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From Playing Ball to Basic Training; NATO Promises 7,000 More Troops to Afghanistan; NFL Player's Fitness Tips
Aired December 04, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thank you so much, kind ma'am.
It is Friday, December the 4th. And here are some of the top stories in the CNN NEWSROOM.
NATO answering the call. The alliance pledges at least 7,000 new troops for the U.S. surge in Afghanistan.
Also, he's in the Army now. One 18-year-old's journey may take him from the high school football field to Uncle Sam's battlefield.
Also, a pretty big surprise for some folks today on the jobs front. Unemployment lines could be getting a bit shorter in November. We think they did, at least. We'll get into some of those numbers.
But good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes, sitting in today for my good friend, Tony Harris.
And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Well, the secretary-general of NATO said today that two dozen nations will provide an estimated 7,000 more troops for Afghanistan. CNN's John Roberts, in Brussels, covering the meeting today, actually talked to the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, about the troop commitments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: These include decisions by governments to keep troops that they were about to remove, that they had sent only for the elections, plus new additional commitments. For example, today we heard from the Italians and the Poles and the Slovakians, and I'm probably forgetting some others, but we had some really positive new commitments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Of course, as we know, we heard from the president earlier this week on Tuesday in that big speech that, in fact, he was going to send another 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, trying to make up the difference now, it seems, that NATO is doing. Of course, General McChrystal originally asked for 40,000. The president is giving 30,000, and now NATO may be making up the difference.
Our Jill Dougherty is also there in Brussels checking in with those NATO members. We'll be talking to her live coming up in just a bit.
Also, we're going to check the CNN wire now.
The Labor Department says the unemployment rate for November fell to 10 percent. Still double digits, but it is down. Just 11,000 jobs were lost last month. That is the smallest monthly loss in nearly two years.
President Obama will be speaking about the jobs crisis later this hour. And we will have live coverage of the president from Pennsylvania.
We'll turn to Italy now, where a story has been going on for a couple of years now. An Italian jury could return a verdict today in Amanda Knox's yearlong murder trial.
Prosecutors say the young American -- you see here there -- and her Italian boyfriend cut a woman's threat during a drug-fueled sexual assault. A second man has already been convicted in this case.
Knox's parents, as well as Amanda herself, insist she is innocent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CURT KNOX, AMANDA KNOX'S FATHER: She knows she had nothing to do with this. And, you know, they just can't put an innocent person behind bars.
EDDA MELLAS, AMANDA KNOX'S MOTHER: There's no way that with no evidence they could convict her of a crime she didn't commit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Again, we could get word on that verdict today.
Meanwhile, film director Roman Polanski made bail. A police convoy escorted Polanski to his Swiss chalet today. He'll remain under house arrest until Switzerland decides if it will extradite him to the U.S. You'll remember Polanski fled the U.S. in 1978 after pleading guilty to the charge of unlawful sex with a child.
Also, 36 worshippers are dead in Pakistan after militants armed with guns and grenades attacked a mosque during midday prayers. Another 45 people were wounded.
The mosque is in Rawalpindi. That's close to Pakistan's army headquarters and is frequented by military officials. Today's attack is the latest in a recent wave of violence that has killed more than 400 people.
And back to our top story this hour. NATO allies stepping up. They're answering President Obama's call to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan.
We do want to go back to NATO headquarters now in Brussels. And CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty joins us live now live.
Jill, hello. And like we've been hearing for months now, it seems, General McChrystal wanted 40,000. The president -- I'm told -- I can see her, but I'm told I have lost Jill. So I'm going to have Jill stand by. We're going to try to get that worked out and get back to Jill here in just a second.
Yes, she can't hear me just yet. We'll get that situation worked out and go back live to Brussels as soon as we have that worked out.
Meanwhile, a lot of people these days are preparing for war, a lot of young men and women. So, exactly how do they do it? Well, a new Army recruit takes us through his final days at home before he leaves for basic training. The Pentagon has allowed CNN to follow Will McLain as part of the new series "A Soldier's Story."
Here now, CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL MCLAIN, U.S. ARMY RECRUIT: ... doing for the last party.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Will McLain, 18 years old and a week away from taking the oath to enlist in the Army.
MCLAIN: More people are here.
CARROLL: We gave him a video camera to show us how he was passing the time. There were lots of parties.
MCLAIN: It's always funny, because even when I'm partying with my friends or something like that, they've always got to throw those Army jokes in.
CARROLL (on camera): How have your friends taken the news so far? What have they been...
W. MCLAIN: They think I'm doing a good thing. Like, they figure it's better than just rotting away in Rosamond. You know?
CARROLL (voice-over): Rosamond, California, Will's hometown. It's in the western Mohave Desert, a large stretch of land with a small population, about 14,000, a place where dirt bike riding is surpassed only by motorcycle racing in popularity, a place Will McLain can't wait to leave.
MCLAIN: I'm kind of glad to be getting out of this little town, you know, just because it gets old. But there's a lot of things you will miss. You know?
CARROLL: We met up with Will, his last day at home before he left to join the Army, a day his 12-year-old brother didn't want to leave his side.
MCLAIN: I think it kind of hits him more that I'm leaving. This last week, I think it's truly hit them and my family.
CARROLL: Like a lot of high school football players, McLain had dreams of pursuing a career in the pros.
MCLAIN: All I can be. You know, I'm going to go pro, you know. And then pretty much, I guess, junior year, I realized there were a lot bigger fishes in the sea.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CARROLL: McLain says earlier this year, he began to really think about advice from his uncle.
MCLAIN: I know my uncle always used to yell at me, "You need to have a backup plan! You need to have a backup plan!" And that's why I figured the military would be the best bet.
CARROLL: Will had grown up with guns and always liked the idea of joining the military. So he tried to convince his parents to allow him to enlist before his 18th birthday in May.
MCLAIN: They didn't want to sign the papers and then me to come back a year later and be like, "I hate you, you signed the papers." So this way they made me wait until I was 18 so that the blame was fully on me. Because my mom worded it, she doesn't want to be responsible for sending me to Afghanistan.
CARROLL: And now, with time running out at home, reality is setting in.
MCLAIN: I'd say about a week ago it truly hit me. That's when I forgot to sleep and stuff. I just pretty much lay there and think, oh, man, you know, I'm leaving in a week, I'm leaving in three days, I'm leaving in a day.
CARROLL: For Will's parents, Bill, a construction worker, and his wife, Lorrie, Will's future now taking shape.
BILL MCLAIN, WILL'S FATHER: We worry that he'll come home in one piece. He might be 5,000 miles away, but he knows there's people that care about him.
CARROLL: The next morning came the good-byes...
MCLAIN: It's all right.
CARROLL: ... and one last word of advice.
B. MCLAIN: Head down, brain on. OK?
W. MCLAIN: Easy enough.
B. MCLAIN: She wasn't looking forward to this moment. It's OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: A scene there that plays out for so many families in this country.
But coming up next, we'll show you what happens as Will, the civilian, becomes Private Will. He'll be heading to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he'll go through 13 weeks of basic training.
Also today, we're covering the number of unemployed Americans. President Obama in Pennsylvania right now, trying to find new ways of creating jobs. We'll have live coverage of the president's visit.
Also, live right now, Rob Marciano. He's tracking a weather system that could bring snow to the South.
Does that include Atlanta, Rob?
That's going to be my question. We'll check in with him in just a second.
But first, we've got a look at the latest on the Dow. Take a look right there, up 95 points today. We're going to be checking in with our Felicia Taylor at the New York Stock Exchange a little later in the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, just a few moments ago, our Jason Carroll began the story of an 18-year-old California man who has just become an Army recruit. We pick up the story now with the young man's first 24 hours in the Army.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
W. MCLAIN: It's all right.
CARROLL (voice-over): Tearful good-byes as Will McLain's parents see their 18-year-old son leave home in Rosamond, California, for the first time.
B. MCLAIN: She wasn't looking forward to this moment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does everybody understand that?
MCLAIN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes, sir.
CARROLL (voice-over): As McLain takes his first steps toward joining the Army, questions about his future begin to weigh on him.
W. MCLAIN: The major unknown, I guess, is I want to know where I'm going to end up stationed at. You know? You know you've got a four-year contract, but it's like, you know, are these four years going to be, you know, fun, enjoyable, or am I going to be, like, I hate my job?
CARROLL: For now, those answers will have to wait.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good luck.
W. MCLAIN: Thank you.
CARROLL: First, there's registration...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any tattoos?
CARROLL: ... at a nearby processing station in Los Angeles.
W. MCLAIN: I'm anxious, but, you know, I'm kind of glad it's starting finally. Like one of those days you don't think it would come and, then, bam, it's here.
CARROLL: This is where Will McLain finally becomes...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shoulders back, chests out.
CARROLL: ... Private McLain.
W. MCLAIN: I will obey the orders of the president of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: I will obey the orders of the president of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So help me God.
W. MCLAIN: So help me God.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: So help me God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I tell you, you can exit the bus quickly but safely, is that understood?
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes, Drill Sergeant!
CARROLL: Twelve hours later, McLain is now more than 1,600 miles from home...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pick up your badge!
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes, Drill Sergeant!
CARROLL: ... at an Army base in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Row by row, let's go. Let's go.
CARROLL: ... for several days of orientation.
(on camera): You look a little different. You shaved the goatee. How does it feel?
W. MCLAIN: It feels weird. It's the first time in a while.
You know, I expected them to come yelling on the bus. They did. You know, I mean, I'm surprised I haven't had to do pushups or anything yet. So, that's also a plus.
(LAUGHTER)
CARROLL: Well, it's coming.
W. MCLAIN: I know it is.
CARROLL: I'm sure it's coming.
MCLAIN: I'm sure it is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you do not have an electronic device, do not take an envelope.
CARROLL (voice-over): After turning in personal items for safekeeping...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next.
CARROLL: ... Will and the other privates are issued gear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step in front of me. Open up your bag.
CARROLL: Will finds his bunk and turns in for a short night.
Four hours later...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get up!
CARROLL: ... his morning begins on unfamiliar territory.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing? What is going on?
CARROLL (on camera): I'm thinking of all these movies that I've seen with a drill sergeant, and you pretty much fit that role.
SGT. JOSHUA SMITH, U.S. ARMY: I guess you just have to say it's a Type A personality.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurry up. Hurry up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right over there. Get your food and get up. Hurry up.
CARROLL (voice-over): Will couldn't eat much in the three minutes it took him to finish.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurry up.
CARROLL: Not a problem for sergeants eyeing his weight. He's 5'9", 228 pounds.
(on camera): You look at him and your assessment is, he's got a little weight to lose.
SGT. CRYSTAL SCOTT, U.S. ARMY: Yes, sir.
CARROLL: You think you can get that off him?
SCOTT: Oh, yes, sir. There's plenty of ways to get that off of him.
CARROLL (voice-over): There are just a few more tests.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice tight fist.
CARROLL: And then the regulation cut.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you think?
W. MCLAIN: It's short. And I'm white (ph).
CARROLL: But he still sees the same Will.
(on camera): Do you feel like a soldier yet?
W. MCLAIN: Not yet. I haven't been through, brute (ph). I won't even claim being a soldier until I'm done with that.
CARROLL (voice-over): And that basic training comes next.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: He's got a long road ahead of him, T.J.
You know, basic training lasts for about 13 weeks. And another little fact to give you here about Fort Leonard Wood. About 30,000 recruits just like Will go through Fort Leonard Wood every single year. So it gives you an idea of just how many others are going through what he's going through.
HOLMES: You know, it looked like there was finally a point in there where it seemed like it hit him, wow, this is for real. I'm actually in the Army now.
Where is he now? I know you're going to be following him along, but, I guess, what's his status as of this moment? Where is he in the process?
CARROLL: Well, he's a couple weeks into basic training. We're going to be leaving on Monday to check in with him again to see how he's doing, to see how he's progressing, to see if he's lost a little bit of that weight.
And, you know, T.J., he's not the only one we're going to be following. We're actually going to be following three recruits, all heading into different disciplines within the Army, just to get a better feel for what the experience is like as they go through their training. HOLMES: All right. And one more thing on Will here. Does he know exactly what he wants to do, what direction he wants to do in the Army, what he wants to specialize in? And how much is that going to be up to him anyway?
CARROLL: Well, you know, he does get a chance to choose. You know, they take a lot of tests to see where you excel and some of the places where you're weak. He's hoping, T.J., to be a combat engineer. These are some of the guys who get out there and deal with landmines, build bridges, do these types of things when they're out in these combat zones in order to help the troops who are also there on the ground.
So that's what he's hoping to do. Maybe that will change. We're along for the ride. We'll see.
HOLMES: Yes, all right.
Jason, we appreciate you. Extraordinary access you are getting there to follow him along.
Thanks so much, and looking forward to see if he loses some of that weight.
CARROLL: All right.
HOLMES: All right. We'll turn back to one of our top stories for the day.
The NATO allies stepping up. They're answering President Obama's call to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan.
Want to head over back to NATO headquarters in Brussels. And our foreign affairs correspondent, Jill Dougherty, joins us now.
Jill, it was widely advertised that General McChrystal wanted 40,000. The president said he's going to commit 30,000 Americans.
So, is NATO going to be able to make that up difference?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: It's looking as if they could be, T.J., but they definitely have commitments for about 7,000 troops coming from the NATO and non-NATO countries that are here, the coalition. And they could get some more.
But one of the problems, T.J., is that in the home countries, there are a lot of people who are not in support of the war, so it's a tough sell, just as it is sometimes in the United States. So some of the countries that might come up with more troops may not want to announce it at this point. So, it's a moving target, but it looks as if definitely 7,000.
Some are big numbers. Some are small numbers. And countries like France and Germany really are not committing at this point.
Now, the other part of this is the secretary is trying to make the point that they will not be in Afghanistan forever. It's a limited mission based on conditions.
But there's another side to it, and that is the civilian part of it. So, she has another message for Afghans and for Pakistanis that the United States and the international community are not going to walk away.
Here's what she said to our John Roberts this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Our analysis of what happened in Afghanistan and Pakistan very clearly demonstrates that not only the United States, but the international community sort of just said, OK, the job is done, the Soviet Union is gone. And we walked away, leaving a very difficult and increasingly dangerous presence in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, a drug trade that flourished during that time period.
You know, there were many problems that we had to take some responsibility for but we did not. So I want to make clear to the people of both Afghanistan and Pakistan that we're looking for a long- term partnership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: So, long-term partnership on that side, but the troops are not going to be there, they're hoping, at least, for a very long time -- T.J.
HOLMES: And Jill, one more thing here. Even if he gets the numbers -- if U.S. gets the numbers they want from NATO countries, do we know that those NATO troops are going to be filling some of those actual combat roles? Do we know what the NATO troops will actually be doing? Will they be doing the same things that U.S. forces would be doing?
DOUGHERTY: You know, T.J., some of it will be training. In fact, a lot of it is training because that's what the Europeans like and that's what they're good at. But also, it looks as if there could be some dual use to this, and they would be both in combat and in training, and they would also have the Afghans along with them doing the very same thing.
HOLMES: All right.
Our Jill Dougherty for us in Brussels.
Jill, always good to have you. Thank you so much. We will talk to you again soon.
And we asked you out there to weigh in on President Obama's speech and the new strategy in Afghanistan, and here's what some of you are saying on our blog.
First here, Ms. Carroll from Illinois, says, "I think we should get out of Afghanistan. If it hasn't been fixed after eight years, what does that tell you? Let them fight it out amongst themselves." Also, another from Jacqui here, who says, "We have a moral obligation to the Afghans and to those who have already sacrificed to finish what we started."
We appreciate some of those comments you all have been sending in. We've gotten plenty of them. Continue to send those into us. You can go to CNN.com/newsroom, or send us an iReport at CNN.com/ireport.
Also, coming this weekend, CNN's Fareed Zakaria talks about the Afghan troop surge with "New York Times" columnist Tom Friedman.
Here now, a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAREED ZAKARIA, HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": You and I were lucky enough to be invited to a lunch with President Obama right before he made his speech at West Point.
What was your sense? I mean, I thought he was very cool, very calm, did not seem agonized about this decision.
TOM FRIEDMAN, COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Yes, I think that the president had come to terms with what he was about to say, and developed an incredibly nuanced argument for why he believed his policy was right. And I thought you saw it reflected at West Point, Fareed.
It was extremely lucid. As you say, cool, pragmatic, point-by- point speech. And I have nothing but respect, Fareed, as I think you do, too, for the incredible difficulty of this decision.
And frankly, I could argue his side as well as I could argue my side. It's about really gut instincts, and I think the broader context within, which you see a problem.
And for me, the broader context is that I think what we need most in America today is nation-building at home, that that's what our country needs. That we aren't who we think we are.
We are a country becoming enfeebled by debt, with a weakening education system, and we need to get our groove back. And if that's my kind of macro pitch here, then I'm going to balance everything we do as a tradeoff against that need and that demand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And Tom Friedman on "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" at Sunday at 1:00 Eastern, right after John King and "STATE OF THE UNION."
Well, some of our top stories we're taking a look at now.
Myanmar's supreme court says it will consider hearing Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal to end her house arrest sentence. It was extended for 18 months in August after the pro-democracy leader was tried for sheltering an American intruder. The court set a December 21st hearing.
Also, in Alabama and Mississippi, firefighters from New York are delivering toys for Christmas. They firefighters have been playing Santa for area children since Hurricane Katrina hit the region back in 2005. The toys will be handed out tomorrow to children picked by head start programs.
Well, we are going to be covering the president today. President Obama, he is hitting the road on a Main Street tour, and people on Main Street are wondering, when he comes, is he going to be bringing jobs with him?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Speaking of the "Fit Nation," professional athletes of course know a thing or two about staying fit. They do it for a living, in fact. And in today's "Fit Nation" report, an NFL player shares his advice on diet and exercise.
Details now from our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's no question, for NFL player Kerry Rhodes, fitness is a job on the field...
KERRY RHODES, NFL PLAYER: I'm big on the food...
GUPTA: ... off the field. Even on Twitter.
RHODES: A lot of people have been asking me on Twitter to give them workout tips and what do I do, what do I do eat? TheRealPNasty says, "Looking to lose approximately 25 pounds over the next three months." That right there is just -- that's setting up for failure because you're trying to do to much.
GUPTA: Rhodes' tip number one: map out a fitness plan...
RHODES: I usually do three sets of 10.
GUPTA: ... and start slow.
RHODES: Work your way up and take your time to get to that point where you can do more.
GUPTA: He says it's all about setting reasonable goals and keeping your routine interesting.
RHODES: Do creative thing to not get tired, and not get used to doing the same thing over and over.
GUPTA: During the off-season, a typical meal for Rhodes, an early morning snack, banana or granola bar, oatmeal and toast for breakfast, a high-protein lunch like lean hamburger patty, and for dinner, a chicken salad.
Also, he loads up on things like water, fruit, green tea, or energy drinks to help stay full throughout the day.
RHODES: I get at least four meals in your system, whether that be a snack for one meal or energy drink for one meal.
GUPTA: His advice for fans who tweet him and to kids who are obese, make fitness a priority.
RHODES: Put on the paper what you want to do, just overall what you want to be at the end of the day. Just be active and that's the biggest thing.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, as we know, a lot of people out there rely too heavily on credit cards, and so they're asking our personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, how to pay them off or not pay them at all.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Tapping into your 401(k) to pay bills, also a first-time home buyer wants to know more about that tax credit, and a sticky credit dilemma for someone who has been laid off. You send the questions, Gerri Willis gives you the answers. She is here now.
Good morning to you. Always good to see you, my dear, Gerri.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good morning, T.J.
HOLMES: Let's go to this first question here. It's from Gwen who writes, "I was recently laid off, I'm 60 years old, I have a credit card balance on one card of $19,000," my goodness. "I can take money out of my 401(k), but I don't want to take money out to pay on this credit card. What are your thoughts?"
Please, talk to her.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Wow. That's a tough situation, Gwen.
But it's never a good idea to take money out of your 401(k) for any other reason but your retirement. This is especially true since you are close to retirement. Since it is obvious you suffered a hardship by losing your job, your best bet? Contact your credit card issuer and see if you can work out a payment plan. You may be able to negotiate a lower interest rate. In some cases you may be able to get part of that debt forgiven. Make sure you document that hardship -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. A tough spot. A lot of people are in that spot as you just said.
WILLIS: Very sad.
HOLMES: Yes. Another question we have here. It says, "What is the process of getting $8,000 first-time home buyers tax credit? How can I get or use the money toward my down payment or closing?"
Now a lot of people are curious about this $8,000 tax credit, which was given a lot of credit for actually getting people back in the housing market.
WILLIS: That's right. Well, yes, people are jumping in because of this tax credit. Buyers have to sign purchase agreements for the home before May 1st and close before July 1st. These deadlines were just extended, T.J.
To get the tax credit you claim it on your federal income tax return. To get rules on how to qualify for the tax credit, go to federalhousingtaxcredit.com, there are details there. Attach a copy of your HUD1 settlement form, that's the closing statement, to Form 5405 as proof of the completed home purchase.
If you want to use tax credit money toward down payment or closing, reduce your income tax withholding up to the amount of the credit. This will allow you to take home that money in your paycheck. That money can then be applied to the down payment, closing costs.
If you want more info on tax withholding, check out IRS publication 919. That has rules and guidelines for income tax withholding. But there are income limitations. You need to know the details if you want to take advantage of that big, big tax credit.
HOLMES: All right, and one more here. This is a tough one here, Gerri. This comes from Natalie who says, "I have been laid off since October 2008. I have not made payments on my credit card. I have had to pay my rent, electricity, water and food bills. Most employers do credit and background checks. Several people have been turned down for jobs because of this. Is there any way to avoid this?"
That's a tough spot, Gerri. A lot of people know, you got to pay rent first, you got to live.
WILLIS: That's right. Well, you know, our heart goes out to Natalie. Here's what you need to know.
First off, you have to authorize your employer or prospective employer to pull your credit for employment screening. You don't have to allow them to do it, but certainly they don't have to hire you either. Not all employers will pull your credit reports. If they do bring up the subject, it's best just to be honest and straightforward and mention the credit card information up front. They're going to see it any way so this way you're the one bringing it up and you can explain the item versus leaving it open to their interpretation. It's technical, but definitely worth being upfront about it. E-mail me at gerri@cnn.com.
And T.J., I just want to bring up "YOUR BOTTOM LINE" this weekend, because we have a lot of information in that show that would go to people like this. We're talking about how to turn that seasonal job into a full-time job, if you have one. How to take advantage of 40-year lows in mortgage rates right now, how to do it the right way. And how to keep your identity when you are shopping online. You want to keep that identity under wraps. That's 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning right here on CNN. "YOUR BOTTOM LINE," I'll see you there, T.J.
HOLMES: We always see you, tucked right in there between "CNN SATURDAY MORNING" with us. So we always catch your show.
WILLIS: We're all very close.
HOLMES: All right. Thank you very much, Gerri. We'll talk to you soon.
Of course, today's job report, the lowest since December of 2007. We'll break it down with our friend Professor Danny Boston -- is that him over there sitting in the studio? I think he's over there. Danny Boston of Georgia Tech.
Also, our chief White House correspondent, Ed Henry. He's currently on CNN radio and on CNN.com. He and his guest talking about everything political, the economy, the war, and the party crashers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: President Obama kicking off a listening tour of sorts today to hear people's concerns about jobs, and there are plenty of concerns out there. The president is in Pennsylvania when he is scheduled to speak in about 15 minutes. We'll bring you those remarks live.
Right now, going to have to make do with our White House correspondent Dan Lothian who is traveling with the president. All right.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Making do?
HOLMES: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: I'm sorry, it's the president. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Dan.
No, always good to have you. Always good to see you. Tell us here, the president has something he wants to say, but I imagine the folks there in Pennsylvania got a lot they want to say to the president as well.
LOTHIAN: That's correct. This is less about what the president has to say. I was talking to a senior administration official, and they were pointing out that the president won't be making any policy initiative announcements here at this meeting at a community college. It's really a chance for the president to listen.
They're calling it "The White House to Main Street Tour" essentially. One of several stops that the president plans to make across the country over the next several months to really listen to folks out there and to find out exactly how they're struggling through the tough economy and what they would like to see happen in terms of job creation.
The president, before he arrives here, made a stop at a metalworks facility. He'll also be making stops at a restaurant and other places here in the community before heading back to Washington because he really wants to sort of meet folks there face to face, hear their stories. And so that's what this is really about.
But certainly, the president will also touch on latest unemployment numbers and that's really a key number, especially in this community because they really have been struggling here, T.J. This is a community that once was thriving with manufacturing jobs; unemployment now at 9.3 percent, 41,000 people out of work. So the president will touch on that.
But he will also, again, touch on how the economic situation, the unemployment situation is improving. Although, as one of his economic advisers said today, Christina Roemer, in a statement that she put out, that while the numbers look good, there's still a long way to go. They are cautiously optimistic, but she says that we have to be very careful because the numbers still could tic up. But the situation right now seems to be headed in the right direction -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Dan. Again, expecting to hear from the president in 10 to 15 minutes.
Dan Lothian is on the ground there. Dan, always good to have you. I know we will be checking back in with you here shortly. Thank you so much, buddy.
We want to check some of our stories here now. NATO nations promising 7,000 more troops for Afghanistan. They currently have 42,000 forces in that war zone. NATO secretary-general says 25 countries will contribute to the surge with more to come.
Also, if you're planning to send a package overseas to Iraq or Afghanistan to the troops, then you've got a week to do it. Post Office says December 11th is the last day for first class or priority mail, December 18th is the last day for express mail for overseas delivery.
Also, doctors for burn victim Michael Brewer say he's getting a second skin graph today. Brewer was set on fire in October, you'll remember, allegedly by teenage classmates and was burned over 65 percent of his body. Doctors say he'll need multiple skin grafts and surgeries.
Also in St. Louis, Missouri, today, another job summit going on, one that will actually fill some jobs. A new casino will open doors next spring and will need 1,200 people. Plenty of folks lined up and eager to get that work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm actually looking for either a dealer position or some type of floor supervisory position.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything, honestly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe dishwashing because I have dishwashing experience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right, Wall Street and Main Street got quite a shock today, a jolt, and it was a welcome one. The latest government report shows the job market improved dramatically last month. Felicia Taylor at the New York Stock Exchange with the details here.
And given some of the job losses we're used to seeing month after month after month, to hear that we're only looking at 11,000 job losses, a lot of people were excited to hear that.
FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly. I mean, 11,000 jobs lost. And nobody is going to welcome a job loss, but when you put it into context, T.J., it really is positive news.
Take a look at this chart. This is the smallest number since the recession started. Remember back in January when we had 700,000 jobs lost, you can see that steadily those numbers have been declining. You can see that the job losses have continually slowed down this year and today marked the best position we've seen so far.
But as opposed to job losses slowing down, what we really want to see is job creation like the story you told us about in St. Louis where they are creating jobs in that casino. We did see that this time in professional services, the service sector, education and health care, and government saw some job creation.
But right from the get-go, there was an impressive rally on Wall Street. However, the bears have now since come in and there's been quite a dramatic sell-off. The Dow Industrials are now up just fractionally. The Nasdaq Composite is up just about half of a percent. The S&P is up about a quarter of 1 percent. So unfortunately, the rally wasn't sustained so far and we're only two hours into the trading day -- T.J.
HOLMES: OK, Felicia, we've got all these analysts and experts out there who are always predicting what this market's going to do, what the job market is going to do. So, here we are now. It's great that we only have 11,000 job losses for a month, but when are we actually going to see those numbers be positive job creating numbers? When are they predicting now we could see months where jobs are created?
TAYLOR: Absolutely. Most analysts say that we could see job creation by the early quarter of next year. And the encouraging news in today's report came from the fact that the average workweek rose to 33.2 hours. The that could be a precursor to future hiring. What happens most often is that employers typically add hours for their current employees before they actually hire new ones.
Also, 52,000 temp workers were hired. That's good news. Employers typically add temp workers before investing in full-time staff.
But however, it takes years for the unemployment to actually fall significantly. Although today, we did see it edge down slightly to 10 percent. So the trend is significantly more positive than what we've seen and hopefully we'll continue to see that into the first quarter of next year and get more job creation -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Felicia Taylor for us at the New York Stock Exchange, thank you so much this morning.
Well, let's take a closer look at the new unemployment numbers. What do they actually say about this job market? Thomas "Danny" Boston, professor from the School of Economics at Georgia Tech here in Atlanta, a friend of ours here at CNN, good to have you here.
All right, is it as simple as people at home might think it is? All right, it was at 10.2 percent, now we're at 10 percent. That means it's going down. That means we're getting better. Is it that simple?
PROF. THOMAS "DANNY" BOSTON, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, GEORGIA TECH: It's not that simple.
HOLMES: All right.
BOSTON: All right, now, it's not time to throw the house party yet.
HOLMES: All right. All right.
BOSTON: It's looking better, but what's happening is that this is the best reported unemployment figure that we've had in a year. Now, when you look beneath the numbers, however, there are some things that are going on.
HOLMES: What are those things?
BOSTON: Well, first of all, there are a couple things that are important. One is number of nonfarm jobs. How has that changed? But that's the number that we've been citing, right? There were only 11,000 that were lost, right? That was a surprise to everybody.
All right, but when you look at the overall labor force, the size of the labor force has decreased over the last month. And even more importantly, the number of discouraged workers has increased slightly over 50,000, which means that individuals going out, knocking on doors and putting in applications trying to find job have gotten discouraged and they've dropped out of the labor market. That gives us a false signal in regards to how well the numbers are because it artificially deflates that figure.
HOLMES: OK, judging by or sounds like what you're saying to me, this number doesn't mean a whole lot. Given what's happening with people being discouraged and stop looking, it looks like 10.2 to 10 percent doesn't mean a whole lot. The job situation hasn't changed, just people stopped looking.
BOSTON: Well, it does and it does not. You're right, because they're both signals in there.
All right, what it means is that the economy has stopped hemorrhaging jobs. All right, we've sort of put a cap on the downside. What we haven't done is accelerated the upside and that's where the real problem is.
HOLMES: Now, are our companies -- who is hiring? We talk about just 11,000 lost, but somewhere in there somebody was hiring, I assume.
BOSTON: Somebody was hiring. Of course, manufacturing jobs are still being lost, construction jobs are still being lost. But business and professional services jobs were increasing. Health jobs, they've been increasing all along.
And so you're getting some mixed picture, but there are some things, some positive things that are happening.
HOLMES: Now we're breaking these numbers down, and a lot of people maybe won't look this deep into them, as far as just a casual viewer or a casual reader or just somebody out there on the street. So is it still a good thing if they can at least see the headline that we went from 10.2 to 10 percent and at least make them feel a little better about what's happening? Could it have that psychological effect at least?
BOSTON: Absolutely. And in fact, that is the most important thing, because businesses and individuals operate on optimism. And so, that increases optimism. What we've found recently coming through the Thanksgiving spending is that consumers are still sitting on the sideline trying to make a decision as to whether they're going to spend and how much they're going to spend.
So these figures will be encouraging to them to go out and spend. So that's important.
HOLMES: And last thing here, quickly. When you break down individual groups, individual demographics -- African-Americans, men, women -- I guess, what do you see within that drop in the unemployment rate? Whose being effected, I guess, least and most along those individual groups?
BOSTON: Right. Among those individual groups, we get the same picture that we've seen doing business cycles. African-Americans are still hurt the most. There was a slight increase -- a decrease in unemployment, but that unemployment rate is still around 15.6 percent. Hispanics, still above 13 percent. Whites, however, is around 9 percent, slightly above 9 percent. And so there's a disproportionate effect of this unemployment.
HOLMES: All right, mixed bag we're certainly looking into it. Glad we have you here to break some of these numbers down.
BOSTON: My pleasure.
HOLMES: Good to see you. Thank you. Have a good weekend.
BOSTON: Thank you. OK.
HOLMES: What do Google, Amazon and Apple have in common? Well, they're on the top of the best companies list. Check out the fastest growing and best companies at CNNMoney.com.
Also, once again, we want to tell you we're looking at live picture here waiting on live remarks from the president. President Obama in Pennsylvania on this tour of his, the president's Main Street Tour talking about jobs. He's set to speak in just a few minutes, a couple minutes from now at Leigh Carbon Community College in Pennsylvania. When those remarks start, we will bring them to you live.
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HOLMES: It is issue number one for the president as well today. Just a reminder to you all, we are standing by on comments from President Obama. He's in Pennsylvania on a main state tour. You see that picture there, when he steps out and steps on that stage, we will bring you his remarks live.
Meanwhile, retailers out there usually hire extra workers to meet the holiday crush, but that crush and those jobs may not happen during a downturn. Watch now Maggie Lake's report if you're hoping to get hired for the holidays.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAGGIE LAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hearing that cash register ring would be music to the ears of many job seekers hoping to find seasonal employment this holiday season.
EARLEEN HENDERSON, SEASONAL JOB APPLICANT: Maybe like cashier. Maybe like in the department store business come in time for the holidays. Maybe they will need some help.
LAKE: During tough times, many unemployed Americans count on seasonal work to make ends meet. But this recession, retailers have cut holiday hiring as consumers cut spending.
Allyson Goodman, whose recruitment firm places seasonal workers, is finding many people jobs, but it's tough out there.
ALLYSON GOODMAN, PYRAMID CONSULTING GROUP: We work with a lot of luxury boutiques in New York and most of them haven't even put on seasonal. They've put on one or two people because they're using their existing staff.
LAKE: If holiday sales were stronger, stores would surely add more staff, but results so far have been less than stellar. Stores are waiting longer to commit to seasonal workers, which means fewer hours for part-timers overall.
GOODMAN: A lot of our staffing just happened within the past couple of weeks. We usually have plans for our retail stores in September and October. We didn't have them until November this year.
LAKE: She is one of the lucky ones.
TESS HERBERT, SEASONAL WORKER: This is definitely a really important job for me to have right now.
LAKE: She was hired in mid-November by clothing retailer Brooklyn Industries. She's only working four days a week. She's guaranteed a job only through mid-January, but she's thankful for the extra cash.
HERBERT: I know it's really tough out there. I know a lot of people who are having a really hard time what they went to school out there, just trying to find anything out there. So I was really fortunate to be able to network and find something, somewhere.
LAKE: But for this seasonal worker Alfredo Mineo retail work is a necessity and a mixed blessing.
ALFREDO MINEO, SEASONAL WORKER: Like right now, I'm doing retail, but my background is all in public relations.
I work at a luxury boutique on Madison Avenue, and I think we get, like, three or four applications a day. You read the resumes, it has nothing to do with retail.
LAKE: In the midst of the gloom, there is optimism. According to the government, overall temp hiring is making a comeback. Almost 34,000 temporary jobs were added in the U.S. in October.
As for this holiday, no one's writing it off just yet.
GOODMAN: It's still kind of fresh into right after Thanksgiving, so we think that our stores might pick up a little bit more as it gets closer to the holidays.
LAKE: That would be great news for many people hoping to get hired for the holidays.
Maggie Lake, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
