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Food Bank Busier Than Usual; U.S. to Ask NATO for More Troops in Afghanistan; Stevie Wonder Named U.N. Messenger of Peace

Aired December 03, 2009 - 13:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We are pushing forward with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with Kyra Phillips!

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Tony, thanks so much.

We have finally see the White House's hand, but NATO is still kind of a wild card on Afghanistan. Will our allies go all in with more troops? And will it make any difference. We're pushing forward on all the diplomatic wheeling and dealing.

And longtime musical messenger Stevie Wonder called to use his voice in a different way. He'll tell us all about today's U.N. honor when he joins us live in about ten minutes.

We start now, pushing forward. A jobs summit this hour in D.C. The host? The president. Some Democrats say he's the late host. They think Mr. Obama's taken his eye off the economic ball. Some even talking about a jobless march on Washington, and there wouldn't be a shortage of marchers. That's for sure.

The Labor Department expects November unemployment to be 10.2 percent and to keep climbing. Check out how it's gone up over the last two years. It hasn't been that high in more than a quarter century.

And the number of first-time jobless claims last week, 457,000. That's the lowest number in more than a year. Still, that number needs to be about 425,000 for a solid month before we can even say the job market's got a pulse.

CNN's Jim Acosta put some faces with those numbers. He found at least one place where business is booming, but the clients are desperate: the food bank.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just six miles from the White House, volunteers at this northern Virginia food bank are bagging up free groceries for the poor.

"PYTEE", UNEMPLOYED WORKER: I got to the point where I put canned, expired food inside my cupboards, you know? I'm scared.

ACOSTA: That's where we met this unemployed mother. She asked us to call her Pytee.

PYTEE: You know, people are hungry out here. People are starving.

ACOSTA: She told us how she spends her days: scrambling from food banks to clothing distribution centers to make sure her family gets the basics. That's on top of the ten applications for jobs she says she's filled out since September.

PYTEE: How can you work hard when you don't even have a chance to even get into the doors?

ACOSTA (on camera): Is this as bad as you've ever seen it?

CHRISTINE LUCAS, ARLINGTON FOOD ASSISTANCE CENTER: This is as bad as I've ever seen it. And I've been the director here for five years, and I was a volunteer here for ten years before that. We've never seen anything like this.

ACOSTA (voice-over): The director of the food pantry, Christine Lucas, sees a hunger for work.

(on camera) Any message that you would give from somebody who sees this on the front lines?

LUCAS: You know, anything they can do to stimulate jobs is a big help. I spoke to a business group the other day, and I said, "Please, just don't -- you want to help me? Don't lay anybody off. We really need jobs."

ACOSTA (voice-over): The White House insists the president is taking on the unemployment crisis and that his jobs forum with political and business leaders is just the beginning. Republicans say that's the problem.

REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: We believe that it represents a tacit admission that the economic policies of this administration and this Congress have failed.

ACOSTA: Just around the corner from the food pantry, Andres Tobar says politicians better hurry. He runs a day labor center where he notes jobs are drying up for the working poor.

(on camera) Is it a little scary when you take a look at what's happening right now?

ANDRES TOBAR, ARLINGTON EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION CENTER: It is beyond scary, at least in terms of the glimpse that we're getting here. For the day laborers, it's devastating.

ACOSTA (voice-over): And it's devastating for people like Pytee, who doubts there's much the president can do for her.

PYTEE: I feel like he can't bring us that much. We're going to be a third world country pretty soon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: All right, once again, that's our Jim Acosta. Now, we're going to try to be part of the solution here. At 24 after, we've got a job seeker who's going to make his pitch. Sure would be nice if he could get work before the baby arrives.

And at half past, President Obama will kick off his jobs summit. We'll take that as soon as it happens.

Thirty thousand additional U.S. troops are Afghanistan bound, but they won't be deploying alone. Call it an international recruiting mission. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to NATO headquarters to ask for extra allied troops. But before boarding for Brussels, stop No. 1 was Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We will not be facing these challenges alone. We have 42 other troop-contributing countries. Our NATO staff allies have already made significant contributions. After this hearing I will leave for Brussels to begin the process of securing additional Afghan commitments. Japan just announced a $5 billion commitment to Afghanistan. We think other governments are beginning to recognize that this is a common fight against a common enemy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Our John Roberts is live at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

John, just before Secretary Clinton stepped out of that hearing, she said she was looking for an international commitment of 5,000 to 7,000 extra troops. Why those specific numbers and what will those troops do to help support U.S. forces?

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, let's take a look. First of all, Kyra, at the numbers. Seven thousand really is the preferred number that the United States would like to see the international security and assistance force, which includes NATO and many other countries, come up with.

Now, as to what those troops will be able to do and whether they'll be effective, I guess, really depends on where you come down on the argument of whether more troops is better or less troops are better.

If you come down on the side of the argument that the surge could, in fact, work in Afghanistan the way that it did in Iraq, then those 7,000 troops will bring the number of total troops in the surge to close to that 40,000 number that General Stanley McChrystal wanted. And if they are effective fighting forces, go in -- go into places like Helmand province, Paktika province, Kandahar province, then they will be a real asset to the American fighting forces already in that area.

They could also land much-needed trainers to the campaign to train up Afghan military and Afghan police. The NATO spokesman today said that there's a real shortage of trainers and that, if you want a transition to Afghan control, you need to bolster the number of trainers.

However, if you subscribe to the notion that any international forces in Afghanistan are an aggravating factor and are turning the Afghan people against the United States, then adding more troops will just exacerbate that situation.

PHILLIPS: All right. You also had a chance to interview Richard Holbrooke, special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan. In light of all the controversy over an Afghan timetable, you actually brought up 1989 when U.S. troops got in and got criticized by Pakistan and Afghanistan for cutting and running.

Let's listen to how Holbrooke responded to you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD HOLBROOKE, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN: In 1989, that's exactly what happened. It was a terrible mistake with consequences that haunt us to this day.

The president made absolutely clear in his speech that our resolve is undiminished. There's been no change in our strategic goal. It's to destroy al Qaeda, which poses a clear and present danger to the United States and to the great capitals of Europe, including this city, the capital of Europe. And we're not going to move -- we're not going to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, John. So, Holbrooke says, OK, we're not going to cut and run. So, why the July, 2011, date from the president?

ROBERTS: Well, there's a couple of reasons for that, Kyra. First of all, the president needs to throw a bone to the left, which is really upset about throwing more forces in. So the president is essentially saying to Democrats, who were against the idea of a troop surge, "Look it, hold your nose with me for 18 months. We'll get these troops in there. We'll see if they can make a difference, and if they can, then we'll start to draw them down by July of 2011."

It's also a signal to the Karzai government, which many people believe has been dragging its feet in terms of helping to bolster Afghan forces on the army side and the police side, to say, "Look it, you've got 18 months on. You better get your game on, and you better get these troops to the table. Get them trained up to a degree, and we'll help you out here, that they can take over."

The talk here, as well as troop numbers, in Brussels at the NATO headquarters, is really all about transition. The NATO secretary- general's going to make a very big point of this in tomorrow's meetings, that transition is what it's all about, to be able to train up those Afghan forces to be able to hand responsibility over to them. If NATO and the ISAF and -- and the United States ever want to see an end to this conflict, that really is the key to this, Kyra, and so that's what it's going to be all about.

PHILLIPS: John Roberts, live in Brussels, we look forward to your exclusive interview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tomorrow. We'll bring it to our viewers, as well. John, thanks so much.

Straight ahead: a soulful voice for change, a global vision for peace. Today, world leaders are singing the praises of Stevie Wonder, and the iconic pop star is joining me live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, windy day in the northeast after a ton of rain in the south. Reynolds Wolf watching it all for us at the CNN weather center. Good to see you, Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: The president hearing from business people big and small, nonprofit heads, labor leaders and think tankers, looking for ways to create jobs. What's the plan, Mr. President? We're going to find out shortly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, he signed his first record contract at age 12. He's won 25 Grammys, and we all know his music. However, here is something you may not know about Stevie Wonder.

He led the effort to make Martin Luther King Day a national holiday. He's a humanitarian who fights for the rights of the disabled, abused, hungry and homeless. He even got arrested for protesting apartheid on Valentine's Day in 1985. His words then: "I'm a conscientious criminal for world justice."

Well, now Stevie Wonder has taken on another role.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVIE WONDER, SINGER/HUMANITARIAN: There should be nowhere in the world where...

(ALARM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: OK. Apparently, when you get named the U.N. messenger of peace, things get pretty heated. Not sure why the fire alarm went off, but I tell you, Stevie's on fire with his new special mission to help people with disabilities around the world.

And by his side, one of his biggest fans, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice. They join me, both live from the U.N. Boy, Stevie, you've always got to create a scene, don't you?

WONDER: I like that sound. It's new. I've got to sample that. It sounds good for a record.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I think it might work. A whole another meaning to "Disco Inferno," like you said.

All right. Let's get down to business. Stevie, you know I always have to bring up your mom, Lula May. She taught you how to be a fighter, and now you'll be fighting for the 650 million people with disabilities around the world. Why is it so important to you right now in this stage of your life?

WONDER: I don't know. I think love has no time or space, you know. It is what it is. And I have a love for humankind.

And to know that I'm one of those -- one of those 10 percent of the people in the world with disability, with a disability, I challenge the other 90 percent of the people of the world to do something about it.

There should not be anywhere in the world where a person who is either paraplegic or quadriplegic cannot be able to walk, or a person who is deaf should not have the technology to help him or her through his or her life. A person who is blind in no part of the world should be that there is not an opportunity for them to have accessibility to any means by where they can live a closer-to-normal life.

And so I challenge the 90 percent of the people of the world to make a difference to the 10 percent of us.

PHILLIPS: And, Ambassador Rice, people with disabilities tug at your heart, as well. You actually signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. What is it that you are hoping Stevie can do now as the U.N. messenger of peace with this specific mission for the disabled?

SUSAN RICE, U.S. AMBASSADOR to the U.N.: Well, I can think of no greater human being or leader to be able to serve on behalf of the United Nations as a messenger for peace, focusing on the plight of those with disabilities around the world, 650 million people who are not yet given the access and the support and the respect that they deserve.

President Obama is deeply committed to supporting people with disabilities. He appointed the first-ever special assistant to the president focused solely on this issue, Mr. Kareem Dale. And he obviously, like me and many, many other Americans, and people around the world, have been profoundly moved by the work and the art of Stevie Wonder.

And for Mr. Wonder to be able to be represent the United Nations, and all of us, to champion the needs and concerns of peoples with disabilities is an extraordinary opportunity. And we couldn't be more proud today. PHILLIPS: And as both of you know, we're in the middle of two wars. And, Stevie, you know about the time that I spent with the blind kids at the Baghdad School for the Blind.

And I told you how the government pretty much ignores these kids that have so much potential, potential like you had when you were a young child. So what are you going to be able to do for kids, for blind kids, for example, in Baghdad, and other kids around the world, that aren't given the respect and the treatment that they deserve?

WONDER: I want to speak to every single world leader who says they've danced to "I Just Called to Say I Love You" or they've sang "You are the Center of my Life" to their child, or they had their wedding to a song that I may have written or sang. I want to speak with them and say, "If you love me so much, how is it that you would do so little toward that 10 percent of the people with disabilities?"

PHILLIPS: Stevie, why do you think that so many people discriminate against those with disabilities? So many of them around the world are still treated like second-class citizens.

WONDER: I think that it's out of ignorance. And I think that it's out of fear. When you -- when you think that there was a time where -- when there was a person who was born that was blind, they used to throw them off a cliff. It's a very sad thing.

But here we are in the year 2000, approaching 2010, a new millennium, and I'm just hopeful that, when I speak of this 90 percent people of the world, that you will have the consciousness and have the ability to care and do for those 10 percent with disabilities.

I'm committed. Let's do this. Let's get this thing done. It is obviously an honor to have bestowed upon me this wonderful honor. But wearing this means, as well, I'm wearing my commitment that I've always had, and no different than writing a song. And I want to get a song of the year. This is my desire, to get this to be a No. 1 success for the world. Because for me, accessibility means independence; independence equals freedom. Let's do this.

PHILLIPS: I love it. Ambassador Rice, I think you realize, you've got your man. I think you've pinned the right man, and I think the two of you are off to an incredible start and will do amazing things together.

And what an honor, Stevie, to have you, and Ambassador Rice, to see you together. And I watched the whole ceremony, and it touched all of us here in the newsroom. Thank you so much.

WONDER: Thank you so much, Kyra.

RICE: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

Other top stories now. It's not exact there a mutiny, but bad enough for the captain of the Maersk Alabama. Richard Phillips being slapped with a lawsuit now by four of his crew members. The ship was hijacked by Somali pirates lat April, and Phillips was held captive for five days. The suit claims that he ignored warnings to keep the ship at least 600 miles off the African coast.

For Ben Bernanke the heat is on. He's facing tough grilling today at his confirmation hearing for his second term as Fed chief. Some senators are irked by the Federal Reserve's bailout of Wall Street, and they fear the Fed's power has become too broad.

After four days of angry debate, the Senate gets set for its first votes on health-care reform. Both are expected today on Medicare cuts and women's health. Waiting in the wings, an amendment to restrict abortion funding. It's expected to take weeks before the Senate votes on a final bill.

Live pictures now from the White House where President Obama is holding a jobs forum. He's meeting with dozens of business and labor leaders to talk about ways to get more Americans back to work. The meeting comes as the nation copes with an unemployment rate above 10 percent, the highest in more than a quarter century.

Well, he's been told, "You have too much experience," or "You don't have enough experience." Laid-off job seeker Jean Senat is frustrated by the mixed messages that he gets during interviews, and the timing is a little tough. The investment accountant and his wife are expecting their first baby in just a few weeks, and that's why Jean Senat is our 30-second pitch. He joins me live from Philadelphia.

And I was told I better get that French pronunciation correct, Jean. Did I do OK?

JEAN SENAT, JOB SEEKER: Yes, you did great.

PHILLIPS: OK, good. You've been getting a lot of mixed messages as you've been out there looking for work. What have you been experiencing that you didn't expect?

SENAT: Well, some of -- some of the employers told me that I have a great resume, great -- great things, great information on my resume. But somehow, they're missing something in me; something is not right. So I don't know. I wish I could tell you what exactly is the problem.

PHILLIPS: Well, you have a tremendous resume and so much experience, and you now you have a baby on the way. How are you coping? You, your wife, and just thinking about the family dynamic, as well?

SENAT: Well, it's a new experience. Especially me being -- going to be a first dad. And it's an everyday experience, and we just taking it day by day. We know things are going to get harder. But we're hoping something will come through. PHILLIPS: And so are we. And we're so glad you reached out to us. Are you ready for your "30-Second Pitch"?

SENAT: Yes.

PHILLIPS: OK, Jean, go ahead.

SENAT: My name is Jean Senat. I'm an accounting professional with experience in hedge funds. I am a quick learner with exceptional computer skills and an ability to multitask.

I am looking for investment accounting position, where I can utilize my experience, in accounting, hedge fund securities, swaps and derivative. If you're looking for a professional guy, I'm the right person for you.

PHILLIPS: And I'm curious: you have five more seconds. Do you have any other languages in addition to English?

SENAT: I know French. French, moderate in Spanish and basic in Japanese, and regular language is Creole.

PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh. OK, well, there you go. I hope potential employers are listening to all your skills, all your languages. And, Jean, thank you so much for joining us. Please keep us posted, OK?

SENAT: Thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: My pleasure.

Once again, Jean's e-mail is jsenat -- S-E-N-A-T -- J-S-E-N-A-T at gmail dot com. It's posted on your blog.

And if you want to be part of the "30-Second Pitch" just like Jean, e-mail us your resume to 30SecondPitch@CNN.com.

The president hearing from business people, big and small, nonprofit heads, labor leaders, think-tankers, looking for ways to create jobs. Well, what's the plan, Mr. President? We hope to find out shortly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Jobless rate of 10.2 percent. Republicans say the president's economic policies aren't cutting it. Some Democrats are saying he's shortchanging unemployed Americans. It's a good time for a job summit, and it's happening right now in Washington.

Let's go straight to the White House and CNN's White House correspondent, Dan Lothian. It should start any moment, Dan.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It should have started already, and what we are expecting is the president will make some opening remarks -- we're told brief, probably about 15 minutes, between the president and the vice president. And then there will be a chance for everyone to kind of get their heads together and begin their discussions. The president might take a few questions, not only from those in the audience, but perhaps some the Internet as well.

The whole idea, again, is really brainstorming. Talking to the people who are out there on the front lines who are the ones who would be doing the hiring and finding out exactly what it is that they need, and also trying to get a sense of what the White House is doing, will it really work in the real world? As you know, the economic team here at the White House has been looking at a number of issues from investing in infrastructures such as building roadways and bridges, weatherization projects, whether that could stimulate jobs as well. And also tax credits for small businesses that could really spur hiring.

So, these are some of the things that the White House will be, you know, running through with these business leaders. Some from Google, also from FedEx, other companies, and union leaders as well.

But as you pointed out, you know, this is something that is coming under fire from Republicans up on Capitol Hill, who not only are criticizing this particular effort, but also the fact that not enough jobs are being created. In fact, take a listen to what House Minority Leader, John Boehner, had to say a few minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER (R-OH): The biggest problem that we heard from our economists with regard to why employers aren't hiring, it's all the job-killing policies that are being offered by this administration and this Congress. And creating an awful lot of uncertainty for American employers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: So, as you can see, Kyra, not everyone on board with this. A lot of pressure on this administration to really get out there and create jobs because a lot of people are hurting. And as I'm being told and as I see there, the summit is getting under way, so I'll throw it back to you.

PHILLIPS: Good, we are. Hilda Solis is up at the mike now, and we're tracking it, Dan. As soon as the president steps up to the mike, we'll take it live and probably talk to Dan again.

When a jail cell gate swings open in Arkansas, the door slams shut in Washington state. The brutal crimes of this ex-con are closing borders. And it could be a political liability for a possible presidential contender.

And it's Thursday. That means a new batch of questions up on the CNNchallenge.com.

Here's a pop quiz. Who warned the Congress of limiting the power of the Federal Reserve could hurt an economic recovery? Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner, Henry Paulson or Alan Greenspan? The answer's coming up in just a second. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Before the break, we asked you who warned Congress that limiting the power of the federal reserve could hurt an economic recovery? The answer, Ben Bernanke. Head to CNNchallenge.com for more clock-ticking, head-scratching competition.

There are rules for displaying an American flag, and he's following all of them. So, why is a 90-year-old war hero facing a lawsuit over Old Glory? His neighbors' pole position in just a sec.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Kyra Phillips.

PHILLIPS: Washington state closing the door for now on criminal parolees from Arkansas. That decision from Washington's governor after four police officers there were shot to death in an ambush. The suspect is Maurice Clemmons, a parolee from Arkansas after was killed after a two-day manhunt. When he lived in Arkansas, his sentence was commuted by then-governor Mike Huckabee who is now coming under fire. But Huckabee tells CNN's Drew Griffin that he didn't have a crystal ball back then.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: I looked at the file, every bit of it, and here's a case where a guy had been given 108 years. Now, if you think that a 108-year sentence is an appropriate sentence for a 16-year-old for the crimes he committed, then you should run for governor of Arkansas.

You're looking at this nine years later. And trying to make something as if that, you know, I have to look into the future. I wish I could have. Good Lord, I wish I had that power. I wish I could have done that...

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: I guess I'm wondering ...

HUCKABEE: I don't know how anyone could do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Washington state plans to review an interstate compact with Arkansas to see if Arkansas is living up to its responsibilities regarding parolees.

Other top stories. The insanity defense for accused serial killer, Anthony Sowell, who has been convicted on 85 counts, including murder, rape, and kidnapping after the remains of 11 women were found at his Cleveland home. Today, Sowell pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

A final appeal to the men and women who will decide her fate. The American exchange student, Amanda Knox, addressed an Italian court today before the murder case against her goes to the jury. Knox denied killing her British roommate two years ago, saying she's scared of having the mask of an assassin forced on her.

Unacceptable and indefensible. Those words from the Secret Service chief testifying before Congress about the Virginia couple who apparently crashed a White House dinner last week. Mark Sullivan says that proper procedure was not followed and the guards involved had been put on paid leave for now.

Call it we have. Exercising and video games, the perfect combo for people with Parkinson's disease. Here's CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: For occupational therapist Ben Herz, it was almost too easy.

BEN HERZ, OCCUPTATIONAL THERAPIST: It seemed to me to be almost a no-brainer in the sense of, "Let's try this and see if it works."

GUPTA: Video games as rehab tools for Parkinson's patients. You see, Parkinson's leads to a sharp decrease in dopamine. That's a brain chemical responsible for the body's movement.

HERZ: When somebody is diagnosed with Parkinson's, they have 70- 80 percent dopamine depletion. So, my underlying thinking was, one, I read an article about video gaming and how it increases dopamine production, and exercise also increases dopamine production. So, the Wii puts both together.

GUPTA: Sixty-eight-year-old Bob Rohrman participated in Herz's study. He has been battling Parkinson's for three years.

BOB ROHRMAN, PARKINSON'S PATIENT: It's kept me loose to where I don't stiffen up. You have to use parts of your body that you don't normally move -- use.

GUPTA: Funded by the National Parkinson's Foundation, the research participants exercise using the Nintendo Wii one hour a day, three days a week for four weeks. Herz found that fine motor skills, rigidity, balance issues have all improved. But the biggest improvement was mood: depression levels almost eliminated. That's a big deal, considering almost half of those diagnosed with Parkinson's suffer from depression. It works so well for Rohrman, he bought his own game console to play at home.

ROHRMAN: You're not sitting there, drying up. It makes you get up and exercise. And that's the whole point of the thing to do: to keep you loose. The more you walk and the more you move, the more you're beating Parkinson's.

GUPTA: Herz says video games and virtual reality are the future of rehab. As others work to find a cure for Parkinson's, Herz focuses on what can be done now, slowing those symptoms to improve quality of life. For Rohrman, that meant the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day without falling.

ROHRMAN: Didn't trip over her; didn't step on her feet or nothing. So, I think I did pretty good.

Yes!

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) Got along.

(SNEEZING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Goodness, OK, bless you, bless you, bless you, and bless you! we've been following this story for a while now. The Virginia girl who can't stop sneezing. Now, we know why. Lauren Johnson's been diagnosed with a disorder -- disorder, actually, known as pandas. It's linked to a strep infection.

And there's a treatable -- or treatment, rather, available, we're told. Right now, she's taking antibiotics, and she's also improved a lot. The disorder itself was discovered just 13 years ago, and, boy, does she remain strong through this.

Jesus Christ was perfectly willing to pass judgment. But she -- yes, she -- proved she was a bit too imperfect. Getting her back into the jury pool? Well, it would take a miracle now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Just a few days ago, we saw a story about a woman who claimed she saw an image of Jesus on her iron. Well, we found one place you're not going to see Jesus, the jury box in Birmingham. Get this, a woman named Jesus Christ was excused from the jury pool. Apparently, Christ was kind of a nuisance, so the court sent her on her way. Reporters are still waiting on Christ to return -- their messages. By the way, she wasn't born Jesus Christ. She changed it from Dorothy Lola Killingsworth, so the name's available, if you're interested.

A TSA strike or a terrorist strike? Which would hurt American travelers more? Labor, security, and politics collide on Capitol Hill.

And outsourcing. It's what for dinner. Sweatshops, slave labor. Just (INAUDIBLE) American shrimp industry. do you think the price of your shrimp is too good to be true? You might be right. Much more next hour.

He fought for this country and its flag through three wars, and he says he'll fight for the Stars and Stripes forever. The only problem? It's about to get him sued. This 90-year-old, highly decorated Virginia vet actually had the gall to put up a flagpole. More from Morgan Dean from affiliate WRIC.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN DEAN, WRIC-TV CORRESPONDENT: This is the flagpole that's causing so much controversy in the Sussex Square neighborhood in Enricho (ph) County. Medal of Honor recipient Van Barfoot installed this pole a few weeks back. He's been flying Old Glory on it since Veterans Day, but this week he was notified by his homeowners association that he had to take the pole down or face civil penalties.

COL. VAN BARFOOT, U.S. ARMY (RET.): (INAUDIBLE) It's part of me, really.

DEAN: Ninety-year-old Van Barfoot has helped to raise the tars and stripes around the globe, serving valiantly in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Here is he receiving his Medal of Honor on a battlefield in France.

BARFOOT: I started taking it down and put it up. We slide it up and put it up.

DEAN: In his Enrico (ph) neighborhood, The Covenants don't forbid flagpoles, but the homeowners board has the right to determine what's asthetically appropriate. Barfoot says he was told by a previous board member that it would be OK. But when he applied for permission to put up the pole while moving in, he was denied. He installed it anyway while waiting to appeal. Smaller poles attached to homes are OK, but this proud, decorated veteran says he won't do that.

BARFOOT: It represents to me, a flag that is being lowered for (INAUDIBLE).

DEAN: Barfoot has until Friday evening to take down the pole.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, in a statement the Sussex Square homeowners' association said, quote, "This is not about the American flag. This is about a flagpole. We are a neighborhood of patriotic Americans, many of whom have served our country in the military, as Colonel Barfoot has done." The HOA also says he knew from the get-go flagpoles were not permitted.

From a civilian to soldier. A California teen heard the call of duty, and now he's kissing his family good-bye. We're watching the transformation.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN.

PHILLIPS: Straight to the president of the United States. He's kicking off, actually, a jobs forum, meeting with dozens of business and labor leaders, to talk about ways to get Americans back to work. Let's listen in.

OBAMA: Good afternoon, everybody. I'm glad you all could join us today for this job forum here at the White House. We've got leaders from just about every sector of the economy -- government, labor, academia, nonprofits and businesses of all sizes. And I know that your unions or universities or cities or companies don't run themselves, so I appreciate that you've taken the time to be here today.

And I appreciate the unique perspective each of you brings to the great economic challenge before us: the continuing plight of millions of Americans who are still out of work.

Sometimes in this town, we talk about these things in clinical and academic ways, but this is not an academic debate. With one in 10 Americans out of work and millions more underemployed, not having enough hours to support themselves, this is a struggle that cuts deep, and it touches people across this nation.

Every day I meet people or I hear from people who talk about sending out resume after resume and they've been on the job hunt for a year or a year and a half and still can't find anything and are desperate. They haven't just lost the paycheck they need to live, they're losing the sense of dignity and identity that comes from having a job.

I hear from business owners who face the heartbreak of having to lay off long-time employees or shutting their doors altogether. In some cases, businesses that they've taken years to build, in some cases businesses that they inherited from their parents or their grandparents.

And I see communities devastated by lost jobs and devastated by the fear that those jobs are never coming back.

Now, as Joe mentioned, it's true that we've seen significant turnaround in the economy overall since the beginning of the year. Our economy was in a freefall, our financial system was on the verge of collapse, we were losing 700,000 jobs per month.

And it was clear then that our first order of business was to keep a recession from slipping into a depression, from preventing financial meltdown, and getting the economy growing again, because we knew that without economic growth there would be little to nothing we could do to stem job losses.

And we knew that trying to create jobs in an economy based on inflated home prices and maxed-out credit cards and overleveraged banks was akin to building a house on sand.

So we implemented plans to stabilize the financial system and revive lending to families and business. We passed the Recovery Act, which stopped our freefall and helped spur the growth that we've seen. Today our economy is growing again for the first time in a year, and at the fastest pace that we've seen in two years.

And productivity is surging. Companies are reporting profits. The stock market is up. But despite the progress we've made, many businesses are still skittish about hiring. Some are still digging themselves out of the losses they incurred over the past year. Many have figured out how to squeeze more productivity out of fewer workers, and that cost-cutting has become embedded in their operations and in their culture.

That may result in good profits, but it's not translating into hiring, and so that's the question that we have to ask ourselves today. How do we get businesses to start hiring again? How do we get ourselves to the point where more people are working and more people are spending, and you starting seeing a virtuous cycle and the recovery starts to feed on itself?

And we knew from the outset of this recession, particularly a recession of this severity and a recession that is spurred on by financial crisis, rather than as a consequence of the business cycle, that -- that it would take time for job growth to catch up with economic growth. We all understood that. That's always been the case with recessions.

But we cannot hang back and hope for the best when we've seen the kinds of job losses that we've seen over the last year. I am not interested in taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to creating jobs. What I'm interested in is taking action right now to help businesses create jobs right now, in the near term.

And that's why we made more credit available to small banks that provide loans to small businesses. That's why we provided tax relief to help small businesses stay afloat and proposed raising SBA loan limits to help them expand. That's why we created the cash-for- clunkers program and made sure the Recovery Act included investments that would start saving and creating jobs this year.

As Joe mentioned, as many as 1.6 million, so far, is estimated, according to the most recent analysis.

And that's why I've been working continuously with my economic advisers, as well as congressional leaders and others, on new job creation ideas. And I'll be speaking in greater detail about several ideas that have already surfaced early next week.

But I want to be clear. While I believe that government has a critical role in creating the conditions for economic growth, ultimately, true economic recovery is only going to come from the private sector.

We don't have enough public dollars to fill the hole of private dollars that was created as a consequence of the crisis. It is only when the private sector starts to reinvest again; only when our businesses start hiring again and people start spending again and families start seeing improvement in their own lives again, that we're going to have the kind of economy that we want.

That's the measure of a real economic recovery. So that's why we've invited all of you here today. Many of you run businesses yourselves. Each of you is an expert on some aspect of job creation.

Collectively, your views span the spectrum. That was deliberate. We're looking for fresh perspectives and new ideas.

I want to hear about what unions and universities can do to better support and prepare our workers, not just for the jobs of today but for the jobs five years from now and 10 years from now and 50 years from now.

I want to hear about what mayors and community leaders can do to bring new investment to our cities and towns and help recovery dollars get to where they need to go as quickly as possible.

I want to hear from CEOs about what's holding back business investment and how we can increase confidence and spur hiring.

And if there are things that we're doing here in Washington that are inhibiting you, then we want to know about it.

And I want to continue this conversation outside of Washington, which is why I'll be meeting with some of the small- business owners that you saw in the video in Allentown, Pennsylvania, tomorrow, to get their ideas.

It's also why we've asked state and local officials and community organizations to hold their own jobs forums over the next week or so, and to report back with the ideas and recommendations that result.

So let it be clear: I am open to every demonstrably good idea. And I want to take every responsible step to accelerate job creation.

We also, though, have to face the fact that our resources are limited. When we walked in, there was an enormous fiscal gap between the money that is going out and the money coming in. The recession has made that worse, because of fewer tax receipts and more demands made on government for things like unemployment insurance.

So we can't make any ill-considered decisions right now. Even with the best of intentions, we're going to have to be surgical and we're going to have to be creative. We're going to have to be smart and strategic. And we'll need to look beyond the old standbys and fallbacks, and come up with the best ideas that give us the biggest bang for the buck.

So I need everybody here to bring their A game here today. I'm going to be asking some tough questions. I will be listening for some good answers. And I don't want to just brainstorm up at 30,000 feet. I want details in our discussion today. I'm looking for specific recommendations that can be implemented that will spur on job growth as quickly as possible.

Now, I want to be clear.

We won't overcome our unemployment challenge in just a few hours this afternoon. I assure you, there is extraordinary skepticism that any discussions like this can actually produce results. I'm well aware of that. I don't mind skepticism. If I listened to the skeptics, I wouldn't be here.

(LAUGHTER)

But I am confident that we'll make progress. I'm confident that people like you who built thriving businesses or revolutionized industries or brought cities and communities together and changed the way we look at the world and innovated and created new products that you can come up with some additional good ideas on how to create jobs.

And I'm confident that the spirit of bold, persistent experimentation that FDR talked about and that's gotten this country through some of our darkest hours remains alive and well, not just in this room, but all across the country. We still have the best universities in the world. We've got some of the finest science and technology in the world. We've got the most entrepreneurial spirit in the world and we've got some of the most productive workers in the world.

And if we get serious, then the 21st century is going to be the American century, just like the 20th century was. But we're going to have to approach this with a sense of seriousness and try to set the politics and the chatter aside for a while and actually get to work.

So welcome. Thank you for participating. We are going to maximize the productivity of this effort over the next several hours. And I will be returning back with you so that I can get a report on what kinds of ideas seem to make the most sense.

Thank you very much, everybody.

(APPLAUSE)