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Bold Budget Plan Breaks From Tradition; Bringing Troops Home; Building a Better Resume; Help Wanted: Democrats Need Not Apply; What Recession?

Aired February 28, 2009 - 10:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Take a look. They are traveling the country in search of those struggling to survive in this economy. But these two brothers are now part of the story -- the loss of their jobs and now their car is broken down. But it is not stopping them.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Also, we are trying to help this morning. We are accepting your resumes, and we have a Career Builder expert on hand this morning. He's already been helping out some folks live on the air, critiquing their resume. We have had him on the past hour or so.

But keep them coming to us at weekends@cnn.com. We'll take them. We're going to be calling some of you and get you hooked up with that expert live, right here on our air, to get some free advice.

But welcome to you all to the CNN NEWSROOM, the last day of February here.

I'm T.J. Holmes.

NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody. We have a lot lined up for you.

It is 10:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 7:00 a.m. for those of you waking up on the West Coast. Let's get to it.

First up, President Obama says when it comes to his budget, he is up for a fight, and that's likely what he's going to get. The massive spending bill aims to steer the nation in a different direction, and not everyone is happy about it.

CNN's Kate Bolduan joins us now live from the White House.

Kate, what do you think about this fight that it seems like everyone's preparing themselves for?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, to sum it up, pretty much, Betty, it's about these eye-popping numbers, $3.5 trillion in spending. That's what the president's budget proposal proposes -- is requesting, and it comes with massive amounts, enormous amounts for education, energy, a 10-year, $634 billion investment in health care.

President Obama says that these priorities, these spending priorities, are things that he promised on the campaign trail. He also acknowledges in his weekly address released this morning that passing this budget isn't going to be easy. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK H. OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I know these steps won't sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old ways of doing business, and I know they're gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this: So am I.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Republicans -- lawmakers, specifically -- coming out early after the budget was unveiled to criticize these spending priorities, saying that this budget doesn't do enough to cut spending when we're talking about a mounting deficit.

Listen here to Republican Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD BURR (R), NORTH CAROLINA: It seems that every morning you pick up the newspaper, you're reading about another multibillion-dollar government spending plan being proposed or, even worse, passed. The numbers are so large and the deficit so staggering, it's difficult for the average person to imagine how much money we're really talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: One thing Republicans and critics are mentioning is the $1.75 trillion deficit that is projected for this year. Now, we still have yet to see the fine print, and we won't until April, and that's when the president's full budget, the full report, will be delivered to Congress -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Yes, in his hands. But last night he took a little bit of a breather. He was out at a basketball game. Tell us about that.

BOLDUAN: It was one of his first outings to see the Wizards, the Washington -- the D.C. Wizards playing, as you can probably guess, the Chicago Bulls. You see he got a very warm reception. He had very good seats. I don't think we could expect anything less for the president.

NGUYEN: Yes, he's the president.

BOLDUAN: Courtside, right near the Wizards basket. And we should say that he did not take sides. When asked by the reporters who were traveling with him who he was rooting for, he would not say. So we'll just have to guess.

NGUYEN: All right. I kind of have a feeling the Bulls were in his court there. OK.

BOLDUAN: The Wizards won in a big way, though.

NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. All right. Thank you, Kate. We do appreciate it.

BOLDUAN: Of course.

HOLMES: Yes. The Bulls got blown out. I wouldn't claim them either, Mr. President.

Well, the Iraq war, meanwhile, certainly didn't start on President Obama's watch, but that's when it's going to end, according to him. The president pulling combat troops out by August 31st of next year. Support troops will stay there through next year -- through that year to give the Iraqis still some time to take over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: As we carry out this drawdown, my highest priority will be the safety and security of our troops and civilians in Iraq. So we will proceed carefully, and I will consult closely with my military commanders on the ground and with the Iraqi government.

There will surely will difficult periods and tactical adjustments, but our enemies should be left with no doubt. This plan gives our military the forces and flexibility they need to support our Iraqi partners and to succeed.

The drawdown of our military should send a clear signal that Iraq's future is now its own responsibility. The long-term success of the Iraqi nation will depend on decisions made by Iraq's leaders and the fortitude of the Iraqi people. Iraq is a sovereign country with legitimate institutions. America cannot and should not take their place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Let's turn to CNN's Arwa Damon, who joins us now live in Baghdad.

Arwa, Iraq is certainly a different place than it was when this war started some six years ago. Now it's a different place. Day in and day out, it seems like it's always changing. Certainly going to be a different place next year, when these troops are supposed to come out.

Tell me first, though, how are people receiving the news there in Baghdad, in Iraq, about the president's plan?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, T.J., opinion on the streets here really is very mixed. Look, no Iraqi wants to see the United States stay here forever, but there are some very real and serious concerns about what Iraq is going to look like once you remove the factor of U.S. boots on the ground.

It is so obvious that the American presence here is what is really one of the main contributing factors to keeping a lid on the sectarian violence, to keeping political parties from turning to their guns to solve their disputes, their political battles. When you remove America from this equation, no one can really determine what Iraq is going to look like, which is why we hear words such as "a very careful withdrawal, a drawdown that is not going to be immediate."

Even President Obama's plan does not set out a very quick drawdown. We're talking about a brigade a month. So that also gives the opportunity to see how that void that is left by the U.S. troops ends up being filled. Is it in fact filled by the Iraqi government, by the Iraqi Security Forces, or is it filled by other parties that are in play here?

We heard President Obama saying right there that the decision now is in the Iraqi government's hands, the Iraqi Security Forces' hands. The problem is, is that government capable of delivering the needs of the people? And that we're just going to have to wait and see.

HOLMES: All right. Wait and see, but a lot of questions there, Arwa. We hope to talk to you again today, but a lot more questions we want to get to with you about what's happening there.

Arwa Damon for us.

Thank you so much. Always good to have you.

And we've certainly been asking this morning our viewers about what they think about the president's withdrawal plan. We've been getting a lot of responses.

NGUYEN: Yes, especially on our Facebook pages. Both of our pages have been lit up, in fact, with responses to this. Let's go to mine right now.

Ken says, "I'm in no way a war hawk, but I hope the president's plan is flexible. The last thing we need is for that part of the world to get worse. If the plan takes a little longer to make sure the area is stable, then I say let's be cautious."

That coming from Ken on my Facebook page.

HOLMES: I have one more here that was interesting. I've been meaning to share it all morning here. But I have it right here on my screen from Roderick Clayton, who claims to be an active duty U.S. Marine.

He says he's a supporter of the president, but says, "With that being said, I'm happy to hear that there will be a troop withdrawal. I'm not sure that I like the fact that a date was announced. I see potential uprisings in the region because of the knowledge of the withdrawal. I fear that the remaining support troops will be in danger of frequent attacks. Fifty thousand troops left alone in a country of 28 million could spell disaster for his administration, but more importantly, for the well being of U.S. troops."

Again, that comes to us this morning from Roderick Clayton, a well thought out -- and sounds like a man who has some experience with war and certainly in the military. So we appreciate those. Thank you for sending those in, and keep those coming to us. We'll continue to allow you to participate in our newscast.

NGUYEN: Well, you know, we have been talking this morning about looking for work, and the key is just getting your foot in the door. And sometimes that is the hardest part.

HOLMES: And that hard part has a lot to do with your resume. How good is that resume?

Richard Castellini is the chief marketing officer for CareerBuilder.com. He's with us again. He's been with us all morning -- well, the past couple of hours, at least -- giving tips live to some viewers and folks looking for jobs. And we're going to this once again.

NGUYEN: Yes.

HOLMES: We've been appreciating -- it's been well received so far, Richard, so we appreciate it.

NGUYEN: Yes.

RICHARD CASTELLINI, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, CAREERBUILDER.COM: Thank you.

NGUYEN: You know, on the phone with us right now, Richard, is Jeff Beatty. He's from Lexington, Kentucky, and he's been looking for work. He's a telecommunications specialist.

Jeff, you're on the line right now with Richard. What questions do you have when it comes to getting that resume out there, and what you're finding as you're searching for a job?

JEFF BEATTY, JOB SEEKER: Well, good morning. Thanks for having me.

The question that I have has to do with the potential for age discrimination. I have had a number of phone interviews, and what seems to happen is the interviews go very, very well on the front end, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of exchange of information. And as we go through my resume and we determine what my age is, and that the caller does the math, these interviews stop so fast, they don't really continue. They're off the phone with me, and that's that.

CASTELLINI: Well, I mean, that's certainly a concern for more experienced workers. And you know, obviously that's illegal. Age discrimination is one thing that -- you know, is something that should be a concern.

When looking at your resume, one thing that I see to point out is I would remove the 25 years of experience. I mean, that's just something for them to go backwards and do the math. And truthfully, in a field like yours, it's probably the skills and the things that you've done over the past, say, 10 years that are most relevant for those current positions.

NGUYEN: That's really surprising to me.

HOLMES: Yes, I was just about to say that.

NGUYEN: When you said remove 25 years of experience, I think for a lot of people, they're thinking, I worked hard for that, I should showcase that, because it determines, you know, that -- or it shows to my possible employer that I know what I'm doing.

HOLMES: Shouldn't that put you at an advantage, it sounds like?

NGUYEN: Yes.

HOLMES: But it sounds like you're almost at a disadvantage. Like you said, people can do the math. You're really recommending that people not give away how old they are?

CASTELLINI: Well, I would use the resume as a document to ensure that you're marketing to the best of your abilities. And in a field like IT, you know, the skill sets that you learned in 1983 aren't probably as relevant as the skills in today's IT field. So, highlighting what are the relevant skills today is the thing that matters most to employers. And talking about some technology from 20 years ago isn't something that's going to be beneficial to your pursuit of a job.

NGUYEN: Very quickly, Jeff, what do you think about that?

BEATTY: I understand that well. I think that's very good advice. That may help a lot in overcoming that objection.

NGUYEN: All right. Well, best of luck to you. I know you're searching out there, and your resume has a lot of specifics in it. And those details are important when it comes to getting your foot in the door.

HOLMES: Yes.

So Jeff, we certainly hope that was helpful. Hope that was helpful to some other folks, maybe in the same position that you're in.

Richard, don't you go anywhere just yet, my man. We're going to be coming back to you.

Again, Richard is going to be back in about 10 minutes. More talk, more tips, another viewer, another resume. Going to be taking questions right here live again, trying to hook people up with what to do with their resumes, and also maybe a potential employer out there watching as well. So stay with us for that, and continue to send in your resumes at weekends@cnn.com.

NGUYEN: In the meantime, California has made a lot of news lately with its budget crisis. Now it's faced with another kind of emergency. That being a drought. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking city water agencies to voluntarily cut back 20 percent. We're going to have much more on that, because over the past three years, California has received below-average rain and snowfall. Farm fields, they are dry, and the state's reservoirs are at their lowest levels in 15 years. Schwarzenegger says if the voluntary cutback doesn't work, he may institute a mandatory rationing policy.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: Well, he's a stranger in a strange land, someone who definitely needed a hero. And fortunately, for many newcomers, there's a woman who has dedicated her life to helping new immigrants find their way. Meet her coming up.

NGUYEN: And listen to this. Two brothers, 50 states, and a million untold stories about surviving the economic crisis. We have those remarkable tales from a recession road trip.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, she lost a family member in the September 11th attacks, but through it found the strength to change the lives of others.

HOLMES: Her name is Carolyn Manning, and she is our CNN Hero of the Week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN HEROES."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have an explosion in Tower Number One. There's smoke all over the place.

CAROLYN MANNING, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: My brother-in-law was killed in Tower One on September 11th. After September 11th, I saw a picture of an Afghan family who had also lost a family member because of the Taliban, and they had to flee their country.

Our family has five kids. We lost a family member, too. We've just naturally went from that to let's show the refugees that we welcome them.

My name is Carolyn Manning, and I started the Welcome to America Project to help refugees in Phoenix, Arizona. The families we help come from places where there has been war and genocide. Some refugees have never lived with indoor plumbing, and they've never flushed a toilet.

The Welcome to America Project is the community and it operates by community volunteers. My husband and I, many a time, have been out here pulling furniture in before work, after work. This is our life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, very much. For all of your help.

MANNING: All right, let's go to the next family.

When they step foot in the United States, they have been invited here. I want the refugees to feel that this is their home. Welcome to America.

And that's what America has been built on. It's our history, it's who we are. And they're part of it.

ANNOUNCER: Tell us about your hero at CNN.com/heroes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: And as you heard there, you can learn more about Carolyn Manning's work, CNN.com/heroes.

NGUYEN: Also, if you know someone who deserves to be recognized, tell us about them.

And we're still going through your resumes this morning, so send them to us, weekends@cnn.com. We have an expert on hand, and we may be calling you so that you get some free advice on how to find that next job.

HOLMES: Also, we've got a Kodak moment to show you. That's not it, but it's coming up, the picture that secures First Lady Michelle Obama's place in White House history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. We continue to hook up people who are looking for jobs with someone who can help them maybe brush up that resume and maybe find that job. How do you really stand out in this crowd?

NGUYEN: And not only finding it, but getting your foot in the door, because that's key.

Joining us Richard Castellini, the chief marketing officer for CareerBuilder.com.

And Richard, we have on the phone with us Davida Pitts. And Davida is a graphic designer from Lithia Springs, Georgia.

Davida, what kind of questions do you have when it comes to your job search?

DAVIDA PITTS, JOB SEEKER: Well, thank you for having me this morning.

Specifically, I have actually changed my career path from finance to graphic design, and I'm pretty much self-taught. And so I'm trying to figure out, how can I counter my lack of specific education in this particular field? In particular, how can I connect the dots so that my finance background is relevant to graphic design in such a way that makes up for my less than one year of experience in the field? CASTELLINI: Well, when looking at your resume, you know, I would bring to the forefront your skills that you have learned in the graphic design area higher, because as you said, it's the area in which you're going to be focused on. And then further, you know, I would try to apply some of the soft skills that you have learned in your finance, meaning your attention to detail, the way in which you rigorously approach things from a financial background, and kind of highlight that in your graphic design area.

HOLMES: And Davida, also, just give us a little idea of what you have been up against, if you will, out there in the job market. What are you running into? Are you looking for -- I assume you are looking for work, but are you working somewhere in the meantime while you're looking for that main gig?

PITTS: Right. I'm actually freelancing part time in graphic design, specifically print design, towards the corporate sector. So I do have some experience in that area, as well as a portfolio. But what I have been finding when I've been looking for a job, one, there's very few positions open. And most of them seem to want you to also have Web design experience, as well as things like what the economy people are trying to mesh jobs together. And so being that I specialize in print design, I don't know if my lack of Web design experience is kind of pushing my resume out of contention.

NGUYEN: What do you think, Richard?

CASTELLINI: Well, getting and acquiring as many skills in an area is critical in showing that you can be flexible. So one thing I would recommend is going back and learning some of these Web design skills. And I don't think that the translation or the effort to acquire those from doing print design is too onerous, but you want to show that you're flexible and that you can make transitions. And, you know, getting with an organization that would work with you in that transition might be critical for you.

NGUYEN: All right.

Well, Davida, we do appreciate you time this morning.

And Richard, of course, good advice throughout the morning as you help people tweak those resumes, although we're still question is about that age situation on one of the resumes, where he said 25 years of experience. You say take it off the resume. I'm hearing from attorneys and other people that are saying, you know what? Why?

There's an age discrimination law out there. Why shouldn't you highlight your experience?

CASTELLINI: You should absolutely highlight your experience. I mean, that's what you have to offer. But I don't think you have to explicitly say the number of years of experience on his resume. And he had done that throughout.

You know, what you see on his resume is he had really only highlighted the past 10 years of work done in an earlier career area. But, you know, your job is to market yourself, and you want to market your experience. And you want it to appear as you have the most relevant skills. And I don't think initially age or the number of years is as important as your experience.

HOLMES: All right.

Well, Richard, we absolutely appreciate you this weekend. We're going to be doing this more. Hope we can tap into your expertise and you can help our viewers out with this again in the coming weeks. We appreciate you this morning.

And to our viewers, if we didn't get to call you today, we might be in touch later on, next week, possibly, doing this again next Saturday starting at 9:00 Eastern. You can find more Career Builder job tips at our Web site, CNN.com/living.

And as you said a minute ago, Betty, the response has been overwhelming in resumes. We have gotten about 3,000 resumes this morning.

NGUYEN: Can you imagine that? I mean, that's just an indication of how many people are out there looking for jobs. We have got, you know, thousands upon thousands out there looking, but 3,000 people alone wanted to submit their resume just for today's show so that they could get some information.

HOLMES: The past few hours, yes.

NGUYEN: So that gives you an indication of the need.

So thanks for sending those in. And hey, we've got your information, we know where you live, we know where your number is. We might just be calling you.

HOLMES: Someone might stop by.

NGUYEN: Yes, for dinner.

Job number one, though, for the Republicans, finding a way to get the White House back. And some of the country's top conservatives say they have what it takes to make Barack Obama a one-term president.

HOLMES: Also, from extreme home makeover to extreme home foreclosure. Yes, the reality show winner could wind up losing it all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: President Obama says his 2010 fiscal year budget is the change American people voted for in November. And in his weekly radio address and webcast, the president defended his $3.6 trillion proposal. It calls for spending more on education, health care, and alternative energy sources, and it lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire.

NGUYEN: Listen to this. Even Omaha-based investor Warren Buffett is singing the blues in this economy. In a letter to shareholders today, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway company reported a 9.6 percent drop in its 2008 net income.

HOLMES: Well, the search continues for the new face of the GOP. Republicans have gone back to the drawing board to find the leader who can reenergize their base, but a poll suggests they could be looking for a new face in the same old familiar faces.

Here now is CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Republicans are ready to cast their next movie, "2012: The Sequel."

They have got a script.

NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Now, I have listened carefully to the president's speech the other night. I think it is the boldest effort to create a European socialist model we have seen.

SCHNEIDER: But who's the lead? George W. Bush? Dick Cheney? John McCain? Their last pictures bombed.

John Boehner? Mitch McConnell? They're minority leaders, bit players.

The CNN poll conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation asked Republicans who they like best for their party's 2012 nomination. There's no clear front-runner among the three best-known contenders.

Sarah Palin, whose debut was a little bumpy.

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: You travel this road in life, and, as you turn a corner, and there may be something there that, circumstances change, you have got to call an audible, and you decide to shift gears, take another direction, I'm always open for that.

SCHNEIDER: Mike Huckabee, who has got some good lines.

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: Eleven-hundred-page bill that nobody read actually did have a title. It's the name of a movie. "Confessions of a Shopaholic."

(LAUGHTER)

SCHNEIDER: And Mitt Romney, who looks like a leading man.

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: I'm going to do my very best to -- to help Republicans across the nation reestablish a -- a balance of power in Washington.

SCHNEIDER: How about casting a minority, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana? Oops. His screen test didn't go so well.

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: Our party is determined to regain your trust.

SCHNEIDER: Some Democrats already know who they want to cast as the Republicans' leading man. He's featured in a new ad being run by Americans United For Change.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, AMERICANS UNITED FOR CHANGE AD)

NARRATOR: So, who are Republican leaders listening to?

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I want him to fail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHNEIDER (on camera): Can a picture do well even if it doesn't have a well-known star in the lead? Maybe. "Slumdog Millionaire" just won the Academy Award.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: You know, many stars from the GOP are coming together in Washington this weekend, and they're looking for a new direction at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Now, the gathering also gives them the chance as a team to rail against President Obama's policies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, (R), FMR. HOUSE SPEAKER: To suggest to us that he is opposed to earmarks, when the very next day, the Democrats are going to bring up a bill with 8,000 earmarks in it, and then the suggestion that that one doesn't count because they started all the pork before he got here, I was looking for change we can believe in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: CPAC wraps up today, and it saved one of the biggest names for last. Rush Limbaugh will speak at 5:00 Eastern, and we, of course, will bring that to you live.

HOLMES: Well, from extreme home makeover to extreme home foreclosure, a home -- there it is -- that was rebuilt by the ABC show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" about to be foreclosed on for a second time. This house is right outside of Atlanta. It's supposed to be hitting the auction block on Tuesday.

The owner is losing it because the owner has defaulted on the $450,000 loan. According to WSB, the construction company that built the house paid off the mortgage, but the family took out a loan on the house to fund a business that went bust.

And Betty, a lot of people are confused here and actually upset, because the person not only got the house and got it for free, but they also got some $250,000 in donations and gifts and college funds...

NGUYEN: Right.

HOLMES: ... for the kids, and they donated all this, and just some bad financial decisions, I guess, took out a loan.

NGUYEN: It's the second time that it's gone into foreclosure too.

HOLMES: That this has happened.

NGUYEN: So, yes, you know, people are feeling it all over.

And from that story to this one. TV personality Ed McMahon has bone cancer. That's sad news from a person close to him.

McMahon's spokesman says the 85-year-old has spent the past several weeks in intensive care at a hospital in Los Angeles. He's also said to be suffering from pneumonia. The former Johnny Carson sidekick has had it pretty rough recently. Last year, he broke his neck and almost lost his home to foreclosure because he couldn't work.

HOLMES: Well, you did see this live, right here on CNN, this morning. Doctors in Saudi Arabia trying to give a pair of conjoined twins a shot at a normal life. This is Riyadh.

They're performing separation surgery on these twin Egyptian boys. Hassan (ph) and Mahmoud (ph) are their names. About 10 hours into the operation, they say the procedure appears to be going pretty well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ABDULLAH AL-RABEEAH, SAUDI ARABIA HEALTH MINISTER: We haven't encountered any major problems. Their vital organs are also very stable.

We have separated successfully the joined bowel. We have also managed now to separate a good part of the urinary system, their kidneys, their bladders. And now we are working on the genital structure separation.

To follow that, we will be separating also their pelvic organs. And hopefully, we'll be splitting them within the coming three hours or so, and then we have to reconstruct their organs after that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And that was the Saudi Arabian health minister there, actually, who's been a part of the surgery. He was actually talking to us live here this morning on "CNN SATURDAY MORNING."

Doctors do expect the operation to last about another five hours. We'll keep you posted.

NGUYEN: It is absolutely remarkable that they can do that, time and time again, too.

Well, you know, we want to show you this, the first lady's portrait. How about a portrait -- well, where is it?

Are we going to be bringing it up?

All right. We'll try to get that to you a little bit later.

HOLMES: Get the big reveal later.

NGUYEN: Yes.

HOLMES: The big reveal.

NGUYEN: Well, you know, along with that, we've got a portrait for you that's not so pretty, and it's, of course, of the economic future that we're all facing. In fact, two brothers are on a cross- country mission to document the recession with survivor stories.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. Well, a dismal job outlook, the stock market in free-fall, and a stimulus plan that's too new to make a difference just yet. And as you can imagine, it's led to millions of economic survivor stories.

And two brothers from southern California have been traveling the country recording many of those stories and asking people this question: "What would you do if you lost everything?"

Austin and Brian Chu, they started their journey January 24th. The recession road trip has brought them now to Atlanta, to us this morning.

Good morning to you, Gentlemen. Thank you for being here.

Let me ask you this question first. We do this, Betty and I, all of us here, we cover this news day in and day out, and it can just wear on you. You all are out there asking people these questions day in and day out. Some of the answers you're getting, is it beginning yet, a month into it, to kind of just ware on you to hear some of this depressing news that people have?

AUSTIN CHU, TAKES PULSE ACROSS AMERICA: Yes, definitely. I mean, in the media, we hear a lot of people losing their homes, people losing their cars, can't get jobs. And what it comes down is really not about those three things. We do those three things to have a relationships with your family, with your loved ones, and it really comes down to people are getting back to basics. And it's about our values, about love, compassion. It's about, you know, relationships.

HOLMES: Are you finding that uplifting news as well like you just kind of -- your brother just kind of hit on there? But you do find that resolve out there that's going to maybe make you feel a little bit better? BRIAN CHU, TAKES PULSE ACROSS AMERICA: Sure. I mean, at the end of an interview, we always ask for, "What do you hope for? Are you optimistic things are going to get better? And why?"

And people always say, like -- I mean, there's only one way to look at it, and you have to look at the good side of things, you know. And if times are tough for you, then you just kind of have to hope that things are going to get better, and they will.

HOLMES: And this idea kind of came about because you found yourself as one of these economic survivors. And here you are trying to survive it right now.

A. CHU: Yes, definitely. When I got my pink slip, I never felt so much freedom. I was definitely scared, but it was one of the best feelings that I have ever felt in my life.

And it was while I was walking to my car and I realized that I needed to do something about it, either for me, for myself, for our community, for this country. And it just became this project.

HOLMES: All right. And you're the one with more so the filmmaking expertise, if you will. What are you hoping and who are you hoping is going to get something out of the final product? Which is still a little ways away. You've got a lot more left in this road trip.

B. CHU: Yes. I definitely -- I mean, I watch a lot of documentaries, and I'm trying to go for a route that's not so much, like, educational, about why is this recession happening, but more so, like, what's going on?

Like, this is going to be entertaining, it's going to be fun for people to watch. You know? Like, at no point are you going to be, like, I don't feel like watching this anymore. So we're definitely going to try to go to film festivals. Like, I would love to put it online that people can download. I want everybody to see it.

HOLMES: And I think we have -- we've got some pictures here now. And I think we might have a map as well.

But give us an idea of the journey. This started in southern California for you guys. But kind of go through for our viewers, tell them, just give them an idea -- there it is. You fellows can't drive in a straight line, apparently. But tell us -- kind of go through this map for us and tell us some of these places you have hit.

B. CHU: Well, there's no smart way to drive across country, hitting every state, without just driving along the border. So we went to Vegas, then we went down to Phoenix, and up to Denver, and then through, like, New Mexico, and then Lincoln, and then...

A. CHU: Kansas.

B. CHU: Kansas -- Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, then Missouri, to Kansas City, Oklahoma, Texas, back up to Arkansas, down to New Orleans.

HOLMES: Where did you stop in Arkansas? That's my home state.

B. CHU: Really? Texarkana.

HOLMES: Texarkana, huh? And Little Rock as well?

B. CHU: Yes.

HOLMES: All right.

But you're leaving Atlanta -- tomorrowish (ph) is the answer I got. Where are you heading from here?

B. CHU: We're going down to Florida. So we're kind of looking for people on the way that can send us e-mails about stories, or things that we should cover, people that we should meet. So definitely like -- that's kind of like the route we're going. And if anyone has anything to contribute to our documentary, that would be great.

HOLMES: And do you certainly find that people are different in different places? Maybe in one area of the country, they are just itching to talk to you about it, other areas of the country, they don't want to speak on it?

A. CHU: Yes, definitely. Like, we were in Denver, and I thought Denver would be very outspoken, very positive.

But when we went there, people were, like, "Obama what? Who's Obama?"

I'm like, "You don't know who Obama is?" Obviously he was joking.

HOLMES: Yes.

A. CHU: And for me, it's disheartening to see, like, come on, after all this, let's get together. You know, let's be one.

HOLMES: Do you still find -- I guess anger is what kind of you're saying. Some people in some areas, at least, they still seem pretty angry about what's happened.

B. CHU: I think people are always trying to point fingers and blame maybe their struggles on someone else. You know? But, I mean, you can't really -- that's not a really good way to look at it. You know?

HOLMES: All right. Last thing here, fellows.

What have -- I don't know how many expectations you had going into it of what you might hear, but what have you learned so far? Just a month in, but still, what have you learned so far that maybe has been a little eye-opening, enlightening, and maybe surprising about the journey so far? A. CHU: I just learned that when people really have nothing left, they don't have their jobs, they don't have their car, and they're broke, and they're poor, it's really up to them to -- it comes down to us. You know, can we do it individually? Do we have enough -- can we empower ourselves to move on, to move forward?

And a lot of people are finding that finally with themselves, and getting back to their values. And people are doing it. It's been a struggle, but people can do it.

HOLMES: All right.

Well, Austin and Brian, fellows, it's a pleasure meeting you.

B. CHU: Thank you.

HOLMES: Good luck on the rest of that journey. Hope you don't have any other car issues.

They had a little hiccup at the beginning of their journey, if you will.

But good luck to you. We'll continue to follow. Hopefully you'll let us, and maybe you'll come back when you have it all together.

A. CHU: Yes, definitely.

HOLMES: Thank so much. Good luck. Be safe out there on the road.

And our CNN iReporters have been sending us their economic survival stories as well. Some touching, some enlightening. All can be found at ireport.com/surive -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right.

You know, and speaking of people who are watching today -- in fact, if you're watching and you've been answering our e-mail questions, we want to share some of that with you at home. We're getting a lot of it on our Facebook page.

One of those questions being, "What do you think about the president's plan to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq by 2010?"

I want to take you to one of my pages right now. And it talks about how they feel about this situation.

This one person writes, "From a personal stand, I have someone close to me in the military."

We're going to try to get that page up for you so you can see what Kavata is saying.

Again, "From a personal stand, I have someone close to me in the military. And I can't help but fear for his life. So it's definitely a breath of fresh air that President Obama plans to do this. From an objective stand, though, I believe that giving us an exact date puts the president on a state of urgency."

And of course we're getting lots of others. One more very quickly.

This coming from Bill Dixon, saying that, "I would like to see all of our troops home tomorrow from Iraq. And they should never have been sent there, but we must play the hand that's been dealt."

Again, we are inviting you to send us your thoughts at our Facebook pages. Both T.J. and I have them. Also at weekends@cnn.com. What do you think about the president's plan to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq by 2010?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Boy do we have a shot for you today.

HOLMES: Yes.

NGUYEN: Take a look at this portrait, the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama.

Doesn't she just look gorgeous in that?

In fact, though, we are learning that this is the very first portrait of a first lady wearing a sleeveless outfit. So it's a sign of the times.

HOLMES: Now, you have to continue to comment about her and her arms.

NGUYEN: I personally think it looks fine. She has gorgeous arms. I mean, look at those things. I mean, I would be showing them off if I could. You know? So more power to her.

HOLMES: See, I can't say that. Her husband is the president. I can't speak of her like that.

NGUYEN: Look, she looks wonderful...

HOLMES: She does look good.

NGUYEN: ... in that black sleeveless dress with the white pearls. And this is her official portrait.

You know, it's not the first time that she's gone sleeveless.

HOLMES: Oh, of course not. Yes.

NGUYEN: We have seen her at many events, even on the campaign trail. Remember that purple dress with the black belt? There we go, the one that everyone talks about. I mean, and so this is just signature Michelle Obama, and looking lovely here on the cover of "People" magazine, which is out as well.

HOLMES: Her official portrait.

All right.

Well, coming up, Mexico, there's a lot of history there when it comes to Mexico and crime and drugs there, as well and certainly the drug trade. And a murder mystery that's now shocked the town of Albuquerque. Of course, close enough to the border there, but we'll update you on this investigation next hour.

NGUYEN: Also, is a comeback in the cards for disgraced NFL star Michael Vick? Our legal experts look at what's next now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, you know, it's not all bad out there. Some states have a surplus and some cities are doing just fine.

HOLMES: Our Gary Tuchman went to one of those cities to see just how they've avoided the recession that's hit so many other cities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Whatever happened to those bullish economic days when the housing market was vibrant, when there were plenty of jobs, when government budgets had surpluses?

(on camera): Those days still exist, but probably not where you are. You have to come where I am, to Fargo, North Dakota, where the typical morning temperature this time of year is around zero, and the unemployment rate isn't much higher.

(voice-over): Dennis Walaker is the mayor of Fargo.

(on camera): Is the city of Fargo, North Dakota, in recession?

MAYOR DENNIS WALAKER, FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA: No. We're not.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The unemployment rate is 3.4 percent, so low that most economists consider it full employment. At Appareo Systems, an aerospace firm, the 44 employees here are not enough.

DAVID BATCHELLER, APPAREO SYSTEMS: So we're going to grow it more than 50 percent this year in personnel, more than 100 percent in revenue.

TUCHMAN: This iron worker is so busy, he has no time to talk to me on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And away we go.

(on camera): OK, let's go.

So how is business out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really good.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The wind-chill temperature in the negative digits doesn't seem to cool the workers' outlook here as they build an office building.

(on camera): So there's a lot of projects now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, absolutely.

TUCHMAN: You can always find work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. You can quit your job today and go find another job. Easy.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Business downtown is booming. The housing market is still decent.

(on camera): So the homes aren't losing value here in Fargo?

WALAKER: No, they're not.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): And North Dakota has the largest budget surplus in the nation, one of only four states with a surplus this year.

So what the heck is going on here? Hear a consistent answer at Fargo's curling rink.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People in the upper Midwest are very conservative. They don't tend to overextend themselves and stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's just a work ethic up here that you don't see everywhere.

TUCHMAN: Yes, North Dakota has oil production and agriculture, but so do a lot of places. What seems unique in this region...

WALAKER: We didn't get caught up in the subprime mortgages. And I think our bankers need to be significantly applauded for that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $150, $170, $190.

TUCHMAN: The Gate City Bank is one of the largest in North Dakota.

(on camera): You think you make less money because you don't give riskier loans?

STEVE SWIONTEK, CEO, GATE CITY BANK: Yes, I believe we do, but that's OK.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): North Dakotans seem to believe conservative bankers and savers have helped keep their economy steady over the years. Not too many highs, not too many lows.

SWIONTEK: We have well over 12,000-plus mortgage loans that we service. And we had three foreclosures last year. And this year, I don't see it to be much greater. It could be three to five.

TUCHMAN: There is concern here. Business isn't as robust as it was a few months ago. And the unemployment office is a bit busier. But...

BATCHELLER: Somebody I was talking to said, "Well, we're not signing up for the recession."

TUCHMAN: Even in the frigid cold, the iron is still hot.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Fargo, North Dakota.

(END VIDEOTAPE)