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Health Reform Focus Shifts to Senate; Fort Hood Shooting Investigation; Home Values Improve

Aired November 09, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning and welcome to a busy Monday, November 9th. Here are the top stories for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Now comes the hard part. Historic health care reform passes the House and now heads into the political thicket of the Senate.

The medical condition of the accused Fort Hood shooter improves. He is off a ventilator and able to speak.

And 20 years ago tonight, the Berlin War fell and communism crumbled. Today, world leaders celebrate a united Europe.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

From a weekend victory to Monday morning reality for Democrats in their push for health care reform, the focus now shifts to the Senate, where the legislation faces a tough fight. The House passed its health reform bill late Saturday.

It would prohibit insurers from denying coverage due to pre- existing conditions. It includes an individual mandate for coverage. It provides subsidies to help poor and middle class Americans buy insurance. And it requires most businesses to offer coverage or pay a fine.

Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash joining us live from Capitol Hill.

Dana, good morning to you.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HARRIS: So, the Democrats have a huge majority in the House, but the vote was 220-215. Why so close, Dana?

BASH: Thirty-nine Democrats, 39 of the rank and file in the majority party, voted against their party's health care bill. That's why. And the reason they give, for the most part -- there are lots of various, different specifics, but the overriding reason is the overall cost was just too much, more than $1.1 trillion. But also, there was a lot of skepticism that this bill really does what they're hoping the whole idea of health care reform would do, which is contain medical costs. So, obviously, you know, the reality that this shows is that this is going to be very difficult, especially moving forward in the Senate, Tony, where the ratio, when you're talking about conservative to liberal Democrats, is much different and much tougher when it comes to the challenge that the Democratic leaders have.

You know, a lot of these Democrats, certainly they make up -- in the House, they make up the Democrats' huge 81-seat majority, but they also come from districts that are conservative, and they were hearing from constituents, uh-uh, don't spend this much money, especially right now.

HARRIS: How did Democrats, Dana, resolve their differences over the abortion issue?

BASH: Boy, is this controversial. And boy, was it tough, Tony.

I was standing outside of the House Speaker's office until about midnight on Friday night, as they were working this out. And the bottom line is that there were enough anti-abortion Democrats who had the votes to stop this bill to force a measure that actually passed. It is now part of the House health care bill which says that no taxpayer dollars can go for either the public option or for private insurance companies that are part of this new exchange setup.

What that effectively means is, essentially, a ban on most abortions in this exchange and in the public option, except if somebody who wants to buy private insurance, a so-called rider, with their own money. That is just about the only way that they can get abortion coverage within this plan.

The House Speaker herself, many, many Democrats who consider themselves staunchly for abortion rights in the House, were not very happy about it, but the reality is the votes weren't there. And the most interesting part of this, the dynamic, is the role of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Tony.

The Speaker was on the phone with them pretty much throughout the day on Friday because they made very clear that they wanted this to be very, very strict. And there were a lot of anti-abortion Democrats who said they couldn't vote for anything until the bishop said OK.

HARRIS: That's so interesting.

One more quick one for you, Dana. What do we expect -- you mentioned it just a moment ago -- what do we expect to happen now in the Senate?

BASH: Well, we are hoping that we're finally going to be able to see something from the Congressional Budget Office that actually shows how much the whole Senate bill would cost. We have not seen that..

The Senate majority leader sent some proposals to the Congressional Budget Office about two weeks ago. Still haven't seen it.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

BASH: I said we're hoping. I can guarantee you that the Senate Democratic leadership, they're hoping big time, because until they get that, it is still a big question mark, what's going to happen.

We do know already that there are some really stark differences between the House bill and what the Senate would consider. And I'll give you a couple of examples.

First of all, the most controversial, the public option. In the House, as you know, they passed a public option. In the Senate, the Senate majority leader is hoping to have a public option which allows states to opt out. But there is a big question mark as to whether that can ultimately pass the Senate.

Another is, how do you pay for this? In the House, it's paid for big time with a tax on wealthy Americans. In the Senate, that's a nonstarter. Instead, they want to push a tax on high-end insurance plans, high-cost insurance plans. And so that is another big difference in how you pay for this.

HARRIS: Yes. It sounds like maybe you get something of a combination of both there.

Our Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash for us.

Dana, thank you.

And checking the wire now and the day's other big stories, Iraq's parliament passes a long-awaited election law, paving the way for national elections in January, although later than initially planned. The White House wants U.S. combat troops home by the end of next August and all others out by the end of 2011. The administration wants a secure government in place before all that takes place.

Iran announced today it is charging three American hikers with espionage. You can see the hikers here clowning around in this video shot just before they entered Iran, from the Iran border, July 31st. Families say they unknowingly strayed into Iran. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Germany for the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down, is urging Iran to release the three.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We believe strongly that there is no evidence to support any charge whatsoever, and we would renew our request on behalf of these three young people and their families that the Iranian government exercise compassion and release them so they can return home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Washington does not have diplomatic relations with Iran. It relies on the Swiss to visit and check on the three Americans.

It's been 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down. Today, Germany is remembering. A number of events are planned into the night, including memorials for those killed trying to cross the border. Event organizers have also set up symbolic phone dominos where the wall once stood, and they will be tipped over later today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Fort Hood shooting suspect Nidal Hasan is off a ventilator this morning and able to talk. But a spokesman out of San Antonio Military Hospital says it's not clear if Hasan is answering questions about Thursday's shooting spree. The attack killed 13.

CNN's David Mattingly now in Fort Hood.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The intense investigation into the deadly Fort Hood shooting spree remains largely shrouded in silence, but it's clear this is a tragedy that hits too close to home.

JOHN ROSSI, FT. HOOD SPOKESMAN: The troubling part of it is happened here in our own house, and that's the piece that most are troubled with right now, is the location of where it happened. And how could that happen?

MATTINGLY: The prime suspect, Major Nidal Hasan, removed from his ventilator, is breathing on his own and in critical condition. Outside Fort Hood, the FBI is seeking out Hasan's friends and fellow Muslims.

SAYED AHMED ALI, IMAM: On Wednesday night, there was a party dinner. I think six, seven people are invited. In that party, Nidal also there. So, he asked me who -- "Can you give me the names?" So I give the names to the FBI.

MATTINGLY: Osman Danqua (ph), a co-founder of the mosque where Hasan prayed, tells The Associated Press that the Army psychiatrist was deeply conflicted for months about his duty to the Army and fighting against Muslims. Danqua (ph) says he told Hasan, "There's something wrong with you."

But did Hasan, a doctor working with post-traumatic stress patients, ever seek help from the Army? His fellow officers are baffled.

COL. KIMBERLY KESLING, DARNALL MEDICAL CENTER: He cared for his patients and he cared for them well. And he was a valued member of our team.

MATTINGLY: Questions continue to mount about any warning signs that may have been missed.

JOHN KING, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Is there any record that he actually requested to be let go? GEORGE CASEY, FMR. COMMANDING GENERAL, MULTI-NATIONAL FORCES IN IRAQ: John, again, I can't get into anything dealing with the motivations of the suspect. And that will all come out in the course of the investigation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And David Mattingly joining me live now from Fort Hood.

And David, let's do this -- let's do an up-to-the-minute update here. What's the latest you're hearing on Hasan's condition?

MATTINGLY: What we're hearing this morning from the hospital is that he is conscious, he's in critical but stable condition. He is talking with the medical staff who is providing him care. We have not heard yet from the Army if they have plans or if they have already attempted to talk to him, but he is conscious, he is conversing, and that's a sign that he is improving.

HARRIS: And David, I understand you had an opportunity to speak with one of the wounded soldiers this morning.

MATTINGLY: That's right. We spoke to one private who was wounded during that attack, and he had some surprising things to say. He told us that there was something shouted in Arabic as the shooting began. Let's listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PVT. JOSEPH FOSTER, WOUNDED DURING ATTACK: I was sitting in what they call Station 13. It's where we get basically our final outs of our RSP system. And I was sitting in about the second row back when the assailant stood up, screamed -- yelled "Allahu Akbar!" in Arabic, and he opened fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: This is the first time we've heard confirmation about this, what happened there at the scene as the shooting started, from someone who was there. This is significant because it might give some suggestion as to a possible motive -- Tony.

HARRIS: Absolutely. All right.

David Mattingly, Fort Hood, Texas, for us.

David, appreciate it. Thank you.

And relatives say Nidal Hasan complained he was harassed because of his faith, but a Muslim soldier at Fort Hood told our Sean Callebs his experiences indicate the Army doesn't tolerate such abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What about the harassment allegation? Do you think it's possible? SGT. FAHAD KAMAL, COMBAT MEDIC: Harassment allegation?

CALLEBS: Yes, that his family said that he was harassed by other soldiers here because of being Muslim. Do you think that could have happened to him?

KAMAL: Well, I mean, it doesn't happen, because most of the time, in my experience, I did not have that happen. The only experience that I did have was while I was in basic training and a friend, a battle buddy -- a battle buddy is my own -- basically, the guy I room with, the guy who I have to look out for and he has to look out for me -- just made a joke regarding my religion. And my drill sergeant took that very seriously and had him disciplined in front of my entire company, and he was punished for his actions even though he was jokingly saying it to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: You will hear shortly from Army Chief of Staff General George Casey. He told CNN he is concerned about a backlash against Muslims serving in the U.S. military.

Still to come, our Carol Costello puts into perspective the fears some Americans have of Muslims soldiers serving in the U.S. military.

But first, let's take a look at the Big Board now.

The Dow off to a fast start today, coming off a big week last week where the Dow was up by three percent. The Dow up 128 points.

We're following the numbers throughout the day for you, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's do this -- let's get rolling on issue number one, the economy, now.

Gas prices inched up over the past two weeks even though oil prices are down a smidge. The Lundberg Survey says the average price nationwide for a gallon of self-serve regular is $2.68. Lundberg blames the three-penny increase or retailers -- listen to this, wait for it -- who are taking a few cents more in profits.

Not fat enough. Need to get a little fatter.

New figures show home prices are stabilizing somewhat, and that is helping homeowners who are under water on their mortgages.

CNN's Christine Romans joining me now from New York.

And Christine, we should make the point hire that stable real estate prices really mean different things in different parts of country.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's true. All real estate is local, Tony. You're absolutely right.

So, where you're sitting could be very different from even two towns over. So let's start with the overview here from Zillow.

Twenty-one percent of homeowners are under water on their loan. That means they owe more than the house is actually worth. That sounds horrible.

HARRIS: Yes.

ROMANS: It's a little bit better than the quarter before.

Also, home prices nationwide down about 6.9 percent in the third quarter. That also sounds horrible, but quarter to quarter, they're pretty flat. So that's where you're looking for the signs of stabilization.

I want to show you a map, Tony. The really horrible spots for the housing market continue to be the same places: Stockton, California; Merced. Look at Merced. OK, a home two years ago, the average home there was worth $344,000. Today it's worth $96,000.

HARRIS: Are you kidding me?

ROMANS: It's horrible, Tony. Las Vegas; El Centro, California; Fort Myers, these are all places that have been really tough. And these numbers you're seeing there, those are home prices again in the quarter, this quarter versus a year ago.

Now, let me show you some green on this map.

HARRIS: OK.

ROMANS: Because all real estate is local.

Green Bay, Wisconsin; Rochester, New York; Cumberland, Maryland; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Gainesville, Georgia -- I heard earlier -- I think Boston is up a little bit. There are places where home prices have gone up, gone up a little bit. They didn't maybe necessarily have a huge speculative bubble, so they're stabilizing a little bit.

You've got a couple of things here. Mostly, you have prices just came down so much, and now you've also got the homebuyer tax credit. So -- but I'll say that the chief economist of Zillow, he said negative equity -- fewer people have negative equity, home prices are stabilizing in some places, but he says leave the champagne in the refrigerator for now.

HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.

And you know, I'm thinking about Merced. You can't -- boy, unless you have to, you really have to hold on to those properties. You can't lock in those losses. That's insane, those losses that you're talking about on a percentage basis.

ROMANS: It's absolutely insane.

HARRIS: Yes, it is. So, I'm curious into some perspective here, what percentage of mortgages were actually under water, Christine, before the economic crisis?

ROMANS: One percent. In a boom, one percent of home loans are under water. In normal times -- because, remember, the boom, there was nothing normal about maybe the last 15 years in housing.

In normal times, maybe -- according to Zillow -- about five percent of home loans are under water. In the boom, maybe one percent were under water. Now 21 percent of loans are under water.

I will say, though, last year there were some economists who were projecting 50 percent of homes would be under water. We haven't seen those worst-case predictions come true. But still, this is still painful.

HARRIS: Yes, it is. All right, Christine. Good to see you. See you next time.

ROMANS: Sure.

HARRIS: You know, it's being called the greatest turnaround in real estate ever, buying a house for $50,000 and selling it for $500,000. Check it out right now, CNNmoney.com.

And checking our top stories now.

The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Hurricane Ida to a tropical storm. Ida appears headed for the U.S. Gulf Coast. Forecasts expect it to make landfall early Tuesday. Storm warnings are up from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Florida Panhandle.

Two U.S. Army helicopter pilots have been killed in northern Iraq. The military says the pilots died yesterday in what's described as a hard landing. The pilots' names are being withheld until family members are notified.

And in Pakistan, at least three people were killed by a suicide bomber today at a police checkpoint in Peshawar. Five others were injured. Yesterday, a suicide attack near Peshawar killed 17 people. The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack.

And the accused gunman in the Fort Hood shooting spree now off a ventilator. Will his actions cause harm for other Muslims in the military? We ask General George Casey.

That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The accused Fort Hood shooter is awake and talking today at a military hospital in San Antonio. The FBI is trying to figure oud what turned the psychiatrist into a man now accused of being a crazed killer. Was the Fort Hood shooting spree linked to Major Nidal Hasan's Muslim faith?

Army Chief of Staff General George Casey talked with CNN's John King about that and the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Was major Hasan acting alone? We understand now that he's off the ventilator and that he is speaking to investigators. What do you know about that question?

CASEY: Well, John, obviously, as you know, there's an ongoing investigation, and I can't speak to the particulars of the investigation or to any motivation of Major Hasan's. But I can tell you, I was at Fort Hood with the secretary of the Army, John McHugh, on Friday, and it was at once a gut-wrenching and an uplifting experience.

Gut-wrenching because the suspect is one of our own, and it happened on one of our bases. And uplifting from the stories that I heard of our soldiers rushing to the aid of one another. But it's a kick in the gut.

KING: If you look at front pages in the last few days, this is from the "San Antonio Express News": "Iraq Vets Weren't Stunned by Spree." Some who knew the suspect doubted his loyalty, stability.

What does the Army know about this man in the days and months before this? Because many people say he openly opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are these Internet postings attributed to him saying that a suicide bomber was akin to a soldier diving on a hand grenade to save his comrades.

CASEY: And again, that will be all part of the investigation. And we are encouraging soldiers and leaders who may have information relevant to the information about the suspect to provide that information to the criminal investigation division and to the FBI.

But again, that's something -- you know, there's been a lot of speculation going on, and probably the curiosity is a good thing. But we have to be careful, because we can't jump to conclusions now based on little snippets of information that come out. And frankly, I am worried -- not worried, but I'm concerned that this increased speculation could cause a backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers, and I've asked our Army leaders to be on the lookout for that. It would be a shame -- as great a tragedy as this was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well.

KING: You have about 2,000 -- I mean, it's 1,900 and something Muslims.

CASEY: About 3,000 active guard and reserve.

KING: About 3,000 active guard and reserves. Do you believe there is discrimination against them to some degree now?

CASEY: No, I don't think so. I don't think so. I worry that, again, the speculation could cause things that we don't want to see happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: CNN's Carol Costello now with more on a possible backlash against Muslims in the military.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, the Army's chief of staff is worried about backlash against Muslim soldiers. General Casey saying, "As great as tragedy as it was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well." It's something that deeply worries many Americans who are Muslim and have made the ultimate sacrifice.

(voice-over): Elsheba Khan visits Arlington National Cemetery every Sunday without fail. Her son, Army Corporal Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, is buried here.

ELSHEBA KHAN, SON KILLED IN IRAQ: He's a Muslim and he would stand for his county. It doesn't matter what.

COSTELLO: Khan is worried there will be a backlash against Muslim-American soldiers. She knows some are already reaching conclusions as to why Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly opened fire on his fellow soldiers. The write wind Web site Pajamas Media is an example.

Phyllis Chesler writing, "I knew in my bones that the shooter or shooters were Muslim. We must connect the dots before it's too late."

The suspicion about Muslims, even those born in the United States, intensified after 9/11. It's the reason Khan's American-born son joined the Army as soon as he turned 18, telling his parents...

KHAN: "I'm a citizen. I protect my country, whoever is there in the country. It doesn't matter race, whatever."

COSTELLO: And Kareem Khan did that, awarded a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and an honored place at Arlington National Cemetery. A picture of Khan's tombstone with symbols of his religion and patriotism so touched General Colin Powell, he used the image to open minds about Islam when he endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential run.

GEN. COLIN POWELL, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no, that's not America.

COSTELLO: Powell's acknowledgement of her son's service profoundly touched Khan.

KHAN: When he mentioned my son, and he mentioned his full name, and he pronounced it correctly, I was, like, the proudest mom that day.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Elsheba Khan's son Kareem...

COSTELLO: President Obama also honored Kareem Khan, and Khan's fellow soldiers have written her glowing accounts of Khan's outstanding service to country.

KHAN: I don't like nobody touching anything.

COSTELLO: Of course the public outpouring has quieted now. Still, Khan keeps her son's medals and his pictures on display in her home. And every Sunday, she visits him, now praying her fellow Americans will not pass judgment at all Muslims because of the actions of one man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Some 3,500 American servicemen and women are Muslim. And if you ask the Marine Corps go it's concerned about that, First Lieutenant Josh Dittoms (ph) told us bluntly, "The Corps has not seen any trends that indicate individuals are any more likely to be involved in an incident based upon their religion" -- Tony.

HARRIS: Carol, appreciate it. Thank you.

A moment in history that changed the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And that's exactly what happened 20-years ago today. The Berlin wall came tumbling down. I-reporters share their pictures and stories.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We are marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. German Chesler (ph), Angela Merkel taking a symbolic walk across the board homer bridge, just as she did the night the wall came down 20 year ago today. The bridge was the first crossing to open.

You know, for 28 years, it divided Germany's once and future capital and while the Berlin Wall used to symbolize confinement, today it stands for freedom. As Jim Clancy tells us, pieces of it are kept in museums and keepsake places all over the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That sound, hammers chipping away at the Berlin wall. It lasted days and weeks from November 9th. A wall that it seems almost impenetrable for decades and only days before, suddenly helpless, vulnerable. Twenty years ago, the Berlin wall surrounded a city that sealed off half a continent and imprisoned millions.

(on camera) Today most of it is gone, or is it? In a very real sense, even more, than at any time in the past, the Berlin wall is everywhere.

(voice-over) You can find it at presidential libraries in the United States or at the United Nations, entire concrete sections emblazoned with graffiti. It stored behind the barn in New Jersey. It's on university campuses and urban parks.

BLAKE FITZPATRICK, ARTIST: I have a piece.

CLANCY: Blake Fitzpatrick and Vid Ingelevics have been tracing the wall in North America.

VID INGELEVICS, ARTIST: If you go to the Reagan museum, you go to the Nixon museum, you go to the Bush museum, the Berlin wall is a fixed history and it's always the same history that told at these places.

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

INGELEVICS: But the small pieces, that's where things change.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I thought it would be like chipping a piece off of history.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: If you think the people at the other side, who are basically locked in. There was something, I don't know, quite delightful having a piece of the Berlin wall inside a cigarette box.

FITZPATIRCK: What we really start to become most interested in was the way in which the people's memories of the wall of that time intertwines with their personal lives, and in a sense, history and memory get mixed together in the stories they tell about what the Berlin wall means to them.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Unification is something that people should, you know, like cherish. And I have proof, living proof.

It's kind of a very strange and almost magical little totem-like object that triggers memory and it brings people to some kind of, you know, some kind of understanding of history in their own terms.

CLANCY: Those small totems of memory, imagination and history, have spread across the world, wherever you find them, the fragments represent not the confinement imposed by the wall when it was in place, but freedom and the strength of the human spirit to overcome all obstacles.

Jim Clancy, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Take a look at this. People of Berlin, live pictures now of people arriving for the celebration, the ceremonies of this day. This is going to be quite an elaborate ceremony and celebration, as you can -- as you would expect.

Take a look at the red carpet. We're going to keep an eye on these pictures for you throughout the day as the world gathers, in many respects to remember the Berlin wall coming down 20 years ago tonight. The world sharing memories, of course, and thoughts about the fall of the wall at cnn.com.

Josh Levs joins us with that and Josh, we're getting plenty of iReports?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are, we're getting so many, I want to show you the news spread we have at cnn.com. You can't miss it if you go to the main page today. Just zoom it right here and you will see what we've done, we have created a wall in which people are sharing their memories.

Look at this, just click on any one of them, you see people sending in photos and stories a long with them, their memories, their thoughts about the fall of the Berlin wall, about what it means for the world. And as you go through these, you'll see photos, you'll see videos, you'll see stories among with it, all of there at cnn.com.

And Tony over here at iReport, something similar. This is some of the top iReports that people are looking at about the fall of the Berlin wall. Take a look at this one here from heather who says the idea of the wall coming down peacefully just was not in the realm of possibility. She says, "I thank God that the impossible happened." And I'll just go through a few of these photos. You can see what people are sending in, talking about what it meant to them, what it felt like when they saw that piece of history actually happen before their eyes.

And Tony, we're getting a lot of stories or reflections from people. Let's go to some video. And I'm going to read a couple of messages we've been getting today. We're following the blog and Facebook and Twitter.

We got this from Dante. Take a look at what Dante said. He said, "I remember holding a 70-year-old man, weeping from East Berlin who could not believe the day had come." His fear was that he would never be able to return. We sat and watched as others tore down slab by slab this symbol of oppression. Today, Dante says, "I hold a piece in my hands." And I want to read you one more here, Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

LEVS: From Ubong, who writes as some. "I just hope these memories affect the way we work against the reputation of negative forms of history." That's from Ubong. Let me show some you while we walk our way in because we have a bunch of links here. Cnn.com/josh is where we're talking about the blog, and we've also got this going on face book and twitter, joshlevscnn, that's my pages. And Tony, something I want to show you in the next hour.

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: Take a look at this iReport video we got. We got -- it's a music video. I'll tell you about it in the next hour. Take a look at the clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHILDREN SINGING: We celebrate, we celebrate reunification, we celebrate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: We have that song at iReport, which also been performed at some major concerts around the world. There's a story behind it about who these kid are where they came from and what they have to say the next hour.

HARRIS: Can't wait. All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.

The stress and strain of U.S. troops here at home, it raises the question, should we send more troops to Afghanistan? We are listening to your thoughts on this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CALLER: This is Mike from central, Pennsylvania. I'm retired army. We need to do both. Weed to flood that country with as many troops as we can but give the generals a time limit and give the Afghans a time limit when they need to take over and then get out. I think we should get out of the war. It doesn't make any sense at all. And we're just going to lose more money, more children. I am calling from Arizona.

CALLER: Hi, my name is Jason from Ohio. I think just we need to add more troops to protect the troops who are already dying. It might be their war but we're helping them. And we're supposed to be, like, a positive role. So we should be adding more troops to defend what troops we have there.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HARRIS: Really, can't thank you enough for calling in. And you have called in a hundreds and let's keep it going. You can still voice your comments, just call us at -- here's the number 1-877-742- 5760. And here's the question, let us know what you think the U.S. should do next in Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you caught up on our top stories now. Heavy flooding and mudslides in El Salvador yesterday are blamed for the deaths of at least 124 people, dozens more missing, about 7,000 people have lost their homes. The U.S. house has its version of health care reform. Now that massive almost 2,000-page bill is headed to senate for its consideration. According to one senator, though, the house version of reform doesn't stand a chance. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. Just look at how it passed, it passed 220- 215. It passed by five votes. You had 40--39 Democrats vote against the bill. They come from red states, moderate Democrats from swing districts.

They bailed out on this bill. It was a bill by wore it by liberals, and people like Joe Lieberman are not going to get anywhere near the House bill that cuts Medicare about $500 billion, over a trillion dollars and they spending. It does have the public option, so the House bill is a nonstarter in the Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Right now, it is unclear when the senate will take up its version of health care reform. The suspect in the Fort Hood shooting rampage is conscious and talking. According to hospital officials, Nidal Hasan is accused in the attack that killed 13 people and wounded dozens more. One wounded soldier says it's not something you expect to happen on an army post.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PVT. JOSEPH FOSTER, SOLDIER WOUNDED IN SHOOTING: Not here at home, but that's what we've seen, anything's possible. We are at war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Private Foster scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan in January.

Let's get you to Reynolds Wolf in our hurricane headquarters. And now, we're talking about tropical storm Ida, but, boy, this look likes it could be a real rainmaker for the states in the Gulf. \

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. You know when it goes, Tony, from say a hurricane to tropical storm it makes people sort of let their guard down and that's a bad thing to do because this still is a tremendous threat.

You have to remember, more people die in floodwaters than any other weather phenomena. That could be a big issue we're dealing with over the next couple of hours and certainly over the next couple of days.

Latest on Ida, as you mentioned, it is a tropical storm, winds 70 miles per hour. That's the latest that we had from it. I'm thinking, as we go into the afternoon, as Chad Myers is giving you some of the latest updates, it's go together get weaker as it gets farther to the north. We are dealing with two big things. One, cooler water ahead of this, at the same time we're having some strong upper level winds, that are ripping this thing apart. Again the structure really doesn't look all that good for the time being.

But still it has a big potential becoming a rain maker. In fact, take a look at what we have here. This is a computer model that indicates how much rainfall you might see in some of the high population areas, including Mobile, Birmingham, even Atlanta and Charlotte. Impressive rainfall totals over the next 48 hours. And one of the things we're honing in on, not just Mobile, but also Atlanta, 5.1 inches of rainfall.

But in the higher elevations that you have around the city, there is a chance we may have what we refer to as a ora-graphic (ph) lift, which that moisture goes right up the hillsides, mountainsides, it is actually squeezed out. So we could see heavier rainfall totals maybe 7 inches of rain in some spots. Hard to believe that can happen here in Atlanta where we suffered with major flooding recently.

One of the reasons we're seeing that, of course, because the system is going to be dying out. Closer to the coast it is going to be a little bit of a different story. Coastal flooding, certainly, power outages, you better believe it, with those wind gusts topping, I say, oh, 50 miles an hour; maybe a few gusts stronger than that. Of course the flooding rains along the coast and farther inland.

And then for spots farther up the coast in, say, places like, for example, Washington, D.C., you are going to see more cloud cover there and eventually some rain. You certainly had some great weather, but all of that is coming to an end. Let's send it back to you, Tony.

HARRIS: Reynolds, good to see you again. Thank you for that.

Boy, big things popping on Wall Street. New York Stock Exchange, look at this, the Dow up 147 points. Boy, the highest intraday level in more than a year, coming off a big week last week where the Dow closed over 300 points higher.

What a rally going on right now. Market's been rally since, really, March 9th. The Dow up 15 percent so far this year. The Nasdaq, up, what, 35 percent? But another big run for stocks. 151 points. Where is Susan Lisovicz? We'll get her up here, soon, in the CNN NEWSROOM..

Still to come, he is the only republican who voted for the House health care bill. Hear why he crossed party lines next. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The House passes its health care reform bill this weekend with a narrow margin. The lone Republican who voted for the House health reform bill was Louisiana Congressman Joseph Cao. He talked with CNN's Don Lemon about why he decided to go against his fellow Republicans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. ANH "JOSEPH" CAO (R), LOUISIANA: The main reason is I believe that it was the right decision for my constituents down in the Second District; 20 percent of the people in the district are uninsured and a good number of other people down here, they are poor. And we are in desperate need of the health care system, as well as health care reform, post-Katrina.

So, I believe that even though it was an extremely difficult vote for me, it was the right vote for the people of my district.

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And your fellow Republicans are saying a vote for this health care bill is a vote not to be reelected next time. Are you concerned about that?

CAO: Well, my decisions since the very beginning, they have been based on my own conviction that I have to do, first and foremost, what is right, irrelevant of the political ramifications of my decisions.

I have made decisions that were unpopular in the district, for example, the stimulus vote and the cap and trade vote. I believe that those two bills were wrong for the district, therefore, I voted against it even though a lot of my constituents were angry with it. If you recall, right after my stimulus vote, there was a recall petition filed against me.

But I believe that was also a right vote to reject the stimulus because my people would have been forced to pay more out of their pockets to fund the stimulus, than receive in. Similarly, the cap and trade vote would have been devastating for the people of the district.

And the health care reform vote, even though it was not popular with the Republican Party, but it was the right vote for the people of my district.

LEMON: Mr. Cao, I have to ask you this, and this is my last question to you. You are a freshman congressman. What about working with Republicans? This is probably going to make your job a little more difficult. Do you agree or disagree?

CAO: Oh, no, I would absolutely disagree. Even though on the media there will always be partisan politics, but within the parties, within the members themselves, we are very professional about what we have to do. Given the partisan nature on the Hill, there will always be yanking and pulling out there in the public.

LEMON: Right.

CAO: But within the members, within the rank and file of both parties, I would assume we are very professional with what we have to do. Basically, the leadership, even though they disagree with my vote, but at the end of the day they will continue to work with me. They will continue to support me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. Here's what we're working on for the next hour. The debate over health care reform got really heated. We will plug you into some of the more biting back and forth comments in the House chamber. Plus, Mitt Romney on the road, he is raising money and building alliances with Republican Party leaders. Is Romney staking out ground for another run at the presidential nomination? That, and more, next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: No longer a white guy's club. Late night TV has a new look. Here's CNN's Brooke Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN HOLLYWOOD CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They are bold.

GEORGE LOPEZ, COMEDIAN: If it was a real Mexican show, there would be plastic on the couch.

(LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)

ANDERSON: They are brash.

WANDA SYKES, COMEDIAN: I'm happy to announce that I haven't slept with anyone on my staff yet.

ANDERSON: Above all, they're diverse.

MO'NIQUE: Hey, baby! Hey, baby!

ANDERSON: George Lopez, Wanda Sykes and Mo'nique. Actors, comedians of color are joining the traditional late-night establishment of white, white, white, and more, white men.

STUART LEVINE, "VARIETY" MAGAZINE: I think there is an untapped minority audience that these other networks are trying to get into.

ANDERSON: Mo'nique debuted on BET last month. Sykes premiered over the weekend on FOX. And tonight Lopez, unveils his late-night show on CNN's sister station, TBS.

LOPEZ: If we can change the White House, we can change late night TV. I think it's time for a Latino to step in.

ANDERSON: Each hopes to put a different spin on late-night. Sykes, with light-hearted roundtables. Lopez features a club-like atmosphere.

LOPEZ: You will see a show that does not have a desk, we do not have cards. It's looks unscripted, it moves really fast.

ANDERSON: Lopez aims for an edgier feel, than traditional late- night shows. Something he's worked on in test runs.

LOPEZ: The monologues every night have been incredibly political and pointed. You know, we name names. ANDERSON: While Lopez is the first Hispanic to host a late-night talker on a major network, this isn't the first time late night has sought younger more ethnic audiences. Think Chris Rock, Magic Johnson, and Arsenio Hall.

"Variety's" Stewart Levine believes the recipe for success is simple.

LEVINE: I think they just have to be funny. You can be a minority host to try to get a minority audience, but if you're not funny, people are not going to watch.

ANDERSON: And with a potential historic change in television hanging in the balance, you can bet these comedians are working overtime to bring on the laughs. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)