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American Morning
Feds Bust Pentagon Drone Terror Plot; High Court Asked to Rule on Health Care Law; Michael Jackson's Doctor on Trial; Last Chance for Knox Lawyers; Judge: Loughner Can be Made Fit for Trial; No Decision on Casey Anthony Jail Tape; Monument Inspection Begins; Baseball's Fantastic Finish; Herman Cain Claims African-Americans Brainwashed into Voting Democratic; Hackers Obtain and Publish Personal Information of Goldman Sachs Officials; On the Run for 41 Years; Witness: Murray Made Frantic Calls; House Votes On Govt. Funding Bill
Aired September 29, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans. Here's what you need to know to start your day. A sting operation uncovering an alleged plot to attack targets in Washington and the Pentagon, this time with planes that don't need pilots.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Today, the music died. I'm Carol Costello. Michael Jackson's inner circle reveals chaos and panic as the king of pop laid dying as Dr. Conrad Murray wondering if anyone knew CPR. We're live in Los Angeles. Just ahead on this on AMERICAN MORNING.
ROMANS: Good morning, everyone. It's Thursday, September 29. Ali Velshi is off this morning, but we are here driving the ship. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING.
COSTELLO: Ali is a wimp. No, just kidding. He was tired yesterday. We start with this. He was bent on Jihad and he is no dummy. That's what the feds are saying after they arrested a man in an alleged plot to dive bomb the Pentagon and U.S. capital with remote controlled planes like these.
Those planes would be packed with C4 explosives. The suspect is an American-Muslim with a physics degree from North Eastern University. Brian Todd with more on how his plot was foiled.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Federal authorities have arrested a 26-year-old man from Ashland, Massachusetts named Rezwan Ferdaus. In an affidavit, U.S. officials say Ferdaus started his plot last year by buying cell phones, modifying them to act as electrical switches for IEDs then giving them to people he believed were members of al Qaeda.
He hoped they would be used to kill U.S. soldiers overseas according to that document. But the people he was give thing equipment to were actually undercover agents from the FBI. Authorities say that he then expanded his plot to use these, model planes. They say that he planned to use them like drones operated by remote control and filled with explosives and guided by GPS.
Federal authorities say he selected two models, the F-4 Phantom shown here in this picture provided with the affidavit and the F-86 Saber. These models are about one-tenth the size of the aircraft. His targets according to the charging document the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol.
Officials say Ferdaus travelled to Washington this spring, took photographs of the Pentagon and the Capitol. They say he also took pictures of East Potomac Park in Washington. Just south of the mall where according to the affidavit he planned to launch the model planes filled with explosives.
According to federal officials, he also planned a ground attack, planned to bring other people into the operation and people armed with automatic weapons who would then fire on people as they tried to evacuate those buildings.
But we have to stress one very important point. A U.S. law enforcement official CNN spoke said there was no danger to the public since undercover operatives were involved very early on. This official also says that there's no information that Ferdaus was connected to a foreign terrorist group, but they believe his intent was very clear.
According to the affidavit, a cooperating witness once asked Ferdaus why he wanted to blow up the Pentagon. The document says he responded "that is the target to eliminate and terrify all enemies of Allah." Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Coming up at 7:00 Eastern, CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend will join us. How far along is this investigation? Are there more arrests coming at home or possibly overseas? We will ask her.
ROMANS: Meanwhile, the health care work could come back just in time for 2012. The Justice Department has now asked the Supreme Court to look at President Obama's health care law, in particular, the requirement that people buy health insurance by the year 2014.
If the court decides to hear the appeal or ruling may come by maybe late June and in the thick of an election year. Today the House is expected to pass a short-term spending bill that will keep the government from partially shutting down.
Earlier this week Senate Republicans and Democrats were able to strike a compromise on a potential deal breaker giving FEMA an additional $2.5 billion for disaster relief.
COSTELLO: Now to the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's Dr. Conrad Murray. The second day of testimony took jurors inside the Jackson mansion on the day he died with his assistant and security chief describing a chaotic scene and raising questions about Dr. Murray's behavior. CNN's Don Lemon is covering this trial. He is live outside of the courthouse in Los Angeles. Don, the prosecution took aim at Dr. Murray's actions after Jackson's death yesterday. What did you hear?
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They certainly did. After all of that chaos that went on really for maybe an hour, hour or two before they actually got to the hospital, and once they got to the hospital, Carol, and Michael Jackson was pronounced dead, one of the security guards -- it was really odd, his assistant and security guard said it was really odd because he approached him and said, listen, I want to go back to the house.
And because there's something that about Michael Jackson wouldn't want the world to know about, apparently a cream he wanted to retrieve. Now this is an actual bottle of Propofol and you know, Michael Jackson has called it his milk.
It does look like a cream, right, like emulsion. I'm wondering, everyone is wondering, and that's what the prosecution is setting out to do, is this the cream that Dr. Murray wanted to go back to retrieve from the house? Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL AMIR WILLIAMS, MICHAEL JACKSON'S PERSONAL ASSISTANT: He said that there's some cream in Michael's room or house, room, that he wouldn't want the world to know about. And he requested that I or someone give him a ride back to the house to get it so the world wouldn't know about the cream.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Williams the very first time you told the police about Dr. Murray wanting to get some cream, was it on August 31, 2009, correct?
WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was over two months after Michael Jackson had died.
WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.
LEMON: OK, so that was -- he said that Dr. Murray asked him about going back to the house. This is over two hours after they left the house.
And in that time, starting at about 12:15 that afternoon, that was just triangle of phone calls between the head of security and his assistant and Dr. Conrad Murray leaving a message on his assistant's phone saying get over here. The security guard called -- assistant called the security guard who rushed over, gets to the house and goes upstairs and sees Dr. Murray.
He says one hand on Michael Jackson trying to revive him and then in the other hand, he has a cell phone and he says that the children are there witnessing all of this. Michael Jackson is laying on the floor, his mouth is open and his eyes are open. He said the children were just devastated. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAHEEM MUHAMMED, HEAD OF JACKSON'S SECURITY DETAIL: Paris was on the ground curled up crying. Prince was standing there and he was just -- he had a real shock -- slowly crying type of look on his face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So can you imagine? Because the testimony has been that Michael Jackson was laying there, as you said, his mouth was open. He said -- his mouth was open and his eyes were open.
And he had on a condom catheter and his children are watching him in this state and then more of that testimony will happen today in court from the chief of security again and also from his chef, people who were there during his final moments.
COSTELLO: Don Lemon reporting live from Los Angeles. Thank you.
ROMANS: Last chance for Amanda Knox's lawyers to prove she isn't a cold-blooded killer. Her defense giving closing arguments this morning in Italy in her murder appeal.
Knox, a college student from Seattle, was convicted of the gruesome murder of her college house mate in Italy. Yesterday defense lawyers for her ex-boyfriend who was also convicted compared Knox to Jessica Rabbit the cartoon character saying she isn't the femme fatal the media made her out to be. She was just drawn that way.
COSTELLO: Tucson shooting suspect, Jerrod Lee Loughner will eventually be fit to stand trial. Yesterday, a judge extended Loughner's detention for four more months saying that measurable progress has been made in restoring him to competency.
Loughner is charged with killing six people and wounding 13 others including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. If convicted, Loughner will face the death penalty.
ROMANS: A judge has yet to decide whether or not a controversial Casey Anthony jailhouse tape will be released to the public. The security camera footage shows Anthony reacting to the news that her daughter Caylee's remains were found. It was sealed before her murder trial and a judge ruled it highly inflammatory. A TV station in Orlando has filed a motion for the judge to unseal this jailhouse tape.
COSTELLO: Leaving no stone unchecked. A team of engineers will spend another day literally hanging outside of the Washington Monument or on to it rather, right?
They will rappel down the sides checking for cracks and exterior damage from last month's earthquake. The top down inspection, as you know, began yesterday. Here's what it looked like from on high, some 500 feet up. ROMANS: Wow.
COSTELLO: That's a brave man. Park officials expect the slow painstaking operation to take five days, weather permitting, of course.
ROMANS: Harrowing and exciting and cool to watch.
COSTELLO: Yes, at first I thought I wouldn't want to do it, but now it would be kind of cool.
ROMANS: Lots of safety ropes.
All right with wild card berths in both leagues on the line, it was the wildest finish ever to baseball's regular season. It started with the St. Louis Cardinals routing the Houston Astros 8-0 to clinch the National League wild card in one of baseball's greatest comebacks.
Cards got in after the Atlanta Braves were beaten by the Phillies 4-3 in 13 innings. Loss made Atlanta's collapse complete. The Braves blowing an 8-1/2 game lead in the NOL card race.
COSTELLO: But it gets better or should I say worst, Boston Red Sox ahead, 3-2 in the ninth. The Sox blew the game to the Baltimore Orioles. It turned out -- isn't it amazing?
Look at the Orioles cheer. The Orioles were 29 games back. It is insane the Boston Red Sox are out of the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves out of the playoffs. It is just - incredible what's happened.
But I must tell you, Christine, the Detroit tigers are in the playoffs and they played the New York Yankees on Friday. Rob Marciano and I are going to take a bet. I'm going to force him to bet me. He is a Yankees fan and I'm a Tigers fan.
ROMANS: There you go. OK, the Sox are out and the Tampa Bay Rays are in because of last night's biggest shocker. The Race beat the Yankees 8-7, Longoria's stunning walk-off home run in the 12th inning.
The Rays were down 7-0 in the game and down to their last strike before tying it with a ninth-inning homer. Rays will meet the Texas Rangers in the American League division. How can the postseason ever be as exciting what happened in the last 12 hours?
COSTELLO: I know, it is just cool that Evan Longoria was the guy that hit the home run to win the game. You know, he is the team hero and -- pretty cool guy. She thinks I'm crazy.
Just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, Herman Cain using strong words to explain why there aren't more black voters in the Republican Party and why he's optimistic it will be different this time.
ROMANS: I want to be president. Sure, the run is free, but you have to deal with a demanding public. Laundry list of domestic and international headaches so why would anyone want this job? It's our "Talk Back" question of the morning. Join the conversation on that.
COSTELLO: Some in Congress want answers after it was discovered Facebook is able to track what you are doing online even after you log off the site. More on that story coming up. It's 11 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Welcome back. Herman Cain coming of a big upset in the Florida straw poll last weekend. Cain, a black Republican and also a Tea Party favorite, was on "THE SITUATION ROOM" and had some strong opinions about why there aren't more like him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Because many African- Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded and not even considering a conservative point of view. I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I'm running as a Republican as a conservative. So it's just brainwashing and people not being open- minded pure and simple.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": That's a strong word to talk about your fellow African-Americans, brainwashed?
CAIN: For two-thirds of them, Wolf, that is the case. Now, the good news is I happen to believe a third to 50 percent of the black Americans in the country are open-minded. I'm meeting them every day and they stop me in the airport. This whole notion that all black Americans are necessarily going to stay and vote Democrat, vote for Obama, that's simply not true. More and more black Americans are thinking for themselves, and that's a good thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Herman Cain also weighed in on the Chris Christie hype, saying the media should focus on the candidates already declared.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: He's not going to like this then. Today the chatter is surrounding Rudy Giuliani. A source close to the former New York mayor says he is still flirting with a presidential run. One of his top advisers visited New Hampshire for meetings with the state officials yesterday, which would actually back that up.
ROMANS: All right, Giuliani, Chris Christie, Sarah Palin, or anyone else thinking about a presidential run, you only have a little more an month to make up your minds or you miss Florida. The deadline to get on the Florida Republican primary ballot is Halloween. It is the first of many deadlines candidates must meet in order to compete in several key states. That's the deadline, Halloween.
COSTELLO: Time now to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. Our question this morning -- why would anyone want to run for president? Let's face it, we are a demanding bunch. As comedian and political observer Dean Obeidallah puts it, "The biggest challenge the president faces is we the people. We have become unreasonably demanding and want everything and we want it now, as in keep my taxes low, but don't cut services, as in you are not conservative enough or liberal enough, and you have bad hair to boot."
Late night comedians revel in it, knowing voters love it when they rip the candidates to shreds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": And President Obama's hometown newspaper the "Chicago Tribune" had called for president Obama not to run for re-election. Of course he is going to run. He has to run. He knows more than anyone else there are no jobs out there.
(LAUGHTER)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": Mitt Romney comes to have a meeting with Donald Trump.
(LAUGHTER)
LETTERMAN: At one point that thing on Trump's head starting growling at Mitt.
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": I can't believe my advisors told me not to get high before this debate, I'm telling you.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: We're not saying candidates don't often deserve some derision, but seriously as a candidate can't even be who you are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN, (R) FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Does a title take away my freedom to call it like I see it and to affect positive change we need in this country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: When Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he embraced the individual mandate. Now he has to justify it because conservatives hate the president's health care plan.
So the talk back this morning, why would anyone want to run for president? Why? Facebook.com/AmericanMorning, Facebook.com/AmericanMorning. We will be intrigued to read your comments later in the show.
ROMANS: I once asked an adviser to several presidential candidates why, what's the driving force? Is it love of country? Is it -- I just want to make sure I'm still in the game so I can get more money for speeches later? He said it is three letter, e-g-o.
COSTELLO: E-g-o?
ROMANS: Ego. It's all about, do you think you are the run that can lead the free world. There's a certain something about that.
COSTELLO: That makes me really sad.
(LAUGHTER)
(WEATHER BREAK)
ROMANS: All right, still to come on the run for more than 40 years. You will hear how the FBI picked up on this fugitive's trail and able to track him down halfway around the world. It's 22 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Welcome back. "Minding your Business" this morning. U.S. stock futures are up right now, but those lingering concerns about Europe that ended a three-day rally yesterday, the DOW is down 180 points or 1.5 percent yesterday. The NASDAQ and S&P were also down about two percent.
Just a few minutes ago Germany's parliament issued a measure to overhaul a European bailout fund. The vote helps pave the way to create a bigger bailout fund. A bigger fund to stabilize Greece and any other troubled countries, and also to bolster European banks.
This morning we are also waiting for the latest reading on the number of Americans filing first-time jobless claims. That report along with a new revision on just how slowly the U.S. economy grew in the second quarter, those were out in two hours and those could decide the direction of trading today.
The world's largest cellphone maker Nokia announcing plans to cut 3,500 jobs, this as it tries to streamline its business. The majority of the cuts will take place overseas but some of the companies workers here in Pennsylvania could be affected.
And hackers hit Goldman Sachs. The group known as Cabin Crew published the personal information of several employees including CEO Lloyd Blankfein, including his birthday, phone numbers, legal documents. Cabin Crew also published information about a police officer accused of pepper spraying protesters on Wall Street.
Reebok must fork over $25 million in refunds for claiming its easy tone and run tone sneakers tone legs and buttock muscles. The Federal Trade Commission ruled the claims were based on bogus science. It doesn't tone anything. The agency provided a link if you are looking for a refund.
And you may soon have to shell out even more money to see a 3-D movie. There is a disagreement between studios and movie chains who is supposed to cover the cost of the 3-D glasses. That means you may have to start paying for your own disposable 3-D glasses.
AMERICAN MORNING will be right back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning to you.
It is 30 minutes past the hour. That means it's time for this morning's top stories.
New terror threat at home. The feds arresting a man in an alleged plot to dive bomb the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol with remote- controlled airplanes packed with explosives. The suspect is an American Muslim with a physics degree from Northeastern University. It turned out his co-conspirators were undercover FBI agents.
ROMANS: More dramatic testimony at the Michael Jackson death trial. The pop star's chief of security describing Dr. Conrad Murray as nervous and sweaty while trying to revive Jackson. And he said Murray later appeared desperate to get back into the California mansion after Jackson died.
COSTELLO: And both sides on the ongoing battle over President Obama's health care reform want to settle a controversy once and for all. They are bypassing lower courts and now formally asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if the law is constitutional. If the court decides to hear the case, a ruling could come by June of next year.
ROMANS: Longtime fugitive George Wright is now fighting extradition after he was found living the good life at a Portuguese resort town. Wright had been on the run for more than four decades.
And our Dan Rivers is in Portugal with how the FBI finally got their man.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the tiny house in rural Portugal where George Wright spent the last 20-odd years. His life story reads like an incredible Hollywood thriller. It is alleged that in the 1960s, he was involved in a series of armed robberies. He was convicted for one in 1962. He's escaped from prison, though, in 1970.
And in 1972, he and other members of the Black Liberation Army hijacked a plane in Detroit, Delta 841, to Miami. Wright boarded the plane dressed as a priest. He smuggled a gun onboard hidden inside a Bible and held 88 passengers hostage. They demanded that the FBI turn up with $1 million in cash. But to ensure the FBI weren't armed, they insisted the FBI wore only their swimming costumes which the FBI humiliatingly had to do, incredible footage of the FBI delivering the suitcases full of money.
The hijackers, including George Wright, then took the plane to Boston where they picked up another flight member and then demanded to be flown to Algeria where they disappeared. The money was handed back by the Algerian authorities to the U.S. government but George Wright and his fellow hijackers disappeared.
And the trail went completely cold from then on until just recently this week when the FBI and police and authorities here in Portugal managed to arrest him. And his is where he's being certainly for the last 20-odd years. Locals here say they are gobsmacked with the news.
VITOR LOSADA, NEIGHBOR (through translator): I can't believe it. I'm very shocked. I can't believe it.
FERNANDA TAVERS, NEIGHBOR (through translator): They were very nice people. Very nice people. I'm shocked. I really can't understand this.
RUI SANTOS, NEIGHBOR (through translator): The news to us was shocking. It was a huge surprise. When I heard this in the morning I was completely shocked at the news I was hearing. With the news I was hearing that would surprise anyone. We weren't expecting it.
RIVERS: We're told George Wright met and married a Portuguese lady. They have two children, a daughter and a son. He's been living here in total obscurity for many years. People describing him as a terribly nice guy, quiet, living a modest life. He has been a house painter and had a few small businesses. But kept to himself in this tiny village. Now, though, he's front page news.
Dan Rivers, CNN, in Casas Novas, Portugal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Facebook may have to answer to Congress over its latest privacy flop. Congressmen Ed Markey and Joe Barton were asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate reports Facebook keeps gathering information about the Web sites you visit even after you have logged off of Facebook. A spokesman for the social network says it does not use or store any information it should not have.
ROMANS: A federal judge rules on one of the toughest immigration laws in the country. Alabama's immigration law is being challenged in court by the Justice Department. The judge allowing some of the most controversial portions of the law -- authorities can question people suspected of being in the country illegally and hold them without bond, and officials can also check the immigration status of students in public schools.
COSTELLO: A new speed slaw putting Maine in the fast lane. Lawmakers boosting the speed limit to 75 miles per hour on a remote stretch of Interstate 95. That's up from 65 miles per hour. That is the highest in New England.
Critics say raising speed limits leads to more deaths from accidents. But the law goes into effect today.
ROMANS: All right. Up next on AMERICAN MORNING: for decades, presidents pleaded for help. So, why after all the studies, all the promises, all the plans and false starts, why has the government failed to fix a persistent flooding problem?
COSTELLO: And the ice cream shop mascot that frightened people away. He would frighten me, too. We'll tell you more.
It's 36 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Welcome back.
The flood waters from Hurricane Irene may have receded. But in one New Jersey town, the frustration is still running pretty high. Their anger is directed at that time government they say is broken, unable to address decades of persistent flooding.
So, why the holdup?
Here's an in-depth look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had everything fixed. It took me a year to fix it. And it's destroyed again. I can't do it. Please help us.
ROMANS (voice-over): Residents pleaded for help at a rally in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Five hundred homes were damaged by recent flooding from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Flooding is not new to this area. But there has been more in recent years due to a buildup of silt in the saddle river. The Army Corps of Engineers has studied the problem since 1980, even came up with a plan to be dredge the river but nothing happened, mostly due to state and federal funding issues.
KAREN CHAMBERLAIN, MAYOR, SADDLE BROOK, NJ: We are tired of hearing we don't have the money. We have the money to send all over the world. But why don't we have the money to come up with the dredging plan and the work to be done?
ROMANS: It's not that officials haven't paid attention. They visited Saddle Brook.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The article showing up Congress people, United Corps of Engineers were there.
ROMANS: Brigada Bailey has a newspaper from four years ago showing her with federal officials in her home after it was damaged from the last major flood. The officials told her and other residents, the problems could be fixed by 2010, requiring upwards of $100 million in funding.
But the money never came and the river was not dredged. Instead, there were other people in Bailey's home this week, construction workers repairing the damage from the most recent flooding.
BRIGADA BAILEY, HOME DAMAGED BY FLOOD: Nothing has been done. All we have is false promises and they lie to us. They don't tell us the truth. If I knew it was going to flood again, I would move. I can't go through this again.
ROMANS: What's behind the delays? Environmental concerns and money. The state of New Jersey has refused to pay for removal of toxic materials in and around the river. The extent of the contamination is not known. And each delay requires the Army Corps to update the flood plan which costs additional money.
The earliest dredging could happen though not until 2012. Meanwhile, homes keep getting flooded.
MARIA SCADUTO, HOME DAMAGED BY FLOOD: We had furniture here we had to throw out.
ROMANS: This is the third time Maria Scaduto's home has been damaged. The walls are cracked and moldy. Her family has moved out.
SCADUTO: It makes me feel very angry because the politicians, they fight for the money, for the money. They create the problems. But who pays for it? It's us, the people, that pay for it. We, the working people, pay for their mistakes.
ROMANS: After the last flood, it took three months before the family could move back home. This time, Scaduto was uncertain when or if they'll return.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Again, they have been told by various government officials that this is going to get fixed. The town of Saddle Brook became so frustrated with the delays that four years ago, it sued the Army Corps of Engineers. They wanted to force the federal government to finally dredge that river, but there's been no action to that front either.
COSTELLO: Just in to CNN: the judge in the Amanda Knox murder appeal says there will be no verdict in the case until after the defendant's statements -- those statements expected to come Monday. A verdict had been expected as soon as Saturday. Knox, a college student from Seattle, was convicted of the gruesome murder of a college housemate in Italy. Her defense team is giving closing arguments this morning in Italy of her murder appeal. We'll keep you posted.
And much lighter news this morning -- the owners of an ice cream store -- an ice cream family store, I should say, in Ocala, Florida, recently thought it would be a great idea to drum up business by putting a guy dressed as an ice cream cone outside of the store. But actually people stopped coming in once they saw that guy.
Why, you ask? Well, take a look. A lot people driving by the store thought it was a Klan member. I guess they didn't see the sprinkles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This one lady called crying her husband. She called her husband crying because she didn't want to cross this intersection right here because she thought it was the KKK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody should have come over and say your ice cream looks like the Klan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Well, it kind of sort of does. The owner says they found the ice cream cone costume in a back storage room after they opened up the restaurant and said hey, we might as well put this to use. But turns out it wasn't such a great idea.
ROMANS: Oh, wow.
All right. Author Stephen King says he's close to finishing a novel, a sequel to his 1977 novel "The Shining." The new work is titled "Dr. Sleep." King's bestseller was adapted to the memorable horror film starring Jack Nicholson in 1980.
COSTELLO: This next story would be the talk of all the -- talk of all New England this morning if the Red Sox had blown it, that is. Tom Brady is getting -- well, actually, he got a new haircut. The locks are gone.
In September of last year, Brady said his wife would not allow him to cut his hair. So his haircut started out like a Bieber. And he even had a ponytail later in the season. It might have something to do with his three interceptions last week maybe. Time to get rid of the long hair.
How about something more serious?
ROMANS: I like him with short hair, personally.
COSTELLO: I like him anyway.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: All right. It's 24 minutes after the hour.
Still ahead, is it OK to use the F-word when talking about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie? A look at how Christie's waistline has became a punch line.
COSTELLO: And it made her laugh, it made her cry, it made her say you are so cheesy. A guy gets a flash mob to help him say, "Will you marry me?" And guess what, she says, duh.
It's 44 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: It's 46 minutes past the hour. Here is what you need to know to start your day.
A new terror threat at home. The feds arresting a man in an alleged plot to strike the Pentagon and the U.S. capitol with remote controlled planes packed with explosives.
The Justice Department asking the Supreme Court to look at President Obama's healthcare law. That could mean a decision would come in the thick of the 2012 race.
Michael Jackson's assistant describing a chaotic scene inside Jackson's bedroom on the day he died. In court yesterday, he testified Dr. Conrad Murray made frantic phone calls after Jackson stopped breathing. Prosecutors say Murray waited up to 20 minutes, though, before calling 911.
In Iran, the attorney for the two American hikers who were released last week says he was briefly detained by security forces after they searched his home Tuesday. The attorney tells CNN a number of files were taken including those regarding the case of Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer.
The House today is expected to approve a bipartisan Senate deal that temporarily averts a partial government shutdown, but the bill only funds the government through Tuesday. Meaning, lawmakers, well, will have to do it all over again next week.
This just in to CNN. Senator John McCain is in Libya. He arrived in a capital of Tripoli a short time ago. He was accompanied by other senators. The group will hold a news conference at 9:45 a.m. eastern.
And a stunning end to the baseball season. The Tampa Bay Rays grab the AL wildcard spot with a 12-inning walk-off homer against the Yankees completing a historic comeback from nine games behind the collapsing Red Sox.
That's the news you need to start your day. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Forty-nine minutes past the hour. Good morning. We ask you to "Talk Back" on one of the stories of the day. The question for you this morning, why would anyone want to run for president?
(LAUGHTER)
This from Tony, "It's a game for the greedy and wealthy. As kids, we used to call them king of the mountain."
This from Sharon, "Better question is why do it twice? Serve four years and get the hell out. You're set for life, retirement, prestige, medical, et cetera."
This from Rob, "I've often wondered the same thing. They age so visibly during their time, and nothing they do is good enough. Anyone who actually wants to be president should have their head examined."
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: And this from Carol, "I'm going to echo what Rob Marciano said. It's a thankless job for thankless people." True that.
Keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/americanmorning.
ROMANS: All right. New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, may have had a stomach for a grueling presidential campaign, but it's already open season on his own stomach. That's right. Fat jokes. It's true. It was inevitable. Here is Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Governor Chris Christie's profile gets bigger, so does the issue of his size.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: All right.
MOOS: Now, that he's a national figure, comedians are starting to make his waistline a punch line.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN: Take a look. Does he show up on -- go to Google Earth.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: From late night to daytime talk, Chris Christie's weight is being tossed around.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, HOST, THE VIEW: Can you see him as president?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You say no? OK. Why not? Because he's hefty.
MOOS: For a while, they danced around the "F" world, but then --
JOY BEHAR, HOST, THE VIEW: I don't think the country is ready for a fat president again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that's ridiculous.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Imagine this conversation about an overweight female candidate.
MOOS: Governor Christie is a bonanza for cartoonists like Jeff Danzager who drew Republicans in life rap (ph) seeking rescue, while Chris Christie is belly-up on the beach.
CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC HOST (voice-over): I saw him the other day. I was amazed by it. He must be 300 plus. And that's something he's just got to deal with cause you're not going to say I'm going to cut the budget. Well, how about start with supper? MOOS: But Chris Matthews would go to bed without his supper for that remark if Mike Huckabee had his way.
MIKE HUCKABEE, FOX NEWS HOST: To criticize Chris Christie because of the amount of his skin is absurd.
MOOS: The amount of Huckabee's skin used to be excessive. He lost 110 pounds.
(on-camera) His weight may be the elephant in the room, but Chris Christie talks about it comfortably.
CHRISTIE: I'll let all of your audience to know a little secret. I'm overweight. The thing that I feel most guilty about, my weight.
PIERS MORGAN, CNN ANCHOR: (INAUDIBLE)
CHRISTIE: I eat too much. I mean, it's not a complicated thing.
MOOS (voice-over): When it comes to portly presidents, William Howard Taft was America's biggest at over 300 pounds.
(on-camera) Taft was famous for getting stuck in the White House bathtub. Aides had to come get him out.
(voice-over) He then had a new tub made big enough for four men. At a Christie town hall, one voter saw beyond size.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I think having a governor that is smart and that has the perseverance to do what's right is hot and sexy.
MOOS: Contrast that with Letterman's top ten ways the country would be different if Chris Christie were president.
LETTERMAN: Number two, instead of Iraq, we would invade IHop. And the number one --
MOOS: Prepare for a steady diet of jokes.
Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No more vetoes, only Cheetos, yes!
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: I just think it is mean to poke fun at his weight. I mean -- I don't know. Like some of the late night comics last night, they were really mean.
ROMANS: But you know, you look at the excitement among some of the Republican Party about him as a potential candidate and you can see it that it's other stuff that, clearly, what they're really, you know, going after. COSTELLO: Although, his state of his health has been brought up because he had that asthma attack. People are worried that because he's carrying so much extra weight, that might affect his health. And people do worry about that when they elect a president.
ROMANS: I had forgotten how much weight Huckabee lost.
COSTELLO: Yes.
ROMANS: I mean, he really -- I mean, that's pretty amazing.
COSTELLO: It is. And he looks good.
All right. Let's talk about something happy, happy, happy. What better way to pop the question than to invite a few dozen total strangers to take part in it. A video of a flash mob proposal that's exploding on the Web right now. Treng (ph) and Nem (ph) met on the quad at UCLA.
So, he decided to bring her back there for the big moment. He's in on it, she's not. Take a look at what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING) you're just too good to be true. I can't take my eyes off of you. It feels like heaven to touch. I want to hold you so much. And I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true. I can't take my eyes off of you.
COSTELLO (voice-over): The crowd is dancing. And they're singing, of course, at Frankie Valli (ph). The guy is (INAUDIBLE). The girl is all embarrassed and blushing and smiling. And in the end, he gets down on one knee. And guess what, she didn't say yes. She said duh. That's not all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you so much. And if you let me, I want to make you feel happiness the way you make me feel happy from now until we grow old together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're so cheesy.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO (on-camera): You're so cheesy. The happy couple will join us live in our eight o'clock eastern hour. So, get your dancing shoes on.
ROMANS: That's right. Ahead next hour, day three of the Michael Jackson trial in Los Angeles. Testimony about the drug Jackson called his milk. And how his children witnessed all of that chaos that day. More chilling details about the day he died. It's 55 minutes after the hour.
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