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American Morning
Alleged Iranian Terror Plot Foiled; GOP Candidates Debate the Economy; Does Romney's Changing Position on Health Care Matter to You?; Alleged Terror Plot Foiled; U.S. Foils Alleged Iranian Terror Plot; Cain In The Crosshairs; Fly To Japan For Free?
Aired October 12, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: A brazen terror plot foiled. I'm Ali Velshi. The U.S. accusing Iran of conspiring with Mexican drug lords to kill a Saudi ambassador on American soil. A bold scheme raising tensions between the two countries and putting American travelers on high alert.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Mitt Romney rising. I'm Christine Romans. The Republican candidate looks to solidify his frontrunner position in the latest presidential debate while GOP rivals look to deep fix Herman Cain's 999 tax plan.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Carol Costello. Chaos breaks out in the prison in Western Oklahoma with guard forced to use tear gas to control rioting inmates on this AMERICAN MORNING.
VELSHI: Good morning. It is Wednesday, October 12th. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING, and it is a busy one.
ROMANS: It sure is. Politics and also this amazing terror plot, I guess. First up, Iranian operatives and Mexican drug lords in a conspiracy to kill Saudi Arabia's top diplomat in Washington in a Washington restaurant, all of that part of an alleged plot foiled by the U.S. government.
And new this morning, the State Department issuing a rare worldwide warning, warning Americans to be on guard against terrorist attacks this time out of Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Mansour Arbabsiar, a naturalized United States citizen who holds an Iranian passport and was arrested last month in New York. He's accused of working with members of an arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to devise an international murder for hire scheme targeting the Saudi Ariabian ambassador to the United States.
ROMANS (voice-over): Their plan, spend $1.5 million to hire a Mexican drug cartel to blow up a Washington, D.C. restaurant while the Saudi ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, dined inside. But the drug cartel members Arbabsiar contacted, they turned out to be undercover DEA agents. PREET BHARARA, U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: When the confidential source noted that there could be 100 or 150 people in a fictional restaurant where the requested bombing would take place, including possibly members of the United States Congress, the lead defendant, acting on behalf of a component of the government of Iran said, no problem, and no big deal.
ROMANS: According to a senior counterterrorism official, Arbabsiar flew to Mexico last September and was denied entry with cooperation from Mexican authorities. He then flew to New York, where he was taken into custody and interrogated for 12 days.
FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: They not only got a confession from him, and we see that in the complaint, but they also got dozens of intelligence reports and leads.
ROMANS: His co-conspirator, Gholam Shakuri remains at large this morning. He is an Iran-based member of the Qods force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard that is suspected in attacks against American troops overseas.
REP. MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN: This is a group that we know about the IRGC and it worked with the Qods force. These are folks that are bringing weapons systems into Iraq that kill U.S. soldiers.
ROMANS: U.S. officials tell CNN, the Saudi ambassador was not the only intended target. The suspect also allegedly discussed attacking Israeli and Saudi embassies in Washington, and possibly in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Iran is calling the allegations a fabrication and an attempt to distract the American public from a slowing economy. Meanwhile, some U.S. lawmakers are saying everything should be on the table.
REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: The Iranians have crossed the red line. If this had been carried out, we're talking about an act of murder carried out by a foreign government on our soil of a foreign diplomat. Basically, this would have been an act of war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Senior U.S. diplomats are expected to place calls to foreign leaders today urging them to get tougher on Iran, which is already, of course, the subject of numerous economic sanctions.
VELSHI: Operatives within the Iranian government conspiring with Mexican drug traffickers to kill a Saudi ambassador on American soil, in case you missed how this all apparently was going to go down.
It almost sounds too Hollywood to be real. Let's bring in a man who knows something about uncovering and foiling terror plots. Chad Sweet is a former CIA official, former chief of staff for the Department of Homeland Security joins us live from Washington this morning. Chad, good morning. Good to see you.
CHAD SWEET, FORMER CIA OFFICIAL: Good morning, Ali.
VELSHI: Chad, there have been the expected responses from Iranian officials who say this is nonsense. This is a fabrication. In fact, they used very colorful language to describe what a fabrication it is. Do we really know that it's not? I mean, let's just be cynical for a second. This sounds quite grand and fascinating.
SWEET: I think it's classic Iranian M.O. to try to put this back on us and to try to make them look like the victim. But I can assure you that Attorney General Holder and FBI Director Muller would not have made the assertive statements they've made if we did not have in our possession a very strong intelligence connecting this plot directly to factions within the Iranian government.
VELSHI: What's your sense of what the Iranians, if they were going to go through with this were trying to achieve? If you're trying to - there's tough relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran being mostly Shiite and Saudi Arabia being Sunni, but wouldn't there be an easier way or place to kill a Saudi ambassador than in the United States?
SWEET: In some respects, no, Ali, because if you think about it, it is virtually unthinkable they would attempt this type of brazen plot on our soil. To use U.S. soil as a battleground for retaliation against an enemy like the Saudis.
Basically it's trying to exploit the fact that the United States has had no attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 other than the Fort Hood shooter and the takedown of one Marine Corps recruiter in Arkansas, which were tragic events.
But the bottom line is, this is a more safe operating environment. From that respect they felt they probably could pull this off and did have a double cut out in order to provide some level of deniability.
VELSHI: Wow. It's interesting that it would be safer or easier to do that here, than somewhere else. What happens next? The Iranian government is saying they have no connection to this whatsoever, but there are two guys -- well, one person in custody. Two have been charged. One would be a member of the Iranian guard. What happens next?
SWEET: Well, what's extremely puzzling right now is that as they look to take retaliation, in this case, attribution has not been a problem. This individual, you know, Arababsiar, basically confessed and in addition, he spent 12 days providing valuable intelligence during interrogations. He even made reported calls back to Iran, which were, obviously, traced by us. So I think the evidence stream here is extremely strong.
What's not clear is whether this went all the way up to the supreme leader in Iran, Khomeini, and at the end of the day, that country composed of different factions. Some are Theocrats. Some are autocrats. Some are democratic reformist and they often vie for power.
So this wouldn't be the first time the revolution area guard went rogue, but it is clear that because of the evidence trail, Secretary Clinton will have to take extreme measures to move forward on the diplomatic front for sanctions.
And candidly, the evidence trail is so strong, that may not be enough. It may look like more of a wrist slap rather than a real punishment.
VELSHI: Chad as you mentioned, not a lot has gotten through U.S. intelligence in the last 10 years, which would lead you to believe that in terms of foiling these plots at least that we've seen so far, U.S. intelligence is batting something like 1,000. That's not usually a sustainable average.
SWEET: Exactly right, Ali. I mean, if you look at, other than Fort Hood and Arkansas, the Arkansas recruiter, which any loss of life is tragic, but to go -- I don't think any one of us would have bet on 9/12 that we would see over a decade with this level of success in security.
And being a former CIA officer, I'll tell you that to get human sources into these sleeper cells is extremely difficult, and the FBI and DEA and others just continue to do it over and over again. We just think back to the Oregon Christmas tree lighting plot, the Dallas Court plot, the JFK airport plot.
Over and over again they get these confidential informants or undercover agents into the cells. You're right. We can't expect them to continue to bat close to 1,000 forever. The American people need to understand, this is an extraordinary performance and at some point, you can be very good and they can still strike us.
We have to be right 100 percent of the time and they only have to be successful 1 percent of the time.
VELSHI: Chad, thanks very much for giving us some insight into this. Chad Sweet is a former CIA officer. He's a former chief of staff in the Department of Homeland Security and is the managing principle at the Chernoff Group.
SWEET: Thank you, Ali.
COSTELLO: Now on to the world of politics, another Republican presidential debate is in the books. The field of eight shared the stage last night on the campus of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
The sit down forum focused on the economy. The candidate who surged in the polls lately, Herman Cain, he came under attack. CNN's Jim Acosta was there to see it all. He's live this morning in Hanover, New Hampshire. Good morning, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. You know, it was another smooth night for Mitt Romney and that's because so much of the focus was on Herman Cain, the former Godfather's CEO, probably felt like one of those pizzas last night that's because his rivals were turning up the heat.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's 999. Jobs, jobs, jobs.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Herman Cain found out what happened to GOP candidates who shoot up in the polls. They become big targets.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you take the 999 plan and you turn it upside-down, I think the devil's in the details.
ACOSTA: Take 999, Cain's economic plan to scrap the country's current tax system and replace it with one that sets rates for individuals and corporations at 9 percent. It would also create a new 9 percent national sales tax.
JON HUNTSMAN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's a catchy phrase. In fact, I thought it was the price of a pizza when I first heard it. Here's what we need. We need something that is doable, doable, doable.
CAIN: The 999 will pass and is not the price of a pizza.
ACOSTA: And it was getting sliced up by the other candidates sitting at the table.
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How many people are here for a sales tax in New Hampshire? Raise your hand. There you go --
CHARLIE ROSE, DEBATE MODERATOR/PBS ANCHOR: If you keep mentioning 999 and Herman Cain, I'm going to have to go back to him every other question.
ACOSTA: Feeling confident about his plan's dominant role in the debate, Cain served it up to GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney who promptly sent it back to the kitchen.
CAIN: Can you name all 59 points in your 160-page plan?
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Herman, I've had the experience in my life of taking on some tough problems. I must admit that simple answers are always very helpful, but oftentimes inadequate.
ACOSTA: The candidates were also pressed on whether the financial crisis should have led to more prosecutions on Wall Street. Newt Gingrich fingered Democrats in Washington.
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you want to put people in jail, I want to second what Michele said. You ought to start with Barney Frank and Chris Dodd and let's look at the politicians who created the environment, the politicians who brought us to this and the politicians who put this country in trouble. ACOSTA: Rick Perry who struggled in past debates did not get the break out performance he probably needed. He seemed sluggish and plugging his soon-to-be unveiled economic plan declining to offer up many specifics.
GOVERNOR RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Opening up a lot of the areas of our domestic energy area. That's the real key, and I'm not going to lay it out for you tonight. Mitt's had six years to be working on a plan. I've been in this for about eight weeks.
ACOSTA: Once again, it was Mitt Romney who projected the image of a contender cruising to the nomination. Taking the pot shots in strive even when it came to his tough talk on China.
ROMNEY: And we will go after them. If you're not willing to stand up to China, you'll get run over by China.
ACOSTA: But the night belonged to Cain. Even if it raised eyebrows when he said his model for a Federal Reserve chairman was Alan Greenspan, the man who presided over an era of questionable mortgages when he had the job at the nation's Central Bank.
PAUL: Alan Greenspan was a disaster.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And Herman Cain is going to have to get used to that kind of treatment. In the middle of the debate, Michele Bachmann's campaign sent out an e-mail to reporters basically calling Cain's 999 plan a disaster for the country saying it would wreck the U.S. economy.
If Herman Cain is going to win the nomination, guys, he has going to convince Republicans that his 999 plan is more than just delivery pizza style marketing.
As for Mitt Romney, you know, he came off a very -- I would say smooth and easy day almost. He walked into the debate pretty confidentially, and no question why. He secured a big endorsement from Chris Christie yesterday. That probably helped.
COSTELLO: I guess, the big loser in the debate was Rick Perry, Jim. Rich Perry looked like a shell of Rick Perry. He didn't have the same - I mean, there was no sense of excitement about him. He seemed very careful, at times he seemed nervous.
I want to go back to Herman Cain though to ask you, does Herman Cain really have a chance? He doesn't have nearly the money that Mitt Romney or Rick Perry has, frankly, and a lot of analysts don't see how he can raise that much money.
And the 999 plan does sound simple and at least it's a plan and that resonates with voters, but most economists say it wouldn't be good for the country, and it would hurt the poor, actually, in this country. ACOSTA: Right. Yes, and when you put these questions to Herman Cain, he sort of blows them off and says, well, your analysis is incorrect. You don't have the facts straight.
Last night he offered up an economist or somebody he called an economist saying, well, this person has basically signed off on my economic plan and it's a man named Rich Lowry. Well, it turns out Rich Lowry is not an economist. He's a financial planner in Cleveland, Ohio.
So questions are starting to be raised about Herman Cain and some of the statements that he's making about this plan. But no question, Carol, it's going to be tough for him to win the nomination.
I will tell you though he's not doing badly in places where I'm standing here in New Hampshire. He had a lot of supporters out here yesterday despite the fact he's barely even visited the state -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Jim Acosta reporting live from New Hampshire this morning, thank you.
ROMANS: So President Obama says he will now create several smaller jobs bill after the Senate defeated his $474 billion proposal. Every Republican senator voted against the president's bill along with a few Democrats. The final vote was 50-49, shy of the 60 votes needed to pass it.
COSTELLO: Still to come this morning, Mitt Romney has been criticized for his changing position on health care. So we want to know, does that matter to you? It's our "Talk Back" question of the morning.
VELSHI: Police using tear gas to regain control of a prison in Oklahoma -
ROMANS: Whoa.
VELSHI: -- after an all-out riot. Check that out. We'll tell you about it when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
A wild scene at a prison in Western Oklahoma where a full-scale riot broke out yesterday. Authorities say there were fights in several areas of the North Folk Correctional Facility in Sayre, Oklahoma.
Police in riot gear stormed the prison. They used tear gas to quell the violence and at least 20 of the inmates were injured.
ROMANS: Wow. It's terrifying.
VELSHI: Yes. ROMANS: All right. Front row playoff seats sure come with a pretty stiff price. We're not talking just about the cost of the tickets.
Take a look at this. Sixth inning last night, ALCS playoff game in Comerica Park in Detroit, Texas' Josh Hamilton swings and misses and loses control of his bat.
COSTELLO: Oh.
ROMANS: It hits a man in the head in the front row. Ouch. Watch it again. That's going to -
Wow. That's going to hurt.
Medical personnel checked out the fan. There goes the bat. Wow.
VELSHI: Ow.
ROMANS: You know what? He was OK. He stayed for the rest of the game.
VELSHI: Really?
ROMANS: And certainly has a hangover he didn't anticipate and a story to tell. Ouch.
VELSHI: Wow.
COSTELLO: I hope they gave him a bat.
VELSHI: I don't mind wanting (ph) that after that.
COSTELLO: I would.
VELSHI: I'm surprised you just make -
COSTELLO: I want it signed by Josh Hamilton. I don't want a glove.
VELSHI: I would say that once you get hit like that in the head, you shouldn't stay for the rest of the game. Go check that out.
COSTELLO: No. You should go to -
ROMANS: But they said there's medical personnel there.
COSTELLO: He's a Tiger fan, I would have stayed for the rest of the game. Although, you're absolutely right. He should have gone home.
VELSHI: How that game go?
ROMANS: Carol - Carol is a Tiger fan.
VELSHI: How did that game go? COSTELLO: It went great. Tigers won, baby. They play today, this afternoon. In case you're interested.
Let's talk about Hurricane Jova that hit Mexico. Actually, it's hitting Mexico just about now. Rob Marciano is in the Extreme Weather Center. Is it doing much damage, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, we haven't seen a ton of reports of damage. Some - some damage to some of the resort town, Puerto Vallarta. It's near Manzanillo. It came onshore as a Category 2 storm and now Category 1 with winds of 85 miles an hour.
It's not a huge storm. It was at one point really strong at Category 4 status. But you see the eye's gone away. But the rain is going to be obviously the big deal.
Mountains here, they go up in a hurry. So it's going to tear this storm apart fairly rapidly but the rain will - will hang around for just a little bit. Here's actually the track. It brings it to a remnant low fairly quickly.
But certainly some coastal flooding and we'll get reports of that and there'll be sporadic damage reports I'm sure throughout the afternoon today.
Speaking of rain, we've got some light to moderate stuff that's making its way up through the I-95 corridor from D.C. up through Baltimore, Philly, eventually to New York and then back through the Ohio River Valley, Cincinnati and eastward towards Youngstown and Pittsburgh seeing some rain. The heaviest amounts will be probably around Philly, so if you're traveling through or out of that airport, you'll probably see some action there as far as delays.
New York, D.C. as well and then the next batch of thunderstorms comes through the Midwest today. And in advance of that, temperatures still on the mild side; 76 degrees in Chicago; it will be 80 degrees in Memphis, so getting into the middle of October, and some spots certainly feels like September or August.
Guys, back up to you.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right. See you in a bit.
COSTELLO: Now's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning, does Mitt Romney's changing position on health care matter to you?
The biggest thorn in Mitt Romney's side is Romneycare. That's what his opponents call the health care plan Romney created in Massachusetts when he was governor. Turns out the Obama administration was entranced with Romney's plan, and according to NBC News, Obama officials actually met with Romney's advisers to create Obamacare. And, yes, both plans include a requirement to buy insurance. Romney says, so?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The truth is, our plan is different, and the people of Massachusetts, if they don't like it, they get rid of it. Right now they favor it three to one.
But I'm not running for governor of Massachusetts. I'm running for president of the United States. And as president, I will repeal Obamacare, grant a waiver on that on day one to get that started and I'll make sure that we return to the states what we had when I was governor, the right to care for our poor in the way we thought best for our respective states.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Still it makes you wonder. Here's Governor Romney on FOX News the day he signed that Massachusetts Law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: But when I set out to find a way to get everybody health insurance, I couldn't have cared less and I don't care less about how it works politically. In my view, it's the right thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So Mitt Romney was for the individual mandate before he was against it, at least on a national level, and he says as president, as you heard, he will repeal the very health care law that he inspired.
So our "Talk Back" question today, does Romney's changing position on health care matter to you? Facebook.com/AmericanMorning, Facebook.com/AmericanMorning. I'll read your comments later this hour.
ROMANS: That should be interesting.
VELSHI: All right. Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, Mitt Romney, again, picking up a critical endorsement from the governor of New Jersey. Why Chris Christie says his decision was easy.
It's 23 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Twenty-six minutes after the hour. Welcome back. "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Right now, U.S. stock futures are sharply higher ahead of the opening bell. And European markets are up, too, after some stronger than expected manufacturing data surprised investors in Europe. Today, the European Commission is expected to unveil its plan for recapitalization of the region's largest banks. Now this is an effort to stave of a looming banking crisis that many leaders and analysts have been warning about for weeks.
This morning, OPEC is out with a new warning saying, world oil demand is down even further due to slowing growth and the global economy. This is the fourth month in a row that OPEC has cut its forecast for oil demand.
Earnings season continues today with Pepsi recording third quarter results. A lot of weight on this report if Pepsi doesn't just make just Pepsi, it's also the parent company of Frito Lay, Tropicana, Gatorade and Quaker Oats.
And the Senate has passed the bill that aimed to encourage China to stop devaluing its currency by slapping tariffs on Chinese imports. Lawmakers say the measure will make American business more competitive, but the bill is not expected to be taken up by the House.
Social media game makers Zynga wrapping up its game ahead of highly anticipated IPO. The company launched another 10 online games at an event in San Francisco yesterday including Castle Ville, Zynga Bingo and mobile only game Dream Zoo. Zynga's previous hits like Farmville have made it the most successful company in the booming world of social media gaming.
AMERICAN MORNING will be right back after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right. It is 31 minutes after the hour. Time for this morning's top stories.
The United States announcing it foiled a terror plot, accusing Iran of conspiring with Mexican drug traffickers to assassinate a Saudi ambassador on American soil. Two men are in custody, including an Iranian who is a naturalized U.S. citizen. U.S. air travelers are being warned to stay alert for possible attacks. The Iranian President Ahmadinejad calling these charges a fabrication to distract from a slowing American economy.
VELSHI: With his recent surge in the polls, businessman Herman Cain was a frequent target during the Republican debate in New Hampshire last night, specifically his 999 plan to radically restructure the U.S. tax code came under attack. Cain defended the plan as a bold solution, not a politician's solution.
COSTELLO: It's on to Plan B for President Obama's jobs bill now that the Senate has rejected his $474 billion package, the White House will break the bill up into smaller pieces of legislation that will be introduced individually.
ROMANS: Back to our top story this morning, a terror plot allegedly engineered by Iran broken up by U.S. agents. And what makes this case so disturbing is just how brazen the Iranians are apparently becoming.
Let's get the latest on the plan to kill the Saudi ambassador on American soil and more about the two suspects in custody from our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
Barbara, what are you learning this morning?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, you know, what the U.S. is really focusing on right now is to see how this plot really was evolving inside the Iranian military structure, inside the Iranian government. What they're trying to do is see if they can make that final tie, did the Iranian president, did the Iranian supreme leader know about this plan.
The Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday talked about it as being tied to the al Quds force in Iran, the most militant wing of the revolutionary guard corps. But did it go all the way to the top or is there a rogue element in the Quds force that was engaging in this brazen plot. That's one of the central questions right now, Christine.
ROMANS: I want to listen to what REP. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said about this last night, Barbara. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER KING (R-NY), HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE CHAIR: I think we should certainly consider some, at least signs of military activity by us, as movement of troops, carriers, whatever -- something to indicate how seriously we're taking this. Everything should be kept on the table when you're talking about a potential attack against the United States, an act of war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: All right. Those are some pretty strong words from the congressman, Barbara. Any talk of pursuing military action against Iran?
STARR: Well, look, at the Pentagon, the phrase is always operative that all options remain on the table. But nonetheless, at this point, I don't think that the U.S. military, of course, at the orders of the president, is -- would be contemplating any immediate action. They need to figure out still, what's their target here? There have been financial sanctions. We saw more of that yesterday.
But can you really target the individuals and the structure inside the Iranian government that you believe are responsible for this? And there is some skepticism out there in many parts of the world right now about to what extent the Iranian government was really behind all of this? Was it all the way to the top? You know, those are the questions that are going to have to be answered.
We've been down this road before. This Quds force that we're hearing so much about, they have -- according to the U.S. -- shipped weapons into Iraq and Afghanistan that have killed U.S. troops, but the U.S. has never made the link public, that this could force type of activity goes all the way to the top in Tehran and that's still what a lot of people are waiting to see, Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Barbara Starr at Pentagon -- thank you, Barbara.
VELSHI: Another emotional day of testimony at the trial of Michael Jackson's Dr. Conrad Murray. Jurors heard Murray's version of events just before Jackson died. In an audio-taped interview with police, Murray said Jackson pleaded for Propofol to help him sleep and the doctor finally gave in.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
DR. CONRAD MURRAY, MICHAEL JACKSON'S DOCTOR: I monitored him, I sat there and watch him for long enough period that I felt comfortable. Then I needed to go to the bathroom. So I got up, went to the bathroom. Then I came back to his bedside, and was stunned in the sense that he wasn't breathing. I was gone, I would say about two minutes.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
VELSHI: Prosecutions claims Murray carelessly overdosed Jackson on Propofol and then failed to properly monitor him.
COSTELO: Mitt Romney is on a roll. Last night, his confident debate performance, he was coming off the heels of a critical endorsement from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Romney is beginning to solidify his role as the GOP frontrunner for president and he's hoping this announcement from Christie will cement it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: We know that he brings the best of both to what we need for America right now. He brings that great private sector experience and he brings the experience as governor of Massachusetts, knowing how government works -- not a legislator trying to figure out how to use executive power, but an executive who's used executive power to make American lives better. That's why I'm endorsing Mitt Romney for president of the United States.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Christie called his decision to back Romney, an easy one.
ROMANS: And for the first time, Mitt Romney is now responding to last week's comments by a Dallas pastor who labeled his Mormon faith a cult. After receiving Christie's endorsement, Romney chose not to attack Reverend Robert Jeffress directly. Instead, he put the ball in Rick Perry's court, challenging the Texas governor to condemn the comment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Governor Perry selected an individual to introduce him who then used religion as a basis for which he said he would endorse Governor Perry and a reason not to support me. And Governor Perry then said that introduction just hit it out of the park. I just don't believe that that kind of divisiveness based upon religion has a place in this country. And I would call upon Governor Perry to repudiate the sentiments and the remarks made by that pastor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Rick Perry, through his spokesman, is refusing to disavow the pastor.
VELSHI: And you can scratch Rudy Giuliani off the list of potential Republican candidates for president. The former New York mayor is speaking at a function on Long Island yesterday saying simply, "It's too late for me." He also analyzed the race between two GOP frontrunners saying Rick Perry has the hearts of Republican voters, and Mitt Romney has their heads.
And CNN will host the Western Republican Presidential Debate in Las Vegas. Anderson Cooper will moderate. We'll have the debate live next Tuesday, October 18th, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
And aren't you going out there?
COSTELLO: I will be out there. And I'll be front row center.
VELSHI: Very good.
ROMANS: Awesome.
All right. Still to come this morning, for those who aren't fans of the "Occupy Wall Street," "We are the 99 percent" -- we brought it to you yesterday -- there's a new movement. We are the 53 percent. What's that all about? Who are the 53 percent? Find out when we talk to the man behind the movement, Erick Erickson.
VELSHI: Plus, do you want more meaningful work than your current job offers? We'll tell you the best jobs for saving the world.
Thirty-eight minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Good morning and welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
The "Occupy Wall Street" crowd really latched on to the idea that its supporters are the 99 percent of Americans toughing it out, either unemployed or working paycheck to paycheck. The 99 percent who aren't the top 1 percent of earners that Washington, D.C. caters to. We talked about the "We are 99 percent" campaign yesterday.
We wanted to bring you a smaller countermovement, a new movement. It's for the 53 percent of Americans who say they work, pay their taxes, but they're not complaining about it.
CNN contributor Erick Erickson, the editor in chief of RedState.com is a brain child of the "We are the 53 percent" movement and he joins us now live this morning.
Good morning.
ERICK ERICKSON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.
I wouldn't say I was the brain child. A friend of my came up with it on Twitter and I just put up a picture, and the next thing I knew, other people started putting up their pictures as well.
ROMANS: Well, let's show one of those. I mean, you -- and, clearly, you endorse it and it resonates with you, what this 53 percent is trying to do or what the whole thing stands for.
I want to give you a quick example. This is somebody who put up a picture on the blog, says, "My first job was a janitor. I paid for my master's degree with loans. I live within my means, so I can pay my bills. I would love a Lexus, but I drive a Saturn. I am the 53 percent."
What are these people saying about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement or what are they trying to say about the other side of that?
ERICKSON: Well, they're trying to say, ironically, what a lot of the 99 percents are saying about, these people don't -- they don't speak to me. I'm supposedly in this 99 percent movement but they don't speak for me.
You know, life isn't fair. And what I hear from these guys on the "Occupy Wall Street" movement and where they do agree, and they're very different on what they agree on, but where they do agree seems to be that greed is bad and somehow or other we should legislate fairness. Well, you can't legislate fairness.
I pay taxes. I don't like to pay my taxes but I do, but I'm not asking government to punish someone to help me out.
ROMANS: They're resonating. You've got to -- you've got to admit it. The "Occupy Wall Street" folks are resonating. I mean, we just had an ORC poll this week that showed the majority of Americans have heard of the movement. The "we are the 53" is much smaller.
And this other thing, this outrage at banks, outrage in income equality, outrage at the system and what its done to the haves, have more, and have not, have less and the people in the middle is getting smaller, it's really resonated, Erick.
ERICKSON: Well, yes, it's always going to resonate the other guy has it better than you. I mean, that's part of human nature. We're all individuals who wish we had it like the other guy. That's part of why the 99 percent movement has resonated. It doesn't make it right, though, to bash the other guy just because he has a better life than you.
ROMANS: I want to ask you about Priscilla Grim. She's on the program yesterday. She's become the co-editor of the "99 percent" blog, after she gave this posting. She said, "Single mom, grad student, unemployed and I paid more tax last year than G.E. I am the 99 percent."
You know, what's wrong with this position, I guess?
ERICKSON: Well, you know, it's that she doesn't speak for me. I mean, you know, I believe she's the lady that reached out to me on Twitter last night and said that I don't speak for her and threw in a few other choice words. My response back was -- you don't speak for me either.
You know, for the people saying, well, I'm part of the 533 and you don't speak for me. Good. Speak for yourself.
I mean, this group in New York and complaining, so life isn't fair. I looked up, "life is fair in the Constitution." It's not there.
ROMANS: I've got to tell you, though, for 20 to 24-year-old, unemployment, the 14.7 percent.
ERICKSON: Oh, yes.
ROMANS: Do you think these kids just don't want to work and should just get a job and stop complaining, or are you agreeing there aren't opportunities for people right now? This economy is not providing enough opportunities.
ERICKSON: Yes. There aren't a lot of opportunities out there right now, but it's not Wall Street that's denying them their job. It's not Bank of America that's denying them their job. It's not entrepreneurs who are denying them their job.
It's largely government policies have been put in place over time that have hurt job creation of the country. They should be protesting K Street and Congress, not Wall Street.
ROMANS: Some of them actually are protesting K Street and Congress, to be quite honest.
Let me switch gears, because while we got you on the program, I really do want to talk about the debate last night, because so interesting, a couple of the things in there. Herman Cain, you know, really scoring some points.
Tell me a little bit about this -- well, let's listen first to Herman Cain and Mitt Romney going back and forth about their plans. We don't have it. Sorry. OK. So --
ERICKSON: I remember it.
ROMANS: You remember it. You know, I'm sure, but Herman Cain basically saying, can you name all the 59 points of your 160-page plan which (ph) he's been criticized about 9-9-9 plan for being too simple. How do you think that went over?
ERICKSON: Well, it probably went over as a rhetorical punch very well, but Romney's come back was that -- simple plans a lot of times don't work. I think Herman's going to have to answer some more substantive questions on this plan. Is the nation, is the Republican Party prepare to be the party that infuses a national sales tax?
At the same time, I'll tell you, the e-mails that I'm getting from conservative activists or around the country, that Mitt Romney and Herman Cain agreed on TARP last night and hypothetical government bailouts. The Tea Party candidate, the Alan Greenspan being a guy who could run the fed.
Those are things Herman Cain is going to have to think about if he wants to part himself as the Tea Party movement. I do have to say, though. Hats off last night for the real winner of the debate which is CNN. We continue to be the only network, apparently, that can provide a debate without a shaky camera and --
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: One quick question about Perry. Carol brought something up earlier in the program I thought was fascinating. Perry seemed like not very Perry last night.
ERICKSON: Yes. Where was the guy? The second half of the debate, these first few debates, it was the first half he was there, and the second half he checked out. This one he waited to punch the library card until, I guess, the second half of the debate. But you know, the interesting thing is a lot of the talking heads they're saying Perry lost the debate because he didn't shine.
And, there are a lot of conservative activists out there, Perry supporters who've been very critical of him, saying, hey, last night wasn't as bad as that last debate. Maybe, he's turning it around. He set such a benchmark so low at the last debate. I mean, really, all he had to do is show up and smile at this debate, and the Perry folks would be a little bit feeling at ease this morning.
ROMANS: All right. Erick Erickson, part of the 53 percent who pay taxes and don't like it, and also have some analysis on the debate last night. Nice to see you this morning, sir.
ERICKSON: Thank you.
VELSHI: Meaningful work is not always synonymous with career, but CNNMoney has put together a list of the 20 best jobs for those of you who would like to save the world. It's part of their special report on the best jobs in America, and while often these are not the highest paid jobs, you get the satisfaction of knowing you're helping others or making the world a better place.
At number five on the list is a medical case manager. They are those people who help patients coordinate their treatment. They also help them out with the paperwork. Patients who need organization for this. At number four, social worker. A high demand for workers who specialize in the elderly and those who are willing to work in rural areas. At number three, a dietitian. Demand, as you know, is especially strong in this field because of the country's childhood obesity crisis, and the aging population.
At number two, a nonprofit program coordinator. This position allows you to work for a cause you believe in. And at number one, Christine, you're going to like this one, public school teacher. This is one of the surest ways to have a positive influence on a child's life.
You can check out the all-new CNNMoney.com for the rest of the entire list of the 20 best jobs for saving the world.
ROMANS: I'm worried about (INAUDIBLE) teachers, though. I mean, I'm worried and I think a lot of teachers are worried about it, too, when you look at all the state and local job cuts. 535,000 of them over the past couple of year, there are teachers in there.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And also, you look at, you know, what some call the, you know, vilification of teachers and you have to think, how many young people would yearn for that job right at this moment in time?
ROMANS: You are saving the world. On that, I definitely agree. That is a job to save the world.
COSTELLO: Yes.
VELSHI: We love teachers.
COSTELLO: We do. I love some of mine. That's for sure.
Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, you may want to check to make sure your passport is up to date. Japan is considering giving away 10,000 free flights. Yes.
VELSHI: Wow!
COSTELLO: Yes.
ROMANS: Plus, our "Talk Back question of the day, does Mitt Romney's changing position on healthcare, does it matter to you? We're going to read some of your responses in just a moment. It's 49 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Fifty-one minutes after the hour. Here's what you need to know to start your day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI (voice-over): The United States says it has foiled a terror plot engineered by Iran. The justice department accusing Tehran of conspiring with Mexican drug traffickers to assassinate a Saudi ambassador on American soil.
Six coordinated bombings across Baghdad have killed nearly two dozen people. Two of the attacks targeted police stations. One of the bombings went of near the interior ministry.
With his poll number surging, Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 plan were frequent targets during the latest Republican presidential debate. GOP rivals blasted his tax overhaul plan as unrealistic and said it has zero chance of getting through Congress.
President Obama says he now plans to break up his jobs plan into a series of smaller bills that will be introduced individually. Yesterday, the $447 billion package failed to pass the Senate.
And in an effort to boost its tourism industry, Japan has proposed giving away 10,000 free flights. If the project gets the go- ahead, all winners would have to do is write about their trip online so that others can read about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI (on-camera): That's the news you need to start your day. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Good morning, everyone. If you missed them, it's time now for your late-night laugh. Here's Jay Leno poking some fun at Bank of America over its new debit card fees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO: Hear about this woman. This is just amazing to me. Woman gave birth to a baby girl just seven hours after she completed the Bank of America marathon. See this in the paper? She ran the entire marathon. Later that day, gave birth to a baby girl.
Isn't that amazing? Wow! And listen to this. Since it was of Bank of America, they charged her $5 to withdraw the child. Five bucks to take --
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: I still don't get having a baby right after a marathon.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: I was in Chicago for it, and it was -- you know, the whole place was just running. It was the craziest thing, and the hotel I'm staying at, all of these people running and all talking about it and sharing with each other. Runners are weird that way like they share --
COSTELLO: No. Running is great, but I don't get the --
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: It's just insane, but she looked great, didn't she?
VELSHI: Don't you think that motivated it like the physical activity? No?
COSTELLO: I can't imagine it. It's hard enough to run 26 miles.
ROMANS: Is that baby born with running shoes? I mean, or I don't know.
COSTELLO: She looked great right after she had her baby, and how many women can say that? So, that's the secret, run 26 miles. Crazy.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the stories of the day. The question for you this morning, Does Mitt Romney's changing position on healthcare matter to you?
This from Laura, "A candidate who was able to change his or her mind as new information becomes available is admirable. One would change his or her mind as an opinion becomes politically advantageous, it's not. I'm not sure yet which applies to Mr. Romney."
This from William, "He's learned a lesson. We all make mistake, and sadly, despite all of this, he's the best of the worst."
And this from Kenneth, "Yes. His changing opinions matters. It tells me this man will say anything to be in charge and tells me he wants power."
Keep the comments coming. Facebook.com/americanmorning. We'll have more throughout the morning on AMERICAN MORNING.
VELSHI: All right. If you thought good old American ingenuity was dead, think again. There is a U.S. inventor who just created a better way to clean up oil spills. The man, his machine, the contest that got him to develop this, coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
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