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U.S. Soldier in Enemy Hands; Stopping the Heroin; President Obama's Health Care Push; Bondholders Rescue Main Street Lender; After 40 Years, Moon Landing Still Has Doubters

Aired July 20, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. It is Monday, July 20th, and here are the top stories in the CNN NEWSROOM.

A U.S. soldier in enemy hands. Newly released Taliban video shows the captured American speaking about his family and his fears.

Plus, saving African-American men. Our "Black in America" segment, a doctor's creative efforts to get his message out by any means necessary.

And a giant leap for mankind 40 years ago. The anniversary of man's first moon landing. We will take you live for a walk in space and stroll down memory lane.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

A young American soldier scared, alone, and in the hands of the Taliban this morning. The Pentagon identifies him as Army Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl from just outside Ketchum, Idaho. Bergdahl was captured June 30th in southeastern Afghanistan. This Taliban video of Bergdahl turned up on the Internet over the weekend.

The U.S. military is distributing pamphlets in Afghanistan asking civilians if they have spotted Bergdahl.

Let's turn to our Pentagon correspondent now, Barbara Starr.

And Barbara, the Taliban are making some demands. What about those and the efforts to locate Private Bergdahl?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, people will recall back on July 1st, essentially, July 2nd, the military issued a very brief statement saying that Private first Class Bergdahl, though they did not identify him, that a soldier had gone missing in the remote border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Paktia Province. This was Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl of Idaho.

Now this 28-minute video appearing. Bergdahl answering a number of questions put to him by his captors, clearly being held in captivity under some duress.

Let's listen to what he had to say about how he feels.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS BOWE BERGDAHL: Well, I'm scared. I'm scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Well, I have to tell you also that the U.S. military issued a statement saying, "We strongly condemn this public exploitation and humiliation of a prisoner." So the U.S. military now calling Private First Class Bergdahl a prisoner.

His family in Idaho asking for privacy, asking for the media not to approach them. The general feeling in the U.S. military, Tony, is if they can keep this fairly low key, they will have a much better chance of finding him and getting him back -- Tony.

HARRIS: Got you. OK.

Barbara Starr for us.

Barbara, thank you.

Back home in Idaho, the Bergdahl family is asking for privacy. One family friend, though, spoke with a CNN affiliate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM BAKER, FRIEND OF BERGDAHL FAMILY: It's a terribly sad thing that our men and women have to expend themselves in defense of those that see destroying others as a way of life, when all we desire is to have peace with other nations. As long as he's alive, of course, I certainly hope. And so that's what we're holding out for, is that he will be released.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Bergdahl had been in Afghanistan five months when he was captured.

U.S. Marines in Afghanistan have found and destroyed a cache of chemicals used to make heroin and explosive devices.

Our Ivan Watson is embedded with the U.S. Marines in Helmand Province, and he has an exclusive look at what is going on.

Ivan, my understanding is that you were on patrol with the Marines. Explain to us in greater detail what they found.

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Tony, I'm with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, part of a force of some 4,000 Marines that earlier this month launched into Taliban-controlled parts of this turbulent Helmand Province, considered by some the opium capital of the world. This is one of the largest U.S. military operations since this war began nearly eight years ago.

And let's take a look at what we got during an operation last night into a bazaar very close to where I'm standing right now, Tony.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Right now, the Marines back here are rigging these chemicals with explosives -- C-4 plastic explosives. You can see them getting ready for what will be a controlled explosion in a couple of hours.

Now the reason for this, the reason that these C-4 plastic explosives were being placed here, is because these chemicals are believed to be used to process heroin. More than 90 percent of the world's heroin comes from Afghanistan, and a bulk of that comes from this very province in southern Afghanistan which has not really been under the control of the Afghan central government in years.

Part of the reason why this operation over the course of this month is such a big deal is because the Marines have moved into areas where the Taliban have been able to operate freely, where drug cartels have been able to operate freely in the fields around this town where we're located right now. You can see miles of poppy fields growing there where the heroin is then later produced, using some of these chemicals. In addition to this, the Marines have found chemicals used for improvised explosive devices, these deadly weapons that have helped make this the bloodiest month yet for NATO forces in Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: And Tony, sure enough, before dawn this morning, we did see that controlled explosion, a massive ball of flame, and a chemical fire that then burned for the better part of an hour from this very simple mud brick marketplace not too far from the border with Pakistan -- Tony.

HARRIS: Boy, that's pretty dramatic video there.

Ivan, you were with the Marines in the same province last summer. Has anything changed since then?

WATSON: Well, it's interesting, Tony. I was with a smaller force of Marines probably 25 miles north of here. They had moved in last summer in similar conditions to try to cut off the flow of Taliban weapons and fighters from Pakistan north, and to try to do something to block the flow of narcotics south -- the export -- some of which we believe the money is used to help fund the insurgency.

And the Marines promised to rebuild here. They said that there were going to be efforts to bring the Afghan central government. But right now what we're seeing is that a year later, Marines are fighting battles in some of those same villages that I was in last year.

It shows how deeply rooted and entrenched the insurgency is here. And it also shows that the promises to rebuild after military offensive are very difficult to fulfill.

We'll see what happens after this offensive, Tony. Definitely, there are far more American and British soldiers this time around -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, clearing is one thing. Holding is a far different proposition.

Ivan Watson for us in Helmand Province.

Ivan, appreciate it. Thank you.

And a surprise confession from the lone surviving suspect in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai last year. In an Indian court today, the man seen in this picture, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, changed his plea to guilty.

Police say Kasab was one of 10 gunmen who terrorized India's financial capital for several days last November. More than 160 people, as you'll remember, were killed. Police say the other suspects died in the attacks.

President Obama's push for health care reform tops his agenda today. He meets next hour with health care providers and he makes remarks in about two hours. But the president's push for reform is running into some roadblocks.

Details now from our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Facing a tough week ahead, President Obama is trying to recapture the spotlight in the health care debate.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade.

MALVEAUX: This, after a devastating announcement on Friday by the Congressional Budget Office that the administration's health care bill would raise health care costs and add $239 billion to the deficit over 10 years.

The White House dispatched their head of health care, Kathleen Sebelius.

KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: This is a work in progress. The good news is the House and Senate are actively working and share the president's goal that overall costs have to come down for everyone.

MALVEAUX: And the president's top money man, Peter Orszag, took up the argument.

PETER ORSZAG, WHITE HOUSE BUDGET DIRECTOR: The bill has to be deficit-neutral. The president yesterday said he will not sign a bill that isn't deficit-neutral.

MALVEAUX: Republicans seized on the deficit announcement.

SEN. JUDD GREGG (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE: Those were pretty damning words, to be very honest with you.

MALVEAUX: The Senate's minority leader said the bill will not have Republican support.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: This is a bill that shouldn't pass at any point, either before the August recess or later in the year, because it's not good for the country.

MALVEAUX: The Obama administration is pushing hard for the bill to be on the president's desk before the August recess, but many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say that's too ambitious.

REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRMAN: Sure, we wish we had more time, but the president has given us a deadline. We're working under it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right. And Suzanne Malveaux joining us live now.

And Suzanne, why is the White House -- boy, I've got a rationale in my own head, but why is the White House pushing for quick passage of this health care legislation?

MALVEAUX: You know, Tony, they certainly hope that they're not going to lose momentum here. There obviously is this big push, this sense of urgency, because they still feel like the president, he's got the political capital, he's got the heft. They need to put him out here to talk directly to the American people.

If they don't this, this go-round, Tony, they really feel it's going to become much, much harder later on down the road, especially when you have got congressional midterm elections, the whole thing. This is something that people don't necessarily have an appetite for. They want to make sure that, look, we're talking about it, we're debating about it. We've got some idea on this table. Let's try to push this thing through as quickly as possible.

HARRIS: Yes. And if it were easy, it would have been done by now.

Is the president showing any signs of flexibility on that August deadline, Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: Well, you know, that's an interesting question, because we heard from one of his top financial guys, Peter Orszag, who essentially said it is a goal. He didn't call it a deadline, but a goal now to get to that August recess.

Obviously, this is a delicate balancing act. They are trying to push as hard as they can to get this done quickly, but at the same time, they don't want to push too hard because they realize -- just last week, we saw Democrats who hit back, and hit back hard, some of those moderates who said, look, you're not going to rush us on this one. We're going to take our time because this is a difficult thing to swallow here. And so, you know, they're trying to be a little bit flexible with this, but at the same time push as hard as they can.

HARRIS: Boy, what an interesting push-pull on this.

All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us.

Suzanne, thank you.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

HARRIS: And we will bring you President Obama's remarks on health care reform live in the NEWSROOM. The president is scheduled to speak around 1:05 Eastern Time.

A troubling trend -- black men dying earlier than men of other races. What to do about it. Soledad O'Brien finds answers in a Chicago health clinic and the barbershop.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: It is a disturbing trend -- black men dying earlier than men of other races. It is one of the stories Special Correspondent Soledad O'Brien brings us in "Black in America 2" on Wednesday. She visits a pioneering men's health clinic on Chicago's South Side.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. PETE THOMAS, PROJECT BROTHERHOOD: I'm Dr. Thomas. What's going on?

It looks all right. Good. Good.

Deep breath in and out for me.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dr. Pete Thomas is a pioneer...

THOMAS: I refilled these inhalers for you.

O'BRIEN: ... on a mission to save the lives of black men, men whose life expectancy is eight years less than the national average. And he's found an innovative strategy to do it.

THOMAS: We're going to sort of try to really work with your diet.

OK. What's going on with your leg?

Stop smoking.

O'BRIEN: It's called Project Brotherhood. Its goal: to treat the whole man.

THOMAS: We know how to get men to the health centers. And it's not by advertising free colonoscopies. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: HIV is preventable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you've got to exercise.

O'BRIEN: Project Brotherhood begins here, in this and many other Chicago barbershops.

(on camera): So why barbershops? Why are they so critical to you?

THOMAS: Well, this is a staple in our community. And so men feel comfortable coming into the shop. And more importantly, they feel comfortable talking about whatever health issue that they may have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a great thing to be able to share with people.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Whether it's a fear of being exploited, going back to the Tuskegee Experiment, the economics of it all, including a lack of health insurance, or the fact that most doctors don't look like them, black men are notoriously reluctant to go to the doctor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Listen to your heartbeat

O'BRIEN: Every Thursday, men come to Chicago's South Side for free haircuts, conversation, classes, meditations, and, yes, free doctors' visits.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?

MARCUS MURRAY, CO-DIRECTOR, PROJECT BROTHERHOOD: So health to us is mental, physical, social, economic and spiritual. If one aspect is off in a man's life, he's not completely healthy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

O'BRIEN: Everything Project Brotherhood offers is free of charge. A much-needed lifeline during these tough economic times.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep up the good work and then here's your return visit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And join us Wednesday night at 7:00 Eastern with Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner and D.L. Hughley live from Times Square. They are counting down to the premiere of "Black in America 2," part one. That's to be followed by President Obama's news conference at 9:00 Eastern. That's Wednesday, night here on CNN.

Congress continues to work on health care reform, but our Gerri Willis has ways to cut your health care costs right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: While Congress works on trillion-dollar plans to overhaul health care, there are things you can do to reduce your costs right now.

Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis live from New York with today's "Top Tips."

Gerri, good to see you.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good to see you, Tony.

HARRIS: I guess you start at the top. What's the first tip, Gerri?

WILLIS: Well, you've got to get screened for some of these problems that you could have down the road. Early detection can save you a ton of money, if not your life, in the long run.

For a free personalized online health evaluation, go to the Great American Health Check at cancer.org. And AARP and Walgreen's has also recently launched a wellness tour that would deliver free health screenings to communities across the country. You can be screened for blood pressure problems, cholesterol, glucose levels.

If you don't have any insurance, you can also go to federally- funded clinics to get immunizations, checkups and dental care. And you pay what you can afford based on your income. To find a health center near you, go to findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov -- Tony.

HARRIS: Pay what you can afford based on your income. Can you negotiate price, Gerri?

WILLIS: You bet you. Look, if you have recently lost a job, or you face a deductible that's going to devastate your budget, you should really let your doctor know. They may negotiate price with you.

And of course, the key to negotiating is knowledge. Call your insurer and ask a customer service rep how much the company will cover for the type of service you need. Then pass that info along to your doctor.

If your doctor isn't willing to come down in price, you might want to find a physician who will. And you should note that each hospital, they have their own rules about negotiating bills. You shouldn't always assume that you have to pay full price. If you have cash in hand, laying out that money before you get your procedure could get you a discount as well.

HARRIS: Yes. Talk to us about records here and the importance of paying close attention to your records.

WILLIS: Well, lots of mistakes on hospital bills. In particular, pay close attention to those bills.

Experts say there are errors in eight out of 10. Eight out of 10 medical bills.

HARRIS: Jeez.

WILLIS: That's a high proportion, OK?

HARRIS: Yes.

WILLIS: Make sure you keep records of every test and every medicine you take. Check that against your medical file. You'll find that at the hospital's billing office. If you see a mistake, send a certified letter requesting corrections and make sure you get a copy of all the documentation sent to your insurer.

HARRIS: Gerri, one last one. Is there a way to get cheaper medicine?

WILLIS: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Prescription meds, they can be a huge drain on your budget, right? You can compare the prices of medicines online so that you can see what the cheap options are out there that might help you.

"Consumer Reports" has a Web site that lists the best value drugs. And that Web site is ConsumerReports.com/health.

If you have a prescription drug plan through your job, you may be able to score a cheaper price by getting your meds delivered by mail. And don't forget pharmacies and retailers like Walgreen's, Kmart. Often these locations have cheaper meds than traditional pharmacies.

And, of course, make sure you talk to your doctor or your pharmacist. They may know ways of getting these drugs for you cheaper. They may know which meds are going to go generic. So they may be able to help you out ahead of time -- Tony.

HARRIS: That is awesome. OK. Gerri, as always, what's the e- mail address if folks have questions for you?

WILLIS: Gerri@CNN.com. Send us an e-mail. Let us know what your questions are about your wallet, your pocketbook, even your med costs.

HARRIS: Love it. Great tips, as always. Thanks, Gerri.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

HARRIS: And again, our Money team, Gerri is a part of our Money Team. Christine Romans, Ali Velshi, Susan Lisovicz, and a lot of people you don't see on television do a terrific job.

Once again, just go to CNNMoney.com for the latest news on the economy and great analysis. Today's special report, "Recession or Recovery: Main Street Tales." That's at CNNMoney.com.

A lender supplying the lifeblood of American small businesses teeters on the verge of bankruptcy. Now new hope that CIT Group can be saved.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Authorities in Florida expect to reveal another motive in the brutal killing of a couple that adopted more than a dozen special-needs children. Investigators also plan to make at least one more arrest, bringing the number charged in the case to nine. Byrd and Melanie Billings were shot to death July 9th during a home invasion robbery.

Former NFL superstar Michael Vick moving closer to a possible return to the league. The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists today as the last day of his sentence on a dogfighting conviction. He can remove the electronic monitor he's had to wear for the last two months on home confinement in Hampton, Virginia. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he will review Vick's status after his sentence is completed.

The firm where small and midsize business goes to borrow money is getting a $3 billion loan of its own. CIT Group being rescued by its bondholders. Well, now!

Christine Romans, part of the CNN Money Team. Mentioned Christine's name just a moment ago, is following the story for us. She's live in New York. This is int -- oh, hi, Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Hi.

HARRIS: You know, this is interesting. At least recently, we're used to bondholders sort of holding out for what they can get from a troubled company. This is a different approach and one that it seems to me must come as something of relief to the White House.

ROMANS: Well, let me tell you first of all, we don't have confirmation that this deal has been done, but it's widely reported, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes.

ROMANS: And the company's not saying anything about it yet this morning. Now, we know that they were working on it all weekend. So, we're still waiting to find out officially what that deal looks like. But it's said to be $3 billion and some pretty steep interest rates, 10 percent or higher. But it would keep the money flowing for small business while this company tries to restructure and get its debt burden under control and figure out how to borrow some more money.

Now, you mentioned the White House. This has got to be the best of all possible solutions for the Obama administration because they had to draw a line in the sand on bailouts somewhere. And they happened to draw that line on a company that is the lifeblood of lending and sort of this thing called factoring, this lending between retailers and manufacturers for many, many small businesses.

It is the biggest small business lender in the country. It's got a million customers, also a lot of midsize firms as well. Operates in 30 industries. It's the top lender to women and minorities. The retail and apparel sector, a lot of people have been telling us they're very nervous about what happens if this company is not, you know, performing in the marketplace and able to keep the money flowing for people.

So, this was something that clearly tests, I think, Tony, a new phase in the United States of bailouts, as some people would say. This is saying that maybe the system is healthy enough that this company and its bondholders and its customers and the financial sector as a whole can handle it if it has to go it alone.

HARRIS: Well, this is interesting. Is CIT, and maybe explain this a little further here. CIT, it is my understanding is sort of a last line for a lot of these small businesses. I'm a small business, and, you know, I've gone to Bank of America, I've gone to...

ROMANS: Right.

HARRIS: ... any of these other banks, and I said, hey, look, here's my plan. I want some money. I've got to get going. I've got a great plan. I really am energized as a small business owner. And the banks, all of them, have said no and CIT is sort of the last resort. Is that correct?

ROMANS: And that's part of the problem, that some of these loans are not -- the loan quality is not as high here as in other places that were lending. But that's why it's the biggest lender because people with an idea -- this is the kind of company where people with an idea and a firm on Wall Street with the money, this is the kind of company that's able to put them together so that, you know, the guy with a good idea in Peoria can tap into the Wall Street money, the lending, the big markets that they may not understand and get the money so that they can get their idea on the street and try to make money.

Now, that was great when everything -- when the economy was strong and everyone was hiring, and the retail sector was booming. But then when things started to turn south, now their loan quality is deteriorating as well. And they were beneficiaries of the bailout last fall. They got a little over $2 billion, but they've been shut out of the financial rescues since then. And here's where we are now, waiting to find out whether they officially got this alternate financing.

HARRIS: And is it also true that a lot of the money for CIT to make these loans to small businesses actually came from big Wall Street firms?

ROMANS: It came from the capital markets, yes. They've been shut out of the capital markets, frankly. I mean, things have been really crazy over the past six or eight months. They've also, Tony, been, frankly, making fewer loans already over the past six months than they had the year before.

So, in a way, they've already -- it's not as if the spigot would be shut off if this company had to file for bankruptcy. They've already been kind of pulling back on the new loans. But it's that factoring. It's that loaning money for 30 days between, you know, a supplier and a retailer and keeping the money going, even as the product sits on the shelf. That's what's really important here for a lot of companies.

HARRIS: All right, Christine, appreciate it. Boy, that explains it very well. Christine Romans in New York for us.

ROMANS: Great. Sure.

HARRIS: You know, not all companies have been as lucky as CIT. Many big names have filed for bankruptcy protection, and that's caused big problems for a lot of little guys. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with more on what happens, really, to franchises when their parent companies go belly up.

Susan, good to see you. Good morning.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony. Well, it's more common than you think. I mean, well-known franchise companies like Mrs. Field's, Dial-A-Mattress and Bally Total Fitness have all filed for bankruptcy within the last year. Our excellent Web site, CNNmoney.com, took a closer look at what happens to these companies' independent operators, when the parent company runs out of cash. And many of them face a huge wave of legal troubles and marketing challenges.

In an ideal scenario, the franchisee can continue operating with just minor adjustments to cut overhead. But, Tony, you and I and everybody else knows the situation isn't often ideal. Sometimes the parent company eliminates store locations altogether. I mean, think of auto dealerships. And advertising is another matter. Take Bennigan's. Its franchisees depended on corporate marketing initiatives to advertise the restaurants and specials. They had a hard time convincing the public that they were still open for business -- Tony.

HARRIS: Wow, and that's got to be one of the toughest hurdles. This association in consumers' mindset between bankruptcy and real failure.

LISOVICZ: That's right. There are two different things. One can lead to another, but not always. Denny's, Boston Market, Days Inn, 7-Eleven have all filed for Chapter 11 in the past. Currently alive and expanding.

Many times, the bankruptcy filing can result in a stronger brand position. The company has to go through restructuring, reorganization, but certainly there are just as many companies that don't ever make it out of the process. And these adverse economic conditions don't help -- Tony.

HARRIS: But you know what? There were a lot of people looking for -- who are out of work who are looking for opportunities. And I would think that a recession would prompt maybe more people to start their own business or maybe buy into a franchise? LISOVICZ: That is an excellent point because so many people have been laid off. And if you are lucky enough to get a severance package, you might be thinking of a chapter two, the opportunity to start your own business or to get into franchising. But the problem is something that you and Christine were just talking about, this extremely tight credit market.

You know, CIT's pulling back. It's not the only one. So, it prevents a lot of entrepreneurs from starting their ventures.

And for more on this issue, go right to CNNmoney.com. You can also certainly track lots of stocks, the action today, but you can also rely on me to tell you what's happening right now.

HARRIS: Absolutely. That's what I like to do.

LISOVICZ: We're seeing the Dow industrials up six days in a row right now. The Nasdaq is up nine days in a row. We're midway through the session. Check it out. Three major averages each up half a percent -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yay. All right, Susan, good to see you. Thank you. See you next hour.

LISOVICZ: Likewise. You got it.

HARRIS: You know, in this economy, people are doing just about anything, whatever is really necessary to survive. One New Jersey woman is hoping a bake sale can help forestall foreclosure of her home. So, here's the question: What some are creative things you've done to save extra money or just save dollars, just stack up a war chest here.

Just go to CNN.com/tony. Leave us a comment, and we'll share some of them on the air in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

And still to come, he turned his tragic childhood into a memoir read by millions. A Pulitzer Prize-winning author passes away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN F. KENNEDY, THEN-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We choose to go to the moon.

NEIL ARMSTRONG, ASTRONAUT: That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Wow. On the 40th anniversary of the landing on the moon, two of the astronauts aboard the international space station -- hey, are these live pictures from NASA TV? I've got to tell you something. Our team in the control room got so excited when these pictures became available. And now we've got one of the astronauts working with a gizmo. I don't know what's going on. It's pretty -- it's a widget. Yes, it's pretty cool stuff.

Actually, they're attaching some spare parts to the station. What, are they going to weld the parts on the thing? What is going on here? Meantime, the astronauts inside are busy fixing a broken toilet.

OK. When Apollo 11 landed on the moon, the mission encountered an unusual problem that called for a simple solution and the help of a child. Really? from CNN.com's iReport desk, producer Tyson Wheatley tells us about an unsung hero in the lunar landing. Tyson, what do you have? Good to see you. A child, huh?

TYSON WHEATLEY, CNN.COM PRODUCER: That's right.

HARRIS: Will save them.

WHEATLEY: Yes, that's right. This, of course, the first -- we are celebrating today the first moon landing with a very special story, a very special iReport. It's a story about a 10-year-old kid who helped -- who played a small but very critical role as Apollo 11 returned to Earth.

And this is actually a photo of then-10-year-old Greg Force. And his father, Charles, was the director of NASA's tracking station in Guam at the time. And that station had a very powerful antenna, which allowed NASA to communicate with Apollo's astronauts.

But just hours before splashdown, a bearing in the antenna failed. They needed to get more grease around the failed bearing, and quick. The problem was that no one in the station had an arm small enough to fit through the antenna's 2 1/2-inch opening. So, Charles sent home for his 10-year-old son, Greg, who reached into the tiny hole and packed grease around this bearing.

And guess what? It worked. The station was able to complete its communications role in the mission. And Apollo 11, as you know, splashed down safely the very next day. Now, news outlets around the globe picked up this story, and when -- and then later Neil Armstrong came to the Guam station. He ended up getting a chance to thank Greg in person and even signed a newspaper clipping. And...

HARRIS: Pretty cool. Pretty cool stuff.

WHEATLEY: It's definitely cool.

HARRIS: Yes.

WHEATLEY: And we've been hearing these incredible stories on ireport.com for the past week, really. And, you know, many kids that grew up in this era, Greg dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Even pursued his dreams in college where he majored in physics. Unfortunately, color blindness ended up keeping him from space, but Greg did go on to get his pilot's license, and he still follows space exploration closely.

Today, Greg is in Washington, D.C. He's taking part in 40th anniversary celebrations. And he's -- of course, he's very proud knowing he played a small part in one of this country's greatest achievements. Of course, you can read this story on CNN.com today. It's the top story right now. And, of course, you can go to ireport.com, where you can share your memories about the Apollo 11 moon landing.

HARRIS: How about that. A look back in history and a "Where are they now?" all rolled into one. All right, Tyson, appreciate it. Thank you.

WHEATLEY: Take care, Tony.

HARRIS: So, 40 years ago today, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. But you know, there are a surprising number of people who don't believe it actually happened. CNN's Nicole Lapin will break it down for us.

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HARRIS: His tragic childhood became the basis for a Pulitzer Prize-winning book. "Angela's Ashes" author Frank McCourt has died. "Angela's Ashes" told of McCourt's childhood spent in, boy, gut- wrenching poverty in Ireland. It sold more than 4 million copies. Before the success of the book, McCourt taught creative writing to high school students in New York. He died yesterday at the age of 78.

Private funeral services for legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite are set for Thursday in Manhattan. An aide to Cronkite says the service will be at St. Bartholemew's Church. A memorial also will be held at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, but that date has not been announced. Cronkite's remains will be cremated, and they will be buried next to his wife in Kansas City, Missouri. Walter Cronkite died Friday. He was 92.

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HARRIS: Hi. Welcome back. You know, it is easy to get bogged down in all the back and forth over health care reform. But we want to take a closer look at how reform affects you. That's really what it comes down to.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. That's the bottom line.

HARRIS: I mean, we're talking about plans in the House. We're talking about plans in the Senate. And all of this is about what's in the plans, and, you know, maybe not as much attention on what's in the plans. But we're really stuck on how to pay for it.

But I think we should probably look at some real-world scenarios here to help us understand how health care reform could impact each and every one of us.

COHEN: That's right, because how can you as a citizen know if you want health reform or not and which plan you want until you know how it's going to affect you. Now, the problem is who is "you"? HARRIS: Yes.

COHEN: OK, because there are a lot of "you's" out there. There's people who have great insurance, people who have lousy insurance, people who have no insurance. It runs the gamut.

So, in next hour, I'm going to introduce to Tony and to the rest of you to three people who are going to help us explain this. The first person is named Mary. She's a recent college grad. She's looking for a job. She doesn't have insurance. I'm going to tell you how the various proposals affect her. And then John. John is self- employed. He's got a bad back, so he can't even get health insurance. No one will insure him. How does health care reform affect him?

And then there's Susie. Susie's the happiest of the bunch. She's employed. She has great insurance. She's happy. What does health care reform mean to her? Will she be better or worse off? Will all of these folks be better or worse off? So, that's in the next hour.

HARRIS: Yes. So, that's in the next hour, let's see, about 12:45, because I want to certainly direct people to be here for that discussion. But at the top of the hour, we're going to talk about health care as well with you and our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux. And please help us drill down on the topic that we can't seem to get enough of, is understanding how we're going to pay for this thing. You know, there are a number of plans obviously being talked about in the House and talked about in the Senate. The House is scoring (ph) a piece of legislation later today. And it really seems at this point that everything is still, everything is still on the table as to how we pay for this.

COHEN: That's right. Nothing's been ruled out.

HARRIS: Right.

COHEN: And so, hopefully, how we pay for a big chunk of this is by saving money. Health care costs are soaring. If you can get those costs down, hopefully that will help pay for it. But, here are other options. Do you tax really, really wealthy Americans or maybe just tax wealthy Americans? Do you tax the health benefits that employees get? Do you -- I'm looking at my list here. There's so many different things. Do you penalize employers who don't insure their employees and try to make some money that way? Nothing is off the table at this point.

HARRIS: And you know, maybe we can talk about, there is one review of the plan that's being talked about in the House, and maybe some of the thoughts that come out of that review by a think tank. Let's just see if we can sort of drill down on it. I know we're talking about a lot, but it's important. How to pay for it.

COHEN: How to pay for it, and how does it affect you.

HARRIS: Can we do that?

COHEN: Absolutely.

HARRIS: Awesome. Elizabeth, thank you.

COHEN: Thanks.

HARRIS: And we will bring you President Obama's remarks on health care reform live in the NEWSROOM. The president's scheduled to speak around 1:05 p.m. Eastern time. And coming up in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM, the noon hour, we've already been to the noon, should we go back or is it time to boldly go somewhere else? We will take a look at the future of America's space program on this, the 40th anniversary of the first moonwalk.

Also, necessity, as the saying goes, is the mother of invention. Or, in the case of one woman we found, reinvention. We will have her story of sweet success. And the unemployment rate in Michigan is the highest in the nation. Detroit has been especially hard hit, with many homes forced into foreclosure and abandoned. CNN's Poppy Harlow brings us the story of one man who is banking on a big comeback for the Motor City. That's in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

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HARRIS: At the top of the newscast, we told you about the young American soldier in the hands of the Taliban, the video released over the weekend. The Army -- the military identifying the soldier as Army Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl from Ketchum, Idaho. There's his picture. We understand a family spokesman will be making a statement on behalf of Bergdahl's family. That is scheduled to happen maybe in the next ten minutes or so from Blaine County, Idaho.

Once again, J. Walt Femling, I think that's how you pronounce that, the Blaine County sheriff -- someone will correct me -- will be issuing a statement on behalf of Bergdahl's family. That's set to happen maybe in the next ten minutes or so. We will of course bring that to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And let's look at these pictures here. You know, there were lots of events scheduled today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the moon landing and in space. This coincidental space walk -- remind me again here, live pictures, NASA TV? -- moonwalk is going on right now. Two of the astronauts on board the international space station working to attach some spare parts. And this is the second of five spacewalks planned for the week.

On this day 40 years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon. Today, he was joined by Apollo 11 crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to commemorate that giant leap for mankind and to look to the future.

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BUZZ ALDRIN, LUNAR MODULE PILOT, APOLLO 11: And I think we're getting back to what NASA and what the country really likes to see, and that's exploration. To me, exploration is going to someplace you haven't been before. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Now, Buzz Aldrin was the second to walk on the moon. Later today, the Apollo 11 astronauts plan to pitch the idea of a Mars mission to President Barack Obama at the White House.

Now we know there are a lot of naysayers, disbelievers out there. I want to tell you something, most of the folks on my block didn't believe it when it happened. A Gallup poll in 1999 found that 6 percent of people don't believe man ever set foot on the moon. And the number seems to be increasing with the Internet driving all kinds of conspiracy theories. Our Nicole Lapin breaks down why they don't believe. Well, what are the arguments here, Nicole?

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, here's the interesting thing, Tony. A lot of the Internet has really contributed to the naysayers since that last poll -- 1.5 billion Google search results come in when you type in "Apollo moon landing hoax." And even with this new enhanced video that we're now getting from NASA, there are people who still believe that NASA fabricated this to try and rival the Soviets and also fulfill President Kennedy's goal of getting humans back and forth between the moon and Earth by the end of the '60s.

Three big arguments here. First, the Apollo astronauts would have been poisoned by these Van Allen radiation belts that ring around the earth. Then, they say some suspicious things are in these photographs, like no blast craters visible from the landing modules. And also the shadows that intersect running parallel on the earth, suggesting an unnatural light source, Tony. And also of course that flag that was waving, but there was no wind on the moon -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, do we know what NASA's saying about this? Is NASA saying anything about all these theories?

LAPIN: They are. They are debunking all of these theories. You can read more on cnn.com/text (ph).

HARRIS: Oh, my goodness. All right, Nicole, appreciate it. We will talk to you a little later in the hour.