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Candidates About To React To Job Numbers; Romney Reacts To Jobs Report; 12.7 Million People Out Of Work; New Jobs Report Shadows 2012 Race; New $1 Million Bond For Zimmerman; Martin Family Wants Zimmerman In Jail; Dow Tumbles After Tepid Jobs Report; Student Loan Rates to Stay Low; Rust Belt Key in Road to White House; New Jobs Reports Shadows 2012 Race; Obama Reacts to Job Numbers
Aired July 06, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Carol is off today. We are going to begin with breaking news here on CNN. Both presidential candidates are reacting to the dismal jobs report this hour.
This is a live picture from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire that you're going to see in just a moment. Republican Mitt Romney is scheduled to speak at any moment. We'll get that up for you.
He is reacting to today's reports, of course. As soon as he steps in front of the cameras at the podium, we'll bring it to you. And then I want to tell you later this hour, President Barack Obama is going to respond to the report.
That's him in Akron, Ohio. He's going to respond though from Poland, Ohio at 10:45 Eastern, 45 minutes. We'll have both events here live on CNN.
So let's get right to the numbers for you. Unemployment, still bogged down at a dismal 8.2 percent, 80,000 jobs were created. That's fewer than expected.
It's one of the last monthly reports before the November election and both the president and Romney campaigns are putting their spin on it, as we speak.
This hour, we're going to cut through all of that for you though. Poppy Harlow is here to give us the bottom line on the new numbers. So break it down for us, Poppy.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: I think, Don, the bottom line is this is disappointing. This shows us three months in a row of really anemic jobs growth for the U.S. economy.
We need to be creating 300,000 to 400,000 jobs a month consistently to bring unemployment down. That's not happening, but what stands out to me, Don, and what I think often doesn't get enough attention is how this is affecting minorities.
So let me show you what I'm talking about here, right? We have an average unemployment rate of 8.2 percent in this country. That is not shared evenly across minority groups, OK.
Blacks have 14.4 percent unemployment. Right now, that went up from May. It went up from 13.6 percent. Whites have 7.4 percent, so it's almost double that. Hispanics have 11 percent. That's a big problem overall.
LEMON: Poppy, hate to cut you off, but we need to get to Mitt Romney now. He is speaking. Listen in.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's consistent with what I've heard as I've gone across the country and met with families in their homes, in cafes and restaurants and in break rooms.
American families are struggling. There's a lot of misery in America today, and these numbers understate what people are feeling and the amount of pain, which is occurring in middle class America.
Not only is the 8.2 percent number unacceptably high and one that's been in place now for over 41 months, but in addition if you look at the broader analysis of people who are out of work or have dropped out of the work force or that are underemployed in part-time jobs needing full-time work, it's almost 15 percent of the American public.
And then there are those that are working, but are working in jobs well beneath their skill level, are working in multiple part-time jobs, kids that are coming out of college not being able to find work, veterans coming home not being able to do anything, but stand on an unemployment line.
These are very difficult times for the American people. There are other numbers that are troubling. The manufacturing reports of the last several weeks indicate that manufacturing is not growing either domestically or in our exports as we would have expected at this stage,
And, of course, that's a long-term trend that's very disturbing and troubling. The president's policies have clearly not been successful in reigniting this economy, in putting people back to work, in opening up manufacturing plants across the country.
The heartland industries where manufacturing occurs are struggling by virtue of policies on the part of the president that have not worked. The highest corporate tax rates in the world do not create jobs, highest regulatory burdens in our nation's history.
Those do not create jobs. Trade policies that have not opened up new markets for American goods, particularly in Latin America, those don't create new jobs. Failing to effectively crack down on China for cheating and stealing American jobs that has not helped. The president's policies have not gotten America working again, and the president's going to have to stand up and take responsibility for it.
I know he's been planning on going across the country and celebrating what he calls forward. Well, forward doesn't look a lot like forward to the millions and millions of families that are struggling to today in this great country.
It doesn't have to be this way. The president doesn't have a plan. He hasn't proposed any new ideas to get the economy going just the same old ideas of the past that have failed.
I have a plan. My plan calls for action that will get America working again and create good jobs, both near term and long term. It includes finally taking advantage of our energy resources, building the Keystone pipeline, making sure we create energy jobs and we convince manufacturers that energy will be available and low cost in America.
It means opening up new markets for American trade, particularly in Latin America where the opportunities are extraordinary. It means cracking down on China when they cheat, making sure they don't steal our jobs unfairly.
It means bringing our tax rates down, our marginal tax rates down and cutting out the exemptions and deductions and loopholes that run fair in many cases.
In other cases, we're going to limit those deductions and exemptions so that we maintain our revenue through growth and through limiting of these special deals, but bring our tax rates down so they are competitive and attractive for jobs to come back to America.
It means having a government that sees its role as encouraging enterprise rather than crushing it with the burden of new and unnecessary regulation and with outmoded regulations that haven't been cleaned up in years and years.
And finally, it means having a health care plan that focuses on bringing down the cost of health care for American families, not just adding new expenses and new taxes to the American people.
This is a time for America to choose whether they want more of the same, whether unemployment above 8 percent month after month after month is satisfactory or not.
It doesn't have to be this way. America can do better, and this kick in the gut has got to end. Happy to take a couple of questions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor, what do you say to critics who say you're not being specific enough and your campaign is playing too safe and they want to hear more specific policies?
ROMNEY: I don't say much to critics. I put out 59 steps for how I'd get the economy going, and I don't think I've seen any from the president to show what he's planning on doing.
I've laid out my 59 steps and take a look at them. I think you'll find them very specific. Again, going through them one by one, taking advantage of our energy resources, opening up federal lands for drilling.
Doubling the number of permits and licenses to take advantage of oil, natural gas, coal. Stopping these extraordinary regulations in energy that are making those in the manufacturing sector fear they can't rely on low-cost American energy.
Number two, opening up new markets in Latin America. The president hasn't done that in three and a half years no new trade agreements. At the same time, cracking down seriously on China, not just at the edges, but finally going after them aggressively and saying, look, guys, you just can't continue to steal our jobs.
How do you go across Pennsylvania and Ohio and not talk about being serious about creating jobs through manufacturing policies that make America more attractive for -- for investment and growth?
Tax policies, I want to bring down the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 and the individual marginal tax rate, 20 percent across the board. Those kinds of specifics I'd like to see coming from the president.
LEMON: That's Mitt Romney in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire responding to that jobs report that came out not long ago just this morning, and we have team coverage for you on this story.
We go to Poppy Harlow. She is following the numbers for us in New York. We also have Alison Kosik, of course, at the New York Stock Exchange to see how the markets are reacting, and we have our Dana Bash who has been following the Romney campaign.
Dana, Romney was on vacation this week, of course, the Fourth of July weekend, came off of vacation to respond to this. He said, you know what, he's been criticized for not really having a plan.
And he said I laid out 59 steps to get the economy going, haven't heard from the president. He talked about energy sources, the Keystone pipeline, bringing down the marginal tax rate and making the tax code fair, on and on. What do you make of what he said here?
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, clearly he's trying to make the point that he has a plan, but big picture whether or not he has a plan or not what the Romney campaign is really banking on politically is the fact that people are just not happy with what they have right now meaning the current president, President Obama.
And the fact is that in talking to Romney officials, what they are saying is that it's not so much are you better off than you were four years ago, it is this man, this -- this President Obama, he promised very, very different things, and has he delivered?
Are things the way he said they will be, and you sort of saw the governor try to get at some of that by talking about the fact that this is a punch in the gut.
That was a very interesting and illustrative way to put, it especially since if you look back four years ago, talking to the Romney campaign. People did not expect to be punched in the gut heading into the next re-election cycle.
LEMON: Yes. Dana, we want to get back to Mitt Romney now. He is speaking more about the economy. Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've criticized President Obama for taking vacations, golfing. I'm wondering if you see it as somewhat of a contradiction taking a vacation right now.
ROMNEY: You know, I'm delighted to be able to take a vacation with my family. I think all Americans appreciate the memories that they have with their children and their grandchildren.
I hope that more Americans are able to take vacations, and if I'm president of the United States, I'm going to work very hard to make sure we have good jobs for all Americans who want good jobs, and as part of a good job the capacity to take a vacation now and then with their loved ones.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Responding to the job report in Massachusetts, someone was asking about a jobs report in Massachusetts, you said there were a number of factors that were outside of your control as a way of explaining why the number is low. Why is that not the case of President Obama, that there are factors out of his control?
ROMNEY: You know what, any jobs figures there are going to be factors that come and go that you can't control, but the things you can control you want to get right, and in the case of President Obama this is not a monthly statistic or even a half yearly statistic.
We've looked at now almost four years of policies that have not gotten America working again. We've seen that his tax policies have not encouraged investment in America. We've seen that Obamacare has made it less likely for small businesses to hire.
We've seen his financial regulatory burden make it less likely for small banks to make loans to businesses that need those small bank loans to get started and to grow. His policies have not worked, and that's just not a short period of time.
That's over a four-year period of time, almost, and the American people have now had a chance to see whether his policies will help America and help them and help people looking for jobs or whether instead those policies are counterproductive when it comes to jobs.
And I think the -- the evidence is in again and again and again. Remember, the president at the beginning of his term predicted that if he was able to put in place the stimulus and his other policies, they would be able to keep unemployment below 8 percent.
Forty one months above 8 percent pretty much defines lack of success. It has been a failed series of policies. Their prediction was unemployment would be at 5.6 percent now. Instead, it's 8.2 percent.
Millions and millions of families are struggling and suffering because the president's policies have not worked for them, and I represent a very different course. I'd live a better path, one that has been demonstrated time and again over our history to encourage job growth in this country, and that's a very simple strategy.
Keep the burdens down from government, encourage the dreamers to come to America, to invest in America. We do that again, you'll see America working again. Thanks so much.
LEMON: Again, that is Mitt Romney Wolfeboro, New Hampshire there really giving a press conference. I want to bring in our players here.
Team coverage, we have Dana Bash. Dana bash has been covering the Romney campaign. Poppy Harlow is in New York looking at the numbers for us and, of course, at the New York Stock Exchange as she is every day Alison Kosik.
Dana, I want to get back to you because you were in the middle afterthought here because I think it's interesting to see Romney in this light.
It looked very presidential looking press conference, right? We don't usually -- he doesn't take questions a lot, but it is his job --
BASH: No, he doesn't.
LEMON: -- to do in this particular instance to downplay everything, to make it obviously as bad as he can, but I think the job numbers really do speak for themselves. Of course, there are other things around it, but it really does, and it paints a really bleak picture of the economy.
BASH: There's no question. I think politically that bad -- and this is unfortunate, but it's just the cold hard reality. Bad jobs news for the country is good political news for Republicans.
You know, I got an e-mail from John McCain's former economic adviser, and he put it this way, and I think this is probably a very concise way to say it.
The bottom line, the April jobs report was awful. May was weak and June is a disappointment. None of that is good, and you can bet that Mitt Romney, his campaign knowing full well what we have been reporting.
That polls show that the public is focused on this issue more than anything else, that they are going to come out and remind people that -- that this is not what they thought was going to happen when they elected President Obama four years ago.
Yes, the president is arguing and, you know, he certainly has valid points about the fact that the economy was very, very bad when he took office, but the question for voters out there, particularly those independent swing voters who actually at this point see Romney as more important and more of a leader on the economy than Obama.
The Romney campaign needs to keep that out there and has to keep those independent voters on their side of the ledger, which is why he did break away from his vacation, didn't miss a beat.
LEMON: Right.
BASH: This was clearly planned for him to come out there with that kind of very carefully set backdrop, no question.
LEMON: Yes, you know, this is one of the last jobs reports before -- before the election. Thank you very much, Dana Bash. Stand by. We may be getting back to you, but, again, we're following breaking news here on CNN.
Both the Romney campaign, the Obama campaign responding. President Obama responding to this dismal jobs report. Poppy Harlow joins us now from New York.
I want to go back to a couple things, Poppy, because you've been breaking these numbers down that Mitt Romney talked about. He said if you look at the people who have stopped looking for work.
HARLOW: Yes.
LEMON: He says the actual unemployment number is about 15 percent for Americans, and he also said 41 months above 8 percent -- HARLOW: Yes.
LEMON: That unemployment has been. Break that down for us. Tell us about that. Is he correct with that 15 percent number?
HARLOW: He is correct with that 15 percent number. Just looking at the report from the Labor Department, it's actually 14.9 percent, and he said nearly 15 percent.
The reason is there are two and a half million Americans, Don, that can work, they are able to work, but those two and a half million Americans are not looking for work.
Either they are discouraged or they have given up for some reason, and I think this is almost the most important number in this report because this shows us that the true unemployment rate is not 8.2 percent.
It is closer -- it is higher than that, and -- and when you count in those people, you see the situation that Mitt Romney was addressing and that the president will address later today.
Also important in this is that 14.9 percent of people that are working right now are underemployed, meaning they are working part- time, just a little bit here and there, not enough for them to feel like they can adequately get by.
Mitt Romney said 41 months where we haven't had the 8 percent or below unemployment that the president promised. What I can tell you is that it hasn't been since just right after the inauguration, when the president was inaugurated, unemployment in this country was 7.8 percent.
In February, it ticked up to 8.3 percent. It has not been below 8 percent really since right after the president was inaugurated, and that's what Mitt Romney is talking about.
These are just the hard numbers. You can't dispute the numbers. I will say though those factors that are not under the president's control, not under anyone's control, Don, is what's happening in Europe right now.
And Europe is at a tipping point and that impacts our economy because Europe is the biggest consumer, the number one consumer of our goods in this country. When they are not buying as much for us, not as many people are working in this country.
LEMON: Thank you, Poppy Harlow. Thank you, Dana Bash and, of course, Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange. We'll check in with Alison to see how the markets are reacting in just a moment.
We have some other news to tell you about here. We'll also tell you that the president is going to speak at 10:45 here on CNN. You'll see it live.
Now the news, $1 million, that's the new bond set for George Zimmerman by a Florida judge. So will Zimmerman be released from jail today? We are watching that, and I'll get reaction from the attorney for the family of Trayvon Martin.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Each week seems to bring a new twist in this case, the Trayvon Martin case. George Zimmerman could be released from jail as soon as today, and if he posts enough money towards a $1 million bond, a Florida judge granted that bond, but issued new restrictions on Zimmerman's release.
The judge believes Zimmerman, who is accused in the murder of Trayvon Martin, could be a flight risk. Zimmerman's initial bond was revoked after he and his wife failed to disclose more than $150,000 in public donations to his defense fund.
Joining me now is Benjamin Crump. He is the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family. He is in New Orleans. Mr. Crump, I want to say this, too.
The Trayvon Martin's parents will be featured in a special panel during this weekend's Essence Festival. We saw our very own Soledad O'Brien there earlier.
Tell us what the family is saying about this development, and then I'll talk to you about that press conference and what they plan to say. What do they think about this development?
BENJAMIN CRUMP, TRAYVON MARTIN FAMILY ATTORNEY: Well, Don, they have said all along that they would rather the killer of their unarmed child remain in jail until trial.
However, they respect the ruling of the court and especially the very strong message that the judge sent. But that being said, it is an emotional roller coaster for them because no matter what happens Trayvon is dead, and he's not coming back.
LEMON: Emotional roller coaster. I imagine, you know, obviously there are ups and there are downs and you have spent almost every moment with this family.
That -- what do you mean by emotional roller coaster? What are the emotions? What happens to this family? What kind of issues is it causing?
CRUMP: Well, you know, every time something happens, and I think they have come to the understanding that it's not a sprint to justice, but it's going to be a long journey to justice that they are going to have to bear on behalf of their son, Trayvon.
And it's one of those things you can imagine that as a parent you lose your child in this manner, and you have people saying terrible things, and you say, but all my son was doing was walking home that night.
He had every right to walk home and now he's dead, and -- and there's a big question whether his killer is going to be held accountable.
LEMON: Yes.
CRUMP: If that was your child, it would just mess you up inside.
LEMON: I have to ask you this, Mr. Crump, because many have said that this case has been tried in public and that George Zimmerman has already been found guilty in the public.
And also as well as in -- in the media, and the -- the family's watching this, you have been watching this. You say they are respectful. They are not happy about him being granted bond, but they are respectful of the justice system. What do you make of that?
CRUMP: Well, let me respond to what you said being tried in the media and public. Remember, Don, how this thing unfolded. The grass root community and the people, the killer of their child never would have been arrested.
He never would have been brought to justice to have a trial, and so it is because the media and the public that we're even at this point, because they were ready to sweep his death under the rug.
And that's the tragedy of this whole thing that to them it was as if their child had no value. The system was just ready to sweep him under the rug, and if it was reversed and Trayvon shot George Zimmerman, everyone knows Trayvon would have been arrested that night.
We can't forget. That and also, Don, history and statistics are on George Zimmerman's side. Normally when a Caucasian kills a minority, they are not held accountable to the same level that minorities are if they kill a Caucasian, and that's just statistics.
LEMON: Yes. Listen, I'm running out of time here, and I want to be respectful, but press conference at 1:30 today Eastern Time with Trayvon Martin's family? What's that all about?
CRUMP: Yes. Everybody has been trying to have their reaction to the bond amount, Don, and we think it's easier on them to just do it all at one time and not have them have to relive it over and over through every interview.
LEMON: And they are going to do that in New Orleans, all right, 12:30 central, 1:30 Eastern Time. Benjamin Crump, thank you very much.
CRUMP: Thank you, Don.
LEMON: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back, everyone. It's a very busy Friday. President Obama will likely address a new jobs report from Ohio when he speaks here in just a few minutes. He's expected any moment now, between now and 10:45, but it may be tough to put a positive spin on those numbers.
Here they are. The Labor Department says the June jobless rate was unchanged at 8.2 percent. Employers added 80,000 jobs for the month, fewer than expected.
The president will speak in about 10 minutes, in about 10 minutes here, and we'll bring it to you live right here on CNN.
The man who wants to replace President Obama in the White House, Mitt Romney wasting no time in giving his thoughts on the latest jobs report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: We have seen the jobs report this morning, and it is another kick in the gut to middle class family. It's consistent with what I've heard as I've gone across the country and met with families in their homes, in cafes and restaurants and in break rooms.
American families are struggling. There's a lot of misery in America today, and these numbers understate what people are feeling and the amount of pain which is owe cuing in middle class America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Here's what Mitt Romney went on to say. He went on to say that it is time for Americans to, quote, "Choose if they want more of the same when it comes to the president's policies on the economy."
I want to get to Wall Street now to see how investors view this latest disappointing jobs report. Will your retirement savings take a beating today?
Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with reaction. What are you hearing? What do you have for us, Alison?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And you've got investors running for the exits. You see the Dow down triple digits, 137 points.
Look, even before getting the June jobs report, the expectation for this report was already low. The expectation would be that there would be an additional 95,000 jobs added.
So the 80,000 number, that couldn't even live up to the lower expectation so the big worry here this looks like it's turning into more of a trend than a blip.
You look at the jobs picture from April through June, Don. It's turned out to be the weakest job quarter in two years, so for three months in a row now these job additions to the U.S. economy are below 100,000.
It's just not good enough to bring down the unemployment rate, which you really need to see are anywhere from 300,000 to 400,000 jobs added month after month after month to help the economy dig out of the hole, dig out of the recession that we were in.
You know, one analyst puts it this way saying the economic recovery is clearly stuck in quicksand -- Don.
LEMON: All right, Alison, thank you very much. You know, later today President Obama will return to the White House to sign a new bill into law. It focuses on transportation and student loans and carries a price tag of $105 billion.
It will fund highway and transit projects for two years, and it extends a 3.4 percent interest rate on certain federal student loans and many students will no doubt be breathing a sigh of relief when that bill is signed. And one of those students joins me now via Skype. Her name is Amanda Bardonner and she is a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
Amanda, welcome. You've been active in lobbying for increases in student funding for college. What are your thoughts now?
AMANDA BARDONNER, SENIOR, ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY (via Skype): Hi Don thank you for having me. It's an exciting day for students. This is something that I know myself personally have been lobbying for along with students across Minnesota and the country.
It's certainly exciting that Congress was able to find the solution and find the money for it and that the President is going to sign it into law today.
LEMON: Yes so, you know, Amanda, this bill will only keep those low rates in place for one year and that year can go by quickly. Is that good enough and -- and what will it take to -- to reach a long- term solution, do you think?
BARDONNER: It's certainly not good enough, but I think that there needs to be a really intense conversation about higher education in our country. And that our legislators and our politicians need to really make a sound investment in education if they want the economy and jobs to get better.
And I think that we see this in the history of our country. We see this in other countries that a strong education for some who really does best at those things. And I think that students are really excited to engage in those conversations. We've shown last year that we're ready and at the table and so we just need them to be at the table as well.
LEMON: When you're in school, especially when you're getting close to getting out, you're worried about your studies, about your GPA, about sending out resumes and also about the job markets.
So what advice do you have for students who may be worried about how they are going to pay for college, with or without the extension and whether or not there's going to even be jobs. You heard the jobs report as well.
BARDONNER: We certainly did. There are a couple of things that I would recommend to students and families. First is as they're entering college really make sure that you are filling out the FAFSA and that you look at all of your federal loans first.
About 75 percent of students who are taking out private loans which usually have a higher interest rate are actually not using all of their federal loan options which means that they are more apt to predatory lending and those higher interest rates like I said.
The second part for students who are already in college, really be smart about what you're spending in college you see that 90 percent of our students at my university are working at least a part-time job and for so students who are doing everything they can, but then for graduating students like myself really make sure that you're looking at those jobs, that you're making your resume stand out and that you're getting involved while you're in college so that can you show employers what you have to offer when you enter the job market.
LEMON: Amanda Bardonner, thank you very much. We appreciate you joining us here on CNN.
BARDONNER: Thank you.
LEMON: And we have a reminder. The President will speak in about ten minutes in Poland, Ohio. He is expected to discuss the jobs report. We'll bring it to you live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. It's the issue that could very well decide this year's presidential election. I'm talking about jobs. Weak hiring by the nation's employers is posing a big challenge for President Obama who is using his first bus tour of the campaign to -- to tell Ohio voters how one of his key initiatives, the bailout of the auto industry, helped some Americans keep their jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So when folks said let's go ahead and let the auto industry go bankrupt, we said no let's bet on American workers. Let's bet on American industries, and now GM is back on top and Chrysler is moving and Ford is going strong --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And Ohio marks the final stop on our CNN NEWSROOM special series "Rust Belt Road Trip", it's a state with historical significance in the race for the White House. No presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy has won the election without the Buckeye state.
And while a House unemployment rate of 7.3 is below the national average and seemingly a good sign for the President's re-election hopes our Poppy Harlow found that his support among some auto workers there has taken a hit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM (voice-over): Day four on our drive across the Rust Belt. What I'm learning in these factory towns is that there are many different stories, many different perspectives.
(on camera): How is the economy doing here in Warren, Ohio?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm trying to think of different ways to say horrible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The economy is doing fine here in God's country.
HARLOW: You voted for President Obama in 2008. What about this year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not a chance.
HARLOW (voice-over): Warren, Ohio and Lordstown, Ohio, two towns 15 minutes apart with two very different stories.
(on camera): Does this town really revolve around the GM plant?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
HARLOW: No question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No question.
HARLOW: We met Sherry Gaunt in Lordstown, long-time GM worker and vice president of the local United Autoworkers.
SHERRY GAUNT, GM WORKER: Look where GM is right now.
If the government didn't step in, it might not be working, we might not have a job.
HARLOW (on camera): Here at GM's Lordstown, Ohio plant they are cranking out the Chevy Cruze. The plant has gone from one shift of 2,200 workers in 2009 to three shifts with 4,500 workers today.
(voice-over): But like most autoworkers these days Sherry's felt the pain of layoffs.
(on camera): How much does the auto bailout play in to politics for you today in this election?
SHERRY GAUNT: It means everything.
HARLOW: Everything?
GAUNT: Everything. Because the future, we're doing real well right now.
HARLOW: Her co-workers told us a similar story.
(on camera): Who are you supporting for President?
MARK HAEFFNER, UAW GENERAL MOTORS WORKER: Obama.
HARLOW: Why?
HAEFFNER: Because he's for the working class, and he helped with the bailout.
MITCHELL HALL, UAW GENERAL MOTORS WORKER: Yes, it speaks a lot about his character. It speaks about his concern for us.
HARLOW (voice-over): But in Warren, Ohio some former autoworkers are angry.
BRUCE GUMP, FORMER AUTO WORKER: I was one of the innovators.
HARLOW: Bruce Gump worked at auto parts supplier Delphi for 34 years, a senior engineer, non-union.
(on camera): What did the auto bailout mean to you?
GUMP: The auto bailout, the effect on me and my family is a loss of all of my health care insurance, a loss of all of my life insurance, a reduction of my pension by 30 percent for the rest of my life.
HARLOW: He and his fellow Delphi retirees think they have been thrown under the bus by the Obama administration.
GUMP: He certainly didn't protect my pension. I was just road kill, and to be kicked to the curb and out of the way. HARLOW (voice-over): Bruce Gump says he and thousands of salaried Delphi retirees saw their pensions slashed and lost their health and insurance benefits as part of the deal so Delphi could emerge from bankruptcy in 2009. General Motors needed its biggest supplier, Delphi, to be healthy.
(on camera): What are you fighting for right now? What do you want to see?
GUMP: The full restoration of our pensions.
HARLOW: He's fighting here and in Washington.
GUMP: Simply put, our decades of effort for the company were considered to be valueless to this administration.
HARLOW: The retirees have sued to get their pensions back, but the case is moving slowly.
(on camera): I'm Poppy, I'm from CNN.
(voice-over): When they heard we were coming to town, a group of retirees and their families showed up.
(on camera): Raise your hand if you supported President Obama in the last election. Raise your hand if you're supporting President Obama this year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't bail us out. He left us behind.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I've lost 40 percent of my pension, all of my health care and all my life insurance. For the first time in my life my husband and I this past spring asked for the Republican Party ticket.
HARLOW (voice-over): President Obama will be a hard sell for these folks in Ohio, a state he's visited more times than any other, a state he's fighting hard to win again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: And as Don said at the beginning of this, Ohio is critical. A President has not made it to the White House, a candidate has not made it to the White House since 1964 without winning Ohio.
What fascinated me, Don, about being there and talking to these different groups is that they were so close, 15-minute drive apart, but their personal realities, their personal economies were so vastly different. One group telling me things are great here. Another saying it's horrible, and it all comes down to whether the policies of this administration have helped you or if they have not.
And that's what this whole election is about, your personal economy and how voters feel. Do they have a job? Are they making enough to really get by? Or do they want to see a change. And that's the big question. Ohio, the most fascinating stop for me, at least, on this road trip.
LEMON: It's great to get out of the confines of the studio and talk to the American people.
HARLOW: Yes.
LEMON: I'm really enjoying your Rustbelt series. Thank you very much Poppy Harlow.
And speaking of the Midwest and Rustbelt, live pictures now, latest stop in the Obama bus tour. He's in Poland, Ohio, heading there to Poland from Akron where in just a few minutes he's going to be commenting about the economy and the latest disappointing jobs numbers and the numbers on unemployment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Waiting for the President to speak live.
We want to catch you up on some of your top stories. World leaders are putting more pressure on the Syrian regime to step down. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the people deserve a democratically-elected government, but she says getting rid of President Bashar al Assad won't be easy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: This is a regime with a massive war machine. I'm sure many of you followed the back and forth I had with the Russian government over sending the attack helicopters they were refurbishing back to Syria, and I thank the United Kingdom and other European countries for very clearly expressing their refusal to allow that ship to go forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The opposition says at least 50 more people have been killed across Syria today.
This morning crews in East Tennessee are looking for other possible victims after severe storms with 70-mile-an-hour winds hit overnight. At least two people were killed in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Police say a woman was hit by a falling tree and a man wrecked his motorcycle. At least eight other people are injured. Storms also knocked out power to thousands and damaged several homes.
Soda security? Air travelers in Grand Junction, Colorado say TSA agents are screening their sodas, juices and their water drinks that they bought after going through security. Some passengers are worried their drinks may not be safe. TSA won't say why they are testing but remind all passengers that security screening can pop up even at airport gates and waiting areas.
President Barack Obama will likely address a new jobs report when he speaks in Ohio at any moment. We are standing by, but, you know, it may be tough to put a positive spin on those numbers.
Here they are. The Labor Department says the June jobless rate was unchanged at 8.2 percent. Employers added 80,000 jobs for the month -- fewer than expected.
The economy has become the issue in the presidential politics, and for good reason. In a tight election it could single-handedly decide this race. A CNN/ORC poll shows that more than half of independent voters, more than half of independent voters think Romney would better handle the nation's sluggish economy. 52 percent choose him compared to 41 percent for President Obama.
Again, at any moment we're waiting to hear from the President. Dan Lothian standing by in Poland, Ohio. Dan, what do we expect to hear from the President?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, Don, as we're speaking here, the President just pulled in, so we should be hearing from him shortly, but we expect the president to echo the words put out in a statement by the chairman of his council of economic advisers Alan Kruger who said that there are no quick fixes here. That this is a problem that's been developing over the last decade. And so it will take time to turn this economy around.
But expect the President also to highlight what he has been doing every time these disappointing numbers have come out over the last several months, and that is that private sector job growth continues for the 28th straight month. That is something, again, that the President has been highlighting.
Now, as if to offset some of the disappointing news today, the President stopped at a nearby manufacturing plant. It's a food manufacturing plant that the White House says has been expanding. They have added some jobs recently and are looking to add additional employees down the road. So he's trying to show that there is some progress being made but that it will take some time to turn this ailing economy around -- Don.
LEMON: Going to try to put a -- at least as positive a spin on these numbers as he can. You heard Mitt Romney earlier, of course, saying, you know, that the jobs numbers are dismal and saying it reflects the President's policies and that his policies have failed on this.
I'm sure the President, he has been addressing those issues before. I'm sure he's going to address it in this speech when we hear from him in just a couple of moments.
LOTHIAN: That's right, and we heard that yesterday during the first full day of his bus tour here in Ohio. By the way, he heads from here to Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be exact, and the President has been talking about all the negative attacks as he put it from Republicans, not only in speeches and events but also on the airwaves, in their commercials, their political ads. So we expect the President to talk about this as well.
Certainly this jobs report does give Republicans a lot of ammunition, as you've been putting out, not only the RNC but also Mitt Romney, the Republican presumptive nominee who has been going after the President saying that unemployment at 8.2 percent, above 8 percent now for so long is a major problem for this President.
It just shows that his economic policies are not working and that it's time for a change. It's time for mitt Romney to try and fix this economy, but the President will point out that republicans have been throwing out a lot of, in his words, bad ideas and they have nothing new here to actually turn the economy around.
LEMON: Yes. You know, Mitt Romney in his speech, he, of course, Dan, he spoke out at the top of the hour here on CNN in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire where he was vacationing at the site of his family's lakehouse there.
He talked about what he called the real job numbers because many people have just dropped out of and stopped looking for work. He said it's around 15 percent, also saying it's going to be tough for the President to prove to the American people that he deserves to be re- elected when for 41 straight months the job numbers have been -- the unemployment number has been above 8 percent.
And, of course, we know, history shows, that when -- when unemployment is above 7 percent, it's hard for an incumbent to be re-elected here. So he's got a tough road to hoe, as they say.
LOTHIAN: He does, but I'll tell you what. The President in these two battleground states here in Ohio and then in Pennsylvania is able to do this. He can point to the unemployment numbers in both of these states. Here in Ohio 7.3 percent and in Pennsylvania 7.4 percent. That is below the national average of 8.2 percent. And what the President says is that his policies are working here. It's expanding manufacturing and specifically he's been playing up what his administration has done to rescue the auto industry.
That plays well here in some of the towns that we've been going to and visiting over the last 24 hours. Many of the folks there have been employed by the auto industry, either directly or some of the side businesses that supply these auto manufacturers.
And now they are seeing expansion. New jobs coming to the region, and so the President can tout that, that things are turning around here. But, you know, Republicans are hitting him back. They are on there, Mitt Romney has his surrogates here who are sending out the message that really the unemployment situation just shows that the President's policies are not working. Manufacturing is not as strong as the President is saying and that the middle class is hurting under the President's policies, and they say that the President is just on this bus tour to try and cover all of this up.
LEMON: Yes. And not to sugar coat the numbers are terrible, but, you know, I've been hearing from people, and we read there have been a number of months of positive jobs growth. They will say at least, at least there is growth, and we aren't losing any jobs. They had expected more -- go ahead.
LOTHIAN: Exactly. I think that's the important thing, and that's what the President and others on the campaign and the administration will point to is that they are not losing jobs, that the situation is much different than when the President first took office when the economy was bleeding jobs, so it's -- economists will say -- yes.
Listen. Listen -- I'll let you finish that thought on the other side of the break. We want to get a break in because we're waiting for the President.
LOTHIAN: Sure.
LEMON: We'll get back to you, Can, don't worry about it. You know, the crowd there. You saw people holding up their fingers in the crowd there in Ohio, and they were chanting four more years. We're waiting for the President to speak at any moment here on CNN. You won't miss it. We're back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Back now live. You're looking at an elementary school in Poland, Ohio. This gentleman will be introducing the President of the United States where he's expected to talk about the jobs report coming out today. Only 80,000 jobs added in the month of June. Unemployment still at 8.2 percent.
Our Dan Lothian is there. Dan, before the break you were making a point there. Finish your statement, please.
LOTHIAN: Yes. The point I was making, Don is that, you know, economists have pointed out, yes what you're seeing here are small numbers of jobs being created, but it's not enough to really fuel a recovery. You need to be creating many more jobs to push a recovery. So, on the one hand the President is able to say, look, we're not losing any jobs here. We are creating some jobs, certainly below even expectations, but it's not enough to really push this economic recovery.
LEMON: So, Dan, the President is speaking at this school, and he's obviously on his bus tour. We call it Bus Force One. It's part of his tour in the Midwest and then heading back to Washington today. Why this particular school? Does this hold any significance?
LOTHIAN: This school itself no significance, but what the President has been doing on this tour is going through some of the small towns that are heavily populated, but the small towns here in Ohio that went for the President and supported the President in 2008 and was key to his win in this state, also in the state of Pennsylvania.
And so the President is reaching out in a very personal way. We saw him this morning sitting down for breakfast with three workers at a Goodyear tire plant, meeting them face to face. A lot of these folks are what we would call the blue collar workers and voters, and so the President reaching out to them in a personal way trying to hold on to these voters in 2012. Again --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Dan Lothian, the President has stepped up to the podium. Let's listen in. The President of the United States, everyone.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: How's it going, Poland? Well, it is good to be here. Everybody, everybody have a seat.
(SPEECH OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA)
