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Advice on What to do About Mortgages; Mayors Speak Out About Meeting with the President; How the Economy is Hurting College Students

Aired February 20, 2009 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And hello again, everyone. I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Here are the headlines from CNN for this Friday, the 20th of February.

The mayors and the money -- how to spend their share of the president's stimulus package. One of the guests at the White House live this hour, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

She's on the front lines of the foreclosure crisis every day. I am talking live this hour with the housing supervisor in hard-hit Broward County, Florida.

And college students angry over the financial crisis and their mortgages futures. Class is in session in the NEWSROOM.

They are from crash-strapped towns and cities all over the country, mayors looking for help from President Obama's economic recovery plan. They just wrapped up a meeting with the president.

White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux live with details.

And Suzanne, I suppose any moment now we are going to hear from a few of those mayors.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right, Tony. Our camera's actually trained at that door, and we expect them to walk out and at least give us their impressions of what it was like to meet with the president in private.

And the message from the president very interesting, Tony. It was just a couple weeks ago you had White House officials essentially who were courting these local leaders, saying, look, we need you to support and push for this economic stimulus package, even in those traditional Republicans states where you are governors and members of Congress who are saying, we're not going to have anything to do with it.

Well, now President Obama's turning to these mayors and he's saying, yes, we've got this thing with $787 billion, but I am putting you on notice here that taxpayers are going to be watching every single way that you spend every single dollar, and that you need to be accountable and responsible for these projects that you've put forward.

I want you to take a listen, Tony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want everybody here to be on notice that if a local government does the same, I will call them out on it and use the full power of my office and our administration to stop it. We have asked for the unprecedented trust of the American people to deal boldly with the greatest economic crisis we've seen in decades, and the privilege of investing unprecedented amounts of their hard-earned money to address this crisis. And with that comes unprecedented obligations to spend that money wisely, free from politics and free from personal agendas. On this I will not compromise or tolerate any shortcuts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So Tony, what you're really seeing here is there is one audience which is obviously the mayors that are before him, but another audience, which is you and I and all the taxpayers who -- and perhaps even the critics who are doubting whether or not this is going to work, where do we find these projects, and how this money is spent. Recovery.gov is actually the Web site that the president talked about, because he is trying to convince everyone that, A, this plan is going to work, and B, that you're going to be able to be a part of it to actually see and influence the outcome of where all this money is going.

So a stern warning, if you will, to some of these local officials -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes. And the president, it seems to me, is counting on those mayors to go back to their cities and sell this package to the people in their cities.

Suzanne...

MALVEAUX: That's one...

HARRIS: Yes -- no, go ahead.

MALVEAUX: It's one of the things that he can do when he brings the mayors here to the White House, that, yes, all the local papers from those cities are going to be covering this.

HARRIS: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Our mayor was here at the White House, what did the president have to say? What does the mayor say about what kind of discussions they had? That's going to generate a ton of media. So this is really twofold, a message to the mayors, but certainly to everybody else who's paying attention to this.

HARRIS: The multiplier effect.

White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux for us.

And once again, we're waiting -- I believe we have that camera that Suzanne was referring to just a moment ago trained there on the White House door. And when the mayors come out and make statements, of course we'll take you there live.

And we will get to talk to one of the mayors who had some time with the president this morning. We're talking about Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. He joins us this half-hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Bill Clinton to President Obama: Tone down the gloom and doom. The former president says the current one should sound positive and upbeat when talking about the U.S. economy.

In his one month in office, President Obama has repeatedly called the financial crisis one of the greatest in history and a potential catastrophe. At the same time, Clinton says he is glad the new president didn't sugarcoat things with a bunch of happy talk.

The president's economic message is out there. Is his tone hurting investor confidence? From the looks of things, stocks sure could use a pep talk today.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

HARRIS: Miami's mayor, Manuel Diaz, is speaking now. The mayors have come out of the meeting with the president.

Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

MAYOR MANNY DIAZ, MIAMI: While we have the diversity among us, we have one thing in common, and that is that each and every day, we see people in our cities lose their jobs, lose their homes, school systems that continue to fail, continued dependence on foreign oil, and a whole host of other issues.

And with the economic recovery plan, we're all ready to go, we've been ready to go for a long time. We believe that the forward- thinking investments that we're going to make in our infrastructure, in transit investments and education, and certainly in all types of energy investments, are the right things to do not just for short term in terms of creating jobs, but also for the long term in, making the right kinds of investments to make our country more competitive in this global economy.

So we're very excited to have been here this morning. It's refreshing to be able -- for cities to be able to partner with the White House. We have worked on these issues for many, many years, but there's nothing like having a true partner in the White House that we have today with the president and the vice president, and an outstanding cabinet who understands the urban agenda, and who understands the need that in order to move this country forward, we need to move our urban areas forward. Thank you.

QUESTION: What is your reaction to the president saying he'll call you out if the money is not spent well?

DIAZ: Absolutely. That's -- we get called out every day at the local (ph) office. We have plenty of constituents who will be doing that before the president does.

QUESTION: Mayor Nagin, I want to ask you something.

New Orleans was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, the levees breaking, what have you. Then you had the economic problems, the downturn in this country. What are you specifically pleased about to help your city and what are you not so happy with?

MAYOR RAY NAGIN (D), NEW ORLEANS: Well, you know, I'm very pleased with the reception that we received today. I mean this is unusual, unprecedented. And we had very specifics that we got from the cabinet secretaries on how the money would reach us very quickly.

You know, the big problem that I had -- and I mentioned this to the secretary -- is that it took two and a half years before any money really hit the city of New Orleans after Katrina. And I made the point that, if this stimulus money travels on the same track, then there will be lots of unspent dollars at the end of this initiative. And they assured us that they're going to push the money as quickly as they can through the states, and some of it directly to the city. So I'm very excited about that.

QUESTION: But what's the timeline to getting the general specifics?

Mayor Palmer, what are the specifics of you getting the timeline, starting when the money should be trickling down in your city (INAUDIBLE)?

MAYOR DOUG PALMER, TRENTON: Not soon enough, but we're told even some of the CDBG money will be coming as quickly as next week. And that's fantastic.

You know, as the nation's mayors, who have to deal with the problems of our citizens every day, we are very appreciative of this great opportunity. We don't mind being called out. As the mayor said, we get called out every day by our citizens who want help. And so we welcome that kind of accountability.

We're going to help get the job down, but it's critically important that money that comes direct to us, we find ways in which we can work with our local minority and small business contractors, small businesses to make sure that we can procure the goods and services from small business. And to also work with the governors so that they understand they will be getting some of the money, but it's critically important that they work with mayors in these metro economies so that that money can get to the citizens, so that we can get our country back to work. QUESTION: If I could follow on April's (ph) question back to Mayor Nagin. The governor -- are you actually being blocked by Governor Jindal in terms of getting money for your state, Mayor Nagin?

MAYOR GREG NICKELS, SEATTLE: Let me give Mayor Nagin a second, but I'm Greg Nickels from Seattle, Washington, where people are just finishing up their first Starbucks. And I'm very pleased to be here. I'm the vice president of the Conference of Mayors under Manny Diaz' leadership.

We've worked very hard to develop some specific plans that we would like this administration to adopt and embrace. And what we've heard today from five members of the cabinet in a closed-door meeting was that they understand that and they get that.

In terms of climate change, we've been amongst the leaders when the United States, four years ago this week, refused to join the rest of the world in adopting the Kyoto Treaty as law. We stepped forward and started to take action at the local level. That's good for the environment, but it also opens up opportunities for a green economy, for green jobs. And we're figuring on how to create those, and we asked the cabinet and we asked the president to understand how these pieces fit together in these very sophisticated metropolitan areas that represent three-quarters of the GNP of the United States.

So it was a very heartening meeting. It is great to be welcomed back in the White House.

QUESTION: Mayor Nagin...

NAGIN: Oh lord. I can't seem to catch a break.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

NAGIN: Now, I'm going to answer this question in the spirit of cooperation, because most of the money is going through the states. So -- but I think the governor of the state of Louisiana is a Republican, I think he's been tapped as the up-and-coming Republican to potentially run for president the next time it goes around. So he has a certain vernacular and a certain way he needs to talk right now.

I don't think it's going to impede us, because Representative Clyborn did something very smart in the legislation. He basically said that if a governor does not want this money, the legislators can vote to accept the money. And I told the governor personally, any dollars he does not want, we will take them gladly.

QUESTION: Can we hear from a Republican mayor?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Don Pasquale (ph).

Go on, Don.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead, Elizabeth. You're the senior... (CROSSTALK)

ELIZABETH KAUTZ, BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA: Elizabeth Kautz, Burnsville, Minnesota, second vice president for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

QUESTION: What about the implications this morning that the Bush administration turned a deaf ear (INAUDIBLE)? Do you buy that? And what's your reaction?

KAUTZ: As a mayor of a city that is a medium-size city, and your question about whether the Bush administration had turned a deaf ear, one of the things that we have not recognized, that we are now recognizing now, are the economic tools that are on the table for us to make sure that we put our people back to work. And that's appreciated.

And one of the things that we've appreciated with the tools that have been afforded to us now with the reinvestment act, is that we now can make sure that our people are back to work, our infrastructure is reconstructed and repaired, and our children will have great education. And we will also have the ability to put in place amenities that will enrich the lives of our children, our families, and really make sure that our country is competitive on a global stage.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a Republican mayor from Charlotte, my 14th year. I did not agree with all the parts of the stimulus package.

HARRIS: We've heard from a number of mayors now, and it is their job, once the formulas are in place, to spend the stimulus money. But you also heard that there is a bit of a competition here.

A lot of these mayors are going to be knocking on the doors of their respective state houses, and lobbying to get as much of the money as they can for their respective cities. So you've heard from mayors from Seattle and Trenton, New Jersey, also from Miami, and New Orleans, of course, Mayor Ray Nagin.

In just a couple of minutes you're going to hear from Los Angeles' mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Also, straight ahead, as America's housing crisis grows, what options are available to those who have lost their homes? I'm going to get some answers from a woman who has been getting a lot of calls.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY COLEMAN, IREPORTER: What should these people do? If they were to get laid off, what are their options? There aren't very many options out there. I mean, it could be weeks before they qualify for food stamps. And if they're living paycheck to paycheck, what then?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: What then, indeed. And for folks who have lost their jobs, their house just may be next. Last year alone, more than two million homes received foreclosure notices.

Joining me now from one of the hardest hit areas of south Florida, mortgage counselor Phyllis Brown with the Broward County Housing Authority.

Phyllis, thanks you for your time.

PHYLLIS BROWN, MORTGAGE COUNSELOR: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: You know, I heard you on the radio recently, and I could literally hear in your voice what it must be like for you to have to take these calls from people who, in some cases, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a position where they've got foreclosure notices and their homes, in some cases, are actually in foreclosure.

How many calls are you getting -- I don't know, you set the parameters here -- on a weekly basis, a daily basis, from folks who are in real trouble over foreclosures?

BROWN: On a weekly basis, we are currently receiving anywhere from 700 to 800 calls a week of families facing foreclosure.

HARRIS: And what are they saying to you?

BROWN: Well, Tony, right now the most calls that we receive when we're asking people why they're behind with their mortgages, what caused the problem, unemployment. So right now, the majority of our calls, we've been faced with people that have been hit with losing their jobs, and right now they can't find jobs to even compare with the income that they were making to pay the mortgage payments that they have.

HARRIS: Yes.

And Phyllis, let me ask you to look right into that camera. I want everyone to make the same connection with you that I'm making with you now.

BROWN: OK.

HARRIS: Look, you're talking about people who, again, in many cases have lost their homes. I wonder what you think of some of the criticism you've been hearing about these so-called people. And I know there are some people who went into homes that they really couldn't afford.

Are you seeing more of those people, or the people you just described a moment ago, who have lost their jobs and just can't afford the homes they're in? BROWN: Well, we do get quite a few cases where we have seen people that got in above their head. You know, our housing counseling agency, we do a pretty good, thorough job of interviewing and counseling the people that we service, because we want to know exactly how did they get caught up in some of these mortgages?

We see mortgages come across our desk and you wonder, how in the world did this happen? And you know, we have had people to admit, you know, well, they signed it because they looked for the intent to further down the road maybe refinance, and they just got caught up with a bad loan. Or most people, honestly, Tony, they don't know how they received the loan. And then right now, mostly it's unemployment phone calls.

HARRIS: Yes. Let me see if I can sort of separate out those two groups of people.

What are you able to say to the people who have lost their homes or about to lose their homes, and it's because they went into mortgages that they couldn't afford, and now find themselves in over their heads? I mean, what kind of advice or help can you give them, and is it different from the advice you give to people who find themselves in homes they could afford before they lost their jobs?

BROWN: It's different in the sense that -- because most of those loans that those people just signed and didn't know what they were getting into, hoping to maybe somewhere down the road refinance, that, you know, when you look at those loans -- and we started looking at the tools that we normally use that can help someone out of a situation, out of a crisis, that you're going to be able to like put them back on track with this mortgage -- those loans are loans that you can do little with.

HARRIS: What's it like for you to be on the receiving end of these calls? What kind of stories are you hearing?

BROWN: Mostly, as far as what's causing people to get behind, is the unemployment. And we get a lot of calls from seniors. And that's a tough one with me, because I've seen seniors come across my desk that have told stories of how they even got their mortgage.

You know, they're on a fixed income. They've seen their mortgage payments as high as $3,500, with $1,000 mortgage payment a month.

But they were led or misled by someone that they had trusted. And they explain the story. And we sit down, we listen, and we try to direct people in the right path.

As housing counselors, we have tools that we use that we know that can possibly work. We had all the training, and we try to direct people on the right path.

For people that we cannot help, you know, we don't try to drag them along. We just go to their point. So more and more tools hopefully are coming into the fold where we will be able to help more and more families that come into our offices. HARRIS: Well, I need you to be strong, because these folks obviously need you. I need you to be strong and give these people all the help that you can.

Phyllis, great to talk to you. Thanks for your time.

BROWN: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: And have a great weekend.

BROWN: You, too.

HARRIS: The economic crisis is also causing a lot of stress for the younger generation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like, my parents wanted so much for me. And at times, it feels like I can't deliver it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: You know, I heard a lot of raw emotions when I visited these college students. Hear my conversation with them when class is in session. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right. And this just in. Illinois's Governor Pat Quinn is asking for Senator Roland Burris to step down, to resign, all over conflicting accounts that many are pointing to of Roland Burris' fund-raising activities for former Governor Rod Blagojevich in the days before Roland Burris was selected to fill Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

So once again, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is asking for Senator Roland Burris to resign. We've got some sound in from the governor, and we will bring that to you in just a couple of moments, right here in the NEWSROOM.

The economic meltdown is causing personal meltdowns for college students across the country. As part of my "Class in Session" series, I tapped into some raw emotions from Georgia Tech students.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Hey, everybody. How are you? "Class in Session," Georgia Tech style.

Here we go.

How are you? Lord, have mercy.

Hi. What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Christine (ph). HARRIS: Let's have at it. All right?

Class is in session.

Are you angry about the circumstances that we're in now? And do you attach blame to anyone? Raw emotions here.

VERNELL WOODS, FRESHMAN, COMPUTER ENGINEERING: It doesn't just make me angry. It kind of make me irate, because after seeing so many people...

HARRIS: So you're beyond angry.

WOODS: I am beyond angry simply because, after seeing so many people in my family, friends, parents of friends, simply struggling, that have been working for countless numbers of years, simply struggling because of our economy going oun down. And so often we want to play the blame game, we want to blame it on this person.

HARRIS: And I'm asking you to do that.

WOODS: And somewhat the way you're asking. But me, I'm not at that point yet. But not just looking at me, but looking at the generations that are coming after me, and looking at my little cousins, and the younger people, I don't care about who caused it.

HARRIS: You want to move forward.

WOODS: I want a fix.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. Oh, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're all angry.

SHELBY BERNARD, SENIOR, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & CULTURE: So angry. I'm a first-generation America. And so we moved here because we felt like this was the land of opportunity. And if we could make it anywhere, we could make it here. And now I'm looking like, maybe I'll have a job if I move back to where my parents are originally from, you know? And that should never be. Somebody -- we immigrated and we feel like we failed or that I might not have the possibility to succeed? That's heart-breaking, you know?

CHRISTINE LIU, FRESHMAN, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN: I have the same story that she does. My parents came here and they had, I think together -- I heard this story like 50 times -- they had about $49 in their pocket together and now they're both making -- my parents are making around six figures. That's the American dream, is to come here with $50 -- less than $50 and to suddenly be making six figures.

HARRIS: You may not do as well as your parents.

LIU: No. And that's the unfortunate thing about it. Like my parents are honestly considering like thinking about, you know, maybe China's a good option. Because I'm from -- my parents . . .

HARRIS: Is that really a discussion point in your family?

LIU: Well, my dad wants to -- well currently like the job market with my dad, because he's an engineer, it's hard -- it's really hard to actually stay up because we have, you know, all these Georgia Tech students who are, you know, new with the -- up with the new information and stuff like that. They're coming in and taking the older people's jobs.

And so my dad doesn't have the opportunity to actually get the job. But he's a really smart guy and so he's considering, you know, going back to China and maybe starting up a job there. Which should never be an option. He moved here in the first place to get the opportunity to raise his daughters in a good environment, in a good place so that they could have whatever they wanted. Whatever they dreamt for, they could have it.

HARRIS: This American dream?

LIU: Yes. So, I mean, to see it right now is almost heart- breaking.

HARRIS: That was my next question. How does it make you feel?

LIU: It makes me angry and it makes me a little sad to think about it because I have -- like my parents wanted so much for me and at time it feels like I can't deliver it because I'm here for an education. My tuition here is actually -- with the help -- is more expensive than my sister's was. And my sister is only four years older than I am.

HARRIS: Is that pressure on you?

LIU: That's a lot of pressure on me, actually. To keep up that level of perfection that you need to have in order to make it in this country.

NICK WELLKAMP, SENIOR, INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING: Now I'm angry because, you know, we're talking about -- well, we're talking about billions, maybe trillions of dollars in bailout fund, but where is that money coming from? We're mortgage -- they're mortgage -- you know, the current generation is mortgaging our generation's future. We're going to be the ones who have to pay for it. Now I'm not mad that we're trying to revitalize our economy. I'm mad that we have to be doing this to revitalize our economy.

BERNARD: There's no bailout for me if I can't pay my student loans back because I don't have a job.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, right.

BERNARD: I only need 100 grand.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Oh, that is so much fan. You can hear much more from these bright future leaders next Friday, class is back in session and these young people get very frank about race in America. Personal stories you won't want to miss. Again that's next Friday at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Embattled Illinois Senator Roland Burris, we told you just a moment ago, facing pressure to quit over disclosures he may have perjured himself during his Rod Blagojevich impeachment testimony. Just moments ago Governor Pat Quinn called for Burris to step down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. PAT QUINN, (D) ILLINOIS: My good friend, Senator Roland Burris, to put the interest of the people of the land of Lincoln, first an foremost, ahead of his own, and step aside and resign from his office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Earlier today on CNN, Illinois Congressman Phil Hare urged Burris to do the right thing and resign. Burris insists he has done nothing wrong.

Mayors from across the United States in Washington today to find out how they can start taking advantage of all of those stimulus dollars. I will ask the mayor of Los Angeles what the president is telling him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So a little over three hours into the trading day for a Friday. And take a look at this -- yikes! The Dow down 122 points, 7,343. Boy. And the Nasdaq down nine as well. Of course, we're going to be following these numbers for you throughout the day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

You know, it's been almost a month now. How is President Barack Obama handling the job? New poll numbers out on that and the economic stimulus package signed into law this week. Here to break it all down for us is CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

Bill, good to see you.

All right, how's the president doing? Is the honeymoon still on?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is. Whoo-hoo! He's getting a 67 percent job approval rating in our latest poll. Those are very high numbers. Now that 67 is down about nine points from where he was earlier this month. When he was peaking, it was 76 percent at the beginning of February.

But we're finding that the honeymoon is over really for Republicans. His Republican critics have begun to move away from supporting President Obama, mostly because of the stimulus plan. In fact, more than two-thirds of that drop from earlier this month occurred among Republicans.

But in the electorate as a whole, 67 percent, the honeymoon's still very definitely on.

HARRIS: Boy, those are some numbers. Does the public support the economic stimulus plan, Bill?

SCHNEIDER: They do. Sixty percent say that they favor the stimulus plan that was passed by Congress with the spending increases and the tax cuts. Almost one in four oppose that stimulus plan. But, remember, there was a big split in Congress between Democrats and Republicans. While that split mirrors or is reflected in the split among voters.

Take a look at this. Democrats, almost 90 percent, say they favor the stimulus plan. But more than three-quarters of Republicans oppose it. Well, the stimulus plan is a problem for Republicans. They don't like it and it's the main reason why they've left the honeymoon.

HARRIS: Right. I'm wondering what the polling indicates on this next question. I wonder, do people think the plan will actually work?

SCHNEIDER: They're not real sure. Fifty-three percent told us that they thought -- they think that the stimulus plan will have a significant -- create a significant improvement in the nation's economy. Forty-four percent say they don't think it will. And even there, only one in five believe that we're going to see a significant improvement within the next year. So people are kind of divided about that.

We also asked people, do you think the stimulus plan will make a significant improvement in your own personal financing? And under a third said that it would. Which means most people don't think what the government does is likely to have a big impact on them personally.

HARRIS: Boy, our senior political analyst Bill Schneider for us. Bill, good to see you. Have a great weekend. Thank you.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

HARRIS: A neighborhood in Oakland, California, is taking a stand against the rash of foreclosures. Some owners are simply refusing to give up their homes. Activists and politicians are rallying around the neighbor to block banks from taking control of the properties. Ten homes on this one street are or have been in foreclosure. Most can be traced to adjustable mortgages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSA GONZALEZ, FACING FORECLOSURE: Because I had 11 point something on one rate on the other loan was 7.85.

DAVID KERR, OALKAND ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS: What happened was, they refinanced with loans that had adjustable rate mortgages. And those mortgages re-adjusted. And they could no longer afford the payments.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: Wow. This neighborhood's zip code has the highest number of foreclosures in all of Oakland.

Dozens of mayors from around the country just wrapping up a meeting with President Obama. The focus -- money from the stimulus plan, how to get it and how to spend it. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was in that meeting and he joins us live from the White House lawn.

You look good there, sir!

MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, LOS ANGELES: How are you, Tony?

HARRIS: Hmm, hmm, OK. Good to see you.

VILLARAIGOSA: Well, it feels good as well. I can tell you, I saw that poll of the numbers that support the stimulus package.

HARRIS: Oh, you did? OK.

VILLARAIGOSA: And I can tell you, I was with 80 mayors who represent the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, and it was unanimous, Democrat and Republicans alike. We are excited about getting people back to work, about making the infrastructure investments that we need to get our economy moving again.

HARRIS: Yes. Well, Mr. Mayor, let's drill down here. Your fourth -- wait, one, two, three -- four trip to Washington since December, by our count. I'm wondering, why so many trips? And what do you think you're getting out of these visits?

VILLARAIGOSA: Well, look, we're the second largest economy in the United States of America, city wise, metropolitan areas. We want to make sure we get our fair share. We want to make sure that the money goes directly to the metropolitan areas which have about 90 percent -- generate about 90 percent of the GNP. Eighty-six percent of the unemployment and 82 percent of the population. So we're focused on the White House and the Congress because what happens here matters to the residents of Los Angeles.

HARRIS: Can I tell you something, Mr. Mayor, as I look at the picture of -- there's Manny Diaz from Miami and all the mayors coming out of the White House. And I'm curious, doesn't the president really need you as much or even more right now than you need him? I mean, look, he is starting, as you know, to get hammered on spending and priorities. And he's got talking heads, Wall Street reporters screaming criticism at him over the housing plan. I know you've heard that. Doesn't the president really need you to help him sell his vision for recovery and spending to Angelenos?

VILLARAIGOSA: This is the most critical crisis facing the nation from a financial and economic standpoint since the Great Depression. We all need each other. We need to reach out across the aisle in the way that President Obama has done. We need cities and states and rural areas to work together. And I think that's what we're doing. And we're here in the White House to finally welcome back and to be able to say thank you to a president who kept his promise to treat this economic crisis as the significant challenge that it is, do everything he can to get people back to work.

HARRIS: So, Mayor Villaraigosa, what are your priorities? What are you looking for out of this stimulus package?

VILLARAIGOSA: Well, like most metropolitan areas and states, we're looking for infrastructure spending. We want to get people back to work. We're looking at transportation projects particularly. We're looking at -- we have the most far-reaching solar initiative in the United States of America. A plan to put some 400 mega watts of solar. We want to get support for that. Big and good projects like our clean truck program retrofitting some 16,000 trucks, the largest effort to reduce diesel emissions anywhere in the world, of any part in the world. And so those are the kinds of projects. Our schools. There are just a broad range of infrastructure projects that can put people back to work.

HARRIS: Hey, I'm curious, did you get what you wanted? I recall in one of your earlier visits to Washington, you were asking for direct dollars to the cities. Did you get it?

VILLARAIGOSA: Well, that was an area that we still need to do some work on. And we mentioned that to the president, who was very supportive, by the way. We want to make sure that the money goes to where the GNP is created. And that's in the metropolitan areas. And to go through the state, pass through, takes time, more bureaucracy and oftentimes doesn't find its place where the people are. What I said to -- at the White House today was, while they may build the road, it will be a road that connects the ducks to the geese and not moves people and goods in the way that we would if you make those investments in the metropolitan areas.

HARRIS: Mr. Mayor, I wish I had more time, I would ask you about the budget. Boy, that was something to see.

VILLARAIGOSA: A debacle is a way to describe it.

HARRIS: Well -- but good to see you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks for your time. Have a great weekend.

VILLARAIGOSA: Good to talk to you, Tony.

HARRIS: All right. They call him the hip-hop doc. In this case, a spoon full of tunes makes the medicine go down a little easier.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So doctors want you to eat right and exercise and all that stuff. One MD has an unusual way to get that message across.

Here's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): He's known as the hip-hop doc.

DR. RANI WHITFIELD, "THE HIP HOP DOC": The obesity. People lying around the house all day. They going to learn the hard way

COHEN: And doc isn't just a nickname.

WHITFIELD: If you eat healthy, there will be less for me to fix.

COHEN: Dr. Rani Whitfield is a practicing medical doctor who uses hip-hop music to educate young African-Americans about their risk of preventable conditions like heart disease and stroke. WHITFIELD: A stroke's no joke and heart disease comes with ease.

COHEN: Dr. Whitfield says traditional messages just weren't reaching minority communities and that's why he turned to music.

WHITFIELD: You can't get away from hip-hop. You know, those messages do get to the young people and they deliver them to their parents. So I tell them about heart disease, stroke, the same stuff my doctor tells me in the office.

COHEN: According to the CDC, African-Americans have the highest rate of high blood pressure of all racial groups, putting them at risk for heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure. But these risks aren't limited to black Americans.

DR. CORNELIUS FLOWERS, CARDIOLOGIST: Asian American people will be more likely to get hypertension and cholesterol problems when they come to our country. Indian American may have more diabetes. But the Mexican Americans that come across the border, one out of two have diabetes.

COHEN: Experts believe there are many reasons why so many minorities suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Part of it may be genetics, but cardiologist Cornelius Flowers says another reason is that physicians don't always communicate very well with their minority patients.

FLOWERS: You may have the best treatment in the world, you may have the best medication, you may have the best advice to your patient but your patient is not getting the message if they're not understanding what you're talking about, if they're not getting it through their heads, then it's no good!

COHEN: That's why the hip-hop doc is taking matters into his own hands.

WHITFIELD: Whether we have to go to the barber shops, to the schools, you know, using hip-hop music, using country music, whatever it takes to address that particular community, we have to find ways to get the messages to them.

COHEN: Educating patients the best way he knows how.

WHITFIELD: We got to exercise. We got to try to (INAUDIBLE). We got to eat right and help keep our body tight COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Love it, love it, love it!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Still a lot to get to before the top of the hour and Kyra Phillips.

An oil company investing in alternative energy. That story in today's "Energy Fix."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, big oil has come under fire for hoarding huge profits in recent years. Now a major oil company is pouring some of its cash into a next-generation biofuels venture. Alison Kosik has our "Energy Fix" from New York.

All right, Alison, good to see you.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony. Good to see you too.

BP is planning to build the world's biggest cellulosic ethanol plant. Now I know you're wondering, what the heck is that.

HARRIS: Yes.

KOSIK: Well, cellulosic ethanol is made from inedible plants, like grass or wood. Since it doesn't jeopardize the food supply, it won't be blamed for driving foods prices higher, a major criticism of foreign ethanol. The new facility will be built in Highlands County, Florida, and cost as much as $300 million. BP and its partner, Verenium, are committing $45 million to the project. The rest of the money still has to be raised. Of course, not an easy task in this economy. But BP plans to break ground on the facility next year with ethanol production expected to begin in 2012. The plant could create more than 200 green jobs.

The bonus there for you, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, build a plant here in Atlanta and get rid of some of this cudzu that's everywhere. But here's the question, Alison. Is getting funding, you know, a pretty big challenge for a project like this?

KOSIK: Well, actually, experts we spoke to say there's even a bigger question than that. Can cellulosic ethanol be made cheaply enough to compete with gasoline. The only way to find out now is to do it on a large scale. And so far it's only been done in small scales or laboratory settings.

But the federal government is putting pressure on the industry to make it happen. By law, 16 billion gallons of what we put into our cars has to come from cellulosic ethanol by 2022. And whether that target can be met remains to be seen. BP's Florida plant is expected to generate about 36 million gallons annually, but that's less than 0.25 percent of the government mandate.

Now for more energy fixes, log on to cnnmoney.com.

Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: Alison, have a great weekend. Thank you.

KOSIK: You too.

HARRIS: CNN NEWSROOM continues with Kyra Phillips.