[Dobbs:] The results of tonight's poll. The question, "Do you think 10 candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination are too many, just right or not enough?" Fifty percent of you say too many; 30 percent 36 percent, rather, say just right; 14 percent would like to see one or two more, apparently. Well, turning now to a few thoughts about all that has happened at the New York Exchange. The world puts its stock in the New York Exchange. It's a venerable institution. It is one that has been rocked this week by the resignation of its longtime chairman Dick Grasso. But the changes are only beginning and, in my judgment, the changes will be far more profound than simply Grasso's resignation. It is now clear that many of those on the Exchange's board of directors don't understand that openness and transparency must be the watch words for all markets and for all companies represented in those markets. And after two years of corporate and Wall Street scandals, that's not only inexcusable, it is simply mind-boggling that it has been ignored. This board of directors simply has to be replaced, and it has to be replaced with men and women who fully, completely, understand the need for the highest standards of governance. And watch, if you would, the events of the coming weeks, because the specialist system at the Big Board that interposes specialist firms between buyers and sellers will be challenged and challenged vigorously as, in my opinion, it should be. And the Exchange will make every effort to preserve the Big Board's self-regulatory role. But that must be ended. No other industry in this country regulates itself. And certainly Wall Street should not be allowed to continue its exemption from full outside regulation. I hope that SEC Chairman Bill Donaldson acts to make certain his agency takes on that role on behalf of the 85 million American investors. After all, that agency is already conveniently called the Securities and Exchange Commission. Turning now to one of the most successful space missions ever it comes to an end this weekend. The Galileo spacecraft will be sent crashing into the planet Jupiter.
[Unidentified Female:] Three, two, one. We have ignition, and liftoff of Atlantis and the Galileo spacecraft.
[Dobbs:] Galileo was launched into space in 1989. For the past eight years, this robot ship has explored Jupiter and its moons, supplying us with thousands of extraordinary pictures and data. But data doesn't capture quite the importance of all of the information. It will continue to supply that information about the vast world of Jupiter. Until it does, vaporize in Jupiter's atmosphere. Joining me now, Charles Liu, astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History. Good to have you with us.
[Charles Liu, Astrophysicist, American Museum Of Natural History:] Thank you for having me.
[Dobbs:] Galileo has been one of the most remarkable successes of NASA and of our scientific exploration of space.
[Liu:] Definitely. Not everyone has heard of Galileo. But this little spacecraft that could, the size of a minivan with a flagpole attached to it, has revolutionized our understanding of giant planets and it's changed the paradigm of how we study extraterrestrial life, or the possibility of it.
[Dobbs:] If the decision had not been made to end its mission this weekend, how much longer do you think, Charles, it could have continued to function around Jupiter and its environments?
[Liu:] Somewhere between a few weeks and maybe a few months, maybe a year at most. But then what it'll happen is it starts spin out of control, its still caught in Jupiter's graft and it may crash into something that we don't want it to crash into.
[Dobbs:] Like one of the moons of Jupiter.
[Liu:] Absolutely.
[Dobbs:] And specifically, Europa.
[Liu:] Yes.
[Dobbs:] Why is it why is there such concern about about that possibility?
[Liu:] What Galileo discovered was that Europa and possibly two of the other moons of Jupiter as well, have undersea oceans. And if there's liquid water there, and there's enough warmth, and the chemicals are there, there could be life down there. An entire ecosystem shielded from outer space by dozens of miles of solid ice. If we crash something on to that thing, maybe we contaminate it forever. We just don't want to take the chance.
[Dobbs:] And this will end Sunday.
[Liu:] Yes. A little before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday the 21st.
[Dobbs:] And all of the telemetry coming back what will be the end signals from Galileo?
[Liu:] The last thing we hope to find out is that nearby structure of Jupiter. As it comes closer and closer to the atmosphere, it interacts with Jupiter's strong magnetic field, with the dust particles that make up its gossanar rings. And very possibly we'll learn something even into the last moments we didn't know before about Jupiter and giant planets.
[Dobbs:] Its most important discovery Galileo?
[Liu:] Definitely the idea that extraterrestrial life doesn't need an Earth-like planet. We've thought for a long time, before Galileo, that we needed to have a Goldie Locks type, not too cold, not too hot environment to sustain life as we know it. But since Galileo has found these wonderful moons that have icy surfaces and yet saltwater oceans underneath, we're now looking completely differently at the origins of life in our solar system and maybe in other solar systems, as well.
[Dobbs:] Well, Charles Liu, as always, it's good to talk with you. And it is good to talk about a successful space mission of this importance. And also the responsible acts of this species toward other possible species in space, perhaps once, at least, on Jupiter itself.
[Liu:] Shows good environmental knowledge and understanding.
[Dobbs:] And our environment this time is, of course, limitless, space itself.
[Liu:] It's wonderful.
[Dobbs:] Charles Liu, thank you very much.
[Liu:] Thank you for having me.
[Dobbs:] And that brings us to tonight's thought. And this thought, by the way, was tendered by none other than Charles Liu. The thought, "It asks a little of us here, it asks of us a certain height, so when at times the mob is swayed to carry praise or blame too far, we may choose something like a star to stay our minds on and be stayed." That, of course, from Robert Frost, "Choose Something Like a Star." And that's our show for tonight. We thank you for being with us. Monday here, we begin a series of special reports, "Exporting America." We continue our look at U.S. companies shipping American jobs overseas. Also, Donald Marin, CEO of Lightyear Capital, on the New York Exchange Stock Exchange and its likely and best prospects. Alan Dershowitz also joins us, the author of "The Case for Israel." Please be with us. For all of us here, have a very pleasant weekend. Good night from New York. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com Rendezvous With Jupiter; Editor's Circle Discusses State Of The Economy