another edition of "larry king live" into the record books. time now for anderson cooper and "ac 360." anderson. we are going to have more and new developments in the investigation of michael jackson's death. a number of his doctors are being investigated. attention on his dermatologist. new details on the custody front. we begin with my exclusive visit with the president in ghana. he arrived at one of the most haunting destinations one can visit, cape coast castle, where millions of slaves were held over hundreds of years before being shipped off, bound and shackled. the president toured the castle and its dungeons with his family, michelle obama, sasha and malia. they walked through the door of no return, the portal in which so many enslaved africans were forced to never return home again. after the president was finished

with his tour with his family i walked through the castle with him and towards the door of no return. as you walk around this castle, what goes through your mind? >> well, obviously, it's a powerful moment not just for myself but i think for michelle and the girls. i'm reminded of the same feeling i got when i went to buchenwald. you almost feel as if the walls can speak. you try to protect yourself into the incredibly harrowing moments that people go through. >> how did you explain it to sasha and malia? >> well, you try to explain that people were willing to degrade others because they appeared differently and you try to get

them to engage in the imaginative act of what it would be like if they were snatched away from mom and dad and sent to some place they had never seen before. but, you know, part of what you also try to do with kids is to get them to imagine themselves on the other side. as being the slave merchant. and that slave merchant might have loved their children and gone to that, you know, place of worship right above the dungeon. and get them to make sure they're constantly asking themselves questions about whether they are treating people fairly and whether they are examining their own behavior and how it affects others. >> you referenced in the campaign in your speech on race about your own life, mrs. obama as that blood of slaves and slave owners.

>> right. >> how did she respond? >> you know, i haven't had the chance to process it. we were listening and talking to the children. i can't imagine that for her, for her mother, who is with us, our children's godmother who is with us, all of whom are direct descendants of slaves that seeing that portal doesn't send a powerful message of the kinds of emotions that must be evoked. on the one hand, through this door that the journey of the african-american experience begins and, you know, michelle and her family, like me, draw incredible inspiration and strength from that african-american journey. >> this is the door of no return through which hundreds of

thousands of slaves were sent. >> were sent. on the other hand, obviously, there a sense of what a profound sorrow must have been felt as people were hauled off into the great unknown. >> do you think what happened here still has resonance in america, that the slave experience still is something that should be talked about and should be remembered and should be present in everyday life? >> well, you know, i think that the experience of slavery is like the experience of the holocaust. i think it's one of those things you don't forget about. i think it is important that the way we think about it and the way it's taught is not one in which there's simply a victim and a victimizer and that's the

end of the story. i think the way it has to be thought about, the reason it's relevant is because whether it's what's happening in the darfur or in the congo or in too many places around the world, you know, the capacity for cruelty still exists, the capacity for discrimination still exists. the capacity to think about people who are different not just on the basis of race but on the basis of religion or the basis of sexual orientation or gender still exists. and so, you know, trying to use these kinds of extraordinary moments to widen the lens and make sure that we're all reflecting on how we're treating each other is something i want my kids to think about and every child to think about. >> they say this is the door of return for african-americans revisiting ghana.

i talked to one woman who said coming here is such a powerful experience she decided to move here. you met with many african-americans who decided to move here. they say there is a sense of coming home. do you understand that feel something. >> you know, i will tell you the first time i travelled to africa, i think there is a special sense for african-americans of somehow connecting up with a part of yourself that you might not have even been aware with uh there. obviously for me it was different because i was directly meeting relatives and learning about a father i didn't know, but i do think there's a sense for a lot of african-americans that it's a profound life-changing experience. the interest thing is i have met a lot of white americans who

come to africa and say it was a life changing experience for them, too. >> this is the home where everyone comes. >> exactly. there is a powerful sense of tapping into something very elemental. >> you always come back. >> yeah. you do. but i do think that the spirit, particularly of place like ghana, where, you know, for all the difficulties it is still going through, the people are incredibly open and friendly and welcoming. i think that makes a difference for a lot of people who, you know, maybe african-americans who feel somehow that they never fully belong. the only thing i would say, though, is there's a flip side to this which is i know an awful lot of african-americans who come to africa, are profoundly moved but also realize how american they are when they are

here. and, you know, recognize that they could never live here. that is part of the african-american experience. you are in some ways connected to this distant land but on the other hand you are about as american as it gets. in some ways african-americans are more fundamentally rooted in the american experience because they don't have a recent immigrant experience to draw on. it is a -- that unique african-american culture that has existed in north america for hundreds of years, long before we actually founded the nation. >> just before our time with the president ended i asked him to answer a quick lightning round of questions. what is the strangest experience you have had on this trip? >> the fact that my trip director had to have stitches. he got a big gash getting on the helicopter. of course, he is 6'8". michelle's assistant twisted her ankle. we have to give combat pay for

these trips. >> what is the favorite moment your girls have had on the trip? >> other than watching sponge bob in their hotel? actually, you know my favorite experience was watching my girls interact with the pope. because when you start seeing your kids growing up and they're being very, you know, courteous and thoughtful but unflappable in a setting like that, it makes you realize that they're not going to be around that long. >> you are getting gray. are you worried about it? >> as long as i've got you as a role model, i'm all right. >> not so bad. we got you a gift. i wanted to give it to you at the end so people wouldn't say i was sucking up. it is a traditional african

shirt. >> there is a version with michelle and me and -- >> we got one for mrs. obama. i'm not sure she wants to wear your picture around. >> yeah. we will have this as a keepsake but you probably won't see me wearing this in the oval office. >> thank you for your time. >> thank you so much. >> part of a special hour i will be hosting this weekend, saturday and sunday night 8:00 eastern time repeating again at 11:00. let us know what you think. join the live chat at ac360.com. what the president and his family saw in the dungeons of cape coast castle where enslaved africans were starved to the bring of death and those who fought back were suffocated alive. michelle obama's roots, a desen dent of slaves and slave owners. we retrace those roots to a south carolina rice plantation. new developments in the

michael jackson custody case and investigation to his death. what the coroner took from jackson's dermatologist today. that and more when we continue. a car that can help awaken its driver if he begins to doze... keep him in his lane if he starts to wander... even stop itself if he becomes distracted. if you want to see the future of the automobile, just look at the new e-class... today. this is the 9th generation e-class. this is mercedes-benz. this is the 9th generation e-class. mom vo: i can't start the first grade with her. mom vo: i can't hold her hand on the bus. mom vo: or be there to show everyone how great she is. mom vo: but what i can do is give hp$ everything she needs to be excited for school, while staying in my budget. mom: that's why i go to walmart. mom vo: she has everything she needs. and then some. anncr vo: get them everything they need to succeed at an unbeatable walmart price. vo: back to school costs less at walmart.

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it's not known how many enslaved africans were sent to the knew world of the 400 years of transatlantic slave trade, estimates are 12 million to 40 million. untold africans died, as many as 500 to a short.

held for transport, beaten, the women raped. we want to take you inside the castle and dungeons and show you what human beings were forced to endure and what the president and his family witnessed this weekend. what must have been the most emotional part of his trip took place here in cape coast castle where enslaved africans were held before being shipped to americans. as soon as they were brought here the men were separated from the women. the men were forced into this area, the male dungeon. these rooms would hold as many as 1,000 africans at one time. they are large cavernous rooms. small windows for haven'tlation. you get a little bit of light. that the only light.

there are five different rooms. each one would hold 200 slaves. there is no toilets, of course. there is a gutter that runs down the middle of the floor. this would be used for un and for feces. but archaeologists have found the entire floors were covered with feces a foot thick they excavated a few years ago. many of the men held in this cells never got out. they died in these rooms of malnutrition, disease, brutality. every day a check would be done on who was still living, who had died. bodies would be removed, placed into this room, those who were about to die would be placed here as well. this is the final resting place of untold number of africans. many tried to fight back, escape even when they got here. the punishment for doing that was death. this is the place they were killed. the punishment cell. it is one of the most horrible places you will ever visit.

once ean slaved african was forced through this door it was a death sentence. as many as 20 or 30 enslaved africans would be forced to live in this room until they died. as you can see there is no light in here except light from our camera, no windows, these walls are incredibly thick, stone covered with plaster and what is so eerie is this looks like scratch marks, people literally trying to claw their way out. there are spots on the floors, markings where people were trying to dig themselves out. circular markings, no one is sure what that is. they think it is people who were here trying to claw out, trying to pass the time. there are some spots where you can see teeth marks on the floor. there is no bathroom in here. once you are in this room it was a death sentence.

women who were kidnapped were brought here, separated into two different dungeons, each held about 150 people. 150 women crammed into this room, stuck here from two weeks to several months new york city where to go, not sure what is going to happen to them. no place to go to the bathroom, fed just twice a day. it is an eerie place to be. if a woman was detected to be pregnant she would maybe be allowed to leave. it is a short walk from the female dungeons to the door of no return. women and men who were held captive here were ultimately led down this corridor through this door, the door of no return, they call it. on the other side of the door were slave ships waiting to take them to a life of bondage in the new world and in some cases to america. many died on the difficult journey over, their bodies simply tossed overboard. once they went through this door they would never set foot in africa again.

the door of no return. michelle obama's ancestors may have been held in dungeons like the one you just saw, may have walked through that door. joe johns takes us to the south carolina plantation where her earliest ancestor worked and the life he was forced to live. the murder of the florida couple who adopted 13 special needs kids. we'll be right back. gggggg

new developments ahead in the michael jackson invest. first randy kay with the "360" bulletin. >> day two of her senator grilling, judge sonia sotomayor pushing back against republican charges she would bring bias and a liberal agenda to her seat as the first hispanic woman on the court. when gop senators tried to undercut her with her own words sotomayor insisted repeatedly she would be impartial if

confirmed. two days after breaking out of a maximum security prison in indiana a rapist and murderer remain at large. a massive manhunt called off today. a third inmate was captured yesterday in southwestern michigan. federal prisoner number 61727-054, you know him as convicted swindler bernard madoff arrived at a medium security prison in north carolina. the federal correctional complex is 45 miles west of raleigh. the 71-year-old one time multimillionaire will likely spend the rest of his life right there. in st. louis, president obama threw out the first pitch at tonight's annual all-star game at busch stadium. he pulled it off, putting the ball across the plate. respectable showing for a guy who is better known for his moves on the basketball court. looking comfortable there.

anderson, the all-stars were star truck. >> the original video showed the actual pitch. we caught it on the reverse. next, the latest on michael jackson. investigator for the coroner paying a visit to one of the singer's doctors. debbie rowe will get millions to drop a custody battle. the motive for murder, a florida couple who adopted more than a dozen kids. why were they killed? authorities have some answers. we trace michelle obama's roots. we'll be right back.

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we had planned to show you a piece about retracing michelle obama's roots. the tape -- i don't know, it is stuck in the edit room. we are having a problem getting it to air tonight. we will air that tomorrow night. it is part of a special we are airing this weekend. we want to turn to the michael jackson story. the los angeles coroner's chief investigator visited the office of jackson's dermatologist. a new battle erupted over the report that debbie rowe and the jacksons reached a custody deal. randy kay joins us. take us over the custody battle. >> it was quite a day. we reported on "360" there was a deal being brokered behind the scenes by attorneys for katherine jackson how to get debbie rowe out of the custody picture. rowe stands to be paid many millions. today the new york post reported

debbie rowe had reached a deal. the article said specifically rowe had sold her kids again. that is the wording they used. the post reported that rowe was paid $4 million in exchange for custody of her kids. so jackson's mom could raise them. rowe's attorney told cnn the story is "completely false." hours later that same attorney fired off a letter to the new york post demanding an immediate retraction saying there is no agreement reached between ms. rowe and the jacksons and ms. rowe has not and will not give up parental rights. the letter does not deny there is negotiation. it simply says there is no agreement. >> there was drama at the office of arnie klein today. what happened there? what did they take? >> the chief investigator for the l.a. county coroner's office showed up at around klein's

office, jackson's long time dermatologist on the list of doctors investigators are looking at. dr. klein told larry king he has not been questioned and opened his records a long time ago. late today a crush of media descended on dr. klein's office to get a glimpse of the assistant coroner collecting whatever he was there to pick up. this is interesting because we know jackson was at dr. klein's office just a few days before his death. klein told cnn he looked healthy at the time that day and danced for the other patients, he said. >> what is interesting is the interview he did with larry he had given documents to the medical examiner's office a while ago but didn't seem to indicate he was the focus of any investigation. you reported he was one of the doctors on the list. that seems to be born out by what we are seeing today. you talked to one of the people

in charge of jackson's security detail. what did he say about jackson? >> this was interesting. we haven't heard from this man before. i had a lengthy conference for him. he worked for jackson from 2001 to 2004 and he told me "jackson and i spoke of his addiction and how hard he was working and how he was trying to do everything in his power to avoid having a need to be on drugs." this is the first time we were hearing that michael jackson admitted he had an addiction. he said jackson was taking lots of prescription medicines and "didn't like the way it made him feel." he told me jackson had serious trouble sleeping. he had a "constant beat in his head." he said they stayed up all night on many nights because "jackson could not shut off his brain." this is years ago, 2004, but that goes a long with what we have heard that michael jackson could not sleep.

he had insomnia. according to his former nurse who you sbur viewed, in fact, that is why he begged her for the diprivan, the powerful sedative. she told cnn he just wanted to sleep. >> at this point, randy, do we know when the toxicology report comes out? is it next week? >> we were told by the coroner, ed winter, he talked to reporters outside arnold klein's office. he said they are on schedule and it would be probably midweek next week. it is looking like midweek next week. >> randy, thanks very much. a lot of moving pieces. let's dig deeper. jim moret joins us. he is an attorney. cnn senior legal analyst jeffrey toobin. debbie rowe's attorney made it pretty clear a deal has not been made but he did not deny a

negotiation was taking place. >> that is correct. we have been hearing a negotiation has been taking place. that is born out that the delay, two delays at the request of both sides indicated both of them are coming together to try to keep this out of court and from being a bitter court battle. >> jeff, in terms of the points of the negotiation. there could be a couple of things, one, money, two, visitation rights or the actual custody rights. >> that's right. what makes this so peculiar and ironic is debbie rowe had virtually no leverage to get back involved in michael jackson's life or back on the jackson gravy train but michael's death gives her tremendous leverage because she the surviving parent of two of the three children and so she would have a legal claim to custody. now because of the absence of a real relationship between her and those two children she

probably -- or she might not get custody but it would be in the jackson family's interest to give her some money to go away, which is a big profit potential for her. >> it is interesting, jim, it was being reported that rowe didn't want joe jackson involved in raising the kids. but if there is some sort of negotiation in which custody ends up with katherine jackson and she gives up visitation rights or parental right, debbie rowe does, that would seem to allow joe jackson to ak ses the kids whenever he wanted. >> yes, but michael jackson's will names only katherine not joe. joe has been hurting himself by making statements to the media, talking about putting these kids on stage and talking about his record company at the b.e.t. awards. very inappropriate statements. that is what prompted debbie rowe to tell a local reporter last week i want a restraining order to keep this guy away from

my kids. jeff's right. these are her biological children. >> jeff, would she be able to get a restraining order to keep joe jackson away from the kids? >> it is very hard to figure what her rights would be and what her leverage would be. if she were so concerned about joe jackson, if she were so concerned about the children in general she would have taken a much more active role over the past 11 and 12 years. yes, it does seem like a judge would be concerned that joe jackson who michael accused of abusing him would have access to the kids but debbie rowe would not seem to be the person who had the legal or moral authority to raise that because she has had so little contact with the children over the years. >> as far as we know joe jackson lives in las vegas, katherine jackson lives in california. they are basically separated. >> they are. i understand they spend quite a bit of time together.

i have seen her interviewed just recently and she talks about how she goes to las vegas to stay with her husband. they celebrated 60 years together. all the reports of their marriage failing don't add up quite honestly. they are very much together and very much in the business of raising possibly not only michael jackson's children but some of their other grandchildren from some of their own children. they seem to be not divorced and very much in touch and together. >> jim do we know what kind of relationship joe jackson has had with these kids? >> i don't believe he has had any relationship. michael jackson was vocal and public about his feelings about his father. i don't believe he has had any relationship with them whatsoever. that may be what has brought debbie rowe into the picture. she may have said -- it is difficult to know her motivation. i don't claim to. she may have said michael is a great father but now he is gone

maybe she has a renewed interest in making sure they are cared for. >> jeff, let's talk about the investigation. coroner's report should be ready by next week. an investigator at arnie klein's office looking at more medical records. at this point what do you think they are looking for? i mean, they have, early on, according to sanjay gupta, they would have had most of the toxicology reports back and they would know what drugs were in his system, except the brain analysis. >> they are looking for where he got the drugs and under what circumstances he got the drugs. did he get them legitimately? did he get them under his own prescriptions did he get them through other people's prescriptions? i don't know for sure but i think it is likely it is a complex story of how many doctors were giving prescriptions, where the drugs came from, who administered

them, who knew the drugs were coming. it is likely to be a complicated story that will take weeks if not months for the authorities to figure out. >> jim, the coroner's office says the report is ready soon. do you think they have a good idea what led to his death? >> i think they do. jeff's point is excellent. you have to trace specific drugs. you know michael jackson was at dr. klein's office a few days earlier. they are not looking at long-term drug use. they are looking at what led to the death, that is what the coroner is concerned with, cause of death. they want to hone it in on what drugs he got specifically from whom. the investigator left with an envelope and i'm assuming they were records of some kind. >> jim, has dr. murray or his attorney made anymore specific staples about what he did or did

not give to michael jackson? in the early days after michael jackson's death when there was so much focus on thing like dem roll and oxycontin, the lawyer said he didn't. people didn't know about diprivan and an anesthesiologist had gone on tour with michael jackson the history tour. has he responded to other drugs? >> dr. murray's mystery, you are right, he was specific about what he didn't give him. he did not talk about diprivan. latoya came out with claims that michael died in dr. murray's room not his own room. there are unanswered questions and we have not heard from him. >> jeff, it seems like a lot of people getting paid for interviews. i'm suspect of information that

comes out of that. latoya getting paid by a british tabloid, joe jackson getting paid by abc news. for video, but we are going to do an interview but not paying for that. is everybody making money on this thing? >> everybody is making money. there is a long history of jackson legal situations being compromised by what is known in the industry as cash for trash. in 1993 the initial child molestation investigation was compromised by the fact that "hard copy" and "inside edition" paid so many of the security guards who were witnesses in that investigation that the authorities gave up. they were too compromised to use them in criminal court. >> jim, do we know who was in michael jackson's inner circle

in this point in the final weeks and months of his life? you talked to long time employees and they say there was this changeover, new people were involved. do we know who really was around him? >> we know that some people who were with him early on were back in the picture. john branca, named as an executor in the will, came back into his life. i can't tell you that these people were actually in the inner circle and caused any of what was going on. this is very complicated. there are complicated relationships not only with doctors but those around him, his employees. i suspect it is going to take time before we can sort out what is going on and what happened. >> jim moret, jeff toobin. randy kay. we want to give you a new twist in a story that is outrageous. an investigation of a former

district attorney in texas who admitted giving hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds to three secretaries. joe frank garza. we couldn't believe it when gary tuchman learned new details, about how much money he was giving away. take a look. >> reporter: it literally paid to be loyal to this man. the former district attorney in texas who was extremely generous to his secretaries who he says watched his back. >> they were my eyes and ears. >> reporter: he says he wrote checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars. it may have quadrupled their income. cnn obtained records and garza paid $1.2 million to the three women over a five-year period, a bonus averaging $81,000 a year for county employees with salaries of $35,000 annually. >> i saw nothing wrong with it.

>> reporter: anderson w so much money at stake the auditor says crime fighting could have happened. the sheer number of checks is fun issing. we will tell you more tomorrow on "360." anderson. >> how is this allowed to happen? we will have gary's full report tomorrow on "360." join the live chat at ac360.com. coming up next the parents of more than a dozen kids killed in their home in florida. new clues, new suspects captured and a look at the lives destroyed. governor sarah palin taking on president obama, his economic plan and sending the country a message she is stepping up her fight. that's ahead. every sunday, lasagna at mom's was a family tradition.

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some people may have muscle cramps... or loss of appetite or may feel tired. in studies, these were usually mild and temporary. mom. talk to your doctor about aricept. don't wait. alzheimer's isn't waiting. tonight more arrests and details in the murder of byrd and melanie billings have shocked many. authorities said their deaths were part of a well planned,

well executed home invasion. it happened with nine of the couple's kids in the house. the crime was brutal. the motive it appears was money. >> reporter: authorities say leonard patrick gonzalez jr. was the ringleader of the seven suspects that murdered byrd and melanie billings. he used the moment to declare his innocence in the court hearing. the first time we have heard from any of the accused. >> circumstantial evidence and a mentally challenged person -- >> reporter: we don't know who gonzalez is talking about but investigators say they arrested all the men who carried out the methodical and chilling murders of the billings couple. these are the pictures of the suspects who face murder charges, one we can't show you because he is a 16-year-old juvenile. the escambia sheriff says

gonzalez jr. and donald ray stallworth have a military background. stallworth is an active duty staff st. >> it was a well planned and well executed operation. >> reporter: after saying robbery was one of several possible motives, they say the robbers burst into the home, killed the couple and took a safe. they suggest something more sinister was behind the killings. >> the safest, easiest thing is to say the motive is robbery. >> reporter: investigators say leonard gonzalez sr. and wayne coltiron worked around the property but beyond that there doesn't seem to be any connection between the sen suspects and the billings family. >> we have found them and they are in custody. >> reporter: the oldest daughter of byrd and melanie billings

tearfully stood by the sheriff's side but left without speaking out. >> it is shocking. so many questions remain. we will look at the victims of this crime. two loving parents, their mission to help kids and the heartbroken family they leave behind. a stunt plane goes down in germany. it is unbelievable. it is our shot tonight. where will you find the stability and resources to keep you ahead of this rapidly evolving world? these are tough questions. that's why we brought together two of the most powerful names in the industry. introducing morgan stanley smith barney. here to rethink wealth management. here to answer... your questions. morgan stanley smith barney. a new wealth management firm with over 130 years of experience.

before the break we told you about the arrests in the murders of byrd and melanie billings. police have seven suspects in custody looking for one more person as the investigation moves forward. we want to take a closer look at the billings who they were, what they did and why they touched the lives of so many people. here is david mattingly. >> reporter: outside the spacious pensacola home, a small memorial for an extraordinary couple. byrd and melanie billings, their love immeasurable, their deaths unthinkable. >> our mom and dad had love in their lives they knew they were soul mates. >> reporter: soul mates with a calling to let their family grow. they had two biological children from first marriages and together they adopted 13 other children, several with developmental dx, others came from abused homes and drug addicted parents, all embraced with open arms and unconditional

love. >> to our mom and dad, their children were perfect, angels that god provided them with to love eterinly. >> reporter: the affection overflowed from getting the kids ready for sleep to sending them to school. >> they would get on the bus and she would call them her princes. the little boy would blow her kisses. i would say ms. billings, he is blowing you a kiss. she would blow him a kiss back. >> reporter: they appeared financially secure, business owners, operating used car dealerships and a financial services company. they took out two mortgages on their nine bedroom estate, one for $300,000 in 2003, another for $265,000 last year. the house is worth an estimated $700,000. they had an elaborate surveillance system but authorities say it was there to keep an eye on the kids. >> those are special needs children. you cannot live in an open

environment with that number of children that they have so your surveillance system, your security systems and the safety measures were placed there for what? for the safety of the children. >> reporter: tragedy has marked the billings before, three times with the deaths of two adopted children and one biological child. now in the wake of the killings, a pledge from a family torn apart to stay together. >> we know our parents are watching other us now, reunited with their three angels in heaven. they will give us strength to make it through the hard times and their love to make the world a better place as they always did. >> reporter: the billings did make plans for the care of their children. a spokeswoman said the children will be kept together as a family and raised by family. david mattingly, cnn, pensacola. >> hard to imagine what they are going through right now. an update on a story we have been following, dozens of day care kids forced from a pool,

they say because of the color of their skin. the swim club is inviting them back. sarah palin taking on president obama. we'll be right back.

what happens when a plane falls from the sky and slams into a car? you won't believe what happens. there is our shot of the day. randy kay is back with the "360" bull tip. randy. >> sarah palin is speaking out again. this time in the pages of the "washington post." in an op-ed column the departing alaska governor slams what she calls president obama's cap-and-tax energy plan to reduce carbon emissions. governor palin warning it will inflict permanent damage on the economy. the swim club turning minority children away. the club invited the daycare center children back. the center said, no thanks. the kids were scarred. attorneys for the center say they will be suing.

cheating senator john enson says he is running again despite his scandal with a former campaign staffer. the affair and the word that his parents paid the mistress' family $100,000 not swaying the nevada republican. he will seek re-election come 2012. paris is famous for beauty, food, notorious for giving outsiders the cold shoulder t. government wants that last little bit to change. the paris tourist board is asking parisians to smile. >> a lot to smile about. it is a beautiful place. >> our beat 360 winners. a chance to show up our staffers coming up with a caption better than we can come up with. take a look at the picture. president obama talking with chief of staff rahm emanuel. our staff winner tonight, one of

our summer interns, rahm s. that anderson wanting to do another interview? let me talk to him. the winner, it is berlusconi on the phone. he needs an albie for last friday. congratulations. >> still ahead, a plane doing daredevil maneuvers and a car in the wrong place at the wrong time. all caught on tape. we'll show you how it played out. my exclusive walk and talk with president obama at cape coast castle. we'll be right back. 90s slacker hip-hop. ♪ singer: buckle up, everybody 'cause pu're taking a ride ♪ ♪ that can strain your relationships and hurt your pride ♪ ♪ it's the credit roller coaster ♪ ♪ and as you can see it kinda bites! ♪ ♪ so sing the lyrics with me: ♪ when your debt goes up your score goes down ♪ ♪ when you pay a little off it goes the other way 'round ♪ ♪ it's just the same for everybody, every boy and girl ♪

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tonight's shot could have ended in tragedy.

d plane flew too low. take a look at how low. it hits a parked car just beyond those trees. a family of three was inside the car. the impact of the collision tore the bottom frame off the airplane. amazingly everyone including the pilot survived with minor injuries. unbelievable. >> that is incredible. you are out for a drive with your family and get hit by an airplane and survive it. >> i know. see our most recent shots at ac360.com. coming up, more of my exclusive tour of cape coast castle with president obama. we'll be right back. taking its rightful place in a long line of amazing performance machines. this is the new e-coupe. this is mercedes-benz.

we are going to have more and new developments in the investigation of michael jackson's death. a number of his doctors are being investigated. attention on his dermatologist. what documents were taken from his office. new details on the custody front. we begin with my exclusive visit with president obama in africa. he arrived at one of the most haunting destinations one can visit, cape coast castle, where millions of slaves were held over hundreds of years before being shipped off, bound and shackled, to the new world, to america. the president toured the castle and its dungeons with his family, michelle obama, sasha and malia. they walked through the door of no return, that's it right there, the portal through which so many enslaved africans were forced, never to see their homeland again. after the president was finished with his tour with his family i walked through the castle with him and towards the door of no return. as you walk around this castle, what goes through your mind?

>> well, obviously, it's a powerful moment not just for myself but i think for michelle and the girls. i'm reminded of the same feeling i got when i went to buchenwald. you almost feel as if the walls can speak. you try to protect yourself into the incredibly harrowing moments that people go through. >> how did you explain it to sasha and malia? >> well, you try to explain that people were willing to degrade others because they appeared differently and you try to get them to engage in the imaginative act of what it would be like if they were snatched away from mom and dad and sent to some place they had never

seen before. but, you know, part of what you also try to do with kids is to get them to imagine themselves on the other side. as being the slave merchant. and that slave merchant might have loved their children and gone to that, you know, place of worship right above the dungeon. and get them to make sure they're constantly asking themselves questions about whether they are treating people fairly and whether they are examining their own behavior and how it affects others. >> you referenced in the campaign in your speech on race about your own life, mrs. obama that she has the blood of slaves and slave owners. >> right. >> how did she respond? >> you know, i haven't had the chance to process it. we were listening and talking to the children. i can't imagine that for her,

for her mother, who is with us, our children's godmother who is with us, all of whom are direct descendants of slaves that seeing that portal doesn't send a powerful message of the kinds of emotions that must be evoked. on the one hand, through this door that the journey of the african-american experience begins and, you know, michelle and her family, like me, draw incredible inspiration and strength from that african-american journey. >> this is the door of no return through which hundreds of thousands of slaves were sent.

>> were sent. on the other hand, obviously, there a sense of what a profound sorrow must have been felt as people were hauled off into the great unknown. >> do you think what happened here still has resonance in america, that the slave experience still is something that should be talked about and should be remembered and should be present in everyday life? >> well, you know, i think that the experience of slavery is like the experience of the holocaust. i think it's one of those things you don't forget about. i think it is important that the way we think about it and the way it's taught is not one in which there's simply a victim and a victimizer and that's the end of the story. i think the way it has to be thought about, the reason it's

relevant is because whether it's what's happening in the darfur or in the congo or in too many places around the world, you know, the capacity for cruelty still exists, the capacity for discrimination still exists. the capacity to think about people who are different not just on the basis of race but on the basis of religion or the basis of sexual orientation or gender still exists. and so, you know, trying to use these kinds of extraordinary moments to widen the lens and make sure that we're all reflecting on how we're treating each other is something i want my kids to think about and every child to think about. >> they say this is the door of return for african-americans revisiting ghana. i talked to one african-american lady yesterday who said coming here is such a powerful experience she decided to move here. you met with many african-americans who decided to

move here. they say there is a sense of coming home. do you understand that feeling? >> you know, i will tell you the first time i traveled to africa, i think there is a special sense for african-americans of somehow connecting up with a part of yourself that you might not have even been aware with uh there. obviously for me it was different because i was directly meeting relatives and learning about a father i didn't know, but i do think there's a sense for a lot of african-americans that it's a profound life-changing experience. the interest thing is i have met a lot of white americans who come to africa and say it was a life changing experience for them, too. >> this is the home where everyone comes.

>> exactly. there is a powerful sense of tapping into something very elemental. >> so what you are telling me is you sort of always come back. >> yeah. you do. but i do think that the spirit, particularly of place like ghana, where, you know, for all the difficulties it is still going through, the people are incredibly open and friendly and welcoming. i think that makes a difference for a lot of people who, you know, maybe african-americans who feel somehow that they never fully belong. the only thing i would say, though, is there's a flip side to this which is i know an awful lot of african-americans who come to africa, are profoundly moved but also realize how american they are when they are here. and, you know, recognize that they could never live here. that is part of the african-american experience. you are in some ways connected

to this distant land but on the other hand you are about as american as it gets. in some ways african-americans are more fundamentally rooted in the american experience because they don't have a recent immigrant experience to draw on. it is a -- that unique african-american culture that has existed in north america for hundreds of years, long before we actually founded the nation. >> just before our time with the president ended i asked him to answer a quick lightning round of questions. what is the strangest experience you have had on this trip? >> the fact that my trip director had to have stitches. he got a big gash getting on the helicopter. of course, he is 6'8". michelle's assistant twisted her ankle. we have to give combat pay for these trips. >> what is the favorite moment your girls have had on the trip? >> other than watching sponge bob in their hotel?

actually, you know my favorite experience was watching my girls interact with the pope. because when you start seeing your kids growing up and they're being very, you know, courteous and thoughtful but unflappable in a setting like that, it makes you realize that they're not going to be around that long. >> you are getting gray. are you worried about it? >> as long as i've got you as a role model, i'm all right. >> not so bad. we got you a gift. i wanted to give it to you at the end so people wouldn't say i was sucking up. i don't know how many presidents get this. it is a traditional african shirt. >> this is very nice. >> they are very popular in ghana. >> there is a version with michelle and me and -- >> is that right? we got one for mrs. obama.

i'm not sure she wants to wear your picture around. >> yeah. we will have this as a keepsake but you probably won't see me wearing this in the oval office. >> thank you for your time. >> thank you so much. moments like those you have seen and many more are part of a special hour i will be hoing this weekend, president obama's african journey, saturday and sunday night 8:00 eastern time repeating again at 11:00. let us know what you think. join the live chat at ac360.com. what the president and his family saw in the dungeons of cape coast castle where enslaved africans were starved to the brink of death and those who fought back were suffocated alive. we take you inside those dungeons. michelle obama's roots, a descendant of slaves and slave owners. we retrace those roots to a south carolina rice plantation. and the world of her great, great grandfather. new developments in the michael jackson custody case and investigation to his death. what the coroner took from jackson's dermatologist today. that and more when we continue.

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it's not known how many enslaved africans were sent to the new world of the 400 years of transatlantic slave trade, estimates are 12 million to 40 million. untold africans died, shackled, crammed side by side. as many as 500 to a ship. held for transport, beaten, the women raped. we want to take you inside the castle and dungeons and show you what human beings were forced to endure and what the president and his family witnessed this weekend.

what must have been the most emotional part of his trip took place here in cape coast castle where enslaved africans were held before being shipped to americans. they were kidnapped from their homes, taken from their villages, ripped from their families. as soon as they were brought here the men were separated from the women. the men were forced into this area, the male dungeon. these rooms would hold as many as 1,000 africans at one time. they are large cavernous rooms. no windows. small holes punched in the ceiling for ventilation. you get a little bit of light. that the only light. there are five different rooms. each one would hold 200 slaves.

there is no toilets, of course. there is a gutter that runs down the middle of the floor. this would be used for urine and for feces. but archaeologists have found the entire floors were covered with feces a foot thick they excavated a few years ago. many of the men held in this cells never got out. they died in these rooms of malnutrition, disease, brutality. every day a check would be done on who was still living, who had died. bodies would be removed, placed into this room, those who were about to die would be placed here as well. this is the final resting place of untold number of africans. of course many of those enslaved tried to fight back, tried to escape even when they got here to cape cost castle. the punishment for doing that was death. this is the place they were killed. the punishment cell. it is one of the most horrible places you will ever visit. once an enslaved african was forced through this door it was a death sentence. as many as 20 or 30 enslaved

africans would be forced to live in this room until they died. as you can see there is no light in here except light from our camera, no windows, these walls are incredibly thick, stone covered with plaster and what is so eerie is this looks like scratch marks, people literally trying to claw their way out. there are spots on the floors, markings where people were trying to dig themselves out. circular markings, no one is sure what that is. they think it is people who were here trying to claw out, trying to pass the time. there are some spots where you can see teeth marks on the floor. there is no bathroom in here. once you are in this room it was a death sentence. women who were kidnapped were brought here, separated into two different dungeons, each held about 150 people. 150 women crammed into this room, stuck here from two weeks

to several months, nowhere to go, not sure what is going to happen to them. no place to go to the bathroom, fed just twice a day. it is an eerie place to be. if a woman was detected to be pregnant she would maybe be allowed to leave. that was pretty much the only way out. it is a short walk from the female dungeons to the door of no return. women and men who were held captive here were ultimately led down this corridor through this door, the door of no return, they call it. on the other side of the door were slave ships waiting to take them to a life of bondage in the new world and in some cases to america. many, of course, would never make it that far. they died on the difficult journey over, their bodies simply tossed overboard. once they went through this door they would never set foot in africa again. the door of no return. michelle obama's ancestors may have been held in dungeons like the one you just saw, may have walked through that door. joe johns takes us to the south carolina plantation where her earliest ancestor worked and the life he was forced to live.

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new developments ahead in the michael jackson investigation. first randy kay with the "360" bulletin. >> hi there, anderson. on day two of her senate grilling, judge sonia sotomayor pushing back against republican charges she would bring bias and a liberal agenda to her seat as the first hispanic woman on the supreme court. when gop senators tried to undercut her with her own words from past speeches, sotomayor insisted repeatedly she would be impartial if confirmed. two days after breaking out of a maximum security prison in

indiana a rapist and murderer remain at large. a massive manhunt called off today. police say they will continue to follow new leads. a third inmate was captured yesterday in southwestern michigan. federal prisoner number 61727-054, you know him as convicted swindler bernard madoff arrived at a medium security prison in north carolina today to begin serving his 150-year service. the federal correctional complex is about 45 miles northwest of raleigh. the 71-year-old one time multimillionaire will likely spend the rest of his life right there. in st. louis, president obama threw out the first pitch at tonight's annual all-star game at busch stadium. he pulled it off, putting the ball across the plate. respectable showing for a guy who is better known for his moves on the basketball court. looking comfortable there. anderson, the all-stars were

star truck. >> the original video showed the actual pitch. we caught it on the reverse. next, the latest on michael jackson. investigator for the coroner paying a visit to one of the singer's doctors. debbie rowe will get millions to drop a custody battle. live new details on both fronts ahead. the motive for murder, a florida couple who adopted more than a dozen kids. why were they killed? authorities have some answers. as they reveal the depth of the shocking crime. we trace michelle obama's roots. we'll be right back.

we had planned to show you a piece about retracing michelle obama's roots. as part of our coverage of president obama's family trip to africa. the tape -- i don't know, it is stuck in the edit room. we are having a problem getting it to air tonight. we will air that tomorrow night. it is part of a special we are airing this weekend. we want to turn to the michael jackson story. the los angeles coroner's chief investigator visited the office of jackson's dermatologist. inciting a new wave of questions. a new battle erupted over the report that debbie rowe and the jacksons reached a custody deal. randy kay joins us. take us back through the custody issue of the jackson kids. what is going on? >> it was quite a day. we reports last night on "360" there was a deal being brokered behind the scenes by attorneys for katherine jackson how to get

debbie rowe out of the custody picture. rowe stands to be paid many millions. today the new york post reported debbie rowe had reached a deal. the article said specifically rowe had sold her kids again. that is the wording they used. the post reported that rowe was paid $4 million in exchange for custody of her kids. so jackson's mom could raise them. "the post" stands by its story. rowe's attorney told cnn the story is "completely false." hours later that same attorney fired off a letter to the new york post demanding an immediate retraction saying there is no agreement reached between ms. rowe and the jacksons and ms. rowe has not and will not give up parental rights. what is interesting here, the letter does not deny there is any negotiation taking place. it simply says there is no agreement in place. >> there was drama at the office of arnie klein today. what happened there? what did they take?

>> the chief investigator for the l.a. county coroner's office showed up at arnold klein's office, jackson's long time dermatologist on the list of doctors investigators are looking at. dr. klein told larry king he has not been questioned and opened his records a long time ago. to help. late today a crush of media descended on dr. klein's office to get a glimpse of the assistant coroner, ed winter, also the chief investigator for the coroner's office, collecting whatever he was there to pick up. this is interesting because we know jackson was at dr. klein's office just a few days before his death. klein told cnn he looked healthy at the time that day and danced for the other patients, he said. >> what is interesting is the interview he did with larry he had given documents to the medical examiner's office a while ago but didn't seem to indicate he was the focus of any investigation. that was the night you reported through your source he was one of the names, one of the doctors on the list.

that seems to be born out by what we are seeing today. you talked to one of the people in charge of jackson's security detail. what did he say about jackson? >> this was interesting. we haven't heard from this man before. i had quite a lengthy conversation with him today. he worked for jackson from 2001 to 2004 and he told me "jackson and i spoke of his addiction and how hard he was working and how he was trying to do everything in his power to avoid having a need to be on drugs." this is the first time we were hearing that michael jackson admitted he had an addiction. he said jackson was taking lots of prescription medicines and "didn't like the way it made him feel." he told me jackson had serious trouble sleeping. he had a "constant beat in his head." he said they stayed up all night on many nights because "jackson could not shut off his brain." this is years ago, 2004, but that goes a long with what we

have heard from many sources in this investigation that michael jackson could not sleep. he had insomnia. according to his former nurse who you interviewed, in fact, that is why he begged her for the diprivan, the powerful sedative reserved for hospital use. she told cnn he just wanted to sleep. >> at this point, randy, do we know when the toxicology report comes out? is it next week? >> we were told by the coroner, ed winter, he talked to reporters outside arnold klein's office. he said he is not going to release anything in advance. he said they are on schedule and reiterated it would probably be midweek next week. we were getting reports it could be friday of this week. it is looking like midweek next week. >> randy, thanks very much. a lot of moving pieces. let's dig deeper. jim moret, chief correspondent for "inside edition." he is also an attorney. and joining us by phone, cnn senior legal analyst jeffrey

toobin. debbie rowe's attorney made it pretty clear a deal has not been made but he did not deny a negotiation was taking place. >> that is correct. we have been hearing a negotiation has been taking place. that is born out that the delay, two delays at the request of both sides indicated both of them are coming together to try to keep this out of court and try to keep it from being a bitter court battle. >> jeff, in terms of the points of the negotiation. there could be a couple of things, one, money, two, visitation rights or the actual custody rights. >> that's right. what makes this so peculiar and ironic is debbie rowe had virtually no leverage to get back involved in michael jackson's life or back on the jackson gravy train but michael's death gives her tremendous leverage because she the surviving parent of two of the three children and so she would have a legal claim to

custody. now because of the absence of a real relationship between her and those two children she probably -- or she might not get custody but it would be in the jackson family's interest to give her some money to go away, which is a big profit potential for her. >> it is interesting, jim, it was being reported that rowe didn't want joe jackson involved in raising the kids. but if there is some sort of negotiation in which custody ends up with katherine jackson and she gives up visitation rights or parental right, debbie rowe does, that would seem to basically allow joe jackson access to the kids whenever he wanted. >> yes, but michael jackson's will names only katherine not joe. joe has been hurting himself by making statements to the media, talking about putting these kids on stage and talking about his record company at the b.e.t. awards. very inappropriate statements. that is what prompted debbie

rowe to tell a local reporter last week i want a restraining order to keep this guy away from my kids. jeff's right. these are her biological children. >> jeff, would she be able to get a restraining order to keep joe jackson away from the kids? >> it is very hard to figure what her rights would be and what her leverage would be. if she were so concerned about joe jackson, if she were so concerned about the children in general she would have taken a much more active role over the past 11 and 12 years. yes, it does seem like a judge would be concerned that joe jackson who michael accused of abusing him would have access to the kids but debbie rowe would not seem to be the person who had the legal or moral authority to raise that because she has had so little contact with the children over the years. >> as far as we know joe jackson lives in las vegas, katherine jackson lives in california. they are basically separated.

>> they are. i understand they spend quite a bit of time together. i have seen her interviewed just recently and she talks about how she goes to las vegas to stay with her husband. they celebrated 60 years together. all the reports of their marriage failing don't add up quite honestly. they are very much together and very much in the business of raising possibly not only michael jackson's children but some of their other grandchildren from some of their own children. they seem to be not divorced and very much in touch and together. >> jim do we know what kind of relationship joe jackson has had with these kids? >> i don't believe he has had any relationship. michael jackson was vocal and public about his feelings about his father. i don't believe he has had any relationship with them whatsoever. that may be what has brought debbie rowe into the picture. she may have said -- it is difficult to know her motivation. i don't claim to.

she may have said michael is a great father but now he is gone maybe she has a renewed interest in making sure they are cared for. >> jeff, let's talk about the investigation. coroner's report should be ready by next week. an investigator at arnie klein's office looking at more medical records today. at this point what do you think they are looking for? i mean, they have, early on, according to sanjay gupta, they would have had most of the toxicology reports back and they would know what drugs were in his system, except the brain analysis, which i guess takes more time. >> well, the very simple answer is they are looking for where he got the drugs and what circumstances he got the drugs. did he get them legitimately? did he get them under his own prescriptions did he get them through other people's prescriptions? i don't know for sure but i think it is likely it is a complex story of how many doctors were giving

prescriptions, where the drugs came from, who administered them, who knew the drugs were coming. it is likely to be a complicated story that will take weeks if not months for the authorities to figure out. >> jim, the coroner's office says the report is ready soon. do you think they have a good idea what led to his death? >> i think they do. jeff's point is excellent. you have to trace specific drugs. you know michael jackson was at dr. klein's office a few days earlier. they are not looking at long-term drug use. they are looking at what led to the death, that is what the coroner is concerned with, cause of death. they want to hone it in on what drugs he got specifically from whom and when. clear, they wanted more information from dr. klein's office. the investigator left with an envelope and i'm assuming they were records of some kind. >> jim, has dr. murray or his

attorney made any more specific statements about what he did or did not give to michael jackson? in the early days after michael jackson's death when there was so much focus on demerol and oxycontin, the lawyer said he didn't give him those drugs. people didn't know about diprivan and an anesthesiologist had gone on tour with michael jackson the history tour. has he responded to other drugs? >> dr. murray's mystery, you are right. his attorney was specific about what he did not give him. he did not talk about diprivan. i'm sure that is what investigators want to know. latoya came out with claims that michael died in dr. murray's room not in his bedroom as earlier reported. there are unanswered questions with regard to dr. murray and we have not heard from him.

>> jeff, it seems like a lot of people getting paid for interviews. i'm suspect of information that comes out of that. latoya getting paid by a british tabloid, joe jackson getting paid by abc news. i guess for access to video and oh, by the way, we are also going to do an interview with you but we are not paying for that. is everybody making money on this thing? >> everybody is making money. there is a long history of jackson legal situations being compromised by what is known in the industry as cash for trash. in 1993 the initial child molestation investigation was compromised by the fact that "hard copy" and "inside edition" -- the shows that are no longer -- "hard copy" is no longer on the air, they paid so many of the security guards who were witnesses in that investigation that the authorities gave up. they were too compromised to use

them in criminal court. >> jim, do we know who was in michael jackson's inner circle in this point in the final weeks and months of his life? you talked to long time employees and they say there was this changeover, new people were involved. do we know who really was around him? >> we know that some people who were with him early on were back in the picture. john branca, the attorney who was named as an executor in his will, came back into his life. long time manager came back into his life. i can't tell you that these people were actually in the inner circle and caused any of what was going on. jeff is right. this is very complicated. there are complicated relationships not only with doctors but those around him, his employees. i suspect it is going to take time before we can sort out what is going on and what happened. >> jim moret, jeff toobin. randy kay. appreciate all your reporting. we want to give you a new twist in a story that is

so outrageous we can't stop talking about. an investigation of a former district attorney in texas who admitted giving hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds to three secretaries. the da's name is joe frank garza. we couldn't believe it when gary tuchman learned new details, about how much money he was giving away. take a look. >> reporter: it literally paid to be loyal to this man. the former district attorney in jim wells county, texas, who was extremely generous to three of his secretaries who he says watched his back. >> they were my eyes and ears in the community. >> reporter: he says he wrote checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars that likely double play ld their salaries. we learned that it may have quadrupled their income. cnn obtained records and garza paid $1.2 million to the three women over a five-year period, a bonus averaging $81,000 a year for county employees with

salaries of $35,000 annually. garza still tells us what he told us weeks ago. >> i saw nothing wrong with it. >> reporter: anderson w so much money at stake the auditor says crime fighting could have been affected. the sheer number of checks is stunning. we will tell you more about this, how this all works and how this is allowed to happen. >> how is this allowed to happen? we will have gary's full report tomorrow on "360." join the live chat at ac360.com. talk to other folks around the world watching us now. coming up next the parents of more than a dozen kids killed in their home in florida. new clues, new suspects captured and a look at the lives destroyed. governor sarah palin taking on president obama, his economic plan and sending the country a message she is stepping up her fight. that's ahead.

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tonight more arrests and details in the murder of byrd and melanie billings have shocked many. authorities said their deaths were part of a well planned, well executed home invasion. it happened with nine of the couple's kids in the house. the crime was brutal. the motive it appears was money. ed lavendera has the latest. >> reporter: authorities say leonard patrick gonzalez jr. was the ringleader of the seven suspects that murdered byrd and melanie billings. in a short court hearing, gonzalez used the moment to declare his innocence. the first time we have heard from any of the accused. >> the entire case is based on hearsay and the confession of a mentally challenged person with a long history of making false statements. >> reporter: we don't know who gonzalez is talking about but investigators say they arrested all the men who carried out the methodical and chilling murders

of the billings couple. these are the pictures of the suspects who face murder charges, one we can't show you because he is a 16-year-old juvenile. three are from the pensacola area, the other four from the ft. walton beach area. the escambia sheriff says gonzalez jr. and donald ray stallworth have a military background. the air force confirms stallworth is currently an active duty staff sergeant. >> it was a well planned and well executed operation. >> reporter: after saying robbery was one of several possible motives, authorities say the suspects burst in the home, killed the couple and stole a medium size safe. they suggest something more sinister was behind the killings. >> the safest, easiest thing is to say the primary motive is robbery. home invasion. robbery. >> reporter: investigators say leonard gonzalez sr. and wayne coltiron worked around the property but beyond that there doesn't seem to be any connection between the sen

suspects and the billings family. >> we have found them and they are in custody. >> reporter: as the final arrests were announced, ashley markham, the oldest daughter of byrd and melanie billings tearfully stood by the sheriff's side but left without speaking out. a novel that aims to set the record straight about men and marriage. john enson and mark sanford are the exception not the rule. a plane and car that collided, it could have ended tragically. awe'll come to you in one of our immediate response vehicles! what if mother won't let me drive? then you probably wouldn't have had an accident in the first place. and we're walkin'! and we're walkin'... making it all a bit easier -- now that's progressive!

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you will lose weight. over the last few weeks mark sandford and john enson have confessed to affairs.

they misrepresent the truth about men and commitment according to the author of "love sick." erica hill sat down with him to hash out the raw politics. >> it is interesting for a lot of people because you are part of the best political team on television. you are in d.c., in the thick of politics every day yet here you are writing a fiction novel about this love sick young man doing everything he can to get the girl. >> it plays into the theme that you are not necessarily defined by saying you love something or don't love it. it doesn't make you sappy to want those things. there is strength in men and women who openly say they want a commitment. we have the obama administration, marriage and family front and center, they go on date night, young children in the white house again. family is an important thing. >> this is a book about marriage

but we should point out there have been a few stories in the news paint a rosie picture of some men when it comes to marriage in the way they view marriage. >> true. i mean, we've had very public figures who have had affairs and they have essentially told the world that even though they stand for one thing on a particular platform they're not necessarily subject to the rules. >> do as they say, not as they do. we heard this once before. you started this book years before. it's actually worked out well for you, right? >> yes, oh, yes. >> it's interesting that this is something that caught your eye then and now it seems there is more of a conversation about marriage and men and how they handle it. >> i had seen so many movies -- i'd read so many books. really enjoyable books where the man had the girl kind of sort of and then he lost her because he didn't realize he had something wonderful. he spends the story trying to redeem himself. then in the credits they get

married. i thought, you know what, there are a lot of men who want to get married. it's not necessarily a not-masculine thing to want to get married, to want to have commitment. i know men who want to psycho style scare the hell out of their future bride by popping the question. i wrote a story about do men really want to get married? interviewed a dozen of men. we got a huge response. what i was trying to get at is men want the same things that often women want. >> i did, by the way, like the senior citizen prescription drug -- you'll have to read the book. the book is "love sick." coming up next, update on a story we've been following. dozens of daycare kids forced from a pool because of their skin color. the pool is inviting them back. the daycare's response ahead. she may be stepping aside but not backing down. sarah palin taking on president obama. packing lunches and running for the bus.

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what happens when a plane falls from the sky and slams into a car? you won't believe what happens. there's our shot of the day. randi kaye is back. >> anderson, sarah palin is speaking out, again, this time in the pages of the "washington post." the departing alaska governor slams what she calls president obama's, quote, cap and tax energy plan to reduce carbon emissions.

governor palin warning it will, quote, inflict permanent damage on the economy. 360 follow to the story of the swim club turning minority children away from a local daycare center after massive national attention. the club i vited the daycare center kids back. today the center said no thanks. it says the kids were scarred by this experience. what's more, attorneys for the center say they will be suing. cheats senator john ensign is running again despite the scandal over his affair with a former campaign staffer. affair and word the parents paid the mistresses family $100,000, not swaying the nevada republican. he'll seek re-election come 2012. well, as we know, paris is famous for its beauty, food, but notorious for giving outsiders the cold shoulder. the government wants that last little bit to change. so the paris tourist board is now asking, get this, anderson, to smile. they think that will solve the problem.

>> they like to smile about it. it's a beautiful place. >> sure is. >> yeah. all right, thanks. coming up, beat 360 winners. daily challenge to viewers, a chance to show up staffers by coming up with a caption better than the one we come up with for a photo on the blog every day. president obama speaking with chief of staff rahm emanuel during a phone call to the oval office. staff winner, tonight, one of our summer interns. his caption, rahm, is that anderson wanting to do another interview? let me talk to him. viewer winner is evan, his reaction, he needs an alibi for last friday. evan, congratulations. beat 360 t-shirt on the way. a plane doing daredevil maneuvers and a car in the wrong place at the wrong time. all of it caught on tape.

tonight's shot could have ended in tragedy. take a look. western germany, a sport plane doing acrobatic maneuvers flew too low. take a look at how low. >> oh. >> it hit a parked car just beyond those trees. a family of three was inside the car. the impact of the collision tore the bottom frame off the airplane, catapulted the plane and car into a nearby field. amazingly, though, everyone including the pilot survived with minor injuries. unbelievable. >> that is incredible. out for a drive with your family and you get hit by