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Moving Forward Helps Those in Foreclosure; African-American Soldiers Discuss Army Integration Anniversary; Oil Spill Costs Still Unknown; Hip Hop-Jazz Fusion Attracts Younger Audiences
Aired July 26, 2008 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: If you're a homeowner teetering on the edge of foreclosure, help is on the way. We'll explain what the senate did for you today in a rare Saturday session.
And it's not just about the flow of traffic. This oil-slicked section of the Mississippi is home to many wild residents. The fish and wildlife service is knee-deep in the cleanup.
Rick Sanchez may be off today, but the league of first-time voters is on. Hear the earful that Rick got from a group of evangelical students in Memphis, Tennessee. You're live if the CNN NEWSROOM.
Hello everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips in today for Rick Sanchez and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. We're going to start with the struggling homeowners and builders that have been howling for relief from the mortgage mess. Now both houses of congress have done something about it. Today the senate passed an enormous housing bill and sent it over to the president's desk. So how is it going to help? Let's ask CNN's Kate Bolduan. Kate?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there Kyra. Well some lawmakers are calling it emergency legislation needed to boost confidence in the housing market while other lawmakers say it misses the mark. But in the end, the senate reached a bipartisan conclusion.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN (voice-over): A rare Saturday session for the senate, a vote on a massive housing bill designed to offer struggling homeowners relief and shore up the nation's mortgage finance system.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayes are 72, the nays are 13.
BOLDUAN: The housing bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, ending months of debate. Democratic senator Chris Dodd was a key sponsor of the legislation.
SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) CONNECTICUT: For Americans out there today with distressed mortgages, worried about their economic future, we hope this legislation will be the first piece of good news if in a long time that we can actually respond to the situation and offer them some real hope.
BOLDUAN: So what relief can homeowners expect? The bill includes up to $300 billion in government guaranteed loans to allow homeowners facing foreclosure to refinance to more affordable mortgages. The congressional budget office estimates 400,000 borrowers will get help from the program but the bill allows for up to 2 million to participate. The bill offers $15 billion in tax breaks, including a tax credit of up to $7,500 for first-time home buyers and there's $4 billion in grants to help communities fix up foreclosed properties. The bill also gives the government new authority to prop up the giant mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac if necessary.
MARK ZANDI, MOODY'S ECONOMY.COM: The most important thing is that it forestalls a major crisis. If the bill had not passed, then Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be on the brink of a financial crisis, which would be disastrous for many American homeowners and prospective homebuyers.
BOLDUAN: Some republicans remain concerned the bill poses too much of a risk to the American taxpayer.
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, (R) TEXAS: The U.S. senate can and should spend time debating these issues and improving the bill instead of rubber-stamping additions that pose a taxpayer liability of billions and maybe trillions.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: Some economists do question the bill's effectiveness saying it may not do enough to jump-start the troubled housing market. The bill now heads to the president, and the White House says President Bush will sign the bill into law, and that could happen early this coming week. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: All right, Kate Bolduan, thanks so much.
The housing plan passed just one day after the feds shut down two more banks. CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis on the line now. Gerri, why don't we talk about that monster housing bill. Is it going to fix the housing crisis?
VOICE OF GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Great question Kyra. I don't think it's a miracle bill, but it's going to do a lot of things to really help. For example, the 300 billion in homeowner loans is a great idea. Unfortunately, banks aren't forced to participate. Also, the tax credit. People will have to pay that money back. There are steps in the right direction. Certainly the most important part of it is Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, back up for those. Without the mortgage markets working, it's hard for the housing crisis to be solved.
PHILLIPS: So what will it do for ailing banks?
WILLIS: Well, for ailing banks, again, the key is Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae getting backstopped here with kind of unspecified amount of money and tax dollars could stand behind those institutions. That means that loans can be issued and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will be there. They are at the center of this mortgage universe. They stand right in the middle. It's a $5 trillion business. They are responsible for half of it.
PHILLIPS: Gerri Willis, we'll keep tracking it. Thanks so much.
WILLIS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, some relief at the pump. Also, it's not exactly a bargain-basement price, but gas has fallen below $4 a gallon. AAA says that the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.98, and the auto club says it could be 25 cents cheaper by Labor Day. Still, gasoline is more than a dollar higher than it was a year ago.
Some experts say the gas prices would drop drastically if congress acted to stop speculation. But that might not happen any time soon. On Friday, senate republicans blocked a motion to end debate over the bill. Democrats were furious, but the GOP wants congress to consider expanding offshore drilling. The bill might come up for debate again next week.
Your money, your concerns. Be sure to check out cnnmoney.com for in-depth coverage and analysis. Every day noon eastern it's "Issue #1" with Ali Velshi and Gerri Willis right here on CNN.
Barack Obama is headed back home where the presidential election is just about 100 days away. His eighth day jaunt across the world stage went off with hardly a hitch. Now it's back to the issue that voters clearly care most about, America's ailing economy. Here's CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Hi from 10 Downing Street in London, the last stop on Barack Obama's week long tour through the Middle East and Europe. This has been quite a trip for him. He was greeted warmly both on the streets and in the halls of power and all along he was given a warm reception. But the question is how indeed was this taken back home and it's a question that Obama addressed as he prepared to head back to Chicago.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I wouldn't even be surprised if in some polls that you saw a little bit of a dip as a consequence. We've been out of the country for a week. People are worried about gas prices. They're worried about home foreclosures. So the reason that I thought this trip was important was I'm convinced that many of the issues that we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad.
CROWLEY: John McCain and the republicans took full advantage of Obama's absence from the U.S. campaign trail. McCain was out talking home and heart issues, gas prices, mortgage foreclosures, that sort of thing, today as he prepared to leave, Barack Obama fired back.
OBAMA: In terms of a victory lap, it's hard for me to understand Senator McCain's argument. He was telling me I was supposed to take this trip. He suggested it. Thought it was a good idea. Although I got to admit we had it planned before he made the suggestion. John McCain has visited every one of these countries post-primary that I have. He has given speeches in Canada, in Colombia, Mexico. He made visits. And so it doesn't strike me that we've done anything different than the McCain campaign has done which is to recognize that part of the job of the next president, commander in chief, is to forge effective relationships with our allies.
CROWLEY: In the end these sorts of trips are remembered not so much for what was said but the impressions that are left. So whether it was playing hoops with troops, standing overlooking Amman, Jordan , whether he was before the wall in Jerusalem in the heart of Berlin addressing 200,000 people standing at the side of the French president or here coming out of 10 Downing Street. The impressions that Barack Obama hopes that he leaves on U.S. voters is that he is a man that can play not just president of the U.S. but as leader in the western world. Candy Crowley, CNN, London.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: For John McCain, another weekend in Arizona. Earlier today, he took a trip into the town of Sedona. His campaign released a third in a series of weekend addresses with McCain again tweaking Obama.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning. I'm John McCain, and this week the presidential contest was a long- distance affair with my opponent touring various continents and arriving yesterday in Paris. With all the breathless coverage from abroad with Senator Obama now addressing his speeches to "the people of the world," I'm starting to feel a little left out. Maybe you are, too.
(END OF AUDIO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Tonight McCain will open his home and serve barbecue to a group of republican fundraisers.
With our latest national poll of polls, Barack Obama is down slightly, John McCain is up. 44 percent of registered voters said they preferred Obama, 41 percent prefer McCain, 15 percent still undecided. Last week Obama's lead was 6 percentage points. The poll of polls is an average of three different surveys.
The Coast Guard says it will take several days to get traffic back to normal on the Mississippi River. Several hundred ships were stranded north and south of New Orleans by Wednesday's big oil spill. Investigators haven't yet determined why a barge and a tanker collided dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel. They have said that the crew of that tugboat pulling the barge wasn't properly licensed.
Initially authorities in New Orleans downplayed the risk of environmental damage, but now wildlife officials are reporting sightings of oil coated birds. Just a little later we're going to talk to one of the individuals involved in that effort to try and save them. Straight ahead, amazing pictures out of Greece as a wildfire forces tourists from a resort. What's fuelling the flames? And if they weren't grown in the U.S., put down those peppers. What the FDA is saying about a salmonella outbreak and jalapenos from across the border.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: On a much more serious note, terrorists bent on killing innocent people and causing acts of chaos did just that today in India. Explosions, one after another, 17 in all, they detonated over a 90-minute span, killing at least 29 people and wounding 100 or more. The bombers chose crowded parts of the city. (INAUDIBLE) bus stops, rail stations, even two hospitals. A Muslim extremist group reportedly sent out a warning before those bombings began. The same group that claimed responsibility for bombings two months ago killing more than 60 people in India.
Dry weather and high winds fueling a stubborn wildfire on the Greek island of Rhodes. Firefighters and soldiers working for a fifth day to try and contain it. Last night several thousand tourists had to be evacuated from their hotels because of the heavy smoke. Today the winds shifted so most have been able to return.
Straight ahead -- what is an evangelical? Interesting answers from these spiritual students in tonight's league of first time voters. Rick Sanchez sits down with them.
And a military milestone. The armed forces went to the front lines of racial integration 60 years ago. African-American soldiers tell us how the historic change in policy changed their lives.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Election Day 2008. We're getting ready to count down the final 100 days, and we're all over the league of first-time voters. Those groups for whatever reason are getting involved this year and making their voices and votes heard. CNN's Rick Sanchez found some young evangelicals in Memphis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Guys, what in the world is an evangelical?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An evangelical is someone who professes to have accepted Jesus Christ into their heart and who lives their life with the bible as their one direction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a Christian who believes in the authority of the bible but not the authority of the pope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they're not sure about how their beliefs would apply to something political, they usually err on the side of caution.
SANCHEZ: Which means they vote conservative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
SANCHEZ: Would you say sometimes as an evangelical you have to be careful where you put your support?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's extremely important to really distinguish between someone who is just saying the right things to get the support of evangelicals rather than actually believing those things and putting them into practice.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you, gay marriage, for example. Do we all agree, from an evangelical standpoint, that gay marriage is not something you're comfortable with?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think it's necessarily a government decision to make.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that Christianity is a religion of love and acceptance and extending love to people.
SANCHEZ: No matter who they are?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
SANCHEZ: Everybody agree with that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm against gay marriage, but I don't think it should -- I think it represents such a small population of America that it should not be as big of a deal as it is.
SANCHEZ: But should the government come out with a law that says only men and women should actually be able to be married?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe so strongly in the sanctity of marriage, between one man and one woman.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm against it and I don't believe it's right, but I don't think I can force that belief on somebody who doesn't believe the way I do, even though sincerely I believe they're wrong.
SANCHEZ: Let's go to abortion. Is there any wiggle room in any of your minds when it comes to abortion?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe in the sanctity of life even if it's an unborn life. I agree that mothers have their rights, but the baby has its rights, too. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If a woman says, it's my body. I'll do what I want with my body. Yes, that's true, but you have another body growing inside your body that you have no control over. You're not the one who created that baby. That's something that god has given you as a gift. No matter the circumstances.
SANCHEZ: As you all see it, as evangelicals, abortion is the murder of an innocent human being?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.
SANCHEZ: No --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a moral issue. With gay marriage, it's a personal practice. With abortion, it's taking the life of another human being. So it becomes an issue of justice, which is something that the government is responsible to step in on.
SANCHEZ: How can you be so adamant when it comes to abortion as a killing, or as murder, but yet not so adamant when you're dealing with something like war? That's also killing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In 9/11, we had to react to that so I think it was our duty as Americans and our duty as Christians to address that problem.
SANCHEZ: Jesus said turn the other cheek.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is a matter of personal morality. I think when you have a head of state, things change. There's the difference between relations between governments and relations between people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think anyone likes war, but I think sometimes it's necessary. I'm not saying that this one was or was not necessary. I'm just saying that I would hope that the same person that sees Jesus as the prince of peace also sees Jesus as the God who's god our banner who leads us into battle.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Why not join the league of fist-time voters? CNN.com makes it easy to get smart on the candidates, the issues, how to register and express yourself, cnn.com/league. Go. It's free.
An oil spill shuts down part of the mighty Mississippi. Now a costly clean-up and the race to get big barges and ships back on schedule.
Let the games begin. Long lines and short tempers as the last of the Olympic tickets go on sale in China.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Struggling homeowners and builders have been howling for relief from the mortgage mess and now both houses of congress have done something about it. Today the senate passed an enormous housing bill and sent it over to the president's desk. Staggering numbers just out too on the number of U.S. homeowners facing foreclosure. In Nevada right now one in every 43 households is in foreclosure. California, one in every 65. And in Arizona one out of every 70. For each of those houses there's a homeowner in distress. CNN's Ted Rowlands introduces us to people learning to cope with the loss of their home.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mike and Kristin Bertrand lost their southern California home to foreclosure.
MIKE BERTRAND, FOUNDER, "MOVING FORWARD": It was the feeling of total hopelessness and impending doom where you don't know exactly what the doom is.
KRISIN BERTRAND, FOUNDER, "MOVING FORWARD": Rock bottom for me was, wow, thoughts of suicide.
ROWLANDS: Mike and Kristin say during the foreclosure process they felt alone even though thousands of others were also going through it, some in their own neighborhood.
MIKE BERTRAND: We thought it would be a good idea to form a group where people going through the same thing can get together and support one another to help get through the human effects of foreclosure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is (INAUDIBLE) and we're just starting the process of going through foreclosure.
ROWLANDS: Now thanks to Mike and Kristin, twice a month people in different stages of the foreclosure process get together for emotional support, answers and advice. They call the group "Moving Forward." Each meeting there are guest speakers from financial experts --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The minute you crawl out of the bankruptcy slump you're going to have some credit offers.
ROWLANDS: To family therapists.
JACK DOMAN, FAMILY THERAPIST: I think that losing a house is almost like losing a loved one. Because of all of the stress that's involved.
ROWLANDS: Randall and Wendy Richman say they know all about the stress.
WENDY RICHMAN, "MOVING FORWARD" PARTICIPANT: Let's see, how many nights have I cried myself to sleep or on the way home from work? It's just so unnerving when -- this is our home. ROWLANDS: They're still in their home but because their adjustable rate mortgage has almost doubled, they can't afford it. They recently stopped making payments and are awaiting to get kicked out. They say the "Moving Forward" meetings are helping.
RANDALL RICHMAN, "MOVING FORWARD" PARTICIPANT: Everyone else that we've talked to is trying to sell us something or get us to sign something or do something to benefit them and this group really is -- no one is selling you anything.
WENDY RICHMAN: Seeing other people in the same boat we're in, it's comforting because you go, I'm not alone. I'm not a loser.
ROWLANDS: Mike and Kristin are now renting a house but plan to continue with Moving Forward as more and more people, because of foreclosure, are being forced to move out.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: And there are new tallies out today on just how much the Iraq war is costing Americans. The Congressional Research Service estimated the U.S. has spent $648 billion on Iraq. That's $588 billion more than the White House predicted it would cost back in 2002. What's even more surprising is the Iraq war bill is close to exceeding what Vietnam, the second most expensive war in U.S. history, would cost if it happened today? $686 billion.
When you're fighting a war, does it matter what color the soldier, aviator or Marine serving with you is? Up until $1948, it matter a great deal. 60 years ago today, President Harry Truman integrated the military, calling for equality of treatment and opportunity without regard to race, religion, or country of origin.
Before that executive order was signed, black in segregated units served with distinction. The Tuskegee Airmen could be probably the best known. Their heroics in World War II will never be forgotten.
I had a chance to speak with two heroic African-American soldiers, who served with distinction, about the integration anniversary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: As you were building your way up the ranks, as a minority, what was the biggest challenge for you so far in your career?
GEN. RUSSELL HONORE, U.S. ARMY RETIRED: Well, the one was to become assimilated because all of must education was at segregated schools. The Army embraced me and the non-commissioned officers taught me, and the officers that that led me, that I could be anything that I wanted to be and go as far in the Army as I wanted to because the army was about fairness. It was about opportunity. And after of that, I retired in March having served 37 years 3 months and 3 months and 3 days as a lieutenant general and as commander of the 1st United States Army.
PHILLIPS: Sergeant major, you're right there in Iraq. When you are fighting to save each other's lives, you've got to be color blind. You can't discriminate. Tell me what the biggest challenge for you has been so far in your career.
SGT. MAJOR MARVIN HILL, U.S. ARMY: Kyra, the biggest challenge for me in my career to this point, I guess, starting off, was separating myself from the crowd that I hung out with in Memphis, Tennessee, and joining the team, a band of brothers, in the United States Army and just giving together and fighting for the same cause. Once I was able to grasp that concept, the sky was the limit as far as progressing through the ranks was concerned.
PHILLIPS: General, Sergeant Abe William Perry from the 92nd Infantry, all-black Buffalo Division, he was speaking at the White House, enlisted in 1942. His unit really distinguished itself in Italy in World War II. This is what he had to say at the White House. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. ABE WILLIAM PERRY, ALL-BLACK BUFFALO DIVISION: Here I stand today in our capitol's rotunda, and I look back and ember those days and those men who went before me and some of them still alive. The only question I have -- what took us so long, America, to live up to our dream? Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: He got a standing ovation there at the capitol's rotunda, not the White House. I apologize. And he said he only has one question, "What took us to long, America, to live up to our creed?
PHILLIPS: General, what took so long?
HONORE: You know, our Declaration of Independence guaranteed all people would be created equal. It took up to 60 years ago for us to meet the potential of what this country had promised in the Declaration of Independence. In 1775, we had men, not free men, slaves, fighting in that War of Independence, and it took until 60 years ago for us to be integrated as a force.
Right now we are faced with our World War II veterans, as you heard the gentleman just speaking, who saw a segregated army, who fought in a segregated army. And they're still alive today. We owe a great gratitude to them because of their efforts. They showed America, they showed the world, that regardless of what your color is, you will contribute. You're American. You will do what you can to defend this country. Because of that, it was a convincing blow that caused the president of the United States 60 years ago to sign something that should have been done in 1776.
PHILLIPS: Sergeant Major, you can tell that the general is always so passionate about this subject matter. You do. You look at the Tuskegee Airmen, the 92nd Infantry, Buffalo Division, and you wonder what took so long on many levels.
For you, it's so obvious what you've accomplished. You're a strong leader. But what do you offer the military? What do you offer the men and women there, also as a strong black leader?
HILL: Kyra, I think what I offer is diversity. And diversity is the strength of our country and it's the strength of our military. And when you have diversity within your ranks, you have an opportunity to see things from different perspectives. So that perspective that I bring to the table, I think enhances our unit, enhances the unit's performance, and just makes our army stronger.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Retired Lieutenant General Russell Honore, you'll remember him as the tough, no-nonsense general, who took over in the aftermath of Katrina.
And Command Sergeant Major Marvin Hill -- well, the Bronze Star is just one of many had medals he has served. He is currently serving in Iraq.
The Olympic torch is winding its way through China. With less than two weeks to go for opening ceremonies, some of the torch bearers for those legs are people who helped in the rescue effort after China's earthquake disaster in May. The torch will head to that devastated region before arriving in Beijing.
Looks like some people really have Olympic fever, vying for those tickets like athletes vying for the medals. Tens of thousands of fans mobbed a ticket office in Beijing yesterday. Police struggled to prevent a stampede, shoving and kicking some people who actually rushed the windows. These games are expected to be the first to sell out all events.
It may be just a bike to you, but for thousands of people it's a chance at a better life.
And the sounds of jazz. Rhymes and hip-hop blending to reach wider audiences.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: We're getting down to the last few days to nominate someone you know as a "CNN Hero." We're looking for ordinary people impacting the country and the world. Someone like Dave Swidenback (ph), who changing lives half a world away with bicycles.
(CNN HEROES)
PHILLIPS: And Friday, August 1st, is the last day for the nominations. Go to cnn.com/heroes right now to get yours in. We may share your hero's story with the world. They could be furthered honored at an all-star tribute on Thanksgiving night on CNN. Nothing routine about this traffic stop. Check out how close that cop came to death. It's a near-miss, and you don't want to miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The environmental costs of this week's New Orleans oil spill may be much higher than expected. Today a Wildlife official reported dozens of sightings of petroleum-coated birds. And he said the scope of the damage of the Mississippi River still isn't yet clear.
Joining us from the scene is Tom McKenzie of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Tom, can you describe the conditions, where you are and what you're seeing.
TOM MCKENZIE, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: This morning, we were on the river and this afternoon we were on the river trying to track down reports of oiled wildlife that we had received through our hotline. And our biggest challenge really is getting to some of the wildlife when we do have reports. The area is very marshy. When we do have a good location on those, and it takes a bit of time to get to them. So our big challenge is really a tyranny of time and terrain and just working with the Mississippi. It's got a pretty strong current. So when we're deploying boats to it, deploying people via ground to recover those birds, it's just challenging. It's been hard. We haven't grabbed a single one yet.
We have acquired one bird that was a small dove that was oiled, and it couldn't fly. The other ducks that were having reports of, egrets are still oiled but they have the capability to run or fly and they're getting away from us.
PHILLIPS: You've mentioned doves, egrets, ducks. What other wildlife is threatened right now?
MCKENZIE: We have only about three fur mammals, like a couple of beavers and a muskrat, is reported. The egrets, great egrets and snowy egrets, those are the beautiful white birds that make an oiling very obvious when you see them in the binoculars because the beaks are blackened by tar balls and the white, even if they've only ingested or gotten into the sheen, they are kind of the lighter part of the number six fuel oil, that shows up very obviously on a white bird like an egret. Some of the night herons and the darker birds, you can't really tell. You'd have to have them in hand. At this point, they're still strong enough to escape.
Now, some of those probably may become sicker as time goes on. When they're trying to preen that oil off of their legs. Some might recover. Others would either become sickened and become easier prey for other predators or might wander off into other parts of the marsh where we'd never even know they existed. It's a challenge.
PHILLIPS: Tom, just put into perspective for our viewers why it's so important, you know, not only from a humanitarian side of things to save and rescue these birds and wildlife you've been describing, but there are other impacts and effects and more reasons why you need to pursue these types of rescue, right?
MCKENZIE: Well, a lot of philosophic reasons, I'm sure. For one thing, we caused it, so we need to fix it. That's kind of the bottom dollar in a lot of things we look at. Man caused the problem so it's up to us to fix it. Luckily, we've got really high-speed folks from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the Coast Guard and other agencies. NOAA is here as well. The energy that's here is really pretty remarkable.
People are all focused around a lot of different agendas to get things done, you know, for various reasons. Obviously, folks want to open up the river for commerce, and we're still -- once the river opens up, of course, it's going to be a little more complicated just with the larger ships kind of stirring up the river again. Could make it a little more challenging than we've got right now because we've kind of got the run of the river. Of course, it's a huge river that we're dealing with. We're talking about the Mighty Mississippi.
PHILLIPS: Sure, the Mighty Mississippi and hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil.
MCKENZIE: Absolutely. And it spread over 80 miles. You're talking 160, 200 riverbank miles, not counting the possible marsh effects the some of the oil might be seeping into.
PHILLIPS: We'll continue to follow your rescue efforts and also the cleanup there, as you said, on the Mighty Mississippi.
Tom McKenzie of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tom, thanks.
MCKENZIE: Thanks.
PHILLIPS: FDA investigators think they've honed in on the cause of a nationwide salmonella outbreak. Raw jalapeno peppers grown in Mexico. The FDA says don't eat them. They recommend that people with poor immune systems avoid those similar looking serrano peppers just to be safe. U.S.-grown peppers are OK to eat. The salmonella outbreak has sickened more than 1200 people.
One company's investment in its worker's wellness is paying big dividends. Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look for today's "Fit Nation."
(FIT NATION)
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, jazz and hip hop. They might seem like two different genres for two different generations, but get a load of some pretty funky fusion.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The Minnesota cop you see tumbling over in this video was shaken up but, believe it or not, he's OK. He stopped a possible drunk driver when an SUV slammed into the car and nearly slammed in to him at freeway speed. The patrolman fell into a ditch. He admits it's hard to look at the tape, but he says it shows a harsh reality, there's no such thing as a routine traffic stop in Burnsville, Minnesota. Eight officers have been hurt making them in the past couple of years.
Finally, you might have heard some of the music at our "Black in America" special. Well, these Morehouse College alums are hooking young audiences with a fusion of hip hop and jazz.
Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRENCE BROWN, PIANIST, JASPECTS: I was glad to study jazz, one, because I'm an African-American, two, because it's an art form that allows you to express yourself creatively. Jazz is the only art form that is the truth of the American culture, oddly enough, created by African-Americans.
JIMMY HEATH, JAZZ SAXOPHONIST: It definitely was the voice of the oppressed at that time. And the slaves created this music. They produced this bluesy, earthy cry in their music that cried out to the world. And it became the music of this country.
BROWN: I would say that's one of the renaissance -- the Harlem Renaissance began to give birth and people really felt the need to express themselves. And that is similar to how hip hop was created.
HEATH: Music influences what's happening in the society. And Martin and Malcolm, coming from different directions, were helping to present a new cultural movement.
HENRY CONERWAY, DRUMMER, JASPECTS: I think that things have changed for black musicians since the civil rights movement as far as their being recognized and being paid equal to white resistance.
BROWN: I do think the white culture controlling the media distribution in the communities, in the black communities, and then in all communities, it was definitely paving the way for what we are, because right now, people will study us and then they give things so it can generate money, but the unfortunate -- other than the fact that it's degrading, that's unfortunately as well, but the dual unfortunate part of it is that the money isn't coming back to our community.
HEATH: I think the important thing about jazz is the creation of African-American people. It's one of the most prized possessions of the people. But we must keep that with our kids. let them know what this is and where it came from.
CONERWAY: Jazz initially was the music of young African- Americans. I hope that people would enjoy our music. I would hope that they get what it is that we're trying to do, which is introduce a younger audience to jazz through hip hop.
We are all in our 40s and we like to let people know that that's the prime time for the creative juices at the time you're liable to act the most crazy and put the music where it is. Leave it on the stage.
PHILLIPS: And there's still so much more ahead on CNN. Don't forget to watch our encore presentation of "Black in America" parts one and two. It all starts tonight at 8:00 eastern.
And now, "This Week in Politics."
