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CNN Saturday Morning News

Three People Believed to be Part of Possible Terror Plot Against the U.S. Planned For 9/11 Anniversary; Increased Law Enforcement Presence in NYC and DC Police; Deadly Ferryboat Accident In Zanzibar; More Fighting Between Rebels and Gadhafi Loyalists; Flooding In Maryland and Pennsylvania; Georgia Jobs Program; Smartphone Apps for 9/11; Security Ramped Up; Bachmann: Obama Late on Jobs Plan; NFL Allows Patriotic Gear for 9/11 Games

Aired September 10, 2011 - 08:00   ET

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


T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good Saturday morning. We are at the top of the hour.

And three people are believed to be part of a possible terror plot against the U.S. planned to coincide with the 9/11 anniversary. Government sources say they think two of these three people are American citizens. We will have the very latest for you in a moment.

Also, Republicans running for president getting ready for Monday night's big debate in Tampa. CNN and the Tea Party Express teaming up and sponsoring this event which will feature questions from the audience.

Also we are just minutes away from NASA heading to the moon, a scheduled launch, a new mission. We'll tell you all about it.

Plus, we will show you that launch when it happens live scheduled for about 28 minutes from now. We were wondering if the weather was going to cooperate there in Florida. Looks like we're a go for launch today on this Saturday, September 10th.

I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for spending part of your weekend here with us.

We do start now as the country gets ready to stop and remember the 9/11 events. There is a new terror threat right now that is possibly planned to coincide with the tenth anniversary. Intelligence officials say it could be two American citizens at the heart of the threat.

The information comes from intercepted communications in Pakistan. They're calling this a credible threat, yet they're saying it's not confirmed, now just a trickle of information. It has now led to a massive security response in New York as well as Washington, D.C. Extra police are on the streets and they are on round-the-clock patrols.

Our Athena Jones is at the FBI headquarters in Washington for us. We'll chat with her in just a second, but first, let me turn to Allan Chernoff. Allan, you're at Ground Zero there and New Yorkers, 10 years of these anniversaries now and here is another. Many around the country might be wondering, well, they've been through this so many times before, what is the mood like? Does the mood ever change the further we get away from 9/11 or is it kind of the same?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, T.J., it's a bit of here we go again. Everybody knew that we would have tight security coming up on the tenth anniversary, but with that terror threat, obviously it's exceedingly tight. The police have set up checkpoints throughout the city, especially in Manhattan, checking vehicles as they drive, particularly as they drive towards downtown.

Also, a big focus on Times Square as well. They've been pulling aside vans, trucks, checking the inside, using radiation detectors, even license plate readers as well to find any plates that are attached to stolen vehicles, perhaps, so very tight security.

Frankly, it's something that New Yorkers have simply gotten used to over the past decade. Nobody likes it, but pretty much everyone understands it's necessary. 9/11 changed the world and that is one very, very apparent way that our lives all changed.

HOLMES: All right. Allan, you stay with me. Let me check in with Athena who's in D.C.

And, Athena, New York and D.C. were the two cities that might have been the focus of this possible threat. D.C. looking kind of the same scene, some of the same scenes there as we're seeing possibly in New York with stepped up security, checking vehicles?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there certainly is an increased law enforcement presence everywhere. We're not necessarily seeing those vehicle checkpoints like you're seeing in New York but all of the officials I've spoken with, the Capitol Police, the Secret Service, the Metro Transit Police and the Park Police, those people in charge of protecting the monuments, memorials and other public buildings, they all say they're all on high alert and they're prepared.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES (voice-over): A heightened state of awareness at the Washington Metro, significantly increased vigilance at the Capitol and stepped up security near the White House.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were ready for this and if there are other measures that are necessary we're prepared to take them.

JONES: With a new credible threat, the nation's capital could come under attack, potentially using a truck or car bomb, officials have been eager to assure the public the city is ready.

CHIEF CATHY LANIER, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: This has been 10 years of preparation and planning, essentially, from local, Federal law enforcements, on how to do the best we possibly can to keep our city safe. We have a very robust plan. We have a lot of experience here.

JONES: This weekend as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, unattended vehicles around government buildings and bridges will be towed and there is an increased law enforcement presence everywhere. Capitol Police have more officers on patrol, more police cruisers in the field and more canine, bomb squad and other specialty units deployed.

The U.S. Park Police has quote, "a substantial number of officers on patrol in uniform and plain clothes, on foot, horseback and motorcycle and is using cameras and other technology for surveillance."

And Metro Transit Police are patrolling with canine and special operations units and conducting unannounced bag searches, among other steps.

CHIEF MICHAEL TABORN, METRO TRANSIT POLICE DEPT.: There is a protective measures list that's talking about background checks, that's talking about training, preparing our employees, preparing our people, public awareness.

JONES: Officials say they're sharing information and coordinating closely with their counterparts in departments and agencies citywide. Metro riders here have noticed the change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see an officer to my left, I see an officer to my right. I've noticed an increase in security at the station. I think that's good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have nothing to hide so it's like all right, ramp up as much as you want, I guess, try to keep us safe, so that's good.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: And now T.J., the mayor and the police chief have both said that people should go on with their business. They should carry out their usual activities as they normally would. There's a triathlon going on today. There's a big college football game that's scheduled for this weekend, a bunch of festivals going on. They're just asking the people to report any suspicious activity.

And the mayor said in her most recent press conference yesterday afternoon that they're already seeing an uptick in people reporting suspicious vehicles, for instance, that they think are parked in a strange place and so the city wants to run those leads down. They're not turning up anything so far but they want everyone to keep their eyes open as you heard if you see something, say something.

HOLMES: Athena there in D.C., thank you so much.

And our Allan Chernoff still standing by with me there in New York, I'll come back to you. These two cities were much of the focus is, and especially New York, but New Yorkers, they have to deal with threats and the threats of attack every single day. They're always on a heightened sense of alert. But on 9/11, when this anniversary comes around, what do they reflect on on these days? Some of the folks you talk to, living in New York yourself, what kind of mood are the people in around these anniversaries?

CHERNOFF: That's right, T.J. The mood really does vary. I'll tell you, frankly I think a lot of New Yorkers live with it all the time. It's embedded into our souls and will be for the rest of our lives. I have to also say that a lot of New Yorkers, I think have a bit of 9/11 fatigue. They acknowledge that it's important to memorialize on that date.

A lot of people feel you know what, they memorialize almost every day. People who are not here downtown all the time, when they pass by, suddenly it makes them reflect. The people I should say who do live here and there are twice as many living in this community as there were on 9/11, well, it's just become part of life. It's become natural and indeed, it's a very beautiful community that's grown here, really grown out of the ashes, of 9/11.

HOLMES: Good perspective there, Allan Chernoff for us as well, thank you to our Athena Jones in D.C. We'll check in with you both more this weekend.

Meanwhile, President Obama, he will be in New York tomorrow for those ceremonies, but today he had a message for the world in his weekly address.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A decade after 9/11, it's clear for all the world to see the terrorists who attacked us that September morning are no match for the character of our people, the resilience of our nation or the endurance of our values. They wanted to terrorize us, but as Americans we refused to live in fear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And tomorrow morning, starting at 6:00 a.m., I'll be in New York at Ground Zero. We'll bring you "CNN SUNDAY MORNING" live from there. Take a look at how America has changed in the 10 years since 9/11. Then starting at 8:00 a.m., CNN will have complete coverage of all the remembrance ceremonies in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Let me turn now to a story of tragedy that we are following closely this morning. This one is unfolding off the coast of Tanzania, specifically we're talking about the island of Zanzibar. That is where there's been an accident involving a ferryboat. At least 40 people confirmed dead now, 259 have been rescued so far. But there were 600 people on the ferry, there could be many more casualties. A rescue and recovery effort is under way in the Indian Ocean. We'll keep updating you throughout the morning as we get new details.

Also in Egypt, the situation there is improving compared to certainly what we saw yesterday. Protesters attacked the Israeli embassy with rocks and Molotov cocktails. The Israeli government says six embassy workers who were trapped in the building are now safe in Israel. Egypt's health ministry says almost 1100 people were hurt in yesterday's outbreak of violence. We will take you there live for the latest next hour.

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann not only at odds with President Obama, she also is pulling away from her party's own leadership. A revealing interview with CNN's John King, still ahead.

Also, we are keeping our eyes on the launch pad in Florida. NASA's latest research mission scheduled to blast off in just about 15, 20 minutes. We will have that launch for you live. NASA heading to the moon today.

Also in Pennsylvania, receding floodwaters but some still heightened concerns. The latest from this disaster zone, that story and more when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in just 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Eleven minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

And there is a tense situation happening this hour in the town considered a stronghold for Moammar Gadhafi. Rebel fighters believe key members of Gadhafi's regime, including two of his sons, may be in Bani Walid.

CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is on the outskirts of the town. He joins us now live.

Ben, there was a deadline for Gadhafi loyalists to lay down their arms. It came and went. Now what?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now there is an operation, there's an attempted assault by the opposition fighters on the town of Bani Walid. It's been going on for about the last seven hours. They went in shortly after sunrise, but what we've seen is, actually if we can pan the camera over, the rebels are actually pulling back. We were told they ran into quite a lot of resistance in the town.

One member of the Transitional National Council, the rebel authority, they said that there seemed to be some elite forces loyal to Gadhafi inside the city. They have heavy weaponry, rockets, heavy machine guns. In fact we came under fire. There were bullets flying just about eight feet over our head, just about half an hour ago and we pulled out of that area. So, it's -- the battle has begun, but it's not clear whether it's going in the direction of the rebels or the loyalists may have the upper hand at this point -- T.J.

HOLMES: Ben Wedeman on the outskirts for us there. We'll check in again with you again. Thanks so much.

At 13 minutes past the hour, for Texas, wildfire victims, the latest round of help is now coming from Washington. President Obama declared a state of emergency in Texas last night making Federal funding available to those affected by wildfires in Bastrop County. That's where some of the worst fire damage has occurred; almost 1,400 homes destroyed.

Wildfires have been burning there it seemed like constantly, almost 300 days. Texas, though, could use a little of what they've got in Maryland.

Look at this. Been telling you about Pennsylvania and upstate New York with the floodwaters but this is happening in Maryland as well. This river town of Port Deposit, where cars gave way to kayaks and canoes. It's the best way to get around. The floodwaters have receded somewhat, leaving lots of mud and debris where there isn't standing water.

Further up the swollen Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, the flooding has leveled off just a bit. The river hitting a crest of more than 42.5 feet in some places. That's more than 20 feet over flood stage. Unofficially it's a record. According to the National Weather Service, meteorologists breaking the previous high set in 1972 by Hurricane Agnes.

I must say good morning to Alexandra Steele here with us. Alexandra, where do you want to start?

ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Wow. It's really the extreme, is the new normal, wouldn't you say with the flooding and the wildfires and again, once we head into this winter looks like we're going to see an exaggerated of the same theme, more wet conditions where we don't need it and more dry conditions where we don't need it.

First to the flood threat, 11 rivers in New York and Pennsylvania reaching record levels. Thirteen inches of rain in portions of Pennsylvania, so unfortunately, we still have this flood threat. And you in Pennsylvania, sewage plants are under water so the water that is there is toxic and it is polluted. There's the big picture with the flood threat, of course. There's more rain on the docket, unfortunately it is for some.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: Goodness. All right. Alexandra Steele, thank you for the update. We'll check in with her plenty throughout the morning.

We're at a quarter past the hour now. When President Obama unveiled his jobs plan, he told Congress he got one of his big ideas from the state of Georgia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: This jobs plan builds on a program in Georgia that several Republican leaders have highlighted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Well, we are going to be talking to the man who put that Georgia plan in place. Live with the former Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. He joins me in 90 seconds right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, 19 minutes past the hour, now taking a look at some of the stories making news across the country.

CNN affiliate WLOX reporting the death of a high school football player in Mississippi. (INAUDIBLE) Dunbar (ph) collapsed during a game last night, was given CPR before medics arrived but he later died at the hospital.

Also authorities in North Carolina trying to find 14,000 rounds of ammunition, missing from Ft. Bragg. The ammo was checked out for training exercise, but it never came back.

Also, all 3500 members of the army's first brigade combat unit, they were temporarily put on lockdown after this when the ammunition was reported missing on Wednesday. That lockdown has since been lifted.

Also the Mississippi Supreme Court has cleared the way for a controversial initiative on the November 8th ballot. Voters will decide whether life begins at conception. This is a move that could make abortions illegal in the state of Mississippi. Several other states are planning similar ballot initiatives.

Twenty minutes past the hour now.

President Obama has called on Congress to pass his $447 billion jobs plan. It's called the American jobs act. He unveiled this on Thursday night. You may have seen the speech, expected to be submitted to Congress sometime next week.

The president's plan proposes creating jobs with infrastructure projects such as repairing roads, bridges and schools. The plan also offers tax cuts and breaks to small business owners who hire new employees and it proposes free training for out-of-work Americans and extending unemployment benefits beyond 99 weeks.

And the American Jobs Act includes a work-sharing program called bridge to work that is inspired by a state-run program called Georgia Works.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: This jobs plan builds on a program in Georgia that several Republican leaders have highlighted where people who collect unemployment insurance participate in temporary work as a way to build their skills while they look for a permanent job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, that program, the president was referring to is the brainchild of this guy, Michael Thurman, who's Georgia's labor commissioner when the program started back in 2003.

Good morning to you. Good to see you. That's got to feel pretty good.

MICHAEL THURMOND, FMR. GEORGIA LABOR COMMISSIONER: It's great. It feels good T.J.

HOLMES: Did you know it was coming? You knew he was going to be talking about that in his speech?

THURMOND: No, I didn't, not specifically. I had been to Washington on several occasions and talked to members of the administration, advocating the Georgia Works strategy.

HOLMES: What were they curious about? Did they come to you and say hey, we heard about this program, how does it exactly work? Could you tell they were always curious in trying to find a way to implement it nationally.

THURMOND: Yes. Momentum picked up. President Clinton began to advocate for it across the country and then Speaker Boehner of the U.S. House endorsed it and Reverend Jackson. What it does is, six out of 10 people who participate, get jobs.

HOLMES: Now you explain it. I'll allow you to do so. You explain it to our viewers what it does. I know it's some kind of -- pare down for me here but still in essence the person does what?

THURMOND: Person is laid off, construction worker. He decides that he wants to go into a new career, new job. What he can do while he receives unemployment insurance benefits go to a potential employer and say look, if you will train me, provide me with the skill set needed for this job for six weeks, I can continue to receive my unemployment benefits. No cost to you. After six weeks you can hire me or give me a certificate of completion. What we found is 60 percent, six out of 10 within 90 days have jobs.

HOLMES: There are some issues with the program. Not everything works perfectly. So if the president were to call you and say hey, through trial and error, what did you all do wrong with the program that we can correct nationally? What would you tell him didn't work so well?

THURMOND: Well, first, when I first started here in Georgia, my biggest challenge was that employees said it sounded that too good to be true. Others said, it's too simple, such a complex vexing problem with unemployment in America, obviously we need a more complex solution. It was too simple. The big thing is to make sure all employers follow labor laws and make sure that employees are not being abused. Make sure we follow the laws, keep it simple and empower states to be creative.

HOLMES: A couple of issues that do come up, it didn't really make a dent in Georgia's unemployment rate. Georgia has one of the highest in the country at 10.1 percent now and the program, it started off with a bang, but I understand the numbers have gotten down as far as the people participating now, down to under 100. So, why is that the case with the unemployment rate and numbers of participants so low now.

THURMOND: As you know, I left the Georgia department of labor in January. When I left we had over 5,000 people participating. The commissioner who followed me, changed the program. It was his decision. Of course it was his prerogative. While I was there, 32,000 Georgians participated, 23,000 completed the program, 16,500 employers provided training and six out of 10 got jobs.

HOLMES: You're putting it on the new guy?

THURMOND: No. He made a decision, you know, the program became so popular, quite frankly, we exhausted all the revenues that were there to fund it.

HOLMES: So it's difficult to fund this thing. The other issue some are having, questioning whether or not this program on a national level maybe even locally you came up with this, if it's even legal because what you're doing is taking people who are unemployed and putting them in training, but at the same time many of them could possibly be doing work for these companies for free for six or eight weeks and that company is under no obligation to hire that person. Like you talked about, they could be abusing workers here.

THURMOND: Well, we have 32,000 different job seekers who participate. I'm not aware of one single complaint that was filed during the seven years I was at the Georgia department of labor. Obviously there could be abuse. You have to have administrative oversight to prevent and protect the workers. At the end of the day in this crisis where we have 14 million Americans unemployed, we can't continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Let me tell you, the 12,000 Georgians who are working today as a result of Georgia Works, is proof positive that Georgia Works works.

HOLMES: He's not the labor commissioner anymore but he still advocates that program. Good to see you this morning. Thank you for coming in. We'll follow up and see if it does become implemented on a national level. I'm sure you'll be there.

THURMOND: Thanks, T.J.

HOLMES: We're 25 minutes past the hour now. We told you we are standing by for this. We're supposedly just a few minutes away. NASA is going to the moon. You'll see the launch live, if it happens, looks like the weather is going to help out. So, stay with us for the launch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, 27 minutes past the hour now.

It's been nearly 10 years since the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on 9/11. Tomorrow ceremonies will be held to remember those who were killed. You don't have to wait until tomorrow to reflect on the events of 9/11.

Our digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong joins me from Baltimore.

Mario, I haven't talked to you in awhile. Good to see you. Technology helping people --

MARIO ARMSTRONG, CNN DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT: Good to see you.

HOLMES: -- make a personal connection to 9/11. How does this work?

ARMSTRONG: It's working through apps. That's the easiest way to get many people, as much as possible, to be able to go through their different feelings, their different emotions and really educational history about these events.

We got a couple of apps that we can share with folks. The first one is called Explorer 9/11, Explore 9/11. These are free apps that you can download right from -- from the iTunes store as well as the Android marketplace. This one is created by the September 11th National History Museum, and what they've created here, T.J., is really something that's awesome.

Number one, they have a seven-step walking tour, a seven-stop walking tour. Basically, you take your iPhone and you can walk through different stops and you can see video as well as photos of - rather you can see photos with narration of different people, people that worked there, first responders. I have one pulled up real quickly here so you can hear a little bit of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Planes, screaming, and the huge crash and the tingling glass and metal. All I saw was people running away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARMSTRONG: As you're going through that, you're actually seeing the pictures correlating with that and you're walking through this tour.

That's one. The other is to explore it and you can use this technology called augmented reality with photos and then the third way that you can actually do go through this app is through the interactive timeline that they have, real impressive technology to help people really understand what took place. HOLMES: That's interesting. It probably helps and quite frankly, a lot of young people who are very much tech savvy and have these smartphones and maybe were a lot younger when 9/11 took place, that is the way for them to connect as well.

But there are several others, I think you got at least two more to share with me but you tell me the one of most interest to you.

ARMSTRONG: 110 Stories, this was done by an individual named Brian August. I'm in love with this app because it's all about this individual mission. 110 Stories is taking your phone, T.J., pointing it at the skyline of New York City and being able to --

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: Well -- Mario, I'm told I've to jump in here. I was about to lose your satellite feed, though. Keep that up though, for a second though, folks to let people see what he was talking about here in case we do loose him. And it looks like we might here.

But that's our Mario Armstrong. Our apologies there, we ran into some time issue and a window issue there with him.

But what I'm going to do for you folks, is I am going to get from him these apps he's talking about, I will send them out to you via Twitter and via Facebook. I'm @TJHolmes on Twitter, again, @TJHolmes and then @TJHolmesCNN on Facebook.

But we will get those for you. Again, our apologies that we ran out of space there and weren't able to continue on with Mario. But you can join us every Saturday this time as our digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong gives us the latest scoop on the latest technology.

Now we're at the bottom of the hour here folks. I want to give you an update as well on what we were keeping an eye on.

NASA is heading to the moon today, supposed to take off about one minute ago; 8:29 was the launch time. They have scrubbed it for at least that time. They are monitoring the weather. They said that they improved their chances from a 60 percent chance that the weather was going to cooperate to an 80 percent chance. But now, they've -- not taking the first launch window, which was supposed to be at 8:29. They have another opportunity for liftoff at 9:08.

So just about 30, almost 40 minutes from now; having some wind issues they are saying. The wind did not cooperate; the winds a little too high to take off on this thing. But this is the GRAIL mission, this is the mission to the moon, trying to map the moon, trying to figure out more about the surface of the moon and the gravity at the moon. That's what this is for.

But NASA heading back to the moon today, but we're going to have to wait at least another 40 minutes for the next possible launch window. I assure you when it does happen we will bring that to you live. Now it's just past the bottom of the hour now. I'm going to be telling you next about some of the people, some of the special events, planned today from the Pentagon to Shanksville to Manhattan. That's coming your way in three minutes.

Also, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says the President's plan for jump starting the economy has some holes in it, some big holes. You'll hear from her after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, 35 minutes past the hour.

This weekend, as we get ready to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11, there is an increased and very visible police presence in Washington and New York. New York police have set up checkpoints to monitor trucks moving around the city it's because of the latest news on a possible threat that included a an information that attackers might use a truck bomb.

Our Allan Chernoff described the extra security as a noose around the city. Patrols have been stepped up in Washington as well. Police are keeping an eye on the monuments that a lot of tourists, of course, do visit.

Let's take a look at a few of the events planned today as people remember 9/11 and the victims of the attacks. People are gathering right now in New York, to form a human chain. Organizers hope to have thousands of people take part at exactly 8:46 a.m. That is the moment American Airlines flight 11 hit the north tower.

Then at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, President George W. Bush, will be at the Pentagon to lay a wreath in honor of the victims. It will be laid at 9/11 Stone, that is the rebuilt portion of the Pentagon. That's the part damaged by the attack.

And in New Jersey, they're dedicating a memorial in Liberty State Park. It's called the Empty Sky Memorial. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will be there to honor the 746 victims from his state; Liberty State Park just across the Hudson from Ground Zero.

We turn to politics now and the Republican leadership has been talking about compromise when it comes to the President's jobs plan. But not everyone under the Republican banner agrees.

Our John King spoke with GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let's set the President aside for a minute. Is your Republican leadership wrong?

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think there are areas that we could agree if they're pro-growth policies. The problem is the President didn't have any of them in his speech last night. I would love to see a jobs recovery plan. I would have loved to have seen one two and a half years ago.

We didn't even get a plan last night, John. What we got is one more political speech. The President didn't even indicate exactly how much this effort would cost. We're hearing some estimates that it may be another $450 billion that we don't have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: CNN is teaming up with the Tea Party Express to host the Republican Presidential Debate in Tampa, Florida. That is the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention. The debate will of course focus on the economy, size of government and Social Security.

Our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser, with a preview.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning, T.J.

Call it round two. What started Wednesday night in California, could resume Monday night right here in Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Michael Dukakis created jobs three times faster than you did, Mitt.

GOV. MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, as a matter of fact, George Bush and his predecessor created jobs at a faster rate than you did, Governor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Texas Governor Rick Perry, the new guy in the race for the Republican nomination and the frontrunner in the polls, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who used to hold the top spot, they sparred over jobs and Social Security.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERRY: And it is a monstrous lie. It is a Ponzi scheme to tell our kids that are 25 or 30 years old today you're paying into a program that's going to be there.

ROMNEY: Under no circumstances would I ever say by any measure it's a failure. It is working for millions of Americans and I'll keep it working for millions of Americans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: The debate ended, but their skirmish has raged on the past couple of days.

Monday night here at the Florida State Fair grounds near Tampa Perry and Romney will once again be standing side by side at our CNN TEA PARTY REPUBLICAN DEBATE. Six other candidates: Representatives Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman Herman Cain, former Senator Rick Santorum and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman will also be sharing the stage.

And for each of them our CNN debate is an opportunity to change the dynamics of what so many are now portraying as a two-person race -- T.J.

HOLMES: All right thanks to our Paul Steinhauser. And CNN teaming up with the Tea Party Express to host the next Republican presidential debate in Tampa, site of the 2012 Republican National Convention. The debate Monday night 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

Well after 9/11, people used humor to help deal with the awful situation, but late night comedians had kind of a tricky time finding the right words. We'll take a look back, next.

Plus the 9/11 attacks may have happened here in the U.S. but the tragedy was shared around the world. Why is this monument dedicated to the victims upsetting their families, though? We'll explain in our "Morning Passport". Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well at 43 minutes past the hour now. Nadia Bilchik joining me again for the "Morning Passport"; and we -- so much focus and rightly so on how this country will be remembering 9/11.

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Sure.

HOLMES: But really this is happening around the world, these memorials.

BILCHIK: A lot of people from over 90 countries died on 9/11. Of them 67 were British nationals.

HOLMES: Yes.

BILCHIK: And tomorrow at the British Garden at Hanover Square, which a small garden in New York City, there will be a memorial service. And this is a garden that's triangular shaped; it looks somewhat like the British isle. And even the fence has 67 (INAUDIBLE) which are all on the top of the fence to remember the 67 and the Queen herself actually opened the garden officially last year. So that's just one of the British ceremonies.

But also in London this week, what was unveiled is a sculpture by an American artist from Brooklyn called Miya Ando. And this sculpture is in Battersea Park and it is dedicated to the victims of 9/11.

But as you said earlier it caused a great deal of controversy. These families of the victims feel that because this sculpture is made of steel and it's steel from 9/11, it's the mangled steel and you can see there, there's the memorial stone.

HOLMES: Yes.

BILCHIK: But the actual sculpture is taken directly and the families feel it's too upsetting, it's too evocative.

HOLMES: Really?

BILCHIK: So instead of having the sculpture where it was supposed to be in London outside the town hall, it's been moved to a less visible space in Battersea Park.

HOLMES: Now did that satisfy the families at all? Or they would rather not have it up at all --

BILCHIK: They feel -- they would rather not have it. I mean -- and it's a very interesting debate between private grief and public art.

HOLMES: Yes.

BILCHIK: Now moving to New Zealand, tomorrow is a very interesting day because the American Rugby Team is going to be playing Ireland in New Zealand on 9/11.

So there they are, the American Rugby Team. The vice captain of the team, Mike Petri, says he feels very honored to be playing on this particular day. Both the Irish team and the American team will be wearing black arm bands. The organizers of the Rugby World Cup have brought in a Marine band from America to honor 9/11. They actually played in a big procession today. And at New Plymouth tomorrow they will be having a moment of silence to remember the victims.

Mike Petri himself, he's the vice captain of the American rugby team says he was in New York, he was 17 years old on 9/11 --

HOLMES: Wow.

BILCHIK: He remembers seeing the entire thing unfold and he remembers being so proud about how New Yorkers behaved. I think everybody all over the world from Dublin to Durbin to Dubai remembers where they were on 9/11.

HOLMES: And what they were doing on 9/11. That's something -- that the team is playing tomorrow; I'm sure they'll be playing in honor of the victims of that day. Do they have a chance? Dopes the American rugby team, are they supposed to be in this?

BILCHIK: Well, that remains to be seen. The New Zealanders beat Tonga yesterday. So we'll see. I know you aren't a great rugby fan but I'm trying to convert you.

HOLMES: It may take a little while. But thank you. Nadia Bilchik, for us this morning. Thank you so much.

Of course, after 9/11 nobody knew exactly when it was OK to laugh again, especially the late night comedians. Do you remember how they handled their return to the airways in the days after the attack? Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, TALK SHOW HOST: A lot of people have asked me, what are you going to do? What are you going to say? Not geez, what a terrible thing to have to do. And I don't see it as a burden at all. I see it as a privilege and -- I just see it as a privilege. Everyone here does see it that way.

CONAN O'BRIEN, TALK SHOW HOST: All I can say is that tonight we're going to start and we're going to try and make this little show, which has always been silly and unprofessional and largely inconsequential in the larger world. We're going to try and do one of these tonight and then we'll try tomorrow and then so on and so on.

DAVID LETTER MAN, TALK SHOW HOST: The reason that I am doing a show and the reason I am back to work is because of Mayor Giuliani. Very early on, after the attack, and how strange does it sound to invoke that phrase, after the attack, Mayor Giuliani encouraged us and here lately implored us to go back to our lives, go on living, continue trying to make New York City the place that it should be. And because of him, I'm here tonight.

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: Live, from New York, it's Saturday night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: All right.

Well, at 47 minutes past the hour -- tomorrow morning, starting at 6:00 a.m., I will be in New York at Ground Zero bringing you CNN SUNDAY MORNING from there. We'll certainly be looking back, but it's also important for the country to look ahead and at how far we've come since 9/11 and still how much further we need to go.

Then starting at 8:00 a.m., CNN will have complete coverage of all the remembrance ceremonies in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Forty-eight minutes past the hour now. Quick break here on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We're right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We couldn't get Joe Carter so we got Ray D'Alessio.

RAY D'ALESSIO, HLN SPORTS: Oh, the jabs are starting already. Welcome to Saturday morning boxing everybody.

HOLMES: With HLN Sports, my man -- always good to see you. Always good to see you.

All right.

D'ALESSIO: The upper cut hurt.

HOLMES: That's all right. Football, everybody is happy football is back. NFL, Thursday night, great game. Still we have all the games on Sunday.

D'ALESSIO: Right.

HOLMES: They timed this out. The NFL did this, trying to commemorate and trying to help the country still get past 9/11.

D'ALESSIO: Yes. And one player in particular -- and before we get into Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears, it's important to note that the NFL's uniform policy, very strict, one of the strictest policies in all of sports. Your socks have to be a certain height on game day. You can't wear certain types of gloves. Everything has to be in uniform, I guess you want to say.

HOLMES: It will cost you some pretty big money if you --

D'ALESSIO: And you get fined for it. Lance Briggs came out this week and said you know what, I don't care, fine me if you want, but on September 11th, I'm going out there, I'm wearing special red, white and blue gloves and shoes, to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11. There you see the picture that he tweeted. It says there, "Never forget, 9.11.2001", the red, white and blue shoes.

Other players followed suit. Reggie Wayne of the Indianapolis Colts; he said the same thing. He was going to go out. There's Reggie right there, he's wearing the red, white and blue gloves, as a result of this.

And other players saying that they felt the need to go ahead and wear these shoes and these gloves, the NFL said you know what; for this Sunday only, we're going to loosen our policy and if you guys want to express yourself that way, that's fine, which makes sense because they even honor breast cancer awareness with the pink and everything.

I'm surprised the NFL didn't do something like that for the whole league this Sunday, but at least they're loosening that uniform policy.

HOLMES: That's mice to see. Very visible day on Sunday; everybody's going to be watching NFL football so that's very nice.

Let's turn now to college sports.

D'ALESSIO: Oh, yes.

HOLMES: If you can call it that. This is golden. This coach, set this up for us.

D'ALESSIO: Every so often, T.J., it happens on average, I say once every three years. A coach, be it a pro coach, NFL coach, they come out with one of those press conference rants that are just instant classics. HOLMES: This is it.

D'ALESSIO: We have another one, Coastal Carolina head football coach Dave Bennett this week telling how he wanted his players to be more aggressive. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE BENNETT, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, COASTAL CALIFORNIA: I turned and look there's a little kitty cat in our kitchen. So I said, what are you doing in here, little kitty cat? By that time, the cat turns, tries to get back out. That screen won't go that way. Cat starts going -- all crazy.

Told our players, I tried to let it out the front door; the cat still going crazy in there. I told our players we need to be more like a dog.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

D'ALESSIO: I don't understand, he's basically saying the cat is a fighter trying to get -- so why do you want your players to be like a dog? Be like a cat. You're a fighter.

HOLMES: The cat was running around like crazy confused, be a dog. We have so much more.

D'ALESSIO: I guess that's what he was trying to get the point across. I'm still trying to figure it out.

HOLMES: Be a dog. That's going to be the new thing. Can't wait.

D'ALESSIO: Oh, my gosh.

HOLMES: Be a dog.

D'ALESSIO: Beautiful stuff.

HOLMES: Will you help us, Alexandra? We've lost our minds over here.

ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right. No dogs in the forecast weather wise. All right.

HOLMES: But it's a big college Saturday.

STEELE: Hello there.

D'ALESSIO: How are you? Have a seat. She's nice to me.

STEELE: All right. Let's talk about the forecast for a big college game day forecast. First take you to Baton Rouge, right?

HOLMES: Oh, yes. STEELE: Not a lot of dogs. Partly cloudy skies, beautiful conditions. Baton Rouge/LSU coming there, northwestern state visiting, right?

HOLMES: Yes.

D'ALESSIO: Little small school out of Natchitoches, Louisiana, I believe it is. I actually played there my senior year in college.

HOLMES: Is that right?

D'ALESSIO: Yes. So I know all about the northwestern state demons, but LSU very tough.

STEELE: All right. Weather not tough at all --

D'ALESSIO: No.

STEELE: -- dry sky, 72, southwesterly winds. So pretty light winds, won't affect passing game, right? And I know nothing about college football --

HOLMES: But you sounded good.

STEELE: I know, right?

D'ALESSIO: You sound good, I'm impressed.

STEELE: All right. State college -- I know about state college because every meteorologist on the planet went here to Penn State.

HOLMES: Really.

STEELE: Huge meteorology school.

Kickoff 3:30 this afternoon -- weather pretty great; there is a chance of a few thunderstorms. Of course, they're in Pennsylvania where we've had so much flooding. So, little area of disturbed weather could bring off a shower or storm.

D'ALESSIO: Light game, JoPa against Nick Saban.

HOLMES: Against Nick Saban. Is JoPa -- you know, you're the sports guy. Is he going to come down from the booth?

D'ALESSIO: From what I understand I think he's still going to -- for one more game, don't quote me on this --

HOLMES: What do you mean, don't quote you?

D'ALESSIO: -- but I think for one more game he's going to stay in the press box. I would imagine if I was Joe I would stay up in the press box. He's getting up there in years. The reflexes are gone. Stay up there Joe.

(CROSSTALK) STEELE: All right, 72 degrees, don't quote me, it could be 73, right. Let's talk next --

HOLMES: This is a big one.

STEELE: And our big game Michigan-Notre Dame kicking off tonight. I think this is the first night game, right?

D'ALESSIO: Yes.

HOLMES: The light at the big house.

STEELE: 68 degrees. 30 percent chance of some showers. But pretty nice; winds not a factor unlike what's happening with NASA, the winds are a factor. It shouldn't be a factor all day today for all these college games.

D'ALESSIO: I have to go with Michigan T.J., on this one. I was not --

HOLMES: Would anybody go with Notre Dame for any reason?

D'ALESSIO: No.

HOLMES: Come on.

D'ALESSIO: I think we learned our lesson last week from what we saw with Notre Dame.

HOLMES: Alexandra, thank you so much.

(CROSSTALK)

STEELE: I'm so glad I could --

(CROSSTALK)

STEELE: -- add such insight, you know.

HOLMES: You sounded like you knew sports. Thank you. And Ray, I will be nicer next week.

D'ALESSIO: Can we have you next week?

STEELE: I'd love to come back.

There's actually a little interesting weather tidbit, you know. Of course, NASA was delayed because of high winds. It's winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere, between 15,000 and 22,000 feet. They're sending off one more weather balloon at 9:01 this morning. And if that is a go we will look at the winds with the weather balloon being sent up and then we'll know if it's going to go off at I think 9:08 this morning. So 9:01 we'll know a little more.

HOLMES: Oh, Alexandra.

STEELE: A fount of information. Weather --

HOLMES: Space.

D'ALESSIO: Well rounded.

HOLMES: Quick break. We're right back, folks. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)