Iran Sending Ships Near U.S. Coast; Trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's Doctor
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iran with a real attention getter. I'm Carol Costello. The nation planning a threatening move, putting navy ships off the U.S. coast. What is Iran trying to prove? And who are they trying to test?</s>ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Ali Velshi. Republicans were hoping to hear a big announcement. Chris Christie delivering a foreign policy address at the Reagan Library last night. Could have been the perfect place to announce a bid for the White House but the New Jersey governor is still keeping us guessing on this</s>AMERICAN MORNING. COSTELLO: And good morning to you, it is Wednesday, September 28th. Christine has the day off.</s>VELSHI: We have a lot of news to follow. We'll tell you about Chris Christie in a minute. But up first, some tough talk from Iran. The country is threatening to move a powerful presence of navy ships very close to American waters, saying the U.S. does the same thing to them. Barbara Starr has more on this from the Pentagon. Barbara, what's going on?</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ali, I talked to some of my sources here at the Pentagon about what they thought about all of this, and I have to tell you, I got some rolling eyeballs when they were talking about this announcement by Iran. Look, international waters are open to everybody. The U.S. Navy is happy to let Iran sail into international waters, not into U.S. waters, though. But these kind of maritime operations, international naval operations that Iran is talking about is a lot harder and a lot more expensive than you might think at first blush. They're going to have to, if they want to do this, they're going to have to have a very highly trained force and they're going to have to have ships and airplanes. They're going to have to be able to refuel, resupply and stay at sea for months. That's something they haven't had a lot of practice with in Iran. Earlier this year, they sent some ships through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean. That's about the farthest they've ever gone. So, if they want to do this, the reaction there at the Pentagon is, have at it. But it's going to cost you money. It's going to cost you a lot. And is it what you really want to do? What message are you trying to send?</s>COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you that. What is Iran's real goal here?</s>STARR: Well, you know, a lot of the thinking is that Iran is very determined to be perceived as a power on the world stage -- their nuclear program, their political moves, their support for some bad actors in the region that they live in. But, you know, going all the way to the east coast of the United States, what does that really get them? Much of the thinking is that Iran will stick to its naval military strategy of being the power in the Persian Gulf. Their focus for so many years has been to be able to control those vital shipping lanes through the Gulf, that's what they might be a lot better suited to, according to a lot of Pentagon officials.</s>VELSHI: All right. Intriguing story, Barbara, thanks very much for that.</s>COSTELLO: Also this morning, drama in the courtroom. Jurors at the Michael Jackson death trial heard chilling audio from the King of Pop just weeks before he died. Michael Jackson's barely coherent, he's slurring his words. It's part of the prosecution's case against Dr. Conrad Murray, who they say is to blame for Jackson's fatal drug overdose. CNN's Don Lemon, live outside the courthouse in Los Angeles. Tell us about this audio recording.</s>DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It came from Dr. Murray's iPhone. That's according to the people, the prosecutors yesterday. And apparently, the investigators in this case got it off of his iPhone, a recording there. And according to someone who testified yesterday, they said that was shortly after Dr. Conrad Murray started to treat Michael Jackson. Let's listen, Carol, and then we'll talk about it.</s>MICHAEL JACKSON, KING OF POP: When people leave my show, I want them to say, I've never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I've never seen nothing like this. Go. It's amazing. He's the greatest entertainer in the world.</s>LEMON: OK. So, when they played that in court, we were wondering, what is that? Is that Michael Jackson? We couldn't understand it. We couldn't see the words up on the screen like you're seeing them there on the screen. And everyone just sort of looked around like, what in the world is that? And the family, as well. And then if that wasn't bad enough, Carol, this photograph of Michael Jackson in the hospital on a gurney, his lifeless body. We were aghast when we saw that. The family aghast as well. And then the jurors, the look on the jurors' faces when that picture popped up, Carol and Ali, it was just -- I can't even explain what it was like to you to be inside of that courtroom and to just -- you could hear a pin drop.</s>COSTELLO: I bet. And the reason behind the release of this audiotape by prosecutors and the release of this photo is to show that Dr. Conrad Murray knew that Michael Jackson was addicted to drugs. Yet, he continued to administer these heavy doses of drug to Michael Jackson.</s>LEMON: Yes, yes. Yes. And that's what the prosecutor said. Listen, I want to tell you, though, that the defense in this case said, hey, listen, you know, Dr. Conrad Murray gave Michael Jackson Propofol and these drugs for two months and Michael Jackson went on about his life and he functioned. It was when he stopped giving it to him when he took his life. That's what their defense is. That's what happened. But I have to tell you, you know, I mean, Ali and Carol, we all have parents. We all have families and this has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of Dr. Conrad Murray. But imagine sitting there, as I was and many of the members of the press and jurors and having to witness not only that, but the family, the mother of Michael Jackson having to see that and to live this all over again. I mean, it was -- everyone was on the verge of tears. It was unbelievable to see.</s>COSTELLO: Don Lemon, reporting live from Los Angeles -- thanks. For complete coverage and analysis of the Michael Jackson death trial, check out our sister network,</s>HLN.  VELSHI: No one has seen it before but there's a 2008 jailhouse videotape of Casey Anthony reacting to the news that her daughter, Caylee, remains were found. This afternoon, in Orlando, the judge who presided over her murder trial will decide whether to release it to the public. A local TV station is fighting for it. The original judge in the case ruled three years ago that the tape could not be introduced into court because it would hurt Casey's chances of getting a fair trial.</s>COSTELLO: The accused Tucson gunman Jared Loughner due back in court today to decide whether he's fit to stand trail. Loughner is diagnosed as schizophrenic. He's been on suicide watch. He's been forced to take his meds in prison. He is accused of killing six people and wounding 13 others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords seen here on the House floor on August 1st for the debt ceiling vote.</s>VELSHI: And a Long Island college student and six former classmates are now under arrest in an alleged SAT cheating ring. Authorities say 19-year-old Sam Eshaghoff was paid as much as $2,500 to take the SATs for six students at Great Neck North High School. They he scored as high as 2,240 out of 2,400 for them.</s>COSTELLO: A follow-up now to a story we're watching yesterday. It was a cupcake sellout at a pay by your race bake sale on the campus of U.C. Berkeley. This sale is staged by campus Republicans. They say it was meant to get -- it was meant to be racist and to get people fired up about a bill on the governor's desk that would allow colleges to consider ethnic backgrounds in the admissions process. There was no violence, but neither side backed down.</s>RONNIE KAZOOBA, U.C. BERKELEY STUDENT: I think even before the bake sale started, we've already met our goal, which was to start discussion about this very politically insensitive topic. I think if we had any type of forum or discussion about it, it wouldn't have reached local news, national or international.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's very offensive. I'm offended. It's fine making a point, but you can make a point at our expense. People like me.</s>COSTELLO: Hundreds of students staged a mass lay down in solid protest on campus in opposition to the Republican bake sale.</s>VELSHI: Well, President Obama reaching out to Hispanic voters in an online roundtable later this morning. He's going to be answering questions about issues that affect Latinos. The event will be streamed live on the White House Web site. President Obama will also be visiting a Washington, D.C. high school where he will deliver his third annual back to school speech to students.</s>COSTELLO: Someone at the White House needs a refresher course in geography. Take a look at the press credentials given to reporters who are covering the president's West Coast trip. See how the three highlights are highlighted there. He's visiting Washington state, California and Colorado. There's just one problem, that's not Colorado, it's Wyoming. This is the real state of Colorado, a little south and east. But, hey, they're both rectangular and have really pretty mountains.</s>VELSHI: All right. He sure sounded presidential, but if Chris Christie has plans to run for president in 2012, he is playing it coy. A lot of Republicans were looking to hear a big announcement from the New Jersey governor when he delivered a foreign policy speech last night at the Reagan Library, but that's not what they got.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you reconsidering or are you standing firm?</s>GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Listen. I have to tell you the truth. You folks are an incredible disappointment as an audience. The fact that that took to second question -- shows you people are off your game. That is not American exceptionalism.</s>VELSHI: All right. So, will he or won't he run? Let's ask John Avlon. He's a CNN contributor, and senior political columnist with "Newsweek" and the "Daily Beast." And Maggie Haberman, senior political writer for "Politico." Welcome to both of you. John, last night, while he was giving a speech you and I and your wife were together at an event and you were pretty convinced, as was she, that he's not going to run. But here's something interesting: this is the first time he's been asked where he has actually been coy about this, because he hasn't been coy. Listen to some of the responses he's given every other time he's been asked. Listen to this.\</s>CHRISTIE: I don't feel ready in my heart to be president. I don't feel like I'm ready to be president. I don't want to run for president. I don't have the fire in the belly to run for president. I'm not stupid. I see the opportunity. I see it. That's not the reason to run. I threaten to commit suicide. I did. I said, what do I have to do short of suicide to convince people I'm not running? Apparently, I actually have to commit suicide.</s>VELSHI: All right. Last night was different. He was coy.</s>JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Last night, he was somewhat coy but did go on to say, look, I just don't feel it and that's the true. I mean, I've asked him directly, sir, are you 100 percent saying you're not going to run? He said, yes, absolutely, 100 percent. Look, I feel like this headline, Chris Christie not running, it's like that old "SNL" skit, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still. He's not running. The story hasn't changes. I think his team is enjoying all the interest. He is a national Republican leader and gave a great speech last night and a lot of people would love Republican candidate, but he's not running.</s>VELSHI: Maggie?</s>MAGGIE HABERMAN, POLITICO: I don't totally agree. I mean, look, I don't think he's running, but I do think he is considering it. And I do think his answer last night was very different than we have heard. This was is not the straight talk, I'll go lay down in the street and kill myself answer that we've gotten.</s>HABERMAN: That's right. This was, you know, I am hearing what you have to say. That woman who asked him a question at the end, he said he is listening to what people are saying to him and he is taking that in. That was absolutely not, I'm not ready, I'm not feeling it -- what he has said at every other turn. Now, again, I don't think this will end up in a campaign, but I think he absolutely is thinking about it and wants people to know he's thinking about it.</s>VELSHI: It's not just folks at meetings like this, John. It's donors. There are people with money who have not put their money behind Mitt Romney. They have not put their money behind Rick Perry, and they are saying, get into this race and we'll back you.</s>AVLON: And that's the real news here. I mean, I think it's the highest level donors and party recognized, frankly, that it is a weak field, especially, there's no one representing the strong center right, someone who is a fiscal conservative, who is unabashed and taken on the issues. But isn't far right on social issues necessarily. And so, I think that's the real news out of this whole courtship of Chris Christie. It's been a fascinating process. They're coming around, again, and they're stirring up this pot because they want to pressure him through the media, as well.</s>HABERMAN: Literally not taking no for an answer, and repeatedly coming back month after month. I do think this is the final window for it, where he is giving it, you know, a moment's thought. Again, I don't think he'll run, but I do think last night was interesting.</s>VELSHI: If he ran, how would it change the race?</s>HABERMAN: Oh, he would suck all the oxygen out of the room in two seconds. I think that the path is not totally clear, but he would -- you know, it would very, very problematic for Mitt Romney because they would draw from very similar areas, donors, supporters, voters, what have you. I think it would set up this epic battle between him and Rick Perry because Rick Perry is not going to gently go into that goodnight.</s>AVLON: No, but he doesn't overlap with the Bachmann/Perry/Palin aspect to the party. He would take support --</s>VELSHI: He's not so interested on the social issues.</s>AVLON: No.</s>HABERMAN: Correct.</s>ALVON: But here's what's fascinating. You know, early on, one of the first indications he'd be a strong candidate was this October Richmond, Virginia, Tea Party straw poll which he won and he'd only be in office 10 minutes. So, he has an enormous amount of grassroots among the Tea Party because of his record in office. You listened to that speech last night, what was fascinating is he is talking about leadership, criticizing the president for failure of leadership, but also talking about the importance of compromise, principled compromise in Washington. And that's not the message you'll hear to appeal to the Republican base.</s>HABERMAN: Absolutely. And that was also not a message of, you know, sort of strict hard right moment that this party is in right now. He was talking not in the neocon vein of, you know, go out and attack everyone who we think is hurting our interest overseas. He was very much more pick and choose, much more Jon Huntsman-like, frankly, than what you see --</s>VELSHI: Yes. The problem with Jon Huntsman is he can't move, he can't crack 2 percent poll.</s>HABERMAN: That is indeed a problem. And I think Chris Christie probably would do a little better than that, but Chris Christie is not tested either.</s>HABERMAN: Yes, but could he take one?</s>VELSHI: The northeastern elite conservatives, including "The Wall Street Journal," endorse Jon Huntsman or his economic --</s>AVLON: His plan.</s>HABERMAN: That's right.</s>VELSHI: You know what I mean? The Northeast money that hasn't committed itself yet hasn't got itself a candidate and certainly hasn't got itself a candidate, a mainstream Republican primary voters seem to be interested in.</s>AVLON: And the real question, is this Chris Christie's time? He is sort of the un-Obama, he's unapologetic, he's unabashed, he's articulated his positions and it's all about strong leadership, unapologetic leadership. And so, that's a real question. He's only been in office two years and I think he realizes he doesn't feel ready, but is this his time?</s>HABERMAN: But the national stage is different, as Rick Perry is seeing. It's not the same, just no reporters.</s>VELSHI: There have been concerns about his health. They popped up. He's quite overweight. He said he's trying to tackle that. But he's quite overweight and it seems to be something about breathlessness and heart asthma. Can this -- does that affect him? Can that change when he gets into a race. And does that guy have stamina and runs that busy schedule anyway?</s>HABERMAN: I think that he has stamina and would be able to do it. But I do think that was a blip that concerned a lot of people, especially those supporting him. And you never understand how rigorous a campaign is at a presidential level until you are in it. So, that would be in the back of a lot of people's minds, not the least of which would be his and his families.</s>VELSHI: Does he do what Mike Huckabee did? Get in on some regimen, lose a lot of weight and show that as part of his drive.</s>AVLON: I think, you know, in 2016, you know, you can't play this far out. But I think you'll see the guy losing a bit of weight if he's serious about running for president. He owns it. He says, look, yes, I'm fat. Man up, deal with it. But that's part of what people like. He's an authentic guy. People want authenticity.</s>VELSHI: He does actually deliver that. There's no question about that. Great talking to you both, Maggie Haberman and John Avlon. John has got a great piece, by the way, right now because of our in depth coverage on CNN about broken government. It's called "Politics as ideological blood sport."</s>COSTELLO: You always come up with these good things. Blood sport. I like it. Chris Christie's funny. I think that's his biggest asset.</s>VELSHI: That's very true.</s>COSTELLO: The man is funny.</s>VELSHI: Yes. He makes people laugh. You're right.</s>COSTELLO: Still ahead, incredible video. An underground gas leak actually sets a road on fire. So, how do firefighters put out the flames and what exactly is underneath the street?</s>VELSHI: Yes. And who's causing that? Plus, no more rain. Much of the country wondering his morning when we will see the sun again. Plus, new action in the tropics. Rob is all over that from a very special place in Florida.</s>COSTELLO: And love the skin you're in. That's the message from new children's book author and actor, Taye Diggs. Taye joins us live in our studio, and I'm pretty excited about that. It's 15 minutes past the hour.