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Obama to Meet with Bush in Oval Office; DHL Express to Cease U.S. Operations; Bombs Explode in Baghdad Market; Woman Facilitates Contact for Inmates, Their Children
Aired November 10, 2008 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS (voice-over): Transition to power. Only six days after the election, Barack Obama sets foot in the Oval Office for the first time. But he won't be staying yet.
Monk versus monk. At one of the holiest sites in Christianity, what would Jesus do? Not this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I should be gone. And...
PHILLIPS: Brendon Foster is dying. But he doesn't want tears or even a trip to Disney World. He wants to feed the forgotten.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. We're going to get right to it.
We're an hour away from a post-election ritual that ordinarily is little more than a photo-op. But these aren't ordinary times, and this was no ordinary election. So when Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, arrive at the White House for a sit-down and walk-through with president and Mrs. Bush, they won't just be making small talk.
The economic meltdown is sure to come up, possibly today's news that the worldwide delivery service, DHL, is pulling out of the U.S. domestic market, and that would mean 9,500 lost jobs.
Now, insurance giant, AIG, might also come up. American International Group has just persuaded the feds to restructure its vast government bailout. The new price tag: $150 billion.
And if you've never been to the Oval Office, well, you and the president-elect have something in common. So it's a big day for Barack Obama, and personally and politically speaking, that's for sure.
CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now with a preview.
Hey, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Yes, Barack Obama and future first lady Michelle should be arriving at the White House around 2 p.m. Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, won't be joining them on this visit. The president-elect dropped them off this morning at school before heading with Michelle to the airport.
Once they arrive in Washington, they will be greeted by President and -- the president and Laura Bush at the White House South Portico. The first ladies will tour the residence while Mr. Bush and President- elect Obama take that traditional walk down the colonnade before beginning their meeting in the Oval Office.
Will the two men get along, despite Obama's sharp criticism of the president on the campaign trail? Well, Mr. Bush's press secretary says yes.
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DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It always amazed me how President Bush is able to let heated rhetoric like that just slide off his back and move forward and do what he thinks is right for the country. Obviously, right now, the most important thing we can do is insure a smooth transition to Barack Obama and his team. And that's what he's committed to doing.
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KOCH: Along those lines, Barack Obama is expected to get right down to business. John Podesta, the head of his transition team, said over the weekend that the president-elect wants to talk about national security, homeland security, certainly, the economy, with a focus on an economic stimulus package. Also help for the auto industry, the need to extend unemployment insurance to deal with Medicaid crisis that many states are facing. It's a very long list.
So while the meeting is on the president's schedule for only an hour, Kyra, it certainly could go longer, considering all they plan to discuss.
PHILLIPS: Yes, and you would think it would go much longer than an hour. Kathleen Koch, thanks so much. We're going to follow it, obviously, live.
And President Bush has promised to make the transition as seamless as possible, and most Americans are taking him at his word. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that 57 percent of us believe the handoff will be relatively easy. Thirty-nine percent believe that it will be relatively difficult. And by party, Republicans are much more optimistic than Democrats.
That's not to say that Americans are softening on Mr. Bush. Our poll shows that he's the least popular president in the history of presidential approval ratings. Seventy-six percent of Americans disapprove of the job that he's doing. Harry Truman's disapproval ranked second, by the way. It peaked at 67 percent in 1952. Nixon's peaked at 66 percent when he resigned, and Bush 41 scored a 60 percent disapproval rating in the summer of '92.
Now, Barack Obama's new job means the state of Illinois will need a new senator, and that person may -- repeat, may -- be Valerie Jarrett. She's a longtime Obama friend and confident who now co- chairs his transition team. A prominent Democratic source that she -- said that she is Obama's choice to succeed him, but Illinois governor, a Democrat, will decide.
Over the weekend, Jarrett sat down with CNN's Don Lemon in Chicago and reflected on the new first family.
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VALERIE JARRETT, FRIEND OF OBAMA: They're just an extraordinary couple. They're kindred spirits. They are each other's best friend. And, you know, I watched him hurry to get back in the car in the evening so he has a chance to talk to the girls before he goes to bed and just that...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw him running down the stairs of the airplane recently so he could hurry up and see his wife and kids.
JARRETT: That's actually a very good story. When we were traveling this last weekend before -- before election day, we were -- Senator Obama and I were in Las Vegas. And we flew to Ohio for the day. And when we flew into Ohio, we were sitting on the tarmac, waiting for Michelle and the girls to arrive. And he was busy reading the newspaper. Then he was on this BlackBerry. And he didn't notice that they had arrived.
And so I said, "Barack, look out the window." And he looked out the window, and there's Malia and Sasha, playing out on the tarmac. And the look on his face, when he saw those two girls, he just lit up. And he said, you know, "They lighten me. They make me feel whole. They make me feel so well loved." And the rest of the weekend was just terrific. And having Michelle and the girls along just made all the difference in the world.
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PHILLIPS: And for what it's worth, Jarrett is also being talked about as a possible cabinet pick. Her background could make her a candidate for secretary of housing or transportation.
A memo to the president-elect: big plans cost big money. And later this morning, CNN's Brianna Keilar looks at the real-life prospects for some of the new president's biggest promises.
The economy is issue No. 1 for the president, the president-elect and the rest of us. And today, we're hearing thousands more Americans are losing their jobs as DHL Express pulls the plug on its air and ground operations in the U.S. It's the news that people in Washington, Ohio, well, they've been dreading it.
Our senior correspondent, Allan Chernoff, is there to tell us more -- Allan. ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, absolutely devastating news here in Wilmington, Ohio, because this is the primary hub for DHL in the United States, for air shipment and also for sorting. There are acres and acres here, all DHL operations. One of every three households in Wilmington depends upon DHL. We're talking about 10,000 jobs in this whole complex. And they are just going to be disappearing, those jobs.
Now, this, as disappointing as it is, not a complete shock, because back in may, DHL announced that it was negotiating with UPS to take over the air shipment business here in the U.S.
In fact, here is a publication put out by ABX, which is one of the two airlines here that services DHL. "Why and What Now?" Well, the bad news has come even earlier than ABX and the other operations here anticipated.
A little while ago this morning, we were talking with employees of the companies at a local diner. Let's have a listen to what some people are saying.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to affect me directly. And so, just kind of, I don't know, tightening the reins, buckling down. Going out in the job market.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, my husband's been there for 19 years. And we've been worrying about this. Everybody in this community has. I work at the vocational school that is next to DHL, and we're worried even about our students, if parents have to move away, we're going to lose a lot of our students. So it's a scary thought.
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CHERNOFF: The entire community here is going to be affected. Tax revenues certainly going to be hit very bad. We spoke with one gentleman who's now studying to become a nurse, because that is not a business dependent upon the economy -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Allan Chernoff, live from Wilmington, Ohio. Allan, thanks.
Bailed out again. The government is pumping more money to struggling insurance giant AIG, boosting an already big bailout package to a total of more than $150 billion.
The government is buying AIG stock with $40 billion of that money, giving taxpayers a stake in the company. There are strings attached to the new bailout, including limits on golden parachutes, those big-money benefits that executives get.
AIG says that it lost more $24 billion in the third quarter of this year.
Bailouts, stimulus plans not just an American thing. Overseas markets and Wall Street got a boost today as China revealed a massive stimulus package, one investors believe will help ease the global economic crisis. The Chinese plan to pump $585 billion into their economy, which is expected to help multi-national companies, such as General Electric and Caterpillar.
Well, China's booming economy has slowed a bit this year, especially since fewer people are buying Chinese exports due to the global economic slowdown.
Well, all this talk of bailouts and stimulus plans have automakers asking, "What about us?" GM, Ford, and Chrysler are seeking their own government bailout, as they bleed money and jobs amid plummeting sales. The companies have already met with Democratic congressional leaders, who are urging the government to expand its $700 billion bailout plan to help out the big three.
GM has said it could actually run out of money by the end of the year.
So tell us what you think. Should the auto industry be bailed out? E-mail us at CNNnewsroom@CNN.com. I'll read some of your e- mails a little later on.
And in Haiti, hope along with heartache. More than three days after a school collapse killed dozens of children and adults, the search for survivors hasn't stopped. We've got a report from the scene.
She's a godsend to some prison inmates and their families. We're going to meet one of our CNN heroes, a former prisoner who makes sure that some parents behind bars stay in touch with their children that they must leave behind.
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PHILLIPS: Whatever happened to brotherly love? Don't ask these guys. We've got the details on the rumble at one of Christianity's holiest sites.
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PHILLIPS: Well, something as ordinary as going to the market shattered by bomb attacks in Baghdad today. Not one, but three exploded within minutes of each other, killing at least 30 people.
CNN's Arwa Damon is at a checkpoint in the Iraqi capital.
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ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're embedded with U.S. soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division here at a checkpoint in western Baghdad, one of countless security measures set up across the capital to try to keep the levels of violence down.
Still, at 8 a.m., the deadliest attack to take place in Baghdad in the last four months. It was what's known as a complex attack that involved one car bomb detonating, followed shortly thereafter by a second car bomb. And then, as a crowd gathered at the scene of that attack, a bomber wearing an explosive-laden vest detonated in the middle of it. The attacks, in total, killing at least 30 people and wounding at least another 70.
The location was right in front of a popular restaurant, often frequented by the Iraqi security forces, and a very crowded open marketplace. And very much underscoring a reality that everyone here is aware of. And that is that, even though the insurgency has been weakened, it has not yet been defeated.
What we're seeing here right now is the vehicles at this checkpoint being very thoroughly searched. This is a checkpoint that is, in fact, manned by the Iraqi police with the U.S. military in what's known as an over-watch role. They are here to make sure that the checkpoint is functioning properly, vehicles are properly being searched, that something is being allowed to slip through.
But again, as we saw with that devastating attack, Iraq still has quite a long ways to go, many of these soldiers will tell you, before it is, in fact, entirely stable.
We were speaking with one of the Iraqi policeman that was here earlier. He was saying that he is actually very concerned about the day when U.S. forces will leave, when they won't have that backup and that support in place. His fear is that the country will once again erupt into a civil war that he says, could see even more and greater bloodshed.
All of this coming, of course, as the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, is currently reviewing a U.S. response to the Iraqi government's request for changes to a draft agreement that would see U.S. forces leaving Iraq by 2011.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.
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PHILLIPS: Now, along Cuba's southern coast, an entire city almost leveled from Hurricane Paloma. That storm slammed ashore Saturday night at Santa Cruz del Sur as a Category 4 hurricane. Crashing surf and storm surge sent waves almost a mile inland. Hundreds of homes were destroyed.
But with massive evacuations ahead of Paloma, there are no deaths reported.
After hitting Cuba, that storm quickly dissipated. Now, over the summer, Cuba took major hits from hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
Chad Myers ready now with the latest on that big storm. What can you tell us, Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's unbelievable that no one lost a life. At 125 to 145 miles an hour. Don't have the building standards down there that we have in the U.S. Even -- even a building standard at 125 in the U.S., a house is probably going to come down.
And some of the pictures that we've been getting in from the area, all the way over toward about Camaguey -- Camaguey. That is the area that was -- it was hit so hard. And this is what the structures look like. This one actually looks pretty good. This was actually rebuildable. But most of the areas here from Santa Cruz Del Sur just really not even in the -- any position to put that back up, because that was once a home. And now the structure completely pancaked on the ground.
And the people have just -- must have gotten out of the way. And that's what we need to do here better in America, is when a big storm is coming, get out of the way and try not to live -- ride these things out. Because obviously, if you lived in Cuba, you'd seen enough of them. You'd know what they're going to do.
Right now, this thing's torn apart. There's nothing left. That's great news. The biggest story we have, actually, is some lake- effect snow in Buffalo. Snow and a hurricane in the same week. Snow and a Category 4 in the same week, which is pretty unusual.
PHILLIPS: You always bring that Buffalo factor in, because that's where you lived.
MYERS: And Traverse City, you know.
PHILLIPS: Suffered through some of the toughest weather.
MYERS: Yes. I loved it.
PHILLIPS: I know. It's a great place. Thanks, Chad. A great football team.
MYERS: Yes, well...
PHILLIPS: All right. You can blame the weather for a lot of things but not this donnybrook is one of Christianity's holiest of churches. This fight erupted yesterday between Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks. It happened in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the very place that Christians believe is the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
Well, apparently, the Greeks objected to a procession without one of their monks president. That fight was broken up by police, and several monks were injured and two arrested, one from each side.
They're doing time in prison and away from their kids. Inmates get help from a CNN hero to show their love long distance.
And then...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I should be gone in a week or so.
(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: This little boy, terminally ill and absolutely inspiring, leaving this life with a life lesson for all of us.
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PHILLIPS: More than 550,000 votes have already been cast for the CNN Hero of the Year. And we're going to announce the top honoree Thanksgiving night in an all-start tribute, right here on CNN.
These are pretty amazing people, and we're going to meet one of them in just a minute. But first, a quick look at all top ten finalists.
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ANNOUNCER: The 2008 CNN hero honorees. They all dare to make a difference.
TAD AGOGLIA, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I put together a crew that stays on the road 12 months out of the year, responds to disasters all over America, free of charge.
MARIE DA SILVA, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: My mission is to educate AIDS orphans.
YOHANNES GEBREGEORGIS, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I'm bringing literacy to the children of Ethiopia.
ANNE MAHLUM, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: We use running to help the homeless move forward.
DAVID PUCKETT, MEDICAL MARVEL: I bring artificial limbs and braces for those in need to Mexico.
CAROLYN LECROY, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I'm helping families rebuild in St. Bernard Parish. I've started the Messages Project so that incarcerated parents can keep in touch with kids.
PHYMEAN NOUN, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I recruit children from this dump to attend school at my organization.
MARIA RUIZ, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I cross the border to help people in flux (ph).
VIOLA VAUGHN, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I came to Senegal from Detroit, Michigan. I started a girl's education and self-sufficiency program.
ANNOUNCER: Your vote will help one become the CNN Hero of the Year. Vote now: CNN.com/hero.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, you heard a quick mention of the Messages Project in there. That program got its start, in part, thanks to a drug-sniffing dog sounding the alert. That led to a prison sentence for Carolyn LeCroy. And that led her try to help incarcerated parents and the kids they've left behind.
Carolyn joins us now, live from Virginia Beach.
Carolyn, great to see you.
CAROLYN LECROY, MESSAGES PROJECT: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: So you know, I'm curious. Knowing what you know how, and the impact you've been able to have, would you go back and change what you did with regard your run-in with the law? Or would you live your life like you did, knowing what you've been able to do now?
LECROY: You know, it taught me -- it taught me so much. I don't think I would change anything. We don't know why we're put on the paths we're put on. So, no, I don't think I'd change anything.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the Messages Project.
LECROY: OK.
PHILLIPS: Explain how it works and why you came up with this idea. What moved you, while you were in prison, to do this?
LECROY: Well, first of all, I was very fortunate, because I had visits from my children all the time. And they were the inspiration behind this.
I would have a visit on a Saturday or Sunday. And I would go back to the floor, and I would see women there so depressed and so unhappy. And I think the most heartbreaking, of course, were the ones that were waiting for their visit and never got it.
And I got to thinking about it, and if they're that unhappy and they're that miserable and depressed, how about the children? Wouldn't they be? And I got to researching and studying and found out that, if we can keep the bond between a parent and a child, we are more likely to be able to keep those children from following the same footsteps that their parents took.
PHILLIPS: And you know what's interesting is that, I think a lot of people stereotype prisoners, Carolyn...
LECROY: Yes, they do.
PHILLIPS: ... and think they're just not compassionate; they're mean. They don't have a nice bone in their body. And so they don't care about their kids.
But actually, you know, we all fight with our demons. We all make mistakes. But nothing really deters that sort of connection you have with a child.
LECROY: Right. People made bad choices. They make mistakes and they make bad choices. And some end up in prison, and some don't. And that's just how it is.
PHILLIPS: How did it make you feel when your kids would come see you in prison?
LECROY: When they first came, I was almost embarrassed, but I wanted to see them so badly. And they wanted to see me so badly. It didn't take long to get over that. And I felt shame; I felt guilt. I had never really been away from them. So it was -- there were a lot of really strong feelings.
But the love never changed. My children loved me. I loved them. You know, it was wonderful. It was -- I was grateful. I was thankful, because so many of the women and men don't get visits.
PHILLIPS: Wow. Do you think it was that compassion from your kids that also wanted you to be able to do more? Usually, it's the parent coming to see the kids, saying, you know, "Why did you do that? Why did you get involved with drugs? Why did you rob that bank?"
LECROY: Right, right.
PHILLIPS: "Why did you have to do this? But here were your boys coming to you. Did that in any way sort of inspire this project?
LECROY: Absolutely. Absolutely. Again, you know, I was so fortunate to have them come see me all the time. You know, our prisons aren't in your backyard. They're, you know, two, three, four -- some of them eight hours away. So distance makes a difference for some of these visits. But my boys were older. So they could drive themselves. So that helped.
PHILLIPS: I just imagine the younger ones. I'm curious, as you watch your project, tell me what the prisoners say to you. Tell me what the kids say to you. Tell me what the dynamic is like when you watch them come together.
LECROY: It is the most incredible feeling. You know, somebody asked me how it made me feel. There's not a word I can think of -- there's not an adjective that I can think of that could describe how full your heart is when you walk out of those institutions. We're going to make a difference in some child's life, and that's what it's about.
It's amazing, because the thank yous, of course, from the men and the women. But I get letters and e-mails from the caregivers of the children. And I've had a caregiver write me a letter that said the child won't go to sleep at night until dad reads him his bedtime story. And others that, you know -- I had a letter from one of the inmates to thank me. And she just said, "Thank you for sending me home for the first time in 13 years."
So those kinds of -- oh, it gives you chill bumps.
PHILLIPS: And I can see you channeling your mom right now. I know that she's one of your heroes.
LECROY: Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: And she has loved and supported you. I want to make sure I plug the Web site: TheMessageProject.org. Log on, find out what Carolyn LeCroy is doing. There she is with her mom.
You are a true hero, as a parent and someone that has really broken through making a mistake and doing things for the better. Carolyn, thank you so much.
LECROY: Thank you for having me.
PHILLIPS: Pleasure.
And we're going to profile all 10 of these special folks in the run-up to the big night. Don't forget to vote for your favorite at CNN.com/heroes. Anderson Cooper will make the announcement in our Heroes tribute, Thanksgiving night right here on CNN.
Well, from one hero to America's hero right now. Barack Obama, the president-elect, landing at Reagan National. As you know, it's going to be the first time he steps up to the White House, goes inside and checks out his new digs. He's going to be meeting with President Bush and first lady Laura Bush. And we are going to follow that, carry that live in the 2 p.m. hour.
It's -- you'll see them meet. You'll see them approach the White House. Of course, they'll be talking about everything, as you can imagine, from the economy to national security. It's only supposed to last about an hour. Our guess is, it will probably go a little longer than that. They probably have a lot to discuss. I think we all know they do have a lot to discuss.
But we'll track it for you, live, in the 2 p.m. hour. Once again, President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama arriving now at Reagan National Airport.
Chaos in Haiti, desperate parents fight police in a frantic bid to search for their children in the rubble of a collapsed school. We've got the latest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: 1:32 Eastern time. Here some of the stories we're working on the CNN NEWSROOM. President-elect Barack Obama expected at the White House in about 30 minutes. His plane just landed at Reagan National. You're actually looking at live pictures right now as he gets ready to exit the aircraft.
Next hour, he's going to sit down with President Bush to talk about pressing problems facing the country. First Lady Laura Bush will show Michelle Obama around what will soon be her new digs.
And a series of three bomb attacks today, killed at least 30 people in Baghdad. Iraqi officials say the attacks are the deadliest in almost four months. In northern Iraq, a female suicide bomber blew herself up in Baquba, killing four people.
The man questioned in the killings of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew will remain in custody. During a hearing this morning, authorities decided there's probably cause to hold William Balfour, for a parole violation until a hearing next month. The three were shot to death October 24th, while Balfour was on parole.
On the corporate front, AIG, the world's largest insurance company says that it lost more than $24 billion over the last three months. Now, the government is throwing AIG a lifeline, yet again. Stephanie Elam at the New York Stock Exchange with the details. Hey, Steph.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.
Yes, earlier this year, we heard about the government putting up $123 billion to help prop up AIG. But then, it wasn't enough. Now, the government is upping that lifeline to $150 billion. $40 billion will be used to buy shares of the insurance company. That's a special power the Treasury has, thanks to that $700 billion bailout bill. Although, up until now, the Treasury has only purchased shares of banks -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. Well, we've been hearing a lot of talk about a possible bailout for automakers. Very controversial.
Now that the government is throwing AIG a lifeline, will it help GM, Ford, Chrysler, or is it two different things?
ELAM: Well, right now at this point, there's no word on helping Detroit's big three at the time. The Treasury is only saying that it's working on deploying the $700 billion effectively. But, pressure is definitely mounting. Over the weekend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority leader Harry Ried, they sent a letter to the Treasury, asking that they extend the bailout bill so that automakers were helped, as well.
GM, Ford and Chrysler are said to be looking for a $50 billion loan. Without it, some analysts say GM is likely to go bankrupt. That concern is sending GM shares down 23%. Earlier today, they hit a 62-year low. And that is pulling on the Dow Jones Industrials. The Dow off 66 points right now, at 8,877. And NASDAQ off 26 at 1,620 - Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Steph, thanks so much.
And as you just heard from Stephanie, the big U.S. automakers are bleeding cash and jobs and they want a transfusion now. Should they get their own government-backed bailout? We asked, you answered.
Arthur, from Des Moines, writes, "No! The industry must be allowed to die out, and the efficient European and Japanese automakers will buy the assets for pennies on a dollar, negotiate new, competitive wages and benefits with the workers, not the unions. Only then can Detroit be reborn."
And Darius, from Rockford, Illinois says, "There should be a bailout without a doubt. But that would be just the beginning. Reform of NAFTA is is essential because automakers cannot compete with the overabundance of foreign cars sold for less."
And Ike from L.A. wonders how we got into this mess. He says, "If the industry is, as it professes to be, forward-thinking and cutting edge, there's no way it should be in this position. If you are not aware of your environment how can you possibly produce a product that is compatible with it?"
Thanks for your e-mails.
Well, the President-elect and First Lady to-be are on their way to the White House now. But, only for a visit. Barack and Michelle Obama were invited by President and Mrs. Bush, to get the feel of the place and discuss the transition. Getting ready to watch them board - or actually, get off the plane, which will be happening in just a second here at Reagan National Airport. This is all going to start at the top of the hour and we will stake it live. The tour and talks with President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will be private. But you'll see the Obamas arrival on the South Lawn live, right here on CNN.
Once again, the aircraft carrying President-elect Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, just now arriving at Reagan National. He'll be getting off any minute now. Also, he decided to leave the girls behind. He took them to school this morning, but not taking them to the White House. They'll have plenty of time to get to know the big, Oval Office when that happens.
Now, let me give you an idea of what the day is going to look like. Once President-elect Barack Obama, as you see right there, in his slick shades, getting off the aircraft. And, of course, going to be surrounded by Secret Service as he greets VIPs and gets ready to head over to the White House.
He's going to arrive on the South Lawn, the South Portico. That's actually the diplomatic entrance. And then of course, on Inauguration Day, he'll enter from the North Portico, which is the ceremonial entrance.
But the president and First Lady Laura Bush will meet him there at the White House. The motorcade will pull up right there on the south driveway. And once they meet and greet, they'll go inside, have about an hour of a private meeting. Hopefully, we'll find out what takes place within that meeting. It may go longer. They obviously have a lot to talk about. And we'll follow it live.
Well, campaign promises are hard to keep even when we aren't in the worst economic implosion generations. CNN's Brianna Keilar has some questions and observations for the Obama administration in this memo to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mr. President, on the campaign trail, you made trillion-dollar promises, tax cut for the middle class, health care reform, a renewable energy revolution. But, now keeping those promises depends on Congress.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE SPEAKER: The House will be in order. KEILAR: On your fellow Democrats like Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House.
(on camera): Can Democrats deliver on those promises?
REP. STENY HOYER (D), MAJORITY LEADER: Democrats are certainly going to try. But, Democrats also have to manage expectations.
KEILAR (voice-over): The problem, not enough money. Especially after that $700 billion Wall Street bailout. And the national debt quickly approaching $11 trillion. Democrats will have to again, break their rule that every new program needs to be paid for.
HOYER: Everybody understands, conservatives, moderate, liberals, Republican economists, Democratic economists, understand that in the short term confronted with an economic crisis, you try to stimulate the economy. And you do that by deficit spending.
KEILAR: The good news, the checkbook is open because Congress wants to put money in American's pockets with that big tax cut you promised.
ETHAN SIEGAL, THE WASHINGTON EXCHANGE: Well, I think the danger in not delivering on the tax cut is that Democrats lose seats in the 2010 midterm Congressional elections. Voters have to take it out on somebody. They can't take it out on Obama initially, so they'll take it out on Democrats.
KEILAR: But corralling votes here might not be easy. A lot of the newly elected Democrats are conservative, tight-fisted with tax payer money.
SIEGAL: Many of these new seats they've picked up in the House and the Senate, are in areas that generally vote Republican, which means this is not a San Francisco Democrat.
KEILAR (on camera): Another roadblock, predictions are the economy won't be getting better anytime soon. And that threatens your huge promise of health care reform. If it happens at all, it's more likely to come in small, incremental stages, not one sweeping, and expensive one.
Brianna Keilar, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, while we wait for the next president to make his first ever visit to the Oval Office, we're going to talk about the ceremony and substance and history with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. He's going to join me here in the NEWSROOM in about 10 minutes from now.
PHILLIPS: International news. In Haiti, despair and heartache gripped parents and relatives of students and adults killed in the collapse of a school. At least 89 were killed Friday, when huge concrete slabs rained down during a school party. And at one point, frantic parents themselves began digging for their children.
CNN's David Mattingly is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a moment when hearts aching for hope took over. U.S. and French search and rescue teams temporarily stopped working. Then, Haitian firemen and volunteers jumped in with hammers and shovels, until police moved them back.
More than 48 hours after the collapse of the three-story school building, a U.N. spokesman says early estimates of 100 to 200 buried in the rubble, were wrong. The true number may be a fraction of that.
But for the young survivors, their pain and their tears do not go away. Some struggle with wounds that may last a lifetime.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My sister was buried with me. She says, Linda, are you going to let me die here? But I could do nothing for her.
MATTINGLY: This 12-year-old struggled to free herself, but her sister died in the rubble. Children say the collapse came without warning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): As I was walking, a student pulled me out of the way of the falling blocks.
MATTINGLY: This 10-year-old is alive only because classmates pulled him to safety. Authorities blame poor construction for the collapse. The owner of the school is in police custody.
TANIS EMANNUEL, FATHER (through translator): When you build a building an engineer should know how much material it takes to build and how many people the building can hold.
MATTINGLY: Most of the survivors have severe cuts, broken arms, legs and ribs. Doctors wrap the wounds in bandages and wait for young bodies to heal. (on camera): This is the largest public hospital in Port-au-Prince. After the disaster, many of the injured children were brought here and you can see many of them still remain on the mend. It's very hot today. These are open-air wards. There's no air conditioning. Many family members are visiting, trying to provide as much comfort for their children as they possibly can.
(voice-over): Church groups gathered in the wards to give thanks and offer prayers of healing. In spite of their pain, these children are it's fortunate ones.
But for the other families, hopes are fading. The loss of young life means the end of so many plans and dreams. In a country where sometimes, that's all people have.
David Mattingley, CNN, Petionville, Haiti. (END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Going with amazing grace. An 11-year-old boy with terminal cancer, spending his final days trying to help others.
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PHILLIPS: Well, Barack Obama arrives at the White House just minutes from now to sit down with the man that he replaces in January. The meeting between President Bush and the President-elect is usually a formality. But not today. Not with a battered economy at home and two wars overseas. That definitely changes the dynamic. Let's talk about this historic transition to power with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley.
Douglas, a historic transition, doesn't necessarily mean a smooth one, right?
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, first off, by and large, they go well. You know, a lot of people in the world marvel at how we can have these elections and then have something like President Bush and Barack Obama, who have no love lost between them, suddenly seem very unified.
Beyond that general kind of feeling, it depends on the president and at the moment. Some get along tremendously. Other ones are just sort of in the middle. And then there are ones that just don't work at all. Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, for example, couldn't stand themselves. Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford became best friends due to the transition.
PHILLIPS: Well, and you know, a lot of critics are coming forward and saying, look, what can President Bush tell Barack Obama? Barack Obama won because he emphasizes change in a new direction in the complete opposite of a George W. Bush. I mean, this is a guy that's taken the economy into the tank. There are two wars. One that's extremely controversial, considered an absolute catastrophic move.
So, will Barack Obama really, Doug, truly sit down with President Bush and listen to him and ask for his advice and talk about policy issues and what direction he should take?
BRINKLEY: Oh, absolutely he will. I mean, first off, the ushers are going to greet the Obamas and give them a tour of the house. And Barack and Michelle are going to see where they're going to be living.
This is Barack Obama's first time in the Oval Office. So, you can imagine just looking around and realizing the steep history of that particular office and that now he's going to be working there every day. That all occurs.
But we have a lot of things that go on in our government, particularly in the world of intelligence, what's going none Afghanistan, Iraq. Nuclear programs, fears of loose nukes, fears of biological warfare. A lot of things that President Bush knows, he may very well want to tell Barack Obama.
There is a lot of wisdom in President Bush, from being on the job for eight years. And I think he's going to want to establish the fact that he's handing over the baton, handing over the secrets of state as honestly and forthrightly as possible. So, Barack Obama will be all ears. He's a sponge of knowledge and President Bush has a lot, by virtue of being president for eight years.
PHILLIPS: Doug, as we continue to talk here, we're looking at live pictures along with you here. President Bush and the First Lady there waiting on the South Side - yes, the South Lawn there, the South Portico for President-elect Barack Obama.
Barack Obama just now pulling up and getting ready to get out of the car and greet the president and first lady. There it is right there. Doug, I can just imagine what's going through his mind. I mean, this is the first time he and his wife are stepping foot on the White House lawn here, and about to enter into their new home.
I mean, the feeling has got to be overwhelming in many ways.
BRINKLEY: Well, it is. And you know, remember, John McCain during the campaign used to criticize Barack Obama all the time saying, he's already measuring the drapes.
Well, now, he is measuring the drapes today. They're starting to imagine their own belongings in this house and starting to imagine what it will be like for their children toll grow up there. And so it's really, I think, always a very wonderful day. There have been a lot of strange moments.
And back in 1968, when Richard and Pat Nixon came, Lyndon Johnson was president. And LBJ kind of interrupted the usher and started showing the Nixons around and brought them into the bedroom. And then President Johnson got on his hands and knees, went to the bed and pulled out a machine which was a tape recorder and said, tape everything, even the bedroom. Tape everything you can because it's history. Well, Nixon is left thinking, boy, LBJ has became unglued a little. But 10 years later, Nixon was taping in the White House and hence we have Watergate.
PHILLIPS: Oh my god, that's a great story, Doug. I've never heard that before. That's very good.
Give me another little tidbit in history. We've been talking a lot about the serious stuff. And no doubt we touched on -- look, we're in an economic meltdown, we're dealing with two wars. They've got to talk about serious issues. But, give me more behind-the-scenes flavor about a time like that, for example Nixon. Anything else stand out to you as you sort of go back in history and think of other transition times like this?
BRINKLEY: Well there's so many, but one I've always enjoyed was -- because they are such different styles -- was Jimmy Carter, the micromanager, versus Ronald Reagan. So Carter loses to Reagan. He was bitter. He lost in 1980. He was the sitting president. And Ronald Reagan came into -- for his meeting just like Obama is today, and Carter started saying, well, Governor Reagan, you're going to have to -- this isn't like being governor. I was a governor once, and it's not like it. You're going to have to start getting up at 6:00 a.m. and getting NSC briefings and CIA briefings.
And Reagan just looked at him and said, I don't get up until 9:00 a.m. no matter what. I'm not getting up for -- I don't care. And Carter was a little taken back. And then Carter was giving him all this information on the hostages captured -- kept in Tehran. And Reagan took no notes. And when he left, Carter could not believe that he had all this wisdom and there was no note-taking going on by Ronald Reagan. And so those two didn't get along very well. And their inaugural day wasn't very warm either.
PHILLIPS: Well, it will be interesting to see the story that you tell, that I tell, after this meeting with George Bush and Barack Obama. I hope we have some fun in addition to the serious points as they begin to meet right now.
Doug Brinkley, always a pleasure to talk to you.
BRINKLEY: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
For Barack Obama, it's all about change. The president-elect's transition team features that word prominently in its Web site. We're going to tell you how you can actually participate in that change next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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PHILLIPS: OK. This is -- this is one of those days, folks, that whatever President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama do, we're going to be taking it live. So wherever they're walking, wherever they're waving, wherever they're meeting, whatever door they're going in and out of, whatever car they're getting in and out of, we will be taking it live.
Now, they've just cruised through the Rose Garden. You're seeing a bit of a tour there on the outside of the White House. And then moving themselves inside, probably going to get the major tour inside. Photographers tracking for it us so we'll have the pictures hopefully within the next 24 hours. See what did I tell you, look at that, see the camera is going to follow their every single move through every single window. It's going to be like reality TV, the White House.
Anyway, we're going to keep you updated on this first visit for President-elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. For the first time they're seeing their new digs, they are inside now. They are going to sit down, talk with the president First Lady Laura Bush. It will be interesting to find out what comes from that discussion. We'll be taking it all live throughout the afternoon. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well, it's a story that will warm and break your heart. A little boy who is losing his battle with leukemia. Coming to the end of his life with courage, calm, and charity. His story now from Elisa Jaffe of affiliate KOMO in Seattle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA JAFFE, KOMO REPORTER: Brenden Foster is only 11 years old, but his time to die has come.
BRENDEN FOSTER, DYING OF LEUKEMIA: I should be gone in a week or so.
JAFFE: Brenden was the kid who ran the fastest, climbed the highest, and dreamed of becoming a Marine photographer. Leukemia killed all that, but not his dying wish to help others.
WENDY FOSTER, BRENDEN'S MOTHER: He's always thought about the better of others, wanting to help others. He's never complained about having to go through this, ever.
JAFFE: In the last days of his life, it's this homeless camp that captured Brenden's heart.
B. FOSTER: Well, I was getting back from one of my clinic appointments, and I saw this big thing in the middle, full of homeless people. And then I thought I should just get them something.
JAFFE: Brenden is too ill to leave his bed and feed the homeless. He walked into an emergency room last December and hasn't walked since. But the group is gathering and making sandwiches to carry out Brenden's wish.
JENNIFER MORRISON, VOLUNTEER: We're making 200 sandwiches, half ham and cheese and half peanut butter and jelly. He said he didn't want to do just all peanut butter and jelly because what if somebody was allergic to peanut butter.
B. FOSTER: They're probably starving. So give them a chance.
JAFFE: Brenden is now surrounded by love, and urges all of us to follow our dreams.
B. FOSTER: Mine already came true.
JAFFE: He has relapsed for the last time. There is no more chemo, no more transfusions, just comfort medications.
W. FOSTER: It's devastating. But I find great peace in knowing we've had our time together and that we will see each other again.
JAFFE: His next wish, become an angel who accomplishes even more in heaven than he did on earth.
B. FOSTER: I had a great time. And until it's time -- my time has come, I'm just going to keep having a good time. JAFFE: Don't cry for Brenden. He doesn't want leukemia to get any more tears.
Elisa Jaffe, KOMO 4 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, I know this story had a huge affect on all of us in the NEWSROOM. And maybe it has made some of you think about ways to live your life, even help others. A great source of information for that is our "Impact Your World" site. If you're inspired to take action, there are countless people around the world that need your help -- cnn.com/impact.
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