Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Mitt Romney Holds Leads in First Four Republican Primary States; Hurricane Rina Losing Strength as it Approaches Mexico; Trial of Michael Jackson's Doctor Continues; Super Committee Stumped?; "Occupy Wall Street" Arrests; ; More Survivors Rescued in Turkey; Reporter Who "Ambushed" Biden Speaks; Biden Goes After Conservative Journalist; Measles Making a Comeback

Aired October 27, 2011 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Occupy Wall Street protesters face off with police. Drama unfolding overnight when demonstrators ignore police officers to get out of the street. And this morning, more protests are planned.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A revelation from Ruth Madoff, what she and Bernard planned to do after his Ponzi scheme was revealed.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The Conrad Murray nobody knows. Why the doctor was moved to tears at the Michael Jackson death trial.

VELSHI: And a massive, sudden spike in measles cases here in the United States. What you need to know to protect your kids ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. It is Thursday, October 27. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING.

ROMANS: All right, new developments in Turkey to tell you about this morning. Another strong earthquake hitting overnight. The 5.4 magnitude quake struck southeastern Turkey near the border with Iraq and Iran. So far no word on any damage or casualties. Meantime, the death toll in Sunday's 7.2 quake rising overnight and stands at some 523 people killed. Rescuers are still finding survivors, three more people pulled from the rubble alive, including a 19-year-old student who spent 91 hours trapped in a five-story building that collapsed.

VELSHI: All eyes on the markets today as Europe struck a deal to address its long-running debt crisis overnight. Markets in Europe and Asia are already responding positively. As part of the agreement, investors will take a 50 percent loss -- private investors will take a 50 percent loss on Greek bonds. The region's banks must also raise about $150 billion in new capital to protect themselves from potential debt default. And the plan calls for expanding the region's emergency bailout fund.

COSTELLO: Now to politics and the Republican battle for the White House. Brand new poll numbers from four key early states. Mitt Romney holding strong in two of those states. Herman Cain is right there with him in the other two states. CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser live in Washington to break down numbers for us. Good morning.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Good morning, Carol. We talk a lot about national polls. But there is no national primary. It's a battle for the states and their delegates. So let's get right to the figures and start with Florida.

From CNN/"TIME"/ORC brand new poll numbers. The sunshine state has become a player, on the 31st, their primary, of January knee. Romney with a 12-point advantage over Herman Cain, former Godfather's Pizza CEO. Romney does very well with seniors and those about to retirement age. They are very influential in Florida.

Let's go to New Hampshire, the first primary state in the nation, for Mitt Romney, kind of home field advantage. That's a humongous lead over everybody else. Why? He used to be the governor of neighboring Massachusetts. They watch Boston TV. They know Mitt Romney. He's ahead in all of the subsets, including tea party activists and born- again Christians.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Let's talk about the other two important states. Romney's lead not so impressive in those states.

STEINHAUSER: Pretty much a dead heat in those two states. In Iowa, the caucus on January 3rd will lead off the primary caucus calendar. Romney is at 24 percent support among Republicans, Cain at 21 percent. Everybody else is lower. Three-point advantage of Romney within the sampling error. What's going on in Iowa? Romney getting more mainstream establishment vote. Cain, Paul, Gingrich, and the rest, dividing the social conservative voters, born-again Christians and Tea Party activists.

It's the same story in South Carolina. They vote on January 21st, first southern state to have a primary or caucus. Romney and Cain dead even at the top, everybody else a little lower. Same story in South Carolina, Carol.

COSTELLO: The caveat still, most GOP voters have not made up their mind. No one candidate has really strong support, right?

VELSHI: Exactly. That's why things can change. We still have a little over two months until voting begins. Check out the numbers. We ask, are you firmly with your candidate, 100 percent not going to change your mind? You can see only a quarter of the voters in Iowa feel that way, slightly more in New Hampshire. But a lot of opinions still not made up. There's time to change your mind, Carol.

COSTELLO: Paul Steinhauser, thank you.

Another new poll from Ohio, a critical battleground state, shows that President Obama has a slight edge over Mitt Romney and other major GOP contenders. It's a state President Obama won by five points in 2008 and also put George W. Bush over the top in 2004. The Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio voters has President Obama leading Romney 45 percent to 41 percent. That is within the poll's margin of error, though.

ROMANS: Rick Perry was right up there with Mitt Romney in the polls, that's until the debates began. Now Perry is thinking about skipping some of the remaining debates, Perry's camp saying he would rather spend more time with the voters. There are anywhere from a dozen to 18 more GOP debates in the works right now.

VELSHI: The White House defending the state department's decision to buy more than $70,000 of Obama's books. It says embassies provide them to advance foreign policy. The decision was made by individual embassies around the world. Washington had nothing to do with it. "The Washington Times" first reported that U.S. embassies from Egypt to South Korea to Indonesia spent thousands to stock libraries with the copies of president's memoirs "Dreams from my Father" and "The Audacity of Hope."

A stunning admission from Ruth Madoff, the wife of convicted conman Bernard Madoff. She tells CBS's "60 Minutes" that Christmas Eve, 2008, just after Madoff admitted to the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, the couple decided to check out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUTH MADOFF, WIFE OF BERNIE MADOFF: I don't remember whose idea it was, but we decided to kill ourselves, because it was so horrendous what was happening. We had terrible phone calls, hate mail, just beyond anything. And I said I can't -- I just can't go on anymore. That's when I packed up some things to send to my sons and my grandchildren. I had some lovely antique things and things that I thought they might want. I mailed them, it was Christmas Eve. That added to the whole depression. We took pills, and woke up the next day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you take?

RUTH MADOFF: I think Ambien.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many?

RUTH MADOFF: I don't even remember. I had -- I took what we had.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you leave notes?

RUTH MADOFF: No. It was very impulsive, and I'm glad we woke up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's the first time Ruth Madoff has spoken publicly since her husband's arrest. Bernard Madoff is now serving a life sentence.

ROMANS: Hurricane Rina is closing in on Mexico. The storm is not packing the punch it once had. Rina is now a category one hurricane. But on mention Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, they are bracing for an intense storm surge. Rafael Romo is live in Cancun this morning for us. What's happening right now, Rafael? RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, we have had periods of torrential rain overnight. It stopped right now, right now just a light rain and winds have started to pick up. One thing I can tell you is that two strategic locations in this part of the Yucatan peninsula and Mexico have been evacuated. About 2,800 people who were evacuated from the islands of Hobosh, as it's known locally. And 2,800 people, 200 were tourists.

And Christine, speaking of tourists, there was chaos last night and all of yesterday at the international airport here in Cancun when thousands upon thousands of domestic and international tourists, many of them were American, were frantically trying to get a flight out of Cancun. They didn't really listen to the warning from authorities saying if you didn't have a flight already reserved there was no way you were going to get one. So it was a very chaotic situation at the airport.

We also understood that the Mexican government has deployed about 1,800 troops to this part of Mexico. But the main concern now seems to be torrential rain. Not so much the winds as they were talking about a couple of days ago, Christine.

ROMANS: Rafael Romo, thank you so much. We watch the satellite pictures. A real punch for some of the folks there. Thank you so much.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: As the defense nears the end of its case in the Michael Jackson death trial, jurors are hearing from Dr. Conrad Murray's former patient. Five of them testified yesterday, bringing Murray to tears at one point.

VELSHI: And they say he is anything but the greedy, inept physician that prosecutors made him out to be. CNN's Ted Rowlands in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ali and Carol, when court resumes we're expected to hear from that very crucial witness of the defense, their medical expert. Yesterday was a very emotional day in court specifically for Dr. Conrad Murray. He teared up a couple of times during the series of character witnesses. These were all patients of his, five in all, that got up on the stand and said Dr. Murray was a great doctor.

GERRY CAUSEY, CONRAD MURRAY'S FORMER PATIENT: I know him. I know his love, compassion, his feelings for his patients. He's the best doctor I've ever been to, because of the treatment, because of the clarity of what he's doing, and the follow ups. And I just don't think he did what he's being accused of.

ROWLANDS: The defense is using these witness forces two basic reasons, first to build Murray up as a doctor, the other to help dissuade the jury that he is some sort of greedy doctor. Specifically they had him talk about Murray's practice in an underserved area of Houston, Texas.

RUBY MOSLEY, CONRAD MURRAY'S FORMER PATIENT: If this man had been greedy, he never would have come to an area, a community, 75 percent of them poor, on welfare and Social Security.

ROWLANDS: The main witness, though, for the defense is coming up later today, Dr. Paul White. He is their anesthesiologist and Propofol expert. He will have a lot of pressure on him to try to convince this jury that it wasn't Dr. Conrad Murray that actually Michael Jackson, that Michael Jackson actually accidentally killed himself. Ali, Carol?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELSHI: All right, thank you.

Moammar Gadhafi is gone. Libya would like to see NATO's no-fly zone lifted by the end of this month. A Libyan ambassador telling the U.N. Security Council before a final decision is made an evaluation of Libya's ability to secure its own border is needed first.

COSTELLO: In the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin, authorities plan to interview the 11-month-old girl's young brothers. Both boys were in the Irwin house the night baby Lisa disappeared from her crib. Authorities also say the girl's parents are refusing to be interviewed separately. But the couple's attorney says the two are not opposed to separate interviews as long as their attorneys are present.

ROMANS: And a piece of pirate treasure raised from the ocean floor. Crews have recovered a one-ton canon from the pirate Blackbeard's ship 300 years after it wrecked off the North Carolina coast.

VELSHI: And Mother Nature says play ball. After last night's washout the World Series resumes in St. Louis tonight. It is game six. If the Rangers win it, it will be their first championship. The Cardinals are going for number 11.

COSTELLO: Sure to be a great game.

Still to come this morning, fighting the Taliban on Twitter, how U.S. troops are using social media to take on the enemy in Afghanistan.

VELSHI: Also Occupy Wall Street protesters take to the streets. There are clashes with police, people arrested. We're live with why things got so intense.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is 17 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.

The so-called supercommittee appears to be stuck and the clock is ticking. The lawmakers are supposed to have a plan to cut $1.2 trillion from the deficit in less than a month.

Here is Kate Bolduan. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After more than a month of closed door meetings, a fast-approaching November 23rd deadline, sources from both parties tell CNN the so-called supercommittee is making little progress. The committee's co-chair appeared, though, unfazed.

REP. JEB HENSARLING (R), TEXAS: I remain encouraged that the members of the joint select committee know how serious the situation is I believe they are all committed to achieving the goal. And until the stroke of midnight on November 22nd, we still have plenty of time to do the committee's work.

BOLDUAN: That may be so, but with so much at stake, many are growing skeptical the committee can strike a deal of at least $1.2 trillion in deficit savings.

Maya MacGuineas of the nonpartisan group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

MAYA MACGUINEAS, COMMITTEE FOR A RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL BUDGET: This is not about the fun kinds of policies we've been doing for the past decade, cutting taxes, creating new programs. And so, it's a huge leap of faith to hold hands and say we're going to do the tough stuff that everybody knows needs to be done.

BOLDUAN: The tough stuff all along? Republicans do not support tax increases, Democrats oppose cuts in benefits to programs like Medicare.

ALICE RIVLIN, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: All of the commissions that have looked at this problem have come to the conclusion that you can't do it by spending cuts alone, you can't do it by revenue increases alone.

BOLDUAN: Add to that, the fact that experts like Alice Rivlin, a former White House budget director, say if the super committee reaches the minimum required savings, it may not be enough to fix the country's debt problems and home wary markets.

RIVLIN: If you stick at the $1.2 trillion over 10 years, it sounds like a big number. But it doesn't actually stabilize the debt.

MACGUINEAS: To fix the problem, we need $ 4 trillion to $6 trillion in savings. That's a lot but we're facing huge, huge deficit.

BOLDUAN (on camera): A couple of the possible scenarios of how this could play out, the committee could reach agreement on $1.2 trillion on savings or more.

They could reach a partial agreement, where some of the required trigger or across the board cuts would set in.

They could also possibly reach some sort of a two-step process, including some cuts and then also an outline for future deficit savings, leaving the details for the relevant congressional committees to handle later. They, again, have only four weeks left.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Hundreds of Wall Street protesters took to the streets overnight to show their support for the "Occupy Oakland" movement.

But as you can see, a number of clashes broke out after some of the protesters started walking in the street, blocking traffic, and ignoring police orders to stay on the sidewalk. In all, 10 people were taken away for disorderly conduct.

Debra Alfarone from our affiliate WPIX here in New York joins me.

Good morning.

So, what's the latest here? It looks as though clearly tensions rising from the police and protesters.

DEBRA ALFARONE, WPIX: Absolutely. And what happened was, last night all of those protesters and we're hearing more than 400 actually, were in the streets, they were marching up in Lower Manhattan throughout the street, into Greenwich Village and Soho actually, which is quite a bit from here. And, really, when they met with cops, it was chaos.

Like to say the word "chaos" is one thing, but, Christine, I want to play some video that was actually just tweeted to me by one of our viewers here. Let me play it for up to hear the word chaos is one thing, but to hear chaos is another. Listen to this.

This is from someone who was right there in the crowd. And that's why Twitter is so valuable because we get to see these images and hear this.

Chaos is out in the streets right there. But I also want to tell you a little more. We were there as well. Not as close as this because, obviously, police were keeping the press back, but listen to our video and let's take a look at that at this point. I want to show you that because the situation, they were out there, supporting the people in Oakland. And huge, huge clashes occurred.

Basically, the goal was to show solidarity. Fellow protesters kicked out of encampments in Oakland and Atlanta. The result was chaos and arrests.

Around 9:00 last night, more than 400 protesters left Zuccotti Park to go to city hall. The cops swarmed in and that's when the crowd tried to change their route. But they quickly met a police barricade and that's when the clash began. Some protesters to call off the march. Some walked in the streets, as far away as Soho and Greenwich Village which is two miles or so from here. And still, others were arrested.

But by 11:00 last night, things back to normal. Also now, this morning, it is pretty quiet out here, as people are resting. They were just sleeping, hanging out in these tents. It seems like it's all back to normal for now.

But now we're hearing there are problems here within the parking because some people think there are free loaders coming in and taking all of the wonderful food that's been donated. We're hearing about organic chicken and other things. So, we'll have to wait and see what will happen with that.

ROMANS: All right. The drama continues. Debra Alfarone, thank you so much.

You know, in Oakland, California, "Occupy" protesters held a vigil last night for Scott Olsen, a two-time Iraq war veteran seriously injured during a clash with police on Tuesday. Protesters say Scott Olsen suffered a skull fracture when he was hit by a projectile fired by police. This is a YouTube video of Scott from that night. A police spokeswoman says the investigation --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your name? What's your name?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You see, he can't answer. They just carried him off the streets and he's in the hospital today.

All of this puts police in a tough position, though, I must say. There is criticism on both sides of the aisle from police and protesters. But if you're a police officer and people are sort of egging you on in a way, because they want to be arrested, they want to post these arrest videos on YouTube and the Internet, what do you do? You know?

There's an investigation going on in Oakland about this specific incident.

ROMANS: I think -- you know, in New York, it's very clear that Mayor Bloomberg is being very careful on how he treats their next step and keeping all the options open. But letting people stay in Zuccotti Park.

You know, I think confrontation is the last thing that anybody wants. People don't want someone to get hurt.

COSTELLO: It's interesting you bring that up because in contrast, Oakland police wanted those people to clear out, because protesters were gathered in front of Oakland City Hall and impeding traffic into the building. So, the police made the decision to clear them out.

Here in New York, they let them stay.

ROMANS: All right.

COSTELLO: So, it's getting interesting.

Still to come this morning, when politicians attack -- Italian lawmakers not exactly following parliamentary procedure.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Twenty-six minutes after the hour. Welcome back.

Minding your business:

Right now, markets on track to open sharply higher. Dow futures up over 200 points right now, all because European leaders reached an agreement overnight to deal with the region's debt crisis. Overseas markets area also significantly higher -- and that agreement coming after a marathon 11 hours of talks.

The plan involves three parts. Private investors holding Greek debt will take a 50 percent loss, which will reduce Greece's debt. It also shores up the region's banks and creates a stronger bailout fund.

Here in the United States, we're standing by for a report on the number of jobless claims filed last week. That report, along with the first estimate on how much the economy grew in the third quarter will be released next hour.

Some of the big banks are now reportedly getting intelligence on foreign hackers from one of the nation's top spy agencies. According to "Reuters," the National Security Agency is providing banks and other financial firms information to help them fend off cyber attacks.

CNN's calls to the NSA have not been yet returned this morning.

The maker of BlackBerry is being hit with a lawsuit after that four- day system-wide failure left millions of customers without the ability to email, instant message and browse the Internet. The suit accuses Research in Motion of breach of contract, negligence and unjust enrichment.

So far, no comment from BlackBerry's maker.

And next week, Google's YouTube is expected to announce a major overhaul. According to "The Wall Street Journal," the site will announce its creating channels around topics like sports and arts. Those channels will reportedly feature hours of original and professionally produced programming.

Don't forget, for the very latest news about your money, check out the all new CNNMoney.com.

AMERICAN MORNING back right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everyone. It's 31 minutes past the hour. Checking our top stories this morning.

Arrests were made after "Occupy Wall Street" protesters marched through Lower Manhattan last night to show their support for demonstrators in Oakland who were pushed out of their encampment by a police and tear gas. Police say at least 10 people were taken into custody for disobeying orders to stay on the sidewalks.

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: A weakened Hurricane Rina is expected to make landfall in Mexico today. Rina is now a Category 1 hurricane, but could create devastating storm surge when it hits the beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Three days after an earthquake devastated eastern Turkey, three more survivors have been pulled from the rubble including a 19-year-old student who spent 91 hours trapped in a five- story building that had collapsed. The death toll from Sunday 7.2 magnitude quake now stands at 523, with more than 1,600 people hurt.

ROMANS: U.S. troops in Afghanistan are ramping up the war against the Taliban, not with guns and missiles, but with words and hash tags, 140 characters at a time. It's an all-out Twitter war. Errol Barnett has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERROL BARNETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bullets, bombs, and tweets. U.S. forces in Afghanistan, fearing they were losing the information war to the Taliban and now fighting back with Twitter using the web site's short, 140 character messages to get out their side of the story.

Here is a recent example of what coalition forces call Taliban propaganda. A tweet from a Taliban spokesman who uses a Twitter name Albalki reads, Mujahidin bring down U.S. helicopter in Kunar.

Coalition forces fired back with their ISAP media Twitter account, we have no reports of any missing helicopters. Take any Taliban reports with a block of salt.

And later this one, reports of a shoot down are false. The online war of words really started last month with the Taliban attack on the U.S. embassy in Kabul. Seven Afghan police officers and civilians were killed along with six insurgents.

But even before the 20-hour gun battle was over, tweets were flying. ISAP media sending this, the outcome is inevitable. The question is, how much longer will terrorists put innocent Afghans in harm's way?

Albalki fired back and text speak, I don't know. You have been putting them in harm's way for the past 10 years. Razed whole villages and markets and still have the nerve to talk about harm's way.

ISAFF media then responded, really? UNAMA reported 80 percent of civilian casualties are caused by insurgent, as in your activities.

With 14,000 followers on its Twitter account, ISAP media may have the advantage here over Taliban's spokesman Albalki who has just 1,700 followers. But a coalition spokesman acknowledges that this war of words is far from over. CNN, I'm Errol Barnett. (END VIDETOPE)

VELSHI: Also new this morning, floodwaters are rising in Bangkok, Thailand. Heavy monsoon rains triggering the worst flooding that Thailand has seen in half a century. Thousands of people are fleeing the city, 2.5 million lives have been disrupted and 373 people have been killed since July.

COSTELLO: A stunning act of defiance in Yemen. Thousands of women setting fire to traditional veils and head scarves to protest the government's violent crackdown on protesters. They accused the Yemeni regime of killing women and children and called on tribal leaders to speak out against the attacks.

ROMANS: It was fight night in the Italian parliament with lawmakers coming to blows in a dispute over pension reform. Issues have been a hot topic of debate as Italy deals with its own debt crisis.

VELSHI: And a British coroner's report confirms that singer, Amy Winehouse literally drank herself to death. The official verdict, death by misadventure. The 27-year-old Winehouse had more than five times the legal alcohol limit for driving when she was found dead in her home this past summer.

ROMANS: All right, still to come, a self-proclaimed ambush reporter who really got on the vice president's nerves, he is now facing an investigation. He's going to drop by and tell us his side of the story.

VELSHI: And measles cases on the rise in the United States. What you need to know to protect your kids. It's 35 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's 38 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Vice President Biden is going after a reporter from a conservative news organization who approached him last week about using a rape reference in a speech.

Biden has been pushing the president's jobs plan by quoting to rising crime statistics in cities where police officers have been laid off.

Listen to the vice president making that point in a speech last week, followed by his encounter with reporter, Jason Mattera from the news organization, "Human Events."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: In many cities, the result has been, and it's not unique, murder rates are up, robberies are up, rapes are up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Vice President, do you regret using a rape reference to describe Republican opposition to the president's bill?

BIDEN: No, no, no. Let's get it straight, guys. Don't screw around with me. Let's get it straight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You didn't use a rape reference?

BIDEN: Listen to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm listening.

BIDEN: I said rape was up three times. They are the numbers. Go look at the numbers. Murder is up, rape is up and burglaries are up. That's exactly what I said.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And if the Republicans don't pass this bill, then rape will continue to rise.

BIDEN: Murder will continue to rise, rape will continue to rise, all crimes will continue to rise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's appropriate for the vice president to use language --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have to go. Excuse me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Jason Mattera does not hide his intentions. On his web site, he says he's well known for his trademark ambush interviews. But this ambush interview could cost him his press credentials.

So joining us now with his side of the story is the editor of "Human Events," Jason Mattera. Good morning, Jason.

JASON MATTERA, EDITOR, "HUMAN EVENTS": Good morning. Thank you for having me on.

COSTELLO: Thank you for being here. We appreciate it. So you were being investigated by the Senate Press Gallery for the way you approached the vice president and asked your question. Have you heard from them yet?

MATTERA: The vice president is asking the Senate Press Gallery to investigate my credentials. Now the Gallery is made up of a bunch of reasonable people. I didn't violate any type of protocol.

In fact, the only protocol I violated is asking a question that the other people in the media just failed to ask the vice president with his rape reference.

Moreover, the vice president's office actually complained to the wrong gallery. So they flubbed their outrage as well.

COSTELLO: OK, well, let's go back to the initial criticism of the way you went up to the vice president. You -- you clearly misrepresented yourself. You didn't introduce yourself. You didn't say you were from any organization.

You actually asked the vice president for a picture and then you launched right into that question. I mean, you didn't say, Mr. Vice President, I'm Jason Mattera with "Human Events." I have a question for you.

You kind of came across as a tourist and not a reporter. And a lot of journalists say that's a big no-no.

MATTERA: Well, I -- it's funny to hear some journalists, and I think many of them, most of them are on my side. Howard Kurtz was on the program yesterday morning, CNN saying, it's a fair question. This is the big leagues. He's the vice president --

COSTELLO: No, Howard Kurtz said it was a fair question, but the way you approached the vice president wasn't totally cool.

MATTERA: Well, it's a public place. I was wearing my media credentials enough for other members of the press to see it. What's interesting though, all of this attention focused on the tactic.

In fact, I wish there was this much attention focused on me as there was on vice president and his ludicrous claim that has been debunked that rape is surging across the country.

In fact, we only know that the vice president was lying and misleading the American people to get this jobs bill passed, only because of my exchange.

Then the media started to take notice, so I wish they would direct their ire and outrage to where it's deserves and that is the vice president misleading the American people using a despicable rape reference.

COSTELLO: He did use wrong numbers, but he was given those numbers by the local police.

MATTERA: I don't think so on that end because listen, you had "The Washington Post" and factcheck.org, somehow they were able to get the right numbers.

And the vice president who has an army of researchers can't get the right numbers? He then went on though to wish that his Republican colleagues knew what it was like to be themselves rape victims so they would have a change of heart and pass the bill.

COSTELLO: You do have a point. But let's get back to our original discussion. You have bit of a reputation for ambushing politicians. We have video from your web site, "Human Events" of you ambushing Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders in May.

The senator was signing a book on "Corporate Greed," and you asked him to sign it to capitalism. You found it ironic actually that he's selling this book when he called himself a socialist, I get that.

But I'm curious, what did you get that out of that exchange? What did the viewers of your web side get out of that besides an awkward moment? MATTERA: Well, it's fun to show the hypocrisy of a notable, left winger who is a self-described socialist, who is out selling a book for profit in fact at a corporation.

Many of these corporations that the left wingers like to treat as boogiemen. So that was just a real fun exchange. I did it once I was leaving work. But let's not forget, the nature of ambush interviews is nothing new.

In fact, Mike Wallace won Emmys and Peabodies for targeting private citizens using undercover cameras. Heck, ABC News to this day uses actors and manufactures scenarios to prove some type of journalistic point.

I'm going after a politician using my media credentials in a public place. It's a little -- it's selectively outraged.

COSTELLO: But let me put it this, you told John King, you are looking to go after politicians who are used to spin and protected by teams. I get that. But here is a sampling of some of your questions and this again is from "Human Events." Some of your questions put to Republicans. Let's look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTERA: Senator Santorum, did Barack Obama provide the American people a bait and switch campaign about bringing historic levels of accountability and transparency to government?

Mr. Speaker, we're celebrating the centennial of Ronald Reagan, what would the Gipper say today to the American people?

The Obama administration is adopting business friendly rhetoric now. Is this just another con job?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So you're tough with Joe Biden. So why not be a bit tougher with Republican candidates, even though you work for a conservative web site.

MATTERA: I'm a conservative, unapologetic conservative. I have a world view that I'm looking to advance conservative ideas and expose liberal lies. We are tough at "Human Events" on Republicans when they need to be.

COSTELLO: In the same way that you are tough on Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders?

MATTERA: No -- no, because -- well, no, because I don't think the Republicans you just showed are ruining the country. I do think that Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and liberalism in general is very destructive to this country as we've seen over the last three and a half years, and I'm going to do everything in my power as a conservative journalist to bring awareness and attention.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTERA: And I've been successful doing so.

COSTELLO: That's where gotcha journalism fails I think. We want truth from both sides of the aisle, don't we? And wouldn't it behoove those who read your stories or watch your stories online to know the truth from both sides?

MATTERA: It's a conservative first. It's not chilling for any particular party. But if I have to -- first of all, this exchange with Joe Biden was impromptu. I didn't expect to get him but I took the opportunity afforded to me. The media, though, has a bias and a presupposition. They hide it well. It's a veneer.

COSTELLO: I know. I know.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTERA: At least I'm -- at least I'm --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: I know. I know.

MATTERA -- and say, hey, this is my world view. This is my standard. And I'm going to ask questions that comport with my world view. But at least I'm up front about it.

COSTELLO: You are up front about it. That is true.

Jason Mattera, thank you for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.

MATTERA: Thank you very much.

COSTELLO: You knew that was going to come up, didn't you?

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, but I think what we have -- the discussion here, is he a journalist or a partisan?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And it's advocacy journalism. Some people like to say it's advocacy journalism, and that's the kind of journalism where you wear your affiliations on your sleeve.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: But you're only going around and you're targeting people just to make them look silly.

VELSHI: Right.

COSTELLO: Or provide those gotcha moments, like how much can people really learn from that? Especially when are you selectively using parts of things that you have done with politicians.

(CROSSTALK) ROMANS: Well, maybe if your audience only wants one kind of news, then that's what they want. They just want that.

COSTELLO: Well, to me, I think the audience wants a lot of information. And they want the truth from both sides of the aisle so that they can make a decision when they go into that voting booth.

VELSHI: Right. And that's why we're here because we think you guys want lots of information.

(LAUGHTER)

And still to come, information on something else. Measles making a comeback? Over 200 cases reported in the United States so far this year. There aren't supposed to be measles. We have vaccinations for these things. Elizabeth Cohen tells us why people should be concerned and what they can do to protect their kids, after this.

47 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Here is what you need to know to start your day.

Occupy Wall Street protests getting out of hand last night in the streets of Manhattan. Police arrested at least 10 people. The group was marching to show support for an Iraq War veteran who was hurt when Oakland police forced protesters out of their encampment using teargas.

Bernie Madoff's wife, Ruth, telling CBS "60 Minutes" that they were so distraught after Bernie's ponzi scheme arrest they tried to commit suicide. It happened on Christmas Eve, 2008. She says they swallowed sleeping pills, but as it turned out, not enough to kill themselves. They woke up the next morning.

New CNN/Time/ORC poll showing Mitt Romney on top in the first four voting states. Romney with double-digit leads in New Hampshire and Florida. But Herman Cain within striking distance in Iowa and South Carolina.

Former presidential candidate, John Edwards, expected back in court in North Carolina this morning, trying to get the judge to toss the case against him. He's charged with violating campaign finance laws by using money from donors to support his pregnant mistress during his 2008 presidential run.

And the World Series resumes tonight in St. Louis after last night's rain-out. The Texas Rangers can win their first-ever title with a win tonight in game six. A Cardinals win would force a seventh and deciding game tomorrow night.

You're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING, back after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) VELSHI: All right. Measles making a comeback. 220 cases in the U.S. so far and that's more than triple the usual number.

COSTELLO: But get this. During the first half of the year, Europe reported over 26,000 cases.

ROMANS: Wow. I'm really curious. I'm really curious about this because if you have a baby and your baby isn't immunized yet for yet for this for like a year or something --

VELSHI: Right.

ROMANS: I'm bringing in CNN senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, 220 cases here in the U.S. How much cause is that for alarm, especially if you have a baby that you're carrying around who is not immune to all this yet?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, you are an in-tune and empowered mother because you --

(LAUGHTER)

-- you are absolutely right. Babies don't get their first measles vaccine until their first birthday. Let's say they're near an older child whose parents have chosen not to immunize that child, that child gets measles, they can spread it to that baby. and measles could be deadly. You can see why there is so much concern here.

So you mentioned 26,000 cases in Europe, not nearly as many cases in the U.S. But still, the numbers are higher than usual. So far in 2011, 220 reported measles cases in this country. Compare that with previous years, 63 and 71, you can see those numbers truly are much higher.

And the CDC thinks that's mostly Americans who are going abroad, particularly to Europe and, actually, particularly to France, and are catching measles there and bringing it home.

ROMANS: Why aren't people, why aren't people getting immunized here in the U.S.? And why are there so many cases in France?

COHEN: It's not quite known why there are more cases in France than any other country. In this country, when you look at those 220, those folks were not immunized. Now some of them, a relatively small proportion are babies who cannot be immunized. But other ones of them are adults and children who really should have been immunized but weren't. Perhaps it's because they have objections to vaccines and just don't want to get them. Perhaps it's because they never got around to it. There are a lot of reasons people aren't vaccinated. Again, if you don't vaccinate yourself or your kids, you're putting other people's babies at risk.

VELSHI: Right. So if you're other people's babies, what do you do to avoid getting the measles? I assume for those of us who are immunized, this isn't an issue?

COHEN: Right. If you're already immunized, then this isn't an issue. So let's look at what you can do if you're concerned about your babies. First of all, make sure your children and you stay current with vaccines. If you're traveling aboard, particularly to Europe, vaccinate a baby early. You can get a baby vaccinated before age 1 if you go to your pediatrician and discuss it. Make sure you get that vaccination at least a month before travel because the vaccine needs some time to work. Also, if you're not sure if you were vaccinated. If your mom and dad didn't keep great records or you can't go back that far, you can go to your doctor and ask to have you titers checked. That means they can see if you were vaccinated and if the vaccination was effective.

ROMANS: You can't go to school in this country until you're vaccinated, right? I mean, I can't send a kid to camp unless all the vaccinations are in order. So there must be parents who have just decided, you know what, we're not doing to do this. We're not going to vaccinate our kids.

COHEN: You know what's interesting is that each state handles it differently. So if you have a religious or philosophical rejection to a vaccine, you can fill out the paperwork and the school will still take you. Now different states have different rules about this, but it's actually -- if you have an objection, in many states, it's relatively easy to send your unvaccinated child to school.

ROMANS: I did not know that.

All right, Elizabeth Cohen.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Ahead in the next hour, Ruth Madoff's stunning admission. The swindler and his wife, they had a suicide pact. Hear it in her own words.

You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)