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Bauer and Shourd Engaged in Oman After Joyful Release; Government Facing Another Shutdown Deadline; Actor Gary Sinise Advocates for Wounded Vet Foundation; More and More Americans Fall into Poverty; Financial Planner Gives Advice on Getting Out of Debt; Israeli and Palestinian American Have Dialogue About Palestinian Statehood; Running On Financial Fumes

Aired September 24, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM where the news unfolds live this Saturday, September 24th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Three days after two American hikers were released from an Iranian prison they remain in Oman. Their journey back home to the U.S. still unclear but there is confirmation avenue piece of good news, an engagement between Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, who was released last year.

CNN obtained this photo from the happy couple from the envoy from the sultan of Oman. That's where they were reunited Wednesday after Bauer and Fattal are expected to speak sometime this hour from Oman. We'll bring that to you as soon as we can.

In Italy, prosecutors say the DNA evidence they used to convict American Amanda Knox of murder is solid. Knox is appealing a 26-year prison sentence for murdering fellow student. The defense has called the DNA evidence in the case flawed. The appeals case is in its final stages.

And back in this country a Florida jury has convict ad millionaire developer in the death of his wife. They found Bob Ward guilty of second-degree murder. Diane Ward was found dead in their mansion back in 2009. At the time media reports said Ward told a 911 operator quote, "I just shot my wife." He contended that his wife was suicidal and that she was shot when the two struggled with a loaded gun.

In California the jury has been selected for the trial of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death. Opening statements are expected on Tuesday.

And that defunct satellite we've been talking about all week long has finally crashed to earth in pieces. NASA says it fell somewhere over the pacific around midnight but the agency doesn't have the exact location.

Our Bonnie Schneider is here in the Weather Center to give us an idea just where it might be. BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, we had a good strong indication it would end up somewhere over the ocean. Here's a look at the craft right now. You can see what it looked like. Likely when it did plunge to earth it didn't look like this. Usually with these orbital objects they tend to disintegrate a lot. They come in at a fast speed. We expect there are pieces of debris scattered most likely in the ocean. It will take a while for them to recover all these pieces. These objects move pretty quickly. You can see some pictures of what it looked like.

So it looks like we'll get more information in terms of where the debris landed in the north Pacific, but that's the best indication we have that it happen somewhere off the west coast in the north Pacific ocean.

WHITFIELD: It's difficult to tell because the earth made up a majority of ocean, of water. So much of that debris may have dissipated or crashed into the ocean. And it may never be recovered.

SCHNEIDER: It may take a long time for it to be recovered. There may be pieces we'll find for decades. At least it didn't hit over land and hit someone. I know people were concerned about that.

WHITFIELD: No reports that that actually happened. Big sigh of relief on that. All right, Bonnie, we'll check back with you a little bit later on.

To Washington now, where all eyes are on the U.S. Congress, the halls are fairly quiet today even though lawmakers have less than a week to pass some type of spending plan and if they don't, some government agencies could shut down.

CNN's Kate Bolduan looks at what is at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With lawmakers heading for the exits and after a long week of heated debate --

REP. MIKE SIMPSON (R), IDAHO: That's the danger to this country is the $14 trillion deficit and the $1.6 trillion we add to it every damn year.

REP. ED MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Wake up. Wake up. You can't kill these programs. This is the solution you are killing.

BOLDUAN: -- Congress leaves Washington with no agreement on how to avoid another government shutdown.

Why the holdup as the September 30th deadline looms? Neither side is backing down. Top Republicans and Democrats continue pointing fingers at each other.

REP. ERIC CANTOR (R-VA), MAJORITY LEADER: Harry Reid is holding a bill up with full funding of what is needed right now for no reason, no reason but for politics. Again, this is why the people just don't have the respect for this institution and this town anymore.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: I can't understand their logic. Do they want the government to shut down? Do they want FEMA to close and FEMA will close.

BOLDUAN: The House late Thursday night narrowly passed a short- term spending bill that would keep the government funded through mid- November. The measure also includes what both sides say they care about most, urgently needed money for Federal disaster relief in the wake of the recent floods, storms and wildfires.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: It is a reasonable, responsible approach.

BOLDUAN: But that plan was quickly rejected by the Senate. The Democratic majority strongly opposed to House GOP demands the disaster aid be paid for or offset by cutting money for clean energy programs including one linked the now bankrupt solar company Solyndra. Yet Democrats contend these programs are creating jobs.

REID: Is it really fair that to fund disaster relief, we take American jobs?

BOLDUAN: Senator Reid has countered with what Senate Democrats call a compromise, saying they'll go along with the House measure providing $3.6 billion in Federal disaster relief, less than Senate Democrats wanted, but they will not go along with the offsets in the House measure.

The stalemate now forcing at least the Senate to put off part of its scheduled recess next week. We'll see about the House.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Republicans who want to be president are out courting voters today. Some of them are in Florida where GOP delegates are convening.

Our political reporter Peter Hamby is there in Orlando.

So, Peter, everyone knows Florida is particularly important. How are these candidates trying to stand out?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Well, Thursday night's debate right here in Florida is part of this three day presidency five sponsored by the Republican Party, kind of reshaped the race. Rick Perry the front-runner was on his heels. So he spoke to voters here yesterday and again this morning, and I was there, and really tried to go on offense a little bit against Mitt Romney who came out of that debate looking pretty good.

Listen to what Rick Perry said to Republican voters here in Orlando.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What Americans are looking for isn't the slickest candidate. They are looking for an authentic, principled leader.

(APPLAUSE)

PERRY: Think about it. You have seen what happens when our country chooses leaders who emphasize words over deeds.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMBY: So there you see Rick Perry, you know, the Republican front-runner really trying to cast Romney as inauthentic, slick, not as conservative as Rick Perry. Expect to hear a lot more of that's message coming out of the Perry campaign over the next couple of weeks as they poke some holes in Romney after this debate, Fred.

WHITFIELD: In the meantime, there will be a straw poll that will take place a few hours from now and then how soon might we see results?

HAMBY: We should be expecting results from the straw poll here, about 3,500 delegates are participating, around 5:00 or 6:00 Eastern. In conversations with delegates throughout this conference over the last couple of days, Rick Perry's defense of this Texas Dream act he passed in 2001 as governor of Texas which gave in-state tuition breaks raised some questions among delegates about Rick Perry. And I met a bunch of folks who were supporting Perry until that moment, and now they are kind of second guessing their support. Perry is expected to win but we could see an upset later today, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Thank you very much Peter Hamby in Orland.

So from Florida to Michigan Rick Perry convenient the murder to Mitt Romney territory just a short time ago. Perry and Romney are both attending a Michigan GOP conference. Romney was born in Michigan and his father was a popular governor there. And according to bankrate.com 30 year mortgages are at an all- time low at 4.29 percent. While that's enticed, one study shows nearly 60 percent of Americans are questioning home ownership. Why are mortgages causing so many hardships? Financial expert Eric Amado has our financial fix later on this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Troops and in anti-government protesters clashed again today in the capital of Yemen, rifle fire and rockets exploding. Two dozen people were killed today. Many more injured according to medical sources there. Yemen's president returned to his country just yesterday after three months spent in Saudi Arabia recovering from an assassination attempt. The protesters want him out of office.

In other international news, the CEO of investment giant UBS resigned today. The Swiss bank lost $2.3 billion in a rogue trading scandal. And in Eastern Germany a man is in custody today after firing an air gun at some guards working security for the Pope's visit to Germany. No one was hurt and police say the Pope was never in danger.

In the Middle East now Palestinian Authority says they are hoping for quick action on their bid for full United Nations membership. The Security Council could take up the issue Monday. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas put forth the request yesterday at the U.N. He and Israeli prime minister addressed the U.N. general assembly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PRESIDENT, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (through translator): It's time for the Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence. The time has come to end the suffering and the plight of millions of Palestinian refugees in their homeland and the Diaspora, to end their displacement and to realize their rights.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I cannot risk the future of the Jewish state on wishful thinking. Leaders must see reality as it is, not as it ought to be. We must do our best to shape the future, but we cannot wish away the dangers of the present.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN senior State Department producer Elise Labott is in New York.

Elise, what is next with this Palestinian request for U.N. membership?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT PRODUCER: Well, in the immediate term, Fred, President Mahmoud Abbas arrived home victorious to his people addressing those concerns and going to the U.N. Security Council. Now he'll meet with his legal committee with various Palestinian committees while the U.N. Security Council votes on -- not vote but addresses this issue on Monday. Consultations will be going on, and it's a little bit unclear what President Abbas will do.

Senior Palestinian officials are telling me they're determined to go to a vote. They know the U.S. will veto, and they say U.S. veto be damned. We'll push this to a vote. They feel they have the nine vote majority. This could really for the U.S. hand and make them demonstrate that they are going veto.

But the U.S. is concerned about a lot of violence. U.S., Arab, European union all pushing him to go another route. Some think he might go U.N. general assembly where we can seek observer status, nation status and that's an upgrade from what he has now. Still, everyone is dancing on a pin right now trying to get something together so that president Abbas won't do this.

WHITFIELD: I wonder, will it be odd if Abbas is not there come Monday when the U.N. general assembly addresses it and there's a vote how strange will that be if Abbas is no long there, or does it matter? LABOTT: They are not going to vote on Monday they will discuss it. They will have consultations. Those consultations can go from a couple of days to a couple of weeks to a couple of months. It's what president Abbas wants to do. If he says put to it a vote, Lebanon is the president of the U.N. Security Council right now, certainly they can move it to a quick vote. He can let it brew for a little bit, see what the international committee comes up. They are trying to get this framework so he can go back to the table with the president of Israel.

And he's really looking for them to sweeten the pot, up the ante so he can do whatever he wants. Right now the rest of the world is dancing on the pin right now for President Abbas.

WHITFIELD: Elise Labott, thanks so much. I know you'll be covering it throughout the week as well from New York. Appreciate that.

Also coming up, more on that push for Palestinian statehood. Friends from opposing sides of a decades-long conflict actually find common ground.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OREN NERIA, ISRAELI-AMERICAN: We need to find a common ground and you need to recognize the basic right of a people to rule themselves, unoccupied.

HAIFA BINT KADI, PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN: I'm afraid that many Jews that will hear you say what you just spoke will dismiss what you're saying, and will say, oh, well he's been hanging without the Palestinians to long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Israeli and Palestinian voices later on this hour.

And a list is out for the Forbes 400. Find out about the wealthiest Americans next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This week "Forbes" magazine released its top 400 list. It shows the wealthiest Americans. Take a look who's on top. Not surprisingly Bill Gates followed by Warren Buffett. Oracle's Larry Ellison comes in third. Then tied at four are Charles and David Koch of Koch industries. These brothers are also in the news for financing some of the Tea Party.

Those billionaires don't have to worry about paying the mortgage, perhaps, the utilities, or even buying food, but most of us do. It's the number one issue in American homes, getting your financial house in order. Today in our weekly financial fix, can you afford your home if you were to lose your job? A recent survey says 68 percent of Americans would not be able to make home payments for more than nine months if they became unemployed. Financial consultant Eric Amado joins us now with ways to protect your family and your home.

OK, let's begin with some of those pros and cons of refinancing, because a lot of folks think that will help me save some money so that no matter what I could afford my house. Is it that simple?

ERIC AMADO, AMADO CONSULTING: Well, right now if you can get refinanced good luck, because it's tough out there. Let's talk about the pros and cons. The pros if you can refinance your house you can get a lower monthly payment which is a great thing. Also you mentioned about the 30 year fixed-rate. The 30 year and 15 rate are so close together that you can almost refinance your loan from a 30 to a 15 year loan, get a shorter payment and also have the same rate. And also, if you can pay your house earlier that's a great thing to do. That's wonderful.

Now some of the cons are that the credit markets are very tight and banks are very stinky with their money. They want to make sure you're a good risk. Also the banks want to have higher FICA scores and a steady job.

WHITFIELD: When you're refinancing or trying to buy?

AMADO: Also in refinance. They want to make sure you have a good stable job so they can refinance you sometime. Also they want to make sure you have positive equity. And that is the fair market value is above the loan amount. And so they want to make sure that you're a good, good stable investment.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. So say you don't quite get the refinancing but you want to figure out other ways to slash that spending, safe a little money so you can put more in that rainy day fund. What are your suggestions?

AMADO: Well absolutely. Some of the things I want to talk about, people might want to do. But for example, carpooling is a great thing to do. A lot of people work 30 minutes, an hour from their job. So you can save money that way.

Think about taking public transportation. Counties spend a lot of money upgrading public transportation. That could be a good thing to do as well.

And, you know, in some instances you might need to sell your car. If you have a nice car, sell your car and get a cheaper car. There's nothing wrong with that. Look at your insurance premiums for your house and medical. Be careful. You don't want to lose great benefits but sometimes you can find ways to save money like that.

WHITFIELD: Don't rule out taking on maybe another job, trying to figure out another way in which to earn extra income?

AMADO: Absolutely. If you can find a job, the first job is great but if you can find a second job that's wonderful. But, for example, getting a second job is great. Some things you can do, if you have elderly parents in your neighborhood, take them to do chores, they will be happy to pay you. Here in Texas the sun is still out, so you can still cut yards.

There's a lot of things you can do. Also you can have a garage sale. You can sell some things on e-bay or craigslist. Be creative. That's the kind of economy we're in. It's very, very tough.

WHITFIELD: So we're talking about trying to make sure you keep your home and salvage that portion of your lifestyle. What about if you happen to fall into that mortgage gap? What does it mean for you?

AMADO: If you're in a mortgage gap and things are really, really tough, first thing do you is contact the mortgage company and let them know hey I'm in trouble. Try to do it early. You never know. Sometimes companies may have a plan to work with you to help you get out of your situation. In some instances if it's really bad you might want to consider putting your house on the market. Do it early, because right now is tough.

WHITFIELD: There's the problem in trying to sell your home and getting something for it.

AMADO: I know. I know. Believe it or not there are some houses being sold out there. Find yourself good agent and they can help you out.

Finally, you might look into moving with some family members. If you can save your house, instead of going to buy another one or renting, maybe you can live with your parents or maybe you live with your family members. I know that might be tough to do. They may say I'm not having you come back. But maybe six months to a year you can save yourself some extra money and get yourself back on track.

WHITFIELD: It's tough. Maybe you're suggesting too, you move back home or you move in with someone and then you rent out the house that you have so that you didn't necessarily lose, you know, that property if you do own a house?

AMADO: That's a great idea. Rent out your house. That's a great idea. Have that person pay the note for you, and have the money that you're saving living with your parents or your friends and try to build up your emergency found get yourself caught back up. That's a great idea also.

WHITFIELD: I like that. Eric Amado, thanks so much. Helping folks to keep their homes, the biggest asset that many of us will ever have, right?

AMADO: Absolutely, the biggest asset on most people's balance sheets. Housing rates have taken a big hit over the last couple of years, but eventually they will get better over time. But there's a lot of excess inventory out there. But it will take time to clear it out.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic. We'll see you again tomorrow too. You'll help us tuned markets and what to expect in the next work week. We look forward to seeing you. And of course you may still have a few other questions for Eric. You can get more information by going to his website, AmadoConsultingLLC.com.

Fall officially kicked off on Friday. Coinciding with that, the Cultural Landscape Foundation has released its 2011 landslide list of the 12 most endangered landscapes, scenic spots at risk. They include the Sonoran desert in Arizona, one of the world's most diverse desert habitats, the 25-acre McMillan park in Washington, D.C., the gardens of the privately owned Yarbrough residence in Columbus, Georgia, and a 50-mile stretch of the Ohio River corridor in Kentucky.

Stick around to find out about four more landscapes that made that list.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Before the break we named four endangered landscapes, and we promised we would bring the others as well. Here's a look at the four other places on that list. The 25-acre Afton Villa Gardens in Louisiana, the Saugatuck Dune in Michigan, Weequahic Park in New Jersey, a 311-acre part with an 80 acre lake that has excessive algae growth because of runoff and other pollutants, and the union chapel in South Newbury, Ohio. The 1856 chapel sits on 16.5 acres and was a meeting place for social activists date back to the women's suffrage era.

We'll have more of the list coming up, some of the most endangered landscapes in America.

SCHNEIDER: Yes. I didn't know there were some at risks.

WHITFIELD: I didn't either. That's incredible. There's a list of 12. We brought you eight so far. How are you doing, Bonnie?

SCHNEIDER: I'm well. Wonderful to be here.

WHITFIELD: Good.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, so, Bonnie, we talked about the 12 most endangered landscapes of 2011. I already gave you eight of them. So last edition, Elm Grove in Portland, Oregon. It is Oregon's first planned residential community and the site of 250 mature American Elm trees threatened by Dutch Elm disease.

And Falling Water in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. A famous house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is protected as a national historic landmark, but natural landscapes surrounding the house is dwindling due to an invasion of nonnative plants.

And the Blue Ridge escarpment in Greenville, South Carolina, home to 400 rare plants and more tree species than in all of Europe is actually endangered by urban sprawl. And also threatened by development, the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia, a Civil War landmark. Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate Robert E. Lee fought there back in 1864. We thought we would bring you the 12 most endangered landscapes in America.

That defunct satellite we've been talking about all week has finally crashed to earth. NASA says the six ton spacecraft fell to the earth in pieces somewhere over the Pacific Ocean around-month. But the space agency hasn't pinpointed the exact location.

Speak of falling objects, a California man is gearing up for repairs after a meteorite hit his roof last month.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE GIBSON: It had a huge impact zone of about four and a half, six feet around. It was in my roof.

BEN GIBSON: It's going faster than a bullet. It hit at 20,000 miles per hour.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The meteorite shattered a beam on the roof. The homeowner said two inches more to the side and it would torn through the roof and fallen right into his granddaughter's bed.

All right, 12 jurors and five alternates have been selected for trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray. Opening statements in the involuntary manslaughter case gets under way on Tuesday. Prosecutors contend that Murray gave Jackson an over dose of a powerful anesthetic which led to the singer's death.

And American Amanda Knox is fighting for her freedom in an Italian court. She's appealing a 26 year prison sentence for murdering a fellow student Meredith Kercher. Today prosecutors vigorously defended the DNA evidence used to convict her. The defense calls it flawed. And Amanda's mother, well, she remains hopeful.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDDA MELLAS, AMANDA KNOX'S MOTHER: I think we're more helpful than we've ever been. A lot of people here are telling us don't worry. It's going great. You're going to take her home. So that's nice to hear that from a lot of people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: New York is home to many immigrant communities, among them Palestinians and Israelis. We are closely following events at the nearby United Nations.

CNN Susan Candiotti met with two friends from opposing sides of a decades-long conflict to discuss the Palestinian bid for statehood.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KADI: Estate sales and eBay and garage sales, so I go hunting.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As a New York artist, Haifa Bint Kadi shapes odd pieces of glass into beautiful mosaics. Born in the U.S., Kadi's a mom whose Palestinian parents fled to the U.S. when Israel seized the West Bank during the six day war in 1967.

NERIA: This is the medal of valor that my father received for his role in the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

CANDIOTTI: Oren Neria is a naturalized U.S. citizen whose parents moved from Israel to New York when he was 13. Oren's a recent college grad now working in real estate. They represent two generations and different points of view on Mideast issues but yet both agree it's time to say yes to a Palestinian state.

KADI: It's symbolically saying we're a people, we have a right to exist, we have a right to self-determination.

CANDIOTTI: Haifa and Oren met through the dialogue project, a group that bring together New Yorkers on opposing sides of the Middle East conflict. These days bid for Palestinian statehood is taking center stage.

NERIA: You need to recognize the basic right of a people to rule themselves unoccupied.

KADI: I feel happy when I hear Oren voicing that but I get worried because I'm afraid that many Jews that will hear you say what you just spoke will dismiss what you're saying and will say, oh, well, he's been hanging out with the Palestinians too long.

CANDIOTTI: Oren, when you hear what Haifa just said do you worry what people will think about you?

NERIA: Oren I do believe sitting down with the dialogue and really putting human faces like Haifa and her family and families that's in the West Bank and my family in the north of Israel that when you see that there is human beings on the other side you can no longer hold extremist views as if it's a black and white game.

WHITFIELD: Finding that elusive middle ground to create a Palestinian state, can it happen?

NERIA: Once recognition and a peace deal is made, it might take some time and some more heartache, but it's much better than the scenario of conflict, of more death.

KADI: Do we want our children to inherit a generation of conflict? Is that what we want? And it isn't for me. So that's a place to talk and to have hope.

CANDIOTTI: Hope, like a mosaic, can bring together divergent views to create a framework for permanent peace.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: He is an actor and activist. Gary Sinise does all he can to support American military families while working on his hit television show. Do you know the year he actually joined the CSI New York cast? Was it 2004, 2005, 2008 or perhaps even 2009? The answer when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: He's a big advocate of men women in uniform. Actor Gary Sinise, you may know him as Lieutenant Dan from the days of Forest Gump. Since 2004 he has actually been a big star on "CSI New York," and last night that show started its new season with an emphasis on 9/11.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY SINISE, ACTOR: It's a powerful, powerful episode, wonderful episode, one of my favorites that I've ever done in eight seasons and I was able to bring some of the wonderful family members, 9/11 family members of our first responders and some very dear friends of mine that I met over the years together at the wall on the day that we shot, and they are featured in the episode as well.

And it's an episode that pays tribute to those that we lost on that day. It also looks at my central character, Matt Taylor, on what he was doing the morning of September 11th, 2001. It flashes back to that day and takes place also on September 11, 2011. You go back and forth and you see what the team members were doing on that day.

WHITFIELD: You're involved in so many projects but no one can forget Lieutenant Dan. Ever since then we have seen you associated in so many different ways with advocacy for military vets. It has to be very gratifying but at the same time be very heavy on your heart, is it not?

SINISE: We've stress this military for the last 10 years, and they are working very hard. Whether they are on the front page or not they are still out there work in the dark of night around the world doing very dangerous things and getting. And they are getting hurt. We have a lot of people losing, you know, parts of their bodies with these IEDs and various bombings that are going on there.

So our service members continue to sacrifice and their families continue to sacrifice. And I just go out to try to make sure that they know they are appreciated and not forgotten and that there are people that care about what they do for us and want to continue to support them and help them get through these difficult times.

WHITFIELD: You're wearing a lot of hats as an advocate and as an actor. And then we see you playing guitar with your band, Lieutenant Dan band. What's that like? You know, do you feel like even though you know the efforts are going to a good cause, you're raising money and helping people to feel good, how does it make you feel good when you're on stage?

SINISE: Well, certainly if -- I wouldn't do it as much or as often as do I if I didn't feel that it was making a difference. If you felt that it wasn't benefiting anybody, then why would I spend all this time doing it? So I do see that entertaining our troops, building their -- boosting up their morale by showing up for a Wounded Warrior event which I did just this past weekend.

I was in Buford, South Carolina for a big wounded warrior support event up there and then I went up to Camp Lejeune for the troops at the marine base up there. And we gave them a great time. I see a lot of smiling faces out there. I know it does makes a foundation.

I started my own foundation, the Gary Sinise Foundation, because I've been involved in so many efforts in the last 10 years. It just -- I needed to do more. So I created a foundation to help guide people to organizations, to help raise additional funds to support some of the programs that I'm creating and working on throughout the year.

Like I said, I've been involved with maybe 25, 30 wonderful organizations that have popped up to try to fill the gaps and fill the needs of our military service members and our first responders.

WHITFIELD: That's why it's amazing to hear you say you felt you need to do more, because you got your band. You've got your foundation. You've been involved as the national spokesperson for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which will be unveiled in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol sometime next year.

How is that project coming along? What's your expectation when that's done?

SINISE: The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, the project has been in the works for quite some time. You can go the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial website and you can see the beautiful design. We broke ground for it just before Veterans Day last, this past year.

And the dedication, you know, project will be completed on Veterans Day, 2012. This is to honor all the disabled veterans who have sacrificed over the years in service to our country and given up pieces of themselves and had to live with those scars of war for the rest of their lives.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And you can learn more about the Gary Sinise foundation and other foundations he supports by is going to my blog or Facebook, or check me out at Twitter @FWhitfield.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: You've heard how more American families are living below the poverty line. One professional golfer is trying to make sure those children get what they need for school. Phil Mickelson has this week's "Impact your World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) PHIL MICKELSON, PRO GOLFER: Hi, I'm Phil Mickelson. And we can make an impact on children in need.

Smart Start is designed to get self-esteem into kids as they go into school so they feel good they are ready learn. They meet at their school where teachers and principals get them on buses, take them down here so they can receive five shirts, three pants, to pairs of shoes, backpacks, school supplies. The coolest thing about it is they get to pick out what they want. Integrate them in that experience is what I think is so much fun.

Join the movement, impact your world, CNN.com/Impact.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And you can learn more about the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation by logging on to CNN.com/impact.

Time for "CNN Equals Politics" update. We're keeping an eye on all the latest headlines at the CNNpolitics.com desk. And here's what's crossing right now.

The Hilton Hotel chain is taking issue with the report that accuses it of overcharging the government for muffins. Government inspectors claim Hilton charged $16 for every muffin served at a U.S. Justice Department conference. Hilton says the $16 per person charge included fresh fruit, coffee, and juice as well as the now infamous muffin plus tax and gratuity.

The gloves are coming off in the Republican presidential race. This morning Texas Governor Rick Perry called his rival Mitt Romney "slick" and "inauthentic." Perry joins Romney at a GOP conference in Romney's home state of Michigan today.

And another Republican presidential candidate is trying to explain a controversial moment from Thursday night's Republican presidential debate. Rick Santorum said he did not hear the audience boo when a gay soldier asked a question about "don't ask, don't tell." Santorum says even though he wants the "don't ask, don't tell" policy reinstated, he condemns the people who booed the gay soldier.

And for the latest political news, go to CNNpolitics.com.

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WHITFIELD: Bonnie Schneider with me now, viral videos. Everyone moves when you hear music. You start jiggling around when you hear that music. The same goes for cows. They move when they hear music.

SCHNEIDER: This is cool because you can see the reaction of the cows. It was Utah musicians that caught the eyes and ears of those cows.

WHITFIELD: I love it.

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WHITFIELD: Once they all line up, "The Saints go Marching Home." They all line up. Isn't that funny, that song? Their heads kind of move like what are you doing?

SCHNEIDER: It has a calming effect. That's nice. They are very curious.

WHITFIELD: Yes. About a million hits on YouTube, it's become so popular, people love seeing this.

SCHNEIDER: Something soothing about this. Cows and people love jazz.

WHITFIELD: All animals responding to the melodic sounds.

We're going to have much more from the NEWSROOM after this.

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WHITFIELD: The weak economy and hi jobless rate are pushing more Americans into poverty. CNN's George Howell takes an in depth look at how one family is coping 22 months after their last paycheck.

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JONATHAN HANSON, LOOKING FOR WORK: She's daddy's girl.

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The proud parent of Ashley Hanson.

HANSON: Two months old, came into the picture somewhat unexpectedly.

HOWELL: Jonathan and Katina Wright are determined to give their daughter a bright and stable start despite the cloud of uncertainty they face after years without steady work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to pick and choose what you want to do that day. It's either eat that day or pay that bill.

HOWELL: It makes these parents worry about what's ahead for their daughter.

HANSON: We don't have retirement. We don't have a job.

KATINA WRIGHT, LOOKING FOR WORK: The parents are supposed to be in better position than the children.

HOWELL: From a six-figure income, they say the last few years have been a downward spiral. They've had to sell of jewelry and nicer cars they owned. Even the home they are living in they are trying to sell to survive. Neither would have expected to be living on the poverty line.

HANSON: We were both in real estate. We were both real estate agents, investors, and we made some good money. And with new regulations in real estate and different laws and just the amount of foreclosures on the market, it literally took our business away.

HOWELL (on camera): John and Katina's story is an example of the millions of Americans who have slipped into what the U.S. Census Bureau defines as poor, a family of four making less than $22,000. John and Katina have been living on their savings, and tell me for the last two years they haven't received a single paycheck.

KAREN LEE, FINANCIAL PLANNER: There's a lot of people suffering.

HOWELL (voice-over): Financial planner and author Karen Lee says it's important for people who have never faced poverty to keep a positive outlook that things can be better and be versatile.

LEE: I have seen people go from riches to rags to riches to rags, and you can rebuild and you can completely change careers and rebuild.

WRIGHT: With this new baby I can't be stuck and thinking about what I used to have.

Katina decided to teach herself Web development.

I literally threw my Rolodex away. Because it was real estate related, it was no longer of any use to me. So being able to let go is going to be a person's biggest advantage.

HOWELL: John is betting on a new business he started, building security cages for air conditioners to prevent copper theft, a big crime problem in cities like Atlanta.

(on camera): So this is how you're making a living in.

HANSON: Yes.

HOWELL (voice-over): Adapting and retooling is their plan to overcome poverty because they say times have changed and survival isn't just about them anymore.

George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.

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