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Dodd Won't Run Again; Big Agency, Huge Responsibility; Seniors Revolt

Aired January 06, 2010 - 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: And time now for your top-of-the-hour reset. I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is noon in East Haddam, Connecticut, where a veteran democratic senator is about to announce his retirement.

In Washington, the homeland security secretary talks exclusively with CNN. Janet Napolitano describes some new airport security measures you'll see and some you won't.

And still in Washington, the AARP lobbies for health care reform that makes a lot of retirees so angry they're quitting the group.

So, let's get started.

A prominent democratic senator taking his hat out of the ring. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut announcing this hour that he went run for reelection. Senior Congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, is following this developing story for us.

And, Dana, we are going to get to the senator in just a couple of moments here, but let's set this up. Why is he stepping down? Why now?

DANA BASH, CNN SR. CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's just one real hard reality to that answer, and that reality is his political viability. And he just simply was not viable.

He is up for re-election this year, 2010. And all indications, both private polling that they have had in the Dodd campaign, in the Democratic Party, and public polling, shows that he was likely to lose. In fact, one Democratic source involved in his campaign told me this morning that his race was virtually "unwinnable for us."

Why is that? You know, it's obviously a question that many people are asking since he has represented Connecticut in the Senate for three decades.

Well, he's had a very bad year, Tony. Actually, a couple of years.

It started, I think, when he went to Iowa to run for president. It was a long shot bid, and he didn't just go to Iowa. He brought his wife and his two young children.

Well, that was seen as a bit of a slight to the voters of Connecticut. And then it started to snowball.

He is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and, of course, the financial system collapsed, and that was his job, to oversee it. He had what some people called a potentially sweetheart loan from Countrywide, it was a mortgage loan. He was exonerated for that by the Ethics Committee, but it was something that people didn't look very well upon in the state of Connecticut.

And then, of course, he got caught up in the AIG bonus controversy. He was accused of playing a role in that. Those were all part of big problems that Chris Dodd seemed to have in his home state of Connecticut.

And, look, he also has had some personal tragedies over the summer. And I was told by a source close to Dodd that he will mention that in his speech. Both his sister and his best friend in the Senate, Ted Kennedy, died of cancer within a span of three weeks. He, himself, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

And all of that together, his personal issues, combined with the political trouble that he was in, has made him decide that running for re-election is not the right thing for him.

HARRIS: Boy, that's a laundry list. That's a lot.

Is it possible that this seat could change hands and become a Republican seat, Dana?

BASH: The irony is that it is less possible. It is less likely, is probably the best way to say it, that this seat will change hands. And that is why although there is a tremendous amount of respect for Chris Dodd in the Democratic Party, many strategists this morning are saying that they're actually breathing a sigh of relief that he made this decision.

There was a lot of talk about -- quietly about wanting him to go this route because of the fact that they didn't think that him running, because he had such problems in the polls back home, was good for them, because they thought they would lose the seat to Republican hands. Right now, there is a Democratic candidate who will actually announce in a couple of hours.

Richard Blumenthal, he is the state's attorney general. He is somebody who is popular. He served a long time. And Democrats have been hoping, frankly, that this would happen, that Blumenthal would be able to jump into the race, as he is today. And they believe that because Connecticut is generally a blue state, or a Democratic-leaning state, that they have a good chance now of keeping the seat in Democratic hands.

And although I'm told that nobody specifically went to Dodd and said, please retire, he's a big boy, so to speak. He has been around the block for a long time, and it's possible, even probable, that no one had to really tell him to do that for him to see the writing on the walled. HARRIS: You know, I see folks coming out, and so I'm going to stay with you for a bit longer here, Dana, and see if we can time this out.

You get a senator of this stature who is retiring, and you want to sort of look back over the legislative history. And boy, we've talked about health care a lot. He certainly took over Ted Kennedy's committee, and essentially built the framework that subsequent committees worked on to build the Senate version of health care. Wouldn't you say?

BASH: Absolutely. There's no question about it.

I mentioned Ted Kennedy, who really was his best friend in the Senate. He did take over for him when Kennedy could no longer chair the HELP committee, and so he took over his responsibilities in crafting part -- at least part of the health care bill for the Senate Democrats.

That was not easy for him. I can't even tell you the number of times I've been in Chris Dodd's presence where he literally breaks down in tears talking about how tough that was in terms of the personal tragedy of this, when it comes to Ted Kennedy and having to take over his responsibilities. But you mentioned the fact that, you know, maybe we should talk about Chris Dodd's legacy, if you will.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

BASH: He has been serving for three decades, and I'm guessing that he is going to talk a little bit about this. But he does have some very important legislation with his name on it that he -- some of which he worked on with Ted Kennedy, like the Family and Medical Leave Act, the fact that people can now leave their jobs when they have babies, without fearing that they are going to get fired, at least for a few months.

That was, in part, because of Chris Dodd. And there's a long list of other legislative accomplishments that he has.

And there you see Chris Dodd coming out. I should mention that I was told by somebody with him this morning that he has his family with him, close family and extended family as well.

HARRIS: Let's listen.

SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: Ruining the neighborhood here with all these people gathered around.

Well, Happy New Year and good morning to everyone.

Every six years over the past three decades, I've invited you to join me at our home to share in my decision to seek election and re- election to the United States Senate. On each of these occasions, I have begun my remarks by observing that every important journey in life begins and ends at home. Today is no exception. What is different about today, however, is not to announce the beginning of yet another campaign for the United States Senate, but, rather, to announce that after 35 years of representing the people of Connecticut in the United States Congress, I will not be a candidate for re-election this November.

I want to begin these very remarks by expressing my deepest gratitude to the wonderful people of Connecticut for the remarkable privilege of being elected eight times over the past four decades to our national assembly. You've honored me beyond words with your confidence.

Let me quickly add that there have been times when my positions and actions have caused some of you to question that confidence. I regret that. But it's equally important that you know that I have never wavered in my determination to do the best job for our state and our nation.

I love my job as your senator. I always have. Still do. However, this past year has raised some challenges that insisted I take stock of my life.

Over the past 12 months, I've managed four major pieces of legislation through the United States Congress, served as chair and acting chair of two major Senate committees, placing me at the center of the two most important issues of our time -- health care and reform of financial services. I lost a beloved sister in July. And in August, Ted Kennedy. I battled cancer over the summer, and in the midst of all of this, found myself in the toughest political shape of my career.

Now, let me be clear. I'm very aware of my present political standing here at home in Connecticut, but it's equally clear that any certain prediction about an election victory or defeat nearly a year from now would be absurd. Strange as it may sound, I'm not confident that I would be standing here today making this announcement if these situations had not occurred.

None of these events or circumstances, either individually or collectively, is the cause of my decision not to seek re-election. Yet, together, these challenges have given me pause to take stock and to ask questions that too few of us in elected public life ever do -- why am I running?

On a cold morning two weeks ago tomorrow, I asked myself that very question. On the early, frigid dawn of December 24th, Christmas Eve, with snow piled high along the streets of our nation's capital, I cast one of the important, if not the most important, votes of my years in the United States Senate, a bill to fundamentally reform the health care system of our nation.

An hour later, I was standing on the Virginia hillside at Arlington Cemetery, where Ted Kennedy rests, along with his brothers, in eternity, as he is in history, wishing that I could have seen the look in Teddy's eyes as the United States Senate took that historic step an hour before. I thought about the dozens of fine public servants, Democrats and Republicans, who have joined me in serving Connecticut over the course of my career at the local, state and national level. I thought about the countless Connecticut families, ordinary people with extraordinary courage and spirit whose lives have touched me over the years and whose stories have profoundly affected my decisions in the United States Senate. I thought about the dozens of patriotic senators with whom I have had the privilege of serving in an institution I dearly love.

I have been a Connecticut senator for 30 years. I'm very proud of the job I've done and the results delivered. But none of us is irreplaceable. None of us are indispensable. And those who think otherwise are dangerous.

The work to make our nation a more perfect union began long before I was elected to the Senate. And it will go on long after I am gone.

Our country is a work in progress, and I am confident it always will be. That's what I thought about as I stood on that hillside in Arlington on Christmas Eve morning. That's what I've talked about with Jackie over this holiday season, and that is how I came to the conclusion that over the long sweep of American history, there are moments for each elected public official to step aside and let someone else step up.

This is my moment to step aside.

There's be time to reflect in more detail on the years I've spent in public service. There will be time to celebrate victories and mourn setbacks, share laughs and memories, and to thank, profusely, the talented, tireless, and numerous staffers, many of whom are here today, who have made my Senate work possible.

But that time is not now. My service isn't over. I still have one year left on my contract for the people of Connecticut.

One year from this week, our state will have a new United States senator. In the meantime, we have important work to do. So, a few closing thoughts.

I believe in bipartisan solutions, but I also believe you can only achieve those results with vibrant, robust and civil partisan debate. I'm a Democrat, and very, very proud of my party's contributions to the vitality and strength of America. I would never have had the opportunity to serve in the Congress had I not had the support and backing of my political party in Connecticut over these years. I appreciate the passionate party activists who have never, ever faltered in their support of my efforts.

I want to say thank you to my family for their tolerance of yet another generation of our family in the political arena. And I'm especially indebted to Jackie for her fierce loyalty, unyielding commitment to fairness, and her unlimited capacity of empathy for the needs of others. She has truly been my anchor to windward in these stormy political waters. Now, there's nothing more pathetic, in my view, than a politician who announces they're only leaving public life to spend more time with their family. The result of this announcement today, I hope, will create that opportunity. But it's not the reason for my decision.

I'm a very late arrival in fatherhood, as many of you know, and I'm told repeatedly by some of you here today that these young children of mine, Grace, who is 8; Christina (ph), who is 4, will grow up very fast. So while these young ladies are not the reason for my decision, they will be an incredible benefit of the choice I make today.

On this, the 6th of January, the epiphany, 2010, I'm still driven by the same passions that motivated me to try my hand at politics so many, many years ago. And just as I've encouraged the people of Connecticut, I'm looking to the future with a spirit of optimism and confidence.

And finally, once again, to those of you gathered here today, and to the people across this great state of ours, I thank you immensely for the opportunity you've given me to serve. And I thank you all very, very much.

(APPLAUSE)

HARRIS: Just hanging on for just a moment here to see if the senator will take any questions. A strong, you would have to say, eloquent statement from Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, announcing that he will not seek re-election in 2010.

Let's get back to our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash.

Dana, what did you think?

BASH: Well, you know, the fact that he admitted, he said that this is -- he's in the toughest political shape of his career was noteworthy. I think without admitting that he wouldn't be -- he would be ignoring the elephant in his back yard, so to speak.

HARRIS: Yes.

BASH: But I think the fact that he also said that he believes in the long sweep of American history, there are times when people have to step aside and allow others to step up, this is his time, you know, I think that is the idea that he wants to leave people with.

One other note, and may give people a little bit of context to this. Chris Dodd is the son of a senator.

His father, Thomas Dodd, also served in the Senate. And he was censured for financial problems by his colleagues in the Senate, and then the next year he was defeated in his re-election bid. And actually, the following year he passed away.

So, Chris Dodd has experience, personal experience, in knowing what happens when somebody perhaps stays too long in the Senate, and he knows that all too well. So, that definitely adds to the context of the moment that you just saw.

HARRIS: Dana, appreciate it. We'll let you get to work with the pieces you'll turn for "THE SITUATION ROOM" and beyond.

Our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, for us.

Dana, thanks.

BASH: Thank you.

HARRIS: President Obama wants answers. One of those charged with coming up with those answers is Janet Napolitano, the secretary of Homeland Security. You will hear from her exclusively, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's see here. New details on the security breach at Newark's airport.

Officials say the cameras at the security gate were not recording Sunday when a man walked through the exit. It's not clear how long they had been out of service. A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration says despite the failure, any potential threat was eliminated by the rescreening of all passengers and the recombing of the area.

The Department of Homeland Security, as you know, is a big agency with a huge responsibility. And the DHS is in the spotlight, of course, after the attempted terror attack on Christmas Day.

Our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve, has just wrapped up an interview with the woman in charge, Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Jeanne, good to see you.

The secretary discussed with you changes to come to the system, didn't she?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. The first thing I asked her about, Tony, was, what is the threat picture right now? She said that that attempted bombing on Christmas Day, on the Northwest airliner, had really changed the ballgame.

Here's part of what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET NAPOLITANO, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: That's a really hard question to answer. I think it has changed.

You know, the typical kind of assumption on the threat was sort of a large, conspiratorial 9/11-style attack. What we saw on Christmas was an individual who comes out of Yemen, who has been radicalized, who gets into the travel system. Dots are not connected in the intelligence community, and that's what the president has ordered to be addressed and rectified. He gets through the screening done at Amsterdam and gets on a plane bound for the United States.

That's a much more difficult threat in a way to deal with than a conspiracy where you have multiple ways to intercept communications and the like. So, I would say it's a changing threat and perhaps more difficult threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: President Obama said yesterday he'd be announcing some additional aviation security measures. Napolitano declined to give us a preview.

She did say, however, that although all the attention has been on airports, security has also increased since Christmas at land borders and at seaports. She said they've surged in some personnel, they're taking a better look at cargo that's coming in. In addition, she said they beefed up communication with state and local law enforcement, giving them some hints on what to look for -- Tony.

HARRIS: And Jeanne, one more quick one before we get to our top stories.

Did the secretary talk you about any flaws in the screening system?

MESERVE: Yes, this was interesting. I asked her about passenger manifests. That's name records.

Our understanding is that airlines are just supposed to forward that information to U.S. authorities before a plane takes off so Customs and Border Protection can take the name and run them against terror watch lists. She said that that is not always happening, which is of some concern.

Of course, Christmas Day it wouldn't have made a difference, because that individual was not on terror watch lists. But in other cases, it really could be a significant impediment -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.

All right. Our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve, for us.

Jeanne, thank you.

MESERVE: You bet.

HARRIS: And checking our top stories right now, New York Congressman Peter King says someone should be fired for dropping the ball in the botched terror attack on Christmas Day. King is the leading Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee. An administration official says it is way too soon to know whether anyone in government will be out of a job. The brother of a double agent who killed seven CIA officers in Afghanistan has told CNN his sibling's actions were "out of character for him." He said his brother was under pressure. A Jordanian official says the man was a Jordanian doctor recruited as an intelligence source for information on al Qaeda.

And two longtime Democratic senators are retiring. Christopher Dodd from Connecticut and Byron Dorgan from North Dakota say they won't seek re-election. Their party now faces an uphill struggle to maintain the 60-seat majority it now enjoys.

We will get another check of our top stories in 20 minutes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: The AARP is one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in Washington. Now some critics are raising questions about whose interest they are really protecting.

First, our "Random Moment" in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, this next "Random Moment of the Day" is full of stuff.

Hoping to surprise his wife, an Iowa man spells out a message in manure. It is our "Random Moment of the Day."

In case you can't quite make it out, it says 'Happy birthday. Luv you" in shorthand. As for how it was crafted...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK KLEIS, WROTE MANURE MESSAGE: It's not hard. Any manure will work, but the good, soft, gushy, warm stuff works the best. It kind of melts the snow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Safe to say that is a man who knows his stuff.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: President Obama is discussing health care reform strategy today with congressional Democrats. Sources say they've already agreed to skip a formal conference committee to merge the House and Senate bills. Democrats hope to resolve differences in the bills during private negotiations. What that really means is that Republicans are left out of the reconciliation process and can't stall with procedural tactics.

The health care debate is really creating a divide between seniors and the group that largely represents them. Thousands have dropped their membership to AARP because they say the organization is more interested in selling insurance than caring for their needs. Here's Carol Costello.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, no lobbying organization had more influence over health care reform than one of the biggies, the AARP. But victories aside, the AARP lost support during the health care battle. It lost 150,000 members.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Robert Tice used to be a proud card- carrying member of the AARP, but he's not proud anymore.

ROBERT TICE, AARP MEMBER: The letters don't mean American Association of Retired Persons. It just means AARP. It's just a name.

COSTELLO: Proof of effort Tice came on November 5th, 2009.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When it comes to the AARP, this is no small endorsement.

COSTELLO: The AARP's endorsement of health care reform so angered some seniors, AARP admits 150,000 have dropped their memberships.

DAVID CERTNER, AARP LEGISLATIVE POLICY DIRECTOR: We don't like losing any members. We think that a lot of members have some misinformation about where AARP stands, what we've been fighting for.

COSTELLO: Critics charge the AARP is fighting not for its members but for its bottom line. According to the roughly $650 million AARP made in 2008 enrolling members in AARP-branded insurance plans, that's almost three times what it made in membership dues.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're telling me you don't know what kind of money AARP makes?

COSTELLO: Republicans are also questioning why AARP would endorse a health bill that includes huge cuts to Medicare Advantage plans offered by AARP and others. These private plans offer seniors an alternative to Medicare that often includes extra medical coverage like dental and vision care.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I recognize the gentleman from Georgia.

COSTELLO: Georgia Republican Congressman Phil Gingrey thinks he knows why.

REP. PHIL GINGREY (R), GEORGIA: A few people, seniors that are on Medicare Advantage and back into Medicare fee for service, the more opportunity AARP has to get royalty from the sale of the Medigap policies.

COSTELLO: Gingrey says those seniors force out of Medicare Advantage would have to buy supplemental insurance, like Medigap, which gives you the chance to get additional payments and coverage from Medicare. For insurers like the AARP and its partner, UnitedHealthcare, that means a much higher profit margin.

REP. PHIL GINGREY (R), GEORGIA: They have to purchase a Medigap policy. And, oh, guess what, AARP has 30 percent of that market.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TELEVISION AD: You should know about this card.

COSTELLO: It's a fact not lost on its members.

ROBERT TICE, AARP MEMBER: AARP is about insurance. People need to know that. AARP is not out there to help you. It's to take your money and put it in their pocket.

COSTELLO: The AARP insists this is not true.

COSTELLO (on camera): So your lobbyists haven't lobbied to leave untouched Medigap?

DAVID CERTNER, LEGISLATIVE POLICY DIRECTOR, AARP: No, it's not even an issue we have lobbied on at all.

COSTELLO (voice-over): David Certner says the AARP supported cuts to Medicare Advantage to trim the fat so Medicare itself survives.

CERTNER: We understand that there are financial issues with Medicare and we need to save money for the Medicare program.

COSTELLO: Certner says the AARP fought for more important things, like convincing lawmakers to close the gap in Medicare drug coverage, known as the doughnut hole.

COSTELLO (on camera): How do you plan to win back those 150,000 members who've dropped out?

CERTNER: I think when people see the benefits of health care reform, I think they will, you know, come to realize that there was a lot of misinformation out there, that these bills really were good bills to help strengthen the health care system.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Robert Tice, for one, is waiting to see for himself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The AARP says it's important to keep in mind that although many members have dropped out, many more have joined or renewed their membership. They tell me that adds up to 2 million more members. Another note, the AARP has always brokered insurance for seniors. It's why the AARP tells me it was created, to convince insurance companies to sell policies to seniors.

Tony.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. OK, Carol, appreciate it. Thank you. What will your job look like in 2010? Will you even be able to find one? Our CNN Money team is looking for answers. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Just looking at our money page, cnnmoney.com, and the lead story there is "why cable will cost you even more." Cable bills are on the rise, climbing an average of 5 percent whoa -- every year. No end in sight. Cnnmoney.com for the terrific work being done right now by our CNN Money team.

And also we should get to the big board right now and take a look at what's happening three hours into the trading day. And this is sort of the territory, the range we've been in for most of the trading day. We're down in negative territory. Down 11 points. Nasdaq down eight. So a down day so far. Still time to turn it around. We're following these numbers with Susan Lisovicz throughout the afternoon right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is a brand new year and your 401(k) is probably looking much better than it did a year ago. That's for sure. But plenty of risks to the economy remain and jobs have yet to return. Cnnmoney.com's Poppy Harlow has more on the outlook for 2010.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM (voice-over): Despite the worst recession in modern history, 2009 was a boom year for the stock market. But when it comes to the real economy, namely your home and your job, there's still a lot of uncertainty about 2010.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think my greatest financial worry for the next year is just keeping my head above water. Costs are going up. Incomes are not. They're flat or going down. And I don't see any immediate relief in sight.

HARLOW: The 2009 recovery effort was marked by massive government aid. TARP, the government's bank bailout plan, stimulus spending, and Fed action to keep mortgage rates low. But as the government pulls back its unprecedented financial support, some economists worry about what may lie ahead.

LAKSHMAN ACHUTHAN, MANAGING DIR., ECONOMIC CYCLE RESEARCH INST.: I think it's a little riskier for the markets in 2010. There will be a lot more angst simply because the government's pulling back the easing. The problem is we've lost a lot, so recovering doesn't mean recovered. It's going to take a few years.

HARLOW: And what about the state of your job?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president is most concern about the high unemployment rate. And until everyone who wants a job has a job, the president and the entire administration will not be satisfied.

HARLOW: And although unemployment appears to have stabilized somewhat, the harsh reality is that some jobs may be lost forever.

JEFFREY JOERRES, CEO, MANPOWER: The pond is drained and companies are looking and saying, why did we have four people doing that, or why were we doing that at all? And they were able to consolidate it. And there is a whole lot more being done with less. And I think that will continue. People are going to be asked to do a lot more than they were before.

HARLOW: Simply put. If you're one of the millions of Americans searching for work, a willingness to do more could be key.

JOERRES: What companies are looking for in situations like that, is intellectual curiosity, the ability to learn, and the collaborative, agile mindset. That whole, OK, I get it, I'm going to do this work. This may not be part of my responsibility, but I'm going to help out somebody else.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. I really want to buy that.

Poppy Harlow joining us now from New York.

And, Poppy, is this the new normal, working harder than ever but having no or limited choices because there's really nowhere else to go?

HARLOW: Well, I know you do the job of five people there, Tony, so you know what it's like. I mean, come on, slackers, listen up, it is not going to be the way that it was. That's what I'm hearing.

HARRIS: That's what I'm talking about.

HARLOW: Yes, I mean you've got to do a lot of work, even in jobs you're not happy with. Listen, there was a survey that came out yesterday that said job satisfaction is at an all-time low, but people are still doing their job to keep their job.

I want to read you some tweets, because I was tweeting earlier today, saying, listen, are you working harder than you used to just to hang on to your job? Let me read you some of them.

Markpetow wrote, "oh, for sure and also for less money, too. Seems like I'm working twice as much for half the money."

And Victorx10 wrote, "yes, definitely working harder. I have anxiety issues. So you can imagine my state of mind right now."

And Tony, finally, Herbertcarrero wrote in, "not at all, really, in my current job, so in my last one I was a workaholic."

So, good for him. But seems like the consensus, Tony, people are working for more, not making as much.

HARRIS: Yes.

HARLOW: And that's just the new normal here I guess.

HARRIS: I appreciate you . . .

HARLOW: Not a great outlook. Sorry.

HARRIS: I so appreciate you acknowledging my efforts here in the CNN NEWSROOM. You just have no idea . . .

HARLOW: You really are.

HARRIS: Just how fatiguing it is to carry this team around, day to day.

HARLOW: I'm sure. I'm sure.

HARRIS: To day. Someone just told me to wrap this crap.

All right, Poppy, appreciate it. Thank you.

HARLOW: OK.

HARRIS: And happening now, radio talker, Rush Limbaugh, is back on the air this hour in his first broadcast since he was hospitalized with chest pains last week in Hawaii. Here's what he had to say about the episode.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Well, when you think you're going to die, pretty -- heavens (ph), that everything in your life flashes before you. I didn't have any of that. So they laid me down and gave me an aspirin as soon as -- under my tongue. The aspirin started to dissolve and the pain started to go away. So I breathed a huge sigh of relief. They called the EMT guys and they were -- they were on their way. And they put an oxygen mask on my face. And just said -- they said, keep breathing through it. Just keep breathing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Rush Limbaugh.

Quite a few U.S. senators are getting ready to call it quits. The question is, why now?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And checking top stories now.

TSA cameras were running but not recording when a man walked the wrong way through security at Newark's airport Sunday. The TSA then waited almost an hour and a half before telling port authority officials about the security breach. Everyone had to be rescreened.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano says expect to see more canine teams and law enforcement in airports following the failed Christmas Day bombing plot on the U.S. jetliner. Napolitano also tells us advanced imaging scanners will be introduced over the next year, along with undercover measures you won't see.

Yemen's foreign minister says his country opposes direct intervention by U.S. troops in the fight against al Qaeda. U.S. military personnel are currently in the country training Yemeni counterterrorism forces, but the minister tells the Associated Press, direct intervention complicates things.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: I want to put this on your radar. We are going to be taking a portion of the daily White House briefing when it begins with White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs. We are expecting some news today. We are at the very least expecting plenty of questions on the president's meeting with his national security team yesterday. So, just a heads up, we'll be taking a portion of the daily White House briefing when it begins.

Democratic Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut makes it official. He announced within the hour he won't run for re-election. Dodd says it has been a privilege to serve the people of Connecticut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: There have been times when my positions and actions have caused some of you to question that confidence. I regret that. But it's equally important that you know that I have never wavered in my determination to do the best job -- to do the best job for our state and our nation. I love my job as your senator. I always have. Still do. However, this past year has raised some challenges that insisted I take stock of my life.

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HARRIS: CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joining us from Washington.

Paul, good to see you.

So, Senator Dodd announced his intentions today. And we've also learned in the past day that North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan is retiring. Have you figured this out? What's going on here?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, I guess, Tony, you could consider this maybe a split decision. I think national Democrats are almost relieved in a way that Dodd is stepping out and not going to run for re-election in Connecticut, because Dodd had a lot of political baggage and polls there suggest that he would have a real tough time getting re-elected. So a Dodd out and a popular Connecticut attorney general jumping in on the Democratic side today, Democrats feel good that they can hold on to this seat, which leans towards the Democrats.

It is a very different story in North Dakota, which leans more towards the Republicans, at least in presidential elections. Without Dorgan running for re-election, Tony, the Republicans could have a very good shot here at grabbing this seat away from the Democrats come November.

HARRIS: What about the bigger picture here? What's the outlook for the Senate?

STEINHAUSER: Yes, take a look at this, because Dorgan and Dodd are not the only senators resigning or -- I mean retiring at the end of the year. Take a look at this we put together. On the Democratic side, you've also got three other senators all appointed, Burris in Illinois, Kirk in Massachusetts, that election is coming up just in two weeks, and Kaufman in Delaware. While the Massachusetts seat is safe, the other two may not be.

But take a look at the Republican side. While you've got six Republican senators, Republican senators, who are not going to be running for re-election come November, five of the six are retiring, one's going to run for governor. And the Republicans may have their own problems there holding on to these seats.

Tony, why does any of this matter, all this horse race mumbo jumbo? Here's why. In the U.S. Senate, as you know, you need basically 60 votes to get anything done.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

STEINHAUSER: The Democrats have 60 right now. The big question is, will they be able to hold on to that super majority? And if they don't, it's going to be very hard for President Obama next year to pass his agenda. It was very hard this year even with the 60.

HARRIS: You said it, 60 is the magic number in the Senate.

All right, Paul, good to see you. Thank you, sir.

STEINHAUSER: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Is there any hope the economy will turn around this year? We will tell you what a sampling of economists are saying. That's next right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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HARRIS: You know, everyone has a theory, but some know a bit more than others. That's the truth here. We asked a group of experts what is really ahead for the economy this year. And Josh is here with some of their answers.

I can't wait to hear.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well because what happened was there was this big convention, right?

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: More than 8,000 economists who got together actually here in Atlanta. So we were like, how could we not take advantage of this?

HARRIS: Right. Right.

LEVS: What we did was we went and we posed them some basic questions to get some clear, simple answers. Will there be a jobs recovery this year? What are the best and worst things to expect? So here now some answers from those who have committed their careers to understanding this stuff.

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JOHN ANDERSON, ECONOMIST, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN: It's looking like the strength of the recovery is gaining some momentum. It's looking like things are turning around.

LEVS: But should we expect continuous recovery, in your view, throughout this year?

ANDERSON: I think so. I think so. I think the unemployment is about as high as it's going to go, and it will start to trend down over the course of the year.

LEVS: What is the best thing that the average American can expect from the economy this year?

DAVID CLEETON, ECONOMIST, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY: Not to be worried about losing more jobs.

LEVS: Well, what's the worst thing ahead this year?

CLEETON: The worst thing is that even those who have managed to be insulated from the unemployment situation, still are not seeing personal income growth.

LUISA BLANCO, ECONOMIST, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY: I think that we will see recovery in 2010. It will be a slow recovery. So we also have to be aware of that.

LEVS: What about jobs? When will they come back?

BLANCO: I think we will see some jobs coming back maybe like in the middle of 2010. In my way to see it, I think, as I say, it's going to be a very slow recovery.

LEVS: So you think the jobs recovery will start in 2010?

BLANCO: I think so, yes.

SADULLAH CELIK, ECONOMIST, MARMARA UNIV.-ISTANBUL: Unemployment (ph) will be really high and going higher.

LEVS: And so you think unemployment is going to get worse this year?

CELIK: Yes. Yes.

LEVS: Where?

CELIK: In the U.S. (INAUDIBLE) Lines are not opened up yet. OK. So we need to wait for these to open up. And once banks start to give out more credit, then things will start to get better over time. But this will be a very gradual one. I am expecting to go at least three, four years like this at 2 percent or 3 percent growth for some period of time.

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LEVS: So you saw that there are some people who are saying, look, we'll lose some jobs this year. Overall, the consensus, though, was more what we saw from the first three people there. They expect that unemployment has topped off, that there will be some growth, but no one is saying robust job growth this year. Not one of them said expect a real big jobs recovery this year. But in general we're hearing from people we talked to there, that they think the tide is turning, steadily jobs will start to return.

HARRIS: And we're also hearing from more than a couple economists that the unemployment number, the national figure, will actually go up a little bit as people who are discouraged . . .

LEVS: Try to get out.

HARRIS: Actually get some signs that now is the time to dip their toe back into the pool.

LEVS: Right.

HARRIS: And that will send the number a little higher.

LEVS: They rejoin the ranks of people who are trying to get jobs and that puts it . . .

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: Yes. But even within, you know, what we have out there, we'll keep in mind, we also have a lot of people who are underemployed. A lot of people struggling and otherwise.

HARRIS: Underemployed, that's right.

LEVS: You know, last hour you suggested we put this up on the blog, the discussion about the economy.

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: It's up. Let's show everyone where you can weigh in. It's up at the blog there, cnn.com/josh. Also FaceBook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN. Also go to cnn.com/tony. And, you know what, tell us your experiences, your stories, because obviously people struggling but we do all hope 2010 has (INAUDIBLE).

HARRIS: Do you have any more of that stuff, maybe tomorrow?

LEVS: Yes, let's do more on this tomorrow.

HARRIS: You want to?

LEVS: That would be great.

HARRIS: All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.

LEVS: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: What is the CIA really doing in Afghanistan? Do you really want to know? We will break it down as best we can, next.

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HARRIS: You know, the CIA is doing some serious soul searching to determine how an attacker posing as an informant was able to make it past security with a bomb strapped to his body and lure seasoned spies to their deaths in Afghanistan. Our Jonathan Mann looks at the agency's operation in the war zone.

JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's start with the basics. The CIA doesn't exactly broadcast the way it does business, so what I'm about to tell you is based on published accounts. But back when the Taliban was still in power and al Qaeda carried out the 9/11 attacks, it was the CIA that first went into Afghanistan right away to link up with the resistance. The Taliban was toppled soon after, and the CIA put down roots.

The agency's Afghan headquarters are at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, but its agents are scattered at known military bases and its own secret outposts around the country. How many agents are we talking about? Before September 11th, apparently very few. But according to "The Los Angeles Times," which followed the numbers, by the end of 2001, there were about 150. That number doubling by 2005 to about 300 and now nearly 700.

They're not all commandos and cloak-and-dagger types, though. "The Times" says operatives and analysts account for about a third. The rest are doing more mundane things, like security, communications, computers. The CIA's host base was established in the months after 9/11. Its primary role has been to run informant networks in Afghanistan and over the border in Pakistan.

And that's how the suicide bomber apparently got close enough to kill so many people. He was thought to be a trusted agency source. Obviously, that was dead wrong.

And even as the agency mourns its fallen staff, the entire intelligence effort is coming under a different kind of attack from much closer to home. The top U.S. military intelligence officer in the country says that the American intelligence community, and we're quoting here, "is ignorant of local economics and landowners, hazy about who the powerbrokers are and how they might be influenced, incurious about the correlations between various development projects and levels of cooperation among villagers, and disengaged from people in the best position to find answers."

Major General Michael Flynn isn't a disgruntled former officer, he's the top military intelligence officer there now, adding, quite literally, insult to injury. It hasn't been a good week for the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan.

Back to you.

HARRIS: My goodness.

All right, let's get you to the daily White House briefing with White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs.

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: That was clear the president will make a statement about this tomorrow. That review will be released, the unclassified version will be released publicly. We'll have John and probably Secretary Napolitano to discuss their view of detection capabilities tomorrow here at the White House. I anticipate that the president and John will continue to look at the situation and evaluate it over the coming months.