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American Morning
Cain Accuser #4 Comes Forward; Are Berlusconi's Days Numbered?; Buffett Goes On A Stock Buying Spree; RPT.: Wall St. Bonuses Down This Year; Bank Of America To Pay Customers $410M; Woman Publicly Accuses Herman Cain of Sexual Abuse; Michael Jackson's Doctor Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter; Interview with Erin Brockovich; Teaching Technology
Aired November 08, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans.
Herman Cain calling a news conference after a fourth woman accuses him of sexual harassment.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A direct verdict, guilty.
I'm Carol Costello.
Dr. Conrad Murray waking up behind bars this morning. So, what's next after the emotional end to the Michael Jackson death trial?
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Ali Velshi.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi hangs on to power by a thread. And this morning, concerns his government no longer has the power to get his country's economy back on track. What it means for Europe and America -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(MUSIC)
ROMANS: And good morning, everyone. It's Tuesday, November 8th. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING.
COSTELLO: Yes, happy Tuesday.
Up first, a lured new accusation of sexual harassment against Herman Cain and it comes from Sharon Bialek, a single mom from Chicago who worked for the National Restaurant Association's educational foundation back in '90s when headed that organization. Bialek said she'd been laid off from her job and she met with Cain in 1997 to ask him for help in finding a job.
Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, actually just a few minutes ago, she told me why she decided to go public with these accusations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHARON BIALEK, CAIN ACCUSER: I expected it. And I still knew I had to come forward. My biggest concern and my biggest fan is my son. And actually, the night before that I was about to do this, I called him. He was with his dad.
And I said, "Nick, what do you think I should do," because he knew about this. He heard me speaking to Gloria. He said, "Mom," he's 13, he said, "You have to do the right thing, I think you need to tell on him."
That's out of the mouth of a 13-year-old. So, that confirmed it for me. If my son is saying it, I want to be the role model for him and for other kids growing up that -- and set the example that this is not appropriate behavior and it starts when they are about that age.
COSTELLO: There are a lot of supporters of Herman Cain saying that you're not telling the truth, that you're coming forward for financial reasons because you have bankruptcy in your past. So, have you -- are you coming forward for the money?
BIALEK: Let me set the record straight on that. I have had bankruptcy. And it was after the death of my mother to help my father pay for medical bills and a custody battle. And, like millions of other people out there, you know, I'm struggling. I could have actually sold my story, but I didn't. Because I want to -- my whole objective is to tell the truth and also help other people out there who may have been in similar situations.
And initially, I went into this hoping, every hope of hopes that Herman would just step forward. That was my, actual, primary goal, just admit, step forward and admit it and forward.
COSTELLO: A lot of people are wondering why you chose Gloria as your attorney.
BIALEK: Well, one of the people who will vouch for me said Gloria is the best and you have to go to her and she will walk you through this and she has. She's -- I couldn't have done this without her.
And, you know, we support different parties. I'm a Republican and, so, I think that right there, if anyone says what Gloria is doing this for just totally, that theory is --
COSTELLO: We'll pose that question to you, Gloria.
BIALEK: Yes.
COSTELLO: Carol, Because Cain supporters say you're a celebrity attorney who represents all sorts of women to make men look bad. They say that you've donated thousands of dollars to the Obama campaign and this is your opportunity to make Herman Cain look bad.
GLORIA ALLRED, BIALEK'S ATTORNEY: Well, actually, Carol, I've been a women's rights attorney for 36 years and we have 100 millions of dollars for women who have -- majority have been victims of sexual harassment or sexual abuse by men. And we are proud of our record of standing up for women, empowering women, and supporting women, and that's what we do in our law firm.
Having said that, let me say that I speak out in support of my clients and in support of women, whether those men are Republican, Democrat, libertarian or no party at all.
I criticized Democratic Congressman Anthony in New York with another client who said he should resign and he did the next day because he had engaged in sexually inappropriate text messaging with her.
I criticized President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky issue when he lied to the American people and lied under oath. And he was a Democrat and I'm a Democrat. In fact, I was an elected Hillary delegate to the Democratic convention.
So, it doesn't matter to me the party of the man. And, of course, all of that is just to deflect Mr. Cain -- it's a deflection by him because he doesn't want to deal with the sexual harassment issue.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI: All right. Talking about Cain, until last night, he was a steadfastly refusing to discuss this controversy over the last few days. But now, we're seeing a change of tactics
Mary Snow is following that part of the story. She's got the latest developments -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, even before Sharon Bialek's news conference was over yesterday, Herman Cain's camp came out, releasing a statement saying all allegations of harassment against him are false. Now, it appears he is ready to answer specifics, at a news conference he's called in Phoenix later today. The Republican presidential candidate was on "The Jimmy Kimmel Show" last night and denied charges he groped Bialek as she publicly claimed on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They could see steam coming out of my ears and the feelings that you have when you know all of this is totally fabricated, you go from anger and then you go -- you get disgusted, you try to control yourself to make sure you watch this thing all the way through it. And I was listening very closely. And then when it was all over with I said, well, I know what we got to do because there's not an ounce of truth in all of these accusations.
I will talk about any and all future firestorms because here's one thing people don't know about Herman Cain -- I'm in it to win it and I'm not going to be discouraged.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNOW: Now, this comes just days after Cain told reporters that the campaign was getting back on message and, in his words, end of story. It followed a week of disclosures that the National Restaurant Association made payments to two women who left the NRA after alleging they were sexual harassed by Herman Cain when he was then head of the organization in the 1990s.
COSTELLO: So, it will be interesting just to hear what he has to say at this press conference at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
We also heard from Gloria Allred, that she has taken on Ms. Bialek's case pro bono. So, no money has changed hands there, although Cain supporters claimed that Gloria Allred is in this for the money, as is her client.
SNOW: Right. And, you know, last night, the Cain campaign came out with a statement last night that touched on specifics for the first time of Sharon Bialek's story, raising questions about this money. You asked her, she said it was pro bono.
They also raised questions that she had filed for bankruptcy and you heard her just talk about that a few minutes ago. So, those were the first specifics that we had heard in terms of rebutting these allegations.
But, you know, this is going to be widely watched and one other thing that she didn't talk about today, but she mentioned yesterday, she saw him last month at a Tea Party convention in Chicago. Approached him and said, do you remember me? She said he remembered her from the foundation. She claims that he looked uncomfortable but that was their last encounter.
ROMANS: Interesting.
VELSHI: We'll probably expect the story to move forward today because, clearly, Herman Cain's tactic about not talking about this and getting hostile with the media is changing. So, we'll see what happens. We'll watch it closely along with you, Mary. Thank you.
ROMANS: Thanks, Mary.
All right. This morning, it appears Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's days could be numbered. Even his closest political ally now reportedly saying it's time for Berlusconi to go.
As we speak, Italy trying to get its finances under control. The Italian parliament is now debating a proposed budget plan. Our Matthew Chance is live in Rome, Italy.
Matthew, can Berlusconi muster enough votes to pass this bill?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a minute ago, a few minutes ago, I would have said that there's a possibility he can, he's a veteran horse trader and he's doing lots of, you know, behind the scenes dealing, trying to get his rebels back on side.
But, as you mentioned, the main coalition partner in Berlusconi's coalition government, Umberto Bossi of the Northern League, has made comments to journalists as he was going into the parliaments and saying that he asked Silvio Berlusconi to step aside, which if that means is withdrawing his support from Silvio Berlusconi, it's obviously something that Silvio Berlusconi is not going to be able to recover from.
Nevertheless, we'll see what happens because there's an important parliamentary vote, as you mentioned, that is going to take place within the next hour or so. It's supposed to be just a procedural vote about last year's government spending, but it's become the center of attention about whether Berlusconi can still command the majority in the parliaments. If he can't, of course, then the pressure will be on him to step aside -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Matthew Chance in Rome -- thank you, Matthew.
COSTELLO: Coming up next, crazy, insane video of a storm chaser in hot pursuit of a tornado.
Plus, more storms, winds and hail possible this morning. Is this Oklahoma, again?
VELSHI: Yes, it is.
COSTELLO: Rob Marciano is tracking the severe weather, next.
VELSHI: And a giant asteroid, the size of an aircraft carrier, about to pass a relative hair's width from earth. Better grab your telescopes. We've got all the nerdy details after this.
ROMANS: People are fired up -- why today is the day video gamers have been waiting for a very long, long time. It's not just expected to be the best-selling game of the year. It may blow away sales records of all time.
Ten minutes after the hour.
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COSTELLO: Good morning to our friends in Dallas, Texas. Cloudy right now, 71 degrees, expecting some thunderstorms later.
ROMANS: Almost starting to sound like Rob Marciano.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: Let's bring in our friend Rob Marciano.
VELSHI: So, he can sound like himself, Rob.
ROMANS: Hi, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Thank you. You did a heck of a job there, guys.
Good morning, again. We start you out with a video coming out of Oklahoma. The Tipton tornado is at least an EF-2. This footage from storm trackers, storm chasers that got there up close and personal.
Look at that thing, probably a half mile wide at times doing structural damage. Thankfully nobody injured. It was the only report of a tornado throughout the entire severe weather event yesterday. And, hopefully, it will be the only one this week.
This is the threat today. It does include Dallas, Little Rock. Lesser chances of tornadoes today but equal chances of seeing damaging wind and large hail with this particular system, all within this red area, getting into Louisiana, parts of Arkansas, as well, and then some of that threat stretches up to the north and east, although lesser in the way of severe there. But Chicago, you'll probably see some rain and some thunderstorms.
Everybody off to the east will look at decent weather, once again today. This time of year, a lot of time, the winds are more off towards the north and east and that's what we expect with this. Pretty large circulation. Bermuda will be affected by this. We won't, with the exception of more in the way of heavy surf and some rip currents.
All right. Briefly on what's going on with this thing. That's the asteroid, about the size of an aircraft carrier. We are looking at this thing probably going to get about 200,000 miles away from earth. OK. There's the moon. Won't hit the moon. Matter of fact, we'll switch this to a different plain, and you'll see that it's actually on a different plain itself.
So, there's no way of this thing actually hitting us this go around. 2028, I believe, is the next time an asteroid will get even remotely close to us. So, around 6:30 tonight, guys, you need a high powered telescope and a fast hand because it will be traveling across the sky at about 30,000 miles an hour.
VELSHI: No danger from this one?
MARCIANO: No.
VELSHI: But 2028 is the next one?
MARCIANO: That's right. You know, listen, if these calculations are off and one comes out of the blue, I mean, if this thing would hit the earth, we got a huge tsunami.
VELSHI: Yes.
MARCIANO: Be like a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
VELSHI: Yes.
MARCIANO: It could be some serious trouble. And if it hit the moon, maybe the moon wouldn't even be there right now.
VELSHI: What would that do to us? It'd be darker at night?
MARCIANO: Maybe so, maybe so.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: I don't know what happens if the moon disappeared.
MARCIANO: No. There'd be a new crate, but --
ROMANS: Are we going to be able to see it? I mean, should I be looking out with my little, you know, telescope?
MARCIANO: You need at least a six-inch telescope, mirror telescope, to see it.
ROMANS: OK.
MARCIANO: And traveling across, you know, fairly quickly. So, you have to know what you're doing and know what you're looking for.
ROMANS: So, I got to look real close with a good microscope.
MARCIANO: Just go outside --
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: All right. Thank you, my friend.
COSTELLO: Poor Rob.
VELSHI: No. I'm just trying to get a sense of the urgency of this matter.
ROMANS: It's not urgent, it's just --
VELSHI: If the world is coming to an end, I'm going to spend a lot of money today.
ROMANS: It's just (INAUDIBLE) cool. It's not the end of the world.
VELSHI: And this new book we have is really not going to be of much use.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: You can hold it up.
VELSHI: About saving, investing and budgeting? (LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: Forget it. Asteroid is coming. Spend your money.
OK. Well, he didn't have a reservation, but then, he didn't need one, because we, taco lovers, go to places that don't need reservations. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI (voice-over): Deer crashing through the front window at Taco Mac Restaurant in Alfredo, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta right next to where people were sitting and eating. This is crazy. As quickly as the deer came through, it left through the back patio door, because it's an outside deer.
Thankfully, no one was injured. The deer did leave souvenir, though. It lost an antler in the drive by, but, deer antlers grow back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That's right. And hopefully, that deer is, I don't know, munching.
VELSHI (on-camera): You had a theory on this. You figured the deer didn't really know it was running into a Taco Mac --
COSTELLO: They always see their reflection in the glass and that frightens them. And so, they jump towards it for some reason. The same reason they run toward your lights on the highway --
VELSHI: This is like an evolutionary mess deers are.
COSTELLO: Yes.
VELSHI: Don't you think? After all these years of there being glass -- here's what to figure this out.
VELSHI: They would say, oh, that's me, and I'm looking good. They haven't evolved quite that much yet. Yes. OK. That conversation is over.
Now, is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning is a serious one. Is the Cain accuser statement a game changer? After days of blaming the media and Rick Perry and all those women named anonymous, Herman Cain can at last point to an accuser with a face and a voice.
Sharon Bialek, a former National Restaurant Association employee, accused Cain of groping her sexually in 1997 when she asked him to help her find a job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON BIALEK, CAIN ACCUSER: I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean, just admit what you did. Admit you were inappropriate to people. America is in -- and then move forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Bialek says she's ready for the media on slot and it's already begun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, HOST, THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW: I assumed it was Bialek, but Gloria Allred says her name is Bialek. It's bi-alek (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Bialek is also criticized for her choice of lawyers. Gloria Allred, a celebrity, whose last client was a porn star who received sex from former congressman, Anthony Weiner.
Herman Cain is denying Bialek's claims and fired off this statement and this is a quote. "Just as the country finally begins to refocus on our crippling $15 trillion national debt and the unacceptably high unemployment rate now activist celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred is bringing forth more false accusations against the character of Republican frontrunner, Herman Cain," end quote.
But Bialek's claims go beyond sexual harassment. CNN legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, says Bialek's allegations amount to assault, and he says, Cain may never recover. So, The "Talk Back" question for you. Is the Cain accuser statement a game changer?
Facebook.com/americanmorning. Facebook.com/americanmorning. I'll read your comments later this hour.
ROMANS: All right. A check of the financial jittery financial markets, next.
And investor, Warren Buffett, he just went on a $20 billion buying spree. What is he buying? You might be surprised. Twenty minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: It is about 24 minutes after the hour. "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Watching the markets. U.S. stock futures trading a little bit higher right now. Investors are still concerned about a crucial vote in Italy on budget reform measures. We're also waiting for word on who will replace Greek prime minister, George Papandreou.
All this European debt crisis has many investors rushing back to the security of gold once again. Gold prices about $1,800 an ounce right now.
Warren Buffett is back in stocks. A filing shows his Berkshire Hathaway invested more than $20 billion last quarter. That's the most in at least 15 years. The purchases included Bank of America and chemical company, Lubrizol, shares on those companies.
The top one percent may take a little bit of a hit this bonus season. According to a reported compensation survey, Wall Street bonuses are expected to fall 20 to 30 percent compared to last year. The smaller payout reflects tough times at many big banks.
More than 13 million people will get a payout from Bank of America. A federal judge yesterday approved a $410 million settlement in a lawsuit claiming that the bank charged customers excessive overdraft fees. An attorney said the average customer likely get back about $27 to compensate for $300 in those overcharges over the years.
Apparently, all we want for Christmas is an iPad. According to an electronics' trade group, tablet computers and clothes top the holiday wish list this year. The group survey also found shoppers plan to spend about one-third of their holiday budget on electronic gadgets.
And holiday shopping season may have started today with the release of "Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3." Nothing says (ph) the holidays like modern warfare 3, right? The multi-player war game expected to blast all sales records. Some gaming insiders expected to bring in, get this, $750 million in its first five days, blowing away even the biggest Hollywood blockbusters.
Up next, will Michael Jackson's former doctor, Conrad Murray, go to prison? Murray found guilty in the death of the King of Pop. How much time could he serve behind bars? AMERICAN MORNING is back right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We, the jury in the above entitled action, find the defendant, Conrad Robert Murray guilty of the crime of involuntary manslaughter.
VELSHI (voice-over): Two years after Michael Jackson's death, Dr. Conrad Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Murray waking up in jail today on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Good morning to you. It is 30 minutes past the hour. Top stories now.
Italy is trying to get a better handle on its staggering $2.6 trillion debt. Right now, the parliament is debating a budget which it's expected to vote on in just about an hour. Still unclear if Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, can muster enough support from his own party to pass that bill. Berlusconi also being urged to step aside from one of his closest political allies.
ROMANS: At any moment, we could learn who will replace Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou. The government has said an announcement will be made today. Papandreou announced he would step down Sunday to make way for a new unity government. And this morning it's being reported that he asked his cabinet to prepare their resignations.
VELSHI: Football coach Joe Paterno meets the media each Tuesday, but today's news conference may be something completely different. He is likely to face a barrage of questions about the child sex abuse scandal involving his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Sandusky is accused of assaulting eight young boys. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, reporter Sara Ganim, who spoke to the mothers of two of the alleged victims, said they're furious at the alleged cover-up by school officials and says it calls into questions the actions of the legendary coach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARA GANIM, CRIME REPORTER, "PATRIOT NEWS" IN HARRISBURG: There's a lot of question people have for Joe Paterno. The problem is that Joe Paterno says what he wants to say. Even his handlers I think will tell you they can prep him all they want, but when he gets out there, he'll say what he wants to say, and that's how Joe has always been. So what he says today, I think, is minute-to-minute and we'll find out.
But, obviously, people have a lot of questions for him. You know, fans are just incredibly hurt by this. And that's the feeling everywhere. Even the diehard blue and white fans really feel let down by this icon who, you know, criminally did nothing wrong. But they're questioning the ethics of his decisions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: The state attorney general is calling on any unidentified victims of Sandusky's alleged abuse to come forward.
COSTELLO: The fourth woman accusing Herman Cain of sexual harassment is coming forward and talking with us just a short time ago. Sharon Bialek says she feels compassion not for Cain, but for his wife.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON BIALEK, ACCUSES CAIN OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT: You know what I want to say to Herman is, if not for yourself, OK, to come forward and admit this, what is his wife going through? You know, that's who I feel for the most in this whole thing.
COSTELLO: He mentioned his wife. He said his wife doesn't believe you either and she's supportive of him and --
BIALEK: I hope that's the case. But I have to believe she's going through her own personal turmoil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Cain has called a news conference for this afternoon. Last night on "The Jimmy Kimmel Show" he said he plans to take Bialek's allegations head on, and there is not an ounce of truth to any of her accusations.
ROMANS: All right, behind bars and reportedly on suicide watch, Dr. Conrad Murray is found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death. Murray was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs. He will stay in jail until his sentencing at the end of the month.
So what's next for Conrad Murray? We're joined by CNN's legal analyst Paul Callan. November 28 is the sentencing. Is he a danger to society? They put him in jail until that sentencing. Is he a danger?
PAUL CALLAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I don't think so. But on the other hand, he has been convicted of a homicide. This is a form of murder. He didn't take a gun and shoot somebody but through extremely reckless and grossly negligent conduct, he killed a patient. It is a homicide.
ROMANS: A man is dead.
CALLAN: A man is dead. But the judge said that he is threat to society. I didn't quite get that, because the only way this doctor could hurt somebody is by prescribing medication, and he doesn't have the right to do that. He's not holding up people with a gun. So I think that was an inaccurate statement by the judge. He's not a danger to anybody at this point.
ROMANS: Does he have grounds for appeal on any of this?
CALLAN: On that issue he won't because the judge has wide discretion in terms of setting bail and not setting bail between conviction and time of sentencing. He based it on something else, as well. He might flee the jurisdiction. If you are worried somebody is going to flee, you can put them in jail until sentencing time.
COSTELLO: He is facing four years in jail. How likely is it he will serve all four years?
CALLAN: You know, Carol, given Judge Pastor said yesterday, I'd say he is definitely looking at being sentenced to four years. But in California, they have all kind of things going. They have won this realignment program, they call it. If you commit a nonviolent crime, instead of going to state prison, you go to jail. And when you go to jail because of overcrowding there is a federal court order that orders some of the jails emptied out early, which is why you see Lindsay lohan going in for a 30-day sentence and serving two hours. So I would say the doctor if he gets four years will probably serve less than two and a half, if he serves that.
VELSHI: You were mentioning he can't write prescriptions anymore. He's been suspended. They still have to look at revoking his license in California. Do you think that is likely to happen? And does that mean he can get a license somewhere else? CALLAN: I think it's a dead certainty he'll lose it in California. He's been convicted of a serious felony relating to the practice of medicine. Virtually every other state in the United States will recognize that judgment and not allow him to practice there as well. So I don't think you're going to see him practicing medicine and threatening the public in the foreseeable future.
ROMANS: When asked if she was shocked by the verdict, Conrad Murray's own defense attorney Ed Chernoff said no. This verdict did not shock his own defense team.
CALLAN: Yes, that is sort of an honest statement by an attorney. Attorney always say, we should have won the case, and, well, of course, he did say, which attorneys always say, we'll prevail on appeal.
ROMANS: Does he have grounds for appeal?
CALLAN: There are grounds, but I don't think they're good grounds. They'll go to the appellate court and say the court blocked them from calling doctors that had prescribed medication to Michael Jackson in the past and they wanted to bring in about evidence of his drug addiction and a lot of other things.
VELSHI: More on Michael Jackson than Conrad Murray.
CALLAN: Exactly. And what the judge said was I'll give you some of that, but only around the time of the death. You can't go back five years and recreate his entire train wreck of a life. It was a train wreck in a lot of respects because of drug problems and lawsuits and so forth.
COSTELLO: A lot of the members of the jury lost family members because of drug abuse, and I guess we know how that played. They were very upset at the behavior of the doctor.
CALLAN: Yes. It was kind of interesting because there were four to six of the jurors, I can't remember the precise number, who had substance abuse problems. A lot of people with substance abuse problems think personal responsibility is the whole thing. In other words, Michael Jackson would have been responsible for his own fate. But they find the doctor acted improperly.
And you look at it, the doctors defense that he was trying to help a drug addict. Well, if you help a drug addict, you put him in the hospital and put him in a proper rehabilitation program, not Propofol in your bedroom for a $150,000 fee, which is what he was being paid.
CALLAN: Obviously, though, Michael Jackson was going doctor shopping, right. So will the outcome of this case slowdown that practice by many, especially in California, by many people?
CALLAN: I think it will, Carol. I think one of the interesting things about Judge Pastor's statement yesterday, he was being very, very tough about this issue of the abuse of prescription medication. It is a national tragedy. There are more deaths due misuse of prescription drugs then I think car accidents in the United States. So I think he was sending a message to doctors, particularly in California -- don't let a celebrity buy your services, and you can't turn doctors into drug dealers. And I think doctors will be more careful now about when they prescribe.
ROMANS: It's not just celebrities. We had another report this morning that the number two things that kids are taking are prescription pain killers. First it's pot and then prescription pain killers. The doctor shopping goes all the way through society. So it sends an interesting message.
CALLAN: Exactly
ROMANS: Paul Callan, thanks.
CALLAN: Nice being with you.
VELSHI: Coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING, she is an environmental crusader, bestselling novelist, you know her name, Erin Brockovich. Here she is live. We'll talk to her in just a couple of minutes. It's 38 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning, Atlanta, Georgia. Sunny and 52 degrees. It's going to be a beautiful day. Cloudy later, high of 72. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
When you hear the name Erin Brockovich, no doubt you think of that movie that made her so very famous. After all, it won Julia Roberts an Oscar. The real Erin Brockovich has put her notoriety to good use to protect people and the environment. And she has found a new forum for that, fiction. She is a bestselling author. Her new book is a thriller titled "Hot Water." And Erin Brockovich joins us to talk about that and some of the most important environmental issues we face today. So, welcome, and congratulations on your second book.
ERIN BROCKOVICH, AUTHOR, "HOT WATER": Thank you.
COSTELLO: So where do you get the time?
BROCKOVICH: Well, I have a fabulous, you know, writer with me, C.J. Lyons. But, I don't know, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 in the morning my mind turns on and get busy.
COSTELLO: It's interesting where you get your ideas.
BROCKOVICH: It is. You know, it is, I don't want to say easy. But I get tens of thousands of e-mails a month from 124 countries and territories. And I can see issues that are going on out there because people are bringing them to me. I'm like a depository of this information. And so, it doesn't take a lot for my imagination to go, you know, to a place where I felt I needed to write a book and how can I get information out. So, I see the stories all day long.
COSTELLO: And the main character in this book, you love her.
BROCKOVICH: I adore her. I wish I could be her.
COSTELLO: You almost are her, though.
BROCKOVICH: She gets away with things you and I can't do. So I really do enjoy that about her.
COSTELLO: How would you describe this book? She's sort of like exactly like you.
BROCKOVICH: She is. You know, the book is a cause novel. And the reason I did fiction is the news and everything can be so daunting and then we just sort of turn off a deaf ear. And we'll look at people in our real lives and I can't be that person. But A.J. is this fiction and you read about her and the story based on real things that are happening. You kind of close the book and think, you know what, I can do this, too. That's what I'm hopeful for, that people will enjoy A.J. and aspire to be her.
COSTELLO: And also care about things like environmental issues, right?
BROCKOVICH: Huge issues, they absolutely are. There are this disconnect still that we don't understand in the environment. Everything that we do, you look at these major companies that make our economy run, it comes from the environment. The environment sustains everything we are from business to economy to our health. And so, for me, it's a very big issue.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about environmental issues as it applies to the presidential election. Some of the Republican candidates, for example, don't believe in global warming. When you hear them say things like that, what goes through your mind?
BROCKOVICH: Well, you know, everyone has an opinion. I mean, this is the problem with politics. Everyone has an opinion and we just get stuck and we end up doing nothing. But I think you just kind of have to observe that there are changes happening around you and respect them and begin to take some preventative measures or otherwise we'll have issues. We have ground water issues coming, water contamination issues that are coming. And you just can't make a broad blanket statement. I think that, again, you need to make observations, work --
COSTELLO: So is global warming real?
BROCKOVICH: Well, I believe it's real. I don't know -- it's right in front of us. So, when we're seeing more storms or a change in a weather pattern, I don't know what it is that you want to ignore about that. It's there. And so we need to address it and deal with it. And I think, again, prevention is something that is very, very important.
COSTELLO: The Environmental Protection Agency, lots of criticism against that particular governmental development and some suggested that it should be just done away with.
BROCKOVICH: You don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, so they say. Listen, I'm out there every single day in communities and dealing with environmental issues and there are some problems with the agency. They're overstaffed, they're under burdened -- they're overburdened, they're underfunded. A lot of times their hands are tied and I think that there definitely needs to be some changes, but you just can't throw regulation away, period. Because somebody, I, again, do this every day.
I see how we are not handling waste properly. We cannot just keep dumping it into rivers and the water, which is what we're doing. So there needs to be some regulation but I think that something is going to have to change because, you know what, it's not working.
COSTELLO: Your very first case, the one that made you famous that was portrayed in the movie, that's not even resolved yet, right?
BROCKOVICH: No it's not, they never cleaned up the contamination and here it is, oh, my gosh, 20 years, I don't even want to say that, since I was first out there. 10, 11 years since the film came out and I get a phone call from the same woman, Roberta Walker. PG&E came back to her new house five miles away and tested their well, hex chrome sits there. The plume broke through. They never cleaned it up and now we're dealing with hundreds of more homes and thousands of more people.
And see this is where the problem is. Somewhere the state dropped the ball; an agency is supposed to have oversight. So where is our follow through? It's not going to do us any good to have all these rules and regulations if we're not going to follow through with them.
And it's very, very frustrating and I see this happening over and over again. I have been tracking and trending all the information that's coming to me. Just in the United States alone the people who are reporting illness and disease clusters in around known contaminated sites, I have over 1,600 sites on my map alone today.
COSTELLO: Wow.
BROCKOVICH: So it's an issue and it's one that we're going to have to deal with. But yes, unfortunately, we're back out in Hinckley. I hate to say that I'm back.
COSTELLO: Yes but at least you're still in there fighting for them and I'm sure they appreciate it. Erin Brockovich, thank you so much. The new book is "Hot Water" and it's a good one.
BROCKOVICH: I'm always in hot water.
COSTELLO: Yes. You are and we like that about you. Thank you so much.
BROCKOVICH: Thank you so much. Thank you.
COSTELLO: It was wonderful meeting you.
"Morning Headlines" is coming your way next, its 46 minutes past the hour.
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VELSHI: Forty-nine minutes after the hour here are your "Morning Headlines".
Markets open in 45 minutes and right now U.S. stock futures are trading higher even as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition government faces a crucial test this morning with a vote on Italy's budget.
Here in the U.S. its election day and we could be in for a preview of next year's battle for the White House. A lot of attention focused on Ohio. Voters there decide on anti-collective bargaining measure and a mostly symbolic referendum to exempt Ohio residents from President Obama's health care reforms.
Is a fertilized egg a person? Mississippi voters go to the polls today to answer the question, does life begin at conception? If Amendment 26 passes, critics say all abortions would be outlawed, even in cases where women are victims of rape or incest.
Dr. Conrad Murray found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson and the judge denying him bail. Murray will stay in jail until his sentencing at the end of the month.
Penn State football head coach Joe Paterno could face a barrage of questions at his news conference today about the child's sex abuse scandal involving his former assistant. Prosecutors say eight young boys were abused by former defensive coach Jerry Sandusky and they say more victims could be out there.
Herman Cain will hold a news conference later today to answer questions of sexual harassment allegations by a single mom from Chicago. Sharon Bialek says Cain groped him in the 1990s after she went to him to ask for help finding a job.
And an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will fly near the earth today about 202,000 miles away; that's closer than the moon.
That's the news you need to know to start your day, AMERICAN MORNING is back after the break.
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ROMANS: All right. Good morning, New York City. It's going to be a beautiful, sunny day today; 67 this afternoon. A perfect day to take a run in the park.
COSTELLO: Oh and I think I'm going to do that.
VELSHI: Yes, let me know when you're going. Maybe I'll join you. COSTELLO: You'll sit and clap for me as I run by. "Go Carol."
ROMANS: He'll be at the hot dog cart --
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VELSHI: That's right, yes I'll wait for you.
COSTELLO: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
All across the country classes are springing up to pave the way for underprivileged teenagers and young adults to get ahead. The focus is technology.
CNN's special correspondent, Soledad O'Brien with a preview of her special "Black in America" special.
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SEKAI FARAI: So, I want to introduce my non-profit to you, it's called Hat Train and we train young people to be computer programmers.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Sekai Farai believes learning to create technology is the key to a brighter future. So she walks the streets of Harlem to recruit students for a free 12-week computer programming workshop.
FARAI: When you give access to people who are marginalize they do remarkable things with them and it really changes their trajectory, it changes their lives in a very real sense. Not just because they make money and not just because they're rich, but because they can re- imagine their communities.
O'BRIEN: But you're just stopping people on the street.
FARAI: I am.
O'BRIEN: And asking them if they're interested.
FARAI: Sure, I'm asking them, first and foremost, if they know what programming is.
O'BRIEN: Students learn to build what they use. Bruce Lincoln is an educational technologist at Columbia University.
BRUCE LINCOLN, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: African-American and Latino students are the fastest growing market when it comes to the adoption of smart phones. So, they're already all over these devices. So you know, we need to be teaching them how to create apps.
O'BRIEN: Which is why these types of classes are catching on.
LINCOLN: So you've got programs now rising up all over the country that are looking at how to create entrepreneurs, how to get more students involved.
O'BRIEN: In Atlanta, Glitch pays high school students to test video games as a way to learn computer programming and design.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can write the app, it's actually very simple to do.
O'REILLY: And at Chicago's 21st Century Youth Project --
AUSTIN PALANCE, 11TH GRADE STUDENT: Right now we're learning to code Android apps for Android phones and they're also teaching me how to sell things. Just in general like not just sell apps, but how to get a client's attention.
BRYISHA FOSTER, 11TH GRADE STUDENT: We're also learning how to make little robots and stuff. That's really cool.
O'BRIEN: In programs that teach technology as a path to opportunity.
Reporting for "In America" Soledad O'Brien, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI: And for more from Soledad O'Brien tune in on Sunday night to a new "Black in America" special, "THE NEW PROMISED LAND: SILICON VALLEY". Soledad talks to black entrepreneurs working to make it big in the high tech capital. That's Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
ROMANS: And it's already getting a lot of buzz in Silicon Valley.
VELSHI: Yes, yes.
ROMANS: About a lot of feedback already.
VELSHI: And some controversy involved. It's excellent.
ROMANS: That's right, that's right, so I'm definitely going to catch it.
COSTELLO: Yes me, too.
Coming up next our "Talk Back" question of the morning. This is the question for you "Is the Cain accuser's statement a game changer?" Boy, did you respond. We'll read some of your responses later.
Its six minutes until the top of the hour.
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VELSHI: Good morning, Washington. 50 degrees and sunny; going up to 58 and sunny. This is like the perfect weather week in the northeast.
ROMANS: Sure is. It really is.
VELSHI: Except for those folks in Connecticut who still don't have power.
COSTELLO: Yes. That's terrible, isn't it? Well, it will be a little warmer for them today.
VELSHI: That's true. Yes
COSTELLO: So that's a good thing.
Now to our "Talk Back" question of the morning. This is question:" Is the Cain accuser's statement is a game changer?"
This from Barbara, "I think any woman that has been in the business world for 20 or more years has at least gone through the same thing on more than one occasion and never reported. It really didn't any good back in the '80s unless you work for a huge corporation and then not really. If the guy that did it to me was running for office, I would come out with a story, even if it had been 25 years ago. These guys are bullies and have severe character flaws."
This from Robert, "These allegations of sexual misconduct have yet to be proved. That said, the bigger issue, which has been validated by the media coverage is how Herman Cain is handling himself within his environment. As commander-in-chief if an uncomfortable issue arises, you cannot just pretend it doesn't exist. He needs to bring it all out in the open, address it and put it to bed. As President of the United States, everything in your past will at some point come back to haunt you."
And this from Donna, "You bet it changes things. This is a very good chance for Mr. Cain to step up to the plate and make things right. Everything depends on what he does next."
And of course, what is coming next is his big press conference at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. He's going to do that in Arizona and supposedly address all these allegations, step by step.
ROMANS: Do we know -- is he going to take questions at this press conference or is he going to use this to lay out his rebuttal? Do we know?
COSTELLO: I don't know. We'll see.
VELSHI: Until this point, he was very effective at communicating with the country and with the media. So, which Herman Cain are we seeing? Because you've got --
COSTELLO: You mean before these allegations?
VELSHI: Before the allegations and then he clammed up. It will be very interesting to see. I think the viewers were very astute on this. It does depend on what he does next at this point.
Many people like Ed Rollins said there is nothing he can do at this point that will save his campaign, but the country will be watching carefully.
ROMANS: But Ed Rollins said he wasn't a viable candidate even before this happened and he was at the top of the polls.
VELSHI: That's right.
COSTELLO: I'm sure Kyra Phillips will be talking a lot more about this. Good morning Kyra.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Good morning guys. You're right. That's what we're topping the hour with.
