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Presidential Candidate Continue to Campaign; Meat Prices Rising; Pope's Butler Put on Trial for Leaking Secret Memos; Chinese Billionaire Offers $64 Million to Marry His Daughter; Man Gets One-Day Contract with Major League Baseball Team; Girl Nominated Prom Queen As Joke Triumphs; New Sci-Fi Flick Hits Theaters

Aired September 29, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM where we're live this Saturday, September 29th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

President Obama and Mitt Romney are about to come face to face in the first presidential debate just four days away. Both Obama and Romney are practicing this weekend while their campaigns are presenting each candidate as the underdog. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser is in the battleground state of New Hampshire.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, Fred. As running mate Paul Ryan makes the rounds on the campaign trail both here in New Hampshire and Ohio, his boss Mitt Romney is hunkering down, getting ready for the debate on Wednesday, the first presidential showdown between him and president Barack Obama. Romney spending a lot of this weekend in debate preparation. The same thing for the president. He's off the campaign trail today, tomorrow he does go out to Nevada, but he's spending a lot of this weekend, we believe, behind closed doors getting ready.

Meanwhile, both campaigns are playing the expectations game, trying to lower the bar for their candidates. Even the candidates themselves are doing it. Take a listen to Mitt Romney recently on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's president of the United States. He's a very effective speaker.

He's a very eloquent speaker, and so I'm sure in the debates, as last time in his debates with Senator McCain, he'll be very eloquent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: It's not only Mitt Romney and his campaign playing the game. So is the Obama campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Stephanie Cutter making those comments on "Piers Morgan." What's the idea, try to bring down your candidate, lower the bar, so if your candidate does better, it's considered a big victory on debate night. How much are Americans paying attention to that? What they want to hear is what they'll do to make the country better.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Paul. The first presidential debate starting Wednesday night, October 3rd. Watch it live at 7:00 eastern time right here on CNN and on CNN.com.

The first vice presidential debate is a week later on October 11th. And today vice president Joe Biden campaigned for a second straight day in the battleground state of Florida. In Ft. Myers today, he blasted Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan for their Medicare reform plan, claiming it will put more financial burden on seniors.

In Pennsylvania, six teenage girls have been charged as adults suspected of viciously beating a woman that police say is mentally disabled. The attack happened just outside Philadelphia on Tuesday, and it was caught on a cellphone camera. The video was posted on Facebook, and as you can see, the woman being beaten and stomped as some of the suspects there actually sit on her body as well. She actually was sitting on the front steps. Police say the girls chased the woman into her house and continued to beat her with a chair, a shoe, and their fists. Here's what the mother of one of the girls had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never talked to my child since she went to school yesterday. I have yet to talk to her yet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about your other daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I haven't talked to her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She apparently was the instigator.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I haven't seen the video and haven't talked to my child. Sorry for the things that happened. But I have nothing to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The girls were charged with first degree assault and burglary. They were ordered to jail on $50,000.

The last remaining western prisoner at Guantanamo Bay has been transferred home to Canada. He admits that he killed a U.S. soldier in 2002 when he was just 15. The transfer is part of the plan to eventually close Guantanamo. Human rights groups denounce his capture as a teenager. And the ten years he spent in prison including his allegations of torture.

Officials in Michigan say they will soon know if soil samples taken beneath a storage shed contain the remains of former teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. Police say there are no discernible remains in the samples, but the lab is testing them and results are expected by Monday. A tipster claimed the body was buried under a suburban Detroit shed around the time Hoffa disappeared.

Today, 10 miles of one of the busiest freeways in America closed. People in Los Angeles are calling it car-mageddon two. Will it live up to that name? Last summer, drivers went through a similar closure on the 405. It went smoothly because most drivers actually tried to avoid the 405. Are they doing it again this year? Joining me from Los Angelesis Kyung Lah. Kyung, Lots of construction activity behind you, but thankfully, no, I guess, traffic tie-ups anywhere.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We actually just got an update from the L.A. fire department and the organizations that are running this construction. We're actually hearing that so far there aren't any major massive delays anywhere in the Los Angeles area. It does appear that people are listening to the public warning to try to stay at home. I'm going to quote the fire chief here and she actually said that "Car-mageddon" so far is an excellent sequel.

What is happening behind me is what is referred to as "Car-mageddon," the nation's busiest stretch of freeway. There's a ten-mile stretch that is shut down. If you have ever driven in Los Angeles, this is stunning not to see any vehicles on this amount of freeway. Why did it have to be shut down? It's because here in this stretch of the path, a massive bridge called the Mulholland Bridge, which we're taking a look at here, that section is being torn down, the northern part of it. It has to be torn down. So they can't have any vehicles travel under it.

And Fredricka, check out this tape. This is tape we caught early this morning. Our cameraman rolling, as this entire huge chunk came crashing down. So the reason why it's being torn down is because the freeway is being widened to make room for a carpool lane. Once all of the construction will be done, 73 miles of carpool lane around the 405, it will be one of the longest stretches of carpool lanes in the entire country. So a massive expensive project, but again, everyone here is saying it's early on Saturday, but they're expecting that they will be opening the freeway on time for morning rush.

WHITFIELD: And that part sounds amazing when you look at that aerial view right there and see all of the debris from taking down parts of that Mulholland Bridge onto the 405. How in the world are they going to get that cleaned up by Monday?

LAH: You know, it's a very good question. How is it possible? They're saying because really what you're looking at is they're tearing down. It's not as big a job as trying to build something. When you tear it down, you move as quickly as possible and mop it all up, getting a lot of work done. Just to give you an idea of whether or not they'll finish on time, if the construction crews don't finish by 5:00 a.m. Monday pacific time, they're looking at a fine, and that fine is $60,000 every ten minutes they're late. Do the math. That is a huge amount of cash piling up right after the other, every time that minute passes by.

WHITFIELD: That's incredible. All right, pretty good incentive. You're right. Thanks so much, Kyung Lah. Appreciate that.

Up next, there are many ways to find a groom for your daughter. But a Hong Kong billionaire has come up with a rather unique proposal he's sure will attract many offers of marriage. Find out how.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Let's check some international stories this hour. Pope Benedict's former butler is on trial today at the Vatican. He's accused of leaking hundreds of secret pages from the pontiff's personal apartment to an Italian journalist.

And the Czech president is recovering from a bizarre attack. He was inaugurating a new bridge when a man armed with a fake gun fired plastic pellets at him. He was taken to the hospital, the president, that is, was taken to the hospital with bruises, but no serious injuries. The suspect is in custody.

A typhoon is roaring over the Japanese island of Okinawa, the latest in a string of typhoons to rock the area. The storm is expected to impact the east coast of mainland japan before making landfall there tomorrow.

A Hong Kong billionaire is making an offer many bachelors may not be able to refuse, $64 million to marry his daughter. So what's behind the offer? And are there any applicants? Our Pauline Chiou finds out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULINE CHIOU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In his opulent 16,000 square foot mansion, a real estate tycoon Cecil Chao enjoys the beautiful artwork, the serenity of an indoor waterfall, and an ocean view. But one of Hong Kong's richest men is unsettled by a simple desire, finding the right person for his only daughter.

CECIL CHAO, HONG KONG BILLIONAIRE: She is a nice girl, very loving daughter, and deserves a good life and she should have as wide a choice as possible.

CHIOU: Sounds simple enough for the 33-year-old Gigi Chao, who is executive director of her father's real estate empire. But various media outlets have reported that she's already married to her longtime female companion. Her father says those reports are false and have ruined her chances of finding a man, so he's offering an incentive, $64 million to any man who can win over his daughter.

Aren't you worried about the type of people who will apply? They're just after the money, don't you think?

CHAO: I'm not going to worry these things until Gigi has found somebody who loves her. If somebody loves her just for her money, she is old enough to find out herself, and I will advise her.

CHIOU: More than 1,000 offers have come in. Gigi Chao said she finds her father's offer entertaining.

GIGI CHAO: I wasn't angry at all. I was moved by daddy's announcement. I mean, it's really his way of saying, baby girl, I love you, and you deserve more.

CHIOU: CNN asked her about media reports of her marriage to a longtime female partner. She said she's not in a position to verify this. Cecil Chao said he's open-minded when it comes to issues of sexuality, but he has his concerns.

CHAO: If she is not gay, she should straighten it out, not let the people be misled.

CHIOU: But if she is gay, are you OK with that?

CHAO: That is for her to decide what she wants to be.

CHIOU: They say the publicity has been overwhelming. On her Facebook page, Gigi Chao says for the sake of her family, she hopes her father retracts his offer, but money talks and interested suitors continue clogging up the phones and e-mail.

Pauline Chiou, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that grocery receipt these days, no mistake. Pork and beef prices are up sharply. Find out why prices could go up in coming weeks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bank of America will pay shareholders nearly $2.5 billion to settle a lawsuit. It's the largest class action settlement arising from the 2008 financial crisis. The suit accused Bank of America of misleading investors who eventually acquired Merrill Lynch. At the time of the sale the investors didn't know the Wall Street firm was racking up huge losses. The bank denies it hid that information.

Bacon eaters beware, pork prices are up by nearly a third in the last month because farmers hit hard by the drought and high feed prices are thinning their herd. It's much the same for beef. Here's Athena Jones.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE STACHOWSKI, BUTCHER: People love meat.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Meat has pride of place at this butcher shop in Washington.

STACHOWSKI: What can I get for you, my friend?

JONES: Ham, pastrami, stake. It's all here.

STACHOWSKI: We're a meat-eating country. No matter what, people are going to find a way to get meat. JONES: But with prices for pork and beef expected to rise next year, this longtime meat man says consumers will have to pay more. Or get used to new cuts.

STACHOWSKI: What happened in the last increase is people went from eating a lot of prime rib to New York strips to porter houses. They went to eating secondary cuts.

JONES: The coming sticker shock will impact not just butchers but restaurants and dinner tables across the country. The worst drought in decades means higher costs for animal feed and lower profits for farmers. Farms like this one here in Maryland have already had to raise prices to keep up.

Julie runs a small farm near the West Virginia border where she raises hens, hogs, and cattle. A third of her cost goes to animal feed, which is mostly corn and soy. Prices for chicken and pig feed have skyrocketed since July.

JULIE GRAY STINAR, FARMER: So it's $14.77 on July 2nd, now $16.79. So it's gone up by two dollars in two months.

JONES: A significant amount.

STINAR: Then here we have the pig pellet, $12.22, and now it's $15.06.

JONES: So it's going to get worse?

STINAR: It will get a lot worse.

JONES: She's now charging a dollar a pound more for her sausage, pork chops and bacon and plans to switch to sorgum to save money.

STINAR: You have to be really good at adjusting.

JONES: Since she doesn't raise broiler chickens, the kind you eat, in winter, she's hoping to avoid the worst of the price spike for their feed. And unlike most American farmers, she grass feeds her cattle, meaning she won't have to worry about grain prices for them.

Back in Washington, customers are preparing themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quality is worth it. I don't mind spending the money.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a limit to how much any person would pay.

JONES: One tongue in cheek solution to the problem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eat more tofu.

JONES: Then again, tofu is made of soy.

Athena Jones, CNN, Sharpsburg, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE) JONES: If you love tomatoes, get ready to pay more for them. That's because the U.S. department of commerce said it might end a 16-year- old deal with Mexico. Great news for farmers in Florida who compete with the growers of Mexican tomatoes, but the end means the cost of tomatoes could spike at big retailers like Wal-Mart.

He was Pope Benedict's personal and trusted butler. Now he's on trial for stealing personal papers from the Pope's apartment. We'll have details from Rome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In Pennsylvania, six teenage girls have been charged as adults suspected of beating a woman police say is mentally disabled. The attack happened near Philadelphia on Tuesday and was caught on a cellphone camera. The video was posted on Facebook. Police say the girls chased the woman into her house and beat her with a chair, a shoe, and their fists. They were ordered to jail on a $50,000 bail. Officials say the victim is being treated at an undisclosed location.

And we have new information on an investigation into a decades old mystery, the disappearance of former teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. Crews digging under a Michigan shed for his possible remains say they did not find any bones but a lab is testing soil samples and results are expected by Monday. A tipster claimed a body was buried about the suburban Detroit shed around the same time Hoffa disappeared.

The last remaining western prisoner at Guantanamo Bay has been transferred home to Canada. He admits he killed a U.S. soldier in 2002 when he was just 15. His transfer is part of a plan to eventually close Guantanamo. Human rights groups denounce his capture as a teenager and the ten years he spent in prison, including his allegations of torture.

Today is the first day of the trial involving Pope Benedict's former butler. He's accused of leaking hundreds of personal papers belonging to the Pope, papers the butler allegedly took from the pal apartment. Barbie Nadeau joins us live now from Rome by Skype. This is a case of betrayal and a very big way. What information was actually in those papers stolen?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The information is very damaging to the Vatican, to the Holy Sea. It exposed alleged financial corruption, in-fighting the type we on the outside don't get to see among the cardinals and the Holy Sea. It's about how the Vatican goes about with its donations, how a very expensive white truffle ended up in a soup kitchen because nobody wanted to deal with it at the Vatican, things like that.

As a whole, it was damaging, but more because the documents got out because there was this incredible breach of secrecy, taken piece by piece, the documents, I suppose, aren't prosecutable, no crimes can be proven by them, but it was a huge embarrassment for the Vatican at a time they didn't need another scandal.

WHITFIELD: And what could potentially happen to this former butler? NADEAU: The butler has actually admitted he did give the documents to an Italian journalist who published them in a popular book and broadcast them on a television program. So the butler had entered a plea that he confessed he did it, and the journalist has corroborated that and said the documents came from him.

But there's a very important piece of this puzzle missing, and that is who gave the butler the documents. This is about the mechanics of the leak, not so much about how the documents came into Gabrielle's position. Of course he had access to the Papal apartment, but it's not clear he would have known the content of the documents and how damaging they were. These aren't random documents. These are very well thought out documents that were leaked. So we probably will never know why the butler did it. We may have confirmation that he did, but we won't necessarily know why.

WHITFIELD: So what is he facing? Potential fined? Could he go to jail, what?

NADEAU: He's facing four years in prison. Of course, no prison inside Vatican city, but there's an according with the Italian state. He would serve his sentence confined in an Italian prison, probably in Rome. But the bigger thing is the Pope would probably pardon him. He's asked for forgiveness, and the Pope has indicated that as part of faith, catholic faith, forgiveness is a huge part of that. He will probably pardon the butler, especially if the butler doesn't make waves. You know, I think the butler is playing along with this particular trial as he's playing nicely, not rocking the boat, not giving any secrets away. There's no reason why the Pope wouldn't pardon him. He'll probably never work again in the Vatican City or state, but he will be pardoned.

WHITFIELD: Barbie Nadeau, thanks so much from Rome. Keep us posted on that trial.

WHITFIELD: For many, a trip to the spa is part of their vacation, but for some, it is the vacation. Next, we'll tell you where the best places to go are if you need to unwind.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Work hard, play hard, and make some time in between to relax. So what are the best spa vacation destinations? The folks at "Travel and Leisure" asked readers what they thought? I spoke to Features Editor Nilou Motamed to get the details. The first place we talked about was red mountain resort in Utah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NILOU MOTAMED, FEATURES EDITOR, "TRAVEL AND LEISURE": Well, they love the red mountain resort in southwestern Utah. This is a place where it's basically a fantasy of red rocks. You're going to get this incredibly beautiful setting, and it's incredibly peaceful which is what you really need. And then you pile on about 50 different kinds of fitness classes, there's all these outings, obviously, in the incredible surroundings. You have Bryce Canyon, you have Zion National Park. You can go for these once in a lifetime experiences, and then add to that the fact you can maybe jump start a little bit of a health kick if you're looking for that. They have food that is delicious but also healthful for you. None of their entrees are above 500 calories. And they do things that are more for your soul. If you need help in kind of getting re-centered, whether it's journaling or meditating, tai chi, there's so much to do.

WHITFIELD: Let's go on to Malibu. The address, Malibu, California, where can you go wrong? Tell us about the ranch at live oak there.

MOTAMED: The ranch at live oak is taking everything we just talked about and taking it to a whole other level. This is an experience if you really want to commit to not just a kick start but a jump start in your fitness and health regimen. You have to go there for an entire week. During that week, I know you're going to say really, 10 hours of exercise each day.

Now, when you do that, that's not that you're sitting on an exercise cycle indoors for ten hours. You're out hiking, doing yoga, doing stretching, doing toning. And they're not allowing you to have any alcohol, not allowing you to have any caffeine, no sugar. All of the food is organic and vegan. And this is really something for someone who is looking for a big, big life change and feels like everything has gotten to them. They have gotten slipped off the wagon right before the holiday. It's a great time to do it.

WHITFIELD: Now, we want to leave the United States and let's go to Central America. And let's head to Costa Rica where there's an incredible spa that readers love.

MOTAMED: And Costa Rica is so, so popular with our readership at travel and leisure. They love Costa Rica because of the proximity, because of the incredible natural beauty, and this delivers a lot of it. Not only are you in an incredibly gorgeous setting. You have a bird's eye view from every room of the volcano, so stunning. You have activities galore, everything from zip-lining, hiking, all of the cute animals from the rain forest.

Then they have this beautiful spa that they have recently built that they were so conscious in terms of ecology of the area they built it on a structure so it almost looks like it's floating in the middle of the rain forest. They have open air pavilions for your treatments. They have treatments with Costa Rican coffee, with chocolate, which I know you like.

WHITFIELD: I love.

MOTAMED: They have volcanic masks. This is place where you're really going to feel like you're experiencing the indigenous culture and in a gorgeous setting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Sign me up. Thanks to "Travel and Leisure" magazine for those tips on great spa vacations. All right, a major league dream gone in an instant. Years after a devastating injury, Adam Greenberg is back, and he's getting a second chance. I'll talk to him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds pitched a no-hitter last night beating the pirates 1-0. It's the seventh no-hitter in baseball this season, tying a record. Bailey struck out 10 batters and was nearly perfect, walking only one. His teammates celebrating with him right there in a big way.

All right, it was one of the best days of his life and the worst. Adam Greenberg was up at bat for the first time in the majors playing for the Chicago Cubs back in July of 2005. A fastball came barreling at him at a whopping 92 miles per hour, and you saw it right there, hit him directly in the head just below the helmet. The injuries he sustained ended his dream of playing in the Majors at that moment.

But seven years later, Adam's determination to get back in the game along with the help of an online campaign started by a sports fan, Matt Liston changed all that. Adam and Matt joining us now from Miami because just three days away, Adam, a big day. You're going to get a chance to hit with the marlins. And this is something that you, matt, have been trying to get to happen. Give him a second chance, and here we go. OK, you first, Adam. What are you doing with this time, now three days before this big second chance?

ADAM GREENBERG, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER: I'm just soaking it all in. I mean, it is a chance for me to really realize my dream as I had my whole life as a child, wanting to play major league baseball. What happened seven years ago did, and that dream was kind of shattered. And I didn't get to enjoy being a major leaguer. So with obviously the help of Matt Liston and this one at bat campaign, he's enabled me to kind of get back and now truly realize the dream. And I'm honestly just saying I'm soaking it in and loving every second of it.

WHITFIELD: That's fantastic. Matt, you have become tight now, but you didn't know him from Adam, so to speak. You didn't know him. You were a fan, but you got the campaign going. Why?

MATT LISTON, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: Well, I remember Adam's first at- bat. I'm a Chicago cubs fanatic, and I remember the day he played that game in 2005, July 9th, I thought I was about to see the center fielder of our future. And I remember when he got hit in the head, it was devastating. And I remember watching the games after that thinking well, where's Adam? When is Adam going to get to play? And he never got called up again. He never played again for the Chicago Cubs. That at-bat was burned in my brain. And I would check in to see what Adam was up to online. And he still didn't get the call up.

Then right before this season started, I was actually watching the movie field of dreams with my wife. I couldn't believe she had never watched it before. Anyway, so we were watching it and she said she mentioned the character in there, moonlight graham, who Adam is compared to Moonlight Graham, and she said, man, I feel sorry for that moonlight graham character. I said Moonlight Graham doesn't have anything on this guy, on Adam Greenberg. I started telling her the story of Adam Greenberg and I thought, wow, he's only 28, 29 years old. We can't let this moment pass, this window of opportunity pass.

So I did some homework on Adam. Saw how great he was playing in the independent league, and then after I went to spring training and chatted with a few general managers and some of the players -- I want to make this point, a lot of the active major league players would tell me that they would give up their at-bat for Adam. And when I got that outpouring of respect and support for Adam from the big leaguers, game was on, campaign was on. I called this guy out of the blue. And I don't know what he thought when I first called him.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. Then Adam, tell me, what did you think when Matt out of the blue was like, I have this campaign going. Other player whose say they're willing to give up at-bats for you. What was your reaction?

GREENBERG: Well, we'll take it back a little bit before that. When he first called me with the idea, I got to be honest, if he wasn't coming from a trusted source of mine, you know, I would have probably dismissed it because I -- it sounds like a crazy idea. Hey, I'm going to create a campaign and an army of people to get you at at-bat.

But over the course of the conversation, the initial conversation, Matt. obviously, you can see it, his passion and his genuineness, where it was just, I couldn't -- he couldn't imagine what happened to me, and if it was him, he just wanted to do this. And I heard that the first conversation.

And then what happened after that, you know, he'd call me and said I talked to this coach and this player and this guy. But it wasn't until I saw the piece, and I really -- I kind of encourage everyone to go and check it out at oneatbat.com, because it brought tears to my eyes. It was so emotional just to see it overwhelming show of support that this guy was able to create with genuinely an army of people. Through the social media and just that overwhelming show of support reenergized and relit a fire in me.

WHITFIELD: What an incredible commitment. So now I wonder, Adam, how are you going to be at bat, Marlins Tuesday, and not have tears in your eyes? How are you going to be able to concentrate on that moment? Will you be thinking about what happened years ago? Or will you be thinking about, you know, your fitness, your training, your readiness? Can you tell me what you might be feeling?

GREENBERG: Yes, here's the one thing that I want to make very clear. This campaign and this at-bat is a success already. So the result of what happens on Tuesday, it's one at-bat, but obviously, it's resonated with so many people, showing the power of the human spirit, the power of perseverance, and just staying positive and not letting yourself stay down.

But it's not -- you can't do it alone. You need support. And I didn't ask for it, certainly. I didn't know Matt from a hole in the wall. He wasn't a friend of mine, a relative, an agent, nothing. He's just a genuinely nice guy and passionate baseball fan and passionate person. All of those emotions I'm getting to relive and talk about it and share it right now.

But come Tuesday, Monday, that's when it's 100 percent focused on the game. And then the at-bat to try to help the Marlins win a game. The ownership, the whole ownership, everyone has been so warming and welcoming and done it for the right reasons. And I'm just fortunate to have -- to be the guy who has the opportunity. But I'm just -- I'm going to try and do my job. My job for that day on Tuesday is to get on base, create and score a run. If I score a run, then the Marlins are one run closer to winning a game, and that's what I love to do. So this is just -- this is all a bonus.

WHITFIELD: And it's a one-day contract. We're going to be rooting for you. Who is not going to be rooting for you? We're all going to be rooting for you and would love to have you back next weekend, both of you, so you can talk about what the experience was like. And Matt, something tells me, I know you have been a longtime Cubs fan, but now you have to be a marlins fan.

LISTON: I'm an Adam Greenberg fan. That's the whey I'm going to put it. Fredricka, thank you so much, and I have to tell you, we're really grateful to the Marlins because it's a lot easier to say no than it is to say yes. And in this case, this is like the beginning of sports activism. This is where the fans have stepped up to change the game. And you know, social media has helped the sports world be an example for the rest of the world, and it starts now and it starts with you, Fredricka. Thanks for doing this story.

WHITFIELD: It's a beautiful relationship, beautiful inspiration. We're rooting for you and we look forward to seeing you next weekend when you tell us what that experience was all about. We're big fans of both of you, Matt and Adam. Thanks so much.

GREENBERG: Thank you so much.

LISTON: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, it's a real life Cinderella story, another one to tell you about. The victim of school yard bullying becoming a homecoming princess when a cruel prank backfires.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: When Whitney Kropp was nominated for homecoming court by her classmates, she was thrilled. But her excitement turned to embarrassment when she realized she was the victim of a cruel prank. Now this Michigan teen is turning the table on her bullies. CNN's Chris Welch has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WELCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A super star practically overnight, 16-year-old Whitney Kropp is a role model to anyone who has ever been bullied.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you Whitney!

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

WHITNEY KROPP, HOMECOMING QUEEN: I'm like, wow. I feel like trash. I feel like I'm a little thing that no one really cared about.

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

If I were in your position, that would be really hard to do.

KROPP: It's really hard to do right now because at first I thought about dropping out of the homecoming court. I'm not the joke that everyone thinks I am. I can prove the kids wrong.

WELCH: That's exactly what he did, and since then, she's been swamped with support from the local hair salon that gave her a new do.

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

WELCH: To the Facebook page with over 100,000 fans.

BERNICE KROPP, WHITNEY'S MOM: It's so cool to see, you know, e-mails that she's -- we're getting or she's getting from parents and other students from all over the place, telling their stories and how it helped them and it touched them. You know, my daughter is out there as an inspiration to a lot of people, and that's a really cool thing. See, you're like Cinderella. Mistreated, unappreciative, abused, but after much support, you're going to have a great time at the ball.

KROPP: I thought before, no one cares about me. Not only my own brother and sister care, but they're proving they care. The world is proving they care -- not about me, but they care about the situation.

WELCH: Folks from all over the state are here tonight. In fact, this group of girls traveled more than an hour away. You left your home football game to come here and support Whitney. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to show Whitney that our entire student body is completely 100 percent behind her.

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

KROPP: Kids that are bullying, don't let them bring you down. Stand up for what you believe in and go with your heart and go with your gut. That's what I did and look at me now. I'm as happy as can be.

WELCH: Whitney said she'll likely face bullies again in the future, but she said when that happens, she'll confront them with her head held high and with a new confidence.

Reporting from West Branch, Michigan, Chris Welch, CNN. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Too sweet.

Our movie critic, she sat down with Joseph Gordon Levitt, remember that name from "Third Rock from the Sun?" Him. He's now the star of a futuristic new movie "Looper." He has some interesting thoughts on time travel next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, whether you want to go out or stay in this weekend, there are great movie options for you. One of our favorite child actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is all grown up in this weekend's blockbuster "Looper." And all 22 James bond classics are on Blu-Ray this weekend. I can't wait to talk about James bond, but let's start with "Looper" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He was the kid from the sitcom "Third Rock from the Sun." Now he's starring in his third major motion picture this year, "Looper". It's about an assassin who kills targets back in time by the mob. And you actually interviewed the star.

GRAE DRAKE, MOVIE CRITIC: I did.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know what's going to happen? You've done all this already?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Time travel has not yet been invented, but 30 years from now, it will have been.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT, ACTOR: We can all travel in time if you simply close your eyes and use your imagination. I mean, in "Looper," time travel is a very particular thing that's completely illegal. It's very dangerous, so the only people who use it are criminals.

DRAKE: I feel like that's a wise way to go.

GORDON-LEVITT: You think?

DRAKE: I feel like we would mess it up, not you and me, but those people.

GORDON-LEVITT: The 47 percent would mess it up?

DRAKE: Exactly. I hope I have your vote in the election.

GORDON-LEVITT: It's one of those movies that on the one end does offer you all of the exhilaration of a banging action flick, but on the other hand, gives you something to think about.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Gosh, all grown up. Got to get used to that. Hu how does he do in "Looper" in your view? We see he's cute and clever in your interview, and then your tomato score.

DRAKE: Joe Gor-Levs, my new nickname for him, is fantastic in the movie. It's such a great concept, like this movie is definitely on par with sci-fi films you love because it has tons of explosions and action, but you actually care about what's happening and you can't really predict what's going to happen.

Imagine a future you could come back and kick young you in the soft parts for being a moron. That's just the beginning of how interesting this movie is. I loved it. I thought it caters to everybody. And the critics are agreeing because this movie is not only fresh, it's certified fresh at 93 percent.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And you love explosions and action in movies, which means movies that means you like this whole -- OK, Bond, James Bond.

DRAKE: I do.

WHITFIELD: I know you love it, 50th anniversary. But we have this release of a collection on Blu-Ray. What's the deal with this? Haven't we seen it before?

DRAKE: Oh, no, you have not seen it like this. You have got to get this collection. Spring for it because not only does it include nine movies not released on Blu-Ray yet, but it has tons of extra features. So you get montages of all of the Bonds, you get looks at all of the ladies of bond. That's an important component.

WHITFIELD: Of course.

DRAKE: And you also get video blogs and a sneak peek at "Sky Fall," the movie coming out on November 9th, starring the latest bond, Daniel Craig, who I cannot stop thinking about in a swim suit. There, I admit it.

WHITFIELD: That's because he does it well. Do we get to watch a clip, maybe? No, I'm told no. You have to buy --

DRAKE: I can re-enact it.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: I'm sure you can. We look forward to that. Plus, it's a great birthday idea for anybody who is a big bond fan, right? To get a giant collection of all of the James Bond flicks and the special stuff. Right on cue, that was perfect.

DRAKE: I like it.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. Always good to see you. Remember, you can get all of the movie grades at Rottentomatoes.com.