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Gunman Shoots Family in Inglewood, California; Final Presidential Debate Monday; "Ethel" Documentary to Air on HBO
Aired October 20, 2012 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN HOST: It is 3:00 on the east coast. That makes it noon on the west. If you're just tuning in, thanks for joining us. Welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Martin Savidge. I'm also in for Fredricka Whitfield.
Let's take a look at the stories making headlines right now. We're going to begin in Inglewood, California, where a gunman kills a 30- year-old father of six and his four-year-old son in a shooting that left three other family members wounded. Here's what we know about the victims according to police. Three of them were children under the age of 10, two were adults, and three of the victims are now in critical condition. Police are searching for a 55-year-old black male who was last seen wearing a dark hat and painter's mask. The family may know who that shooter is. I spoke to Art Barron (ph), our affiliate KCBS, about that just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART BARRON (ph): The person they believe was the gunman, the suspect, was someone who rented out a room, a back house, if you will, from the residents there up in Inglewood. And the other thing that we're hearing is that apparently he became behind on his rent, and so they sued for the back rent, and then served an eviction notice, and then he came back and shot the family. Now, that is unconfirmed because I did ask the police chief of Inglewood, he said, yes, I know of that. I have heard that story. We're looking into that, but at this point, he couldn't say, you know, this is confirmed or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Now, as police search for the gunman, they speculate the person may have died in the fire which you saw at the scene.
OK, to another shooting spree. This one in Michigan. Fifteen shootings in two days to be exact, all in the suburban Detroit area. The targets have been either people or cars, fortunately, no injuries. The shootings took place in a two-day span between Tuesday evening and Thursday evening. And Our Nick has here has been following the story.
And Nick, this really has people on edge in that area where it's happened.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Southeastern Michigan, to be exact, Martin. Three counties in southeastern Michigan, 15 shootings over a 48-hour period. I spoke to the sheriff of Oakland County and he said luckily, no one has been hurt. There are a lot of near misses. One instance, a man was taking out his trash. He said he heard a bullet wiz over his head. In another instance, a woman was on her way to a soccer game, hear d a loud tap, thought it was her tire that exploded and was flat. And she goes home, and instantly enough turns on the news.
Here is the story about this a speed of shootings throughout the county, goes to a car, finds a bullet lodged in her car. And again, as you mention, this is bringing up a lot of memories of what happened in Washington, D.C. ten years ago. In fact, Martin, this is the October, the 10th anniversary of their shootings that happen in 2002. Our local affiliate caught up with residents in the area to the DIB, spoke with residents who said this is very reminiscent of what happened in Washington ten years ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are getting shot at all over the place. Kids are scared, parents are scared. The parents are scared. Someone has to put a stop to it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank God nobody has been shot and nobody has been hurt, but it's still weird when you hear about stuff like this. Bringing back memories of the sniper and everything that happened in D.C.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Ten people died in those D.C. shootings and we are a far cry away from that in these counties in southeastern Michigan, but of course, a lot of paranoid motorists. I spoke to the authorities and saying, the scariest part about this is, Martin, is the fact that it's so random and it is just targeting motorists at random.
SAVIDGE: Yes. And one of the things that were really frightening is they suspect the shooter is driving while shooting.
VALENCIA: You know, in the witnesses described seeing a dark, sleek sports car, one description said it was a ford mustang with racing stripes. Another witness saying it could be a cavalier. But still so far, no suspect or suspects at the moment. Police have a lot on their hands right now. Big mystery in southeastern of Michigan.
SAVIDGE: And no shooting since that two-day span?
VALENCIA: No. The last shooting happened on Thursday. No shootings overnight. Again, the Oakland county sheriff (INAUDIBLE) telling me that his all hands on deck right now, and they're going over the evidence and the ballistics. He believes it was a possible hand gun on this, not a rifle. So, it is another little interesting development we learned just a short time ago.
SAVIDGE: Yes. And we'll continue to follow it with you help. Thank, Nick.
VALENCIA: Thank you. SAVIDGE: Seventeen days and counting from the presidential election and the campaigns, they are in overdrive.
President Obama and Mitt Romney are hunkering down preparing for their last debate that will take place Monday night in Boca Raton, Florida. The vice presidential candidates, they are out on the stump. Vice president Biden is in Florida and Congressman Paul Ryan is in Pennsylvania.
The number two man for the Republicans, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, continues to press the case for the Romney/Ryan ticket. Ryan spent yesterday in Florida meeting with voters, hoping he could keep that state in play for the GOP. And today, it's Pennsylvania where the GOP hopes to, well, keep that lead, and the president has been enjoying -- rather, trying to have the lead that the president has been enjoying.
Here is Paul Ryan in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. He was speaking just a while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are not going to duck the tough issues. We are going to run at our country's economic and fiscal problems before they get out of control. That's what leaders do. And when you look at the engine of economic growth and job creation in this country, it is small businesses. It is risk takers, it is entrepreneurs, it is the workers that work overtime to make those small businesses work and succeed. We're going to champion these small businesses. We're are not going to keep taxing these small businesses and regulating them and spending us into a debt crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: All right, now let's shift gears and look at what the number two guy for the Obama ticket is doing today.
CNN political reporter, Shannon Travis, live in Florida where vice president Joe Biden has wrapped up a rally in St. Augustine.
So Shannon, what is the vice president saying today to get Democrats in Florida energized?
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes. It's been his recent message as of late the last few days, Martin. Basically, really, really playing up a few things.
One, that Governor Romney is a flip-flopper. His words, not mine. Also, going after the whole issue of women's issues, according to women's vote, he's had three events here in Florida over the past two days and one thing that he's really been playing up, as you can imagine, is the whole binders full of women thing, that comment that Romney made in the last debate, the vice president.
Take a listen at what he said and something he held up just a few moments ago here at the rally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On Tuesday, when Governor Romney was asked a direct question in the last debate about equal pay for women, he started talking about binders. Binders. Whoa. Binders full of qualified women that he learned were out there. He never did answer the question, by the way. He never did answer the question, whether women deserve equal pay for equal work, but that shouldn't surprise you. Come from a man who according to his senior adviser said he wasn't for the Lilly Ledbetter act.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TRAVIS: Now, this wasn't the only political attack that the vice president made, Martin. He also attacked Romney or latched on to this whole idea of Romney having Romnesia from President Obama. And there was an interesting moment, there was a baby crying as the vice president was speaking. And the vice president essentially said that baby is crying because his or her, that the boy or girl knows that if Romney is elected, he'll have a bad future.
SAVIDGE: Yes. So, where is the vice president headed next?
TRAVIS: Yes. The vice president is going to Ohio for three days, right? Obviously critical battleground. No Republican has ever won the White House without Ohio. The vice president will be going there. And on Tuesday we know that the vice president and the president will make a rare joint appearance at a rally in Ohio on Tuesday.
SAVIDGE: Yes. And what are the Obama and Romney, what are they going to be doing? Obviously focusing on their debate, is that where they are right now?
TRAVIS: Yes, no public events for them for today. We know that President Obama is at Camp David. Mitt Romney is also hunkered down for debate prep as well. Obviously, both of them knowing this is their last debate before the election, basically wanting to, again, win. Who is going to win the debate?
What also trying to score some points off each other and make their last major big appeal to Americans to vote for them. We know it will be devoted entirely to foreign policy and national security, an area that doesn't rate as highly in terms as jobs and the economy for Americans, but again, another chance for both candidates to try and make appeals to the voters.
SAVIDGE: Yes. A lot of people will be watching.
Shannon Travis, thanks very much for the update.
It's not the candidates who are just doing all the talking. There are also some influential newspapers that are making their choices. "The Denver Post" is throwing its weight behind President Obama. The newspaper published an op-ed on Friday writing that the president has shown that, quote, "he is a steady leader who keeps the interests of a broad array of Americans in mind." The newspaper said that his opponent, Mitt Romney, quote, "has not presented himself as a leader who will bring his party closer to the center. His comments on the 47 percent of Americans who refuse to take personal responsibility and care for their lives were a telling insight into his views and a low point of the campaign."
Another newspaper endorsement for the president, this time from "the Salt Lake Tribune," the Utah newspaper wrote. Quote "the president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first." The tribune endorsed the president in the last election and President Bush in 2004.
Mitt Romney wasn't shut out when it comes to the paper chase. "The Orlando Sentinel" gave him their support. The newspaper wrote, that quote "we had little confidence that Obama would be more successful managing the economy and budget in the next four years. For that reason, though we endorsed him in 2008, we're recommending Romney in this race," unquote.
That last debate between Mitt Romney and President Obama happens Monday night. You can watch that showdown live right here on CNN at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Accusations fly after a bombing and an assassination in Lebanon.
And some are pointing their finger at Syria. We'll dig deeper on what the blast could mean for the country already embroiled in a civil war.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: The assassination of Lebanon's intelligence chief yesterday is fueling Middle East tensions. As Syria's civil war rages on, some believe Syrian president Bashar Al Assad was behind the car bombing that killed the brigadier general. The blast left a crater over three feet deep, but the political effects well, they could be felt much farther and could have a great deal more damage.
CNN's John Vause joins me. And let's talk about the broader implications. What has always been feared, the spreading of the war, but particularly, I'm talking Syria, into Lebanon, a very fragile, fragile --
JOHN VAUSE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let's get straight one thing first. There's a lot of accusations. There's a lot of people here who believe Assad and his regime is responsible for it. But right now there's not a lot of proof that they done it. It's only been a couple days so that may come out, but right now, people believe they're behind it.
But, the narrative which is now being formed is that the reason why Assad did this is because essentially he wants to export the civil war from Syria into Lebanon. Now, Lebanon is a country where sectarian tensions, where violence is just below the surface. It is made of Sunnis, on Shias, on Aloites, which support the Assad regime, and it also made up of 39 percent Christians. So, one of the best ways to look at the region and how it could have implications is to look at the map. And this is a very small piece of real estate with a lot of angry people. Unfortunately, we can't see Israel in the map because it's so small.
SAVIDGE: One of its crucial countries and they need --
VAUSE: Exactly. But, it's just below Lebanon, just to the left of Jordan. And one of the concerns, the reasons why Assad may possibly want to export this civil war to Lebanon is because Damascus has spoken at great length that they are concerned about foreign fighters and weapons crossing the border from Lebanon and other countries as well like Turkey, but also from Lebanon. So, if you embroil Lebanon in to this war, you change the dynamic. It's not just Assad finding uprising at home. This is a regional complex.
SAVIDGE: Why this general?
VAUSE: Well Al-Assad, he was one of the top security chiefs in Lebanon, and he uncovered a plot earlier this year which implicated a pro Syrian minister within the Lebanese government. He's accused of collaborating with members of the Syrian government to import explosives and also to launch attacks inside Lebanon. He's been a thorn in Lebanon - on Syria's side rather, for many, many years.
And so again, if he dies, if he's taken out by the Syrian authorities, we are seeing it play out now. You see the tensions heighten. You see these protests already on the streets of Lebanon today. Those who want a stern response from the Lebanese, the opposition, demanding that the Lebanese government resign, it just causes this increased turbulence in a very chaotic region to begin with. And once you get this situation developing, let's say, for instance, Lebanon is brought into this conflict, Hezbollah in Lebanon --
SAVIDGE: -- which is pro Syrian.
VAUSE: -- which is pro Syrian, which is backed by the Syrians. They are heavily armed. They fought a war with Israel in 2006 and they said they would fight again. And then, Hezbollah, not only they are close to the Syrians, but they are close to the Iranians.
So suddenly, if you have Hezbollah involved, you have the Syrians involved, you have the Iranians involved, and don' forget Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, taking down Palestinian militants. So, if the Israelis feel like they're being threatened, they feel like there are problems on their northern border as well, there could be military action as well. And the Israelis have at times put their military on high alert. They're handing out gas masks in part of Israel because they're concerned about the potential complex.
SAVIDGE: Yes. This is where you take it from a war in Syria to a war on the region. It could be kind of strong.
VAUSE: Absolutely.
SAVIDGE: John Vause. Thanks very much. Well, the next couple days, they're critical for a medal cyclist, Lance Armstrong. The seven-time tour de France winner is facing new allegations of doping and he's trying to hold his cancer charity together. We'll have more on that.
And tough talk from the presidential candidates on China. That just how tough can the U.S. really get given our dependence on Chinese goods and their money. We will dig deep.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: You know if you saw Lance Armstrong last night, you saw he was defiant as he took center stage at his cancer charity's 15th year anniversary gala. It was the first time that the seven-times tour de France winner has spoken publicly since he was accused of running the most sophisticating doping program ever in sports.
CNN's Don Riddell has or was there.
DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, in many ways, it's been a very positive weekend for Livestrong in Lance Armstrong's home city of Austin. Some 4,000 cyclists are preparing to ride through the streets of the city with Lance on Sunday morning. This following a successful gala dinner on Friday night in which the organization says they raised something in the region of $2.5 million. But of course, that's only half of the story.
Lance Armstrong's personal problems and a doping scandal he's engulfed in remains very much, a talking point. And having to step down as the chairman of the board last week, many are wondering if he can even continue on the board of directors.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIDDELL (voice-over): He's been accused, disgraced, and humiliated. But in his home town of Austin and within the cancer community in particular, Lance Armstrong is still very much loved.
LANCE ARMSTRONG, CYCLIST: I've been better. But I've also been worse. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me.
RIDDELL: Speaking publicly for the first time since he was engulfed by a doping scandal, Armstrong admitted it had been a difficult two weeks. Fourteen days in which he had been branded as a cheat and a liar. Dropped by almost all of his sponsors, and forced to resign as chairman of his own charity, Livestrong.
You have been a proud supporting of this organization in the last eight years. Has anything changed in the last days?
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: In the last days, no, I think it was an organization that was developed by somebody who has been an enormous inspiration to so many and to myself, and done an incredible amount of good. I expect it will continue.
RIDDELL: Does he remain an inspiration, sir? PENN: Yes. Of course he remains an inspiration. You know, I think anybody who is looking with a clear eye at this would find themselves very hypocritical to think otherwise.
RIDDELL: Sean Penn is one of several Hollywood a-listers supporting Armstrong and Livestrong, a foundation that raised almost half a billion dollars and helped 2.5 million people worldwide since 1997. But, some of Armstrong's donors have told CNN they now want their money back, and the foundation may find that Armstrong's continued involvement does more harm than good.
DOCTOR MICHAEL WOLF, LIVESTRONG SUPPORTER: The interesting thing if you interview 1800 people tonight, probably 1800 will tell you to use the phrase that first book, which is not about the bike. It's not about Lance. It's for all of us, the foundation, and the cancer support program.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIDDELL: Well, despite that level of support, Armstrong's future with Livestrong remains uncertain. He'll spend the rest of the weekend continuing with those fund-raising efforts, but on Monday, the international cycling union has the power to really complete this spectacular fall from grace. They have the power to strip him of his seven Tour de France titles and given the pressure they're under at the moment they may well decide to do so, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Thank you, Don. And that was Don Riddell.
And as he mentioned, the next big thing in the Armstrong case is when we hear from the cycling union and that of course is going to be Monday.
Well, veterans of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan often come home to have to fight another battle, trying to find a job. But one army vet decided to use what he learned in the military to start a business.
Sarah Hoye has his story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE DERING, U.S. ARMY VETERAN: In 2003, I was deployed with the 101st airborne division as part of Iraqi freedom. When I came home, I didn't really have a plan. I decided to do something I was good at. When I was a leader in the army, you're asked to lead soldiers into combat situations that are pretty stressful. Being trained for that allowed me to have the courage and the confidence to be able to do what I did in the army in a civilian side.
SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So in 2008, Joe Dering started empower in Middleton, Connecticut, empowers an outdoor adventure facility that teaches leadership and team building.
DERING: Just do the best you can plus one step.
Get them one step out of the comfort zone and push themselves just a little more because they're going to learn and grow from that experience.
HOYE: Joe used different types of networking to help his business grow and succeed.
DERING: Using the small business administration, using the chamber of commerce, using organizations that are willing to help veterans.
Good posture.
HOYE: The Company has been profitable since 2009. Joe has 15 employees and the business is still growing.
DERING: All of the adventure type activities that the army uses to train officers and leaders I thought would be a good concept to bring to the general public.
Climb on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: And Joe is not alone in his business venture. According to the latest numbers that come to us from the U.S. census department, there are more than two million businesses that are owned by veterans in the United States.
The U.S. economy, whether we like it or not, it depends a lot on China. It's likely to come up again in Monday night's presidential debate. What if anything, can either candidate really do to China? We are going to talk about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Welcome back. I'm Martin Savidge, in for Fredricka Whitfield. It's half past the hour and these are the top stories we are watching right now in the CNN newsroom.
Just a short time ago, we learned that the numbers are up again in the deadly fungal meningitis outbreak. The CDC is now reporting 13 new cases. They also now report 281 overall cases with 21 deaths. The FDA raided the company blamed for causing the deadly outbreak this week. Most patients got sick after being given contaminated steroid injections used for back and neck pain.
While President Obama and former governor Mitt Romney prepare for Monday's debate, their running mates are campaigning as hard as ever.
Republican Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan has made his way from Pennsylvania now to the battleground state of Ohio. He is rallying voters in coal mining country in the town of Belmont, Ohio this afternoon.
Vice president Joe Biden is in Florida. He rallied voters in St. Augustine, telling voters the president supports women's rights and Romney doesn't. He cited Romney not supporting the equal pay for equal work law. When people decide on a president in November, how they feel on China could influence the outcome. And as CNN's Stan Grant shows us both men vying for the White House are not letting up on bashing China, hoping to score some political points.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JON LEVINE, UNIVERSITY LECTURER: Hello. My name is Jon Levine. I'm from New York City, New York, United States of America. And I came to China in search of gainful employment. I was unemployed and then severely underemployed and then I left.
STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And this is where he ended up. Tsinghua University in Beijing where he now teaches Chinese students about the country he's left behind. 25- year-old Jonathan Levine had a master's degree and a dead end job. "Good-bye, America. Hello, China, the new land of opportunity."
Look at this. How hard is it to get used to this?
LEVINE: A long march.
GRANT: A long march indeed for Jonathan and a world, now, waking up to the full extent of China's powers.
LEVINE: You know, in the states, everyone is so mopey. Everyone, it's the end of the world and there's no jobs. And you know, income and equality is through the roof, and we're back like the gilded age in the U.S.
GRANT: And for presidential candidates looking for someone to blame, enter big, bad China. China, get (INAUDIBLE), boosting exports, China stealing American jobs.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president has a regular opportunity to label them as a currency manipulator but refuses to do so. On day one, I will label China a currency manipulator.
GRANT: Both Governor Romney and President Obama using the debates to prove who is tougher on China.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As far as currency manipulation, the currency is actually gone up 11 percent since I have been president because we have pushed them hard and we put unprecedented trade pressure on China.
GRANT: U.S. military is backing up its interests. President Obama is resetting American power in Asia after wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. More troops on the ground, closer ties to the Asian nation. China sees this as an attempt to thwart its rise. But to people like Jonathan Levine, there's nothing to fear.
LEVINE: It's not like going to the moon. It like it might have been 100 years ago.
GRANT: This is a new world, says Jonathan. The people struggling back home, he says don't bash China.
LEVINE: Get out, get out! Leave everyone behind you.
GRANT: Stan Grant CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: When President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney face off for their final time on Monday night, you can bet that they will pick up where they left off in the last debate, and as we have seen, China is a very hot topic.
Joining us now is a man who has written extensively about China and one who has spent many years living there, author and lawyer Gordon Chang.
And thank you very much for joining us. As we saw in the last debate, China, of course, is the source of tough talk, especially for Mitt Romney where he said on day one if he were to win the presidency, he would label China as a currency manipulator. What is the danger of this tough talk?
GORDON CHANG, AUTHOR, THE COMING COLLAPSE ON CHINA: People talk about a trade war, but I don't really think it's going to happen. After all, countries that run enormous trade surpluses don't start trade wars. And China last year had a $295.4 billion trade surplus against the United States. Last year, China's merchandise trading surplus against us was $190.5 percent of its overall trade surplus. They were running deficits with the rest of the world to run a surplus against the U.S. China is in position to start a trade war. Yes, they'll huff and they'll puff, but they won't really do anything substantive.
SAVIDGE: All right. So, if they don't start a trade war, which of course would be terrifying when you're talking about the number one and number two economies in the world, they still buy a lot of our debt, and there are still other parts of the world in which they seek their help or at least their nod. What I mean by that is say Syria, when you're debating issues like that in the United Nations or what to do with Iran. We need China politically onboard. Do we endanger sort of having them separate from our desires and what we want?
CHANG: Well, to a certain extent I think we would if there were more friction between Beijing and Washington. But the point is China has not been helping on Iran. China in the last five years has been proliferating nuclear weapons technology to Iran. It has been Iran's primary backer in the U.N. Security Council, and the governing board at the international atomic energy agency. It's also been supporting the Iranian economy with its commercial relations. So Iran is a danger to us largely because China has been there, and really making the atomic ayatollahs in a position where they can really hurt us and our allies.
SAVIDGE: What can either candidate really do about China? I mean, when they get into office after all this tough talk has been said, in reality, what can they do? CHANG: Well, I think there will be a different kind of position of the new administration, whoever is elected. And that will be because they're reacting to what Beijing is doing. And so basically, we are not going to have a choice.
But you know, to a certain extent, China right now is going through a very difficult period where you have the economy slumping and the communist party is fracturing, and those large issues which really make China really volatile, there's nothing the United States can do about those except to wait and watch.
SAVIDGE: And there is a transition of power that is taking place in China as it happens every decade. And of course, there will be one taking place maybe here in the United States.
Gordon Chang, thank you very much for your insights.
CHANG: Thank you.
SAVIDGE: The last debate between Mitt Romney and President Obama will happen on Monday night, and you can watch that showdown, yes, right here on CNN at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
If you are a fanatic for your ipad, then, you are going to go wild with Apple's latest gizmo, we have the details.
And an intimate look at Ethel Kennedy through the eyes of her daughter. If you thought you had known all there was about America's royal family, guess again. That's ahead on NEWSROOM.
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SAVIDGE: Always like to point out things you might have missed.
An exploding meteor lit up the skies over northern California. This was early Thursday morning. Some observers say it was accompanied by a loud crash which may have been a sonic boom. That annual meteor shower is made up from debris from Haley's comet.
The next big thing in tech could be something small. Apple is expected to unveil the new tablet, the ipad mini, Tuesday. Usually, the company released an invitation to members of the media, hinting of what the event Tuesday will be all about.
And joining me to talk about all things tablet is CNN Money and tech reporter Laurie Segall.
Laurie, how are you?
LAURIE SEGALL, CNN MONEY TECHNOLOGY REPORTER: Good. How are you doing?
SAVIDGE: Not bad. So, what can we expect? I mean, it's a big announcement about a little thing, right?
SEGALL: Sure. I mean, I have to say, Apple did this with the iphone 5. They sent out these invitations with a shadow of a "5," and all of us knew. So, they are pretty much giving it away that this is most likely going to be the ipad mini event. A lot of speculation about this and a lot of folks talking about it. The biggest thing that we are looking at here is the size. So, normally the ipad, the normal ipad is about ten inches. This, they are saying, is going to be around seven inches. I mean, I should say this is speculation.
If you look, also, there were photos that were quote/unquote "leaked." So, we don't know if they're real photos, but it essentially looks like a smaller ipad 2. So, all the bells and whistles of a normal ipad, but just a shrunken one. 3G access, a lot of people say this will have 3G access, also the cost. The biggest thing I think when it comes to it is the cost. And it's going to be less than $300, that's what they're saying. So, you know, to have a $250 to $300 tablet, put it out there, I think that would be a bold move for Apple.
SAVIDGE: Yes. Well, this is of course probably a reaction also to competition. Steve Jobs once said though that he, you know, would never make a smaller tablet, saying they are limited to how close you can place elements on a touch screen before they get in the way of each other. And he said the ten inch should be the minimum for a tablet. So, why does the company seem to be going against Steve Jobs?
SEGALL: Well you know, I think you hit it before when you said competition. You look at all of the contenders out there now. You have the Google has launched "Nexus 7." You have the kindle fire, and a lot of people are buying these. And these are cheaper, smaller tablets, you know.
If you look right here, I've got one right here. This is the "Nexus 7," easy to hold, easy to put in your purse. And you know, there may be finding that this is a place, this is a market they want to enter. And I will say, Apple shares the tablet market over 60 percent. So, if they decide to get into this, which it seems like they're going to get into this, a lot of these competitors are going to have to watch out.
SAVIDGE: Price, you said that was the primary motivator there. Is this the primary advantage for the consumer?
SEGALL: Yes. I think -- I spoke to an analyst about this, and I said you have an ipad, why get a smaller ipad? He said its price, you know. Its price and it's also something a little bit more portable. If you're the kind of person, you don't really use your ipad as a second computer, some would say you use it like the kindle fire, a lot of people use that to read e-books, and the "Nexus 7", which is $199, a lot of people use that to consume media.
You know, the ipad mini, if they decide to release it in the $200s, it's going to go really, you know, go head to head with these and a lot of people just want to be able to take something, have it be portable, be able to put it in your pocket and that kind of thing, and it looks like there could be a space for that.
SAVIDGE: And just in time for the holidays. Laurie Segall, thanks very much. All eyes focused on Apple on Tuesday. We appreciate your insights, thanks.
SEGALL: Thanks.
SAVIDGE: And for more on high-tech ideas and reviews, just go to CNN.com/tech and look for the gaming and gadgets tab.
She's the sister-in-law of an assassinated president, the widow of his slain brother, the mother of 11 children and the matriarch of the Kennedy clan. In a moment, a personal and intimate look at Ethel Kennedy like you have never seen before.
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SAVIDGE: Most of us are very familiar with the story of President John F. Kennedy and his family. The story of JFK's brother Robert and his wife Ethel, maybe not quite as familiar. This weekend, HBO is airing the movie "Ethel," the award-winning producer and director of this documentary has a very personal interest in the subject. She's Robert and Ethel's daughter, Rory Kennedy.
Fredricka Whitfield asked Rory about convincing her mother to do the film.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Your mom was reluctant to do this.
ETHEL KENNEDY, WIFE OF ROBERT KENNEDY: Why should I answer all these questions?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we're making a documentary about you.
(LAUGHTER)
ETHEL KENNEDY: That's a bad idea.
WHITFIELD: So what provoked you to do a documentary about your mom, Ethel, and be so persistent about it?
RORY KENNEDY, DAUGHTER OF ETHEL AND ROBERT KENNEDY: Well, HBO had approached me to do this film, and I was resistant to it. I said no a number of times, but they were very persistent, Sheila Nevens. And then I figured I would ask my mother and she would say no because she doesn't like doing interviews. She hasn't done one in 25 years and she has never really told the story of her life. And I asked her and she surprised me said and yes.
WHITFIELD: Your mom and dad met skiing.
ETHEL KENNEDY: We made a bet right away about who could get down the mountain faster.
WHITFIELD: Your mom said it was love at first sight. Your mom, amazingly out going, athletic. Your dad athletic as well, but quiet and a bit more reserved. Yet, you said they really did complement each other as individuals, as parents, in the world of politics. Is that one of the big reveals in this documentary?
RORY KENNEDY: I think it is. I think to show the world that my mother played, there's been a lot of attention over the years about my family, which has been really wonderful, but it has mostly focused on the men in the family, and it's nice to show the role that women played, that my mother played as partner with my father. He was obviously on the forefront of so many extraordinary moments in our nation's history, civil rights movement, the Cuban missile crisis, really significant events.
But my mother played a significant role in those as well. And so, this film really shifts the perspective of it to explore what she did, how she contributed, and how they really worked together to create social change.
WHITFIELD: And do you think in large part people knew that or do you believe that's one of the surprises about this documentary, about your mom, Ethel?
RORY KENNEDY: No, I think it's a bit of a reveal in the film to change the spotlight a bit and to look and really examine the role she played. So many people come up to me afterwards, after watching the film and say I had no idea both who your mother was as a character, as a person going through the world, and then also her contribution, and I think it's significant and it adds a new dimension to, you know, to the story that I hope is helpful, and you know, is meaningful to people.
WHITFIELD: One of the other fun surprises was that your dad actually dated your mom's sister pat for two years. And also, that Arthur Schlesinger would write that your mom, once they finally got back together again, that your mom really did bring out your dad emotionally. What did you learn about your parents, your family as a whole in all of this?
RORY KENNEDY: Oh, it's such a great experience for me. I was able to sit down with my mother for five days and ask her every question I ever wanted to ask. I'm the youngest of 11 children, and so it was also nice for me to be able to speak with my older brothers and sisters because they had a very different experience growing up than I did. I'm the other end of the spectrum than my siblings Kathleen, Joe, Bobby, my older siblings, so they had a very different childhood, and sometimes, you know, life goes by and you don't have time to sit back and ask these questions, what was it like in the house during the Cuban missile crisis? What was it like during the civil rights movement? And there's some insight in to those answers that I think have never been shared before. And I found them fascinating, and I'm hopeful that other people will find it interesting, as well.
WHITFIELD: Like you said, you have been wanting to talk to your mom about these questions for a long time. And it really has been a labor of love to get this off the ground.
RORY KENNEDY: Well, it was, you know, it was a difficult project for me, because I am -- I make documentaries, and I always shed light on issues that are outside of my own world. And try to bring attention to things that otherwise might not be focused on in the main stream media. So, this was a very different experience for me to kind of focus more inward towards my own family. But in that way it was -- probably my hardest film. But I think, I hope that people will find some insights into it. I certainly did, and I hope others will, too.
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SAVIDGE: Imagine we all will, tomorrow at 4:00, we will have part two of Fredricka's interview with Rory Kennedy. Find out what her mother, Ethel, absolutely not address on camera. "Ethel" airs on HBO Sunday afternoon at 1:45 p.m. and this Wednesday evening at 6:45 p.m. Check hbo.com for replays after that.
A kayaker making an unlikely discovery at sea, a dog, moments away from drowning, you will see how the rescue happened just ahead.
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SAVIDGE: I love that story. And this is worth your time.
A dog whose owner says slipped her leash while on a walk, ended up almost underwater. It is normal to see fish in the sea and even a dolphin, but a shiatsu?
CNN's Jeanne Moos has that story.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a doggy rescue at sea. Charlie Head was on his paddle board off the coast of England, making a 600 mile trip. Next year, he is planning a 3,000 mile paddle across the Atlantic. The water sports instructor had been followed by a playful seal, chased by stormy weather.
CHARLIE HEAD, WATER SPORTS INSTRUCTOR (voice-over): And then "ooh, raaah."
MOOS: But the real "ahh" moment was when Charlie spotted a little dog stranded on rocks as the tide came in.
HEAD: And he just sat there like a little dude, wondering what the heck to do.
MOOS: The shiatsu, later identified as bam-bam, was marooned at the tip of a rock jetty, submerged by high tide. How surprised were you to see a dog there?
HEAD: Just a remarkable, ridiculous place.
MOOS: Though the dog was panicking, Charlie managed to lift her into his paddle boat.
HEAD: It is OK, it is OK.
MOOS: His iphone camera in a water proof case was strapped to his neck between the tide and high winds. HEAD: At least we had about ten minutes until he would have been a goner.
It is OK, it is OK.
MOOS: Charlie paddled to shore and brought the dog to the nearest pub at the Hampton inn, and an embedded chip animal rescue folks identified the dog. The rocks on which the dog was stuck were part of a man made sea wall, called a groin, and the pooch ended up going from one groin to the other.
HEAD: What are you doing out here? All right, let's get you in. I realized that he was by in le legs, and off he went.
MOOS: When the shiatsu hit the (INAUDIBLE), Charlie Head was in the right spot.
Jeanne moos, CNN, New York.
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SAVIDGE: Thank goodness he was there, nice to see a rescue at sea.
Well, with the election just two weeks away, new voter id laws have sparked an intense battle over two counts. Now, questions are being asked about the message behind a billboard in one state, warning against voter fraud. That story is just moments away.
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