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CNN Sunday Morning
Senate to Vote on Jobs Bill; "Occupy" Protesters Snub Lawmaker; Interview with Georgia Congressman John Lewis
Aired October 09, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is your CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
And coming up, it is going to be a huge week in Washington. A showdown on the Hill is expected between Republicans and President Obama. And the stakes couldn't be higher, the president's $447 billion jobs bill.
Also, we are standing by to talk live with the civil rights icon John Lewis. He showed up to support an "Occupy" rally in Atlanta. But demonstrators refused to let him speak.
Also, take a look at this. It's the cheapest computer tablet in the world. And before you even ask -- no, you cannot buy it here in the U.S. That story is ahead as well.
But let's start, though, with the fight over the president's jobs bill. The Senate is expected to vote on the plan in a matter of days. The measure could cost an estimated $447 billion.
The president said, hey, it is paid for; $453 billion, he said, would come from his proposed tax on millionaires. The bill calls for new and extended tax cuts along with additional spending on roads, bridges, infrastructure projects, job training and help for those with housing problems.
Republicans, as you might imagine, don't like the president's plan. That's not stopping the president, however, from pushing ahead, especially with the tax on millionaires which Republicans call class warfare.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Some see this as class warfare. I see it as a simple choice. We can either keep taxes exactly as they are for millionaires and billionaires or we can ask them to pay at least the same rate as a plumber or a bus driver, and in the process we can put teachers and construction workers and veterans back on the job.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-K), MINORITY LEADER: The president just today either will say or has already said at least put the jobs bill up for a vote so that the entire country knows exactly where every member of Congress stands. I hope the majority will respond to the request of the president that we give everybody a chance to go on record on the second stimulus bill.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
HOLMES: A little later this hour, I'll be talking to our chief political correspondent and "STATE OF THE UNION" anchor Candy Crowley, talking about the president's jobs bill, the tax on millionaires and also the Republican presidential race.
And speaking of --Ron Paul, he is getting another straw poll victory in his race for the Republican nomination. He was the top vote getter at the Values Voter Summit in Washington. He got 37 percent of the vote.
Herman Cain came in second with 23 percent. Rick Santorum in third. Rick Perry came in fourth, and Mitt Romney was sixth. Both Perry and Romney were in single digits.
Just past the top of the hour here now and let's talk about these angry Americans. You might be one of them, but a lot of them are now out in the streets demonstrating. What began as the "Occupy Wall Street" rally in New York, these are spreading all over the country.
Take a look. These "Occupy" protests have been going on for about four weeks now. Demonstrations happening in a number of places. And you're seeing there, a lot of people upset about the lack of jobs, the perceived corporate greed, anger over government leadership. More than a dozen states and several cities we've seen these things. Among those we've seen this weekend in the nation's capital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: End the war, tax the rich!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Meanwhile, demonstrators in Sacramento, California, yesterday were chanting a theme you might keep hearing over and over at many of these protests. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: This is what democracy looks like!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Show me what democracy looks like.
CROWD: This is, this is what democracy looks like!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, meanwhile, a rally in Atlanta. Kind of interesting back-and-forth that took place there.
A few hundred people turned out. It was in a downtown Atlanta park. And one of the people who turned out was civil rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis. He wanted to speak to the crowd, but first protesters wanted to put it to a vote.
Listen to how this back-and-forth played out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has fought for the freedom --
CROWD: He has fought for the freedom --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- and the dignity and the respect --
CROWD: -- and the dignity and respect --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- of countless lives.
CROWD: -- of countless lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: However --
CROWD: However --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- the point of this general assembly --
CROWD: -- the point this general assembly --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- is to kick-start --
CROWD: -- is to kick-start --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- a democratic process --
CROWD: -- a democratic process --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- in which no singular human being --
CROWD: -- in which no singular human being --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- is inherently more valuable --
CROWD: -- is inherently more valuable --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- than any other human being.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And what you're hearing there, the crowd around him repeating what he was saying. That's just so everyone out there could actually hear because he didn't have microphones, kind of how they did their process out there.
Lewis, meanwhile, told reporters he was not disappointed that he wasn't allowed to speak. Even said it reminded him of some of the early days of the civil rights movement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: In another time, in another period, when I was very young and head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, better known as SNCC, we participated in a similar process. We would discuss, we would debate, until we reached consensus. So, this is not something strange, out of the ordinary for people.
REPORTER: Are you disappointed that you did not get a chance --
LEWIS: No. Not at all. Not at all.
REPORTER: What do you feel it says about the organizational process?
LEWIS: Well, it will work out. They're growing, mature, it will work out. It will come of age.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And Congressman Lewis joining me now live on the line.
Congressman Lewis, good morning. You hearing me OK?
LEWIS (via telephone): Good morning. How are you?
HOLMES: Well, I'm doing all right. We appreciate you giving us some time. Let me ask you first of all about this rally. Why did you go in the first place?
LEWIS: Well, the rally was less than a half a block from my office in downtown Atlanta and I came downstairs and walked across the street to lend my support and to encourage the people because I support their efforts all across America.
And I didn't really ask to speak or request to speak. Other people wanted me to speak. But they wanted to finish their business and I could speak later. But I didn't have the time to wait around. I had another engagement across town.
So after some debate and a vote and they said after they complete their business, then I will be allowed to speak. But I had to leave and so I left. So I was really not denied a speaking chance. It would have been much later and I just couldn't wait.
HOLMES: Well, were you surprised or maybe even disappointed at how it kind of played out? We saw you standing there on the side and as this crowd of folks were debating about whether or not you should be allowed to speak. But were you surprised by that or even disappointed that you were not able to talk to them?
LEWIS: No, because during the '60s we went through similar efforts as participants in the civil rights movement. You know, we went through a period where we called freedom high, who made that decision. And it was a whole struggle to get consensus.
It's the essence of a democratic process. HOLMES: What's --
LEWIS: I've been down this road before.
HOLMES: Well, what is your sense of what they want? Do they want to be heard or they would like to have a conversation? Because a lot of people took it as if they didn't want to converse with you, they just wanted to talk at you and make sure you could hear them.
So, what is your sense of actually what they want?
LEWIS: Well, they want to be heard. They want to be heard and at the same time, they want to speak to America, speak to people in power, to officials of the American government, but also to the business community, especially Wall Street, to corporate America, to bankers. They're saying, in effect, that we bailed out Wall Street and now it is time for Wall Street and corporate America to help bail out the American people.
People are hurting. They're in pain and they're looking for jobs. They want us to humanize the American government but also humanize corporate America.
HOLMES: Will they at some point -- there are so many people involved, there are so many cities and different groups kind of popping up. Does it do them justice or an injustice to not have a very clear message and almost a clear set of requests or demand from their government?
LEWIS: Well, I think it is important to have a set of priorities and we did it under the civil rights movement during the early '60s, mid '60s. We had our one, two, threes, we had our ABCs.
When we marched on Washington 48 years ago, we marched for jobs and freedom. But we spelled it out. We said we wanted a civil rights bill. We said we wanted that bill to contain a ban on discrimination and public accommodation and employment. And we got it a year later.
But these individuals all across America are saying, in effect, that the banks and other businesses are holding millions and billions of dollars and they need to invest in the American people. They need to put people back to work.
HOLMES: Sir, what does -- does do them a disservice as well when maybe some of the people who stand out in the crowd maybe get some of the attention or maybe an incident like the one that happened with you gets attention or the incident that happened with Charlie Rangel up in New York where he was kind of booed and in some ways run out of there? Does the attention given to some those incidents do harm to the movement?
LEWIS: Well, people should see some of us in the Congress, we're on their side. We're their friend. We're supporting them. And they need to realize that as we are not enemies.
HOLMES: You get a sense last night or this weekend when you were there that they felt like you were a friend or the enemy as a member of Congress?
LEWIS: Oh, no. The great majority of the people supported my being there. They were happy to see me. When I walked up they started cheering. So, no, they know my history, they know my record.
HOLMES: All right. Congressman Lewis, we appreciate you hopping on the line with us talking to us about these protests. Always good to talk to you. I know I'll talk to you again soon, sir. Thanks so much.
LEWIS: Good to talk to you. Have a great day.
HOLMES: All right. We're 11 minutes past the hour now.
That incident I was talking about there with Charlie Rangel. This is how it played out. Let's let you hear how it played out when he tried to go to a rally and support -- and show his support to the protesters up in New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Budget for your own (INAUDIBLE). Go home. Get out of here! Boo! Boo! Boo! Boo!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now after this incident, Representative Rangel said he wasn't sure if he was the target of that heckling but said if he was, then he certainly understands.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In "Occupy Wall Street" --
CROWD: In "Occupy Wall Street" --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- we have --
CROWD: -- we have an economic --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- elites --
CROWD: -- elites --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- accountable!
CROWD: -- accountable!
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The "Occupy Wall Street" protests now in day 23. Despite the growing crowds and momentum, we have been seeing at the demonstrations, not everybody a fan, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, suggesting the protesters may be doing more harm than good.
And he said, and I quote, "If the jobs they're trying to get rid of in this city -- the people that work in finance, which is a big part of our economy -- if those go away, we're not going to have any money to pay our municipal employees or clean our parks or anything else."
Well, coming up on 13 minutes past the hour now. We turn to Libya where fighters loyal to the new government suggest their nine- month-old civil war may be nearing the end. The rebels say they are in the final stages of taking control of the town of Sirte, the hometown of Moammar Gadhafi and one of the few remaining areas loyal to the former dictator.
We will have more on this story a little later when we talk live with our Nic Robertson who is in the region.
Still to come this morning, a sixth-grader ban from wearing her rosary to school. Coming up in a half-hour, I'll tell you why school officials want her to leave it at home.
But, first, a huge loss in professional football. One of the game's legends. Legendary owner Al Davis has died. Al Davis' contributions to Oakland and the NFL, coming up.
Also this morning, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade face off on the court. Yes. An all-star game hosted by the players themselves.
Stay with us on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Seventeen minutes past the hour.
I want to turn to Libya where fighters loyal to the new government suggest the nine-month-old civil war may be nearing an end. The rebels say they're in the final stage of taking control of the town of Sirte. Sirte, of course, the hometown of former dictator Moammar Gadhafi and it's one of the few remaining places still loyal to Gadhafi.
Our Nic Robertson is in the capital of Tripoli. He joins me now.
Nic, does this look like this could be the beginning of an end?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): I think it is the beginning of the end of the Gadhafi loyalist resistance in Sirte. But it's still not clear how much longer the new transitional government forces are going to take -- the rebels, if you will, are going to take to fully get control of it.
They did launch a big offensive on Friday, better coordinated. They had more fighters coming from the east and the west and the south. They have made some gains in the city.
But still they say, a key hospital in Sirte is still holding out. There are civilians. They're worried about causing casualties there by going in too hard.
And it does seem that Gadhafi's loyalists are still holding on.
According to the transitional government, they lost 10 fighters last night. They lost at least 26 since Friday into Saturday.
So this has been a very, very intense battle that has been going on, this battle for Sirte in earnest has been going on for the last three weeks. So, I don't think it's quite finish yet. But as they say, they believe they are in the final stages, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Our Nic Robertson, good checking in with you with the update from Tripoli. Thank you so much.
We're 18 minutes past the hour. Let's say good morning now to our HLN friend Ray D'Alessio here.
Really talking about one of the biggest personalities and forces in professional sports, not just the NFL. Al Davis has passed away now.
RAY D'ALESSIO, HLN SPORTS: Yes. T.J., I'm one of these people that has done this. When you think of Al Davis, you think of anybody who follows the NFL. You think of more or less the controversy that surrounded Al Davis, his outspokenness, his relationship with coaches, how he fired them, rehired them.
But what people forget is that Al Davis -- he was truly iconic in the way he helped shape the NFL. Of course, he was a key figure in helping merge the old American Football League with the NFL back in the '60s.
He broke barriers. He was the first to hire an African-American head football coach in the NFL. He was the first to hire a Latino head football coach in Tom Flores. And during his days with the AFL, he also, you know, was the first -- to his credit, with drafting the first African-American quarterback. So, he really did so much more for the league than what he's known for in recent years.
And as far as his product on the field, under his tutelage, the Raiders -- they won three Super Bowls, five conference championships. His big slogan: commitment to excellence. I mean, back in the heydays, they were the team, the dominant team to beat. They really were.
HOLMES: It's good to look back and remember. And, again, past several years at least with the controversy you talk about. But it's good to remember and remind motion of what he meant to football. From football to basketball which I'm told is not going on.
D'ALESSIO: There is basketball going on?
HOLMES: There is basketball. Not necessarily NBA basketball, but NBA players are playing.
D'ALESSIO: Yes, last night, the big three, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, hosting an all-star charity game down in south Florida. And these games were nothing new for the players. They've been going on for quite -- a few weeks. And the players say they will continue to keep holding these games for as long as the NBA lock-out continues. And it's going on day 101.
Now, the big story from this game, afterwards, the "Associated Press" reporting that the players got together after this game, they met and the message there was basically, look, don't agree to anything, OK? Don't agree to anything until you know what you're agreeing to. Don't concede to anything.
Obviously, the big sticking point right now, the owners want a 50 percent-50 percent share of the revenue. Players wanting 53 percent of that. In all likelihood, tomorrow, we're expecting that the league is going to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season.
HOLMES: And this game was broadcast locally.
D'ALESSIO: Yes, it was.
HOLMES: Now, is there some relevance to that or is there any sign or showing that we can actually organize this ourselves?
D'ALESSIO: I don't know. I really don't think so. I think -- you know, the players and owners realize they need each other.
It was just like the NFL. They realize they need each other so eventually -- we saw this back in 1999. The same thing I believe when the season was shortened down to 50 games during the shortened season there.
So, eventually, they'll work things out hopefully. I don't think we're going to lose the season, but it's just going to take time and somebody is going to have to make concessions.
HOLMES: You're more optimistic than a lot of folks are.
Ray D'Alessio, always good to have you.
D'ALESSIO: Good to see you. Thanks for having me.
HOLMES: Thank you so much.
We're 21 minutes past the hour now.
And people in Denver already getting out snow shovels? Last week, they were still running around in shorts and tank tops. What happened? Our Reynolds Wolf will be along in just a moment.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
HOLMES: Also this morning -- when turkeys attack. Yes, a wild turkey chases a California news crew and that's not the only person this turkey's been chasing. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Twenty-three minutes past the hour now. Give you stories making news cross country.
In Maryland, a Wal-Mart store had to be evacuated after two women got into a fight. You might be thinking that must have been a heck of a fight. Well, authorities say they started going at it but weren't just throwing fists. They started pulling bleach and ammonia off the shelves and tossing it at each other.
Now, one of the women had to be taken to jail, the other had to be taken to the eye doctor. Two other people had to go to the hospital. A hazmat team had to be brought in to clean up the mess, and we still don't exactly know what started this fight in the first place.
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is in the hospital out in California. She was rushed there last night. The 94-year-old actress has been battling major health problems recently and has been unable to walk since a car accident in 2002.
Also, in a California neighborhood, it's the attack of the turkeys. Yes. Wild turkeys are chasing folks down in the street. People who are jogging and pushing a baby or maybe your news crews out there shooting a story about wild turkeys and this happens.
Reynolds, it makes you long for the days of local news, doesn't it?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It really does.
HOLMES: This happens to all of us.
WOLF: You know what's interesting, though. I mean, I can't count how many times I've been chased by a turkey. It is insane. It does happen.
You know what's unreal is that in parts of the Southeast, the turkey, the wild turkeys are one of the most elusive animals if you are a hunter, if you are hunting type of person. This one seems to be role reversal, hunting for people. It is the makings of a great horror film.
Seriously. When turkeys go awry.
HOLMES: Wow. Yes. They have a problem in the neighborhood. But if you want to go wild turkey hunt, I shouldn't encourage the people to go --
WOLF: There goes that neighborhood, seriously. They got the wild turkeys. It's just crazy.
Let me hop over and we can talk something else.
HOLMES: Please.
WOLF: Hey, speaking of turkeys, it feels like we've got frozen turkeys falling from the sky in parts of Colorado. The snow has been pretty impressive. In fact, let's go ahead and show you some of the video that we have not far from the Mile High City of Denver, a little nice touch of snowfall that's coming down. Just beautiful to see, unfortunately so great to drive in.
People get used to it. Snowplows are on the back, keeping roadways clear. But still, there are going to be those fender- benders.
Very quickly, let's hop over and show you what's happening on radar, very different scenario, very different type of weather. We got heavy rainfall through Austin, San Antonio. Before the weekend is out, some of these places could see up to 10 inches of rainfall.
For today though, two to five in the Texas hill country, possibly four to seven around Austin. Be prepared folks -- that's where your worst weather in the country is going to be. We're going to talk more about that and potential flight delays coming up, T.J. But, for now, let's toss it back to you.
HOLMES: Reynolds, thank you. We'll see you again here shortly.
We're getting close to the bottom of the hour now.
And look at what they have come up with in India -- a new innovation that's going to make life easier and it is quite inexpensive. A fully loaded tablet computer. How much, you ask? Try $35.
That story is coming up in our "Morning Passport."
Also this morning -- Michael Jackson's children make an appearance on stage at a concert in their father's honor. We'll show you this moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're at the bottom of the hour on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Let's say good morning to Nadia Bilchik with our "Morning Passport." I was just taking a little survey, the whole crew here asking about these tablets.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Yes. At $35 you'd buy us all one for Christmas, right?
HOLMES: Yes, I don't mind. I couldn't get you all iPads.
BILCHIK: Exactly.
HOLMES: But really, we are talking iPads for $500? All these Galaxy Toshiba tab -- are we talking about $300, $400 at least. The Kindle Fire, that's $200. And people say hey, that's a great price but you can't beat $35.
BILCHIK: But $35? Unfortunately, not available commercially --
HOLMES: Yet.
BILCHIK: Yet.
HOLMES: Right.
BILCHIK: But this is only available to students in India.
HOLMES: All right.
BILCHIK: So there's actually a company called Data Wind. And the Indian government ordered 100,000 of these tablets.
HOLMES: Yes.
BILCHIK: The order is going to be for 10 million. And on Wednesday of this week very poignantly, the very day that Steve Jobs died, the Indian government gave 500 students one of these $35 tablets. A couple of things, it only has a three-hour battery life.
HOLMES: Ok.
BILCHIK: But I did speak to the CEO of Data Wind and he says it does have a solar panel so that's hopeful. But the reality is that in about November, the tablet will be available for around $60 in India, however.
HOLMES: Tell people how though. How are they able to sell this thing -- or make it so cheaply?
BILCHIK: Well, a couple of things. It's just volume.
HOLMES: Yes.
BILCHIK: And then they're going to look at applications, the advertising, the subscriptions at the end of the day is what's going to make the money. Also this company manufactures a lot their own parts so they cut out the middleman completely.
But again the idea was let's break the digital divide, the digital have-nots. Let's give them an iPad -- or not an iPad but in this case the tablet. But the fact is that you need Internet access and a lot of these rural villages don't have electricity. So this particular tablet is for students and it's going to be more where they can use it on campus where Wi-Fi is available.
And also think about how smart this is. It gets them hooked on the technology.
HOLMES: Clearly yes.
BILCHIK: So once they're hooked on the technology, then the subscriptions, the advertising, the applications. But yes, it is available to students; $35 provided by the Indian government. HOLMES: Commercially for $60 in November in India. Now, you talked to the owner, as we wrap up here, of this company. Any plans to maybe try to bring something like that over to the U.S.?
BILCHIK: Well, I think that is his vision ultimately. But the $60 would be available commercially and it will also have a phone modem. So we're all off the India are we?
HOLMES: You know what, guys, you're going to get great Christmas gifts this year -- well, not you, you're leaving us.
BILCHIK: As long as you get to India.
HOLMES: As long as you get to India.
BILCHIK: Exactly.
HOLMES: We'll talk more about my -- my floor director is leaving me. He's been here with me a year. I'll talk more about him in a second. But it's his last day with us today. We'll get to that in a second.
BILCHIK: Have you offered him an EB Slate (ph)?
HOLMES: I have not offered him even a goodbye.
BILCHIK: Or an Aakash (ph) by the way the name is Aakash.
HOLMES: Ok.
BILCHIK: Of the tablets in India.
HOLMES: Miss Nadia Bilchik with our "Morning Passport". Thank you so much.
Coming up here, in our "Faces of Faith", here is one for you, a school district in Nebraska links Catholic rosaries to gang members and they're using a girl in the sixth grade to make their point. That story next.
Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, we are at 34 minutes past the hour now.
And a 12-year-old girl in Nebraska has been told she can't wear her rosary-style necklace to school because it violates a ban on, of all things -- gang symbols. The Freemont Public School District has banned rosary necklaces because some gang members were wearing them as a symbol of their gang affiliation.
Hannah Pickett of our affiliate KETV with our "Faces of Faith" this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HANNAH PICKETT, KETV (voice-over): 12-year-old Elizabeth Carey hopes her wardrobe makes a statement.
ELIZABET CAREY, STUDENT OPPOSED TO ROSARY BAN: I'm wearing a cross necklace and a cross t-shirt and a cross bracelet.
PICKETT: This outfit and necklace from "The Buckle," both with special meaning to the sixth-grader.
CAREY: I'm thinking about how Jesus died on the cross and how he gave up all his sins for us.
PICKETT (on camera): Officials here at Freemont Middle School say Elizabeth's necklace resembled a rosary like this one so much that it violated the dress code.
CAREY: The principal said I couldn't wear my necklace at all because gangsters were wearing it.
PICKETT: According to Freemont Middle School's dress code, rosaries are not to be worn. It's a policy the district implemented last school year. Superintendent Dr. Steve Sexton says it is for the student's safety.
STEVE SEXTON, SUPERINTENDENT, FREEMONT PUBLIC SCHOOL: We had an information from law enforcement that there were documented instances of gang activity in the area and we also had information that stated that the rosary was being used as a symbol of gang affiliation.
PICKETT: Rosaries used as gang identification symbols are a growing trend around the country. Oregon, Arizona, Texas all have reported cases. Disheartening news to Omaha Catholic Archdiocese Chancellor Father Joseph Taphorn --
FATHER JOSEPH TAPHORN, OMAHA CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE: So I don't think Christians should have to forfeit what is a symbol of the love of Christ for us and our commitment to be a disciple because a few people want to misuse that symbol.
PICKETT: Father Taphorn says the corruption of something as beloved as the rosary disgust the Catholic Church.
TAPHORN: One ought to be able to figure out whether or not she's really trying to promote a gang and if she's not, then again why would -- why would she be punished for what ought to be her right of religious freedom and religious expression?
PICKETT: Elizabeth, upset she was punished for wearing what she thought was a necklace.
CAREY: It makes me feel like I want to scream really bad.
PICKETT: The sixth-grader says she doesn't know what a gang is. The policy shocks her parents.
ROBIN WHITE, ELIZABETH CAREY'S MOTHER: I'm just floored. We're not gang people.
PICKETT: But Elizabeth says this won't keep her from showing her faith. She'll continue to make a statement with her wardrobe with cross necklaces and shirts like these.
CAREY: I'm deciding to stand up for Jesus and do whatever I can to stop this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, if you like to share your thoughts on the story, you can join the conversation at CNN.com/belief.
Some of the comments are coming in already on this story. Nathan saying, "So pretty much what the school district is saying, that gangs can pick any symbol they want and the school district will ban it. What about the Red Cross? What about the American flag?
Also Vinnie writing, "I'm stunned the archdiocese is disappointed about this. A rosary is not jewelry. You cannot adorn yourself with it because it is blessed. It is a catalyst for prayer.
Also another comment from someone saying, "Really? You need to remember that freedom of religion is what our country is based on. No one is being harmed by a sixth-grader wearing her rosary around her neck."
And we're 38 minutes past the hour. And coming up, as always, looking forward to chatting with Candy Crowley. She'll be here in a few minutes to give us a preview of what's coming up on "STATE OF THE UNION" at the top of the hour.
Among some other things New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had to make it official again that he's really not running for president; seriously this time, folks. We'll chat with Candy about that and the effect on the Republican race.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 42 minutes past the hour now.
And sometimes it's not the most flattering thing when you're spoofed on "Saturday Night Live". Sometimes they really make fun of you. But still, if they are using you as a character, then you must be doing something right. Mitt Romney found that out last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The deadline for candidates to file to be primary eligible is October 31st.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Um-hmm. Yes. That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you be in favor of pushing that deadline back to give the party more time to find a viable candidate?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, obviously I think I'm a viable candidate. I mean I'm not just a guy who runs for president because I can afford to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. Ok.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. You?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This Tuesday Governor Chris Christie announced he would not seek the Republican nomination. Have you considered calling him and trying to convince him to run?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why would I do that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a great candidate? So we were all going to vote for him. Right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do write-in votes work? Seriously like if we all wrote in Chris Christie and he won, he would have to be president, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, heck it all. Heck it all to fudge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, easy, everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh. Look at this. I didn't realize there was a meatball convention in town.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I get that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. Now listen up. You have to start showing Governor Romney some respect. I mean how do you think he feels? Watching you like everybody more than him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Christie, we don't want to stay with him. We want you to run.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not going to happen. I know you want me to run, but this -- this can't go national.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And Candy Crowley is here with me now. They really hit on something here, Candy. How many more times does -- I was surprised that it was breaking news that he came out and said he's not running. He's been saying the same thing for two years.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": That's right. You know and we're trying to not take "no" for an answer.
HOLMES: Yes.
CROWLEY: Listen, in the end what's so brilliant I think about "Saturday Night Live's" political skits is that often they hit the mark at so many levels. First, the Press Corps's interest in a great story; you know, somebody new getting in, that's always like a new story.
It's -- it's better than writing about Romney's 28-point plan if all of a sudden you have a new person in the race. I don't think it's peculiar to Chris Christie, but Sarah Palin, we saw a lot of these little boomlets as we went along so they spoofed that. But they've also spoofed what has been the problem for Mitt Romney not necessarily from the Press Corps but from Republicans in general, which is they -- they're not quite locked in to that.
I think if you talk to any political pundit or most political pundits at this point they would say, look, it's certainly Romney's to lose, which it always has been kind of from the beginning but he hasn't been able to click in.
Now that it looks as though we're not going to get any new people into the race he might be able to do that. But the whole idea of people fantasizing about someone else in the race I think has really kept Romney up to this point from clicking in and being the formidable front-runner instead of what we always call him which is the weak front-runner.
HOLMES: On that same point, you talk about the media liking a story, a new name, a new person into the race; is this part of what's really fueling Herman Cain, is that he's different. He has energy, he'll say something you won't hear the other candidates say and people -- and maybe the media -- starting to really like this guy.
CROWLEY: Well, in Herman Cain's case there are numbers to back him up at this point. I think what you've seen with the Herman Cain boomlet -- because now he's polling second in some cases, tied with Romney for first in some polls -- is what you have seen is Michele Bachmann won that Iowa straw poll, everyone thought, ok, Michele Bachmann is really vying, she's the not-Romney candidate.
Next thing -- or that very day, in comes Rick Perry, the Texas governor. Boy, his -- suddenly he's number one in the polls. Everybody's looking at him.
And then he has some bad debates and along Herman Cain starts to rise. What that is I think is more the conservative side of the Republican Party, the Tea Party types, who are fueling the primary race, looking for a candidate that, they have gotten cold feet about Rick Perry. It's not terminal yet but nonetheless, they have moved from -- the Tea Party folks have moved from Michele Bachmann to Rick Perry. And now Rick Perry's tripping up has really benefited Herman Cain and the question is can Herman Cain hold on to that.
HOLMES: All right. And Herman Cain will be with you here in just a few minutes. He's your guest, live.
CROWLEY: As it happens.
HOLMES: Top of the hour. All right, we'll be standing by for that, Candy. Always good to talk to you. But Candy Crowley, "STATE OF THE UNION", starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern; that's top of the hour, 6:00 a.m. Pacific right here on CNN. And again, her live guest Herman Cain at the top of the hour. Stay here.
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HOLMES: All right. We're about ten minutes off the top of the hour.
And you need to listen to this one. You won't believe the debate that's going on in Florida right now over something some call a horrible bar game. Others get a kick out of it. It's called dwarf- tossing.
Florida outlaws this practice to help keep little people from getting hurt. But one Florida lawmaker says the law should actually be repealed. Let's pick up this story now from our affiliate WKMG in Orlando.
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UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Whether you approve of dwarf-tossing or not, Florida shouldn't be telling little people what they can't do, according to state representative Ritch Workman of Melbourne.
DANNY BLACK, SHORTDWARF.COM: I'm just glad that the politicians are focusing on the really big issues.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Danny Black is with shortdwarf.com which is a national talent agency for little people. He says his community welcomes more opportunity.
BLACK: What we are opposed to is any group or organization that tries to restrict employment of an underemployed population.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: But the original law was passed to prevent injuries to dwarfs and some people find the whole activity in poor taste.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's kind of crazy. I don't think you should toss the little people around.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Workman says he's getting criticized for trying to legalize what some believe is degrading.
REP. RITCH WORKMAN (R), MELBOURNE, FLORIDA: They're offended by it. I get it. I am too. It has nothing do with whether or not I think it is a cool thing to do. The reality is I think it is ridiculous. However, it is not the role of government to say it shouldn't be done.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Some wonder whether the issue should even be addressed at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doesn't Ritch have better things to do with his time than worry about dwarf-tossing with all the other economic issues we got to worry about here in Florida? (END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: This is really happening, folks. Violators can be fined up to $1,000; could also lose their liquor licenses. A lot of bars, this is popular in a lot of bars there. Well, the Little People of America organization opposes the repeal of that law.
We're about eight minutes off the top of the hour now. You've been hearing about the Michael Jackson tribute concert taking place in Wales? Well, his children made an appearance on stage. Despite a lot of the pre-show controversy, the crowd there seemed to just love it. Loved the concert.
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HOLMES: Five minutes of the top of the hour. "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley coming your way at the top; of course, she's going to have Herman Cain as her live guest.
Also right now, a look ahead to the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. Jurors will hear the rest of a taped interview police did with Dr. Conrad Murray. Last week they heard this in Murray's own words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. CONRAD MURRAY, ON TRIAL FOR MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH: But whether I'm doing to -- recognizing Michael Jackson may have had a dependency to (INAUDIBLE). I was trying to wean him off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Murray said he gave Jackson the powerful drug Propofol every single day during the two months he was treating him but he says he stopped three days before Jackson died. The trial resumes on Tuesday.
Half-way around the world, a totally different story: a sell-out crowd of 50,000 Michael Jackson fans attending a tribute concert for him in Wales. CNN's Erin McLaughlin reports.
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ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A show fit for a king, or so says Michael Jackson's mother. Those were Katherine Jackson's very words in the build-up to tonight's concert, a four-hour show meant to honor a man many still regard as the king of pop. And according to the fans we spoke to, it lived up to royal standards.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We thought it was absolutely fantastic and the fact that his children were there, it was absolutely amazing considering the time that it is and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was pretty good, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Best tribute ever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was absolutely amazing. I thought (INAUDIBLE) was outstanding. Christina Aguilera blew the roof off, hands down. I thought it was amazing. What a tribute to Michael Jackson.
MCLAUGHLIN: The concert very much a family affair. All three of Michael Jackson's children made an appearance on stage and LaToya Jackson performed for the first time in 20 years.
LATOYA JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: In the beginning I just immediately said I don't know if I really want to do this. Come out of retirement after all these years. Then I said I have to. It's Michael, you have to do this for him. I mean he would do it for you. Of course I did and I enjoyed it. It was definitely worth it. I enjoyed it.
MCLAUGHLIN: And what would a family affair be without a family rift? Janet, Jermaine and Randy Jackson publicly opposed to the tribute because of the concert's timing. It comes as Conrad Murray is on trial for Michael Jackson's death.
For some tonight's tribute is an important counterpoint to the events half-way around the world.
SMOKEY ROBINSON, MUSICIAN: I actually wish it was in Los Angeles so it could really counteract the trial so that people could have a positive image in their head about what's going on with Michael rather than what's going on with the trial.
MCLAUGHLIN: "Michael Forever" has had its fair share of setbacks. Concert promoters didn't actually have the rights to play any of Michael Jackson's recordings so instead they relied on artists to cover his music. And plans to broadcast the show to paying Facebook fans were canceled a day before the tribute.
But for the performers and tens of thousands of fans here tonight, it was all about the thrill of the music and the memory of the man.
Erin McLaughlin, CNN, Wales.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, let's check in one more time with our Reynolds Wolf keeping an eye on the rain totals.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is all about the rain. It's all about the rain. That's the big story. You know, yesterday we certainly had some impressive rainfall in parts of state of Florida. Vero Beach, (INAUDIBLE), Melbourne, some places well over five inches of rainfall. Now we're seeing the rain begin to pile up in spots like Wichita Falls and Sweetwater, Texas. And it's all stemming from this frontal boundary from the U.S.- Canadian border clear down through central Texas.
And the rainfall is going to be impressive especially into the afternoon hours. Already we've seen the rain caused a little bit of flash flooding. We've had flash flooding watches and warnings scattered throughout much of central Texas, back in the hill country and right along parts of the I-35 corridor including, say, Travis County where we could see anywhere from four to seven inches of rainfall just today.
But as we make our way through the rest of the weekend, the next 48 hours or so, there is a chance we could see in some spots closer to ten inches of rainfall. In fact, take a look at this. Out towards Dallas, same thing; Oklahoma City; even into Wichita, rain is going to be the issue.
This is also going to be the spots where you'll have all your delays today. Places like Dallas Fort Worth, Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City even into Woodshaw (ph).
Very quickly as we take a look at your temperatures for the day, it is going to be a nice warm one for you in parts of the southeast. Kind of muggy in a few spots; breezy and windy for you in the southeast; out west, as we wrap things up, plenty of sunshine; 59 in Salt Lake City and 70 in San Francisco. Back to you -- T.J.
HOLMES: Reynolds, thank you, kind sir.
And thank you all for being with us here on this CNN SATURDAY and SUNDAY MORNING.
Right now, "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley and her live guest, Herman Cain.
