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CNN Saturday Morning News

Call for Rice to Resign; Romney: We Can Win Pennsylvania; Battle Over ID Laws; Ahmadinejad's Farewell to the U.N.; School Bullying Backfires

Aired September 29, 2012 - 07:00   ET

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

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick in for Randi Kaye.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thanks for starting your day right here with us.

We start with a surprising admission from the intelligence community. They are now saying the deadly attack on the consulate in Benghazi was a deliberate and organized assault. Four Americans were killed, including ambassador Chris Stevens.

The original statement after the September 11th attack was that it was a violent end to a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim film. But an investigation found evidence to the contrary. That investigation is still going on.

FEYERICK: And the Obama administration faced criticism from Republicans over the initial response. Now, one high-ranking Republican wants U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice to step down. New York Congressman Peter King says Rice is to be held accountable for her statements on the attack.

Here's what he told our Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: I believe this was such a failure of foreign policy message and leadership. Such a misstatement of the facts as known at the time and for her to go on all those shows and to, in effect, be our spokesman for the world and be misinforming the American people and our allies and countries around the world, to me, somebody has to pay the price first. We have so much things to go wrong and everyone forgets about it the next day.

I think we have to send a clear message and on such a vital as this, where an American ambassador was killed, whereby all the accumulation of evidence at the time the presumption had to be it was terrorism. I can say if they wanted to say it's too early to say it's definitively terrorism, but to rule out terrorism, to say it was not terrorism at that time was a -- to me, terrible mistake to make, whether it was intentionally or unintentionally and show the significance of that, I believe she should resign, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP) FEYERICK: Well, the White House is standing by Ambassador Rice. It says that everything she said in that interview was cleared by interagency groups based on the latest information that the U.S. had and certainly nothing was designed to mislead the American people.

BLACKWELL: And to the 2012 election now and there are only 38 days left until election day. Early voting has already started in a few states and even more kicking up next week.

Also next week, the first presidential debate. That's on Wednesday. But the candidates are already warming up for that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We certainly can't go very far with the leader who writes off the nation as a bunch of victims. You know, when I -- when I travel this country, I don't need victims. I meet -- I meet students who are trying to work their way through college.

Case in point: I meet single moms like my mom who were putting in overtime to raise their kids right. I meet senior citizens who worked all their lives and have been saving for retirement. I meet veterans who serve this country bravely. I meet soldiers who are defending our freedom every single day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And Mitt Romney has his own message. His message, we can win. He's delivering it at a state that could be the keystone to either side's victory.

And CNN national political correspondent Jim Acosta is on the campaign trail with the Romney team.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Deb and Victor, even though Mitt Romney has made much of his campaign about fixing the economy, he has been stepping up his attacks on the president on the issue of national security, and specifically who is a better friend of Israel. And there are signs the Obama campaign is paying attention.

(voice-over): At a military academy in Pennsylvania, Mitt Romney tried to make the case for a new commander-in-chief. Romney once again questioned the president's recent description of events in the Middle East as bumps in the road.

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I sure as heck don't consider Iran becoming nuclear a bump in the road. We need someone who recognizes the seriousness of what's ahead and is willing to lead.

ACOSTA: Romney's tough talk on Iran follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's dramatic performance at the United Nations, aimed at drawing the world's attention to his nation's nuclear worries.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: A red line should be drawn right here.

ACOSTA: Just days after the president declined to meet with Netanyahu in New York, the two leaders spoke over the phone. But then, hours later, Romney, who enjoys a much friendlier relationship with Netanyahu, got his own call, chatting with the Israeli leader while sitting on a tarmac in Philadelphia.

It was a reminder of the power of the Jewish-American vote in places like Florida, where Vice President Joe Biden defended Mr. Obama's relationship with Israel.

JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not going to talk about Israel today. But I just want to say one thing -- I just want to tell you how proud I am, how proud I am to stand shoulder-to- shoulder with a guy who has done more for Israel's physical security than any president of the eight I have served with.

ACOSTA: Switching gears to court the state's senior citizens, Biden said Romney's plan to lower taxes would force the nation's elderly to pick up the tab.

BIDEN: Their plan on Social Security, the one they have now, would raise taxes on your Social Security.

ACOSTA: Romney, who has accused the president of misleading the public on the subject of taxes, repeated his pledge on the issue.

ROMNEY: I will not raise taxes on middle-income Americans.

ACOSTA: Less than one week from his debate with the president, Romney is trying to expand the election map, boldly predicting twice during his visit to Pennsylvania that he can win here.

ROMNEY: You know, I've got a little secret here, and that is that the Obama campaign thinks that Pennsylvania is in their pocket. They don't need to worry about it.

And you're right and they're wrong. We're going to win Pennsylvania. We're going to take the White House.

ACOSTA: It could be a questionable move. Not only does Romney have ground to make up in swing states like Ohio and Florida. The latest CNN poll of polls in Pennsylvania shows Romney trailing the president by 10 points.

Republicans have tried, but failed to win Pennsylvania in recent presidential elections. Just ask John McCain, who made his own last- ditch effort.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: There's just one day left until we take America in a new direction. We need to win in Pennsylvania tomorrow. With your help, we will win.

ACOSTA (on camera): It's unclear what kind of resources Romney would put into Pennsylvania when asked whether the campaign would buy any add ads here, that's for the Obama campaign to know and the Romney campaign to worry about -- Deb and Victor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Jim, thanks.

Now to Ann Romney. She has been a pretty constant presence on the campaign trail and now opening up about a big concern. While campaigning in Nevada she sat down to talk about the campaign and her concerns if her husband should win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANN ROMNEY, MITT ROMNEY'S WIFE: I think my biggest concern, obviously, would be just for his mental wellbeing. I have all the confidence in the world in his ability, in his decisiveness and his leadership skills, in his understanding of the economy, and in his understanding of what's missing right now in the economy -- you know, the pieces that are missing to get this jump started. So, for me, I think it would just be the emotional part of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: We'll have much more on the presidential race later in the show, including a look ahead at the upcoming presidential debate.

FEYERICK: And a consultant for Congressman Todd Akin is comparing him to cult leader David Koresh from the 1993 Waco, Texas, incident. This week, Akin refused to drop out of the Missouri Senate race despite calls from top Republicans to do so. He came under fire for comments he made, saying that women can biologically prevent pregnancy after a rape.

Consultants Kellyanne Conway told "The Washington Watch Weekly" that Akin was successful in his holdout.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, CONSULTANT FOR REP. TODD AKIN: The first day or two were, it was like the Waco with David Koresh situation where they're trying to smoke him out with the SWAT teams and the helicopters and the bad Nancy Sinatra records. And then, you know, here comes day two and you realize the guy's not coming out of the bunker.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CONWAY: Well, and this -- but, listen, Todd has shown he's principled to the voters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Akin is facing incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill in the Missouri Senate race.

And we've got much more ahead this hour.

BLACKWELL: Here's what's coming up. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK (voice-over): The battle over voter ID is heating up across the nation. Tens of thousands of votes at stake. I'll break down the numbers.

Abortion, gun policy, the war on drugs. They're just some of the social issues shaping the presidential race. All morning, we're putting them in focus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can see in his face that there was a lot more to her story than even what she was willing to let on.

FEYERICK: Women hold up half the sky. That's the message of a new documentary from "New York Times" columnist Nick Kristof. In an interview exclusive to CNN, he sits down with the celebrities from the film.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: This morning, we're focusing on the important social issues facing the country ahead of the election. And candidates' competing plans to do something about them.

This hour, our Casey Wian looks at illegal immigration through the eyes of the sheriff on one side and a student on the other.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Angelica Hernandez was 9 when she first crossed the border with her mother and sister.

ANGELICA HERNANDEZ, UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT: I still remember the crossing at the desert, having to sleep in the desert because it was -- it was getting too late and we had been walking for hours, and my mom would hold, you know, my sister in one arm and me on the other arm, and, you know, just pray that nothing would happen.

WIAN: But their human smuggler was pulled over for speeding and they were deported. Their second crossing succeeded.

Entering school as a fourth grader, Hernandez was teased because she spoke no English.

Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu has spent much of his military and law enforcement career battling human smugglers. Deputies in his county, seven miles north of the border last year engaged in 350 high speed pursuits involving drug and human smugglers.

PAUL BABEU, SHERIFF, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA: They look at these people, these humans, as product. They don't care about their safety. They'll leave them for dead. They get in a wreck and just walk away.

WIAN: Babeu strongly supports Arizona laws cracking down on illegal immigration.

BABEU: The impact has been so tremendous, not only billions of dollars in impact to our budget, but the crime's that are associated. Many crimes committed against the illegals themselves.

WIAN: The sheriff and the student, one trying to enforce the law, the other trying to stay a step ahead of it. Angelica Hernandez, the little girl who couldn't speak English this week begins work on her Master's degree at Stanford.

Hernandez graduated from Arizona State despite losing a scholarship twice because of Arizona laws restricting benefits for undocumented immigrants.

HERNANDEZ: Being undocumented, it's something that gives you so many different qualities and strengthens you because you learn to overcome so many things.

WIAN: Now she's filling out paperwork to apply for President Obama's deferred action program, giving temporary legal status to young illegal immigrants.

HERNANDEZ: It is an election year, so we don't know if he did it because of that or, you know, he's trying to get the Latino vote. But in the end, we knew it was a win for us.

WIAN: Not for Babeu who sees it as an unenforceable federal mandate and another lure bringing hundreds of thousands of people through his county illegally.

BABEU: President Obama wants to talk about, what do we do with these 10 million to 20 million people? Well, a lot -- a lot of Americans, including myself, say before we have that discussion, let's secure the border. We as a country have not enforced the law. And because of that, we're at the situation we're at today.

WIAN: Hernandez is ineligible for a driver's license in Arizona. On this day, she's going to have her photo taken for her deferred action application, essentially breaking the law to become legal.

She worries Mitt Romney would end the deferred action program, leaving her ineligible for the job she wants in alternative energy when she finishes grad school. Babeu worries President Obama will legalize more undocumented immigrants and keep his deputies busy chasing smugglers.

Casey Wian, CNN, Pinal County, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: So, just how different do you think the two candidates are when it comes to gun laws and gun control? Well, I'll tell you exactly where they stand, next.

Florida officials under fire after going back on a pledge to ease up on purging voter rolls.

This is new movie scene, a dramatic jewelry heist, right there, caught on tape.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Mortgage rates hit record lows again this week. Take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: I love that little music.

Today, 10 miles of one of the busiest freeways in America shut down. People in Los Angeles are calling it "Carmageddon 2." It's a sequel to a similar closure last year. But, so far, this one is failing to live up to its name.

The chunk of the 405 was closed last night as work crews prepared to demolish part of the Mulholland Drive Bridge. For weeks, the city warned of massive gridlocks and drivers listened and they stayed away. The highway is closed through Monday morning. It reopens before rush hour.

A Saks Fifth Avenue was the target of a smash in Boca Raton, Florida, last week. The FBI has released this video. The suspects run in an hour before closing time, you see they push over the case and smash it with a sledgehammer. They ran off with the jewelry they're picking out of its case. One customer somewhere in the store is hiding in a locked closet. They called 911.

There is now a $5,000 reward for information about the suspects.

Florida election officials are under fire. They are accused of protection groups of reneging on an agreement to ease up on the purge of noncitizens from state voter rolls. Just this week, Florida's Department of State released a list of 198 potentially ineligible voters.

Well, five protection groups are suing Florida's secretary of state seeking an injunction against the purge program.

For more than a year, CNN has been investigating the impact of tough new voter laws on the 2012 election and ask you can see Joe Johns documentary, "Voters in America: Who Counts," Sunday, October 14th at 8:00 p.m.

FEYERICK: And with just 38 days to election, battles over voter IDs are intensifying in many states. A battle that could mean tens of thousands of you may not have your votes counted in Pennsylvania. There, the state is trying to prove its new voter ID law will not disenfranchise voters and South Carolina is appealing a Justice department decision stricter voter ID requirements.

Here's what's at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEMONSTRATOR: The Supreme Court across the street can hear us! FEYERICK (voice-over): As the Pennsylvania Supreme Court prepared to hear arguments on the state's new voter ID recently, the NAACP protested what they call a thinly veiled attempt to suppress voters.

BENJAMIN TODD JEALOUS, PRESIDENT, NAACP: We have seen more states pushing more laws, pushing more voters out of the ballot box than we have seen in the past 100 years.

FEYERICK: It is a scene that's played out in states across the country. Civil rights groups pushing back against voter ID laws enacted by Republican-controlled legislature since 2010.

WENDY WEISER, BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE: The effort to actually change the rules of the game at the last minute is a really misguided effort.

FEYERICK: Wendy Weiser is with the Brennan Center for Justice and warns hundreds of thousands of voters may not have necessary ID. They include the elderly, college students, poor people, blacks and Latinos, groups that traditionally vote Democratic.

WEISER: We need to do everything we can to ensure that there is no fraud in our elections, but what we shouldn't be doing is passing unnecessary laws that needlessly exclude thousands or hundreds of thousands of eligible Americans from participating equally in our democracy.

FEYERICK: The new voter ID laws protect only against voter impersonation. In Pennsylvania, a traditional swing state, lawyers for both sides admit no known cases of in-person fraud.

Still, it's a problem, says conservative columnist John Fund, an expert on the subject.

JOHN FUND, COLUMNIST, NATIONAL REVIEW: If someone walks in and votes in the name of a dead person, and they don't have to show ID, how likely is that dead person going to complain? We'll never know. And unless they confess, the crime is perfect.

FEYERICK: Of the eight states to enact strict voter ID, either the Justice Department or state and federal courts have blocked in three states, Texas, Wisconsin, South Carolina, which is currently appealing. Pennsylvania is pending. Alabama and Mississippi need the green light from the Justice Department.

Of the eight, only Tennessee and Kansas voters will have to meet the strict new ID standards this November.

FUND: We want to make it easy to vote and we want to make it hard to cheat. We can do both.

FEYERICK: And with both sides fighting against any voter being disenfranchised in November, neither is willing to give up a single vote.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FEYERICK: And make sure to stay with CNN throughout the week for updates on this story. Pennsylvania is expected to announce its decision on voter ID laws by Tuesday.

BLACKWELL: "The Onions"/Gallup poll says white rural Americans prefer Iran's president over President Obama. We'll tell you who took credit for the phony story.

But, first, let's go to Chicago. A man came up with the idea to open up a gym after he lost his job. As you'll see, it has a lot more to offer than just dumbbells and treadmills.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Chicago yoga instructor Brent Holten had no idea to be a small business owner until he lost his job.

BRENT HOLTEN, I.D. GYM: This gym actually closed down and those of us that worked here pretty quickly got together and said, is there anything we can do to sort of keep going and do our own thing. We had sort of pieced together some equipment and some classes and were up and running within about two months.

BLACKWELL: They reopened as I.D. Gym and kept the previous staff.

HOLTEN: So, we started with zero member, which I would never do, again. We had to move really quickly. When the former space closed, there were about 600 members and before they went anywhere else, we grabbed like 80 or 100 people. I think if I had known up front how hard it was going to be, I'm not 100 percent sure I would have signed on.

Once we hit the one-year mark, everybody sort of looked around and said, I think this is going to work.

BLACKWELL: To make his gym stand out, Brent developed unique classes like doing yoga suspended in the air and working out like a cave man with sledgehammers and ropes.

Brett now has plans to open a second location and offer fly yoga classes across the country.

HOLTEN: I think our success from there has been that we're not afraid of trying something different.

When you look around the gym on a really crowded night, you just sort of step back and you think, you know, we did this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Good morning, Hotlanta. Beautiful sky. Lot going on in the city; 7:25 in Atlanta.

Thanks for starting your morning with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) FEYERICK: Bottom of the hour now -- welcome back, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick, in for Randi Kaye.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thanks for staying with us.

Here are five stories we're watching this morning.

Number one, the U.S. has warned Iran to stop providing arms to Syrian President Bashar al Assad. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also asked Syria's neighboring countries to prevent Iran from using their land and air space to transport those weapons. The warning comes as U.S. has announced a $15 million in lethal support for Syrian opposition forces.

Staying in Iran, the country's Fars News Agency was fooled by the folks at "The Onion". Fars had published and took credit for a satirical story that claims a Gallup poll found that rural white Americans prefers Iran's Ahmadinejad over President Obama. The Fars later removed the story once the agency realized "The Onion" was not a legitimate news organization.

And our third story, President Obama is now a net job creator. That's according to new data from the Labor Department. About 4.3 million jobs were lost in the president's first years, but revised figures show about 4.4 million jobs have been recovered since then, including 125,000 jobs since early 2010.

In money news, Bank of America will pay more than $2.4 billion to settle a class action lawsuit over its acquisition of Merrill Lynch. Investors sued in 2009, claiming the bank misled them over the financial health of both companies prior to the merger. The Bank of America has denied the allegation but it says it agreed to settle the dispute to avoid an expensive legal battle.

And just five days before his execution, a Pennsylvania man has been taken off death row, at least for now. A Philadelphia judge ruled on Friday that convicted killer Terrance Williams will get a new sentencing phase of his trial after it was revealed that authorities suppressed evidence of Williams' alleged abuse at the hands of his victim.

FEYERICK: Well, there were all sorts of expectations that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would go after the bang at the U.N. this week. After all, his final address as president of Iran, but he didn't, at least not at the U.N., saving most of his rhetoric for media interviews.

But Ahmadinejad was relatively tamed compared to earlier years. He was insistent that his nation was committed to peace and he says Iran was the victim of a double standard by, quote, "uncivilized Zionists."

Jim Walsh, an expert at international security at MIT joins me now.

And, Jim, what was your take on this speech?

JIM WALSH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT: Well, Deb, I think you're right. I expected, as happens every year, Ahmadinejad -- well, I expect many different Ahmadinejads. I expect the ones that has meetings like the two meetings I attended is kindler and gentler and the one that speaks in front of the general assembly is fiery to speak to that audience back home in Iran or to send the message to the world and didn't happen. He was pretty tame all throughout.

And so, I think what we were getting was a message of, we're reasonable and we're willing to talk and that sort of sets the stage for what will happen the U.S. election and early next year.

FEYERICK: You know, Jim, Ahmadinejad, really, he's on his way out. The Iranian economy is in crisis. There's high inflation. Money from crude has been choked off by sanctions. Many Iranians are embarrassed.

Is he becoming irrelevant now that he is really a in the last nine months of his presidency? His leadership there?

WALSH: You know, Deb, I think that's a good question. I think we as Americans, we think Iran and we think Ahmadinejad. You know, the devil that's caricatured.

Number one, it has always been the case that in the Iranian system, it's not the president, it's the supreme leader who calls the shots. Now, Ahmadinejad over eight years has come, you know, risen and gone down and risen and gone down in terms of his power.

But, you're right to say that he's a lame duck and they have a presidential election in June. So, he's down to his last, you know, little more than six months. And beyond that, beyond that, within the last two years, he and his inner circle have come under increased pressure and even rumors he might be arrested or those around him arrested.

So, his power has declined and it has always been about the supreme leader. I think he still has some residual influence because he's the president, but it's not nearly what most Americans think it is.

FEYERICK: Yes. And as a matter of fact, while he was at the U.N., he was told that one of his top aides was arrested for making a comment that, apparently, insulted the supreme leader.

Let's talk about Israel. Took the president to task for his nuclear enrichment program and called for a red line, saying that diplomacy hasn't done anything to stop it, sanctions not so much, even though they are proving effective. But at one point in the speech, Benjamin Netanyahu drew his own red line. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The facts, and they are, where should a red line be drawn? A red line should be drawn right here, before Iran completes the second stage of nuclear enrichment necessary to make a bomb.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: You know, what is really so fascinating about this is, you know, the Iran supreme leader has not yet made the decision whether or not to build any sort of an atomic weapon. But, clearly, that is what everybody in that region is worried about.

Are we looking at a targeted military strike, another war, if, in fact, Iran does go over that 90 percent mark that Netanyahu is talking about?

WALSH: Well, I think you're right to say, if they were suddenly to announce that they were pursuing a nuclear weapon or that they were going to kick out all the inspectors, the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, and go for 90 percent, I think that you could get a military strike.

I do not expect that to happen. I don't think other folks expect that to happen.

In the U.S., what are the consequences of a strike?

I was part of a group of 35 national security experts and retired generals and three former national security advisors to the president of the United States who all submitted -- signed to a report last week about what would the consequences be? I'm glad you said what you said because I think one of the consequences of striking now is that you would push Iran towards the bomb.

As you said, our national security establishment believes that Iran has not yet made that decision. They're still sort of weighing their options and one of my fears is a guy who focuses on nuclear is if you attack them, then you're going to produce the very thing you seek to avoid they'll say, oh, yes, we'll show you, because Iran is one of those sorts of countries, very prideful.

FEYERICK: Sure.

WALSH: You know, you attack us, fine, we'll show you, we're going to build a bomb. So I do worry about that. I don't think we're at that point right now.

FEYERICK: You know, what is also so interesting, the next leader who that face is of Iran and what changes they're going to make. Let me ask you about cyber attacks. Specifically, Senator Joe Lieberman told C-Span recently that he believes that Iran is behind the cyber attacks against Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and all that happening last week and he thinks it's in retaliation for the sanctions.

Do you believe that's the case? Does Iran have that capability?

WALSH: You know, I'm not a cyber guy. I would be sort of doubtful.

I think, number one, there are lots of folks who have that motivation to go after Citibank and others and every day in the United States, there are those who are sort of mounting cyber attacks against major U.S. companies. So, I have no particular knowledge of that.

But in some ways, I think the point here is a good one. I mean, it's worth asking the question, why? You know, we have a situation where we attacked their nuclear authorities --

FEYERICK: Stuxnet, yes.

WALSH: -- with Stuxnet and -- exactly. And in my own view, there are countries I don't believe the U.S. is one of these countries, but there are countries that are assassinating their scientists. You know, again, I'm against the nuclear program, I think it's a bad idea, it should stop.

But if you assassinate their scientists, and if you attack them with cyber attacks, you know, they're probably going to retaliate. And --

(CROSSTALK)

FEYERICK: Yes, it's like poking the hornets' nest. It's like poking the hornets' nest.

All right. Jim Walsh from MIT -- thank you so much. It's going to be fascinating to see who Iran puts forth in the next presidential election, based on who the supreme leader decides is going to be out front. Thanks.

WALSH: I agree, I agree. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: An emotional encounter you do not want to miss. Actress Gabrielle Union travels to Vietnam to meet with a young girl who instead of going to school has to sell lottery tickets for food for her family. Her story next in the CNN special report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Well, speaking of stars, Hollywood stars are coming face-to- face with women who are turning oppression to opportunity.

The acclaimed book "Half the Sky" by "New York Times" columnist Nicholas Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn has inspired a new documentary. It profiles Kristof and celebrity activists as they travel to different parts of the globe.

The special report for CNN, Kristof sat down with these actresses to learn what they learned about the women holding up half the sky. Gabrielle Union tells us how a 15-year-old girl in Vietnam inspired her.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GABRIELLE UNION, ACTRESS: Nhi is about 15, her mother had left her father because her father was abusive. His abuse was so epic he was famous in their community.

The father is a clock and a watch repairman and everything is digital, so the business is not brisk. Instead of changing occupations or picking up another job, he came up with the bright idea for her to sell lottery tickets.

And she figured out a way to squirrel away money to get tutoring and get food for her and her brother, to get uniforms, book supplies and some days when she just wasn't going to be able to sell all of her lottery tickets and she was going to go home and be beaten.

Sir, do you know why she's crying? Could you tell us why she's upset?

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to understand, she's too young to understand the situation. I don't want her growing too soft, too gentle.

UNION: I could see in her face that there was a lot more to her story than even what she was willing to let on and I became a little attached, too attached, some would say.

NICHOLAS KRISTOF, NEW YORK TIMES: It does seem to me that her story reflects a real argument on why we should care about somebody in Vietnam. A, tiny amounts of money. I mean, the amount we spent on coffee can be transformative in the life of somebody like Nhi and as well as the idea that our compassion shouldn't depend on the color of somebody's passport.

UNION: Exactly, exactly. I think that's the point we all try to make. And it's a little bit of humanity. You must be so proud of her because she's such a great student and such a good salesperson. A sense of pride.

She's the best, she's the best --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not yet, not yet.

UNION: So, what would she have to do --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She hasn't done enough.

UNION: When you absolutely refuse to see someone else's pain because you're OK, it does make you a jerk.

KRISTOF: You do work a lot with violence issues right here in the U.S. I'm curious, when you were working halfway around the world in Vietnam with these girls -- did it feel kind of the same?

UNION: If kids in America could see what Nhi went through and how she went through it, they could apply the same lessons to their own lives. Helping and giving a damn makes the world go round. We can all learn from each other.

You are so beautiful and so smart. I know you will be very successful.

We all have such hope for the world and, you know, I'm maybe a little selfish, I want to see that inspiration have an effect in my neighborhood and with my family. And I think what we created absolutely can have that effect if people give it a chance.

I'm very, very proud of you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Looking in her eyes.

Well, next hour, we will hear from actress and activist America Ferrera. She tells us how her trip to India was different from things she could have imagined. "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide." It airs on PBS Monday and Tuesday.

BLACKWELL: Getting red ay for the presidential debate. Obama and Romney are getting as far away from each other as they can as they prepare to meet face-to-face. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Whitney Kropp went from being a high school practical joke to her school's homecoming hero.

BLACKWELL: When her classmates nominated her for homecoming court, Kropp was thrilled. But she found out she was a joke she turned her disappointment into inspiration.

Here's Chris Welch with her story.

All right, we're having a tape issue. We'll have that a quick break.

KAYE: And you're going to want to watch it.

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BLACKWELL: We fix that video problem. It's a good thing because this is a really good story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WELCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A superstar practically overnight. Sixteen-year-old Whitney Kropp is a role model to anyone who's ever been bullied.

CROWD: We love you, Whitney!

WELCH: But this sophomore's journey to stardom was no fairy tale. When her peers picked her to the homecoming court as a joke, she had thoughts of suicide.

WHITNEY KROPP, ON HOMECOMING COURT: I feel like trash. I feel like I'm a little thing no one really cares about.

WELCH: At her sister's urging, she decided to keep her title on the court.

(on camera): If I were in your position, that would be really hard to do.

W. KROPP: It's really hard to do because I thought at first of dropping out of the homecoming court. I'm not this joke everyone thinks I am. I just prove all these kids wrong. WELCH (on camera): Well, that's exactly what she's done. And since then, she's been swamped with support from the local hair salon that gave her a new do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To find out it was a joke, it really touched me.

WELCH (voice-over): To Facebook with over 100,000 fans.

BERNICE KROPP, WHITNEY'S MOM: It's cool to se e-mails she's getting and parents from all over the place telling their stories how it helped them and touched them. My daughter is out there as an inspiration to a lot of people. That's a really cool thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See, you're like Cinderella. Mistreated, underappreciated, abused. After much support, you will have a great time at the ball.

W. KROPP: I thought no one cares about me. I thought, you know, not even my own brother and sister care. But they're proving they do care. The world is proving that they not really care about me but they care about the situation.

WELCH (on camera): Folks from all over the state are here tonight. In fact, this group of girls traveled more than an hour. You left her home football game to support Whitney. Why?

DONNA GEORGIEFF, SUPPORTS WHITNEY KROPP: We wanted to show Whitney our entire student body is completely 100 percent behind her.

WELCH: From being bullied to the bully pulpit. She's using her newfound to send a message.

W. KROFF: The kids are bullying --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: We told you it was a great story. How great is her sister.

FEYERICK: You know -- you know what? This is a life changing event for this girl. She will blossom. She will use her strength.

That's what children have to do. Sometimes when you're at your lowest, it is when you find the courage to become who you're meant to be. Those children who elected her they should feel shame and realize you can't keep a good person down.

BLACKWELL: Absolutely. Her sister says you own this, stand up in it, take the sash. She had a great night.

FEYERICK: Yes, absolutely. And she looked beautiful. Good for her and all those people who came out to support her and say, you know what, we're behind you.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

FEYERICK: Really meaningful. Yes. BLACKWELL: Yes, that made me feel good. Told you it was a good story.

All right. Back to the election and the presidential debate. The president and candidate are standing far apart, but they soon will be face to face. More coming up.

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BLACKWELL: Back to the 2012 race.

And the first Obama-Romney presidential debate is coming up on Wednesday. Both candidates are planning some prep time before, then -- and which will take them of the campaign trail. That does not mean the trail will be quiet.

Let's bring in CNN political editor, Paul Steinhauser, in Derry, New Hampshire. We'll get to why you're there, in a moment.

But, first, let's talk about the debates, why are the candidates taking the time right now, I guess they have a few days, that answers itself. What are they doing to get ready?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: They are getting ready because there is so much online on Wednesday when President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney face off for the first time.

The president back in Washington today and most likely getting ready for the debate, more prep time, more questions and answers -- same thing with Romney, he's back and hold back in Massachusetts not too far here.

STEINHAUSER: This is interesting. Take a look at this -- Senator Rob Portman of Ohio. He has done this before. He's playing the role of President Obama in these mock debates and done this for Republicans in the past cycles.

What about on the other side? Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, he's playing the role of fellow Massachusetts Mitt Romney. John Kerry knows a few things about debating as well. He was the Democrats' 2004 nominee.

Victor, tomorrow, the president heads out to Nevada. He's got a rally and probably hunkering there, getting ready for the debate. Mitt Romney goes to Colorado on Monday and, of courses, the debate is Wednesday.

But guess what? Besides the preparation, we're seeing both campaigns trying to lower expectations. And it's not just campaigns. Take a listen to Mitt Romney.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I mean, he's president of the United States. He's a very speaker.

Now, here's a very eloquent speaker and so, I', sure in his debate, as last time with senator McCain, he'll be very eloquent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: The whole idea here is to lower the bar, lower expectation.

So, you know, if you do well -- you're beating the expectations and maybe you win the debate. That's the spin of the campaigns are playing right now. Take a listen to Stephanie Cutter from the Obama campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE CUTTER, OBAMA CAMPAIGN DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIR.: What history tells us that challengers normally win the first debate just by the fact they're standing on the stage with the president. That elevates them and they normally come into this as underdogs. So, we're coming into this very realistic Mitt Romney is likely to win if he plays his cards right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Cutter last night on "PIERS MORGAN."

And while the candidates themselves are kind of laying low today, the running mates, Victor, that are going to be in the spotlight.

BLACKWELL: Yes, tell us about what Paul Ryan is doing this weekend while Mitt Romney is rehearsing and getting ready in Massachusetts.

STEINHAUSER: Well, about an hour from, he's going to be right behind me here. We are Deere, New Hampshire. And he's got a rally this morning -- Remember not far from Massachusetts. It is a battleground state with four electoral votes up for grabs and later he campaigns in another battleground state, Ohio and Vice President Biden is in another state that really matters as well, Florida -- Victor.

BLACKWELL: All right. Paul Steinhauser in Deere, New Hampshire. Thank you for that.

And remember, you can see the first presidential debate here on CNN Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Thank you for spending your morning with us.

FEYERICK: We've got much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. And it starts right now.