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The Situation Room

Michael Jackson Arena Memorial; Michael Jackson's Last Rehearsals; Marine Dies in 'Strike of the Sword'

Aired July 02, 2009 - 16:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news, video of Michael Jackson rehearsing just two days before he died.

This hour, watch the performance for yourself and get new details about plans for a Jackson memorial service.

Plus, a rare look inside Neverland. We are standing by for brand-new pictures of what Jackson's fantasy home looks like today.

And the terrifying final moments before a doomed plane hit the water. We have disturbing new information about the Air France crash and that device that wasn't working.

Wolf Blitzer's off. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. And you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Well, you would never guess from seeing Michael Jackson rehearse in this just-released video that two days later he'd suffer cardiac arrest and die. CNN was the first TV network to air this clip of Jackson singing and dancing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on June 23rd.

Watch and listen for yourself to Jackson performing "They Don't Care About Us," a song from his "History" album.

(MUSIC)

MALVEAUX: Amazing video.

Our CNN contributor Hilary Rosen is standing by to talk about this. She is the former head of the Recording Industry Association of America.

Right now we want to bring in our CNN Ted Rowlands, who is at the Neverland Ranch with the breaking news on a Jackson memorial service and the investigation into his death.

What have we learned this afternoon?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, we've learned that the plans for this public service, which at first we were told there were plans to have it here, the plans are now set for the Staples Center on Tuesday of next week, the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This is where the Los Angeles Lakers play, a 20,000-seat venue there. That is where the family is going to have what they're calling a tribute, a public tribute for Michael Jackson. The public will be invited inside the Staples Center. And then outside the Staples Center, we are told, there will be some big-screen televisions, projections for the folks that can't get in. They can also take part.

MALVEAUX: And Ted, what is the latest on his trust?

ROWLANDS: Well, the public document that was filed on the will that surfaced in this case basically said that all of the money from the estate goes into this Michael Jackson living -- or family trust. What we've been able to find out through a source are the specifics of what does that mean, who's in this trust?

Well, Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, is -- represents 40 percent of that in a life estate. Basically, when she dies, her interest goes automatically to the children.

The other 40 is to the children, and then the remaining 20 percent is to charitable contributions. But it's interesting. Jackson did not designate which charities.

It said that would be up to the executors of his will. So that will be a big question. A lot of charities, of course, would love a donation, which one would assume would be fairly considerable.

Other interesting things from the document, no death instructions. Michael Jackson didn't tell the world, didn't tell his family what he would have wanted them to do in these days that they're now experiencing. And no other beneficiaries were named specifically in that will.

MALVEAUX: And Ted, you're going inside the Neverland Ranch later today. Tell us a little bit about that. How is that coming about and what you expect to see?

ROWLANDS: Well, Larry King will be broadcasting live for the entire hour of his show later tonight from inside the ranch. I'm going to be going in there, as well and helping Larry out, as sort of the reporter, going to different rooms in the ranch. So, Larry will be doing a lot of it with Jermaine Jackson, and then I will sort of complement that, going around the ranch and showing people sort of, you know, what the place is like in different areas and giving people a firsthand look from inside the ranch.

MALVEAUX: OK. We look forward to seeing that later today.

OK. Thank you so much, Ted.

Well, new reflections from President Obama on the life and death of Michael Jackson. The president was asked about the music superstar during an interview with The Associated Press.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that Michael Jackson is -- will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. I grew up on his music, still have all of -- all his stuff on my iPod.

You know, I think that his brilliance as a performer also was paired with a tragic and, you know, in many ways sad personal life. But, you know, I'm glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Joining me now, CNN contributor Hilary Rosen, the former head of the Recording Industry Association of America.

First and foremost, we just heard from President Obama. He says he's got his songs on his iPod, that he really likes this guy. Why do you suppose we just heard from him today express this?

HILARY ROSEN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, Robert Gibbs said the other day that he had talked to the president in the Oval Office in the morning after we heard that Michael Jackson died, and he had expressed very similar sentiments. I just don't think there was really a forum for him to talk about it.

He's not going to sort of issue a big presidential proclamation. They made a statement the other day through Gibbs. Today, he said something a little more personal. And what he said is right on for this generation. I mean, you know, Barack Obama was a teenager when Michael Jackson was a teenager.

MALVEAUX: And we've been watching this extraordinary video together, and really, I mean, so many different emotions that people have when they see this and they realize this was his last live performance.

When you take a look at this -- let's first play a little bit and then I want to get your impression.

ROSEN: OK.

(MUSIC)

MALVEAUX: I love this song. This is one of the ones I dance to.

Tell me, what goes through your mind when you see this?

ROSEN: You know, the first thing that goes through my mind is this would have been a great show and I'm really sorry we're all going to miss it.

You know, the behind the scenes of releasing this video, though, is kind of interesting. The AEG, the tour promoter for Michael Jackson's shows, really wanted to release this video. They were subjected to a lot of people talking about, well, was he being, you know, driven to do this show when he was too weak and too sick.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

ROSEN: And all of the people around Michael Jackson are sort of being subjected to the same kind of, you know, was it just because of their greed that they were pushing him when he wasn't up to it? They wanted this video out there to show I think what it shows, which is he was up to it. He was a little skinny, but he was energetic, he sounded great, and it looks like he was excited about being on stage.

MALVEAUX: Now, some of the music sounds a little bit new to me, it sounds a little bit different. And we hear Martin Luther King in the background, some reference to that.

New music that's introduced now, what happens to that music and who owns those music rights?

ROSEN: Well, of course, when he's singing old songs and doing new arrangements, it's the same thing. And an artist, as particular as he is, you would expect a new show to have all new arrangements. Almost all great artists do when they perform live. But we hear that he has hundreds of songs in his vault that he hasn't released.

MALVEAUX: Right.

ROSEN: And presumably, he owns those. Those go into his estate. He has a very significant catalog in a company called Mijac Music, Michael Jackson Music, and presumably they would have the same kind of ownership.

MALVEAUX: OK. Hilary Rosen, thank you so much.

And coming up next, we are going to hear from Michael Jackson's vocal coach, the man who obviously spent a lot of time with Michael Jackson, and certainly up to those very last hours.

Right now let's go to Jack Cafferty in New York with "The Cafferty File."

Hey, Jack, what are you following?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: As millions of Americans get ready for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, there was some more dreary news on the job front this morning.

The government reported another 467,000 jobs lost in June, far worse than forecast, and the first time in four months that the number of jobs lost went up. The unemployment rate, now at 9.5 percent, has gone up for nine straight months and sits at a 26-year high. One expert describes these numbers as not catastrophic but still pretty damn lousy.

As the recession draws on, a new Gallup poll shows 71 percent of Americans say they're cut spending, 88 percent say they're watching spending very closely. Seventy-eight percent, though, of those surveyed say they have enough money to buy what they need, and only 21 percent say they worried yesterday about spending too much. Gallup suggests that these numbers suggest that some Americans may have reached a new normal of spending less money and that frugality may in fact become a permanent part of the national fabric.

In the wake of the recession, they also looked at Americans' drinking habits and found the percentage of adults who drink alcohol has stayed fairly steady, 64 percent. There are no major changes reported in how much drinkers drink, and their preferred drink is still beer.

It's a problem. The recession may very well give people more reasons to drink, but they have less money to do it with.

Here's the question: In light of the recession, how will this Fourth of July celebration differ for you from years past?

Go to CNN.com/caffertyfile and post a comment on my blog -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: OK, Jack. Very interesting question. Thank you.

Well, we just got another glimpse into Michael Jackson's health in his final days. In this newly released rehearsal video, Jackson's vocal coach was working with him until the end. He is standing by to talk about Jackson's physical condition and state of mind.

Plus, thousands of U.S. Marines battle the Taliban in scorching heat in Afghanistan. A major new assault under way in the opium fields right now.

And investigators say a doomed jet plunged into the ocean very, very fast. What they've learned about the Air France disaster and those final seconds before impact.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We are just moments away from interviewing Michael Jackson's vocal coach. He will tell us more about the final days and even hours. Michael Jackson's vocal coach for the band.

Turning to other news, we have learned that a U.S. Marine has died in combat in Afghanistan in what is known as the Strike of the Sword. The Marines say several other Marines are hurt.

It is the first major operation in President Obama's new Afghanistan strategy being fought in a Taliban stronghold that produces much of the world's opium. Thousands of troops are ready for battle and enduring heat that one said feels like sticking your head in a roaring oven.

Let's get the latest from our CNN Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence.

And obviously, there is a very active operation that's ongoing on the ground.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Suzanne.

You know, the Marines have always been able to kick the Taliban out of an area. They say this mission changes everything because they won't leave and let the Taliban back in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): In the middle of the night, nearly 4,000 Marines launched a new offense with helicopters and armored convoys. The targets? Villages controlled by the Taliban in the Helmand River Valley and the major growing area for opium.

Marines say it's their fastest assault and the farthest south they've gone.

CAPT. DREW SCHOEMAKER, U.S. MARINE CORPS.: The aim of the air assault was to put Marine Corps forces back, expeditionary-wise, out behind enemy lines. We dropped into a few places that nobody had been.

LAWRENCE: Only small groups of Taliban have been fighting back, but at least one Marine has been killed, several injured, and still more taken out of the battle by heat exhaustion. They're only able to fight for hours at a time in the searing 110-degree heat.

But the Marines say they didn't use any artillery or drop bombs from airplanes, which at times have killed civilians. That fits with how a new U.S. commander defines success here.

GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, ALLIED COMMANDER, AFGHANISTAN: The Afghan people are at the center of our mission. In reality, they are our mission. We must protect them from violence, whatever its nature.

LAWRENCE: Until now, commanders say they didn't have enough troops to keep the Taliban out of villages. They say this mission represents a significant shift.

General Larry Nicholson says, "Where we go we will stay. And where we stay we will hold."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Military commanders say these are aggressive operations, but they are not designed to just kill the enemy. What they're trying to do is separate the Afghan population from the insurgents and then hold that village long enough to protect them -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Chris, thank you.

The area where this operation is being conducted produces the most opium poppy in the world. Afghanistan supplies over 90 percent -- 90 percent of the world's opiates.

In this Helmand Province, there are an estimated 700,000 to nearly 1.5 million people. And this province is Afghanistan's largest, divided into 13 districts.

A new and terrifying account of the Air France disaster a month ago. Investigators now say that they know the plane went straight down in one piece and that the 228 people on board had no time to prepare.

Our CNN's Paula Newton is in Paris with more on a new report by French investigators.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the tail section that seems to have convinced French investigators. Air France Flight 447 did not, as previously thought, break up mid flight, but likely dropped out of the sky, plunging more than 30,000 feet at high speed before belly flopping into the stormy waters of the Atlantic.

ALAIN BOULLIARD, AIR FRANCE INQUIRY (through translator): The plane went straight down towards the surface of the water, almost vertically, practically at a vertical line. Very, very fast.

NEWTON: Investigators say passengers would have had no time to react. None of the life vests were found inflated.

Other findings, the auto pilot disconnected minutes before the disaster, but investigators didn't know if the pilots even had a chance to start flying the plane manually. There was no accurate gauge of speed because the pitot tubes that measure speed were sending conflicting information. That played a role in the tragedy, but investigators say that on their own, faulty speed sensors could not have caused this crash.

These preliminary findings were stark and sobering, but without the voice and data recorders, still submerged in the Atlantic, there is still no explanation as to why the Airbus A-330 fell out of the sky.

PHILLIP SWAN, BEA INVESTIGATIVE ADVISER: In the absence of the flight recorders, it's extremely difficult to draw conclusions.

NEWTON: These latest findings offer no measure of relief for the families or the victims. Not only are there no definitive reasons as to why this plane crashed, there is unsettling evidence now on how terrifying the last moments of Flight 447 must have been.

KIERAN DALY, AVIATION ANALYST: You will want to establish whether the crew were, in fact, alive during all that descent in trying to try the aircraft, and crucially, you want to discover who is flying the airplane because there were three pilots here.

NEWTON: Still, investigators say they see no reason to ground any Airbus planes at this time. Air France said in a statement, "No effort will be spared in finding the black boxes, the missing link in this investigation, even though the pingers that identify their location must by now be fading." (END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: That's Paula Newton in Paris.

A notorious and feared dictator is speaking from the grave. Saddam Hussein gave multiple interviews to an FBI official after his capture. What he said about Iran and weapons of mass destruction are shocking. Saddam Hussein slams Osama bin Laden.

And something strange in this garden grows. Something potentially dangerous in the new White House garden. Could bit harmful to President and Mrs. Obama?

And we're waiting to speak with Michael Jackson's band's vocal coach, who was present for rehearsals like this one. New pictures taken just two days before Michael Jackson's death.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Happening now, a last look at Michael Jackson two days before he died. More details on that video from his very last rehearsal.

CNN's Anderson Cooper will be here. He spoke with officials who put that video out.

And Jackson is said to have suffered from insomnia, but did he take a powerful drug to fall asleep? An expert tells us this drug forces the entire brain into a medically-induced coma, and warns anyone thinking of taking it for insomnia, it can kill you.

I'm Suzanne Malveaux. And you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Exactly one week after Michael Jackson's death, still a lot of breaking news unfolding. We have this brand-new video of the "King of Pop" rehearsing two days before he died.

CNN has learned that a memorial will be held for Jackson Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

And we are awaiting rare video from inside Neverland Ranch.

In the midst of all of this, Jermaine Jackson is speaking out and answering questions about his brother's reported drug use.

Here's our Mary Snow.

Mary, what can you tell us?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, Jermaine Jackson got tearful at times in an interview with NBC, and he said he would be hurt if toxicology tests show that his brother was abusing prescription drugs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: You know I'll be with you, Michael, always. Love you.

SNOW (voice-over): One week after Jermaine Jackson delivered the news of his brother's death, he is the first family member to talk more in depth about Michael Jackson. In an interview with NBC's "Today Show," he recounted hearing his mother crying on the phone telling him Michael was dead. And he grew emotional when he described how he rushed to UCLA hospital.

JACKSON: Seeing him there lifeless and breathless was very emotional for me. And this sounds strange, but he went too soon. He went too soon. I don't know how people are going to take this, but I wish it was me.

MATT LAUER, "THE TODAY SHOW": Why do you feel that way?

JACKSON: Because I've always felt that I was his backbone, someone to be there for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Jermaine Jackson was asked whether he would be shocked if toxicology reports showed his brother used or abused prescription drugs.

When directly asked whether it was possible, he gave this response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE TODAY SHOW")

JACKSON: I really don't know, Matt. I really don't know. And I'm being honest. I really don't know. But I do know this, that Michael was always concerned about just everybody. And, to have that weight on your shoulders, and to have that kind of pressure, I don't know. I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: But Jermaine Jackson has left no doubt about his belief in his brother's innocence when he faced child molestation charges in 2005 and was acquitted.

It's something Jermaine has been adamant about over the years, including in this interview with Larry King three years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE," MARCH 6, 2006)

JACKSON: You know where my heart has been since day one. Michael's been 1000 percent innocent. I have spoke from my heart. I have spoken the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And, Suzanne, Jermaine Jackson also said that he wants Neverland to be the final resting place for his brother -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Thank you, Mary.

As we watch the video of Jackson's final rehearsals, we are joined by a man who was helping Jackson in those final hours.

Dorian Holley was the vocal director for the tour that Jackson was planning. And he joins us now from Los Angeles.

Dorian, first of all, my condolences. I know you were intimately a part of this concert planning.

And give us a sense. Can you take us back to that last rehearsal, what that evening was like?

DORIAN HOLLEY, VOCAL DIRECTOR FOR PLANNED MICHAEL JACKSON TOUR: Well, Suzanne, it is a -- a very emotional time for all of us that were there on the stage with Michael.

And I have to say that -- that everyone that -- the first thing people ask me, my friends who call and ask, "Was Michael sick? Was he weak? Was he ill?" -- was the absolute opposite of that.

He was very energetic. He was happy. He was even more playful than he normally was as rehearsal. Everybody in the band has ear monitors, so we could hear Michael talking, you know, through his microphone when he was backstage or changing clothes.

And, you know, he was kidding around with -- with his wardrobe people, with the makeup people. He was just -- he was in a very, very up mood. And this was...

MALVEAUX: What was he saying? What was he saying?

HOLLEY: You know, he would tease -- Karen Faye is the woman that's dressed him ever since I have known him, which is about 22 years.

And he -- he calls her Turkle. And he would just tease her and -- and poke fun at her. And Michael Bush is the guy who makes Michael's clothes and always has for these many years. And he would -- you know, he was just full of jokes and -- and full of life. And -- and that's why, when I heard the news, I thought it was a mistake or a hoax.

It took me until I got -- because we were due at rehearsal at 4:30 on Thursday. And it was Thursday afternoon when I found out. And it even took me a couple of days to actually believe it and accept it.

MALVEAUX: When you were with him and you were rehearsing on that evening, what -- what was he like? Was he tired? Was he lethargic? Was he upbeat? Can you describe for us what it was like to be with him?

HOLLEY: He was -- you know, we started rehearsal about a month- and-a-half ago. And he was great.

I was told when I came on, and I started auditioning singers, that he was working out every day. He was dancing -- his schedule was, he would work out in the morning, he would get with the dancers, and then he would do -- do vocal lessons. And he was there every day, which is different from the way it's been since I have worked with him.

We wouldn't come together until the last few weeks. You know, he would be off with the dancers and the band would be off with the band, and the singers off doing their thing.

Michael was there. He was present. He was completely in it. And the...

MALVEAUX: How many hours was he rehearsing? How many hours did he rehearse a day?

HOLLEY: He would rehearse with us a couple of hours, with us, with the band a couple of hours a day. As to his other...

MALVEAUX: Would he take breaks?

HOLLEY: Oh, yes. Everybody -- we would take breaks after -- after every couple of songs, we would take a break, because all of us needed it, because it was hot.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: We were in the Forum for a couple of weeks, and we were in Staples a couple of weeks. And, you know, so it was boiling.

The lights -- we had -- you know, we had the biggest LED -- LCD screen you -- that has ever been used. So, under that, that was like sitting under a -- a tanning -- sitting in a tanning salon. So, we would have to take a break.

You know, every other song or so, we would take a break.

MALVEAUX: And you have worked with him for so long in his career. He's now 50 years old. Did you notice anything different? Was it tougher for him to go through these kinds of rehearsals? Was it more taxing? Or has he changed in any way?

HOLLEY: Well, yes.

When you -- when you -- when you're over 50, yes.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLLEY: I'm sure that he was in pain...

(LAUGHTER) HOLLEY: ... after some rehearsals.

But I got to tell you something, the guys on the stage dancing with him, the guys and girls dancing with him, were all in their 20s. Michael's 50. When Michael was on stage with them, there was only one person that you could watch. And that was Michael Jackson.

MALVEAUX: And what was his relationship -- what was he like with -- with the dancers?

HOLLEY: He was great. He was always hugging people. He was always saying: "I love you. I love you more."

This -- the thing about Michael is -- is that he is absolutely, without question, the sweetest person I have ever met in my life. I mean, Michael was such a gentle spirit. When he would be on stage performing a song, and the cameraman would bring the camera up, he would kick at the cameraman. He would punch at the cameraman.

And, after we would finish the song, he would apologize. He would say, "It was all in love."

(LAUGHTER)

HOLLEY: I mean -- I mean, if somebody made a -- the most innocent off-color joke, it would embarrass him, and he would blush. And he would always -- he would even -- he would apologize for me sometimes.

I mean, he was just -- he was just sweet. And, I mean, even when something went wrong in rehearsal, and he had to say, "I want the lighting this way," as opposed to that way, he would -- I mean, it was just done in the most gentle, sweet manner that your feelings couldn't be hurt at all.

MALVEAUX: Dorian -- Dorian, I also want to ask you, what was he saying to you? Why -- why was this his final tour? Did he have a message? I know that he talked about -- a little bit about helping the Earth and how important that was.

But what -- what did he give to you? What -- what was the point of all of this?

HOLLEY: Well, I hope this doesn't sound too -- too syrupy, but he had a message of love.

And he was very, very concerned with the environment. And -- and -- and that was part of, you know, a theme, a thread through the show. But his main message was one of love and -- and of people coming together.

And he was extremely serious about that, and not in a preachy way, but, I mean, you know -- you know his song "Earth Song," and "Heal the World," and "We are the World," you know, those were the things in the -- in the show. And they were -- they were elements that he reiterated all throughout rehearsal, how important it was to get this out.

You know, he didn't really talk about -- to us about this being his last show and why that may have been, you know, so I can only speculate about that. But I do know that the bottom line, Michael wanted -- he just wanted to send a message of love and to peace to people.

And -- you know, and that's me presuming to speak for him. I'm saying what he said to us. What he said for us, it -- these -- these things were important, and these were things that he wanted to get across.

MALVEAUX: And, Dorian, for the dancers or for those who are so intimately involved in these final days with Michael Jackson, I understand, when you got the news, when they got the news, that you couldn't dance, you couldn't play a song, like so many other people were doing.

How -- how is the group handling it? Are they going to be a part of the memorial service? Or what are they going to do? What are you going to do?

HOLLEY: Well, it's very difficult.

You know, I called -- you know, I called the singers, and I called Travis Payne, our choreographer. Talked to Kenny Ortega a couple of days ago. And -- you know, and my wife and I, we stood around. And it's -- it's very -- it's very hard even to talk to you now, just to think about it, just to watch him.

You know, everybody's just struggling to get through it, because it's -- it's hard to believe that somebody so vibrant and so talented and so amazing -- you know, I mean, we -- we were together up until nearly midnight on Wednesday night. And, then, on Thursday, the afternoon, he was gone. And I think everybody -- everybody's having a real tough time with it.

MALVEAUX: What -- what was the last thing he said to you? Do you remember?

HOLLEY: You know, he looked at me as I walked by him off the stage and said, "I love you." That was the last thing he said to me.

You know, we -- you know, the -- the -- the thing that I want people to remember is, in rehearsal that night, he was extremely happy. He was seeing the show come to life, you know, go from his vision to being the actual physical parts of the show being put up there. And, you know, he was just like a kid in the candy store, because he was -- he was seeing his vision come alive.

And that's the memory that I will -- I will try to keep with me as I think about this tragedy.

MALVEAUX: OK.

Dorian, thank you so much. We will have more questions with you. We're going to just take a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Dorian Holley joining us again, vocal coach for the tour of Michael Jackson, spent really final hours with -- with Michael Jackson. We're seeing a lot of the rehearsal video that -- that was released earlier today.

The band -- so close to the members of the band and his dancers -- are they going to have a role and participate in the memorial service on Tuesday? Are you going to have some sort of role, as well?

HOLLEY: Well, I was talking to Ken Stacey, one of the other singers, this morning. And we have mixed feelings about it.

You know, of course, we will all be there, and if they -- if they ask us to participate, we will do whatever we can to -- to support the family and to send Michael off.

But it's just kind of rough to -- because I know it's going to be extremely emotional for everybody. And it's going to be pretty hard.

MALVEAUX: And you see the group together, perhaps, doing a dance for him in his honor on stage?

HOLLEY: You know, again, whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to -- I'm going to do. I don't know if that's in the plans yet. I -- I only found out yesterday that the service is actually on Tuesday. And -- and, of course, I'm going to be there, but, if we're going to do anything musically or not, I can't say.

MALVEAUX: You have known him for so long. Can you give us a sense, what's -- what's your relationship with Michael Jackson?

HOLLEY: Well, you know, I don't want to give the wrong idea. I don't want to act like Michael and I were pals and he would call me over for ice cream, because that -- that wasn't the case.

But -- but I -- I have done all of his solo tours since 1987. So, it's -- it was five of them, five or six of them. And, you know, so, you know, he would -- you know, he trusted me to -- to kind of help to make the vocals right. I mean, I hadn't been the vocal director of the -- of the band before, but, this time, I was.

And, you know, it was a privilege and an honor to do it. And -- and it was just great. I...

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: Has his... HOLLEY: I'm sorry.

MALVEAUX: Has his voice changed at all? We're watching video. Is he actually singing during these rehearsals, or is he saving his voice and lip-synching?

HOLLEY: You know, sometimes, he was saving his voice. That last rehearsal, he was singing, yes, I mean, because he was -- because he was getting warmed up and he was getting in shape for it.

So, the last week, he was -- you know, he was actually -- and he sounded great, yes. You know, we were, I guess, a week away from leaving. And -- and I believe he was ready to -- he was ready to hit it.

MALVEAUX: OK.

Dorian, thank you so much for joining us. I know it's been difficult for you and for the rest of the dancers and the band. But we really appreciate your time today.

HOLLEY: OK.

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

HOLLEY: Thanks for having me.

MALVEAUX: Well, a woman scorned speaks. Governor Mark Sanford's wife is detailing just how much her husband's cheating and lying hurt her and the family. But then Jenny Sanford says something that you may find surprising.

And pursuing details of Michael Jackson's trust -- I will talk about it with a man somewhat famous in his own right, the judge who presided over the Anna Nicole Smith case.

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MALVEAUX: The wife of the disgraced South Carolina governor is detailing how much pain her husband has caused.

Here for today's "Strategy Session," CNN political contributor Democratic strategist James Carville, and Republican strategist Kevin Madden.

You know, this story changes day by day, almost hour by hour now. We have a new statement from Jenny Sanford. It is something that a lot of people have been looking the -- for direction, how she handles it.

She says today: "There is no question that Mark's behavior is inexcusable. Actions have consequences, and he will be dealing with those consequences for a long while. Trust has been broken, and will need to be rebuilt. Mark will need to earn back that trust first and foremost with his family and also with the people of South Carolina. The real issue now is one of forgiveness. I am willing to forgive Mark for his actions. We have been deeply disappointed in and even angry at Mark. My forgiveness is essential for us both to move on with our lives with peace in whatever direction that may take us."

Is it fair to say that she's -- has -- has she saved his job here?

JAMES CARVILLE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I don't know that.

The attorney general today says there wasn't taxpayer money expended. I think we ought to make a deal the Sanfords, is, you quit talking about yourselves and we will quit talking about you, and let's move to something else.

I mean, this -- this -- we have gotten all of the blood out of this turnip that we need. And, hopefully, they can repair things and he can go about and do his job. But it -- this is enough.

KEVIN MADDEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: And it does underscore the fact this has almost gone a little bit beyond politics and it's gone beyond the office. And, instead, it's just a personal tragedy right now.

And it, unfortunately, is playing out in the public square because Governor Sanford holds a public office. And I think that's unfortunate for a lot of the family, folks involved.

CARVILLE: He talks to the press all the time.

MADDEN: Yes. And then...

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: ... taking the story. I mean, just, like, go down to Florida for the weekend and, like, chill and we're ready to move to the next...

(CROSSTALK)

MADDEN: The reason we're talking about it is because there continues to be an engagement with Governor Sanford and Mrs. Sanford in the press.

And it -- you know, it's become a public story, when, in fact, this is -- if it's ever going to be repaired with their family, it has to be done, I think, behind closed doors.

MALVEAUX: They're all...

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: When you get a -- when you get a sentence like the spiritual adviser accompanying him on a wife-sanctioned trip to see the mistress in New York, how can you not talk about it?

(CROSSTALK) MALVEAUX: Is it -- is it too late to reverse it? Because, obviously, yesterday, there were a lot of Republicans, state Republicans, who were calling for his resignation. Does this essentially put a stop to that by taking their cues from the wife?

MADDEN: Well, I think that -- I don't know if they're taking their cues from the wife.

I think that -- I think the engagement and the continued explanation and the -- and the rather -- some of the -- some of the details that have come out of Governor Sanford's interviews with the press have been to the degree where it has sort of frayed any sort of public show of support by -- by his -- his political allies.

And he has, you know, started to dig himself a little bit deeper, and there have been less and less folks around -- around to -- to stand up for him. And, so, it has created a much more -- bigger political problem than it was a week ago.

CARVILLE: The attorney general said no taxpayer money was expended. It strikes me if we -- if everybody just chills, this thing may go away, and we can all move on to something else. And...

MALVEAUX: OK. well, we will...

CARVILLE: And this was fun while it was lasted.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: We will move on for now.

(LAUGHTER)

CARVILLE: OK.

MALVEAUX: We will see if it disappears. We will see if it changes in the next couple hours or days.

Obviously, all eyes on Iran. And we heard from the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, in an op-ed today, saying that, "In short, the stolen election and its tumultuous aftermath have dramatically highlighted the strategic and tactical flaws in Obama's game plan. With regime change off the table for the coming critical period in Iran's nuclear program, Israel's decision on using force is both easier and more urgent."

James, it certainly sounds like he's saying a strike from Israel would certainly make the way, clear the way for the United States -- to put it in a much better position when it comes to dealing with Iran.

CARVILLE: He's talking...

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: ... strike on everything. I mean, he wants to -- you know, North Korea, he's -- he's up -- he wanted to -- he wanted to go after Iraq.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: He's certainly a hawk.

CARVILLE: Yes. And, so, I don't -- I don't know. My guess is, is that the Obama administration is really not -- probably looking at a different and advice. And this is sort of consistent -- he's a kind of bomb-first, ask-later kind of guy.

(LAUGHTER)

MADDEN: Well, I think the -- you know, the piece, James, it made a much detailed argument about the devotion to engagement on a bilateral level with the United States and Iran, how it has put us in a very difficult position, should our allies be -- have -- have their national security -- in that region, have their national security put at risk.

And what -- what would the U.S. do, if we have a devotion to engagement, should there be a strike by Israel or a strike from Iran to Israel? And that would complicate the situation a great deal.

CARVILLE: The thing about engagements, you can disengage. If -- if it becomes evident that they're not applying by -- or at least playing by certain rules, or our ally is in a different position, then you cut off talks, and say, boom.

I mean, that's -- that's the beauty of it, is, you -- it's not like a marriage. You can -- you can get out of it rather quickly, like in a day.

MALVEAUX: Now, the European Union, 27 of its ambassadors, they're -- they are considering actually recalling all of their -- those ambassadors out of Iran...

MADDEN: Right.

MALVEAUX: ... taking them out of Iran. Does this put more pressure on the Obama administration to take a tougher stand with Iran?

MADDEN: Absolutely. It does.

I mean, essentially, what you have is, the only nation here that is still willing to engage, and -- and is still at the table would be the U.S. And now -- now we're almost the sole proprietors of diplomacy here.

CARVILLE: Well, no, I don't think that's -- the fact that they -- we don't have an ambassador anyway -- but the fact they withdrawing ambassadors doesn't mean that they don't want to talk.

But, again, it sure does. And their behavior has made -- has -- has -- certainly doesn't help them at all. But the idea that, somehow or another, we're just going to start, you know, bombs away here is -- I think -- I think you better think about this a little more.

MALVEAUX: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: ... bombs away too many times.

MALVEAUX: James Carville and Kevin Madden, thanks for joining us here.

MADDEN: Thanks, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Some new decisions about the Michael Jackson estate and his trust may be decided during an important hearing on Monday. We will look ahead to the tough choices with a judge who knows a lot about celebrity custody battles.

And the unfolding plans for Michael Jackson to fill a huge arena one last time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: On our "Political Ticker": Attorney General Eric Holder is having emergency oral surgery to remove a cracked tooth. Holder's spokesman says he doesn't know how it happened, but he says the attorney general went to the dentist this morning in pain.

Holder was told to get the tooth removed immediately, so he has canceled his plans for a public appearance in Colorado.

Well, it may be one of the tougher decisions President Obama has made. He was asked to choose who was the better basketball player, L.A. Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant or retired Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

Well, the basketball fan in chief didn't flinch. He tells the Associated Press that it's his fellow Chicagoan, Jordan, hands down. AP quotes the president as saying, "Kobe's terrific, don't get me wrong, but I haven't seen anybody match up with Michael."

And, remember, for the latest political news any time, check out CNNPolitics.com.

Jack joins us now again with "The Cafferty File."

Jack, hey.

CAFFERTY: The question this hour is: In light of the recession, how there will this Fourth of July celebration differ from years past?

David in Tampa writes: "I'm 60 years old. My July Fourth will be much the same as it has been for many years. I will go watch neighborhood fireworks and reflect on life, liberty and wish I had some money to pursue some happiness. I will be grateful for those things I have, a home, a tank of gas, mostly good health. In these troubled times, it is best to try to look for the good in things, while being realistic about that which isn't so good."

Jim in Hoffman Estates, Illinois: "The Fourth of July holiday should be done away with. It's no longer a democracy. It hasn't been for some time. We no longer have any real representation or say in our government. Special interest groups, lobbyists and political power rule, not the people."

Affy in California writes: "I don't think it will be that different, Jack. If there's one thing we Americans are good at, it's wasting our money on food and entertainment. I'm expecting long lines at the movies."

Larry in Chicago: "I spent $100 less on illegal fireworks for this Fourth, and I will be barbecuing hamburgers, instead of steak. Other than that, everything will be pretty much the same. I'm one of the lucky ones who hasn't been laid off yet."

Willow writes from Iowa: "It will be the same as always for me. I live in a very small town. We have a carnival with a petting zoo, food and soda to buy. And the fireworks start at dark."

Terri says: "I am a registered nurse in the E.R. And I will be taking care of those who consume too much alcohol and think they can drive, bicycle, boat, walk and light barbecues. I have job security."

And Perry writes: "We're going to make a pinata out of a liberal. This year, we're thinking of using a newscaster. We will fill it with nothing, and then we're going to beat the crap out of it."

If you didn't see your e-mail here...

(LAUGHTER)

CAFFERTY: ... you can go to my blog at CNN.com/caffertyfile, and look for yours there, among hundreds of others -- Suzanne.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: OK. Thank you, Jack.

You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Happening now, breaking news: new video just released of Michael Jackson's final dress rehearsal for his comeback concert less than 48 hours before his sudden death. Does it contain any clues about what killed the superstar?

Also, new details of Jackson's family trust -- how much goes to his mother? How much goes to his children? Plus, who else stands to benefit?

And a large offensive under way right now in Afghanistan -- 4,000 Marines fighting to take a volatile region out from under the Taliban control.

Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. And you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

We are following all of the latest developments surrounding the death of Michael Jackson -- among them, plans announced for a public memorial service Tuesday at the 20,000-seat Staples Center in Los Angeles.