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Health Care for 2010; Flu Mask Supply; John McCain Warns Against Rejecting Troop Plan for Afghanistan

Aired October 12, 2009 - 14:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Even if some version of health care reform becomes law, it won't take full effect for years. But if you get insurance through your job, then you're faced now with new options for 2010. And they all cost more.

CNN's Gerri Willis joins me now to try to walk us through all of them..

You know, we all were talking about this morning, Gerri, because our plan here at CNN has completely changed, and we all have to get on line in a week or so and rework everything.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: And you have to get on line now.

About 10 percent of employers will drop you from your health plan if you don't actively participate in open enrollment and choose the plan on your own. Previously, before this year, if you didn't make a decision, you typically defaulted into last year's option. But this year, if you don't choose, some companies will penalize by giving you no health insurance at all.

Now, those in the industry say this will force folks to reevaluate their health options. Bottom line, you can't count on your company putting you into a plan you had last year -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: What about dependent coverage?

WILLIS: This is important. Employers are increasingly auditing who you cover under your health insurance plan to make sure your health plan doesn't cover people who are ineligible. If your spouse is on your health plan, watch out. If he or she has other insurance options available to him, you could be paying more in premiums.

PHILLIPS: All right. So what about the trends when it comes to health plans?

WILLIS: Well, some employers are actually cutting the number of health plan options they offer. For you, this could mean you have to change doctors or pay higher out-of-network costs.

Increasingly, employers are offering consumer-driven health plans as a way to control costs. Now, these plans are known as CDHPs, are high-deductible plans where you may have to pay up to $10,000 out of your own pocket before your coverage begins. Now, it's not all bad news. Some employers are offering wellness incentives like gift cards, cash and discounted premiums for participating in smoking cessation, weight management, or even fitness programs -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what are some changes then that employees can expect?

WILLIS: I think you know we're looking at paying more across the board for your health care. You're going to be paying more money in some cases. Those co-pays, $15, $20, that's not all you're going to pay. You're going to pay part of the cost for the entire doctor visit -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our lives are changing, especially when it comes to health care.

WILLIS: That's right.

PHILLIPS: Gerri, thanks.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: One big health worry for everyone right now, you guessed it -- swine flu. The shots and nasal mist sprays should be at clinics and your doctors' offices this week, but poor nations will have to wait. The World Health Organization hopes to begin delivering some 60 million doses in November. The U.S., other rich nations and the vaccine makers are donating their extras to about 100 countries over the next few months.

Meantime, we're all looking for ways to keep from spreading the swine flu. You know, other than sneezing in our elbows. Wearing a simple surgical mask could help, but few are made here anymore.

So what happens if we run out? That's what Jeanne Meserve tackles for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): During the cataclysmic 1918 flu pandemic, Red Cross nurses hand-made surgical masks to help control the spread of disease. Now machines crank them out at the Prestige Ameritech plant in Richland Hills, Texas, one of the few manufacturers in the U.S. Ninety percent of production has moved to other countries where labor is cheaper, and some say that has created a vulnerability right here.

MIKE BOWEN, PRESTIGE AMERITECH: If there's a pandemic, America won't be able to supply its own needs.

MESERVE: Bowen and others fear that in a 1918-size pandemic, the nations that make masks like China and Mexico would keep them for themselves.

REP. JOE BARTON (R), TEXAS: Push comes to shove, you take care of your own before you take care of others. That's just human nature. And for that reason alone, I think we should buy more of these masks in the United States and we should encourage the capability to manufacturer more of these masks in the United States.

MESERVE: The government estimates the U.S. could need three billion surgical masks during the H1N1 outbreak. Right now, the Strategic National Stockpile contains only a small fraction of that amount, 37 million. It's a yawning gap, government officials acknowledge, one that was laid out in stark detail in this Health and Human Services PowerPoint presentation two years ago.

Government officials say before they build up supplies, they want more evidence the masks provide effective protection, but current guidance from the CDC recommends the use of surgical masks. And last year, OSHA estimated that a single health professional could go through close to 2,000 during a pandemic.

Bowen has been crusading for more domestic production of surgical masks. He could benefit financially but says this isn't just about business, it's about the nation's health and security.

BOWEN: Important things like face masks should be made in America. And I think they will finally realize what we've been trying to tell them for almost three years.

MESERVE (on camera): Hospitals, clinics and physicians are creating their own stockpiles of surgical masks. A good thing, except manufacturers are already having trouble keeping up with demand. And if H1N1 becomes more deadly, that demand will likely grow much quicker.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Pakistan hit with another round of deadly and brazen violence. Today's target, a crowded market in the Swat Valley. Pakistan's military saying a teen blew himself up near a military convoy. Six soldiers reported killed. The rest are dead -- or civilians, rather.

This comes just a day after commandos freed 39 hostages from Taliban militants. They had attacked the army headquarters in Rawalpindi Saturday, killing 11 security personnel. One of the most brazen attacks ever in Pakistan.

And that's just Pakistan. What about Afghanistan? President Obama's war council meets again this week to hash out strategy. And as far as Senator John McCain is concerned, there isn't much debate. But there is a lot to lose.

CNN's Kate Bolduan reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The funeral for Sergeant Titus Reynolds, one of the U.S. soldiers killed last month in Afghanistan, a striking and painful reminder of the cost of war as President Obama reconsiders U.S. presence and strategy in Afghanistan.

Mr. Obama huddled with his national security team twice during the week. The focus Wednesday, Pakistan. Friday, Afghanistan and General Stanley McChrystal's assessment of the situation on the ground, reportedly calling for 40,000 additional troops.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: To disregard the requirements that has been laid out and agreed to by General Petraeus and Admiral Mullan, I think, would be an error of historic proportions.

BOLDUAN: Senator John McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, tells CNN's John King anything short of General McChrystal's request could result in failure.

MCCAIN: I think the great danger now is not an American pullout. I think the great danger now is a half measure, sort of a, you know, try to please all ends of the political spectrum.

BOLDUAN: The White House insists no decisions have been made and all options remain on the table. Vice President Biden has advocated a smaller approach, more special ops teams and use of unmanned Predator drones. And, in stark contrast to his colleague, Senator Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says the focus should be more on Afghan forces, not U.S. troops.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI), CHAIRMAN, ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: At this time, don't send more combat troops, but I say focus on the Afghan forces, the army, faster, larger, better equipped.

BOLDUAN (on camera): The White House is getting pressure from all sides on this issue. Many on the left oppose committing any additional troops, while many on the right say the president should take the best advice from the commanders on the ground. A fifth meeting on the administration's strategy in Afghanistan is scheduled for Wednesday. White House officials say a decision could still be weeks away.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Alone in a remote Afghan outpost, surrounded by militants who are armed and hell-bent on killing Americans. U.S. soldiers who made it out alive are talking about the ordeal that claimed eight of their comrades.

The attack happened nine days ago in Nuristan Province. The battle of Combat Outpost Keating lasted 12 hours. Surviving troops are sharing their stories in interviews posted online by the Pentagon and NATO.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

1ST. LT. CASON SHRODE, FIRE SUPPORT OFFICER, U.S. ARMY: Probably 90 seconds into the fight, they ended up hitting one of our generators. So, we lost all power. At that point, I made a call up to Fabastic (ph) and basically just said, you know, "We're taking heavy, heavy contact." At that point, I knew this was something bigger than normal.

SGT. JAYSON SOUTER, U.S. ARMY: Immediately we found out that our motor systems were unable to fire at that time. So, immediately, I started working on the fire aspect with nearby OPs and cops to see exactly what fire support access we could use.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the numbers were so more significant than 25 to 30, that they got 25 to 30 with that initial push, but because we were basically surrounded, 360 degrees, I think there were significant numbers that allowed them to continue to fight throughout the day.

C.W.O. ROSS LAWALLAN, APACHE PILOT, U.S. ARMY: My initial impressions were, unfortunately, we came over the hill and first tried to call them, and we got no response, is that everybody was gone. We could tell that everything around them was going to hell, and we could hear in their microphones the guns going off. So we knew that it was a pretty intense situation that they were facing.

SOUTER: After the aftermath, COP Keating was completely changed. Like he said, almost all of the buildings had burned down. There were trees that were cut down trying to save other buildings from catching fire, and then just remnants of a mass attack afterwards.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: These are the eight U.S. soldiers killed that day: Sergeant Justin Gallagos (ph), Specialist Christopher Griffin (ph), Private 1st Class Kevin Thompson (ph), Specialist Michael Scuza (ph), Staff Sergeant Vernon Martin (ph), Specialist Steven Mace (ph), Sergeant Joshua Kirk (ph) and Sergeant Joshua Hart (ph).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Gay rights demonstrators demanding equality and an end to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Thousands of people marched to the U.S. Capitol for a rally yesterday. The day before, President Obama spoke to the nation's largest gay and lesbian rights group and said he hadn't forgotten his campaign promise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country. We should be celebrating their willingness to show such courage and selflessness on behalf of their fellow citizens, especially when we're fighting two wars.

(APPLAUSE)

We cannot afford to cut from our ranks people with the critical skills we need to fight any more than we can afford for our military's integrity to force those willing to do so into careers encumbered and compromised by having to live a lie. So, I'm working with the Pentagon, its leadership and the members of the House and Senate on ending this policy. Legislation has been introduced in the House to make this happen.

I will end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That's my commitment to you.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Britain and France already allow gays to serve openly.

A census worker's mysterious death now sparking all kinds of fear. A month ago, Bill Sparkman's body was found tied to a tree with a rope around his neck in rural Kentucky. The word "Fed" was scrawled across his chest.

Sparkman's manager says that other workers now want to visit homes in teams rather than alone. Door-to-door visits in Clay County, Kentucky, are suspended until the investigation is complete.

Over the weekend, regional census manager Wayne Hatcher visited the area where Sparkman's body was found. He remembered Sparkman as a hard worker and says his memory lives on.

A quick follow-up also to a story we brought you last week. Two men accused of ripping off hundreds of churches for millions of dollars are busted and in custody. They allegedly fooled pastors into thinking they were getting free kiosks to help spread their ministries and raise money, but prosecutors say it was a sham. The defendants pocketing cash while churches were on the hook for the cost of the machines.

One hundred and 40 years after his death, a proper funeral for Baltimore's favorite poet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Facing justice, finally. Luis Soltren, allegedly helping to hijack a plane from New York and divert it to Cuba back in 1968, well, now he's been arrested at JFK Airport after arriving on a flight from, yes, Cuba. He faces arraignment tomorrow.

Here in Atlanta, they're picking a jury in a bitter feud among the children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bernice and Martin III have accused their brother Dexter of mishandling the family corporation which controls the King estate.

And take me out to the bankruptcy court. The Chicago Cubs, the first Major League Baseball team in nearly 40 years to file for Chapter 11. The owner, Tribune Broadcasting, is trying to sell the team. Once upon a Sunday dreary, a strange scenario, very eerie. A funeral for a man long dead and buried, and to the church his coffin carried.

Now with details and the reasons, WBFF's Myranda Stephens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MYRANDA STEPHENS, WBFF-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was an event of epic proportions for one of the world's greatest writers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's really exciting, because I've been a fan of Poe pretty much all my life.

STEPHENS: Hundreds of mourners gathered at Westminster Hall in downtown Baltimore to pay their respects to author and poet Edgar Allan Poe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We felt it appropriate, given the tone of the event and the ceremony, to dress in a somewhat somber fashion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Edgar A. Poe, "The Raven." You know, what other author has a football team named after him?

STEPHENS (on camera): Edgar Allan Poe was just 40 years old when he died in 1849 and was laid to rest here in Baltimore.

The people of Baltimore didn't know poe had died until the day after his funeral. Only seven people attended poe's funeral. So we wanted to correct that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people of Baltimore didn't know Poe had died until the day after his funeral. And only seven people attended Poe's funeral. So, we wanted to correct that.

STEPHENS: And that they did with two funeral services drawing an estimated 700 people. It's all part of a year-long celebration marking the bicentennial of Poe's birth.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dearest Edgar, rest in peace.

STEPHENS: Among today's noted guests, other storytelling greats who came back from the dead to eulogize Poe, from Walt Whitman to Alfred Hitchcock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's because I like Edgar Allan Poe's stories so much that I began to make suspense films.

STEPHENS: Even Poe's biggest foe, Rufus Griswold, was there, but eventually escorted away from the podium.

And even though it was more than a century late, the two-and-a- half-hour service was a proper good-bye for a great author who will always be remembered through books, sports and the hearts of many.

(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: And a telltale fact. Though Baltimore claims Poe as its favorite son, he was actually born in Boston.

It's a test that you really hope your kid doesn't blow. But should he even have to? Breathalyzers in school, pass or fail? It's a real talker, and we're going to talk about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Kids learn about democracy in school, but it's not always first hand. We all know that students are subject to rules that just wouldn't fly on the outside -- clothing restrictions, junk food bans, mandatory breathalyzers. Whoa. Back up.

Yes, that's right, more and more schools are actually signing on using technology to help enforce its no alcohol policies. So far, parents seem kind of split on all this. Civil liberties groups, well, they say it's a big fail.

This month, Foxboro High in Massachusetts expects to start using breathalyzers if needed during the school day. And from what we can tell, most of the districts that do breast testing don't require parents' permission first. But where do these schools stand legally? Avery Friedman is a civil liberties attorney. He joins us now live from Cleveland.

All right, so, Avery, I guess that -- that's my first question is, is this legal?

AVERY FRIEDMAN, LAW PROFESSOR: Well, you know what? At this point, Kyra, the policy of using breathalyzers is untested in the federal courts. And the question is, when someone sooner or later -- and it's going to happen -- challenges a breathalyzer test, what is the state of the law? And that is going to have to be resolved in a federal courtroom.

PHILLIPS: OK. So, basically right now, you're saying schools can do whatever they want until somebody files suit?

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's -- look. Until somebody gets caught, they're going to get away with it. The argument the district is saying in Foxboro is, "Look. We have an epidemic of alcoholism, and the only way we can do it is do sporadic, periodic tests." And it just conjures up this image, Kyra, of Mrs. Grundy pulling out a breathalyzer in the middle of her geography class, and it strikes me...

PHILLIPS: Kind of bizzare.

FRIEDMAN: Exactly bizarre. But on a more serious note, the question is under our Bill of Rights, there is a right to refuse when a search or seizure is unreasonable. And that's what the test is going to be here. Is a sporadic breathalyzer in the middle of school unreasonable?

PHILLIPS: OK. So, an underage kid rolls into geography class wasted, and the teacher or whomever is going to do this says, "I need you to take a breathalyzer test right now." Are you telling me that student can say, "Nope, sorry, my right is no way."?

FRIEDMAN: One of the questions is, obviously if someone is abusing alcohol, that could be a crime. So, by subjecting oneself to a breathalyzer, is one incriminating oneself? In other words...

PHILLIPS: So, who reads the student its rights?

FRIEDMAN: That's -- you just nailed the issue! Is Mrs. Grundy going to tell the sophomore, "By the way, you have a right to remain silent and you have a right to legal counsel?" Oh, my goodness! This is going to be a total constitutional mess.

PHILLIPS: So, OK. Another question. Parents. Do parents have to sign off on this? Do they have to call the parents and say, "Hey, by the way, your kid's drunk. We're about to give him a breathalyzer."? Do the parents need any kind of warning, or do parents need to give permission before this happens at school?

FRIEDMAN: Well, and you know what? That's a wonderful question. It would make sense if a kid's going to be in trouble, either criminally or in terms of his or her rights of being in school, one would think you'd call the parent first. But under the policy here, there is no obligation on the part of the government officials -- that is, the public school officials -- to call Mom and Dad.

So, what can happen? Not only is the kid going to get thrown out if they test, but if they refuse, there's an automatic five-day suspension, which obviously is going to screw up their academic record. It's a mess.

PHILLIPS: Here's another thing, too. Do you call the cops? I mean, you don't want the kid driving home.

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's exactly right. If, for example, someone tests positive -- I can understand why you'd want to have a procedure, let's say at the end of a high school day, it's 11:00, where there are going to be some kids abusing alcohol.

But in the middle of school, is there guidance in the policy? The answer is no. Administrators in the public school system don't know if they call the parents, they don't know if they're going to call the police, if they're going to handle it themselves, unless there's some guidelines, Kyra. This, again is going to create all sorts of legal and constitutional issues.

PHILLIPS: I think it's just sad that it's come to this, because there's such an issue at that school with kids drinking. I mean, bottom line, that's what's so sad.

Well, we'll follow this and see what happens. Avery, always great to have your input from a legal perspective. Thanks so much.

FRIEDMAN: Wonderful to be with you, Kyra. Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Great to see you.

FRIEDMAN: Well, we want to know what you think about breathalyzers in school. Shoot us a tweet at KyraCNN, and we'll try to get some on the air this hour.

No more free lunches. Schools across the country are toughening up policies in another area. Seems with so many folks losing their jobs, kids are losing their lunch money and schools are losing big. In some cities, they're actually cracking down, neither banning or limiting unpaid meals for students. One district in California has seen its debt rise so much, they're thinking about calling in collections agencies or going to small claims court.

Good jobs that are in demand pay well and offer a good quality of life. That might sound like the economic picture in fantasy land. But, hey, believe it or not, those gigs really do exist. You know what they are?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A sinking car, an elderly couple trapped inside. They've got a lot of people to thank today in Massachusetts. Police say the 95-year-old man who was driving this car somehow went through a barrier, and then his car went flying into the water. An off-duty firefighter witnessed the crash and rescued the man. A Harvard police officer in that area helped the woman inside before the car sank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ROMEOS, ESSEX, MASS. POLICE: I was able to get my hands around the female in the driver's seat. She was on her way out of the water, up and out of the vehicle. I got my arms around her and pulled up on shore to safety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Police are investigating the cause of that crash.

He was about to get married. Now a heartbroken Florida bridegroom is planning to bury his fiancee. Police say he accidentally shot her to death the day before their wedding. He says he thought his fiancee was asleep in their bed he shot a shadowy figure he thought was an intruder.

And a new honor for slain gay politician Harvey Milk. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed himself a year after vetoing the bill and signed it into law today. It sets aside May 22, Milk's birthday, as a state day of recognition. Milk was the first openly gay politician elected to office in California in 1977. He was assassinated the following year.

A new wrinkle in the health care reform battle on the eve of a key Senate vote. The insurance industry is doing an about-face. After supporting the president's plan, insurers are now issuing a warning. Get ready for your premiums to rise. For a typical family, that could be as much as $4,000 more. Thousands of Americans are running out of jobless benefits everyday. But Congress may come to the rescue this week. Stephanie Elam is in New York. Stephanie, what's happening?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.

Well, the Senate could vote as soon as tomorrow to extend benefits to millions of people out of work across the country. Under the Senate bill, people in all 50 states would get an additional 14 weeks of unemployment benefits. And in states where the unemployment rate is above 8.5 percent, people could get an extra six weeks on top of that.

Currently, 27 states including -- or I should say on top of that, D.C. and Puerto Rico fall into that high unemployment category. But the Senate bill is much different than what passed the House last month. Under that legislation, people would get an added 13 weeks of jobless benefits, but only in those 27 states where unemployment exceeds 8.5 percent.

If the Senate version passes, it will have to be reconciled with the House version. So, Kyra, while we may get a vote, there's still more wrangling to come either way.

PHILLIPS: Well, while Congress works it out -- tries to work it out -- how many Americans are running out of unemployment benefits?

ELAM: Yes. The National employment Law Project says 400,000 people ran out of benefits in September, and another 208,000 are set to lose them this month. And if Congress doesn't act, nearly 1.5 million people will stop receiving checks by the end of this year.

Of course, there's always this one big question: how is this all going to be paid for? Congress has already extended benefits twice during the recession. The Senate bill would extend the federal unemployment tax paid for my employers through June of 2011. The House bill would extend the tax through next year.

So, Kyra, we'll have to see what happens. But with unemployment at a 26-year high, the calls for extending benefits are getting louder and louder and louder.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Steph.

If you're out there looking for work, you may want to consider some jobs that are in demand, pay well and provide a good quality of life. Wait. Stay with me. They are out there. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with a look at "Money" magazine's 50 Best Jobs in America. I think if I remember correctly, ours was not in there, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not on the list. Journalism, journalists, not on the list.

PHILLIPS: OK. Plan B.

(CROSSTALK)

LISOVICZ: Let's go to engineering. Specifically, the number one job on "Money" magazine's list, Kyra.

And remember, it's not only pay. It's benefits. It's quality of life. Systems engineer. Exactly who are these people? They're the big-think managers on big projects. Think train stations, think military defense programs. The demand for them is soaring.

Number two, physician assistant, or "Money" magazine, as they call them, "MD Lite." They work with doctors. They do basically almost everything that the doctors do. They diagnose illnesses. They assist in surgery. But they don't have the insurance hassles that come along with it.

Number three, college professor. They don't only grade papers, Kyra. They do lots of research and they write articles in books. And two of them happened to win the Nobel Prize for Economics today. And one of the perks there? You get all the holidays off, and you work very little in the summer.

Also up there, just wanted to mention quickly, CPA. OK, doesn't sound glamorous. There's a lot of demand for them. Why is that? Remember Enron and WorldCon and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia? All of these scandals prompted a lot of companies to say, "We need more accountants! And there's all sorts of new rules, so that's ratcheted up demand even further.

One other I might mention -- this is something that I've talked about with you, Kyra, physical therapists. A lot of bad knees and elbows with the baby boomers, the weekend warriors. There's a lot of demand for them. And it is in health care, but there's no overnight or shift work that comes with a lot of other professions in health care.

PHILLIPS: So, these are apparently the top jobs. What about for all the people out of work? Can they even attain these types of jobs?

LISOVICZ: It's a good question, because one of the themes that you're seeing here is health care and technology, it's specialized knowledge. Just in the top ten, nearly half of them, four to be specific, require master's degrees. Plus, the college prof. Often, tenured college professors have a Ph.D..

But the top job, Kyra, systems engineer just requires an undergrad degree in engineering. This is something we've seen in jobs report after jobs report. Where is a growth area? It's education. A lot of people know that for them to be more attractive in the workplace, they're going back to school. Whether it's a vocational skill or something a little bit more advanced, they're going back to school. This list shows it.

And there's a lot of growth potential in these jobs. That's one of the reasons why "Money" magazine says they're the best jobs.

PHILLIPS: There we go. That's what we want. We always want growth potential. Thanks, Susan.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Even in this recession, that's music to the ears of a South Florida man who's been serving up homemade soft serve for more than 50 years. Photojournalist Mike Miller actually has the scoop for us. It's "Americana In Focus."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MONROE UDELL, OWNER, JAXSON'S ICE CREAM PARLOUR: My name is Monroe Udel. I'm the owner of Jaxson's, and I am the original owner of 53 years. I originally started in 1956.

I made the ice cream myself. Double-dip ice cream cone was 15 cents.

The location is a landmark today. We've always served humongous portions. We came up with the kitchen sink because people called their ice cream in kitchen sinks, which were actually in a punch bowl.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely worth the drive.

UDELL: We're not a cookie cutter. We're renowned, you know, in the industry as one of the outstanding ice cream parlors and restaurants in the country today. It's still made right here. All the good fruits and nuts, we haven't change a thing. We do it the old fashioned way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm in heaven.

UDELL: We've had, you know, down time and good times with the economy.

CROWD: (SINGING) Happy birthday to you...

UDELL: It's about six weeks since I've had my quadruple surgery, heart surgery. I'm going try to be here as long as I can. I hope another 50 years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Next Saturday, 3 p.m. Eastern. An entire hour of stories on American jobs that last. Classic jobs, done the same way they were generations ago. CNN photojournalists give us an inside peek. It's a special hour Saturday 3 p.m. Eastern. Only on CNN.

What does Suzanne Sommers and Marge Simpson have in common? Let's put it this way. It ain't the Thighmaster. Homer, you're a lucky man.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: Ah, nice song, Otis.

Well, she's not like any "Playboy" centerfold you've ever seen. Hugh Hefner's never seen a bunny like her. The hair, the skin, the curves, the leg, she is all woman. And she's a real character.

Check out the cover of next month's "Playboy." Got this from TMZ. Marge Simpson, cougar next door from Springfield. First time Playboy's had someone so animated on the cover and in the centerfold. She might even be the first woman named Marge to make the cover. Need to look into that.

How long before she dumps Homer for Hefner? Hef digs blondes. But heck, maybe he'll go blue.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I can't figure that picture out, though. That's interesting, the way they have her posing.

PHILLIPS: What can you not figure out?

SANCHEZ: Well, she's supposed to be naked, right?

PHILLIPS: Right...

SANCHEZ: I mean, it is "Playboy" after all.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Is she naked?

PHILLIPS: Yes.

SANCHEZ: Oh, so the bunny's in front of her?

PHILLIPS: Yes.

SANCHEZ: What's the centerfold look like?

(LAUGHTER)

It's a good question, right? I can't help it.

PHILLIPS: Are you going to renew your subscription, or did you never end it? Oh, wait, you get "Playgirl," sorry.

SANCHEZ: I -- that's very nice.

(LAUGHTER)

I don't look at the pictures, I just read the articles. Very good articles in there.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Yes, there are! SANCHEZ: And what would be wrong with getting "Playgirl," by the way? Would there be anything wrong with that?

PHILLIPS: OK. Let's talk about what you're going to talk about in the next hour before we both get canned.

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about Rush Limbaugh.

No, seriously.

PHILLIPS: OK. I (INAUDIBLE) segue way for "Playgirl" for Rush Limbaugh...

SANCHEZ: I want you and you at home to consider this. If you felt like your employer was a racist -- whether he was or not, it's about perception. If you feel like the person who's hired you is a racist, would you work for him? Would you feel like you should be forced to work for him?

That's the question on the table right now. Because Rush Limbaugh wants to buy an NFL team. And in the NFL when they draft players from the college ranks, you have to play for that team. It's not like -- I can work at Fox or I can work at CNN or MSNBC or I could work at CBS -- I could work anywhere, right? But no, in the NFL, the team that drafts you is the team you have to play for. What if you're an African-American player and you say, "I believe that man is racist."?

That's what's going on. Several players have come out today and said they will not play for Rush Limbaugh...

PHILLIPS: Because they think he's a racist.

SANCHEZ: ... because they believe he's a racist. Not to make the argument one way or another. That's what they perceive. We're talking to several NFL players...

PHILLIPS: They're going to talk about what gives them that perception?

SANCHEZ: That perception, what the rule is here, whether this will end up in the Supreme Court if he really gets the team and he gets challenged on it, because the player is going to say, "Look, the NFL says I have to play for the St. Louis Rams. But I don't want to play for the St. Louis rams. I want to play for the New York Jets or the Miami Dolphins or whatever."

PHILLIPS: But a contract's a contract. You have to bring in lawyers, and here we all go.

SANCHEZ: But it's the only sport where Congress has said if they draft you, you have to play for them. Everybody else is independent. When you graduated from college, when I graduated from college, we could work for anybody, right? You didn't have to come to CNN. You chose to come to.

PHILLIPS: True.

SANCHEZ: Well, NFL players don't get that choice. That's what makes this an interesting case that's really interesting to talk about.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be watching.

SANCHEZ: By golly!

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Rick.

Should high schoolers be able to give students breathalyzer tests during the school day? Actually, could they teachers be allowed to do that? A Boston area high school has actually -- there's a plan in the works to test students for alcohol. If the targeted students refuse, they're going to be suspended.

Now, many of you do not like that idea. And here are some of the tweets we got from you recently.

Annie Blankenship says, "Student have no expectation of privacy. But the punishments mentioned to cut them off from things that might help them turn around."

TheNextPrez writes, "It's a great idea. It's bad enough that we have uneducated students. We don't need them uneducated and drunk at the same time."

BettyAnnTX saw it this way: "The breathalyzer test may work for alcohol, but those who want to get high will choose another method. I'm not sure about this program."

BeachLife2 writes, "It's a good idea. We have to do what it takes to keep kids off drugs and alcohol."

And TVMario says, "This is total craziness. The law abuses its powers, and there is no liberty left. That word liberty...does it still exist in our society?"

As always, thanks to all of you for your tweets. Sure appreciate it.

He may not look the part, but the man in the cap has his eye on the Kremlin, or at least city hall. Are Russians ready for this change?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The audacity of hope, Russian style. Joaquim Crima wants to do what no black person has ever done in the land of Lenin and Tolstoy. But as CNN's Matthew Chance reports, it'll take more than hope to turn the page on some ugly attitudes and brutal history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Joaqim Crima is on the campaign trail, pressing the flesh and meeting the voters. But this watermelon trader originally from the west African state of Guinea-Bissau is attempting an historic feat. Become the first-ever black man in Russia to be elected to office.

JOAQUIM CRIMA, MAYORAL CANDIDATE IN RUSSIA (via translator): If you're good at business, you'll be good at politics, too. When I first came to this town more than a decade ago, I was an alien for everyone. Very exotic to locals. But then I showed them how I can work and they accepted me.

CHANCE: The country's media has been quick to grab the positive headlines, dubbing him "Russia's Obama." But in southern Russia, where Crima lives, there appears plenty of goodwill toward him.

TATYANA AROLVOVA, CITIZEN (via translator): He's friendly, sympathetic and a good guy living in our town. What else can I say?

CHANCE: But even among his customers, there appear to be serious reservations.

"I would never vote for him," says this girl. "Why not," she's asked? Because he's not quite Russian enough. "We don't need another Obama here," she says. What she means is, he's not white.

(on camrea): During the Soviet era, the Kremlin reached out to African states, encouraging their people to come and study and train here. Even today, many Africans choose a Russian education.

But unfortunately, many black men and women who choose to make their lives here often find themselves far from welcome.

(voice-over): Racism is a horrible fact of life here. And immigrants are often targeted by racist groups. These are actual racist attacks filmed by neo-Nazi gangs and proudly posted on the Internet, reported here an Russian television.

According to one recent survey by the Independent Sova (ph) Center, at least 48 people have been killed and 253 wounded in racist attacks in Russia so far this year. Six were killed, it says, in September alone.

Sounds appalling, but it's still a big improvement on last year. At this point in 2008, the report says 92 people have been killed this year in racially motivated attacks. It all underlines the difficulties Joaquim Crima bid for political office in this country is likely to face. He may be Russia's Obama, but this is not the United States.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: I'm Kyra Phillips. See you back here tomorrow. Rick Sanchez picks it up from here.