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Lincoln Scholar Compares Obama and Lincoln; A Look at How the Australian Fires Become So Deadly; PayPal Creator Works to Put Colony on Mars; Paper E-Reader May Make Paper a Thing of the Past.
Aired February 08, 2009 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: President Lincoln and President Obama -- we have just the man to explain their connection in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM which begins right now.
Getting the economy back on track: Hundreds of billions of your tax dollars are at stake and it's all playing out over the next few days. Senate Democrats say they have enough votes to pass an economic stimulus bill this week. Three moderate Republicans support a slimmed down version of the bill, but most Republicans are not budging. It was a hot topic on the Sunday morning talk shows.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: I think it's the greatest transfer of -- not only spending -- but authority and responsibility to government. I think it's massive. It's much larger than any measure that was taken during the Great Depression.
I think it has policy changes in it, which are fundamentally bad for America -- for example, their "Buy America" provisions. That's protectionism. It didn't work at any time in our history. But most of all, because I think this can only be described as generational theft.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER, (D) NEW YORK: The most important thing is that we are not going to let small differences stand in the way of passing this very strong bill, which the American economy desperately needs. To quibble over small little things and let the bill go down would be a huge mistake for the American people, given the state of our economy and the need for a real shot in the arm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Here's where things stand in the struggle to reach an agreement on a recovery plan: The Senate is expected to pass its version of the bill on Tuesday. It would go to a conference committee that must work out a compromise between the House and Senate. Then both the House and Senate have to pass the revised legislation before sending it eventually to President Obama.
The president is expected to discuss all of this tomorrow when he holds the first primetime news conference of his administration. CNN will carry it live starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
All right. The president wants to sign the stimulus bill on Presidents Day, a week from tomorrow. That may be a tall order. CNN's Elaine Quijano looks at the continuing controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a fight for the massive economic recovery plan, only a handful of Republican senators supports the bill. Richard Shelby is not one of them.
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, (R) ALABAMA: We're going down a road to financial disaster. Everybody on the street in America understands that. This is not the right road to go. We'll pay dearly.
QUIJANO: Senator John McCain also opposes the bill.
MCCAIN: This is generational theft what's taking place now. We're laying multi-trillion dollars of debt on future generations of Americans. I can't -- I can't support such a thing.
QUIJANO: Only GOP senators Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter back the plan. Lonely positions within their party, acknowledged in radio ads by Obama supporters.
NARRATOR: Maine's two senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are providing the leadership we need to get the job done.
QUIJANO: The plan is expected to pass in the Senate, but will face another hurdle when Senate and House negotiators try to resolve differences between their versions of the bill. The president's economic advisers sought to minimize the differences.
LAWRENCE SUMMERS, DIR., NATL. ECONOMIC COUNCIL: But the most important thing is that people come together and create the 3 million to 4 million jobs. You know, there's 90 percent overlap.
QUIJANO: But the remaining differences could prove to be difficult sticking points for House Democrats. One example, the Senate version calls for billions less in state aid for education and school construction.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano joins us live from the White House. So, President Obama traveling to Indiana tomorrow -- almost as if he's campaigning again, but this time he kind of is, for the stimulus plan.
QUIJANO: That's exactly right. And we should mention as well, on Tuesday, he's going to be heading to Fort Myers, Florida. In addition to that, and as you noted at the top, the president is going to be holding his first primetime news conference. What he's basically trying to do here is lay out in real world terms the idea that this measure really needs to be passed quickly and on his desk -- again, that deadline that he wants is February 16th, Presidents Day. But as you saw in the piece there, there's a great deal of skepticism that exists, not only among GOP senators, but even people out in the American public. So, the president is going to try and illustrate with, perhaps, some real world stories of why it is so necessary for Washington to move forward, to break through any kind of gridlock and get something done. He'll try to do that with these town hall meetings -- just quickly -- Elkhart, Indiana, where unemployment is 15 percent; Fort Myers, Florida, unemployment there is 10 percent -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Wow. And then there's still the leftover from that $700 billion financial bailout. And I understand, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will be talking about that or at least addressing it this week as well.
QUIJANO: That's right. Originally, we were expecting that to come in a speech tomorrow. Now, we are told by the Treasury Department that because they do, in fact, the administration wants to focus on the economic stimulus plan tomorrow, that they are actually pushing that back to Tuesday. Now, we're not really clear if that's going to be in another speech or whether or not Secretary Geithner is just going to spell out those details. He's already scheduled to testify before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday morning. So perhaps that will be the venue.
So, right now, the immediate focus is going to be on the stimulus plan. And that's why that announcement has been pushed back by a day on the financial rescue plan -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Elaine Quijano -- thanks so much -- from the White House.
All right. Again, a reminder. President Obama will hold his first primetime news conference tomorrow night. CNN will, of course, carry that live, 8:00 o'clock Eastern Time.
Massive wildfires are burning out of control in southeastern Australia. The inferno is already being called the deadliest fire disaster in the nation's history. More than 100 people have been killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRIME MINISTER KEVIN RUDD, AUSTRALIA: Hell and all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours. And many good people now lie dead.
You know something? You're here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) never thought I would (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd trying to console the growing number of people made homeless now. As of now, 108 people have been killed. At least 640 homes and structures charred.
Two small towns have been burned to the ground. In all, more than a half million acres have been blackened, and there are reports that some of the fires actually may have been deliberately set. One man has been arrested and charged. Australia's government has created nearly a $7 million relief fund.
For fire victims, many of whom are still in a state of shock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twenty-five years, it's gone. I've worked so hard to get that house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's devastating. It's heart-wrenching, and some people that we know, I think they've lost two of their young kids. That's even worse.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please just stay out of those areas until we can actually get in, make sure it's safe, and deal with some of the consequences and certainly some of these very sad deaths that we are seeing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: In this country now, first he called the situation idiotic. Now the sheriff who helped rescue dozens of stranded fishermen on Lake Erie yesterday says authorities should consider civil penalties against those fishermen. The U.S. Coast Guard used choppers and air boats to reach 134 fishermen stranded on an ice floe that broke away from the Ohio shoreline. Authorities say a 65-year- old man fell in the water and then died of an apparent heart attack.
Listen to what the sheriff told me yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF SHERIFF BOB BRATTON, OTTAWA COUNTY, OHIO: Our financial status going across the country, this was wrong. These people endangered lives of volunteer firemen, the United States Coast Guard. I have estimated already we're well over $25,000 for this, and I'm sure that's going to climb. I'm sorry a man lost his life out there today. These people should have known better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And so, now listen to what one of those rescued fishermen told CNN last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CORY COMAR, RESCUED FROM ICE FLOE: He doesn't know the situation, first of all, that there was an ice breaker boat that drove through around 9:00, 10:00 o'clock, broke the ice up, allowed the ice to be able to give away. So the combination with the wind and the icebreaker, made this situation.
This situation normally doesn't happen. This is the first warm day we had. The ice was at least 16 inches thick. And, you know, we pay taxes. He got to do his job. And it's very disappointing to hear him say that. He should, you know, it's part his job. I'm sorry that we had him do his job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Sheriff Bratton says the rescue effort probably cost authorities about $20,000.
Jacqui Jeras is in the severe weather center. And we've been talking earlier about the ice on Lake Erie and other great lakes. And how, really, pretty unpredictable these scenarios can be.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, they can be. You know, ice is never 100 percent safe. Not ever. You know, they say if it's light and crispy, way too risky. And some of the pictures that we've been seeing, it looks like that really white ice out there.
But, you know, they put down a pallet so that they could get between a ice crack. Anytime you have independent ice like that and water underneath, you know, water temperatures are changeable. Water flows and the wind pushes the ice around. There's always some kind of a risk involved.
So, really, unfortunate case of what happened yesterday but always want to really play it safe and think ahead, as you think you're going to go ahead and venture out on the ice. And temperatures have been warm there. Temperatures have been warm here.
And temperatures have been very warm in Australia. We've seen the amazing pictures and the heat so strong that we're seeing incredible signatures on the satellite. There you can see them from the satellite that we put on Google Earth for you, just to give you an idea of where some of these fires are.
And it's really the ones down there in the southeastern part of the country, down by Victoria, down near Melbourne, where they are so intense and then we'll zoom you in a little bit further and show you the Marysville area as well. And you can see all of that heat just surrounding in and around that town.
Now, we've got temperatures way above average here in the United States as well. We're talking as much as 20 degrees above normal across parts of the southern plains and into the southeast, 74 in Charleston as well as Charlotte right now, 73 in Jackson, Mississippi, and 72 degrees in Dallas. And that warm air still moving in up across the plains. You know, 40 degrees right now in Chicago, that's not too shabby; 37 in Minneapolis when we were talking about 20s below zero not all that long ago.
And tomorrow, we're going to continue to stay warm in this area. But the problem is, we got some cooler air along with some disturbances moving in from the west. Nothing really problematic right now, but we may be seeing some severe weather developing in the next couple of hours right in this area across New Mexico and Texas -- Fredricka? WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Jacqui.
Well, she had a dream and a business plan. We'll meet one entrepreneur who's had success in this very tough economy, how to strike out on your own.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Layoffs spark a new trend. People who are losing their jobs are making doctors appointments before their health insurance runs out. I spoke with CNN senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, and she says this isn't necessarily a good idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, that's what a lot of people are doing, Fredricka. And the reason why we're writing this "Empowered Patient" column is that that is not necessarily a good idea. You can imagine ...
WHITFIELD: Really?
COHEN: Really, absolutely. Hundreds of thousands of people are losing their jobs and many of them are told, you've got another month of health insurance. So, you say, "OK, let's cram in all the medical tests we can get."
There's a problem. One of those tests might reveal that you have some condition or disease that you didn't know about. And once that is on in your medical record, you could have a really tough time getting insurance later on. Maybe you'll get it but maybe it will be incredibly expensive.
So that really is something to keep in mind. Do I really want to find out everything I have at this particular point in my life?
WHITFIELD: Wow. OK. That's pretty alarming to hear that. So you want to put that off, but then how do you maybe take advantage if you can of the insurance that you have or whatever you have in the interim?
COHEN: Right. You have to make decisions. So, what you have to do is you have to think, "All right, if I go get my teeth cleaned, that's not going to reveal anything. That's probably safe. If I go get immunizations, you know, nothing is going to be revealed there."
But, for example, some people might have -- a mother and an aunt with breast cancer and they might think to themselves, "Well, I want to get genetic testing." Well, no, maybe you don't because if it is revealed that you have a breast cancer gene, you could really be in big trouble trying to find insurance again.
So, here are some dos. Let's put it this way. Do fill all your prescriptions. While you still have insurance, get those prescriptions filled. Even if it's not time to fill them, just go in and talk to the pharmacist. It's probably something that can be worked out.
Also, do negotiate fees with doctors. While you still have insurance, this is the time to say, "Dr. Smith, I really enjoyed you being my doctor. Next month I'm not going to have insurance. Can I come see you for a flat rate?"
We talked to one family. The pediatrician is still seeing the daughters even though there's no more health insurance for $40. The family just pays $40 per office visit and that's it. And this woman said, "I never dreamed I could negotiate a rate with a doctor," but that's exactly what she did.
And for more tips, you can go to CNN.com/health. More hints -- what do you do when you are about to be laid off, what do you do in your waning days of health insurance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Elizabeth Cohen there.
OK. So, with all the layoffs, something else is happening, a lot of people are having to strike out on their own. Sheri Spurlock opened a glove shop in Breckenridge, Colorado. She shared her story through iReport. And we thought it was so interesting and intriguing, we invited her to join our show. So, today, she's joining us from Denver.
Good to see you.
SHERI SPURLOCK, ENTREPRENEUR: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: We're hearing a lot of economists say right now is a great time, even though everything else is falling apart economy-wise, now is a great time for people to start out their own businesses. Was it easy for you to get started?
SPURLOCK: You know, it wasn't easy, but I did a lot of research, and I picked Breckenridge as a perfect place to go because it's affordable. It's middle-income. And I knew that the middle-income people would be my target market.
WHITFIELD: But you really went out on a big limb because here you were living in Las Vegas and you decided not only to start your own business but uproot yourself completely, move now to Breckenridge, Colorado, to start your own business. How did you get started?
SPURLOCK: You know I did ...
WHITFIELD: Once the idea came about, then what?
SPURLOCK: I had somebody that believed in me and my business plan. I created a business plan and I felt it throughout my body that it would work.
(LAUGHTER)
SPURLOCK: And I ...
WHITFIELD: As you wear your gloves now.
SPURLOCK: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: I saw that.
SPURLOCK: I have some wonderful gloves.
(LAUGHTER)
SPURLOCK: And I went for it. You know, I had to have a lot of guts.
WHITFIELD: And, was it an issue of, "You know what, let me think of something I really love. I love gloves. I know somebody else out there loves them, too. Let me come up with a really cute little shop idea and, you know, run with it."
But then, you've got to have money to get it started. Did you go to a bank? Did you go the traditional route and say, "Hey, give me a loan"?
SPURLOCK: You know, I went to my dear, sweet ex-husband who funded me. I went to my bank ...
WHITFIELD: He is dear, sweet.
SPURLOCK: I went to my bank, and they couldn't do it. But ...
WHITFIELD: And he coughed up the funds for you, your ex?
SPURLOCK: Yes, he did. A wonderful man.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
SPURLOCK: A lovely man. And now, I'm ready to go to the bank to see if I can get a line of credit.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK. But might that be a little tricky? We're hearing a lot of analysts say that right now, you know, banks are tightening up, even on those lines of credit.
SPURLOCK: I'm -- yes, it's going to be tricky.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
SPURLOCK: I will have a business plan for them. And my feeling is, if these banks don't get lending, businesses like mine won't get going and keep going, but I don't say no. I go with a plan and show my numbers and take care of my business. I am there 24/7 and I expect to make it. WHITFIELD: All right. So, you know, give us some advice for people who want to follow your footsteps. They want to branch out and do their own thing. But, one of the things that's keeping them from doing that is risk. It's a scary thing just being out there on your own.
What's your best advice to someone who says, "I want to do it, but I'm a little nervous"?
SPURLOCK: You know, my best advice is to do your homework. It is scary. It's scary to leave the ground that you've walked on for years but you have to get out there. You have to take care of yourself. You have to take a risk. And change is good.
WHITFIELD: And how did you come up with your business plan?
SPURLOCK: Oh, well, there's all kinds of business plan software, but I've been in business before. For 30 years, I've been self- employed. And I knew how to create a business plan. I knew what to do for that.
So, it wasn't -- it wasn't something that I hadn't done before, and there's a lot of ways to create a business plan, and I definitely suggest people that if they have a dream or a thought, that they do a business plan and follow it and talk to their banker, talk to their CPA, talk to people in the community.
WHITFIELD: And, you know what? A lot of business folks say, you know what, you don't want to try to reinvent the wheel. You really have to fill a need.
So, tell me in your last, you know, few minutes here, few seconds actually, to tell me what is it that's unique about your glove shop that you believed in that would be a hit because you are not coming up with a new concept. Gloves, we all know that they are out there, but there is something about your shop that you've got to lure customers in.
SPURLOCK: Actually, there are no other shops in the country that are just glove boutique shops. I have a very small 300-square-foot boutique shop. I have over 140 styles -- different styles of gloves for men and women. There's two in the United States. Me in Breckenridge, Colorado, Handandglove.com ...
WHITFIELD: Where people are skiing and need to keep their hands warm.
SPURLOCK: ... and in New York. And that's it. Otherwise, they go into a clothing store or a large chain and pick out some pair of gloves.
WHITFIELD: Wow. All right.
SPURLOCK: That's it.
WHITFIELD: Sheri Spurlock, thanks so much, a very inventive idea. And clearly, right now, it's proving to be very successful for you. And I'm sure a lot of folks who want to start their own business have learned a lot from you already. Sheri Spurlock ...
SPURLOCK: Thank you. It's challenging, but it's good.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it can't be easy because nothing good ever is, right?
SPURLOCK: No. That's right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much.
SPURLOCK: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: A hand and glove shop in Breckenridge. So, when you're skiing or anything else in Breckenridge, check out Sheri.
SPURLOCK: Yes. And check out Breckenridge.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK, and Breckenridge. Thanks so much, Sheri. Appreciate it.
SPURLOCK: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. On to a little music coming up. Will Coldplay rule the Grammy Awards tonight? They are nominated for best new album but they aren't alone in that category. Or will this be hip-hop's year?
(MUSIC)
WHITFIELD: Live in L.A. with a preview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, the stars are out in London tonight for the BAFTA Awards. That's the British equivalent of the Oscars. Among the big Hollywood talent that flew across the pond -- Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Mickey Rourke. The BAFTA Awards have a reputation of predicting who just might take home an Oscar in a couple of weeks. Among the front-runners "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Slumdog Millionaire," both movies have 11 nominations each.
Hip-hop, rock, pop jazz, no matter what kind of music you like, your chances are -- your favorite will be represented at the Grammy Awards. They start handing out the hardware in just a few hours. But already, our Brooke Anderson is there in Los Angeles on the red carpet and seeing lots of big stars on their way in.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka. Yes, Barry Manilow, Trace Adkins, Little Big Town right next to me. They've all stopped by. But, you know, that most of the big stars wait until right before the show to arrive or either they are fashionably late. So, I expect a crush of people in about -- oh, an hour and a half or so.
But the Grammys are tonight. But the party started a few days ago. Friday, Neil Diamond was honored as MusicCares Person of the Year for his contribution to the recording industry.
And the best thing about that honor is that you get to see other artists performing cover versions of your songs -- Josh Groban, Eric Benet. The Jonas Brothers performed "Forever in Blue Jeans." Coldplay had an acoustic take on "I'm a Believer." Then Neil himself got up and sang a medley of his greatest hits, including one of my favorites, "Sweet Caroline," the entire sing it with him.
And listen to what Neil told us about what he's looking forward to tonight at the Grammys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL DIAMOND, ENTERTAINER: Well, I heard -- I've heard a number of the performances, and kind of hiding in the back listening to the guys and girls rehearse, I'm looking forward to Jennifer Hudson doing "Holly Holy." I'm looking forward to the Foo fighters who are going to raze the roof on this place. And Josh Groban did a beautiful, beautiful version of "Play Me." And I think it's going to be a very exciting show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And speaking of Jennifer Hudson, she performed last night at music mogul Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party. She wowed the crowd -- solo and also in a duet with Barry Manilow. And we're hearing that she will perform tonight at the Grammys, during the first hour of the telecast, that she will sing the song "You Pulled Me Through," and we're told there won't be a dry eye in the house.
She, of course, is coming off the tragedy of losing her mother, brother and nephew. Fredricka, it will be an emotional performance from her.
And if you love music, the Grammys are going to be quite a concert, 24 musical numbers in all -- the most ever.
WHITFIELD: Wow. All right, lots to look forward to. And we know you will keep us posted throughout the evening.
ANDERSON: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And into tomorrow. All right. Thanks a lot, Brooke. Appreciate it.
ANDERSON: Thanks.
WHITFIELD: All right. Lessons from a legend, President Lincoln and President Obama -- we have just the man to explain their connection.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Another look at the stories we're following for you this hour.
Senate Democrats hope to vote Tuesday on an economic stimulus legislation. They expected it to pass even though most Republicans still oppose it. Three moderate Republicans crossed party lines on Friday to support a slimmed-down version of the bill.
And wildfires sweeping Australia have killed at least108 people. Some of them burned to death in their cars while they tried to escape. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd calls it an appalling tragedy.
A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas militants violated again. Today, militants fired two rockets into southern Israel. No one was hurt, but militants also fired rockets into Israel on Friday. Israel quickly responded, launching an air strike on four tunnels and one weapons storage facility in Gaza.
The violence comes just two days before Israelis elect a new government. And the Likud Party, which favors a harder line in peace talks, is leading in the polls. Its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed today he'll not give up the strategic Golan Heights in any peace deal with Syria. The candidate for the ruling Kadima Party, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is not ruling that out. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria back in the 1967 war.
The U.N. condemns the violence in Madagascar, even as a key opposition leader calls for more protests. At least 26 people were killed yesterday when security forces opened fire on antigovernment protesters. Dozens of others were injured. The protests stemmed from an ongoing dispute about who is in charge of the government. U.N. Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is urging leaders to find a peaceful way to settle their differences.
President Obama is narrowing down his choices to fill a critical cabinet post. Health secretary, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is believed to be at the top of the list. Two Obama administration officials confirm that Sebelius met with senior White House staff last week. But officials stress that no decision has yet been made.
President Obama's first choice for health secretary, former Senator Tom Daschle, withdrew his nomination over a tax controversy.
Vice President Joe Biden is headed back to Washington after what some might call a positive mission overseas. Mr. Biden laid out the Obama administration's new foreign policy vision at a security conference in Munich, Germany. That happened just this weekend. He reaffirmed the White House's desire to resume an open dialogue with the Kremlin. That garnered an optimistic response from Russia's deputy foreign minister. He says the move could signal a restart of frank and open dialogue with the U.S. But he cautioned that it could take time.
This week, we're getting ready to celebrate the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. By now, most of you know that Lincoln is President Obama's idol. And the two presidents have a few things in common.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENE GRIESSMAN, ABRAHAM LINCOLN SCHOLAR: Not many people expected me to become president with a possible exception of my wife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Gene Griessman, that was him there, and this is him now. He's also a Lincoln scholar.
Good to see you.
He's with us to talk about the Lincoln effect on the new president. So what is it about President Lincoln that you think inspires president Obama so much?
GRIESSMAN: I think Obama sees what most of us see. And that is that Lincoln is an up-from-nothing kind of person. Here's a person who had only one year of schooling. Yet he writes two of the finest pieces ever written in the English language. He log-cabined a White House. And I think Obama sees in him, if he can do it, I can, too.
WHITFIELD: And it's interesting because when we first saw, I guess, the parallel, or we first saw the admiration that President Obama has in President Lincoln, that was when he announced his presidency. But it didn't end there. It kept going. He has carried out the parallels just as everyone else has made, I guess, comparisons about even the start of his administration, that team of rivals that president Obama has not been afraid to reach across the aisle or to look at what we're, I guess, considered nemesis and bring them on board.
GRIESSMAN: That's absolutely right.
WHITFIELD: What other similarities do you see?
GRIESSMAN: There are a number of similarities. Lincoln was a lawyer. Obama was a lawyer. Lincoln served in the legislature. Obama served in the legislature. Lincoln opposed the Mexican war. Obama opposed the Iraq war. Lincoln was a fine writer. Obama's a fine writer. In fact, they have a writerly mind. By that, I mean they loved sentences and cadences in the power of words.
WHITFIELD: That's the lawyer in them, right?
GRIESSMAN: And there's this further similarity. That's exactly right. In fact, you mentioned the team of rivals. One of these uncanny parallels from history in that Mr. Lincoln, when he chose his secretary of state, chose the person who had been the front-runner for the presidential nomination, a Senator from New York, Mr. Seward.
WHITFIELD: That sounds familiar. From New York, yes.
GRIESSMAN: And, of course, as you know, Mr. Obama chose the former front-runner, the Senator from New York, to be his secretary of state. Wonderful parallels.
WHITFIELD: And you'd think it's going to continue throughout his administration. He's not just doing this -- or others aren't, you know, drawing the parallels because it's, I guess, fashionable right now. It's interesting. But will it really have legs throughout?
GRIESSMAN: I think it will.
WHITFIELD: He will administer that way?
GRIESSMAN: I have been studying Lincoln intensely for many, many years. And I never tire of him. In fact, I find something more to admire almost every day. I think there's another parallel. In fact, a couple of parallels about Mr. Obama and Lincoln. And that is their tone. For example, Lincoln believed that the way to lead was to persuade. He talked about kind, gentle, unassuming persuasion. And I think that's the tone we see in Mr. Obama.
WHITFIELD: So his first piece of legislation, the first matter that he's really trying to get nailed down, the stimulus package. We know Lincoln is not here. We know you sometimes become him. But what do you think? Do you think President Lincoln would like the approach or embrace the approach that president Obama is toward the stimulus package?
GRIESSMAN: I think I can answer that without channeling Lincoln. I'm going to give you four...
WHITFIELD: I would like to see channeling, but go ahead.
GRIESSMAN: Well, come to one of the performances. But -- therefore, one, I think, Lincoln would say it is a great piece of folly to cut taxes when you are trying to prosecute a war. Lincoln and the smart people around him knew if you are going to prosecute a war, you have to raise taxes.
Number two, he would have supported the infrastructure bill. He believed in that. The transcontinental railroad was begun under his administration. He would have supported education. The land grant bill was passed in his time that produced the Michigan states and...
WHITFIELD: We know transportation was part this stimulus plan.
GRIESSMAN: That's right. Or he would have had regulation for what government spends.
WHITFIELD: Gene Griessman, so fabulous. I felt I had a chat with Lincoln, too.
GRIESSMAN: Thank you. That's a compliment.
WHITFIELD: The book is "Lincoln Speaks to Leaders." This is yours. We appreciate your time.
GRIESSMAN: Thanks.
WHITFIELD: And happy birthday President Lincoln.
GRIESSMAN: Feeling old these days.
WHITFIELD: But you look great.
Nowhere close to 200 years. Good to see you.
GRIESSMAN: It's nice to be here.
WHITFIELD: Nice to meet you.
All right, one small step for an entrepreneur. Will a giant leap into space-age business be next?
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WHITFIELD: Earlier we showed you those deadly wildfires in Australia. More than 640 homes have been destroyed, half a million acres blackened. For a better idea on the size and scope of this tragedy, CNN's Josh Levs is here to explain how the fires can spread this fast to the region and just be out of control and so deadly.
JOSH LEVS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's incredible what's happening. It's so awful. These people are losing their homes, livelihoods and in some cases entire towns. I want to explain how something like that could happen. We have powerful images here at CNN.com. I invite you to take a look at it. We keep updating this story frequently. You'll be able to see it.
Check this out here. I'm going to go to the simplest map. I like to do this when we give a big picture. This is Australia. It's pretty much the same size at as the continental United States. The worst hit area is called Victoria, in this area down here. Why can fire spread so quickly? Boom. We're going to the satellite version. It's incredibly lush down there. It's very green. Basically, you have a lot of forest area where this can move along and fire can be transferred quickly.
This right here is what a lot of media inside Australia are pointing to today. Every single mark you see here, whether it's blue or red, is a major wildfire that's hitting that region. For example, we're hearing about one that's called Marysville, right here. This is what I want to do. Give you a sense of how small these towns are. We'll zoom in on this. Thanks to Google, you are able to see what a town is supposed to look like.
This is Marysville before a fire, Fred. Thanks to Goggle, we're able to zoom through some of the streets. Not a lot of people here. You won't pass a lot of homes. That's why a town can disappear so quickly. Here's another one, King Lake West -- took me awhile to find stores and buildings in that area. You can see these are small towns. This town here, 1,500 people live in it. The one I was showing you just before, Marysville, about 600 total residents.
So, Fred, you have all this lush greenery that's beautiful. It's a gorgeous corner of the world. I don't know if you've been there. What that also means is a fire, boom, you can lose an entire town, an entire community in no time.
WHITFIELD: Folks always want to reach out and help out the victims as best they can. There's an opportunity, can they find out some information online in this case?
LEVS: They can. We always invite people to check out CNN.com/impact. We'll have information there in the coming days.
Also, the main portal for the Australian government online is called victoriaonline. Google victoriaonline. They've already set up a fund and several other places you can go to, Fred, to contribute money to even send some things that might help people who literally in these cases have lost everything. Not just their money, their home, but they've lost what was their entire community.
WHITFIELD: So sad. Thanks, Josh. Appreciate it.
LEVS: Thanks a lot.
WHITFIELD: All right. Talk about a wild life-long dream, but she did it. We'll have the story of the first woman to swim the Atlantic Ocean.
And even in the shakiest economic times, there are ways for you to take your dream vacation. You have to get started right now if you want to be "On the Go" this summer.
Richelle Carey has a few tips.
(CNN ON THE GO)
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WHITFIELD: A 56-year-old Colorado woman must be pretty proud of herself today. Jennifer Fige is the first woman to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. She's expected to leave Trinidad tomorrow for the next leg of her journey, the British Virgin Islands. Fige left the Cape Verde Islands off the West African coast on January 12th, arriving in Trinidad on Thursday. She battled 30-foot waves as she pursued her dream. Pretty extraordinary. Her sailboat escort crew said they won't tally the total distance until she's completed her journey, but, clearly, already a winner by doing that.
Chances are, if you have ever bought anything online, you used his service. Now the mastermind of PayPal is pushing the limits of gravity hoping to help create a colony on Mars.
He shares his lofty vision with our Kara Finnstrom.
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NASA ANNOUNCER: Ten, nine, ignition sequence start.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exploring the great beyond.
(on camera): Now are you one of those that dreamed about going into a rocket as a little boy?
ELON MUSK, ENTREPRENEUR: You know I never did. Actually. No, I always thought that was really impossible.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): Entrepreneur, Elon Musk, skipped over the childhood fantasy to a reality. Well, pretty fantastic. In his huge hangar in Los Angeles...
MUSK: This is our dragon spacecraft.
FINNSTROM: Musk is building rockets.
MUSK: This is going to withstand about 16 times the force of gravity on re-entry.
FINNSTROM: Musk's upstart aerospace company, SpaceEx, just beat out aerospace legends Boeing and Lockheed for a NASA contract worth $1.6 billion one of two companies that will deliver cargo to the space station when the shuttle retires in 2010. It hopes to transport U.S. astronauts.
(on camera): So there will be seven astronauts inside of here?
MUSK: Yeah. Three in the base area.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): SpaceEx boasts it's the only rocket maker producing all its own parts. Employees actually bike from where a part is made to where it fits into a rocket. Musk believes that fuels better designs and lower costs.
Still, launching and keeping a rocket in orbit is an incredible fete. SpaceEx's first three tries from the south Pacific launch pad failed.
(on camera): What was it like to see the fourth launch actually work?
MUSK: That was a huge relief. I wasn't quite sure whether we would be successful. I thought if we could do some good for the advancement of space exploration that would be OK.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): Not typical business talk, but nothing's typical about 37-year-old Elon Musk. He is the dotcom billionaire who created PayPal. He's also chief executive of Tesla Motors, which builds electric roadsters. And He's invested $100 million of his own dollars in SpaceEx. A common thread?
MUSK: When I was in college, there were three areas that would most affect the future of humanity, the Internet, the transition to sustainable energy economy, and the extension of life beyond earth to multiple planets.
FINNSTROM: Musk's jaw-dropping dream? To drive space exploration toward creating a colony on Mars.
MUSK: This is the first time in the history of earth that's a possibility.
FINNSTROM: He quickly stresses it's something his company may never do but that's what he said about getting the rocket into orbit.
MUSK: This is a falcon one...
FINNSTROM: For now, SpaceEx's focus is building, testing and preparing for a space station rendezvous. It's also courting commercial satellite launches and exploring private space tours.
In this tough recession year, SpaceEx, 600 people strong, expects to grow 40 percent or 50 percent.
MUSK: You have big dreams but have to have some sense of how to make those a reality. You have to make sure success is a possible outcome. That's an important thing.
FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom from CNN, Los Angeles.
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WHITFIELD: Think that's inspiring? Wait until you hear about these guys. Two brothers from Kenya attending medical school in the U.S. in order to return home to fight the disease that killed their parents.
But first, reading the front page over a cup of coffee may head into a digital direction. Fred Pleitgen has the story or the paperless morning paper on the edge of discovery.
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FRED PLEITGEN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four billion, that's an estimate of how many trees are cut down every year to make paper products. Gentlemen, put down your chain saws because the plastic logic reader is almost here.
RICHARD ARCHULETA, CEO, PLASTIC LOGIC: The device is very thin, very light. It is about the size and weight of a pad of paper.
PLEITGEN: Due out next year the e-reader says so long to the piles of paper.
ARCHULETA: It works by taking anything that you would normally print out or read on paper, like a newspaper or magazine, and transfers them from either computer or wirelessly to the device so you can read them.
PLEITGEN: At this one-of-a-kind production facility in Germany, nanotech is saving Mother Nature where an environmentally friendly process creates the e-paper's unique flexion plastic design. With the swipe of a thumb, it hopes to usher in a green reading revolution.
ARCHULETA: No more cutting down trees, mass production of paper, no big printing presses. Of course, no big trucks distributing the paper. PLEITGEN: An estimated 1.7 billion people read one of these every day. If Plastic logic has its way, selling a few e-readers might save a few of these.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
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WHITFIELD: Two Kenyan brothers are in this country studying to be doctors. They're fulfilling their father's dream of building a clinic in their remote home village, to fight AIDS, a disease that killed both parents.
The brothers' efforts to build a clinic in Lwala, Kenya, is the subject of a documentary as well. I talked with Milton and Fred Ochieng, and the documentary filmmaker, Berry Simmons, earlier today.
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MILTON OCHIENG, AIDS ACTIVIST: A small, rural community. No electricity, no running water. The nearest hospital is over 30 kilometers away, the nearest hospital where you could get surgical intervention. If somebody felt sick, you'd have to put them on a back of a bicycle or in a wheelbarrow or push them 45 minutes to the nearest paved road and flag down a taxi and get them to the nearest hospital, total taking over two hours of travel. We had people who passed away, you know, bleeding in child birth and other complication. And I just never could forget that.
WHITFIELD: There's so many details between. But fast forward and here you are in medical school at Vanderbilt. You decide, after a retreat with other fellow students to Nicaragua and seeing the building of a clinic there, you can say, I can do this at home. But it takes money, resources to do that. How were you able to get it going?
OCHIENG: After having been just as a second-year sophomore at Dartmouth College, and having seen first hand that, you know, whoa, just as a college student I could do this, then I got in touch with -- my advisers at Dartmouth College. Some of my advisers said Vanderbilt. Then I told my dad, hey, you know how we've always talked about wanting a clinic for the village, I just have the idea. So then I got in touch with Fred. I told him, OK, you're the one who's going to be in charge of fund-raising. My dad put together the list of sort of the first proposal, $25,000. Then I told Fred he was going to be in charge of getting us that money.
WHITFIELD: So then Fred...
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WHITFIELD: All right, and Fred actually thought he was crazy for asking him to help lead the fund-raiser.
It worked out. The clinic is up and running.
Learn more about them: "The Sons of Lwala" is a documentary.
