Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Racing the Clock on Health Care Compromise; Lieberman Defends his Stance; Critical Point for Health Reform
Aired December 16, 2009 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Time for your top-of-the-hour reset.
I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.
It is noon at the Capitol, where lawmakers are racing against the clock and struggling for a health care compromise.
It is 11:00 a.m. at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where CNN is following a new soldier through basic training.
It is 9:00 a.m. in the morning there in Las Vegas, on the strip, where the city's $8 billion gamble, City Center, opens today.
Let's get started.
It is coming down to the wire now for senators trying to get a health care reform bill passed before Christmas. Intense negotiations are going on behind the scenes to secure the final votes needed.
Let's get straight to Capitol Hill right now and CNN Congressional Correspondent Brianna Keilar.
Brianna, if you would, where do we stand today?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Tony, I feel like I have deja vu, because we've been in this situation before. We are waiting for -- what do we call them? CBO numbers...
HARRIS: Yes.
KEILAR: ... that nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that does the numb-crunching. And we're waiting to hear what they say about -- it's really the new Senate bill. It's the Senate health care bill with a whole lot of changes.
They've taken out, of course, that idea of the Medicare buy-in, so clear they were taking that out yesterday, allowing people between the ages of 55 to 64 to buy in to Medicare. Not going to do that, so that changes the game.
But we were thinking we might get the numbers yesterday. We're hoping we get them -- Democrats hoping they get them today. And then it's possible we're not going to get them until tomorrow, Tony.
So, this really pushes a lot of things down the road in terms of getting to a vote. And you say, why the delay? Why not yesterday, why today...
HARRIS: Read my mind, yes.
KEILAR: It's because what we do know is that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the CBO, they've been going back and forth basically in secret. This is something that my counterpart, Dana Bash, has been reporting for a week now.
They kind of go back and forth behind closed doors. You know, how much does this bill costs is so important politically, because if it's large, there are going to be people who say they cannot sign on. So, what happens is, you know, they send a bill to the CBO. If they come back and they say it's going to cost this, and that's too much, well, then maybe they make some tweaks and they send it back, and they're trying to get to a number that is palatable.
So that's where we are right now, waiting for that. If it gets to palatable number, then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can come with that number to his Democrats and try to make sure that they're on board with it. But we're not to that point yet.
HARRIS: And that number, remind us all again, is it under $900 billion over 10 years? Correct?
KEILAR: Well, and the original Senate bill that was on the floor, $848 billion. Remember the House bill was over $1 trillion. So in the Senate they want to it be less, obviously, than the House bill.
HARRIS: Yes.
KEILAR: And so they're trying to get close to that number that they had originally, but they've had a lot of changes, so it's really very much a different bill. But they're trying to get there.
HARRIS: Well, Brianna, what about this Christmas deadline? Is it even doable? Is it even possible?
KEILAR: It is possible, but this could go all the way to a Christmas Eve vote, if you can imagine that.
HARRIS: Wow. That's pretty dramatic, yes.
KEILAR: Yes, it is pretty dramatic. But, certainly, I think we're looking at a vote either on the 23rd, possibly the 24th. This thing is going to stretch. There's a lot of work to do. And we're going to see possibly some drama over the weekend as well -- Tony.
HARRIS: Boy.
KEILAR: But I did -- you know what I've been doing? I've been polling people, sources. I've been "OK, one to 10, you tell me, how do you feel today about the prospects?"
I got -- yesterday, the numbers were a little lower. They're a little higher today. They were sort of higher over the weekend. So, it seems like there was a dip in confidence yesterday, but I think after Senator Joe Lieberman made it clear that without that Medicare buy-in, he might jump on board here, people are feeling, Democrats feeling, a little better about the prospects here.
HARRIS: That's terrific.
Brianna is going to be back with us in just a couple of minutes for a further discussion, more of a debrief on what's going on.
Brianna, appreciate it. Thank you.
Let's check the wire now.
The House is scrambling to finish up work and get out of the town for the holidays. Congress must raise the federal debt ceiling before leaving, otherwise the government could default when it hits the borrowing limit in a few days. It's currently set at -- boy, I can't even read these numbers -- $12.1 trillion. Gulp, swallow hard.
The House is also expected to vote today to extend unemployment benefits for two months. Potentially, three million jobless Americans could be affected.
Two senators are handing bankers a lump of coal for Christmas. Listen to this.
Republican John McCain and Democrat Maria Cantwell today took the wraps off a new bill. It would revive a new deal-era law that put up a wall between commercial and investment banking. Congress repealed the law 10 years ago. Many experts say that allowed the risky investments that led up to the financial meltdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: My reason for joining this effort is simple. I want to ensure that never again do we stick the American taxpayer with another $700 billion, or even larger tab, to bail out the financial industry. If big Wall Street institutions want to take part in risky transactions, fine. But we should not allow them to do so with federally-insured deposits, i.e., taxpayers' money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL (D), WASHINGTON: I think the American people get it. I think they are frustrated. They know that capital is not flowing to them. They see it flowing into these unbelievable profits, and they realize that Wall Street is basically gambling with their money.
And I think they're tired of it. And I think you'll see an outcry from the American people that they want this system changed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK. Let's measure the economic recovery in numbers here.
A couple of new numbers out today, and they're pretty positive. The Consumer Price Index rose a modest .4 of a percent last month. The increase means inflation remains in check.
And construction of new homes rose almost nine percent in November. Experts say a recovery in the housing market is a must for the economy to make a full comeback.
"TIME" magazine named its "Person of the Year" today -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. "TIME" cites Bernanke's monumental influence over the financial panic and how he prevented the global crisis from becoming a catastrophic second Great Depression.
Getting back to our top story now, the debate over health care reform.
Senator Joe Lieberman has a chokehold on efforts by Democrats to push the bill through. Lieberman saying he'll support it if it does not include a public option or Medicare buy-in plan. Lieberman discussed his stance with CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANA BASH, CNN SR. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We talked to a lot of Democrats, and there is a fundamental feeling among many of them that there -- that you have animus towards the president, that you have animus towards your former party, and that they say that this is all about Joe Lieberman.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: Well, that's just poppycock. This is all about what I think health care reform should be.
The president and I have a very good, mutually respectful relationship. If I had any sense of vendetta against the Democratic Party, I wouldn't be in the Democratic Caucus today. I'm an Independent Democrat.
BASH: In nine years you've gone from the Democratic vice presidential candidate...
LIEBERMAN: Yes.
BASH: ... to, let's face it, one of the most despised people among many Democrats.
LIEBERMAN: I hope not.
BASH: Among many Democrats. And how does that sit with you?
LIEBERMAN: Well, I don't enjoy the personal vendetta. I certainly don't enjoy people attacking my wife, which is outrageous. But, you know, I've been at this a long time. And in the end, if you try to please everybody, you will do nothing. In this very polarized time in our politics, if you take a stand, a bunch of people will think you've done something great. And a bunch of people will think you've done something awful. You've got to decide, I've got to decide that I've done the best I could to do what's right and best for my country and my state.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: All right.
What's in, what's really out? We're going to talk to a couple of the smart people who have been watching this health care bill unfold.
First, though, our "Random Moment" in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Hey, this is really good. Ever worry about where your car goes? Oops, I shouldn't have said that.
After you hand the keys to the valet, you should be very concerned. I was one once very concerned.
Check out our "Random Moment of the Day."
Yes. Yes. Yes. A hotrod valet at the St. Louis Hyatt parked cars like he was training for a stock car race.
Hotel guests, shocked to see their cards burning rubber and dodging concrete columns on the YouTube Web site. The Hyatt put the brakes to all of this. The hotel promptly fired the valet company.
And there you have it, our "Random Moment of the Day."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Senate Democrats have just eight days left to get a health care reform bill passed according to their own Christmas deadline. The critical question, at what cost?
Joining me live from Arlington, Virginia, Jeanne Cummings. Jeanne is back with us, deputy managing editor from Politico. And from Capitol Hill, CNN Congressional Correspondent Brianna Keilar.
Jeanne let me start with you since we just haven't seen you in so long.
What are you finding in your reporting? What are you learning? Where are we today in this push to pass a health care bill in the Senate?
JEANNE CUMMINGS, DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR, POLITICO: Well, they still have several really difficult issues that they have to work through. The chief among them, of course, is what to do about the abortion language. They don't have Senator Nelson...
HARRIS: That's not resolved yet? Boy.
CUMMINGS: Yes, they still have to work that out. And so they still have Senator Nelson holding out for some kind of language to cover that.
And so, they have these one or two really difficult issues left. They have a lot of anger on their left, but so far we have not heard of anyone on the left who has said, well, that's it, I'm going to play Lieberman and I'm going to hold out.
HARRIS: Yes.
Hey, Brianna, did Joe Lieberman, speaking of the Connecticut senator, saying he could support the core bill, move this process forward and make passage of something more likely?
KEILAR: I think a lot of people were listening to that when he said that yesterday. And I think the sense before he said that, Tony, when you listened to that on your show, and he said, OK, if this public option is gone, if this Medicare buy-this is gone, I'm moving towards being able to support this, I think a lot of people sort of said, OK, whew. But there is still that issue of Senator Ben Nelson, remember.
As Jeanne brought up, he tried to put into this bill a change that would have toughened up the abortion language to make sure no public money could be used to pay for abortions. And that amendment failed, and he has basically said that is a deal-breaker for him and he needs something like that. So, this is really -- this is going to potentially be a really tough hurdle for Senate Democratic leaders to get over because they're really just looking at no Republican support here -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK. So we're talking about the core bill now.
And Jeanne, so, under the current bill that is being negotiated by the Senate now, will the two principal goals stated by the president be met -- A, get more people insured; B, do something about costs, the costs of the system?
CUMMINGS: Well, it definitely would insure more people. According to the Congressional Budget Office, another 30 million people would be covered if this law is passed. And so it's not as high as the White House initially had hoped. I think there may be some final tweaking to try to bump that number up, but it does move in the direction of that particular goal.
As for bending the curve on costs, there are some amendments being offered by Democratic freshmen who I think many believe would accelerate and expand the provisions that are designed to curb costs. There are -- is a key business community, the Business Roundtable, that has remained fairly neutral so far in this process and encouraging of it. But they -- you know, they are insisting that these amendments be put in there because their concern is that as the bill is written right now, the cost-cutting elements are not aggressive enough. HARRIS: Yes.
KEILAR: And I think, Tony...
HARRIS: Yes. Go ahead, Brianna.
KEILAR: ... I think what's really important as well to talk about, you know, when -- a year ago, when Democrats were talking about what they wanted to achieve with health care reform, it was really focusing on those people who are uninsured, get them insured, and then for people, Tony, like you and me, we get our insurance through our company, you know, what can you do for them to bring down the costs? Because a lot of people have been feeling this, especially recently with open enrollment, and their costs really going up.
And I think when I talk with Democrats, my sources, they say, you know, on that cost issue, maybe we couldn't really hit the mark that we wanted to. So, I think it's not going out on a limb to say this does much more for people who are uninsured than for people who are insured. Democrats really focusing on the fact that maybe this doesn't make premiums worse off than they would have been.
HARRIS: Right.
And Jeanne, one more quick one for you. Boy, I'm assuming for the moment, for the sake of this discussion, that the Senate will get something passed next week. How difficult a conferee session is this going to be when the House tries to meld its version of health care with -- can you give -- how difficult a process is that going to be?
CUMMINGS: Well, it could have been very contentious, but I think what we've seen is that the left is accepting some of the blows that they have to take in order to get this measure passed. And the House and the Senate have had backroom conversations throughout this process.
So, it won't be pretty. There will be arguments. But I think what you've seen is that a consensus of Democrats believe they've got to pass something, and so ultimately they will.
HARRIS: Jeanne Cummings, Brianna Keilar, ladies, appreciate it. Thank you both. That was good. Thank you.
On CNN tonight at 9:00, the president says health care reform is on the verge of passing Congress, but at what cost? Democrat Barney Frank takes on Republican Ron Paul tonight at 9:00 on CNN on "LARRY KING LIVE."
What does it really mean to join the Army? We are bringing you "A Soldier's Story." That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Let's get you caught up on our top stories now.
Today's move by Iran could height tensions in the Middle East. Tehran says it tested an upgraded version of a surface-to-surface weapon. The weapon capable of reaching Israel, American bases, and the Persian Gulf and parts of Europe.
From President Obama, a personal letter to Kim Jong-Il. It was delivered last week in the North Korean capital by a U.S. special envoy. No word on its exact contents. The president has been pressing the North Korean leader to return to six-party talks on its nuclear weapons program.
And a helping hand for out-of-work Americans. The House is set to vote today on extending jobless benefits for an additional two months. The bill would also extend the COBRA health coverage subsidy for another two months.
Another check of your top stories in 20 minutes.
Preparing for war. Our Jason Carroll has been following a new Army recruit through enlistment and now basic training. It is part three in his series, "A Soldier's Story."
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, the drill sergeants that you are about to see have a very serious job. They've got to turn men and women into soldiers, and they have just about nine weeks to get it done.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go!
CARROLL (voice-over): It's week three of basic training for Will McLain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.
CARROLL: McLain and 193 new recruits have entered what's called "The Red Stage."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to do that in combat?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get up!
CARROLL: The emphasis? Physical training -- PT.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: One.
DRILL SGT. JOSEPH RIX, US ARMY: All right, Private. That was like one and a half miles. Are you seriously coughing and crap?
CARROLL: The voice always egging them on...
RIX: You better sound off, one, two, three.
CARROLL: ... Drill Sergeant Joseph Rix. RIX: Just trying to get them ready when they get to that first unit, if they have to deploy. They have a little bit of a head start, more than what we did when we went through basic training.
CARROLL: On this day, after a quarter mile run, McLain has time for a quick break, while outside...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've done a total of 25 pushups and one (ph) lap. Get up.
CARROLL: ... a private who cannot make it...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) and get up!
CARROLL: ... gets no coddling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurry up! Oh, man, here we go again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get outside and get him in here! Move!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three -- lift!
CARROLL: McLain and the others finally drag him to a bunk and he recovers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurry up and get him up!
CARROLL: Later, more would stumble...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You better figure it out, Private.
CARROLL: ... carrying 40-pound duffel bags.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pick them up!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now put your pistol belt back on. Specialist, give me that. You're not (INAUDIBLE). It's gone already.
CARROLL: This time...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get it up, Private.
CARROLL: ... it's McLain's turn on the ground.
CARROLL (on camera): I know he was in your ear whispering some words of encouragement, shall we say?
WILL MCLAIN, U.S. ARMY RECRUIT: We can go with that.
CARROLL: We can go with that.
MCLAIN: You can't take it personally. You know, they're just trying to make you a better person, a better soldier.
CARROLL (voice-over): Then, a crucial test of whether their training has paid off. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You (INAUDIBLE) and you have a good seal on your mask.
CARROLL: Their masks must come off while this chamber fills with teargas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three. One, two, three.
CARROLL (on camera): Now he's going to have to come back and do it again, correct?
DRILL SGT. BASHIR ANTHONY, US ARMY: Right. Yes. He'll have to go back and do it again.
CARROLL (voice-over): McLain and the others tough it out, 30 painful seconds.
(on camera): It must have felt like an eternity.
MCLAIN: It felt at least like five minutes -- at least. Because you're standing like, OK, open the door. Open the door. Open the door.
CARROLL (voice-over): It's a boost of confidence for McLain who met another goal since we last saw him -- losing weight, 10 pounds in just three weeks.
MCLAIN: I'll have to go get some new pair of pants before the end of this.
CARROLL: McLain also finds he's good at hand to hand combat, winning two matches. His battle buddy -- all army recruits are assigned one -- Demetrius Daniels, cheers him along.
CARROLL (on camera): So how do you two balance each other out?
MCLAIN: Well, he's fast and (INAUDIBLE).
DEMETRIUS DANIELS, BATTLE BUDDY: He's a smart guy and he -- he helps me -- all right, sometimes I'm overwhelmed with helping other people on the team.
CARROLL (voice-over): Their training is also about teamwork, so when one private dozes off during weapons training, everyone pays the price.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.
CARROLL: A punishment what drill sergeants call corrective training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Privates, you got to realize I've got nothing but time. Get off the ground!
CARROLL: This lesson on teamwork...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You all should not be sleeping, man.
CARROLL: McLain just beginning to learn.
MCLAIN: You know, I try to be independent and I do a lot on my own, but going through boot camp, you can't be like that, man. It really teaches you to use teamwork, and then you really look deep inside yourself and realize this is what you want to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: Despite the struggling going on, none of the recruits from Will's company has dropped out. On average, Tony, the Army tells us just about seven percent of all recruits dropped out of basic training this past year -- Tony.
HARRIS: Jason, appreciate it.
I wouldn't last a day. Not me.
Developers in Las Vegas are making a multibillion-dollar bet. Will it save the local economy?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Hey, just checking out our T1 top story at CNNMoney.com. And it's all about the Federal Trade Commission taking a look and actually suing Intel over its dominance in the chip business. It is our lead story at CNNMoney.com.
Let's get you to the Big Board now, three hours into the trading day.
We've been trading positively for most of the day, and so it is. We are up 34 points. The Nasdaq is up, at last check, 14.
Susan Lisovicz following the numbers for us throughout the day, right here for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.
They're calling it the heart of Las Vegas, the City Center. Pretty beautiful, huh? The newest and most expensive casino complex on the strip opens today. CNN's Dan Simon is inside this 4,000-room resort. And, Dan -- we'll get to Dan right now -- Dan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Its soaring glass towers and world-class sculptures are eye-popping centerpieces.
MARIA GAINES, CITY CENTER EMPLOYEE: You came up with two purchase tickets?
SIMON: But for Maria Gaines, it represents a life preserver. A job that saved her from drowning in debt.
GAINES: Looking at all the bills that were kind of piling up and knowing that you didn't know where that next dollar was coming from. You didn't know if you were going to be able to make that payment. You didn't know if maybe your cable was going to get shut off next month. You didn't know if you would probably end up evicted.
SIMON: She's one of 12,000 people hired to work at the massive 67-acre, 18 million-square-foot City Center. It's a complex of hotels, spas, condos pools and restaurants. There's convention space, loads of artwork, and, of course, a casino. And a brand new Elvis Presley Cirque du Soleil show.
DAVID SCHWARTZ, CENTER FOR GAMING RESEARCH, UNLV: People are hoping that it's going to really grow the market, but that it's going to draw people who haven't been coming to Vegas before and it's really going to reverse these declines.
SIMON (on camera): In essence, save Las Vegas?
SCHWARTZ: In some says, yes, save Las Vegas.
SIMON (voice-over): That's because Las Vegas has seen 22 straight months of declines in gaming revenues. A disastrous chain of events that's produced a 13 percent unemployment rate. The city leads the nation in foreclosures. So, for the local economy, City Center feels like a massive economic stimulus.
SIMON (on camera): Describe that moment when they said, yes, that you'd been hired?
GAINES: It was elation. It was totally elation. I couldn't believe it.
SIMON (voice-over): Maria had been laid off from her old job at a casino and spent months looking for a new one. She was one of an astounding 175,000 workers to apply for a job here.
That the place is even opening is something of a feat. Earlier this year, the project nearly ran out of money and pushed MGM Mirage, the developers, to the brink of insolvency. And its Middle East partner, Dubai World, as it's been widely reported, was unable recently to make debt payments. MGM insists, however, that City Center is financially secure. The project may pack in visitors, but gaming experts wonder whether it will be at the expense of other properties.
SCHWARTZ: If it succeeds at drawing people away from other casinos and, obviously, it's going to cannibalize the market. If it succeeds in drawing people who hadn't been going to other casinos, it's going to grow the market. And it's really hard to say which it would do.
SIMON: That's why it's being called the city's biggest bet ever.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And Dan Simon joining us now from live inside the City Center. And, Dan, I was going to ask you this question just a moment ago but we lost you just as we were about to toss it to you. Hey, this is far from a sure bet for Las Vegas, isn't it?
SIMON: It is. You know, it's a pretty bold thing to suggest that one piece of property could be that economic engine for the entire city. But, you know what, they think they have that with City Center. And it's just this massive urban center, if you will. A mixture of condos and hotels. Six glistening towers. And they feel like they've done something that's never been tried before. This is not a theme property. It's just sort of a masterpiece. At least that's what they think they have in terms of the architecture.
Let me kind of set the stage where I am quickly here, Tony.
HARRIS: Awesome.
SIMON: We are in the Aria Hotel and Casino. This is the centerpiece, if you will, for City Center. As you can see, they're kind of setting up here. Tonight they make their official debut. And this casino behind me is really going to be buzzing later on. And this is a place, Tony, where they're expecting to have some serious, serious high rollers to make up some of that bottom line and hopefully get back some of their investment.
Tony.
HARRIS: It looks like Vegas. There's no doubt about it. Boy, can't wait to see more of it. Got to plan a trip out there.
Dan Simon for us inside the City Center in Las Vegas. Dan, good to see you. Thank you.
An exploding federal deficit. A huge concern for President Obama. And now he is considering a plan to tackle the problem. A plan that includes big cuts in some key federal programs. Here's CNN's senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Documents obtained by CNN reveal the president is privately considering an executive order that would create an outside commission to weigh sweeping tax increases and deep spending cuts to programs like Medicare that affect millions of Americans. All aimed at slashing the exploding federal deficit, which the president has promised to tackle after the economic recovery takes hold.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I'm looking forward to working with the group of leaders that I just met today about how we can structure a plausible scenario to get to medium and long term deficit reduction.
HENRY: The documents suggest a split within the administration. Some advisors arguing the commission should have a narrow mandate, because it's too complicated to tackle reform of Social Security, taxes, and Medicare all at once. But other advisors, according to the documents, believe there should be, quote, "everything on the table."
SEN. JUDD GREGG (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE: We are on a path to bankruptcy as a nation, and it's that simple.
HENRY: The White House is facing heavy pressure from senators, threatening to block a large increase in the nation's debt ceiling, unless the president signs on to their version of a deficit commission.
SEN. KENT CONRAD (D), NORTH DAKOTA: I believe a defining moment, 27 senators, 12 Democrats, 15 Republicans, have signed on in just a matter of hours.
HENRY: The Senate version of the commission would give 10 Democrats and eight Republicans power to study the problem, and then vote after the midterm elections on a reform package that could include dramatic tax hikes and spending cuts. If 14 of the 18 members approve the package, giving it a bipartisan nod, it would force an automatic up-or-down vote in both the House and Senate.
White House officials, meanwhile, are considering their own version of a commission, with more Obama officials on the panel to give the president more control. Though the documents obtained by CNN warn that also brings political risk. Quote, "the promise of greater say over the deliberations and final product of the commission, but the peril of being more deeply implicated in the event of failure."
HENRY (on camera): There's fear among some of the president's advisors that handing so much power to an outside commission could be dangerous. What if they recommend raising taxes on people making less than $250,000 a year, breaking an Obama campaign promise? But other advisors say that this bipartisan commission could give the president the political cover to make the tough decisions necessary to cut the deficit.
Ed Henry, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Delegates at the climate summit are trying to reach agreements and preparing for world leaders to arrive, all against the backdrop of protests. We will get a live update.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And let's get you caught up on our top stories now.
More revelations from that Northwest Airlines flight that overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles. The pilots told investigators they were caught totally by surprise when a flight attendant asked them when the plane would be landing. That word from documents released by the NTSB.
Pakistan catching some criticism from a senior U.S. diplomat. The unidentified official says Islamabad is delaying visas for U.S. diplomats, military service members and others in an apparent show of anti-American sentiment. The diplomat says the hostility is related to the expansion of U.S. operations in Pakistan.
A new worry in the Middle East for the U.S. and its allies. Iran says it test launched an upgraded version of a surface-to-surface missile today. The weapon capable of reaching Israel, American bases in the Persian Gulf and parts of Europe.
An ugly scene outside the U.N.'s climate change conference in Copenhagen. Police took on protesters with batons, dogs and pepper spray to break up their plans to take over the talks. Also today, the president of the U.N. conference quit. CNN's Phil Black live now from the Danish capital.
And I don't want to suggest that things seem to be falling into disarray here, so I'll ask a different question. What progress, Phil, are delegates making against the backdrop of these protests?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, very little, Tony. Very little indeed. These talks really have the eyes of many people here ground to a halt. The clock is ticking very much down to a deadline. They say they've got about a day and a half really before world leaders, all of them, are here in this conference center where they're supposed to sign off on an agreement.
They were supposed to have a pretty solid draft agreement in place some days ago. It hasn't happened. We are told that there are still very big differences on a lot of key issues. The differences are not narrowing. It does not look good at this time.
And that is one of the key things that is frustrating a lot of the activists that have come to Copenhagen as well. And that's where you've seen those angry protests outside the Bella Center today. Hundreds of people challenging police lines, actually trying to break into the center itself, to try and set up what they call their own people's forum here.
The police did push back significantly. They used a degree of force with batons and tear gas and pepper spray, as you mentioned. And they essentially put down those protests. But there is a real frustration here with how these talks are proceeding, Tony.
HARRIS: Again, I don't want to suggest that the summit is falling into disarray, but I am curious, what's the significance of the president of the conference resigning?
BLACK: What we're told it's just procedural. A matter of protocol, really. The president of the cup (ph) is the Danish environment minister, Connie Hedegaard. She's been running the negotiations here. Essentially moderating them for the last week and a half. She is a minister. We are told that with so many world leaders coming into town, it is now appropriate to hand over that role to the prime minister of Denmark, Lars Rasmussen. So he's stepping into that position.
Connie Hedegaard tells us that it was going to happen on Friday anyway with so many -- with all world leaders due in town on that day, so many of them have started arriving in town early. There's already about 60 or so here that they decided to bring the date forward. But there's no doubt it is also a reflection of the fact that this is now entering an intense homestretch with a great deal of work to do here, Tony.
HARRIS: All right, Phil Black for us. Phil, appreciate it. Thank you.
On CNN Thursday night, will the 100-plus leaders at the Copenhagen summit reach a consensus on climate change? Will the U.S. take the lead? Get answers in the CNN/youtube climate change debate Thursday night at 11:00 Eastern after "AC 360."
Let's get you now to the severe weather center, and there is plenty to talk about there with Chad Myers.
Good to see you, Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: "Time" magazine has chosen its Person of the Year. Why did Ben Bernanke get the cover? What's up with that?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Three Pennsylvania police officers are expected in court today for a bail hearing. They're facing federal charges for allegedly obstructing the investigation into the beating death of a Latino American man in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Two teens now face federal hate crime charges. CNN's special correspondent, Soledad O'Brien, has more on the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, a place that's welcomed immigrants for generations. And then one night, in July, 2008 . . .
CRYSTAL DILLMAN, FIANCEE OF VICTIM: Truly in my heart I believe they beat him up because he was Latino.
O'BRIEN: Crystal Dillman's fiancee, Luis Ramirez, was walking down this street when he came across a group of white high school football players.
EILEEN BURKE, EYEWITNESS: And I heard this screaming and yelling. The ethic f this, Mexican that. Spic this. The whole nine yards.
O'BRIEN (on camera): That's what they were saying?
BURKE: Yes.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Ramirez and the boys started fighting. When it was over, Luis was on the ground, barely breathing. Two days later, he was dead.
O'BRIEN (on camera): Do you think about the way he died? DILLMAN: Every day. I think about seeing him in the hospital bed and, I mean, I don't wish that on my worst enemy.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): From the beginning, there were questions about how local police handled the case, taking two weeks to arrest suspects, despite multiple eye witnesses, like Eileen Burke, a retired Philadelphia police officer.
O'BRIEN (on camera): For 30 or so crime scenes that you've been involved in, in the eight years you were a police officer, how does this one compare?
BURKE: Like a joke.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): More questions were raised at the April trial of the two young men, Brandon Piekarsy and Derrick Donchak. A third defendant, who took a federal plea deal, testified that Shenandoah Police urged the boys to get their stories straight. Piekarsy and Donchak were convicted of the least serious charge against them, simple assault, and received minimum sentences of six and seven months respectively.
O'BRIEN (on camera): Do you think it was a cover-up?
BURKE: I do believe that was.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Now, the Department of Justice agrees. Unsealing indictments yesterday charging Piekarsy and Donchak with a hate crime. The indictment also alleges three Shenandoah police officers, including the police chief, conspired to obstruct justice. One, Lieutenant Bill Moyer, accused of lying to the FBI and destroying evidence -- the sneakers authorities say the boys used to kick Ramirez to death. The officers have pled not guilty. Lawyer Gladys Limon has been at Dillman's side throughout the case.
GLADYS LIMON, MALDEF: And it's been very difficult for her. So this has provided some sense of relief and will provide her with a sense of peace this Christmas.
O'BRIEN: Piekarsy and Donchak could have been released from state prison in just weeks. The new federal charges carry a maximum sentence of life.
Soledad O'Brien, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Boy.
It is his economy, that's what "Time" magazine says today about Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. They named him Person of the Year for 2009. And they call him the most powerful nerd -- the most powerful nerd on the planet. Josh Levs is here with details.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's interesting. You know, one thing I look for when we hear this announcement is just the profile. You know, what we're learning about this person. Not just the "Time" pronouncement. I mean that's nice. But what kind of insight are we getting about him.
And I'm going to show you some key quotes from this "Time" announcement today about Person of the Year. The first one on this graphic is the summary that you just gave, Tony. It's a pretty big statement. "It's Bernanke's economy." They're laying it on his hands there and they're saying, what happens is really under his control in a lot of ways.
HARRIS: Yes.
LEVS: The Fed controls the money supply. And ever since global credit markets began imploding, its mild-mannered chairman has dramatically expanded those powers and reinvented the Fed. And then they talk about his background, which is interesting. They talk about how he was "a leading scholar of the Great Depression" at Princeton and he was "determined not to be the Fed chairman who presided over Depression 2.0." "He conjured up trillions of new dollars and blasted them into the economy. He didn't just reshape U.S. monetary policy, he led an effort to save the world economy."
I have a bit of sound for you here from "Time" magazine explaining how they made this choice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ELLIOTT, EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: I mean, this was a man, for the last 18 month, has really tried everything in a -- in a -- in a way -- in an exercise that has been surprisingly kind of impressive and creative. And I think it was very -- very significantly for that reason that we chose him over other possible architects of the economic recovery.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: And, Tony, I want to end on two quick things for you. First, there's a quote on this graphic from Bernanke, "I come from main street, from a small town that's really depressed. This is all very real to me."
HARRIS: He really does. Yes.
LEVS: Really interesting. And I want to tell everyone, we're hearing from you about this. You can weigh in. Some people hate the decision. Some people love it. It's up at the blog, cnn.com/josh. Also Facebook and Twitter, joshlevscnn. Some people, you know, have a lot of strong feelings about who should be the "Time" Person of the Year, Tony, so we're kind of hearing that today.
HARRIS: Yes. Ben Bernanke. But it doesn't necessarily scream magazine sales, does it? I mean it's a smart choice. I get it. But you often think that these choices are designed to sell magazines. I don't know that this does. Well, we'll see.
LEVS: Well, you know, if they made it for a different reason, that's OK, too.
HARRIS: Yes, that's all right.
LEVS: But, yes, I mean a lot of people are saying the I'm thing. They're like, I would have bought it more if it was someone else.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes. All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you, sir.
LEVS: All right. Bye.
HARRIS: So you've worked really hard and earned your college degree. What now? Ali Velshi is asking students what they see in their future. We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's talk about life after college. This may seem like a difficult time to embark on a career, but as part of his series, "Recovery Road," Ali Velshi found some young people optimistic about their futures.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You're all of a generation where you've not seen this in your lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not really.
VELSHI: It's not been -- I mean, a lot of people haven't seen this in their lives. So this is pretty serious.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a very competitive world. A very competitive field. I wasn't prepared for that basically.
AJA SANDERS, TOURISM & HOTEL MANAGEMENT MAJOR: We go to school, you know, for four years and most of us don't hope to be paid hourly, but, you know, we hope to have like a salary job. But I really can't complain right now. A lot of people don't have jobs.
VELSHI: Has that hit your confidence?
SANDERS: Nobody is to great to take a low-paying jobs. And then people -- and, I mean, this is really America. I mean people start from low and they go up real high. You know, you have to start somewhere.
CATHERINE MCABEE, PHARMACOLOGY MAJOR: Well, and hopefully our generation will learn from these mistakes that led up to the recession. We won't be going out and buying outrageous houses that we can't afford and getting mortgages. And we really appreciate our jobs. VELSHI: How are you different than somebody who graduated five years ago?
SANDERS: Yes, I graduated in a depression. I mean not like just economic depression, like everybody's depressed.
JEFF BARNHILL, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR: No doubt that I have the job that I have now because I kind of got in while the getting was good, for lack of a better term. You know, I started the internships back in, you know, '05, '06 when they were very intent on hiring lots of people and kind of stayed with it. And if I didn't have that, I would probably be in the same boat as most other people now.
VELSHI: Anybody having disagreements with their families or siblings, their friends about the direction that they're going in?
DANIELLE MCQUEEN, RETAIL SALES & FASHION MERCHANDISING MAJOR: I was a nursing major for two years. And when I changed my major to retail, everybody was like, what? What are you doing?
VELSHI: Nursing's got to be one of the biggest growing jobs in the country.
MCQUEEN: Nursing wasn't my passion. My passion was retail and fashion merchandising. So, you know, I'm just going off of faith and that's what I really want to do.
VELSHI: You'd rather struggle a little bit and do the thing you want to do?
MCQUEEN: Right, that I want to do, because it will fulfill me.
SANDERS: I understand there are majors that pay more. But if it doesn't make you happy and you go to work hating your job, then there really was no point in you doing it. Because I would rather go to work every day and be happy and be paid less than go to work and be miserable and hate my life.
VELSHI: The point of the trip, as I said to you earlier, was to take things that we're learning on the street from people, put them on TV and have our viewers who may see themselves in each of you get some lesson out of it. And what's interesting in this conversation is that each of you, I think, I'm going to ask you for the lesson. If somebody's looking at you right now, what's your advice to them?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Study (ph) hard.
MCABEE: Plan for the future.
SANDERS: Make sure you're happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't ever feel like you're too good to do anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Help people out so that when you need help, they can help you.
BARNHILL: Don't be intimidated by this situation. I mean it's a horrible situation, but we've, like you said, we've been talking about that for a year. Everybody know it's a horrible situation. You can't use it as an excuse. You've got to put on your big-boy pants and go for it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: No excuses. Ali Velshi will be reporting from the road throughout the afternoon.
Speaking of which, time to push forward now with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with that man, Drew Griffin.
