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American Morning: Wake Up Call
Nobel Peace Prize Announcement; Wall Street Protests Growing; Prostate Screening Changes; Resignation Amid Solyndra Scandal; Obama Pushing His Jobs Bill
Aired October 07, 2011 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Live pictures right now from Oslo, Norway, the world is watching. We're just moments away from learning who will be awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Here in the United States, today marks day 21 of the Wall Street protests. Similar protests are now popping up all over the country. Even the president has taken notice.
And the same medical group that told women in their 40s that they don't need mammograms will soon recommend that men not get screened for prostate cancer.
Good morning to you. Happy Friday. It's October 7th. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL.
I'm Carol Costello, joining you live from New York this morning.
I want to go ahead live to Oslo. This is the announcement for the Nobel Peace Prize.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 is to be divided in three equal parts between Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work. We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.
In October 2000, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1325. The resolution for the first time made violence against women in armed conflict an international security issue. It underlined the need for women to become participants on an equal footing with men in peace processes and in peace work in general.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is Africa's first democratically elected female president. Since her inauguration in 2006, she has contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women.
Leymah Gbowee mobilized and organized women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia, and to ensure women's participation in elections. She has worked to enhance the influence of women in West Africa during and after war.
In the most trying circumstances, both before and during the "Arab spring", Tawakkul Karman has played a leading part in the struggle for women's rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen.
It is the Norwegian Nobel Committee's hope that the prize to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman will help to bring an end to the suppression of women that still occurs in many countries, and to realize the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent.
Thank you.
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
COSTELLO: All right. You just heard the announcement. The Nobel Peace Prize goes to three women -- women who have fought for women's rights as part of the "Arab spring" and also in Liberia.
Perhaps the most famous and the name you might recognize, at least our United States audience, was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia. She has done so much to help the women of Liberia to end the civil war within that country and to promote women's rights. We're going to have much more on these three Nobel Peace Prize winners.
You know, all along, analysts were saying that they thought the Nobel Peace Prize would go to a woman because it hasn't gone to a woman for such a long time. And now, three women are sharing the prize. We'll have much more on the Nobel Peace Prize winners in just a bit. We have reporters actually across the world. We're going to get one up live for you in just a short time.
Here in the United States, the anti-Wall Street protests seem to be growing by the day. The demands of this grassroots movement have become so loud they're being heard in the White House. President Obama spoke out about the protesters yesterday, saying they're giving voice to those Americans frustrated with the way Wall Street and the big banks work.
Demonstrations have sprung up in more than a dozen cities against such things as corporate greed, income inequality and a host of other social ills. The first of the so-called "Occupy Wall Street" protests took place in New York's financial district about three weeks ago. Their ranks appear to be growing, drawing people from all walks of life. Two prominent supporters are actor Tim Robbins and film director Michael Moore.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MOORE, FILM DIRECTOR: They're already listening. We don't have to do anything. You understand that? We don't really have to do anything.
This is already happening. It's happening in 100 cities across the country. You don't think the politicians and lobbyists and everybody else, the people in these financial buildings aren't paying attention to this?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: A key focus of the protest, the nation's high unemployment rate. The government's latest unemployment report is due out at 8:30 Eastern this morning. And the word from economists is it won't be very encouraging. One survey indicates a modest addition of only 45,000 jobs last month. That compares to 89,000 in August, a number that was revised down from the previously reported 91,000.
Jobs and the economy are high on President Obama's agenda today. Shortly after the unemployment figures are released, he's meeting the with the Senate Democratic leaders in the White House on his jobs bill. The Senate plans to take up the $447 billion bill next week.
Yesterday, President Obama issued a tough warning, saying any senator who votes against this better have a good explanation. He says the bill will boost economic growth and puts people back to work. A key element to the bill is in how it's funded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This jobs bill is fully paid for by asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: -- United States give up on governing, give up on --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That was House Speaker John Boehner. He dismissed the president's remarks saying Mr. Obama is campaigning for re- election instead of carrying out his job as president.
Ten years and counting. On October 7th, 2001, American forces invaded Afghanistan. The start of the longest war in U.S. history. The initial goal was quickly achieved: the defeat of the Taliban and the destruction of al Qaeda training camps. But two years later, everything changed. President George W. Bush invaded Iraq, with many of the U.S. troops shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq. The Taliban made a comeback.
Today, however, there is an end in sight. President Obama says most American troops will be withdrawn by the end of 2014. The toll of the nation's longest war, more than 1,700 troops killed, more than 14,000 wounded.
Astronomers say a meteor shower expected to hit this weekend will be more like a meteor storm and that has NASA very concerned. Jacqui Jeras will explain why, just ahead.
But, first, here is our "Quote of the Day." Here's the quote, "If you were ever going to spend $39,000 on a bag, that's the bag you should buy," end quote. We'll tell you who said that and what they're referring to in 90 seconds.
It's eight minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's nine minutes past the hour. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL.
Now, back to our "Quote of the Day." This is the quote, "If you were ever going to spend $39,000 on a bag, that's the bag you should buy." Who said that you asked? It was Amanda Brooks. She's Barney's fashion director.
Brooks is talking about this -- a $39,000 luxury backpack from Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's fashion line. The backpack sold out at the launch of the twin's new handbag collection.
See? Someone has money. It's just not any of us.
Who would spend $39,000 on a bag, Jacqui Jeras?
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Not me.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: I'm not going to spend $39 on a bag. I'm just being honest.
COSTELLO: That's more than some people make for a year. That's more than many people make for a year.
JERAS: Craziness.
COSTELLO: Before you get into weather, could you indulge me?
JERAS: Sure.
COSTELLO: Because, you know, the Detroit Tigers won.
JERAS: Yes, they did.
COSTELLO: They've advanced and they beat the New York Yankees. Rob Marciano, I noticed, has taken the day off. I had a bet with him that if the Yankees were out of it and Detroit knocked them out, that he would be fully dressed in a Boston Red Sox uniform and --
JERAS: OK.
COSTELLO: -- he's off today, Jacqui. I wonder why.
JERAS: Go figure. I guess that explains the midnight phone call.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: I'm kidding. No. This was planned.
COSTELLO: Oh, congratulations Tigers fans and congratulations to you Detroit Tigers, because it was a game that went down to the wire. They won 3-2. When Ben Wall walked that guy in, I thought, oh, no, here we go. But Detroit pulled it out.
JERAS: Pulled it out.
COSTELLO: It was just an exciting game.
JERAS: And you know I'm a Midwest girl, Carol. So if I had to choose team out of that, I'm with you. I'm celebrating with you today.
COSTELLO: That's why I like you so much.
JERAS: I know.
COSTELLO: OK. Now we can get to weather.
JERAS: OK. Shall we?
We've got a lot going on today. Can I tell you? The nation's midsection in particular is going to be wickedly windy today. And that's going to be the big weather story from the upper Midwest, all the way down to the Gulf Coast where winds could gust as strong, say, 50 miles per hour. So, that's going to affect your travel today.
High pressure across the East means it's going to be gorgeous. You've got leaf-peeping plans this week? Well, go ahead and keep them because it's going to be great, with lots of sunshine and warmer-than- average temperatures.
You got a lot of travel problems in Florida expected today. Starting later, we're expecting showers and thundershowers, and something to potentially develop here tropically or maybe sub- tropically late in the weekend. So, it's something we have to be watching over the next couple days. Either way you spell it, I think we'll have lots of downpours for parts of Florida, along with high risk of rip currents.
All right. Travel delays under an hour for pretty much everybody. We think Minneapolis because of the wind. Kansas City, Dallas and Omaha because of the wind as well. In Miami, we're looking at those showers and thundershowers.
And you might see this over towards Fort Lauderdale, as well as into the Melbourne. So, here, those areas, be aware of that today as well.
Temperature-wise, man, it's gorgeous for, what, October? Eighty-four in Minneapolis, 87 in Kansas City. Still a little warmer than you probably like in Dallas with 90. And there you can see those cooler temperatures into the Northeast. Sixty-seven now in New York City. It's really not too terrible.
We've got snow in the Rockies to talk about once again today as well. So, it's going to be heavy at times. Those skiers are salivating, though, at the thought of it. Things might be opening up early if this keeps up, right, Carol?
COSTELLO: Right.
JERAS: Speaking of things coming from the sky, that story you were talking about earlier, the meteor shower taking place this weekend. A big deal this time around. Normally, it's kind of like an iffy sort of media shower where you don't always see a whole lot. But this time around, they're expecting to see like three or 600, rather, per hour. So, that's a pretty big deal.
Unfortunately for those of us in the United States, the peak time is going to be between like 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon, so the sun kind of prevents you from seeing it very well. But you still might see a little big of a show.
And there's a little bit of concern with this as well, Carol, is that when those rocks and that ice moves into the earth's atmosphere, it creates electromagnetic, like a discharge. And that's kind of a concern for things like the International Space Station, for things like satellites. So they could have some control problems or electrical problems. So, something they'll be watching for tomorrow.
COSTELLO: Yes, we'll keep our fingers crossed. Jacqui Jeras, thanks.
JERAS: We normally get up in the middle of the night to try to see a little something. Right.
COSTELLO: I'm up in the middle of the night anyway.
JERAS: Great. Why not on a weekend, too?
COSTELLO: Exactly.
President Obama is turning up the heat on Congress to pass his big jobs plan as new unemployment numbers come out in just a few hours. His challenge to those against it, that's coming up.
It's 14 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Fifteen minutes past the hour. Welcome back. Time now for our Political Ticker.
President Obama set to meet with Senate Democratic leadership in just about a few hours from now. Of course, they're going to talk about his $447 billion jobs bill. He's sending a tough message to congressional Republicans who were absolutely opposed -- hi, Tim Farley. I didn't introduce you. But there's Tim Farley from POTUS Sirius radio.
Let's listen to the president together, shall we?
TIM FARLEY, SIRIUS POTUS: OK. OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: My expectation and hope is everybody will vote for this jobs bill because it reflects those ideas that traditionally have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. If it turns out that there are Republicans who are opposed to this bill, they need to explain to me, but more importantly to their constituencies and the American people why they're opposed and what would they do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course, Tim, Republicans said they've done that again and again and again. And the Senate is set to take up this bill next week. It's not going to go anywhere, is it?
FARLEY: Well, let's back up for a minute. The president doesn't often do news conferences. Yesterday morning, a hastily called news conference and then spends about 75 minutes talking to reporters, most of which, in fact, the first 20 minutes of which included one question was all about the American jobs bill and why it needs to be passed -- even though many Democrats in the Senate opposed the bill as the president presented it.
So, what happens? They need to figure a way to make it look better. They've come up with a different tax. That would be a tax on millionaires that, as you said, they'll vote on next week, and the Senate leadership for the Democrats will meet with the president to figure out how to do that.
Meanwhile, last night, the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid started playing this back-and-forth game on procedural rules on how to vote, on how to vote, on how to vote. And for the six of you who are interested in this kind of sort of nuanced parliamentary procedure, it was kind of fun.
But for most of us, it's just an example of the fact that this is all about positioning. Democrats, Republicans -- the president saying Republicans don't want to work with me. Democrats are saying the same thing about Republicans, and Republican saying the president isn't being reasonable. It's all about the White House in 2012.
And meanwhile, as we get jobs numbers today, there will be very little if any progress on this bill. Even if it gets through the Senate next week, it's not going to make it through the House of Representatives.
So, I ask the question, where are we, Carol? I have no answers on this.
COSTELLO: It's just so frustrating. It makes you believe that things really won't change until after the election, the presidential election. And it's clear that's what everyone is waiting for. And nothing will get done before then.
In the meantime, people remain out of work. The protests on Wall Street are growing. Americans are becoming even more disenfranchised with their government institutions. It just kind of makes you sick to your stomach.
FARLEY: Yes. This is not a happy time, no question about it.
COSTELLO: Also, I want to talk about this. Today marks the tenth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. Mitt Romney is delivering a big foreign policy address today. How will he play that, Tim?
FARLEY: Well, he's going to try to create an aviary in which both hawks and doves can comfortably roost, if I can borrow a phrase from my colleague Llewellyn King. He's not going to be big on substance. He's going to be big on style. He's expected to call for an America century. He is expected to call for not crawling into an isolationist cell.
Do not expect any substance on exactly what we'll do with Afghanistan. You'll recall in 2008, he and John McCain went back and forth at the Reagan Library during the debate on the use of the word timetables. But he will call for a review of the situation in Afghanistan within 100 days of being elected if he could do that.
So, expect a lot of style today. But this is once more Mitt Romney positioning himself as a candidate as opposed to somebody who wants to be the Republican candidate. He's going to go right up against whatever President Obama's vision is.
He has to be careful, though, Carol, because even John Boehner recently has been praising the president's policies on Afghanistan.
COSTELLO: And most Americans approve of the way the president has been handling things overseas. You know, maybe not so much with the war because our troops remain in Afghanistan and in Iraq. And I think many Americans want to see them come home.
FARLEY: War weary I think is the phrase.
COSTELLO: Very war weary.
Tim Farley, thanks as usual -- Tim Farley, host of "Morning Briefing" on Sirius POTUS Radio.
FARLEY: Have a good weekend.
COSTELLO: You, too. Happy Friday.
Across the country, people are venting their anger at lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The common refrain, the government is broken. You can point to what happened on the Senate floor last night as an example. You heard Tim talked about it. Chaos erupted over efforts to vote on a China currency bill. The real issue: a heated debate over the rights of minority Republicans to offer amendments to it and other bills.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: I found over the last Congress and nine months that when I try to have an open amendment process, it is a road to nowhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think members on both side of the aisle feel like this institution has degraded into a place that is no longer a place of any deliberation at all.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: In the United States Senate, the minority is entitled to be heard, not entitled to win, but entitled to be heard.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
COSTELLO: In the end, senators agreed to take a cooling-off period (AUDIO BREAK) extended Columbus Day weekend. They plan now to vote on the China bill and the president's jobs bill next week.
All right. Take a big gulp of your favorite coffee drink to help you wake up this morning. Today is National Frappe Day. That's a chilled, foam covered drink that originated in Greece in the 1950s. Now you know.
It's 21 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Twenty-four minutes past the hour. Welcome back.
This morning, a story that could directly affect your health, specifically if you are male. The same group that made headlines telling women over 40 to skip their mammograms is now ready to offer some controversial advice to men.
CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen spoke with our Wolf Blitzer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I was on your show two years ago and we talked about the mammogram recommendations, that women in their 40s don't need mammograms. That same group, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, we are told, is poised on next week to say that they think that men should not get prostate cancer screening, that PSA test, at all. They say that the test does more harm than good.
Now, this is according to a source that is privy to the tax force's deliberation and a report that CNN obtained. It is a draft report. There is a chance that it could change by Monday, when it's due to be released -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": But I know a lot of men -- and I'm sure you do, as well -- everybody knows men, who did have that PSA test. They discovered that there was cancer. They had treatment and they're alive right now. So -- so what does this say about them?
COHEN: Right. This decision is going to be very hard to explain to those men.
But here's the situation with prostate cancer, Wolf -- some prostate cancers are fast growing. You want to catch them and treat them. But there are many more prostate cancers that are going to be slow. So you catch them and they'll never kill the man, but you do give the man treatment. And that treatment can make him impotent or incontinent or the treatment could even kill him.
So that's the problem here, is that medical science can't discern between these different kinds of tumors. So some men get this treatment and they actually would have been fine without it, but the treatment hurts them.
BLITZER: Now, this is the same group, as you point out, that recommended against mammogram screening for women in their 40s. They got a lot of backlash for that, as well, didn't they?
COHEN: They certainly did. And, you know what, Wolf? I'm expecting something similar in this situation. We already talked to someone at a prostate cancer foundation, a man who had prostate cancer. He said that this proposed recommendation is a tremendous mistake. Those are the words that he used.
BLITZER: So bottom line, Elizabeth, should men 40, 50, 60 years old, should they be screened? Should they take these PSA blood tests or not?
COHEN: You know what, Wolf? This is a very difficult decision that every man has to make with his doctor, because, on the one hand, you might catch a fast-growing cancer. On the other, you might catch a slow-growing cancer and feel compelled to treat it and be hurt by the treatment.
But I want to give you these numbers, Wolf, because I think they're important. If you test men, you've got a less than 1 percent chance of finding one of these harmful cancers. You're 47 times more likely to find one of the smaller cancers where, again, you really would have been better off not knowing about it at all. So, odds are, you're going to find one of the cancers that you really, in many ways, don't want to find.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Elizabeth Cohen reporting.
Still ahead, the federal loan scandal involving a bankrupt solar energy company leads to a high-level resignation.
And a California bank gets busted for having child porn. But you'll never believe who turned him in.
It's 27 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning to you. It is Friday. Happy Friday. It's October 7th. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. I'm Carol Costello joining you live this morning from New York. It's 31 minutes past the hour.
This year's Nobel Peace Prize announced just a short time ago, this year, the prize is shared between three women. We're going to take a closer look at each of their accomplishments. Let's Start With Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia. David McKenzie is live in Nairobi. David, tell us why these women deserve this prize so much.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, it wasn't the media savvy Nobel Prize we suspected which was possibly the Arab spring, but certainly, these two women have been working behind the scenes and in the public to help women's rights and stabilize Liberia, the West African country.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, many people would know, as the first democratically elected woman president in Africa. She was instrumental in bringing peace and stability to the war-wrecked country in West Africa. The other -- Leymah Gbowee -- the other person from Africa, who will share this prize amongst three, she used to be a trauma counselor.
And she was instrumental -- excuse me -- in pushing for pro-peace activists to stop the second civil war in Liberia, Carol, and you know, bravely fought against, in a peaceful way, the tyranny of Charles Taylor, the president at the time and helped pave the way to Democratic elections. So, certainly a very proud day for West Africa, for Liberia and Africa as a whole.
COSTELLO: David McKenzie, thanks so much, reporting live from Nairobi. Let's learn more now about the third woman who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Tawakul Karman of Yemen. Nima Elbagir is live in London to tell us more about her. Good morning.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, Tawakul is a pretty extraordinary woman. She was a stay-at-home housewife whose political conscience was galvanized when her husband was beaten and imprisoned. She went out on the streets. And as you can appreciate Yemen, even amongst the Arab states, is an incredibly conservative society.
So, for a woman making that statement really proved galvanizing for the entire resistance movement in Yemen, which you, so many women taking pot and staying out in a country where women are expected to be home in their -- back in their homes by nightfall.
But, really, in recognizing Tawakul, the Nobel committee has also recognized women across the Arab world who have been so crucial to the resistance process during the Arab spring, and really, unlike many of the men who were only fighting -- I say only, but obviously fighting against suffocating dictatorship regimes, the women were fighting against the regimes but also fighting against suffocating social stretches at the same time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nima Elbagir live in London, thanks so much.
Here in the United States, if Senate Democrats get their way, millionaires and billionaires will pay more in taxes under President Obama's jobs bill. Can you guess how much? We'll have the answer for you after the break.
But first, check out today's "Get Smart" question. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded this morning. We just told you about that. It's actually named after Alfred Nobel, a Swedish scientist. So, what did he invent? Was it A. Dynamite, B. Post-it notes or C. The internet. We'll have the answer for you in one minute. It's 34 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's 35 minutes past the hour. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL.
Now, back to today's "Get Smart" question. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded this morning. It's named after Alfred Nobel, a Swedish scientist. So, what did he invent? Was it A. Dynamite, B. Post-it notes, or C. The internet? The answer, he invented dynamite. Nobel received the patent for dynamite in 1867.
This morning, we're learning more about what's behind the proposed millionaire surtax. Let's head to Christine Romans. She's here in New York with me. So, the president, Christine, is endorsing this plan being proposed by Senate Democrats. They're talking about a certain tax on millionaires, those making a million dollars or more. Tell us about it.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It's a surtax. So, it would actually be on more of their income. It would capture a wider amount of their income. It would a 5.6 percent surtax on millionaires, as I said, taxing a larger amount of their income by the way it would be used in tax. Investment income sources would also be taxed. So, it has a little bit broader reach than regular income tax right now.
And Democrats say it would raise $450 billion over ten years. So, how much does this mean? If you're a millionaire waking up this morning and you're saying wait, what does this mean to me? Well, it comes out to, according to the Tax Policy Center, about $110,467 a year. That's how much each millionaire would have to pony up extra on average.
How many households will be affected? 392,000, that's about 0.2 percent of all tax-paying household. So, it's a tiny little sliver, and it shows you also, I think, Carol, that Senate Democrats have raised the bar for what they're calling rich. They're now focusing on the super rich, not just that $250,000 for couples in this country to raise taxes. It moves it up a little bit higher. So, that's more palatable for small business owners, perhaps. But I will point out a fantastic story that I'm going to tweet a link to right now from Jean Sahadi (ph) on CNNMoney. Tax experts, they don't really like these kinds of things. They say surtaxes don't work.
They make a complex tax code already -- that's already complex, even more complex. Instead of making it more simple, more transparent, more easy to understand, more fair, in general, it just adds another asterisk. It could have a surtax on top of an already really messy tax code.
They, in general, tax experts, don't like it. They'd rather see real tax reform. But that being said, it certainly appeals to the populist, you know, the richer, not paying their fair share and blame- the-rich kind of mentality that seems to be really resonating. And so, that's why you're seeing so much heat behind the millionaires.
COSTELLO: So, what you're saying, it may be smart politics, but many economists say it's bad policy.
ROMANS: Exactly, Carol, exactly.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll talk more about this on "American Morning."
ROMANS: Sure.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Christine.
ROMANS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Still ahead, the federal loan scandal involving a bankrupt solar energy company leads to a high-level resignation.
And a California man gets busted for having child porn, but you'll never believe who turned him in. It's 38 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Welcome back. It's 40 minutes past the hour.
The Solyndra scandal prompted a high-level resignation. Last year, the company received a $535 million federal loan to build state of the art panel, solar panels, in California. Well, the company fell into bankruptcy in August, laying off 1,100 workers. Now, the head of the energy department's loan guarantee program, Jonathan Silver, is stepping down.
As you know, Bank of America is hitting debit card users with a $5 fee, but one customer isn't just complaining. Molly Catchpol (ph) has taken action. She's collected almost $154,000 signatures on a petition against the nation's largest bank.
Bank of America issued this statement. That was -- she took the petition to Bank of America yesterday in Washington, D.C. Bank of America issued this statement after she did that. Bank of America said, "We don't have a comment on the petition, itself, but we'll add that over the last two years we have been more committed than ever before to being clear and transparent with our customers to help ensure they know exactly what they are getting and how much it costs."
Customers with more than $5,000 in the bank will not be charged the fee. Molly, she closed her account, her $400 didn't quite meet that threshold. We're going to talk to her in about an hour on "American Morning." So, we'll look forward to that. Molly also cut up her Bank of America credit cards. And, she said she's going to find a nice credit union in which to do her banking.
This might be a first. A California burglary victim is in trouble after the suspect tipped off police. You heard me right. 50- year-old Kraig Stockard (ph) faces child porn charges. Burglars stole CDs from his home, and they thought they were blank, but when they saw the horrible images on the disks, the two suspects, the burglary suspects actually contacted police. So far, the burglars have not been arrested, but their case is under review.
The longest war in U.S. history, ten years of fighting in Afghanistan and the toll on American troops. That's coming your way next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning. Happy Friday to you. It is October 7th. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. I'm Carol Costello joining you live from New York this morning. It is 45 minutes past the hour.
Now, a look at this day in history. Operation Enduring Freedom began ten years ago today. The war in Afghanistan came, as you know, after the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. linked 9/11 to al Qaeda. The operation was launched to end al Qaeda and to stop the Taliban from providing a safe haven to the terrorist group.
Not only is the war in Afghanistan now the nation's longest, it's a war that's been fought by only a very small number of Americans. That's due, of course, to the fact we have an all voluntary armed forces. And the toll on the men and women in uniform fighting the war has been enormous. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It began when they landed in Bagram, and here, it goes on. Ten years of jet fuel, faith, and now, fatigue. Here, you can see what it takes to carry on through this decade's wars. Lt. Col. Eric Albertson is chaplain to thousands, but in the several months here, affected by the very few.
LT. COL. ERIC ALBERTSON, U.S. ARMY: A number of our soldiers that are on their third, fourth, and in some cases, their fifth tour, there's a fatigue factor. Emotionally drained, physically tired. We've had instances where soldiers have taken their own lives here, and that's tragic. We've had about six or seven since I've been here. When someone takes their own life, there's almost a sense of -- you know, you've reached out to me for everything else. Why didn't you reach out to me for this?
WALSH: The ripples of a suicide reach far. Master Sergeant Guadaloupe Stratman is in this war so her three sons won't be, (INAUDIBLE) marched by the recent loss of a friend in Iraq.
MASTER SGT. GUADALOUPE STRATMAN, U.S. ARMY: It was actually -- she overdosed herself. And, like, she was younger than me, so I didn't -- I thought she had a lot to live for. I don't know why it happened. I wasn't necessarily talking with her frequently at that time, but it hurt me a lot. How? Because I knew her. I knew what some of her dreams were, and now, she didn't get to live those dreams. It's like it ended.
WALSH: This was a dirt road a decade ago. Now, it's home to one in nine of America's troops in Afghanistan.
(on-camera) When the Americans landed here ten years ago, it was on this Russian-made runway. And now, they've been here nearly a year longer than the soviets.
(voice-over) The cost of the soviets, huge. The total cost to America still unknown, although, signs of sadness and change are everywhere. The prison here now gone. Its Afghan prisoners elsewhere. Soon, troops will leave for good, but will carry away with them the scars of here and Iraq.
LT. COL. JAMES DAVELL, U.S. ARMY: What I do every year is I call the family, either the spouse or the parents of the individual that has been associated with me that was lost in combat, and then, I also call a very close friend of mine that was injured, severely injured on the day that that occurred. I make three calls a year -- actually four -- sorry -- four calls a year to family members. I wouldn't say it makes me feel good or bad. I just think it's something that I need to do.
WALSH: The closing stages of a war longer than anything America has ever coped with before.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Bagram.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And as we mentioned, the toll on American servicemen and women fighting in the Afghan war has been huge. The war started when U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan on this day in 2001. Since then, nearly 1,800 American troops have been killed and more than 14,000 wounded.
In other news this morning, the government's latest unemployment report is due out at 8:30 eastern this morning. The word from some economists isn't very encouraging. One survey indicates a modest addition of only 45,000 jobs last month. That compares to 89,000 in August, a number that has been revised down from a previously reported 91,000.
Jobs and the economy high on President Obama's agenda today. Shortly after the unemployment figures are released, he'll be meeting with Senate Democratic leaders in the White House on his jobs bill. The Senate plans to take up the $447 billion bill next week.
Yesterday, President Obama issued a tough warning saying any senator who votes against his jobs bill better have a good explanation. He says the bill will boost economic growth and put people back to work. A key element in the bill is how it will be funded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This jobs bill is fully paid for by asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: House speaker, John Boehner, dismissed the president's remarks saying Mr. Obama is campaigning for his re-election instead of carrying out his job as president.
The anti-Wall Street protesters, they seem to be growing in numbers by the day. The demands of these grassroots movements have become so loud they're being heard in the White House. President Obama spoke out about the protesters saying they're giving voice to those Americans frustrated with the way Wall Street and the big banks work.
Demonstration has sprung up in more than a dozen cities against such things as corporate greed, income inequality, and a host of other social ills. The first of the so-called Occupy Wall Street protest took place In New York's financial district about three weeks ago. Their ranks appear to be growing, drawing people from all walks of life. Two prominent supporters are actor, Tim Robbins, and film director, Michael Moore.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MOORE, FILM DIRECTOR: They're already listening. We don't have to do anything. You understand that? We don't really have to do anything. This is already happening. It's happening in 100 cities across the country. If you don't think the politicians and lobbyists and everybody else, the people in these financial buildings aren't paying attention to this?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: More on the Wall Street protest on "American Morning." Let's head to Atlanta now, though, and check in with Jacqui Jeras. And, please indulge me again while I brag about the Tigers, because I do notice, Rob Marciano, Mr. Yankees fan is off today. JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know.
COSTELLO: I wonder why.
JERAS: Did he go to the game? I didn't talk to him, but he was tweeting up like his mom was in the stands or something, and he needed to hear more noise from the stadium.
COSTELLO: You know, after the game, I e-mailed and tweeted Rob Marciano, and he did not respond. So, I think there's a bit of sore loosership here. Just in case all of you out there didn't know, the Tigers beat the Yankees 3-2. So, the Yankees are out of it altogether, and the Tigers will go on to play the Texas Rangers for the American League pennant.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: I'm so happy.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: I want to go and (INAUDIBLE) today.
COSTELLO: I know. I guess, we have to get to the weather now, huh?
JERAS: I guess we do. And you know, that's going to make a lot of people happy if you live across parts of the east today. It's absolutely fantastic. Gorgeous, sunny weather. Temperatures above normal for this time of the year for almost everybody. A couple of hot spots we have to talk about. One thing that you don't see, so to speak, is the wind.
That's going to be a big issue today from the Upper Midwest all the way down to the Gulf Coast, from Minneapolis to Dallas to Houston. Watch out for windy weather. We've still got snow in the Rockies as well as into the Wasatch. Now, we can see two feet of snow before all is said and done in the high country, up above 7,000 feet.
Heavy wet weather in Florida. That's going to be concerned through the weekend. They are watching for the potential of maybe a little something-something developing there. So, keep that in mind tropically as we head through the weekend.
All right. Airport delays today in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, and Omaha, all due to the wind. And Miami looking for showers and thundershowers and probably will see some of those delays in Ft. Lauderdale as well.
All right. Quick look at some really cool video of a sinkhole in San Diego. Take a look at this huge thing that opened up. There was a break in one of the water pipes underneath the roadway here, and that flooded it out and caused that huge hole. It was like 50 feet by 25 feet, and this was near the university there. They had to shut down the roadway for a number of hours.
COSTELLO: Wow!
JERAS: I think it's going to take a while to clean that thing up.
COSTELLO: Well, you're not -- it's lucky nobody drove into that thing or happened to be like on that very spot where the sinkhole went --
JERAS: That would be a problem. Yes.
COSTELLO: Jacqui Jeras, many thanks to you.
Thirty-year mortgage rates have never been cheaper. That's a check of the markets live from the NASDAQ MarketSite when we come back. It's six minutes until the top of the hour.
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COSTELLO: Three minutes until the top of the hour. This is you're A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. Let's head live to the NASDAQ MarketSite and check in with Carter Evans. How are the numbers looking this morning?
CARTER EVANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're going for four in a row. Four in a row. That's what we want. Four in a row of numbers like these, but it is all going to depend on the jobs numbers that we get today. Right now, our futures, they're a little but to the downside. Dow futures down 36 points and NASDAQ up about eight. S&P 500 down about three.
It really does depend on these jobs report today. Carol, we're expecting to see that the economy added about 60, 65,000 jobs. You know, that wouldn't be a whole lot, but it would certainly be better than August when we added zero jobs. We just want to see that we're adding something.
COSTELLO: That's looking at things like, you know, the glass half full. And I like that about you, Carter Evans. What's making headlines on CNNMoney right now?
EVANS: How is this for a headline? A mortgage rate below four percent for the first time ever. This has never happened before. A 30-year fixed rate mortgage now 3.94 percent, the lowest since Freddie Mac started keeping track. It's great news if you can get a loan. See, that's the problem. It's still very difficult to get a loan.
But if you were to get a loan, say $300,000, at this rate, you would save $100 a month over what rates were just three months ago at 4.6 percent. It's huge savings. Now, you just got to go out and get that loan and convince the bank to give you the money which is very tough these days.
COSTELLO: That's right, and you have to have nearly perfect credit. And frankly, it's hard to get through because so many people were in line.
EVANS: Yes. Lots of people -- lots of people want these loans. They just cannot get them.
COSTELLO: I know. But it's worth a try because you save so much money.
EVANS: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Carter Evans, thanks so much. Carter Evans live from the NASDAQ MarketSite. "AMERICAN MORNING" continues right now.
