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CNN Saturday Morning News

Andy Rooney Dies; ; Making History in Mississippi; Interview with Reverend Jesse Jackson; Company Turns Ideas to Inventions; Ex- Caddie Drops Racial Slur on Tiger

Aired November 05, 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, SATURDAY MORNING: Good Saturday morning to you all. We have to start on a sad note with breaking story, we're just getting word a short time ago that "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney has died at the age 92. You remember we were talking so much about his life and his accomplishments just weeks ago when he signed off the air. That was just last month. We will have more on his life and career here in just a moment.

Also, we will be talking about the occupy movement, "Occupy Atlanta" demonstrators getting some help from the Martin Luther King center. They are giving them classes on nonviolence. We will talk about why. And also, we will have Reverend Jesse Jackson, who is joining the "Occupy Atlanta" movement in some way. He will be with us in studio with us this hour.

But let's get back to Andy Rooney and the news we're just getting a short time ago, that he has died at the age of 92. He just signed off from "60 Minutes" after 30 years, did that with his last essay just last month. He had done over 1,100 or close to 1,100 of those essays over the years. He has been with "60 Minutes" 60 years all together or with CBS news I should say some 60 years, but he died after complications from a minor surgery. You may remember that. He had gone in for what was told to us as minor surgery, but then developed complications within the hospital and now, the word is that he has died at the age of 92. Our Gary Tuchman takes a look back at his extraordinary life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY ROONEY, CBS: The funny thing is over the years, our opinion of how our hair looks best changes. I used to think I looked best with long side burns. Why in the world would I have ever thought that? I didn't realize I looked so funny back then or I would probably never have gone on television at all.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Andy Rooney did not have a look that was especially TV friendly, but it was his talent as a writer that set him apart and eventually, made him a star. Andy Rooney was a "60 Minutes" original, started with a show as a producer. He became a regular on-air contributor in 1978. Rooney's diatribes documenting the struggles of modern life, were an instant hit.

ROONEY: Part of my success is how average I am. I'm a very normal guy and it does not occur to me walking down the street that anyone recognizes me or and it bugs me when they do too.

TUCHMAN: Rooney started his writing career in the U.S. military. He was assigned as a correspondent for the military newspaper "Stars and Stripes" after being drafted into the army in 1941. Rooney often wrote about the men in those bombing missions, eventually having a book published about their experiences in 1944. After the war, Rooney became a freelance magazine writer. He later moved to television, running for some of the biggest names in the business.

ROONEY: I started in this business I wrote for a lot of people. I wrote for Arthur Godfrey for five years. I wrote for Sam Levinson. I wrote for Gary Moore and I wrote for Harry Reasoner and I'm basically a writer. And I lost Harry Reasoner, so I started doing my own stuff on television, but it was just an emergency. I liked it perfectly well when I was a writer.

TUCHMAN: Andy Rooney's writing talents earned him six Writers' Guild of America's awards. He was also honored for his other work in television, winning a total of four Emmy awards. Two of those Emmys came from a few minutes with Andy Rooney on "60 Minutes."

ROONEY: If it's any good, I can write it in a couple of hours and if it isn't any good it, it takes me a couple days.

TUCHMAN: Andy Rooney appeared numerous times on "Larry King Live," also writing a syndicated column that appeared in more than 200 newspapers daily and had more than a dozen books published. His wife of 62 years died of heart failure in 2004. On October 2, 2011, after 33 years on the show, he gave his final regular commentary for "60 Minutes", a style and dry wit as unique as the man.

ROONEY: I recently bought this new laptop to use when I travel. Look at that though, it fits right into the briefcase here, weighs less than three pounds. I lose that much getting mad waiting to get on the plane through security at the airport.

TUCHMAN: The common man with the common touch about problems that hit close to home. Gary Tuchman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: And just a bit ago, I spoke with former CBS correspondent Bob Arnot. He shared an office with Rooney for years, asked him if he actually saw this coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF BOB ARNOT, FMR. CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You know, when I saw the sign up, I knew this was the end. He was not going to quit, you know, a year or two before. He was never going to retire, ever. So, it was pretty clear at that time that this was pretty close to the end.

HOLMES: Do you think he knew something about his health?

ARNOT: Oh, he was very much in tune with his health. And you know, it is interesting, at that age, you just kind of see the handwriting on the wall. You just know is this is it. It's time to give up the game. It is only, what, a month or so since he had that wonderful signoff.

HOLMES: When was the last time you were able to talk to him? Did you talk to him when he was retiring?

ARNOT: You know, I saw the whole crew, the whole "60 Minutes" crew minus Andy with our old boss, Howard Stringer about a month ago. I did not see Andy at that time though. I had seen him around New York. He still showed up at events but hadn't really seen him probably for the last month.

HOLMES: And Bob, one other thing before we let you go, a lot of people look at this and just so sad to hear that he has passed, but in a lot of ways, is this the way to go?

ARNOT: Oh, absolutely, just the old fallout to the end. The interesting thing about Andy is, he pretended to be this curmudgeon, but he really wasn't. I mean as I say I was right kitty corner to him. It was the seventh floor at CBS. And you know, he had this kind of bluster, but he was just the nicest, sweetest guy you could even begin to possibly imagine. And of course, I was a neophyte in television at the time. I was a medical correspondent for the CBS morning show there and of course, we are all nervous and frazzled, find a pulse together and for little morning show. Here he is at "60 Minutes," he was never flustered about anything. It was like it was no big deal. Like how does this guy do it? Of course, he was so incredibly ingenious. Everything he did was so interesting and so fun and how did he ever figure that out? It was so low-tech. Bob was his producer. He had this old typewriter, just kind of typed it had all up, took a camera, just no big deal. I was in awe of the guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Andy Rooney dead at the age of 92. I want to bring in Morley Safer now, who is on the line with me, long-time "60 Minutes" correspondent. So we appreciate your time this morning. Let me get your reaction. Bob Arnot told me a little earlier that he wasn't surprised that if Rooney retired, that he must have known something about his health. Do you believe that?

VOICE OF MORLEY SAFER, CBS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I wouldn't say that. We -- we expected this because he -- he declined rather badly over the last couple of weeks. But you never fully are prepared for this had kind of thing. You know, he was so much a part of the broadcast and our professional lives that it's hard to believe he's gone.

HOLMES: You said still, you felt as if he was declining and not really surprised by this. But still what is your reaction to actually hearing the news this morning, that at 92, he's gone?

SAFER: Well, as much as you are prepared for something like this, you are never truly prepared. I mean, he was so much, as I said, so much a part of what we've all been doing around here for the last 30 years or more, really more than 30 years. It still comes as shock.

HOLMES: What do you want people today, and there will be a lot of remembrances today, what do you want folks to talk about today? We talked to Bob Arnot, like I mentioned a second ago and he was talking about -- people consider him this curmudgeon of some kind, but he was the sweetest guy in a lot of ways. What do you want people to talk about today?

SAFER: Well, quite simply this, the person you saw in television was the real person. Nothing that Andy ever did was an act. He absolutely he -- as you know, never -- never tempered his thoughts. He said what he believed. And the other thing I think that people should remember is that he was really a great writer and he was extremely proud of that talent, never boastful, never boastful for a minute about anything, but very proud of his talent. And I think that pride really came through as well as I said, never self-aggrandizing but confident, certainly.

HOLMES: Do you think he never could have retired and sat on a beach somewhere, that just wasn't him?

SAFER: Forget about it, ha ha ha. I think that may apply to all of us, quite honestly. No. I mean, retirement was never, never even -- never did he give a passing second of the thought. He loved what he did and he loved what he did because he did it well. And he -- I don't know whether he really was aware of it, but in a way, he really spoke for every man. He spoke for -- I think the reaction to Andy Rooney, for the most part that I've got from people over the last 30-odd years, has been, you know, he is speaking for me. Why didn't I -- why didn't I say that? He he had the common touch, if that phrase still means anything to people.

HOLMES: And one last thing here. It's always sad to see someone go, but in a lot of the ways, do you think this was the way for him to go and glad that it happened in this way, that he literally worked almost up to the last moment of his life? He signed of on the show and now here he is, signing off again?

SAFER: Yeah. What is it three weeks? That's the way to go. The only thing better than three weeks have been three minutes.

HOLMES: Wow. All right.

SAFER: No he -- absolutely worked to the very end. And this last -- his last piece was, I thought, brilliant, his farewell. Whatever it was, three or four weeks ago.

HOLMES: All right. Well, Morley Safer, again, long-time "60 Minutes" correspondent as well, we thank you so much for taking time with us on this morning and talking us to about your friend and long-time colleague, Andy Rooney. Sir, thank you so much.

SAFER: Thank you.

HOLMES: All right 11 minutes past the hour here. Again, the news is Andy Rooney, just weeks after signing off from "60 Minutes" with another one of his classic essays, he has now died at the age of 92.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Thirteen minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. More now on the occupy movement, taking root in cities across the nation. Going to focus on one city right now, Atlanta, right here, where we are. Fifty protesters arrested in Atlanta during demonstrations last month and those protesters are getting some advice now and some support from civil rights pioneers, like Reverend Joseph Lowery, the co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference says the occupy protests are just the beginning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH LOWERY, CO-FOUNDER, SCLC: The people who hold the apparatus of power, the people who control the commerce and finance, they need to listen, because it's -- it's a forewarning of much more serious things to come.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now the significance here of having men like Reverend Joseph Lowery, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Ambassador Andrew Young, you can't overlook the significance of these men and also the city, Atlanta all a major part of the civil rights movement. The protesters aren't just getting a history lesson here. They're also getting practical lessons in nonviolent demonstrations. Our George Howell with that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We have seen police clash with protesters in cities across the country, but in the cradle of the civil rights movement, it is a different story.

TIM FRANZEN, OCCUPY ATLANTA PROTESTER: Everywhere we walk in this neighborhood is in the steps of Dr. King. It's big shadows.

HOWELL: in the heart of the south where images like these from the civil rights era are still fresh in the minds of some, occupy protester Tim Franzen says the stakes to keep the peace are higher, for both sides.

FRANKEN: It would be a lot painful to see, you know, acts of civil disobedience met with you know, physical brutality. So I do think that the mayor is in -- you know, is in a precarious situation.

MAYOR KASIM REED, ATLANTA: I think that we have handled them consistent with our values. I mean, we had -- we didn't use any tear gas. We didn't use overwhelming force.

HOWELL: Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed initially gave an executive order permitting protesters to occupy Woodruff Park through November 7th, but he says after seeing a man legally carry an AK-47 and after growing safety concerns, he rescinded that order and police arrested 52 people for staying in the park too long.

REED: They will have to respect our ordinances, because I felt that the environment was getting dangerous. HOWELL (on-camera): Even with the city and protesters at odds, both sides are turning to civil rights icons who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King for guidance. Protesters are even taking nonviolence training here at the King center.

REV. JESSE JACKSON, FOUNDER, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION: Renew your faith, keep your hope alive.

HOWELL (voice-over): The Atlanta movement is getting encouragement from Reverend Jesse Jackson, who says he is hoping for a creative solution.

JACKSON: Man is in a bind, protesters are in a bind. So all of us, the mayor's department Atlanta is the 99. Atlanta is a part of the 99.

HOWELL: Atlanta's mayor tells us he turned to mentor and former mayor, Ambassador Andrew Young, for guidance.

ANDREW YOUNG, GOOD WORKS INTERNATIONAL: I didn't want police getting out of hand and getting blamed for something that is not their fault. And I think that you have to err on the side of patience and I think he did.

HOWELL: Even Joe Beasley, a civil rights activist and one of the 52 people arrest ready, agrees --

JOE BEASLEY, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: We are trying to work it out in the tradition of Atlanta.

HOWELL: Turning to the playbook of the past to find solutions for the present. George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: You heard from Reverend Jesse Jackson in that piece. You will hear from him a little more this morning. He will be in-studio with me live just about 30 minutes from now. We will sit down and talk about the occupy movement, also try and get in a little presidential politics, of course. He has some experience in that arena, again a special conversation about 30 minutes from now, Reverend Jackson here in studio with us.

We are 17 minutes past the hour. Tell you about an earthquake -- how do I classify this one, a minor earthquake?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Very much so

HOLMES: Very minor earthquake in Oklahoma, 4.7 magnitude. Do they get this shaking in this area every now and again?

WOLF: They do, indeed, but when you're talking about a 4.7, you have about 13,000 each year, earthquakes, that range between say 4.0 and 4.9. Oklahoma, no stranger to earthquakes. In fact in 1952 on April 9th, to be exact, there was an earthquake that was actually 5.5. It caused a crack in the state capitol building about 45 feet in length. So it does happen in Oklahoma. HOLMES: OK. I asked Reynolds right before we came on air, do you know anything about this earthquake in Oklahoma?

WOLF: More information. More information than you ever wanted in your whole life.

HOLMES: This is why we love you, because you always got the info. But a minor quake, no reports of any injuries or damage there.

WOLF: They are OK. They are OK. It does happen, that quake that happened back in 1952 was actually felt as far north as Nebraska, as far south as the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. So --

HOLMES: Did they fix it or just left it there?

WOLF: That is something I can't help you with that. I can't help with you that one but I can tell you there will be some earthquakes in parts of Oklahoma in terms of a football game today, Texas A&M playing in Norman, Oklahoma. You go Alabama and LSU, all kinds of games.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: What would you do Reynolds, what would you do for tickets to the LSU/Alabama game tonight?

WOLF: oh, my gosh, if it was -- for me, I would spend some good money. I don't know how much money, maybe not as much money as other people.

HOLMES: Would you do this? Some fans had a dance-off to see who would get the tickets. I know Reynolds would do this for the tickets. We will explain when we come back. Stay with me, folks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Twenty two minutes past the hour, giving you a look at news across country. A Louisiana man is saying thank you to a local cashier for screwing up. She made a mistake on his lottery ticket. The guy won $200,000 with a power ball ticket, but the cashier, you see, accidentally put him in for the power play, which made this a million dollar prize instead of the $200,000 prize. Thank you very much.

Turn to Oklahoma now, where a man has taken his love of Route 66 to a new low, my goodness, to new levels. He has gotten some of the iconic signs from the road tattooed all over his body. Ron Jones is the name. He has got 103 tattoos so far, not sure if he has room left for 104, but he is looking for some skin.

WOLF: I don't want to help him look for it.

HOLMES: Let's go back to Louisiana, shall we? Fans - LSU fans this is what they are doing. They were dancing. Their team is number one in the country but they're dancing this time to win tickets to tonight's LSU/Alabama game. If you haven't heard by now, it's the biggest game in a century, apparently. Six costumed fans picked out of the crowd at a basketball game in Baton Rouge to dance for the tickets. The winner was Legoless, took three weeks to build the costume. Which one might that be?

WOLF: I think that is him on the right. I hope.

HOLMES: The lego? Celebrating, got tickets to the big game. Again, tickets to this game going for up to $6,000 online. I think they hold about 100,000 in the stadium.

WOLF: Yes. 103,000.

HOLMES: 103,000? Reynolds, as people know, when you're born in Alabama, as Reynolds was, immediately before anything else is done, you have to pick. Are you going to be an Auburn fan? Are you going to be an Alabama fan? He picked out Auburn, worked out well for you last year.

WOLF: Very well, good times.

HOLMES: But this time around, you will be back, but big game today. Weather going to be a problem?

WOLF: Weather's going to be OK for tonight. It's going to be clear skies, temperatures around 53 degrees or so but it's going to be tremendous and you know what is funny, the stories you have within this game itself. You have LSU's former coach and a great one, think about this Nick Saban (ph), won a national championship with LSU, now at the helm with Alabama, won a national championship with Alabama. No other coach in history has ever won two national championships --

HOLMES: He might be good.

WOLF: He might get a third this year. On the other hand, you've got Les Miles (ph), who's also won a national championship.

HOLMES: And eats grass.

WOLF: And eats grass and a lot of people love him -- two entirely different approaches in terms of coaching and they're going head to head tonight, should be very interesting to say the very least.

HOLMES: No doubt, but again, it has been hyped all week. I'm just ready for this thing to go and you know, it will deliver, all right? Sometimes the big hype doesn't deliver. This one will.

WOLF: What would you do for tickets to that game? If Arkansas was playing in the game of that magnitude, what would you do?

HOLMES: My goodness there's no -- money is -- I would get loans if I had to get tickets to that game.

WOLF: If Auburn was in that game, I would rip off all my clothes, set my hair on fire and do back flips on the I-20.

HOLMES: That would be just another Saturday night with you, Reynolds.

WOLF: Why make it different? HOLMES: We'll see Reynolds again here shortly. We're getting close to the bottom of the hour. Halloween just wrapped up, Thanksgiving not quite here but we're already talking about holiday gifts? Got some high-tech gift ideas for you that will actually save you some money. You need to hear this before you go out and just spend some cash on your tech gifts. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Getting close to the bottom of the hour now, also getting close to the holiday, so it's time to come one that gift-buying strategy, especially if the gift you are considering involves anything high-tech. Well, I have at my disposal Mario Armstrong, our lifestyle expert who can help navigate me. I've got your number locked in. I put you in my favorite spot (ph).

MARIO ARMSTRONG, DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT: Speed dial.

HOLMES: Around the holidays. But still, this can be tricky, especially when it comes to high tech stuff. Stuff always gets updated, am I getting the right thing?

ARMSTRONG: That's right.

HOLMES: So is the trick usually just to find out whatever is cool, whatever is hot, buy it and the person better like it. Is that a good strategy?

ARMSTRONG: No that's not a good strategy, no because you will end up spending a lot of money and you won't be happy about. And B, the person receiving the gift may not end up really getting something that they really want. So TJ, I think the first thing people need do is actually take a step away from the technology. What does -- what really moves someone in their life? What are their hobbies? What are their interests? What do they like to do? Are they big into golf and sports? Are they big into music? What do they love to do and then find technology that compliments that or, even better, what problems are they having in their lives right now? What frustrations are they going through and what technology can help solve that problem?

HOLMES: That is a better strategy, actually. Now, a lot of this high- tech stuff can be expensive, all right?

ARMSTRONG: Yes.

HOLMES: So I do jump on the deal when I see it or I do need to try to wait this thing out and wait for the deal to get better around the holiday.

ARMSTRONG: I think if you see a deal now, because people are going to start seeing some deals happening. We are a little under 50 days or so away from the big day. I think you're going to start seeing deals absolutely now. If you see good deal that's in your price range and you can afford it, go for it now. You bring up a good point. I'm holding a couple of different cameras right here and it's like which one I do buy? They change in price. They change in size and you really don't know which is the maybe the smart move for you and that's you why got to really comparison shop online as much as possible. We got a couple of sites to help people out with that.

HOLMES: OK. All those sites, we can get those up and get those out, you have been passing those on to me. I will pass them along to the viewers here. With the hot items, do you run the risk of actually running out of supplies, you know? Maybe it's not the best deal but you know, they always scare to you think, while supplies last. Do we have to worry about that?

ARMSTRONG: Well, this is where -- the sites like you are seeing right now, Digital Folio, Retrivo, these sites are great for that, that same question, because what they do T.J., is they -- they use algorithms to kind of monitor everything about what's going on with not only inventory but also reviews and what's being said about products.

In other words, if you are getting ready to buy a product, but a new model is getting ready to come out, wouldn't you want to be aware of that wouldn't you want to have some predictive analysis to say hey, hold on, you might want to wait, a new model is coming in a couple of weeks, you might want to buy that one instead.

And that's what these sites help you deal with and help make that decision making process a lot better and help you save money along the way.

HOLMES: Ok you -- I was with you up until algorithms and predictive analysis, when it comes to buying a Christmas gift.

ARMTRONG: It's computer software that is running in the background that helps you make a smart decision.

HOLMES: All right. You know what; just stand by the phone, ok? You are my algorithm.

ARMSTRONG: I'll stand by. And people can hit me online if you ever need any help or questions, you know. But I want to make sure that people aren't wasting their money and they are using these sites smartly and also go into the store and test drive this stuff, feel it in your hands and make it's going to be right --

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: You know one other important thing here, you said they can hit you online, tell them where? Where they can find you --

(CROSSTALK)

ARMSTRONG: MarioArmstrong.com, give me about a day and I'll get right back to you or on Twitter, @marioarmstrong.

HOLMES: There it is, Mario always good to talk to you. And folks you know, you can always find him, right here every Saturday, our digital lifestyle expert, Mario Armstrong, with the very latest.

(CROSSTALK) ARMSTRONG: Thank you T.J.

HOLMES: -- on all things related to technology.

And we just passed the bottom of the hour here now.

And coming up, Johnny Dupree, he could become Mississippi's first African-American governor in modern times and he is telling CNN why he has refused to listen to those naysayers out there, to the polls and also listen to the pundits.

Also ahead the economy is making it harder for recent graduates from finding work, that's preventing a lot of young adults from moving out of the house in particular, young men. So what percentage of American males aged 25 to 34 are still at home with their parents? What would you guess? I'll tell you in a moment. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: And we asked you just a moment ago, what percentage of men in the U.S., ages 25 to 54 still live at home with their parents? 11 percent, 16 percent or 19 percent; the answer is, yes, the highest of the three options, 19 percent of all 25 to 35-year-old males have not been able to move out of the house?

Well, it's 33 minutes past the hour now.

Coming up on Tuesday, voters in Mississippi will go to the polls to elect a new governor, and for the first time since reconstruction, an African-American is on the ballot. Johnny Dupree is the name, he is the first African-American to win a major party nomination in modern times. But can he win in a southern state that still bears the confederate emblem in its flag?

Here now, CNN's Don Lemon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you thought that "Johnny Dupree for Governor" campaign would be celebrating, except for Johnny Dupree --

JOHNNY DUPREE (D), MISSISSIPPI GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE: I got all the naysayers you can't do it because --

LEMON: Couldn't win the Mississippi primary because he's a black man in a state stigmatized by racism, because he didn't have nearly as much money to spend as his white Republican opponent, Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant.

DUPREE: And you can fill in the blanks.

LEMON: But primary voters made history by making Johnny Dupree the first African-American ever to have a real chance of becoming the Governor of Mississippi. DUPREE: That's awesome, isn't it? Isn't it awesome? That we live in a place called America that allows things like that to happen that have never happened before. Isn't it awesome?

LEMON: But is it realistic in a race where not much distinguishes one candidate from the other? They disagree mostly over how to pay for universal health care and whether voters should show ID at the polls. And those two ideas aren't enough to motivate voters, according to retired political professor, Joseph Parker.

JOSEPH PARKER, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI: Most white voters in Mississippi vote for the white candidate and most black voters vote for the black candidate.

LEMON: Parker says to win as Governor Johnny Dupree would have to get all of the black votes and at least a third of the white. He did it in 2001 when he became the first black mayor of Hattiesburg but can he do it statewide?

PARKER: If he does, it will be like Moses rolling back the Red Sea.

DUPREE: I'm here to talk to you about color, green.

LEMON: The only color Dupree wants to address is money, something his state, the nation's poorest, desperately needs. Something his opponent has a lot of, outspending Dupree 7-1, but Dupree is confident.

DUPREE: I have 100 percent chance of not winning if I wasn't in the race. But I got a 50 percent chance of winning because I'm in the race.

LEMON: Dupree has proven the polls, the pundits and the naysayers wrong before, but with this much at stake, can he do it again?

Don Lemon, CNN, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Well, coming your way on Sunday November 13th, our Soledad O'Brien explores how some black entrepreneurs are risking everything to become the next big thing. It's "THE NEW PROMISED LAND, SILICON VALLEY", it's a "Black in America" special, Sunday night 13th, 8:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, we are 40 minutes past the hour on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Welcome back, to you all, thank you for spending part of your weekend here with us. I'm T.J. Holmes, I'll give you a look at some of the stories that are making headlines.

It looks like we're going to have to wait until at least Monday for a verdict in the manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. The judge gave orders and that the jury was going to have the weekend off. They resume deliberations on Monday. Prosecutors say Murray is responsible in the fatal drug overdose of pop star Michael Jackson two years ago.

Also, the sad news we're getting this morning and just barely a month after his last broadcast on CBS "60 Minutes", the network announced the death of long-time commentator Andy Rooney. Word came down just about an hour ago; 92-year-old Rooney had been suffering complications from a surgical procedure a few weeks ago.

Also this morning, a moderate earthquake rattled central Oklahoma; that was this morning, centered about 45 miles east of Oklahoma City and Lincoln County. People as far as Missouri reportedly felt this thing though. No reports of any injuries or damage.

Well, the Occupy Movement is getting a helping hand, from the Reverend Jesse Jackson. He is offering them some advice and he is in Atlanta, has been joined -- has been joining the Occupy Atlanta folks. He is in studio with me; our conversation in just a moment.

Stay here with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Now 42 past the hour, I'm joined this morning by Reverend Jesse Jackson who is along with some others including Ambassador Young and Reverend Lowery joining this Occupy Movement now.

REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE: May I just take the liberty to say that we are --

HOLMES: Yes.

JACKSON: -- we offer real condolences to Andy Rooney's family.

LEMON: Ok.

JACKSON: I mean he's so smart, with such integrity and remained progressive to the very end. He was enlightened guy, who was a very smart guy and so we -- and he was able to do it -- kind of leave on his own terms.

HOLMES: Everyone has said that this morning, that you know what; this is the way to go. He's never going to retire, he signed off just four weeks ago.

JACKSON: Signed off, then he signed off.

HOLMES: Then he signed off. I'm sure they appreciate those words this morning.

JACKSON: Yes.

HOLMES: But back to you here in Atlanta. And you've been supporting the Occupy Atlanta Movement and now some big civil rights era names, icons joining this movement. Why are we seeing that now?

JACKSON: In many ways this is a newer version of -- Dr. King's last effort was the poor people's campaign -- his mission was to occupy the Mall in Washington, D.C., we called it Resurrection City. Dr. Abernathy appointed me to be mayor of that city. We sat there for more than a month, challenging America to choose the war on poverty at home, to revive that war or the war in Vietnam. He felt the bombs dropped in Vietnam was affecting our cities.

Further, we argue that if we kept giving more and more privileges to the wealthy and more and more war and no money left for social uplift, Dr. King called that moral and spiritual bankruptcy. Today, we fight those same challenges, T.J. more and more, few and few have more and more, very expensive wars and poverty is on the expansion.

HOLMES: Are they getting results yet, the Occupy Movement?

JACKSON: The first -- first is they have got the attention.

HOLMES: Yes.

JACKSON: We're discussing poverty for a change.

HOLMES: Ok.

JACKSON: Secondly, last week, we saw banks back down off of a fee, because banks have been making money off of originating -- origination of loans. They make money off of private mortgage insurance. They make money off the excessive fees, off of foreclosures, they got bailed out about linked (ph) to the lending, and not the reinvestment. They have just made money over money over money and so because it has become so oppressive. I might add, student loan debt has gotten greater than credit card debt because of depressive schemes of, in fact, obstructing education.

HOLMES: But to talk about it and get the attention, at some point, is the occupy movement going to have to get more organized to get results? Because you have them popping up in so many cities, and frankly, we're seeing ugly scenes, including in Oakland that is getting a lot of attention and taking away from the message?

JACKSON: Well, the common theme is economic disparity, the wealth gap, the health access gap, the education gap, the income gap, that is the thing. Now, that incident in Oakland did not really describe the movement in Oakland for economic justice. And when it did happen, those who were the occupiers stood between them and that activity.

Now, unlike Memphis, Dr. King leading a march for a collective bargaining for sanitation workers, the back of the line was some provocateurs who threw some bricks in some windows. You see, the media would rather cover the bricks than the banks. This issue is about bank behavior, it's about removing the Glass-Steagall where they have the option to lend and invest and choosing investment over lending.

It's obvious we have huge (INAUDIBLE) of foreclosed homes, churches and some communities.

HOLMES: We're about to take a break here. But last thing on the Occupy Movement, what do you advise them to do next? Ok, we are talking about it; you have got the attention, but now what?

JACKSON: Remain disciplined, nonviolent and focused on issues of economic justice. And rather than the focus on mayors for themselves and the 99, focus on banks and bank policy and as well as the impact of these expensive and unnecessary wars.

HOLMES: All right

We are 46 past the hour now. We're going to take a quick break, come back with Reverend Jackson. I'm not going to have him here and not take advantage of him to talk a little presidential politics which we, of course, know he is keeping up with, a former candidate himself of the highest office in the land.

Quick break and I'm back with Reverend Jackson.

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HOLMES: All right. About 12 minutes of the top of the hour, continue my conversation with Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Of course, I have to talk to you about presidential politics which I know you are watching closely. You have been, at times, critical of the President, saying you wish he would do more. He is the President of the United States, he has power. I know you have been happy with some of the executive orders he put in place over the last few weeks here.

So in your opinion right now, has President Obama earned a second term?

JACKSON: Yes. You know, he has faced unusual odds. You have a Congress in rebellion, with record levels of unemployment. He puts forth a jobs bill which perhaps could even be bigger, they say no. He puts forth a bill for infrastructure, they say no. And they say our mission is not jobs, it's not health care, it's not education; our mission is to destroy you.

So if the obsession is to -- willing to sink the ship just to destroy the captain, it forces him to, in fact, give executive orders and all, invoke the fourth and tenth amendment to stop Congressional rebellion.

HOLMES: You said Congress initially but you're talking about the side that wants to defeat him, do you blame both sides in Congress?

JACKSON: Not really. I think that when one side says our mission, frankly it is not jobs. It is not health care. We know we need jobs but we will kill a jobs bill. It may make you look well. It may make you look good. We know we need more health care.

Can you imagine people in Kentucky, eastern Kentucky and Virginia and in Ohio, in Appalachia, who are facing dire poverty, seeing their leaders vote against a jobs bill, against a health care bill, an infrastructure bill? What pains me about the kind of miniature version about the campaign is that 48 million Americans are in poverty. 44 million are on food stamps. 52 million are food insecure. Children going to school would need reading glasses, hearing assistance, dental care and food, yet we are sidetracked away from these issues of great substance on, I think, entertainment.

HOLMES: Speaking of entertainment, let's go to the Republican side. A lot of people will tell you there has been a lot of entertainment on that side and some of these debates have been, quite frankly, a little goofy at times.

So, on this side, one man has been getting a lot of attention, as we know, Herman Cain, lately. But still, he's getting a lot of attention because he is at the top of the polls.

What is your opinion? Is there a source of pride or feeling we are moving a certain direction to see a black man, a black conservative, do so well on the Republican side for the nomination?

JACKSON: He represents a point of view. His views on foreign policy, his views on health care, his views on working wages, he represents his party. And so hats off to him.

HOLMES: Do you think this is a serious individual who is ready for the highest office in the land? Some say -- I had Reverend Lowery sit around that place you are sitting and said this guy is having a good time. He's having the time of his life.

JACKSON: He is and he may very well have Romney, Bachmann or Perry as his running mate. Right now, he is in the lead.

HOLMES: Do you think he can pull this off?

JACKSON: I don't know. I don't know. I must tell you I have not been as focused on that entertainment as I have the impact of people losing their homes, driven into poverty. And now with the impact of student -- I have seen many of you who wouldn't apply to college, they can't afford to get in. They get in they can't stay. They graduate, they don't have a guaranteed job. That is real stuff.

There in Ohio, the governor -- the legislature cut off, you can't vote today, tomorrow and Monday on the Tuesday as a form of voter suppression. So voter suppression is too real and now collective bargaining and poverty is too real for me to get sidetracked frankly by the entertainment.

HOLMES: We're going to be talking about those voter ID laws here in just a bit. The entertainment on the Republican side, as you call it -- and I think a lot of people would agree with you there. It is politics, as you know all too well, right?

JACKSON: Tonight, Alabama/LSU.

HOLMES: Who you got.

JACKSON: Tell me first.

HOLMES: Alabama. Who you got?

JACKSON: Alabama.

HOLMES: We get presidential politics. We get occupy. We get a little sports in; everything with Reverend Jackson. Good to see you this morning. Good to have you in Atlanta.

All right. We are 52 minutes past the hour. We're going to continue with a little sports here. Did you hear what Tiger Woods' ex-caddie had to say about him? Have you heard this yet, Reverend J? My goodness. It has a lot of people talking and a lot of people calling the caddie racist.

Now, we will tell you what he said and also what's his response? That is in a moment.

But first, you don't have to be Thomas Edison to have a great idea, do you, for a new product. What did you do? Did you need some money? You need some support?

In today's "Start Small, Think Big", our Joe Carter shows us how a new company is looking to level the playing field for would-be inventors all over the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE CARTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ben Kaufman started his first company in high school. And now at the age of 25, he knows what it takes to get an idea off the ground.

BEN KAUFMAN: You need to have access to capital. You need to know the right people. You need to be multidisciplinary between design, engineering, manufacturing, and all these different things need to line up just to push one brand new product out in the real world.

CARTER: Ben is putting his experience to work with a new Web site called Quirky.

(on camera): If I'm a guy sitting in the Midwest and I have got a great idea --

KAUFMAN: Yes.

CARTER: -- but I don't know how to distribute a product that is where you guys come in. That's how you're going to fill the gaps?

KAUFMAN: Sure. We all have ideas, everyone in the world has ideas on how to make a new product or build a current product better than it is currently being built. That is where Quirky comes in. Doing things like the heavy lifting associated with manufacturing and distribution and retail and marketing and merchandising and all these different thing that it takes to make a product real.

CARTER (voice-over): Quirky's users submit their own ideas but also collaborate on others.

KAUFMAN: 100,000 plus people that are involved in Quirky. They're voting on names. They're helping me pick colors. CARTER: Quirky says it share 30 percent of the revenue generated by direct sales on the Web site. About a third of the money goes to the inventor.

KAUFMAN: The best ideas come out of problems, problems you're experiencing on a daily basis.

CARTER: Like a flexible power strip, a 3 in 1 barbecue tool and collapsible hangers.

KAUFMAN: Brilliant solutions invented together by people all around the world.

CARTER: Joe Carter, CNN.

KAUFMAN: Oh, congratulations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. We're getting close to the top of the hour.

Ray D'Alessio, our good friend from HLN Sports here with me now. Wow. Stevie Williams is not over this just yet.

RAY D'ALESSIO, HLN SPORTS: No. And I woke up this morning and read this story, TJ, I was shocked, how anybody could really say this. This happened at a caddie awards banquet.

HOLMES: Tiger Woods' ex-caddy.

D'ALESSIO: Yes. This is Steve Williams, Tiger Woods' ex-caddy. This happened at an awards banquet for caddies in Shanghai. It was supposed to be, you know, off-color event type of stuff. Williams gets up there to receive his award and he was referring to his victory back in August when he was caddying for Adam Scott. Big victory for him; it happened a month after he was fired by Tiger Woods.

Williams telling the crowd, and I quote, "It was my aim to shove it up that black (EXPLETIVE DELETED)." Lots of people in attendance, caddies from all over, golfers from all over, as you can imagine, their jaws dropped. Immediately, as they were leaving, picked up the phone, called Tiger Woods, called his agent to tell him what had happened. Williams, realizing the mistake that he made, he went and apologized on his Web site, saying the comments were made in jest, did not mean any disrespect toward Tiger Woods.

Adam Scott meantime standing by his caddie saying he did the right thing by apologizing and added that he doesn't view Williams as a racist. However, Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, also releasing a statement saying that if the reports are accurate, it is regrettable, and that they had no further comment.

HOLMES: This is horrible. The way this relationship has broken down after they did so much together. D'ALESSIO: You really don't know what to say in a situation like that other than, wow, why would you even, you know, say something like that?

HOLMES: All right. Ray D'Alessio, you're going to be back with us -- Sports?

D'ALESSIO: Yes. Later on.

HOLMES: Good to see you as always buddy.

D'ALESSIO: Good to see you.

HOLMES: Thanks so much.

We're getting close to the top of the hour here. An important story that you need to hear: voter ID laws around the country causing controversy because they are changing. Strict new photo ID requirements; will they keep some people from voting? We have a "for" and "against" argument in just a few moments. Stay with us.

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