Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Swine Flu Being Investigated in US And Mexico; President Obama's Administration Approaching 100 Days; Speed Networking For a Job

Aired April 25, 2009 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A national human health scare over a virus typically seen in pigs. The Texas Health Department has since shut down the San Antonio area high school as a result. Authorities move quickly to prevent swine flu from spreading.

President Obama sought to approach to the Castro brothers. I'll talk live with an exile turn radio host about Cuba policy.

And two Saturdays ago, he was a hostage to pirates; today, Captain Richard Philips' hometown throws him a picnic party.

Hello, everyone, you're in the CNN NEWSROOM, where the news unfolds live this Saturday, the 25th of April. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Some new developments in the past few hours over Swine Flu. The head of the World Health Organization says this is a serious situation that has the potential of becoming a pandemic. Swine Flu is a strain of influenza that's usually found in pigs. Typically, people get it after coming in direct contact with an affected animal.

Although, with this particular strain, officials say it appears there may be some person-to-person transmission. Here's a map now where the current cases are. More than 1,000 people have been infected with Swine Flu in Mexico. At least 68 people there have died.

In the U.S., there have been eight cases. Six in southern California and two in San Antonio, Texas. The good news, all, at least in the U.S., have recovered. The World Health Organization's general director says they are still trying to understand exactly what this virus is and how it operates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET CHAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, DIRECTOR GENERAL: A new virus is responsible for these cases in both countries. The situation is evolving quickly. A new disease is, by definition, poorly understood. We do not yet have a complete picture of the epidemiology or the risk, including possible spread beyond the currently affected areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The CDC says the virus has genes from Bird Flu, the common human influenza and a form of Swine Flu normally found in Asia and Europe. CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been digging into this and also listening to a teleconference to the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, out of Atlanta, as that agency tries to deal with this situation. What did you hear?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: What we learned is that U.S. officials have now arrived in Mexico, Fred. They're on the ground helping Mexican public health authorities deal with this crisis. One of the questions that U.S. public health officials are going to try to answer is why this situation seems to be so much worse in Mexico? In the U.S., you have eight cases. You just heard a CDC official call them generally mild. Only one person needed to be hospitalized. Nobody needed anti-viral medications.

So you have this relatively mild situation in the U.S., with a severe situation in Mexico, with at least 68 people dead. They're going to try to find that out.

Fred, another interesting thing that they said is that they expect to find more cases of Swine Flu in the U.S.

WHITFIELD: Because people are trying to figure out what it is.

COHEN: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: They think it's regular influenza.

COHEN: Exactly. For example, there might be somebody in the United States who was sick last week and recovered. Well, now they're going to ask the question, gosh, did that person have Swine Flu? Swine Flu looks a lot like regular flu, but now that they're looking for cases of Swine Flu, the CDC is quite convinced they are going to be finding more cases of Swine Flu in this country.

WHITFIELD: The recovery part is intriguing to me. While we have 68 people in Mexico who have died, these eight people who are the reported cases in the U.S., they all recovered. But that's without the anti-viral medicine. So what's with the disparity there?

COHEN: It's pretty amazing.

WHITFIELD: Exactly. Why?

COHEN: But why is that true? And a reporter asked the CDC this on the teleconference. They said great question. We just don't know. We don't know if it's something different about the strain perhaps. We don't know if it's something different about the environmental circumstances in Mexico versus here. We don't know if it's something to do with the record keeping, as to how they're tracking down and labeling illnesses. Maybe those aren't all Swine Flu. Maybe it's something else in Mexico. Maybe there's another virus in addition.

Who knows? U.S. officials have just arrived there. But those are some of the questions that they need to try to answer.

WHITFIELD: I wonder if it also means re-examining certain cases here in the U.S., perhaps even reported deaths from regular case of influenza and the CDC or other experts looking at that now to say, wait a minute --

COHEN: Was that swine flu? You can bet that's exactly what they're going to be asking.

WHITFIELD: Again, the symptoms, because they can be so similar, if I feel like I've got that soreness, that achiness, stuffy, nasal system, sore throat, I could have influenza, regular influenza, or I could have this Swine Flu?

COHEN: You could have Swine Flue. You could have regular old seasonal influenza. You could have one of many viruses that are out there. It's very hard to know.

Let's go over the symptoms again. Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches. In addition, chills, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting.

You look at this and think, golly, I had that last year, or my mom had that or whatever. It's very difficult to make a distinction. That's what Fred was talking about. Now you can bet they will be going back to some of those cases and saying, you were sick last week. Had you been in Mexico? Did you have contact with someone who had been in Mexico?

It's interesting, in Guadeloupe County, Texas, we talked about this before, they are closing down a high school. There are two kids who had Swine Flu, a third who was suspected of having Swine Flu. Now they're saying, don't go to school. They're also telling the kids, hey, don't get together and have parties either, because that would defeat the purpose. Stay away from each other.

And they are also telling people to postpone public gatherings. This is obviously -- this is probably a pretty alarming thing for residents of Guadeloupe County, Texas to hear, postpone public gatherings. But that's what you do when you have two people with this virus, this new strain of a virus that no one has seen before.

You have a third suspected case who is still recovering. You tell people, you know what, getting together in huge groups, maybe not such a great idea.

WHITFIELD: And these cases, mostly in California and Texas, so we are talking about border states with Mexico. If indeed there is ...

COHEN: All of them are in California and Texas.

WHITFIELD: A little later, we are going to talk about some questions taking place in New York and whether ...

COHEN: That's right.

WHITFIELD: ... a group of kids there may have been exposed. COHEN: Kids sick in New York; do they have Swine Flu or are they sick with something else? Hopefully, we will learn that later this afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much. Keeping tabs on the CDC, also, we know, the World Health Organization.

COHEN: CDC, WHO, New York, Texas, we're all over it.

WHITFIELD: Perfect. Appreciate it.

Dozens of students at this preparatory school in New York City have been tested for Swine Flu, after coming down with such flu-like symptoms. The New York Health Department is holding a press conference at 3:00 Eastern to release those results.

Meantime CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti will be bringing you that live at the top of the next hour.

A little bit more now on one community in South Central Texas taking the threat very seriously that it has temporarily shut down a school. School officials in Cibolo, Texas say Byron Steele High School is closed, effective immediately.

Earlier this month, two of its students tested positive for Swine Flu. A third is considered a probable case. The first two recovered. The third student is said to be recovering, as you heard Elizabeth talking about. A public health official is strongly urging school staff, faculty, students and families to avoid contact with others, especially if they have any flu-like symptoms.

The White House as well keeping close tabs on Swine Flu. CNN's Elaine Quijano is in Washington with the very latest. How seriously is the White House taking all of this?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Obviously very seriously. A White House spokesman saying they are obviously monitoring this situation for any new developments. I can tell you that President Obama, for his part, does not have any public events on his schedule. But our CNN cameras did manage to spot him today earlier this morning, as he was leaving the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and making his way back towards the West Wing.

There's no word on exactly what he might have been doing over at EEOB. We are waiting to hear back from White House officials on that.

Here is how White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Yesterday described the breakdown of how various top officials and agencies were keeping tabs on this Swine Flu situation. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president is being kept up to date on the news and has been briefed on this. The Homeland Security Council is following this under the leadership of John Brennan. And obviously, the Centers for Disease Control and the State Department are working in conjunction with the Mexican government, in terms of issues related to testing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, President Obama was actually in Mexico a little over a week ago. And so Robert Gibbs in that briefing was asked whether or not the president has been told of any risk to him or anybody that was traveling with him. Robert Gibbs says not that he was aware of.

We're continuing to follow up on that part of the story as well.

WHITFIELD: Thank you very much, Elaine Quijano there in Washington. Appreciate it.

The World Health Organization grappled with the Swine Flu outbreak in an emergency meeting today. Gregory Hartl is a spokesman for the agency. He's joining me now from Geneva. Good to see you.

Give me an idea here. The majority of these cases, particularly as they pertain to deaths related to Swine Flu, have been located in Mexico. Over what span of time are we talking?

GREGORY HARTL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Well, apparently, it's over the last month. But as you also said, there's a lot of different potential causes for what's been going on in Mexico, which might explain the different patterns that we have seen. You said 60 deaths, but actually we only had 20 which are confirmed by swine flu. There might be a lot of other things going on, different types of flu, other respiratory diseases that cause pneumonia. So we don't have a clear picture yet.

WHITFIELD: But at least then, of the 20 confirmed deaths related to Swine Flu, how was that discovery made, and how was that received by WHO, the World Health Organization?

HARTL: Our member states, the United States and Mexico, report to us quite regularly, and alerted us to the fact that there was unusual influenza activity. And especially in Mexico, when you start seeing after the end of the normal influenza season, again, an unusual upsurge in cases, and in especially severe cases in parts of the population which normally don't get severe influenza.

Most of the people who were affected were otherwise healthy young adults, not senior citizens or not infants. So these were all markers which led us to believe that there was something different going on here.

WHITFIELD: Do you believe that this latest case or these cases of Swine Flu, the birthplace may indeed be Mexico? Or do you believe that it has been transient, evidenced in other countries and this perhaps is the country, perhaps, that resulted in the greatest number of deaths?

HARTL: We don't know of any other countries other than the U.S. or Mexico that have had cases. We have asked all of our member countries to report any unusual influenza-like illness to us, because we need to get a fuller picture.

We also need to get a better picture in Mexico to really understand if it is Swine Flu or another type of influenza or another virus or bacterial disease which is causing the pneumonia. So it's really a lot of question marks, because before we can really say something for sure about how severe, how dangerous this virus might be.

WHITFIELD: So there's already been some expressed concern by the world health organization that a pandemic may be encroaching. Do you agree with that? Is that the consensus among WHO, that we are close to that point?

HARTL: Well, again, this is certainly something which is of concern to us, a great deal of concern. And that's why we've convened this emergency meeting and why we have subsequently asked all of our member countries to provide us with additional information, with more information, and to continue to step up their efforts to survey, monitor for unusual respiratory cases.

We don't have, as I said, enough evidence really yet to say for sure that this is a pandemic virus, because we don't know how well it translates from generation to generation. We don't know really how widespread it is in the community, because if you think about it, the majority of cases in Mexico come in the city of 20 million people. They don't come in rural areas or smaller cities, like they did in California and Texas.

WHITFIELD: Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organization, joining us from Geneva. I appreciate your time.

There's much more to tell and express about what's taking place here. At 4:00 eastern time today, we will devote an entire hour of THE NEWSROOM to this Swine Flu outbreak. Elizabeth Cohen will be back, as will Gregory Hartl from the World Health Organization, along with other experts.

We will also answer your questions about Swine Flu. We know you have a lot of them. You're probably not very familiar with Swine Flu, particularly past the past 48 hours. E-mail us your questions and concerns at Weekends@CNN.com or you can find me on Facebook, Fredricka WhitfieldCNN, as well as Josh LevsCNN on Facebook.

Moving on now. Suddenly, people are talking again about Cuba in a very serious way. From travel to cigars, Cuba has been off limits for more than 50 years. Now what? The pros and cons of easing relations with that communist country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Obama nears the 100-day mark in office. Economic trouble at home is taking up much of his time. But now he's making waves with foreign policy as well. Polls show that Cuban Americans are coming around to the president's approach to Cuba, and a possible end to the decades-long embargo.

CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider breaks down the numbers for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Stereotypes about Cuban-Americans may be out of date, according to a new national survey. Cuban-Americans are reliably Republican. Look at how they feel about President Obama: two-thirds favorable.

Unalterably opposed to any change in American policy? Sixty four percent support President Obama's decision to lift restrictions on visits and money transfers by Cuban-Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did a great thing. Something a president should have done a long time ago.

SCHNEIDER: More and more Cuban-Americans believe all Americans should be allowed to travel to Cuba. Two-thirds feel that way now. And the trade embargo? Cuban-Americans are split.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to keep the embargo, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cuba, he need to open to the world, you know.

SCHNEIDER: The number of Cuban Americans who support ending the embargo has increased from 28 percent in 2003, to 36 percent in 2006, to 43 percent now.

Why the shift? Here's one reason: younger Cuban-Americans are less hard line than their elders. Most Cuban-Americans under 50 want to end the embargo. Only a third of those over 50 agree.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Castro has to finish. When the Castro finishing, Cuba going to change.

SCHNEIDER: Here's another reason. Among the Cuban born, those who came to the United States more recently are much less hard line. Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of them have family, have direct ties to the island.

SCHNEIDER: But views are changing, even among the first generation of Cuban-Americans.

FERNAND AMANDI, BENDIXEN AND ASSOCIATES: The historic exile wave of Cuban immigrants that came in the '60s and '70s, there really was a reversible of opinion taking place here.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): The U.S. policy of isolating Cuba for the last 50 years has not produced much change. Maybe more contact with the U.S. will increase pressure on the Castro regime to change.

President Obama thinks so. Apparently, so do more and more Cuban-Americans.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So many Cuban-Americans remain ardently opposed to easing restrictions with Cuba. To elaborate on that, Ninoska Perez- Castejona Spanish radio talk show host with Radio Mambi coming to us from Miami. Good to see you.

NINOSKA PEREZ-CASTEJON, HOST RADIO MAMBI: Thank you, Fredricka, for having me.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. Give me an idea. Initially, what are your listeners say about this talk of the Obama administration easing certain restrictions and allowing Cuban-Americans to visit relatives in Cuba?

PEREZ-CASTEJON: Well, first of all, nobody is against family visiting relatives. But the point is that lifting restrictions unilaterally emboldens Fidel Castro. The next move was no, lift the embargo. There are political prisoners in Cuba. There have not been elections in Cuba for the last 50 years.

And appeasing dictators usually emboldens them. But I would question that poll. And precisely that firm, Bendixen, was wrong in the 2004 elections, in the 2008, in the Congressional race.

WHITFIELD: What do you argue the polls should be saying?

PEREZ-CASTEJON: What the polls should be saying is that the three Florida Congressmen who support sanctions and were in favor of maintaining those sanctions and the embargo were re-elected, and some of them with a landslide. So that, again, brings me to the question ...

WHITFIELD: Are we now on a new day, particularly since you hear a number of younger generation, particularly Cuban-Americans who are saying, you know what, it's time to put some of this to rest? I mean, you hear about the divide in many households, particularly in the Miami area. The older generation says, no, we don't want a victory for Raul or Fidel. Yet, the younger generation says, wait a minute, I want an open opportunity to visit my relatives there or I want to one day soon do business in Cuba.

PEREZ-CASTEJON: Again, nobody's against family travel. But when we talk about lifting sanctions, there are political prisoners in Cuba. We should be asking for the release of those political prisoners. I know many young exile organizations of Cuban-American students, young professionals, that are not in favor of lifting those sanctions, because what we want is democracy and freedom for Cuba.

We don't want travel. We don't want tourism. We don't want another China.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: You want some clear-cut conditions being set on the table from the Obama administration that says, wait a minute, even though Raul Castro said just a little over a week ago, we want to talk human rights; we want to talk embargo, you're saying that the Obama administration should say, before we talk that, bring to terms some of these promises, fulfill some of these promises for us?

PEREZ-CASTEJON: That's exactly it.

WHITFIELD: Don't even have a dialogue until there's some agreement from Cuba to make some changes, even as it pertains to asking for the release of political prisoners.

PEREZ-CASTEJON: The point is that they don't want to make those changes. The point is that they want lifting of the embargo, because they want the credits and they want tourism. And I really am appalled to think that people are so anxious to travel to Cuba, when a Cuban on the island cannot even stay in a hotel that was built by a foreigner.

You know, when there was Apartheid in South Africa, we were not asking for tourists. We were asking for the end of Apartheid. We want the end of a 50-year-old dictatorship in Cuba, and we want freedom and democracy for 11 million Cubans. The fact is that not all Cubas in Miami can travel, because you need permission from the Cuban government. Not only people like me who criticize the government, doctors who have recently defected are not allowed to go back to Cuba. And their children are held as hostages on the island.

WHITFIELD: Is it you're view, though, that the 50 years of dictatorship will only continue, even if there is a Raul Castro, even though there have been some who believe that he would rule differently, particularly upon -- I hate to say it -- the passing of a Fidel Castro?

PEREZ-CASTEJON: I don't remember any country that American accepted the transfer of one dictator, the power to his brother, and that we would accept it as change coming from that. So the embargo has conditions that must be met for its lifting. And they are release the political prisoners, individual freedoms for the Cuban people, and free and Democratic elections.

WHITFIELD: OK, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

PEREZ-CASTEJON: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Tonight at 6:00 Eastern, a special "SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television. Countdown to Wednesday's big event, President Obama's 100th day in office.

And Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, a CNN prime time special, "100 Days of the Obama Presidency." Our national report card will give you a chance to grade the president and Congress on how they have been doing so far. And then at 8:00 Eastern time, President Obama himself holding a news conference where he will be assessing exactly how he's doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready, and go!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A speedy way to get a job or at least make a new business friend. I'm off to a speed networking event.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This breaking story we're following out of Athens, Georgia, near the University of Georgia campus. Police are confirming with CNN that possibly up to three people may have been shot near the UGA campus. And apparently, according to the University of Georgia public affairs office, a UGA professor is being sought in connection with the shooting.

But, again, emphasis being placed on the fact that the shooting may have taken place near the campus, not necessarily on campus, and that possibly three people may have been shot. We don't know about the identification of the people possibly shot, nor do we know the conditions. But, again, UGA professor is now being sought in connection with this shooting that is being investigated by the Athens Clark County Police there. So more information as we get it.

Meantime, turning to issue number one; folks are getting very creative these days to nab a job. You heard of speed dating. Now there's an event for the jobless called speed networking. Recently, I checked out one of those events in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And go!

WHITFIELD (voice-over:) These 40 professionals just began something of a matchmaking game. Each time the whistle blows ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rotate one seat, please.

WHITFIELD: -- they move on to the next round.

This is high-speed networking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here's what we're going to do. You get four minutes with the person across from you.

WHITFIELD: They have just minutes to sell their business.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I work for Offices Plus. We provide executive offices, as well as virtual offices and meeting rooms and guest offices.

WHITFIELD: Or sell themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I'm trying to do is I'm trying to make sure that we have ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Move one seat, everybody. WHITFIELD: Keith Trimble was laid off from his job as an airline manager last year.

(on camera:) What are you looking for, and, you know, what did you discover?

KEITH TRIMBLE, JOB SEEKER: I'm looking to make contacts, obviously, and make sure that I use my time wisely and get everything I can out of it in the four minutes that you're given to talk to somebody.

WHITFIELD: So how do you try to distinguish yourself? Because they're seeing 20 people, 30 people in one evening. And then they've got a stack of business cards. What are you hoping they're taking note of you?

TRIMBLE: Well, I'm hoping that they look at me and say that I'm intelligent, hopefully, and that I am able to adapt to the setting.

WHITFIELD (voice-over): And then there is Lynn Harter, a former commercial banker looking for a new job.

LYNN HARTER, JOB SEEKER: I moved from Michigan nine months ago. And my skills are very transferable. I do not have to work in commercial banking.

WHITFIELD (on camera): Is it strange or fun?

HARTER: It's fun. It's fun. I was a little apprehensive at first because I thought, I don't know these people. But it's been very -- a lot of fun.

WHITFIELD: So the whistle goes off, you have a seat, then what?

HARTER: Then you exchange information with the person across from you. And I mean, some people are looking to build their businesses. Some people are looking for a job. So it's an interaction. I've been able to help a couple people, and a couple of people have helped me. So it's really good.

WHITFIELD: So you feel like by the end of the evening there really might be a match.

HARTER: Yes. There might be. There might be.

WHITFIELD: You're feeling confident.

HARTER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rotate!

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I worked with the "Atlanta Journal" for the past 19 years. And I got laid off back in June. So I'm looking for something else in the field or try something new. WHITFIELD (voice-over): After a grueling 18 rounds, everyone hopes their stack of cards holds the right connection that will lead them to their perfect job match.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have met people that have given me leads to other jobs. So -- and I met people that will be interested in hiring graphic artists in the future. So I'm feeling good about this.

WHITFIELD: And it looks like Keith Trimble found a lead too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely, I have a contact for you. It isn't health care.

TRIMBLE: That's OK. I'm willing to do anything at this point.

WHITFIELD (on camera): So you say to yourself when you come to this setting, and you say, wow, this is what it has come to, in terms of looking for a job. It's social networking to a whole new level. And it's not just socializing, it really does mean open the doors to an opportunity.

HARTER: Yes. Yes. Because someone might know someone who needs you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention, please. Give yourselves a round of applause. You've just completed high-speed networking.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The group which held this event is called Networking for Professionals. It holds events like this around the country. Just log onto the Web site at the bottom of your screen, www.NetworkingForProfessionals.com. You'll find out when there might be a session in your town.

President Obama is about to wrap up his first 100 days in office. What's going to be topping his agenda for the next 100?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Health officials are scrambling to determine the cause of a new strain of Swine Flu that has killed at least 68 people in Mexico and infected eight right here in the U.S. They say it's a new form of influenza that shares genes from Bird Flu, the common human influenza and a form of Swine Flue, normally found in Asia and Europe. Six people in southern California and two in San Antonio, Texas contracted the virus, but all of them have recovered.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The majority of these cases, particularly as they pertain to deaths related to Swine Flu, have been located in Mexico. Over what span of time are we talking?

HARTL: Well, apparently, it's over the last month. But as you also said, there's a lot of different potential causes for what's been going on in Mexico, which might explain the different patterns that we have seen. You said 60 deaths, but actually we only had 20 which are confirmed by swine flu. There might be a lot of other things going on, different types of flu, other respiratory diseases that cause pneumonia. So we don't have a clear picture yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, officials report about 75 high school students in the Queens borough of New York have fallen ill with flu- like symptoms. The State Health Department will release test results this afternoon on whether indeed that was Swine Flu. Still unclear.

President Obama is focusing on the danger from out-of-control spending in his weekly address. He's spelled out four ideas to restore fiscal discipline.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: First, we need to adhere to the basic principle that new task or entitlement policies should be paid for. This principle, known as Pay-Go, helped transform large deficits into surpluses in the 1990s. Now, we must restore that sense of fiscal discipline.

That's why I'm calling for Congress to pass Pay-Go legislation, like a bill that will be introduced by Congressman Baron Hill, so the government acts the same way any responsible family does in setting its budget.

Second, we'll create new incentives to reduce wasteful spending and to invest in what works. We don't want agencies to protect loaded budgets. We want them to promote effective programs. The idea is simple, agencies that identify savings will get to keep a portion of those savings to invest in programs that work. The result will be a smaller budget and a more effective government.

Third, we'll look for ideas from the bottom up. After all, Americans across the country know that the best ideas often come from workers, not just management. That's why we'll establish a process through which every government worker can submit their ideas for how their agency can save money and perform better. We'll put the suggestions that work into practice. And later this year, I will meet with those who come up with the best ideas to hear first hand about how they would make your government more efficient and effective.

And, finally, we will reach beyond the halls of government. Many businesses have innovative ways of using technology to save money. And many experts have new ideas to make government work more efficiently. Government can and must learn from them. So later this year, we will host a forum on reforming government for the 21st century, so that we're also guided by voices that come from outside Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The president also promises to find more than 100 programs to cut.

Critics say that while the president talks about fiscal discipline, his policies will leave the country with some 500 billion dollars in budget deficits. But it's the cost of energy that has got Republicans' attention in the weekly GOP address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: So you'd think that if Democrats want to talk about energy and climate change and clean air, they'd put American-made nuclear power front and center. Instead, their answer is billions in subsidies for renewable energy from the sun, the wind and the Earth.

Well, we Republicans like renewable energy, too. We proposed a new Manhattan project, like the one in World War II, to find ways to make solar power cost competitive and to improve advanced biofuels. Bud today renewable electricity from the sun, the wind and the Earth, provides only about one and a half percent of America's electricity. Double it or triple it and we still don't have very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Senator Alexander said Republicans want to find more energy and use less. He said Democrats want to use less but really don't want to find much more.

So with just four days to go until we get to the 100-day benchmark, how do people think President Obama's doing so far? Let's check in with CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Fred, the big question so far, how is the president doing? I guess the best way to measure that is take a look at the latest public opinion polls. Here's our CNN poll of polls, which is an average of the latest national polls.

You can see right here, 64 percent of Americans give the president a thumb's up. They approve of the way Barack Obama is handling his duties as president. He's been there in the mid-60s pretty much since he took over, since he was inaugurated back in January. Twenty eight percent, according to our poll of polls, disapprove. They don't agree. They don't like the job Barack Obama is doing as president.

But when you look at some of the specific issues, there is a little lower approval rating there for the president. This is a Pew poll here, a national poll conducted earlier this month. You can see 60 percent, six in 10 Americans approve of the job the president is doing on the economy. That's a little lower than that 64 percent we just saw.

And the number goes down a little more. You can see only half of Americans, they're split, on the budget deficit and on tax policy.

What about the next couple battles ahead? Remember, there have been a lot of big battles in the first 100 days, the stimulus, the budget and even the federal bailout of Wall Street. What is next? Couple of the big battles ahead for the president and for Congress: energy reform and health care reform.

Those two big pieces of legislation are just getting under way in Congress. They are major pushes by the president. He says they go hand in hand with getting this country out of the economic recession we're in. And I think those are going to be some big fights over the next 100 days. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Paul Steinhauser, thanks so much.

In his first 100 day, the president has been tackling huge issues and giving a whole lot of speeches. That means a lot of statements to fact check. How is the president doing so far? Our Josh Levs loves doing this double-checking and seeing, hmm, did what he just say make sense? Is it true?

JOSH LEVS, CNN BLOG CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know what, we get some help from our brethren in cross-checking over at PolitiFact.

WHITFIELD: Good.

LEVS: These guys do a great job. Exactly, it's good too have a little help from your friends. I talked to the head of PolitiFact and I asked him so far, first 100 days, how is this president doing?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL ADAIR, POLITIFACT.COM: We have rated about 21 claims by either Obama or others in the administration. I think that's 11 of them have been either true or mostly true. On the other end of the spectrum, though, he has had I think four false ratings on the Truth- O-Meter, particularly for some of the claims they have made about the economy.

LEVS: I don't think presidents should get gold stars for telling what's true. What I want to do is focus on the falsehoods, just so that we can make sure the viewers get the truth.

ADAIR: You bet. One of the falses was for a claim that your viewers heard a lot. And that was that the economic stimulus bill did not have any earmarks in it.

OBAMA: The plan that's been put together without earmarks or the usual pork barrel spending.

ADAIR: There were a fair number of things in there, at least a handful, that really could be considered earmarks. We gave that one a false.

LEVS: One was about whether there was disagreement among economists about what the government should be doing in the recession, right?

ADAIR: Yes. This was one that Obama said to try to get support for his economic stimulus bill. And he characterized it as if economists were unanimous about the need for government to step in and do something.

OBAMA: There's no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan that will help to jump-start the economy.

ADAIR: That's not true. There are some economists that we talked to who would say, let the free market work and let things go. Now, it's probably the case that the majority of economists might support government intervention, but the way Obama said it was false.

LEVS: And Bill, you certainly found some falsehoods when Republicans attacked this president as well. I am going to point to one thing that you do say. You say, "still, it's important to point out that, overall, this administration so far has been right more than it's been wrong."

ADAIR: It has. Another thing that's notable on PolitiFact, we rate the most ridiculous falsehoods with our lowest rating, Pants on Fire, and Obama can claim that indeed he has succeeded in getting and earning no Pants on Fire ratings so far into his presidency.

LEVS: So far.

ADAIR: That's a small victory. Exactly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: You can, of course, get a lot more information on that at PolitiFact.com. Also, we are hearing from you about the president's first days. Let's go to this graphic. You have all sorts of way to get in touch, join the discussion. We've got Facebook. You also have my new Twitter page. I'm learning how to use it.

WHITFIELD: Are you having fun with that?

LEVS: You know, I'm getting the hang of it.

WHITFIELD: Good.

LEVS: Brief is a good thing. Obviously, I'm not that natural at it.

Fred, check this out. We're going to leave most of this graphic the same. But the words on the top will magically change. This is what's coming up at 4:00 today. This is our big special today at the 4:00 hour. We want your questions about Swine Flu. You can send them into Weekends@CNN.com, my Facebook page, Twitter.com/JoshLevsCNN, also to Fred's Facebook page. I have it behind me. Our plan for the 4:00 hour, what we give you at that time on Saturdays, we get to as many of your questions as we can. As you know, we have a great lineup for the show.

WHITFIELD: We do. We have a lot of experts to answer your questions. People really, for the most part, are saying, Swine Flu, what is that? This is going to be a forum in which to get some of those questions answered and find out what could potentially be next? What's the CDC doing, World Health Organization, all of that?

LEVS: A lot of concerns. I was just checking your Facebook page and Twitter, a lot of people saying, already, I have plans to go to Mexico. What do I do? People are saying, is this just a scare that's really out of proportion? Are we as a nation getting too afraid of this? We are going to have some good reality check, information throughout the hour from a great team. Send us your questions. Stick with us for that. We will get you all we can.

WHITFIELD: We are going to nail it all down. Thanks so much, Josh. Appreciate it.

Join us as well on President Obama's 100th day in office for the CNN National Report Card, a prime time event that gets started next Wednesday night, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. At 8:00 p.m. Eastern, President Obama holds his news conference. At 9:00, Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, the best political team on television and you gives the final grades for his first 100 days. It all begins Wednesday night, 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. And, of course, CNN.com/ReportCard.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes her first trip to Iraq as secretary of state.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This breaking story we continue to follow out of Athens, Georgia. Now Athens Clark County coroner is now confirming that three people are dead as a result of a shooting that took place near the Athens, Georgia campus of the University of Georgia. And police are looking for what they believe to be the primary suspect, who happens to be a UGA professor. And he is now being identified as George Azinkon (ph), a suspect in this off-campus shooting.

We understand a search is under way. A description has been given about what he may be wearing, a polo shirt, blue shorts and a backpack and was last seen in a red car. Anyone in that car is being asked to participate in this on-going search of a suspect in a shooting that now we're hearing confirmation, three deaths have resulted. And the suspect is a university of Georgia professor. More information as we get it. Taking place now in Athens, Georgia.

Meantime, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes an unannounced trip to Baghdad. It's her first there since becoming the nation's top diplomat. She said the recent spate of bombings is a sign of desperation by what she called rejectionists. Clinton promises Iraq can count on U.S. support even after American troops take their leave. Much more straight ahead here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Another reported hijacking of a cargo ship. This one also in the waters off the coast of Somalia. The Associated Press quotes a U.S. Naval spokesman who says the German-owned ship was commandeered by pirates this morning in the Gulf of Aden. No word yet on the status of the crew. Confusion and overwhelmed. That's how attorneys describe their client, the young Somali pirate in U.S. custody right now. Parents of the accused say their son is only 15-years-old, and disagrees with a judge's ruling that he should be tried as an adult.

He's charged in the April 8th hijacking of the U.S. flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

Meantime, as the alleged pirate sits in a Manhattan jail cell awaiting his trial, his former hostage is enjoying the comforts of home. Right now, friends, family and well wishers are holding an old- fashioned picnic in honor of the 53-year-old ship captain Richie Philips. He's been hailed as a hero since his five-day ordeal at sea made news around the world. But back home, just a few minutes ago, the captain credited the U.S. Navy for his safe return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD PHILIPS, RESCUED HOSTAGE: They are the true hero in this story and many other stories we never hear of, that we'll never will know of. They do this hard duty while they're away for their loved ones and families for extended periods of time. The guys -- women and men on the Bainbridge are out for nine months protecting all of our interests.

So it's hard on them, unbelievably hard on them for the time they're away. If you see someone in the military, in the restaurant, on the street or in the airport, shake their hands and thank them for what they do, day in and day out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Captain Philips steered clear of specific questions relating to his high-seas ordeal, but admitted at times he thought he wouldn't survive his five days of captivity.

And we will be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A South Carolina man says he's been getting death threats since he was blamed for starting a devastating wildfire in the Myrtle Beach area. A spokesman with the state's forestry commission says the 39-year-old landscaper's yard fire appears to have started the blaze. But the landscaper says fire crews should take responsibility. He says they came to his home twice to make sure his yard fire was out. But it apparently rekindled four days later.

More than 70 homes have been destroyed; 100 more are damaged. The fire is now at least 80 percent contained and there are no reports, thankfully, of injuries.

Dry weather on the East Coast is not helping the fire fighting efforts there.

(WEATHER REPORT)