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American Morning
Sandusky Investigated in Texas; Penn State Bracing for Game Day; South Carolina, Next Battleground for GOP Race; Interview with Cuba Gooding Jr.; Some Speculate Kate Middleton is Pregnant; New Greek PM to be Sworn In; Getting Past the White Front Man
Aired November 11, 2011 - 07:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Death threats on game day. Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho. Penn State assistant coach sitting out of the home finale, the first game since a sex abuse scandal rocked the campus.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Ali Velshi. America honoring its veterans today as Senators say yes to a bill that could put hundreds of jobless war heroes back to work, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
CHO: Good morning, everybody. It's Friday. November 11th. Also known as 11-11-11.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: And you're honoring that day --
CHO: Yes, I am.
VELSHI: -- by wearing pants.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: Pants.
VELSHI: You never wear pants.
CHO: I rarely wear pants, but I decided it just, you know --
VELSHI: Yes.
CHO: -- it's very (INAUDIBLE).
VELSHI: You know, it's a good day for corduroy wearers too.
(LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: Christine and Carol are both off today.
Great to have you hear.
Busy, busy morning for us in the news.
Up first, though, we'll tell you about the newest developments in the growing Penn State sex abuse scandal. CNN affiliate KSAT is now reporting that police in San Antonio are involved in the investigation. They're looking into claims in the indictment that Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted a boy in San Antonio during the Alamo Bowl back in 1999.
CHO: Also new this morning, the university is announcing that Mike McQueary, that's the assistant coach who witnessed the alleged abuse of young boys, will not be on the sidelines either because of multiple death threats against him.
Our Jason Carroll is live for us in State College this morning following all of the developments.
So, Jason, first off, what are your sources telling you this morning about the Penn State investigation spreading to Texas?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He's identified as victim number four, a 12-year-old boy in the grand jury report. Basically, what is being alleged is that Sandusky groomed this boy. That is a term that's used by the attorney general. Showering this boy with gifts, giving him clothes, a snowboard, Nike shoes.
Once he was able to earn his trust, he started taking him on trips and inviting him to Sandusky's home on several occasions, as well. And it was on one trip in 1999, allegedly, Sandusky sexually assaulted this boy.
And I should point out, Alina, that according to prosecutors, they say it is most likely that there might be more victims out there, other than the ones, the eight that are identified in the grand jury report simply because Sandusky, they say, had access to young boys for such an extended period of time.
So, we might be hearing about more victims coming forward in the coming days or even weeks -- Alina.
CHO: Many people are fearful that this may be just the beginning.
VELSHI: And speaking of fearful, Jason, Penn State is bracing for a big game day tomorrow. The first game since the details of this sex abuse scandal came out. The first one in more than half a century that Joe Paterno is not going to be in charge of in some capacity.
What are we expecting at that game?
CARROLL: Well, true. And Joe Paterno, as you know, is out. And Mike McQueary, assistant coach, he is out, as well. And just to give a little background in terms of why that happened, he's been receiving death threats because of his role in all of this.
Back in 2002, a different situation with a victim identified in the report as victim number two. Apparently, McQueary witnessed Sandusky sexually assaulting that boy in a shower here at Penn State. McQueary told his father and then came back and told coach Paterno, who then in turn told his superior.
The issue is that none of these officials here at the school went to police. So, I think there's a lot of anger here in the part of some here in the university in terms of OK, you told Paterno, he had to go, why shouldn't McQueary go, as well? And, so, I think that's why you have now a lot of anger directed towards McQueary.
But I have to tell you, there's a lot of people here on the campus who say, instead of directing all of this energy towards football and who's staying and who's going, the focus should be on the victims and that's why tonight at 9:30, there's going to be a candlelight vigil held here on the campus by the students to pay tribute to the victims in all of this -- Ali, Alina.
CHO: Jason Carroll, thank you.
You know, he mentioned Mike McQueary, the assistant coach. And you talk to students who mention that specifically, there is a lot of anger about that.
VELSHI: And it almost seems there's still some confusion as to how people are supposed to feel. They are angry about two separate things going on right now.
CHO: Of course, right. Well, earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, we spoke to former Major League Baseball player Doug Glanville. Now, he wrote an article for "TIME" magazine's website about the code of silence in the locker room and the role it may have played in this scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: If you're a football coach right now on the college level, what are you telling your players? What kind of advice are you giving them?
DOUG GLANVILLE, FMRO. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER: Well, the advice is you have to recognize the red flags. You're around each other. You're looking out for each other and ask those tough questions.
And yes, these are young men, 19, 20 years old. But the danger is these 19 and 20 year olds become coaches down the road.
So, if you're sort of taking this culture and adding to it and developing it and not really questioning it and challenging it, then you're going to breathe the same example 10, 20 years later when you're coaching. And if you look at some of the players in the cross hair, Jerry Sandusky, who is really central to all of this, you know, he played for Penn State. So, he was in that environment in the '60s. So, you have to figure out how to change direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: All right. So, how do you prepare for a football game after one of the most disturbing scandals in sports history?
Given what we saw on campus two nights ago, police in State College are under state pressure to maintain control. Nebraska's athletic director has raised his own concerns about the safety of his players. State police there will be a bulk up force in and around the stadium.
CHO: And Penn State's home field, Beaver Stadium as it's called, is one of the largest sports venues in the country. It can hold 106,572 people and that's officially. It was designed to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country. As you can imagine, it gets rowdy in a hurry.
The small college town swells to the third largest city in Pennsylvania on game day.
VELSHI: Only trailing Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has more than 300,000 people. So, you can imagine how many people end up in State College.
CHO: That's right.
Now, how do you have more than 8 million Twitter followers and not know the biggest news story in the country. Ask Ashton Kutcher. The actor says he feels awful and is going to take a break from Twitter after he tweeted about Joe Paterno without knowing the full story.
Now, here's what he tweeted. "How do you fire Joe Pa? Insult. No class. As a Hawkeye fan, I find it in poor taste."
Uh-oh! Well, Kutcher says he assumed that Paterno was fired because of his coaching performance and only found out later it was because of the child sex abuse scandal. He deleted the tweet and then announced that he would stop tweeting until he finds a way to manage.
VELSHI: It's a danger of getting too much of your news through social media.
CHO: That's right.
VELSHI: Because you follow people who you choose to follow, and you're just not getting a larger group. I mean, I guess if you follow enough people, you'll figure it out?
CHO: Well, you know, I've been guilty, you see something and it's enticing and you want to tweet it to your followers, but --
VELSHI: But not necessarily sure what the context is.
CHO: That's right. And you do have to pause for a second and just take a second before you do that stuff anyway.
VELSHI: Another story we're following this morning. It's quite remarkable. Passengers on a plane headed from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina, got a real scare when they say the plane's engine experienced some trouble. A number of passengers say they saw smoke and sparks.
Now, the incident happened just minutes after takeoff from Atlanta. The pilot flew back to Atlanta and got all the passengers safely off the plane.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we heard it, started shaking first and then, all of a sudden, we saw sparks and great big boom, lots and lots of fire. And then shortly after that, smoke started coming out of the air vents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: The engine problem is under investigation.
CHO: Well, it's shaping up to be a very busy Veterans Day for President Obama. You're about to look live there at the picture of the White House. Just a gorgeous day in Washington.
In a little more than an hour, the president and the first lady will host a breakfast for a group of war heroes.
VELSHI: And a live look now at Arlington National Cemetery, the next stop for the president. He'll lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns before speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony.
CHO: And get a load of this -- the president and first lady will then jet off to San Diego where it is all hands on deck. Look at this time lapse there. The Obamas will be courtside on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson tonight to watch the first carrier classic, as it's called. College basketball titans North Carolina and Michigan State set to do battle on the Navy aircraft carrier at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
VELSHI: That's going to be great.
CHO: Yes, I hope the weather holds up.
VELSHI: All of this is coming one day after the Senate unanimously agreed on a jobs bill to help unemployed veterans. It gives employers tax credit of up to $9,600 for hiring jobless and disabled war heroes.
CHO: Later in the show, Academy Award-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. will join us. He's starring in a new film about a special team of pilots who served in World War II and honoring those heroes, the Tuskegee airmen --
VELSHI: Yes.
CHO: In New York City's Veterans Day parade.
VELSHI: He's played a Tuskegee airman in a previous special for HBO. So, it's great to see what it's like on the big screen.
A crucial vote in Italy this morning. The Italian senate passed a package of austerity measures with an attempt to pull the country out of -- from near bankruptcy. But in order for these measures to become law, the lower house of parliament has to approve it, as well.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he'll step down once the reforms are passed. A new technocratic government will then step in, likely head by former E.U. commissioner Mario Monte.
CHO: A new Greek prime minister will be sworn in just about 45 minutes from now. Harvard economic s professor and former banker, Lucas Papademos, will lead the country's new unity government and inherit its debt troubles. He is promising to implement harsh austerity measures that will be necessarily for the country to get a second bailout from the European Union.
Former Prime Minister George Papandreou stepped down earlier this week.
VELSHI: All of this is having an affect on markets. Things are stabilizing a bit in Europe. U.S. markets are poised to open higher this morning. Right now, the Dow, NASDAQ and S&P 500 futures are all higher, but just modestly, ahead of the opening bell, which is in about 80 minutes.
CHO: Up next, what you have been waiting for all morning. The top 10 list on David Letterman with Rick Perry. His excuses from the infamous GOP debate, brain freeze "oops" moment. Well, we think there are ten of them.
VELSHI: Rick Perry has a chance to redeem himself on the debate front again tomorrow. Although he keeps saying he's not a good debater.
But what about the others? Could we see a new frontrunner emerge? We've got a preview of the big weekend event coming up in South Carolina.
CHO: And bring your jackets wherever you go this weekend. It's starting with a shot of very cold air. It's chilly here in New York, too. Will the warmth return? Our Reynolds Wolf is up next.
It's 10 minutes after the hour. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Please don't go, even though it's a little cold, Boston. It's OK. Going to get colder in the next few months.
It's 46 degrees for you this morning. Cloudy right now. It looks like it's going to get to 51 degrees. Say it's going to be sunny.
That's a got a lot of clouds to push out of the way to get sunny. But what do we know about these things?
CHO: Exactly. Why don't we go to the expert?
VELSHI: Yes.
CHO: Reynolds Wolf, save us, in the extreme weather center. Good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it looks like it's OK for Boston. But, you're right, winter is right around the corner. It should be a very interesting travel day for a lot of people.
And apparently I know you're doing some traveling. In fact, I heard you're going to Nairobi --
VELSHI: Yes.
WOLF: -- where you're headed, we're expected temperatures in the 70s with partly cloudy skies.
VELSHI: Oh, nice.
WOLF: But that's not the case in places like New York and Philadelphia. Gusty winds, major delays expected.
On the other coast, back out towards the West, in San Francisco, same deal, same length of the delay. In Boston, New York, or D.C. metros, gusty winds going to keep you basically, you know, delayed for a time or two.
So, just take it easy, enjoy your flight and you will take of soon enough.
No, not too many issues on parts of the Southeast. High pressure is going to be your dominating feature. And with that, very calm effect on the atmosphere, a lot of sunshine in the Big Easy, back over to Dallas and even into Houston.
But when you get across the Rockies and out West, into the Great Basin and into the Sierra Nevada, we're talking of the chance of some scattered shower. In the Pacific Northwest, and in the Cascades, look for some snowfall and perhaps even some snow in portions of the Upper Rockies and back in the Bitterroot of Montana.
VELSHI: Thank you, sir. And thanks for the weather report in Nairobi. I'll enjoy the flight. Then at least I know -- got to pack today. I'll know what to put in.
Reynolds, thanks a lot.
All right. Governor Rick Perry is poking fun at himself last night on "Letterman" after he couldn't name the third government agency that he would axe at the last GOP debate. The top 10 Rick Perry excuses for the gaffe, right here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Actually, there were three reasons I messed up last night. One was the nerves. And two was the headache, and three, um, um, oops.
Hey, listen, you try concentrating with Mitt Romney smiling at you, that is one handsome dude. Yes, I had a five-hour energy drink six hours before the debate. I wanted to help take the heat off my buddy Herman Cain.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVE LETTERMAN": Let's put this stuff in the caboose.
And the number one Rick Perry excuse --
PERRY: I just learned Justin Bieber is my father.
LETTERMAN: Oh my gosh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: OK, Rick Perry is hoping he'll be able to live down that painful performance in South Carolina. And tomorrow there's another debate. The Republican candidates will gather for another debate and I was going to sort of poke fun at it except my next guest, Ron Brownstein, who's a CNN political analyst, is also the editorial director of the "National Journal."
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes. Don't be dissing our debate.
VELSHI: And you guys are --
BROWNSTEIN: Yes. All right. Exactly.
VELSHI: Does it even matter with all of these debates any more?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, it's actually the opposite. I mean what we're seeing in these debates is that they are taking over the race. I mean it used to be -- we talked about the invisible primary, the year before the vote.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: People went almost door-to-door in Iowa and Nebraska.
VELSHI: Right. Right.
BROWNSTEIN: Rick Perry would have had six months before anybody was watching to get his act together.
VELSHI: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: He could have been in New Haven, you know, before he came to Broadway. Now, in the modern era, it's become a national audition where everybody is being exposed to the same media and these debates are just having an overwhelming effect on the race. Not so good in this case.
VELSHI: And for all that people see, nobody is paying attention. In fact the ratings for this do tend to be quite high.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: Americans are watching.
BROWNSTEIN: Especially when you consider it compared to the overall size of the Republican primary electorate.
VELSHI: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: We're not talking about a general election where -- excuse me, 130 million people are going to vote. We're talking about a primary where probably 25 million people will vote.
VELSHI: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: So you have six million people watching these debates. I mean you can just see the enormous impact and, of course, for Perry, it's put him in a very difficult position.
VELSHI: Let's compare the picture to the last set of primaries in the Democratic campaign where you had two very popular and strong frontrunners, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: And you had John Edwards, who was also very popular, and he had some (INAUDIBLE).
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: But the bottom line is this. Now you've got frontrunners who have a tight core of support, but, you know, not everybody is always excited about it.
BROWNSTEIN: Sure. Right.
VELSHI: And Herman Cain may be the exception here.
BROWNSTEIN: Right.
VELSHI: He continues to have a very excited following.
BROWNSTEIN: So if you look at the polling, when you listen to the polling at CNN, there are really two Republican races that are unfolding.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: Almost along parallel tracks. If you look at the more moderate, more business oriented, more secular part of the party, it is pretty steadily consolidating around Mitt Romney.
We have another half of the party that's more conservative, who are Tea Party oriented, more evangelical Christian. They basically do not want Romney, but they have not been able to settle on one candidate.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: And really the volatility of the race has been that part of the party cycling through alternatives.
Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, now Herman Cain.
VELSHI: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: None of them have been able to consolidate outside of the party against Romney. And so you get this growing sense that as he brings his side together, maybe no one ever really rises to truly challenge him.
VELSHI: And interesting, none of these debates are really dwelling on the social issues.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: The social conservative issues.
BROWNSTEIN: Right.
VELSHI: They're dwelling on economics.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: Which is the smart thing because that's what concerns everybody in this country. But the two guys who have come out with programs or have ideas that sound very economically sound, Newt Gingrich and Jon huntsman, are not getting much traction.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. Right.
VELSHI: Newt Gingrich actually told Piers Morgan that more than half the field doesn't want Romney. So that's a real opportunity for another candidate.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. Right.
VELSHI: And he sort of thinks it might be him.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. And you know, in fact, there may never be a point where there is an affirmative majority of the Republican Party that wants --
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: But it doesn't matter. You know if that affirmative majority that does not want Romney can't coalesce behind one candidate, and look at what happened to Perry. I mean what was so damaging for Perry about this debate was that it confirmed an existing storyline.
That is the most dangerous thing in politics. I mean if Al Gore had misspelled potato in the 1990s.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: People said he was tried. When Dan Quayle did it, it was proof of what people thought to begin with.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: And so Perry had faced these doubts going into the debate about whether, you know, he was kind of head mastery of the subjects and also was capable of carrying the fight to President Obama and the election. That's why it's going to be tougher for him to recover from this. And it would be safe for Romney.
VELSHI: But in fairness, you know and I know Rick Perry actually does understand energy.
BROWNSTEIN: Right.
VELSHI: So the fact that he blanked on the Department of Energy can't be proof that he's not smart.
BROWNSTEIN: Not on energy. But it really -- I think what it really raises is that concern the Republicans looking at that debate will go into it. The ones who wondered going into it if he was capable of really taking the fight to President Obama in the election -- the general election, I think are going to have a lot more doubts after it.
And you know there was that little helpful needle from the Romney campaign after the debate.
VELSHI: Yes. Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: By the way, there are three presidential debates in the fall.
VELSHI: Right.
BROWNSTEIN: And, you know, that kind of question, I think that's what hurt Perry as well some ideological issues.
VELSHI: And that's -- I mean that's a big deal. Christine Romans was one of the people who interviewed Rick Perry yesterday morning where he says, we don't need a debater, we need X, Y, Z. And she said, well, actually you do.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. Yes.
VELSHI: And you debate your opponents in an election and you debate world leaders.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. (CROSSTALK)
BROWNSTEIN: And look, he's right, I mean being able to convey a message on television is not the only job description or qualification you need to be president. But it's certainly one of them.
And I think that look, this is going to -- this is going to make it tougher for him. It's good news for Romney. It probably lowers the ceiling on Rick Perry and that's kind of the story. Look at Herman Cain. I mean Herman Cain, the floor has held up for him --
VELSHI: Unbelievable.
BROWNSTEIN: -- in the sexual harassment allegations.
VELSHI: Those are more serious than --
BROWNSTEIN: Than this.
VELSHI: Than forgetting the Department of Energy.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. Probably the ceiling has come down. You know, I mean, even you look -- you look at the new polling, for example.
VELSHI: Yes.
BROWNSTEIN: You know, there's a lot of Republicans who say it doesn't bother them, but, what, 40 percent say it does. And that means it's going to be harder for him to grow and you have -- again, increasing the risk for conservatives that they simply fragment. None of those candidates can consolidate a critical mask to get to the point where they can challenge Romney.
VELSHI: The poll you just -- that poll you just mentioned --
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VELSHI: -- says that 40 percent find the -- they -- 43 percent of people didn't change their opinion of Herman Cain.
BROWNSTEIN: Of Republicans, right.
VELSHI: Of Republicans, after seeing Sharon Bialek, 40 percent --
BROWNSTEIN: Less favorable.
VELSHI: Less favorable. What about those 9 percent had a more favorable of Cain.
BROWNSTEIN: Right. All right. Two quick things in it. First, he is -- you know, it's not quite the sexual harassment caucus, but it is the fact that he is drawing from the most conservative part of the Republican Party who is the most likely to believe that anything coming out of the mainstream media. VELSHI: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That criticizes the conservative is a friend. But if you look at that poll, that is a good news poll for Mitt Romney because it says two things. It says Herman Cain's floor is not collapsing.
VELSHI: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which means he's going to peel away a big part of that conservative vote that's leery of Romney but it also said, as I said, his ceiling is getting lower.
VELSHI: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you have the risk -- or actually the opportunity for Romney that a large part of the vote that doesn't like him will go for a candidate in Herman Cain who now probably can't grow to the point where he can really beat him. You're parking those people in a candidacy that is unlikely to win. And as you fragment that conservative vote, it makes it harder for someone like Newt Gingrich.
VELSHI: In the old days those marginal candidates would drop out at some point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
VELSHI: Why is nobody dropping out?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know why?
VELSHI: Why are both 1 and 2 percent in the polls staying in?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because the cable networks, through these debates, are providing a formal public financing. That's what the debates have become.
VELSHI: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the old days, candidates who did not have the money and the ability to build an organization would be forced out of the race, certainly by Iowa. But now you can go on these debates, reach a national audience. It's almost like we have proportional representation.
You know, you get up there, you make a case, you get 7 to 8 percent, you have a reason to keep going. The way you run for president has really changed from this invisible primary.
VELSHI: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To this national audition. And it's also much more volatile.
VELSHI: All right. Ron, good to see you, as always. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you.
VELSHI: Ron Brownstein is a CNN senior political analyst and the editorial director at "National Journal." Alina.
CHO: All right, guys, thank you very much.
Still ahead, we're watching your money. We'll check the early morning stock market numbers.
Plus, how to fly through airport security screening with your shoes on.
Also ahead, is Facebook ready to settle with the Federal Trade Commission on charges it deceived users.
We'll tell you, it's 24 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back, it's 27 minutes after the hour. Watching your money this morning.
With Italy moving forward on austerity measures and Greece swearing in a new prime minister, U.S. markets are poised to open higher this morning. Right now the Dow is up about 100 points, the Nasdaq and S&P futures are modestly higher ahead of the Opening Bell.
A settlement between Facebook and the FTC is in its final stages. This after the site was charged for deceiving users about its privacy settings. As part of the proposed deal, Facebook would be required to get consent from users if it makes changes that are retroactive and they'll have to undergo privacy audits.
Forget free drinks and Wi-Fi. One of the biggest perks at the airport is a faster trip through security. A small group of frequent fliers has been picked to enroll in a pre-checked program. That means they do not have to remove their shoes when they go through security and they can keep their laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags.
After two days of marathon talks, the end of the NBA lockout could finally be near. The union says it will bring the league's latest offer to the players early next week. If it is approved, the NBA is now talking about a 72-game season in December 15th tipoff.
Still ahead, Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. is here live in our studio.
"AMERICAN MORNING" is back after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: On this Veterans Day preparations are underway right now at Arlington National Cemetery. You're looking at it right now, live shots. The president will soon lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns on this AMERICAN MORNING. CHO: Welcome back. It's 30 minutes after the hour. Time for this morning's top stories. Penn State bracing for its first football game since the sex abuse scandal rocked the program and the university. A CNN affiliate is reporting that police in San Antonio, Texas, are now involved in the investigation, looking into allegations in the indictment that Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted a boy at the Alamo Bowl back in 1999.
VELSHI: Pennsylvania's two senators are pulling their support for a presidential medal of freedom for Joe Paterno. Democrat Bob Casey and Republican Pat Toomey had sent a letter to President Obama back in September backing Paterno for the highest civilian honor.
CHO: Oakland's mayor has a message for all protesters, pack up and leave voluntary. Mayor Jean Quan made the call just hours after an unidentified man was shot to death near the Occupy Oakland camp outside city hall. Protesters say the shooting was not related to the encampment. Police are now investigating.
VELSHI: Day 56 of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Protesters in New York are planning a Veterans Day rally and a concert in New York. Joan Baez is scheduled to perform. Today's event has been dubbed "Honor the dead, fight like hell for the living."
CHO: Honoring America's veterans, the men and women who have served our country proudly. An upcoming movie pays tribute to some special serviceman. The film, "Red Tails," tells the story of the Tuskegee airmen. They were America's first black fighter pilot's fighting courageously in two wars, the Nazi's overseas and Jim Crow at home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're colored men in a white man's army. It's a miracle you're flying fighters in Italy and not mopping latrines in Milwaukie. You want it straight? Yes, the old man stateside fighting the good fight. And when he comes through for us, we better be ready to do the same for him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: We're joined now by one of the film's stars, the one you saw right there, Cuba Gooding Jr. He's riding a float in the New York City Veterans Day parade with some of the original Tuskegee airmen. Welcome to our studios.
CHO: Thanks for waking up early for us.
CUBA GOODING, JR., ACTOR: Oh, you said that twice, didn't you. Good Lord.
VELSHI: Yes, it's good and early. But, listen, this is not your first go around as a Tuskegee airmen on the screen. You did it in HBO show before. Give us a sense of why this is so important, these Tuskegee airmen. GOODING: When I went to high school I didn't have a black history course in my school, and when I did the first HBO movie in, I think it was '92, '93, I knew nothing about these men and the heroics that they performed. They were, as you said, they were bomber escort pilots over the skies of Berlin, and it was rumored that they never lost one bomber during their escort runs. And it is such a heroic thing that I didn't know about. So, when the chance came for me to be in the George Lucas production, I jumped all over it.
CHO: Well, let's talk about red tails. It's out on January 20th. This is an incredible production. George Lucas put $93 million of his own money into it. He has been trying to get it to the silver screen since 1988. Tell us about the film and your role in it.
GOODING: I play Major Emmanuel Stance, and I basically send these young men off to war. So, I have to prepare them and train them how to fly planes and teach them everything they need to know to fight effectively in the skies. And, you know, the movie, people don't quite understand George Lucas' passion to tell the story. He put together a documentary that he's going to put out on the History Channel the week that the movie opens.
VELSHI: Wow.
GOODING: And, again --
CHO: A companion piece, as they call it.
GOODING: Exactly, to educate the people. And, like he said, he made this movie for 16-year-old boys. So it's visually stunning.
CHO: A lot of Americans did not realize these men were not honored properly until 2007. I think a lot of people knew the name Tuskegee airmen but did not know what it was about. When your portraying this character Emmanuel Stance, these were men who were fighting for their country, but they kind of knew that they were second class at the time.
GOODING: Right. Yes, you know, every day on the set of shooting this thing over the four months we shot in Prague, Czech Republic in Croatia, we had real Tuskegee airmen on the set and talk about the hardships they endured and the pride that they had. You know, it's hard to go in front of a camera and try to be them and not get emotional about it. But, I think we did a good thing with this movie.
CHO: What an honor. Tell us about what you're doing today. You're going to be marching right on Fifth Avenue.
GOODING: Yes, on the parade in a few minutes. So, I'm very excited. I'm very excited. I've been blessed. My kids now, when they go to school, they show them movies, they show them "Glory," and now they'll have "Red Tails" to show them about African-American history.
VELSHI: So you are this great accomplished actor, but every time somebody says your name, somebody else says "Show me the money!" GOODING: "Show me the money!"
CHO: We've been waiting for that.
VELSHI: You're OK with that association always being the association, this scene right here?
GOODING: What are you going to do? How are you going to fight it? I keep myself in shape.
CHO: You look great.
GOODING: I had to do it.
CHO: I have to tell you, this morning when I realized it was 1996 that the film came out, 15 years ago, I thought, are we old?
VELSHI: I was walking around the place all morning saying, "Show me the money!" When she said 1996, I was like I don't even know what that's about. Great to have you here. What a pleasure.
GOODING: Good to see you.
CHO: Good to see you. Stay warm. That's a great jacket, it's going to be chilly on there.
VELSHI: You can catch Cuba on Fifth Avenue today if you're in New York, and Red Tail in theaters January 20.
CHO: That's right.
Still ahead, the latest on that Major League Baseball player kidnapped in Venezuela.
VELSHI: And the duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton dazzles as she and Prince William host a charity dinner. But now people are asking, is she pregnant? It's 36 minutes after the hour. We'll talk to you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Welcome back. We're hearing from the mother of one of the alleged victims of the Penn State sex abuse scandal. She spoke with ABC News this morning. She is the mother of victim number one in the indictment.
CHO: Her voice was altered, her face was hidden to protect the identity of her son, who met Jerry Sandusky through his Second Mile foundation. She talked about the first time that she suspected something was wrong with the relationship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At some point he came to you and said he wanted information about how to look up sex weirdoes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you think of that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I asked him who he was looking up, and he said he wanted to see if Jerry was on there. And I said, well, why would you look him up? And he said, I don't know, he's a weirdo. And I proceeded to ask him if there was something he needed to tell me, and at that point he didn't -- he didn't indicate anything. I called the school and expressed my concerns. I told them to pull my son down to the guidance office and talk to him. And they did. At that point they called me telling me that it was very important that I get there immediately, which at that point I already had suspicions so I kind of knew what it was about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: What a devastating thing for her to have to hear from the school, those suspicions confirmed. She said her son was 11 years old at the time that he first met Jerry Sandusky.
CHO: It's just incredible.
Candlelight vigil in Venezuela for kidnapped Major League catcher Wilson Ramos. Authorities say they have their best people on the case.
VELSHI: Police say Ramos was approached by four armed men near his home and taken away in a car. Ramos was playing winter baseball in his home country during the major league off season. We're going to continue to follow the story closely.
CHO: Meantime, duty calls for the Duke of Cambridge. Prince William will be deployed for the last stage of his military training. He's a search and rescue co-pilot for the Royal Air Force, but it's only for a short time. The deployment is just six weeks long. Prince William will leave in February.
VELSHI: And lots of buzz about the duchess of Cambridge, Catherine. At a charity dinner some might say she was glowing. Royal watchers are speculating she might be pregnant. Come on, seriously? She's thin as a chop stick.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: Royal correspondent Max Foster joins us live from London. Max, what is this new speculation all about?
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This story, everybody is talking about it in London. It all goes back to an event last week where everybody in the room was offered peanut paste and the duchess didn't indulge. And there is concern in this country that if you have peanut paste or peanuts while you're pregnant, then the child could develop allergy. That's the news they're waiting for.
I don't know, does she look pregnant? This is there last night with a camera up close, as you can see. VELSHI: I look substantially more pregnant than she does, Max. But I do on a regular basis. There's no speculation that I am but I have never refused peanut paste or anything else to eat.
(LAUGHTER)
FOSTER: All we have are the pictures.
CHO: I guess across the pond over there and everywhere people just love them and they're desperate for her to be pregnant, aren't they?
VELSHI: They have nothing to do with it as far as I understand. Max, poor guy, I think he draws the short straw on covering these stories. There's no evidence. She didn't take peanut paste and unless I'm missing something, do not seem to indicate pregnancy.
CHO: Absolutely not. Thin as a rail, or as a chop stick.
FOSTER: Lots of interest in what she was wearing, as well. Jenny Packham was the designer. What do you think of that?
CHO: I think it's quite beautiful. She likes Jenny Packham quite a bit. I know that.
VELSHI: I think Max is masterful. He has no more evidence to share with us so now he's interviewing you. It doesn't look like a maternity dress to me.
CHO: It most certainly doesn't, no.
VELSHI: I have to be honest with you. I don't know, Max, some people might be speculating that I am having twins. I definitely am showing more than Kate Middleton is.
Jenny Packem I think we could make a story out of that.
VELSHI: She doesn't even look like she had anything for lunch.
CHO: Here's the deal -- he's leaving on a trip to play with gorillas in Nairobi, and he doesn't care what he says on television.
VELSHI: You guys can talk about this all you like. Max Foster, thank you. Find any more evidence or see something she's not eating something, we'll be right back to you. Max Foster will be doing nothing but staying fully on this story. Thanks, Max.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: All right, do we want to do this? All right, we will. Your morning headlines are next. It's 45 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: 46.5 minutes after the hour. Here are your "Morning Headlines". U.S. markets is set to open in 45 minutes. Right now the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P futures are all modestly higher suggesting that they will open that way.
Greece will have a new Prime Minister in just a few minutes. Harvard economic professor former banker Lucas Papademos shown here will be sworn in as the interim leader. He'll head the country's new unity government. Former Prime Minister George Papandreou stepped down earlier this week.
You're looking at live pictures now of Arlington National Cemetery on the left of your screen where -- well, both sides of your screen, actually, where preparations are now under way for President Obama's arrival later this morning. He'll be laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns before heading to San Diego tonight for the North Carolina-Michigan State basketball game which will take place on the deck of the "USS Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier.
Penn State is bracing for its football game since the sex scandal rocked the program and the university. The university says the assistant coach who allegedly witnessed a victim being sexually assaulted in a shower won't be at the game because of multiple threats made against him.
Rick Perry joining the list of people poking fun at Rick Perry. The Texas Governor on David Letterman to discover the -- deliver the top ten Rick Perry excuses for his debate performance. Among them Mitt Romney's alluring smile and believe or not El Nino.
Comedy veteran Billy Crystal hosting the Oscars this year, he's replacing actor Eddie Murphy. Crystal has hosted the awards show eight times. The Oscars will air in February.
The all-star cast of the "Toy Story" is coming together once again this time it's for a short film. Only seven minutes long. The film hits theaters on December 23rd. It'll air alongside "The Muppets" movie in the short Buzz Lightyear is replaced by an impostor.
That's the news you need to start your day. AMERICAN MORNING back right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: This just in to our viewers in Atlanta. Yes it is Atlanta even though it's 36 degrees right now.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Unbelievable.
VELSHI: People in Atlanta wonder if they've been transported to New Hampshire. Here's the good news, it's sunny. Atlanta is a beautiful place and it's going to get to a balmy sweaty 57 today.
CHO: I can't believe it.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHO: I can't believe it.
VELSHI: Well, wake up, Atlanta, you've got to get to work if you're not already there.
When you think of titans of tech not many minorities come to mind. Well, one business leader says that is the problem. The perception and the reality. Looking to change that, Soledad O'Brien with a preview of her special "Black in America", "THE NEW PROMISED LAND: SILICON VALLEY".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You folks don't help each other.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Professor (INAUDIBLE) says investors in the valley practice pattern matching. They see entrepreneurs who are successful. Mainly young, white males and invest in those who fit the pattern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I did raise Venture Capital, my buddies advised me, was to get a white guy to be your front man. And I did, I hired very impressive, six-foot tall polished white guy and let him do all the talking.
That is the way it is, I'm telling you. I've done it. This is how I surmounted the problems and that's the way the system works here. You might as well understand it and then use it to your advantage.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm still kind of like speechless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's so many kids in Berkeley or Stanford you can hire.
HANK WILLIAMS: You know there's something raw and very direct about it, you know, that's a little, it's jarring.
WAYNE SUTTON: It's very sad. In 2011, it's very sad. We've got a black president -- and he's not putting no money in my pocket right now directly. So, what are we going to do? Play the game until we're?
O'BRIEN: For in America, Soledad O'Brien, CNN, Silicon Valley.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: It's a good -- that's a great piece in a great special. You can see more of it on Sunday night, tune in 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 is this Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
CHO: Up next, today's date is -- 11-11-11. Should we be freaking out today or is it a lucky day?
VELSHI: The best day to get married. You'll never forget your anniversary.
CHO: Really, ok, I trust you.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHO: We've got a couple of fun things that you should know. Did you know it's national corduroy day too.
VELSHI: Because it's like stripes like 11, right?
CHO: That's right, that's right. we're going to tell you more about this when we come back. 54 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Wake up, you "Party Rock Anthem", New York. 44 degrees and sunny, getting up to 49 degrees and sunny. Beautiful. Beautiful. Look at the trees in Central Park. I don't know who you fought with last night or how you slept, this is just -- just get out and hug this day.
My vacation does start in a little while.
CHO: You're starting to lose it.
VELSHI: I'm very excited.
CHO: He's starting to lose it.
VELSHI: That's true. Things aren't really that good.
CHO: In case you haven't noticed, Ali Velshi is going on vacation and if you have an Internet connection, you have, it's November 11th, 2011 today. That's 11-11-11. You can say it forwards, backwards, that means well, at least some people tend to freak out about things like this.
VELSHI: Probably people who freak out about a lot of things. Superstitious people for instance.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Superstitious people around the world are saying it is a lucky day. They're making special plans, placing bets and tying the knot although and that has nothing to do with superstition. As I said, tying the knot means you'll never forget your anniversary.
Couples reportedly filled out 3,200 wedding applications for today in Las Vegas, more than three times the normal number and many parents have scheduled C-sections for today. So adorable.
All right, if you're planning to take part in some ancient ritualistic ceremony at the Great Pyramid of Giza on 11-11-11, you'll actually have to wait a century because Egypt closed the Great Pyramid today simply to discourage people from doing that.
CHO: That's incredible.
You know, this is my favorite part of the story. People who wear vertical stripes represent --
VELSHI: Today corduroy fans.
CHO: That's right. They're excited. Get a load of this.
VELSHI: Look at Rob.
CHO: This is Rob.
VELSHI: He has a corduroy CNN jacket.
CHO: That's right.
VELSHI: Look at that, right. This is your day, man. You have been waiting for a long time to wear that. The thing is, Alina, you are the fashion maven here. Corduroy has actually been making a comeback.
CHO: Really?
VELSHI: That's where you are supposed to say, yes. You get it right. You get the corduroy thing. It resembles the date. Lots of 11s in a row.
CHO: That's right. That's right. 11-11-11. I'm not really buying it. I mean the jacket is pretty cool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. You could borrow it if you want.
VELSHI: I might do that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have to work for a little while. Take it on the road.
VELSHI: All right Rob. We'll, you know, just be high-fiving all sorts of other corduroy wearers. It's a nice cold, cold. You're not thinking so much for the corduroy thing.
CHO: Not right now, but I can be persuaded.
VELSHI: OK. We'll talk. You did your own little thing for 11- 11-11 day.
CHO: I did. I wore pants, which is something I rarely do.
VELSHI: Which you rarely do. Because of the parallel, vertical nature of them.
CHO: That's right.
VELSHI: I think we probably exhausted the 11-11-11 discussion. Oh, no, we have one more.
CHO: CNN has just confirmed 11 is actually one more than 10.
VELSHI: Right. You may have known that already from the "Spinal Tap" movie. Fans of the film are planning 11-11-11 celebrations honoring Nigel Tufnel and his very special amp.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a top to, you know, what we use on stage, but very, very special because if you can see the numbers all go to 11. Look. Right across the board.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Oh, I see.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 11 and --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The amps go up to 10. Does that mean it's louder. Is it any louder?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's one louder, isn't it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: It is one louder than ten. With that, we will leave you to the rest of 11-11-11 with Martin Savidge in the "CNN NEWSROOM" -- Martin, is it 11 out of 10 -- Martin.
