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Lining Up For Aid; U.S. Troops In Afghanistan; ACORN's Money Problems
Aired October 08, 2009 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now, Israel's powerful foreign minister tells Israeli public radio there's no chance of a peace agreement with the Palestinians anytime soon. That could cast a shadow over U.S. efforts. U.S. envoy George Mitchell is back in the region this week trying to get talks moving again.
Back here in the United States, prosecutors are dropping one of the 15 cases against a former Alabama judge accused of sexually abusing male inmates. Herman Thomas faces dozens of criminal counts including kidnapping and sodomy. A jury could be seated in his trial as early as today.
Cool fall weather is helping firefighters battling a blaze in southern California. The fire has burned more than 11 square miles in the San Bernardino Mountains. Winds are expected to be light and temperatures should reach only 58 degrees today. Authorities say the fire is 85 percent contained and it has not grown.
Well, we've all been wondering how much health care reform is actually going to cost. Well now, according to the Congressional Budget Office we know, at least when it comes to one plan. $829 billion over ten years; that is the price tag the CBO gives the bill now before the Senate Finance Committee.
The CBO found the compromise plan would still leave about 25 million people uninsured. President Obama has said he wants all Americans to have access to affordable health care. The committee could vote as early as tomorrow. After that the debate moves to the full House and Senate.
So let's take a closer look at those numbers for a moment. CNN's Christine Romans has been crunching them all morning long. What strikes you, Christine? A lot of questions still being asked here.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, what strikes me is we still don't know what this thing is going to look like in the end. I mean, this bill that we're talking about from the Senate Finance Committee is many people say the most likely vehicle to make it through, and now that the Congressional Budget Office has done its financial analysis of it, it can move forward here.
And this is what the financial analysis found, as you pointed out. The 10-year cost of this is $829 billion, but it would reduce the deficit by $81 billion. Remember that the president has said again and again that he will not sign a bill that increases the federal deficit by a dime? Who is covered? Does this go far enough, or does this actually do what the president has been saying that he wants the people who are uninsured to be covered? 94 percent of eligible residents would be compared, and that compares with 83 percent in some prior iterations.
It leaves 25 million people without health insurance, about eight million of them illegal immigrants. So it doesn't cover every single person in this country who is without health insurance. That, of course, means that there still would be a burden on the taxpayer at some point. People who are not insured but it does go farther.
What does it do? This amended bill would establish a mandate for most legal residents to obtain health insurance. It sets up those insurance exchanges that we've been talking about where people and families can get subsidies - federal subsidies to buy health insurance. It would expand significantly eligibility for Medicaid and a few other things.
So now that the CBO, the non-partisan financial whizzes for Congress have looked over this now, it is said to take the next step forward -- Heidi.
COLLINS: What happens with the 25 million who are still uninsured?
ROMANS: They are without health insurance. They can either privately go and buy health insurance or they are going to use the emergency rooms as their point of contact or I guess they're going to pay cash. We do think that almost many people who are without health insurance, though, simply are not adding into the - you know, are not paying into the system. So it is still - that is still something that has to be addressed.
COLLINS: Yes. All right. We're watching it all very closely. Christine Romans, thank you.
Layoffs are easing a bit. This morning the Labor Department reported the number of workers filing for first-time unemployment benefits fell to 521,000. That's the lowest level since early January, and it's the fourth drop in new claims in five weeks.
In Detroit frustration, anger and chaos after thousands of people lined up for a chance to receive stimulus money set aside for homeless and low-income residents were turned away. Here's Natalie Sentz of CNN affiliate WDIV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATALIE SENTZ, WDIV-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sky 4 shows one of the several entrances, fights and faintings forced officials to call in disaster relief from Salvation Army.
GEORGE, PARTICIPANT: It was bad. I mean, there were people were all over the place, and you couldn't get here. We were lined up in traffic for 45 minutes, some of our trucks getting out here.
OLEFTHA, APPLICANT: It was chaos and commotion, and people yelling because they had - they didn't have enough people to pass out the applications.
JOHN, PARTICIPANT: There were some people that were a little confused as to what was going on.
SENTZ: What's going on started last month. That's when people started filing out this homeless prevention application. Word got out to last-minute stragglers lining up since late last night for a photo copy and piece of paper.
YVONNE, APPLICANT; Look, there's people all over the place. This is getting crazy out here. We need help here.
SENTZ: Help will come in the form of $15.2 million in federal grant money awarded to residents of the city of Detroit, but there's 50 times more people applying than money available, making the paper well worth its weight in gold.
ASIA, APPLICANT: My concern is everybody is down here, and they've been down here all night and might not get a chance to get the application to apply for the grant. And that's very sad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Detroit police said they had to shut down the entire process because the massive crowd created a safety hazard.
Take a moment to check out the big board right now. To the positive by about 44 points or so resting at 9,769. Dow Jones industrial average had a very sharp open, so we will continue to watch those numbers throughout the trading day.
The war in Afghanistan and the debate over a possible buildup of U.S. troops there. After a lot of talk, the White House is almost ready to discuss numbers. We get details now from CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suddenly President Obama is looking at the request to send thousands of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan, even though he has not yet announced a decision about a new strategy for the war, which is exactly what the president said he would not do.
OBAMA: I don't want to put the resource question before the strategy question.
STARR: Last week just before the president met in Copenhagen with his Afghanistan war commander, General Stanley McChrystal, the president asked for a copy of McChrystal's troop request, which is believed to call for as many as 40,000 additional forces. It's not how the military usually makes plans for war.
The president hasn't yet heard troop recommendations from his top military advisers who would normally be part of such a massive decision. Are the top officers being shut out now? GEOFF MORRELL, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I think I'm getting from your line of questioning that there's some concern that the chain of command is being cut out of this process. No, no, no, no, no.
STARR: But Morrell readily admitted that while the Pentagon is now working on its ideas for more troops, it may be meaningless.
MORRELL: I think things can work in parallel in a sense that it can operate through the chain of command for formal vetting and comment and so forth, but ultimately it means frankly nothing until there is a decision made about the way ahead.
STARR: One reason for all of this? The Pentagon was worried the highly classified troop request, just like McChrystal's assessment report, would get out in public.
MORRELL: I think we wanted to avoid any opportunity for leaking of this before the president had an opportunity to see it himself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Barbara Starr joining us now from the Pentagon with more on this. So, Barbara, I mean, everybody seems to be holding their cards so close to the vest on this. It seems like almost secret. What is the next step?
STARR: The next step, Heidi, is for - if they've made decisions, for those to be announced to the public and, of course, to the troops fighting the war, but here is going to be the challenge. If the decision is anything less than the current strategy and policy, which is fighting Al Qaeda, fighting the Taliban, the link between the militants and Afghanistan and Pakistan, if it is something less than that, will that be seen as a flip flop by the administration?
Because that's the current strategy and that has been what the president has been advocating since March. So a long way to go here to hear what the decisions are and how they're going to be spun. Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. We'll be watching alongside you. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Thanks, Barbara.
Now, let's turn to this morning's violence in Afghanistan's capital. At least 13 people are dead, another 60 wounded in the suicide bombing happening in Kabul. The Taliban say they are responsible. The car packed with explosives detonated near the gates of the Indian embassy.
This hour a Senate committee is looking at some of the dangers facing U.S. troops, and we're not talking about roadside bombs or attack. These are things like chemicals in an Iraqi water treatment facility. Water contamination at Camp Lejeune and exposure to fumes from incinerators in Japan. We'll keep our eye on that story.
Bob Barker, you know him as the host of "The Price is Right" but did you know he's also a World War II veteran. And he stepped up in a big way to help soldiers returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Bob Barker is live in the CNN NEWSROOM to talk about this about, 30 minutes from now. Make sure you stick around for that.
More fallout for ACORN after a hidden camera captured the group's employees giving advice to a phony pimp and prostitute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: House Republicans turning up the heat on one of their own. Congressman Charlie Rangel, and for the third time in a year they've tried and failed to force the democratic chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee to step down. That's the committee that writes the tax laws. Rangel has admitted he failed to pay taxes on $75,000 in income from a rental property he owns in the Dominican Republic. The House Ethics Committee is investigating other allegations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN CARTER (R), TEXAS: Representative Rangel acknowledged his failure to pay and publicly disclose at least half a million dollars in cash assets, tens of thousands of dollars in investment income, and his ownership of two pieces of property in New Jersey.
REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE: The way it works in the house is that when allegations are made and referred to the Ethics Committee, what is normally done is members wait until the Ethics Committee completes its investigation and its report.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, HOUSE SPEAKER: Bob asked for the investigation. We all support the investigation. And the ethics process works its will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Democrats say only after that investigation is over will House members decide what, if any, action should be taken.
The financial problems mount for the community activist group, ACORN Congress has voted to cut off federal funding for the group. This comes on the heels of recent video showing ACORN workers advising people how to set up a prostitution business. Here's Inez Ferre who got more on the latest troubles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
INEZ FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A $1 million grant for ACORN frozen. The money awarded by FEMA in early September was supposed to go to ACORN for fire safety and prevention in low income areas across the country, but a congressional vote to cut off ACORN funding put a stop to that. Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter questions why ACORN was awarded the money.
SEN. DAVID VITTER (R), LOUISIANA: ACORN getting a fire grant when there are fire departments, volunteer fire departments, other fire departments all around the country who are facing tough times? It just doesn't pass the smell test.
FERRE: In response ACORN says "Sen. Vitter knows ACORN's track record on helping communities prevent tragedy which is why our fire prevention work in low-income communities is important."
FEMA says ACORN was awarded the money based on a peer-review grant process, meaning firefighting professionals advocated for the organization. A similar grant was given in 2007. The funds have been frozen at a time when ACORN is under intense scrutiny. Louisiana's attorney general is investigating ACORN's finances.
JAMES "BUDDY" CALDWELL, LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL: What we're after is the truth. We got plenty to do down here, believe me, and what we're wanting to do is to determine if we can clear somebody, if we can implicate somebody or a combination of both and do what's healthy for the country, which is to monitor and do the right thing.
FERRE: ACORN has two Louisiana office buildings up for sale, including its former headquarters. When asked about reports of layoffs across its organization, ACORN responded by saying it can't comment on personnel matters, but did say - "The barrage of conservative attacks against ACORN's work serving low and moderate income communities has added to the already difficult financial environment facing all non-profits. ACORN has thrived for nearly 40 years. And we are taking the needed steps to ensure the next 40."
Inez Ferre, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Let's get on over to Rob Marciano working the maps right now because we have storms in the central part of the country, right?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, heavy rain - that is the main issue, actually anywhere from Texas all the way up reaching into central Louisiana or Indiana, I should say, and some of these rainfall rates will be quite impressive. Kind of two fronts, kind of squeezing together and a little wave developing along these fronts.
Let's tap into some of these warnings right now. Anytime you see these two red bars pop up on the magic wall, that means we got a fresh warning. We've had a number of these pourings throughout the morning. The latest one coming at 9:06 local time out of Springfield, Missouri. Flash flood watching in effect in that area until 1:00.
But the latest one as far as how much we've got as far as rainfall coming at this area. Cherokee County, Dade County, Jasper counties, and I'm reading this as you are, a runoff from excessive rainfall expected to cause flash flooding in these areas. So that's the situation there. And I expect these warnings to continue to pop up throughout the morning.
When it comes to what's going on with the radar, Kansas City to Indianapolis is where we are seeing most of it right now, and let's talk about St. Louis, actually. There's a window outside. If you live in St. Louis, all that brick that typically heats up and just bakes you in the summertime certainly is cool and wet right now.
KSDK is our affiliate out there. Fifty-two degrees at last check at the airport there, and with a thunderstorm rolling through, it is nasty. And again, you have a flash flood warning that's in effect for your area at least for the next 30 minutes, and that flash flood watch is in effect until at least 1:00 this afternoon. Computer models showing two inches possible in parts of northern Texas to maybe over four inches possible in parts of St. Louis. And this next 48 hours, I think the bulk of the rain will probably come within the next 48 hours.
And we have corresponding flash flood watches that are in effect all the way from central Indiana back through parts of Texas. And ahead of this, it should be pretty warm. Temperatures in the lower 80s in Atlanta, 69 degrees expected in New York City and not quite as windy as it was yesterday. But notice the cool air from Billings to Denver to Minneapolis.
That's some chilly air that's trying to push south and eastward. I don't think it's going to get very far. It looks like the main push of the cold air - and there's another reinforcing shot of cold air behind this one. We'll probably stay in the northern plains. It might get to the western great lakes, maybe in the central part of the country. There it is right there. And that will bring a pulse of winter-type weather but the East Coast, at least for the most part over the next couple of days, Heidi, will stay relatively mild, at least above average for this time of year. If you live in the mid- section of the country, keep your rain gear handy.
COLLINS: Yes, no kidding. All right, Rob. Thank you.
MARCIANO: You bet.
COLLINS: Two people are dead, dozens are injured after typhoon Melor slammed Japan overnight. The capital had some transportation troubles, but there was widespread damage in the western region. With flooding, power outages and ripped off homes, hundreds of airline flights were canceled, and Melor has since been downgraded since to a tropical storm.
Little girls behaving badly. A new study says a chemical called BPA could be one reason.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Checking our top stories now.
Israel's powerful foreign minister tells Israeli public radio that there's no chance of a peace agreement with the Palestinians anytime soon, and that could, of course, cast a shadow over U.S. efforts. U.S. envoy George Mitchell is back in the region this week trying to get talks moving once again.
A new report pushed the global Muslim population at over 1.5 billion. One in four people in the world practice Islam, and it includes some findings that may be surprising. For example, it shows Germany has more Muslims than Lebanon, and an analysts says it contradicts the notions that Muslims are Arabs and the Arabs are Muslim. That report coming from the Pugh Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Even if North Korea comes back to nuclear disarmament talks, a South Korean official says sanctions should stay in place. Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il says his government is willing to resume six-nation talks depending on the progress in negotiations with the United States.
Little girls with big anger issues. A new study suggests a link between a plastics chemical and behavior. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here now with more details on this. What?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's like a what isn't it? You know, the chemical BPA, you and I have talked a lot about it being in baby bottles and sippy cups and whatnot, and this is a chemical that some people think is dangerous. Now what the researchers have done is they looked to pregnant women and they tried to measure how much BPA they had in their systems while they were pregnant, and then they got in touch with those women two years later.
And what they found is that women with the highest amounts of BPA of this chemical while they were pregnant were more likely to have two-year-old daughters considered to be aggressive. Not sons but daughters. Now, there's lots of limitations to this study. There are certain things they didn't measure, that perhaps they should have but certainly it gives - it might give one more positive about BPA even than ever before.
COLLINS: I imagine the plastic industry has responded.
COHEN: They do. They point out these weaknesses in the study, including the fact that they didn't look at what these kids did but between birth and age two. That's sort of a little bit of a mystery and here's what they had to say.
"The results of this preliminary and severely limited study cannot be considered meaningful for human health unless the findings are replicated in a more robust study." So that's what they had to say.
COLLINS: OK. Well if you are a person who really thinks this is an important issue and you're a little worried about it, is there a way to avoid BPA at all? Is it listed in some of those products that it's in there?
COHEN: I think it would be hard to eliminate it all together. For example, you eat a can of peas. That can perhaps is lined with plastic that contains BPA. Catsup bottles -
COLLINS: Frozen peas?
COHEN: Frozen peas, right. So if you really, really made an effort, you could probably get rid a lot of it. For example, you could take a water bottle and flip it over and look for the number 7. You know, they have those little numbers that are a little bit hard to read. But they have this numbers like this one here with the recycling signs.
A 7 means that that plastic likely has BPA in it, and you want to avoid it. So look for the number 7, and if you want to avoid BPA, you should avoid the number 7. Same thing with, you know, the little plastic containers we sort of put our leftovers in for lunch. Flip it over, if you see a 7 choose another container.
COLLINS: All right. Very good. We're watching it. Thank you.
COHEN: OK.
COLLINS: Elizabeth Cohen, appreciate it.
Congress trying to do something for you. Fighting rising credit card rates. We'll tell you all about that.
Also, hey, do you know this guy? Take a look. Bob Barker. Well, there he is. Bob Barker on the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Why? Did you know he's a World War II vet as well? He is stepping up and helping his fellow vets in a very big way. Tell you all about it in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.
COLLINS: Your monthly credit card bill doubling, even tripling. We told you about the complaints from card holders. Well, now Congress is acting. Some credit card companies are hiking their rates before new rules take effect in February. Lawmakers introduced legislation to move up the effective date on credit card reform to December.
Right now a House committee is holding a hearing on that legislation. For more on new credit card rules and why some lawmakers want to move up their effective date, let's go ahead and check in now with CNN Money.com's Poppy Harlow in New York. So, Poppy, why the rush? Is it just because that many more people are complaining about this?
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: No, Heidi. You know, it's not. I mean, we got the rules passed. So number one, you know, this is going to change in your favor if you're a consumer that uses credit cards. But it's not going to change until February 22nd, and as you said, they want to move that date up to December 1st.
But Heidi, there's been a lot of trouble anyways, what we've seen, as you well know, we got credit card companies slashing credit limits ahead of that, raising interest rates, and hiking fees and sort of rushing up to that February 22nd deadline. According to one study. Look at those rates, the lowest interest rate on a credit card they could find rose 20 percent from December to July. So it's really happening. Let's take a look at that live House hearing as you said, Heidi, because they're meeting right now trying to move that effective date up to December 1st.
Here's some of the highlights. Here's why it matters to you. Here's what's going to change. It's going to limit those interest rate increases on your existing balances in most circumstances. Now, payments also that you make to pay off your balance, Heidi, those have to be applied to the part of your balance with the highest interest rate. That's really important as well.
So it's going to limit them on existing balances and also it's going to help you if you're trying to pay down your balance. That's a huge money saver, Heidi, if you got a balance with different interest rates.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARLOW: Also, this is really key. No more universal defaults. Let's take a look at that. Because when you talk about universal defaults, if you default on your payment to say a Bank of America card, then all the other credit card companies that you work with, they can also raise your rates. As of February 22nd, maybe sooner, Heidi, they won't be able to do that anymore.
COLLINS: OK. Well, will speeding up those rules actually help consumers then, or is it already too late?
HARLOW: It's not too late. And one of the experts we talked to made a great point. They said holiday shopping season, December, January, and even starting in November, that is when credit card spending is the highest. So if we can get this reform enacted December 1st, it's going to really help people. Some other experts say the most people apply for credit cards in December and January.
So this would help you out, because if you get a new credit card, then that would start right from the moment you get that credit card not being able to increase the interest rate on those existing balances right from the get-go.
The credit card companies, no surprise there, Heidi, they are likely going to push back on this with some hard lobbying in Washington. They lobbied originally to delay those rules. They say they need the time to update their systems. Not clear, honestly, Heidi. This is just a House hearing. It has to the Senate if they could really get it moved up to December 1st. But they're trying, Heidi.
COLLINS: We'll follow it. Thank you, Poppy.
HARLOW: Sure.
COLLINS: Here's a new thing on sale in your local shopping mall. Retail space. How about that? Lots and lots of it, in fact. Susan Lisovicz is in New York now with details on this. So, yes, if you want to open up a store, go right ahead?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Yes. It's a real good time if you want to open a store.
It's pretty simple, Heidi. Fewer shoppers translates into fewer stores. They're literally closing up shop. Mall vacancy right now nationwide near 9 percent, and that is the highest since real estate research firms started record-keeping on the subject in 2000.
Why is that? Well, just think about all the stores that have gone out of business completely. Linens and Things, KB Toys, Circuit City. Then you have lots of other national chains that are downsizing. Ann Taylor, Zale (sic), Blockbuster, cutting down on the number of stores they operate.
What does it mean for us? Well, lots of sales but fewer jobs in retail. Target, for instance, yesterday announced it's cutting toy prices by 50 percent, which follows Wal-Mart, which offers 100 toys for 10 bucks. Strip malls, shopping centers are faring even worse. Why is that, Heidi? Because a lot of them are local stores, and they can't absorb the losses like so many national chains do.
COLLINS: Yes. It's hard. It's like a catch-22 because you get the deals out there, but you know what the bigger picture is. But the retail sales numbers aren't really all that bad, are they?
LISOVICZ: That's exactly right. And it depends. It's all relative, right? We're seeing some signs of life. JCPenney, Macys's, Target -- we saw smaller than expected declines. Limited actually saw a sales increase, but consumer spending is still weak.
The bottom line? Holiday sales are still expected to fall, but not as much as the decline of last year. And Reese expects no retail recovery until 2012. But investors are buying on Wall Street because of those better-than-expected retail sales. The Dow, the NASDAQ, and S&P 500 each up half a percent.
COLLINS: Yes. Very good. Susan Lisovicz, thank you.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
COLLINS: The war in Afghanistan and a new insurgent attack to tell you about this morning. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for this morning's suicide car bombing in the capital. At least 13 people have died in the blast; more than 60 were wounded.
The attack comes as the White House gets ready to discuss numbers in a possible increase of U.S. troops. As early as tomorrow, President Obama's national security team will discuss a report from the top U.S. commander there. General Stanley McChrystal has reportedly called for up to 40,000 more U.S. troops.
Days after this year's bloodiest battle for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the cruel reality hits home. Fort Carson, Colorado learned all eight of the war dead are from that base.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. STEVE WOLLMAN, U.S. ARMY: As we mourn the loss of these great Americans, we remember their dedicated service and heroic actions as they fought alongside their comrades to preserve our freedoms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. DANIEL CHANDLER, U.S. ARMY: Our soldiers over there -- they're actually in very high spirits. They had -- were attacked, and the unit fought bravely, and in the end they won the day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Military officials also confirmed yesterday a ninth soldier was killed in a separate weekend incident in Afghanistan.
Could the key to Afghanistan's future lie outside its borders? The White House now views Pakistan as a critical ally and is considering a new role, despite a relationship that has become increasingly shaky. A closer look from our foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DOUGHERTY (voice-over): The mountainous and porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, where terrorists find sanctuary. Stark symbol of why President Barack Obama believes the U.S. cannot win in Afghanistan without commitment from Pakistan.
ROBERT GATES, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The Afghan/Pakistan border is the modern epicenter of jihad.
DOUGHERTY: But in Pakistan, there's doubt the U.S. is committed to the long haul.
SHAH MEHMOOD QURESHI, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: The people of the region have to be reassured that the United States has a long-term vision -- not just for Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the entire region. And when I say that, we have to keep in mind history.
DOUGHERTY: Nearly 30 years ago, the U.S. partnered with Pakistan, supplying mujahadeen fighters with weapons and training to defeat the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We left. And Pakistan feels like we left them holding the bag, because, all of a sudden, they were awash in weapons, they were awash in drugs; jihadists, who had been trained up in conjunction with us.
DOUGHERTY: Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates insist the U.S. won't repeat the mistakes of the past.
GATES: There should be no uncertainty in terms of our determination to remain in Afghanistan and to continue to build a relationship of partnership and trust with the Pakistanis.
DOUGHERTY: But the U.S. has its own lingering doubts: whether Pakistan is a reliable partner; whether its military intelligence is linked to terrorist organizations; whether its obsession with threats from India diverts it from fighting terrorism.
The Obama administration is tripling economic and social aid to Pakistan, $1.5 billion a year for the next five years, but only on a condition that its president, Asif Ali Zardari pursues terrorists in his own country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOUGHERTY: And in the spiral of doubt and reassurances, Pakistan says by making demands like that, the U.S. is interfering in its internal affairs.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Washington.
COLLINS: Coming up in just a moment, a new facility that will specialize in helping veterans suffering from severe brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.
For game show host Bob Barker, the price was right to help. He joins us live to tell us why the project was so important to him that he made the big donation to insure it happens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Want to get this information out to you now just into the CNN NEWSROOM. We learned the Senate Finance Committee now is set to vote on Tuesday on this compromised health care reform bill we've been telling you about. The Congressional Budget Office puts the price tag at $829 billion. That's $70 billion less than some expected. The CBO found the compromise plan still, though, would leave about 25 million people uninsured. But a third of those would be illegal immigrants who are not eligible for coverage.
The South Pacific, a seismic hotspot. Four earthquakes struck near the island nation Vanuatu. In less than 11 hours. They were strong ones, but they only generated small waves. And tsunami warnings were quickly canceled. There have been no reports of damage or injuries.
One bad thing to look forward to as the economy recovers: more flight delays. That's according to a Brookings Institution report out today. The study says a lot of people make short trips between big cities, and that's part of the reason for the delays. The report also cites issues with an ill-equipped air traffic control system and calls for more high-speed inner-city rail service.
Legendary game show host Bob Barker has been in millions of living rooms across this country. Today, he may earn a place in your heart. You see, he heard about a facility that will take care of military veterans with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, and then he wrote a $3 million check to make it a reality. Bob is here to talk about that alongside Bill White, the president of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Gentlemen, a pleasure to have you. Thanks so much for being here.
Bob, if you'll hang on just a minute, Bill, I'd love to hear how this all went down. I know this was a $60 million facility in Bethesda, Maryland, the National Intrepid Center for Excellence. You had a little bit of trouble getting that final $3 million. So, what happened?
BILL WHITE, PRESIDENT, INTREPID FALLEN HEROES FUND: Well, in this economy, Heidi, raising $60 million is not an easy task. But the American people know that our wounded troops need our support today. Traumatic brain injury is affecting almost 300,000 brave Americans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
So, raising this last $3 million was a real struggle. Of course, we always need more funds. There's going to be TBI research and other things down the road, but this last $3 million to get the facility built was a big lift. We just weren't sure how we were going to do it.
COLLINS: And so what happened?
WHITE: Received a phone call from Mr. Bob Barker, who basically said the price was right. He is just an amazing patriot, a World War II Naval aviator.
I want to stop talking, because this is his day. But I have to tell you one thing. We are grateful for Mr. Barker. The troops of this country who will know of his generosity are grateful. And nose families that are going to finally get the help they deserve for the service they have given owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. Barker, as we do. And I want to thank you, Bob. We love you very much.
BOB BARKER, FORMER TV HOST AND INTREPID DONOR: Thank you. Thank you...
COLLINS: Absolutely.
BARKER: Thank you for those kind words.
COLLINS: Bob, we are well aware that you were a former Navy pilot. Want to go ahead and show some of those pictures, because we have them from back in World War II. Look at you! Is this why you made this phone call to Bill White? Is this why you donated the money?
BARKER: Well, I think that it certainly was one of the reasons. I have always had great sympathy for the young men and women who are injured in the defense of our country, and sometimes almost forgotten. When I had this opportunity to make this contribution that I know will be used so wisely, I jumped at the opportunity. And I hope that a lot of other Americans will do the same thing. Because these young men and women need all the help we can give them. COLLINS: Yes, there's no question about that. But I have to say, even though I'm sure the job paid pretty darn well when you were up there doing "The Price Is Right," $3 million is an awful lot of money. What would you like to see happen for these men and women that have suffered some of these injuries in these wars?
BARKER: Well, I feel that any young man or woman who's injured in the defense of our country should receive the best possible medical care. And that's what this group, the Intrepid Group, that's what they are trying their best to accomplish. And I might add, I think they're well on the way with this wonderful new hospital in Bethesda.
COLLINS: Yes, and we've seen this before. We saw it with the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, Texas, where the focus was amputees. The focus here is now TBI and PTSD. Bill, give us an update, would you? How is the construction going, and talk more about what will exactly happen at this facility.
WHITE: We're actually going to try to get Bob to come down and visit some of the folks suffering from traumatic brain injury and see the facility. It's on the second floor. Arnold Fisher, our honorary chairman, who is a builder, he always says, "I'm a builder, not a doctor." And so the doctors have told him what to build. He's on his way to build it.
We're going to be open in June, and so finally, you know, they'll get the care that they really deserve. You know, if you have traumatic brain injury, just wanted the viewers to understand. This is not like they have nightmares or they're having, you know, post- traumatic stress. This is -- an explosion that goes off, and their brain gets rattled to the point where they cannot even remember the names of their own children, Heidi. You know this. You know what TBI is. Bob Barker knows it. The Intrepid knows it.
We're working in cooperation with DOD at the highest level to get them the best care possible. Dr. Richard Kelly is going to be running the center. And having the best doctors. He actually wasn't in the military. They did a national search to bring him in, and indeed, the best care on the planet as Bob said will occur at this center. Again, thanks to his amazing contribution and generosity.
BARKER: Heidi, one thing that impressed me in my research of organizations that are doing what they can to help veterans is that 100 percent of the contribution that I have made will go to the program for the veterans. All of the administrative costs of this organization are paid from another channel. So, anyone who makes a contribution will know that they are going to help the veterans.
COLLINS: It's an excellent point, and we really hope that people begin to follow your example here. Three million dollars coming into the National Intrepid Center of Excellence from Bob Barker. Well- done, Bob Barker, and thank you personally for your service to the country. Bill White and Bob Barker, thanks so much.
BARKER: It was my pleasure. It is my pleasure.
COLLINS: Thank you both.
WHITE: Thank you. Thank you.
BARKER: It's a testimonial to this country that I'm in a position that I can do this -- make this contribution.
COLLINS: You are exactly right.
WHITE: God bless America.
COLLINS: Once again, thanks, you guys. So appreciate it.
Tomorrow, stars in 14 cities and one on the international space station will put on an unprecedented show aimed at getting clean water to those in need. So, how will they pull it off? We'll tell you about it in a moment.
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COLLINS: We've heard a lot about worldwide events. This one we're talking about reaches all the way it to outer space. Former vice president Al Gore taking part along with Shakira, U2, movie stars and more. And it's about getting clean water to those in need.
Our Josh Levs is here to tell us all about it. Hey, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Heidi. It's so interesting. I've never seen anything like this. Let's start off with this video.
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LEVS: All right. It's being run by onedrop.org. This is a group that's working to get clean water for those in need around the world. It's taking place in 14 cities tomorrow, and joining us right now is the creative producer of that event, Fernand Rainville.
Fernand, are you there?
FERNAND RAINVILLE, POETIC SOCIAL MISSION (via telephone): Yes, I am.
LEVS: Great. Thanks for joining us. Here's what I'm going to do. Let's zoom in on the screen behind me. I'll show the list of cities where it's taking place and some of the celebrities involved. And as I do this, tell me about it. What exactly is happening tomorrow?
RAINVILLE: Tomorrow night there's -- gosh, tomorrow night is around-the-world broadcasts on Internet on onedrop.org. It's an event being held in 14 cities, which relates the cause of water, the idea between -- behind this was (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) trip to the ISS... LEVS: You're talking about the man who is the founder of Cirque du Soleil. He had this idea, so it's a Cirque du Soleil style performance that will take place all over the world, right?
RAINVILLE: Well, some if it is Cirque du Soleil, but his idea was to ask artists of all sorts of cultures to join in the effort to bring awareness. So, we're basically putting up in front artists from different fields. We have photographers like Peter Lich (ph) and film cinamatographer (INAUDIBLE).
LEVS: Fascinating work. Yes, listen, I'm sorry, I just want to show everyone because we have pictures of all the people involved. This is about clean water, which is such an important issue. Let's take a look at the video you all have put together about that.
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LEVS: And I'll tell you, this is an issue I think about a lot. It's always amazing to me how many people in this world do not have clean water. Just basic drinking water. How many children die from basic things like diarrhea. And as I understand it, Fernand, our performance tomorrow cost $10 million but you're eating the cost yourselves just for this effort to get people talking about water, right?
RAINVILLE: That's the idea. The idea was to get everybody involved in this and to do a global effort and outreach to get aware of the difficulties we have in different parts of the world. Up here in America and Canada, we have access to clean water. We turn on the faucet. But elsewhere in the world, there are very, very bad difficulties coming up.
LEVS: That's right. It's amazing. It's fascinating what you're doing.
Finally, let's do this. I'll show some video of Guy Laliberte. He is calling himself the first clown in space, he's the founder of Cirque du Soleil. He will take part in this performance tomorrow, you tell me, right? From the international space station, right, Fernand?
RAINVILLE: Yes, he will. Yes, he will. We've been planning this for the last three months when he found out he was leaving. It was quickly done, but it's a poetic take on things. It's an idea of what about happening on the planet, and it's a discussion between the moon and the sun and a water drop. It's a story we're trying to tell.
LEVS: And we're going to follow it. Fernand, thanks so much. Let's show everyone the graphic where you can get the links to all this and more, including something I put out by the WHO about water in the world. This is CNN.com/josh. We'll have it in a couple of minutes. It's on my Facebook and Twitter page, JoshLevsCNN.
Fernand, thank you so much. Heidi, as I understand it, Guy Laliberte, is actually a friend of yours? COLLINS: Guy Laliberte.
LEVS: Sorry, Guy Laliberte. I worked on it.
COLLINS: Yes. We did sort of a short documentary on Cirque du Soleil and went to Montreal and spent time at the training facility there with him. Definitely a visionary, and someone creatively you want involved in something like this.
Awesome. Thank you, Josh. Sure do appreciate it.
LEVS: You got it.
COLLINS: Want to know why some jobs last? Take a seat in this barbershop we found, and listen up.
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COLLINS: A shave and haircut may no longer be two bits, but little else has changed at your local barbershop. Take a look at this. "Jobs That Last." It's part of our "Americana in Focus: Jobs That Last" series from photojournalist Joele de la Rossa.
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PHIL MCALLISTER, OWNER, MUSTANG BARBER SHOP: We're at Mustang (ph) Barbers in Dallas, Texas. Shave, haircut, shoeshine, a full- service barbershop.
I've been barbering for 35 years. Shop's been in the neighborhood for 40 years or so. The old-fashioned shave with the hot lather and straight razor. The techniques for cutting it has not changed a whole lot. Because of that, there hasn't been a need for change.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Techniques are all the same. Once you learn the basics, you just go from there.
TODD BLALOCK, BARBER: The whole experience is you come in, tell the barber, "Give me the usual," and get a haircut, a shave. You tell a few dirty jokes. Usually leave with a laugh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been doing this for 17 years. We have families where we do the grandfathers and the fathers and the sons and the children and the whole family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll bring me son here when he gets a little older.
BLALOCK: A lot of us grew up going to barbers with our dads and granddads. Everything else in the world changes so quickly, and I think there's something about coming to a place that is -- that has stayed relatively the same for 100 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think all my clients are friends as well as clients. BLALOCK: People feel comfortable here. I can see myself doing this for forever.
MCALLISTER: I think it will be around for a long time, because my son will take over when I decide that my wife will let me quit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Barbering will never go away. It's been around forever, and it always will be.
BLALOCK: I'm glad to see there are shops like this and shops, I'm sure, in every city and every small town that haven't given up on the old way of doing things.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks great.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See you next week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have a good day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: That was photojournalist Joelle de la Rosa reporting. You can find more information about "Americana in Focus: Jobs That Last" online at CNN do CNN.com/Americana.
I'm Heidi Collins. CNN NEWSROOM continues now with Tony Harris.
