one come from? captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: good evening. what's knocking on the door of tens of millions of people in the northeast this halloween weekend is no treat. strong wind, freezing rain and snow. snow in amounts new york city hasn't seen this early in more than 100 years. it's part of a storm that's been pushing up for from the deep south and, ready or not, it could dump as much as a foot of snow in parts of new york state and southern new england starting tonight. jim axelrod is in midtown manhattan. jim? >> reporter: scott, has as 25 million americans could be affected. the winds could gust up to 50 miles an hour and heavy snow expected to knock down trees and power lines from maryland to maine. the snowplow moving through the sunny streets of washington, d.c. may have looked a little out of place today, but that could very well change tomorrow if the brewing snowstorm matches what's forecast. >> this is a first i've seen in a long time in october where we're here preparing and talking about a snow and possibility of a nor'easter coming our way. >> reporter: plow drivers up and down the east coast are now ch this new system is expected to form tonight off the north carolina coast and strengthen as it moves north. the brunt of the storm is expected to slam into the northeast tomorrow night, but people in worcester, massachusetts, have already had their first taste of wind we are a dusting last night. worcester could break its october snowfall record of 7.5 inches. >> there was, like, an inch or so of slush or snow on my car. it's too early for this. it's october. >> reporter: october snowfall records could fall all along the east coast. baltimore's record of 2.5 inches has stood for 86 years. same with allentown, pennsylvania's 2.2 inches. new york has not had an inch of october snow since records started being kept in 1869. philadelphia, hartford, and boston could all see new records as well. >> the weather doesn't follow the calendar. the weather follows ingredients. all the ingredients are available for a big east coast snowstorm, so as far as the weather's concerned, it doesn't matter that it's october. >> reporter: meteorologists say this unusual storm is not a sure sign that it a severe winter is ahead. remember, scott, it was 84 degrees here in new york city just a few weekends ago. >> pelley: jim, thanks very much. the storm could bring a chill to those occupy wall street protests at the same time demonstrators in some cities are feeling the heat from the police. we asked michelle miller to check on the protest in the new york city park where it all started. >> we need a big donation of long johns. >> blankets, shoes. >> reporter: protesters are bracing themselves for the first cold snap of their six-week demonstration. jeff smith has been at the occupy wall street protests in manhattan since the begin. >> the cold weather will in some ways help us find out who's actually serious about this movement. >> reporter: ellis roberts has been here for a month. >> sleeping bags are illegal in the park. so if they enforce that, we're going to cut arm holes in them and call them jackets. >> reporter: the cold is one of a growing list of problems for the occupy movement. dozens were arrested as protester camps were cleared in nashville and san diego. both cities cited rising police overtime costs and concerns about sanitation and safety. protesters in new york took cell phone video as the fire department confiscated their six generators, pulling the plug on lights, hot plates, cell phone chargers, and laptops. but stacey tsortzatzos hopes the inconveniences keep coming. >> just when things started getting better we had the situation with the occupy wall street happen which actually killed our business. >> reporter: her sandwich shop is across the street from the occupy wall street camp. how much of your business has dropped off? >> i have to say 40%. >> reporter: 40%? >> yes. >> reporter: nearly half? >> nearly half. >> reporter: the key, if the snow does fall tonight, will be to stay dry. they have tarps to shield them from the rain and precipitation; pallets to raise them off the cold, wet concrete; lots and lots of blankets. their sleeping arrangements will be huddled close together six people deep. michelle miller, cbs news, lower manhattan. >> pelley: one of the loudest protests against the status quo is coming from republican presidential candidate herman cain, and it's taken them to the top of the polls. look at how his profile has changed. in the gallup poll last march, only 21% recognized his name. now 78% do. so how's he doing it? we asked chip reid to find out. >> reporter: the more republicans hear about herman cain, the more they like him. >> i'm in it to win it, folks. >> reporter: not only is his name recognition surging, so is his favorability, now at 74%. a few months ago he was a political asterisk, now he's leading the republican field. so how did the former c.e.o. of godfather's pizza get to this point? he got the attention of the tea party with his provocative plans to slash taxes and federal spending. >> this is what businessmen do! you cut and you get rid of stuff that doesn't need to be there. >> reporter: and as he did in alabama today, he fires up republicans who are looking for a fight. >> stupid people are ruining america. ( laughter ) and we've got to outvote them. >> reporter: his unconventional campaign ads... >> we've run a campaign like nobody's ever seen. >> reporter: ...have gone viral on the internet. cain's campaign is unconventional in other ways, too. in crucial early states like iowa his staff is bare-bones because he's behind the pack in raising money. but cain says he isn't worried; his strategy now is to inspire republicans with his views and his personal story. and if that works, he's confident the money and organization will follow. but critics say cain isn't ready to be president, citing recent stumbles like this one on abortion in the case of incest or rape that infuriated some social conservatives. >> it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make. >> reporter: there's new evidence that cain's unconventional strategy is working. the cain campaign told cbs news today it's projecting close to $5 million raised in the month of october alone. scott, that's enough to make the other republican candidates even more nervous about herman cain. >> pelley: chip, thank you very much. bob schieffer is our chief washington correspondent and anchor of "face the nation" and, bob, i wonder, how seriously should we take the cain campaign? >> schieffer: i think it has to be taken very seriously at this point, scott, and here's why. think about this: mitt romney has been plodding along at about 25% in the polls and it's like he's been running most of his life. rick perry, the governor of texas, gets into the race; he zooms immediately to the top in the polls, has a couple of stumbles and goes back down. but then you take herman cain who has no real campaign staff, has not raised very much money, some people weren't even sure he was serious about this. he's gotten in, he makes a couple of stumbles, and he keeps going up. somehow or other, herman cain is connecting with a big segment of republican voters right now and that's why he can no longer be ignored. >> pelley: but there's a long way to go. i wonder, you mentioned the campaign financing and lack of organization. does he have the legs for this race? >> well, we will find out, but so far so good for him. i mean, it's almost like one of those movies, scott, where the candidate has no campaign staff, where he has no money and then he just starts talking about things and people like it. that is what has happened for this candidate so far. these republican voters like what he says. this may not carry him very far, i don't know how far, but so far it's going pretty good for herman cain. >> pelley: bob, thank you very much. and as fortune would have it, herman cain will be bob's guest this sunday on "face the nation." in los angeles today, a jury heard testimony that michael jackson killed himself accidentally. that from the last witness called by the defense in the trial of jackson's doctor, conrad murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter. john blackstone is at the courthouse. >> reporter: conrad murray's defense team went all in today. their final witness testified the prosecution's claim that dr. murray killed jackson with the anesthetic propofol was wrong. >> do you reject as being a possibility of occurring on the night that michael jackson died? >> yes, i do. >> reporter: anesthesiologist paul white testified the dose dr. murray said he gave jackson for sleep was just too small to be fatal. >> that is a dose that might be used to produce a little bit of anxiety relief, a little bit of sleepiness. >> reporter: under questioning from defense attorney j. michael flanagan, dr. white presented an alternative scenario: that michael jackson used a syringe to give himself the fatal dose. >> so you think it was a self- injection of propofol near the hour of between 11:30 and 12:00? >> in my opinion, yes. >> reporter: white also testified that jackson's stomach contents indicate he could have taken as many as eight pills of the sedative lorazepam. defense attorneys suggest the singer did that without murray's knowledge and created a deadly mix with the propofol. >> the fact that there is even a tiny amount of free lorazepam is consistent with the theory that he took lorazepam orally. >> reporter: white's testimony comes a day after the defense called addiction specialist robert waldman to highlight jackson's dependence on another painkiller. >> he used extensive, large doses of demerol all through april, all through early may, and again at the end of may. >> reporter: the defense has suggested that demerol withdrawal caused jackson's insomnia, which led him to crave the propofol. when the trial resumes here on monday, prosecutors will begin what's expected to be a tough cross-examination of the final witness for the defense. >> pelley: thank you, john. can a bad credit rating keep you from finding a new job? an american landmark turns 125. and a memorable call in an unforgettable game when the "cbs evening news" continues. [ male announcer ] oh, yeah. yum. that's good. you've always loved the taste of classic campbell's soups. well, guess what? we're just getting warmed up. introducing campbell's slow kettle style soups. extraordinary taste sensations, crafted from delicious combinations of premium ingredients. you'll savor every last spoonful. even if you don't use a spoon. new slow kettle soups from campbell's it's amazing what soup can do. see? he's taking his vitamins. new one a day vitacraves plus omega-3 dha is a complete multivitamin for adults. plus an excellent source of omega-3 dha in a great tasting gummy. one a day, gummies for grown-ups. to grazers... kenmore is in the lives of over 100 million americans. that's why no fridge in america has more capacity. we put more in, so you get more out. kenmore. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. that's why there's new glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. [ male announcer ] new glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes. [ male announcer ] new glucerna hunger smart. metamucil uses super hard working psyllium fiber, which gels to remove unsexy waste and reduce cholesterol. taking psyllium fiber won't make you a model but you should feel a little more super. metamucil. down with cholesterol. >> pelley: after the stock market euphoria yesterday, this story today reminds us that the economy still has a long way to go. whirlpool says that it is cutting more than 5,000 jobs-- 10% of its workforce. ben tracy brought us a story today that shows that sometimes the unemployed just can't win. it turns out the bad credit rating that often comes with unemployment can keep folks from landing a new job. >> reporter: mark manzo never thought he'd struggle to provide for his two daughters. >> we weren't rich but we were comfortable. we had a house, we paid all our bills on time. i had excellent credit. >> reporter: he and his wife kristen were making $96,000 a year. but last year the stalled economy forced manzo to shut down his car rental business near los angeles. without a paycheck, he can't pay the bills. the bank foreclosed on the family's condominium. what's it like to be back here now? >> it's a little sad. >> reporter: their credit is now wrecked. >> as a man, i feel like... i feel really bad, honestly. i feel like i can't provide for my kids. i can't seem to find a job. >> reporter: manzo says his damaged credit is why he's been rejected eight times for recent jobs. >> they sent me a letter stating that because of information on my credit report, i was not being considered for a position. >> reporter: and what did you think when you saw that? >> my heart sank. i felt like, what am i going to do? what else can i do? >> reporter: 60% of employers say they now run credit checks on some or all of their job candidates. it's legal as long as the job candidate agrees to it and employers tell them their credit is the reason they're not being hired. business owners often say credit history reflects someone's integrity and reliability. they say bad credit can be a sign of someone prone to corruption. >> if you're stocking shelves, if you're cleaning rooms, if you're a cook, any of those positions, really you do not need a credit check for. >> reporter: state assemblyman tony mendoza wrote a new law in california. beginning in january, use of credit checks in hiring will be banned. the ban will not apply to jobs in law enforcement, management, or jobs involving large amounts of cash. >> i don't think that a person's credit score or credit history is indicative of a person's trustworthiness or their work ethic. >> reporter: california is joining six other states restricting the use of credit checks to screen job applicants, like mark manzo who stopped opening bills he can't pay. >> i can't give up. i have two little kids. that's not an option for me. i have to keep going. >> reporter: if manzo doesn't find a job soon, he may have to file for bankruptcy. ben tracy, cbs news, los an angeles. >> pelley: mark manzo tells us he's tried a new strategy. in his last interview, he brought up the credit problem and explained it, and that worked. he told us today that he got a job. something sounded familiar in last night's world series game. we'll tell you about it next. bout it next. it's even clinically proven to help reverse it in just 4 weeks. crest pro-health clinical gum protection. ♪ [ female announcer ] mini™ meets berries. kellogg's® frosted mini-wheats cereal with a touch of fruit in the middle. helloooooo fruit in the middle. you know what else is early? medicare open enrollment. now through december 7th. can i stick with my old medicare plan? sure! or find a new plan with better coverage, less cost, or both. medicare plans give you free cancer screenings and wellness visits and 50% off on brand-name prescriptions when you're in the doughnut hole. it's part of the healthcare law. so it's time to look, compare... and choose the right plan for you. learn more at 1-800-medicare or medicare.gov. >> pelley: we were arguing in the newsroom today about whether last night's world series game was the best ever. twice the texas rangers were one strike away from winning the series and each time the cardinals battled back, leading to a dramatic finish. st. louis won 10-9 when hometown hero david freese blasted a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, forcing a winner-take- all game seven. the cardinals were so excited they tore freese's shirt off. we noticed something about announcer joe buck's home run call. have a listen. >> freese hits it in the air to center! we will see you tomorrow night. >> pelley: if it sounds familiar, it was. listen to joe buck's dad jack calling the game-winning homer in game six of the 1991 world series. >> into deep left center for mitchell and we'll see you tomorrow night! >> pelley: joe says he had planned to pay tribute to his dad. a memorable end to an unforgettable game. it's considered impolite to reveal a lady's age, but we'll make an exception for lady liberty. she turned 125 today. to celebrate, 125 immigrants were sworn in as u.s. citizens on liberty island. and cameras were set up on the statue's torch, giving us a look out at new york harbor and a look at what lady liberty sees: the inside of her tablet in the middle with the roman numerals for july 4, 1776. there is another statue of liberty, but this one is wrapped in a mystery... a mystery steve hartman will solve next. [ male announcer ] this is lara. her morning begins with arthritis pain. that's a coffee and two pills. the afternoon tour begins with more pain and more pills. the evening guests arrive. back to sore knees. back to more pills. the day is done but hang on... her doctor recommended aleve. just 2 pills can keep arthritis pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is lara who chose 2 aleve and fewer pills for a day free of pain. [ female announcer ] get money saving coupons at aleve.com. to grazers... kenmore is in the lives of over 100 million americans. that's why no fridge in america has more capacity. we put more in, so you get more out. kenmore. spark card from capital one. spark cash gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card. it's hard for my crew to keep up with 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. 2% cash back. that's setting the bar pretty high. thanks to spark, owning my own business has never been more rewarding. [ male announcer ] introducing spark the small business credit cards from capital one. get more by choosing unlimited double miles or 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. what's in your wallet? this guy's amazing. can collect on the surface of a denture. leading regular toothpastes are not designed to kill the bacteria that polident is designed to kill. polident's unique microclean formula has been proven to eliminate thousands of times more of the germs that can grow on dentures than leading regular toothpastes. that's why it's best to clean your denture by soaking in polident. not just once or twice a week, but every day. using polident on a daily basis will make sure that you are as confident as you can be in that denture. to the flu. an accident... to asthma. a new heartbeat... to a heart condition. when you see your doctor, you don't face any medical issue alone. you do it together. at the american medical association, we're committed to preserving that essential partnership between patients and their doctors. because when it comes to your health, you need someone you trust. the ama. protecting the relationship between patients and physicians. flavor, meet food. introducing swanson flavor boost. concentrated broth in easy to use packets. mix it into skillet dishes, for an instant dose of... hell-o! [ female announcer ] new swanson flavor boost. did their tactics violate a federal court order. next on cbs 5 and it candy's your halloween favorite... you're in the right place. san jose it's hard to say >> pelley: 44 years ago this month, a young correspondent here at cbs news persuaded his bosses to let him travel the back roads of america in search of the kinds of stories that didn't make the front pages. >> we can meet a few people and hear a few stories and send back some postcards to walter cronkite. >> pelley: the correspondent was charles kuralt, and he would send back more than 600 stories. >> he said he was the best and i trusted him. >> pelley: the series was supposed to run seven weeks but it was so popular it continued into the 1980s as charles traveled more than a million miles through every state in the union, wearing out six motor homes along the way. "on the road" became a friday tradition here on the "cbs evening news" and on this friday we are happy to tell you we are bringing the tradition back with steve hartman. tonight, steve is on the trail of a mystery that has puzzled folks for a quarter of a ce century. >> reporter: it appeared in the middle of the susquehanna river near a town in the middle of pennsylvania called dauphin borough. >> i remember it very well because the phone started ringing. >> they said "there's a statue out in the river." >> it certainly attracted a lot of attention. >> traffic was stopped going in both directions. you couldn't get anywhere. >> reporter: according to news reports at the time, drivers got so distracted they started running into each other. >> don't stop on the westbound side of the highway. if they do want to stop, we prefer they would stop and get completely off the road before they get out to view the statue. >> reporter: and it was a statue, by the way, but not just any statue. this huge edifice that seemed to just emerge from the river that morning and still greets commuters today was none other than lady liberty herself. how on earth did it get here? no one would claim responsibility at the time. but now, 25 years later, it is a mystery no more. >> i kept it quiet. that was fun. that was part of the whole fun of the whole thing. >> reporter: the mastermind was a local lawyer named gene stilp, who built it in a friend's garage to honor the other statue of liberty. >> it was going to be the 100th anniversary and it would be nice to do something here. >> reporter: made from plywood and venetian blinds to cut down on wind resistance, gene put it together himself and then recruited a handful of accomplices to sneak it on to an old railroad pier in the middle of the night. >> i still want to know if the statue of limitations is up? >> the statute of limitations is passed. >> reporter: what they did was not only technically illegal, it was also highly ill-conceived. >> it's the most dangerous section of the local river. >> i begged you not to go! >> when we got it up and saw it from the highway, it was like, wow, that wasn't a bad idea. it worked. >> reporter: the statue stood for six years until a strong gust of very unpatriotic wind blew her off her pedestal... which could have easily been the end of this story. but by 1992, folks here had grown so fond of this idea of having their own statue of liberty, they collected $25,000 to build a replica of the replica. this one-- sturdier, taller, and eight times heavier-- has been able to hold her ground for 14 proud and glorious years. >> the community rallied around it. >> it's pretty cool. >> reporter: and if these guys have their way, she'll continue to reign over this river as long as freedom itself. steve hartman, cbs news, dauphin borough, pennsylvania. >> pelley: and that's the "cbs evening news" for tonight. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, i'm scott pelley. i'll see you sunday on "60 minutes." good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org growing backlash against a violent crackdown on it appears to me that there may have been mistakes made. >> new at 6:00, growing backlash against a violent crackdown on "occupy" protestsers in oakland. the tactics police used that may have violated a federal court order. >> one by one killing all the branches of the -- >> a tiny toxin that's killing trees around the world. the dna detective work that traced the pandemic to the bay area. one woman is living rent free. why landlords can't stop the tenant. >> we want to talk to you. >> good evenin