- tweeting all of us, Alison.

VELSHI: All right, thank you, Alison, for telling us what's going on down there.

KOSIK: No problem.

COSTELLO: Morning headlines coming your way next.

Also, our "Talk Back" question of the morning, are job loss greeting cards kind or inappropriate? We'll read your responses.

It's 46 minutes past the hour.

VELSHI: And good news for father this morning. Why men who have children live longer.

COSTELLO: Wow.

VELSHI: 46 minutes after the hour. I'm going to have that for you on the other side.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: 48 minutes past the hour. Good morning. Here are your morning headlines.

It appears Wall Street's three-day rally may continue. Right now, U.S. stock futures are trading slightly higher, though there are reported concerns in Europe that the E.U. is now split on the bailout for Greece.

A titanic struggle. That's what it will take to get President Obama re-elected, according to his own campaign manager, David Axelrod. Axelrod says the economy and its gridlock Congress are tough obstacles to overcome but he believes the president will prevail because, quote, "He's on the right side of the struggle."

Chris Christie, he's been kind of mum. The New Jersey governor delivered a foreign policy speech at the Reagan Library in California last night. Republicans were hoping for a big announcement. But when asked if he's running for president, Christie deflected the question, only saying he's touched by all the support. After 41 years on the run, the notorious airline hijacker, George Wright, is now in custody in Portugal. The convicted murder escaped from prison in 1970 and hijacked a plane to get to Algeria. There was no trace of him for decades. He's now 68 years old.

A Long Island college student and six of his former classmates under arrest in an alleged SAT cheating ring. Authorities say 19- year-old Sam Eshagoff was paid as much as $2500 to take an SAT test for students at Great Neck North High School. They say he scored as high as 2,240 out of 2,400 for them. Day two of testimony of the Michael Jackson death trial. During opening statements, jurors heard a chilling audiotape of Jackson just weeks before he died. Prosecutors accuse Dr. Conrad Murray of repeatedly giving Jackson the drug Propofol to help him sleep. The defense says Jackson himself is to blame for that fatal overdose.

A court date for the accused Tucson killer, Jared Loughner, to decide whether he is competent to stand trial. Loughner has been on diagnosed as a schizophrenic and he's been on suicide watch and he's been forced to take his meds in prison.

And Andy Rooney, one of America's most famous curmudgeons, is signing off "60 Minutes" after 33 years. Sunday's essay will be 92- year-old Rooney's last regular appearance on the CBS broadcast.

That's the news you need to start your day. AMERICAN MORNING, back after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: Good morning, Atlanta. It is 63 and sunny. That is a beautiful Atlanta morning. It's going to be partly cloudy later on, right about 83 degrees.

COSTELLO: Awesome.

VELSHI: Yes.

COSTELLO: Good morning to you. The listeria outbreak from cantaloupe is now one of the deadliest outbreaks in the United States in more than a decade. Health officials say 72 infections and 13 deaths are now linked to the tainted fruit. The illnesses have been reported in 18 states from California to Maryland. Investigators say the source of the outbreak appears to be Jansing Farms in the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

VELSHI: You just don't' think of that as something that could give you an illness.

COSTELLO: I know.

VELSHI: It just seems so, you know, healthy, yes

COSTELLO: Healthy for you, yes.

VELSHI: It's costing you more to insure your family. According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a family of four -- look at this -- is paying $15,000 for health insurance. That's up 9 percent. That is the largest increase in the history of the survey. The group says it is not clear if this is a one-time hike or if it signals a return of sustained increases in health insurance.

COSTELLO: And a new study finds two-thirds of teenagers here in the United States are getting less than eight hours of sleep on school nights. And that lack of sleep, according to researchers, could lead to risky behaviors, like drug and alcohol use, low physical activity and feeling sad or helpless. Sort of like --

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: That seems like a stretch, don't you think? First of all, eight of hours of sleep, that feels like a luxury to most people, even to most people who don't work these kind of hours. But that leads to alcohol and drugs?

COSTELLO: I can see that.

VELSHI: Really?

COSTELLO: And teenagers supposedly need more sleep than grown- ups do. They need nine or 10 hours of sleep.

VELSHI: Come on.

COSTELLO: Honestly, I've heard that.

VELSHI: Nine or 10 hours of sleep?

COSTELLO: They're young. They're growing. They need that.

VELSHI: Gosh. All right.

Good news for dear old dad. A study of 137,000 men over 10 years found that those without kids were at a 17 percent greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The study's authors say there could be a number of reasons why fathers are less likely to die from heart disease, but one could be that kids influence dad to boost their overall health. Now, that makes some sense.

COSTELLO: You buy that one, huh?

VELSHI: You have to go on -- I think, for the early years, kids influence dad to eat the food on their plate. So you've got -- it's unhealthy for the first maybe 10 years. But then they're physically active and you get to run around with them, you know?

COSTELLO: Oh, that's beautiful.

VELSHI: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: OK, we asked you this question this morning in our "Talk Back" segment. This was the question, are job-loss greeting cards kind or inappropriate?

This is from Laura. She says, "Well, I don't want one. Save the five bucks. Or if you must spend it to show your support, take me out for a drink. It's not like I have to get up in the morning."

(LAUGHTER)

This from Barb, "Inappropriate. Kind would be a card saying 'thinking of you,' with a monetary gift included."

This from Katie, "In my opinion, they're inappropriate because job loss is no laughing matter and many people are very sensitive when talking about it. However, it is a way to show that you care to some degree. Honestly, just get them a sympathy card. They work just as well."

(LAUGHTER)

VELSHI: Oh. Ouch!

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: You know, one of those blank ones.

VELSHI: OK.

COSTELLO: So you can --

VELSHI: OK, I got it.

COSTELLO: Not the Hallmark --

VELSHI: Yes.

COSTELLO: -- 'Oh, we heard about your job loss. I'm so, so sorry'."

This from Jonathan, "Don't we spend a lot of money on greeting cards for all occasions, most of which are made-up anyway? We really borders on bad taste by lining the pockets of the greeting card makers, and worse, rubbing the nose of the recipient in his or her woes. A personal note or face-to-face is far more appropriate."

Interesting comments this morning. Facebook.com/Americanmorning, if you would like to join the conversation.

VELSHI: All right, our top stories when we return, including Iran's navy is planning to send ships near the U.S. coast. Is it time to panic? We're live at the Pentagon with more on this.

It's 56 minutes after the hour.

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