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July Jobless Rate Falls to 9.4 Percent; Rowdy Health Care Town Hall; Contractors Complain of Slow Stimulus Fund Arrival; World's Longest Yard Sale; Director John Hughes Dies
Aired August 07, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: It is Friday, August 7th. Here are the top stories right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to open it up to the free markets. You need to get the government the hell out of our way.
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NGUYEN: Anger boils over at health care town hall meetings. Shoving, shouting replace thoughtful discussion. We'll show it to you.
Also, the nation's jobless picture takes an unexpected turn, this time for the better. I'm going to show you.
Also, life on less than a dollar a day. Just heart-wrenching scenes of poverty from my trip to Vietnam.
Well, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, in today for Tony Harris.
And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
All right. Let's start with this -- an economic shocker.
The nation's unemployment rate dropped in July to 9.4 percent. Now, analysts thought the jobless numbers would keep trending up. Well, they were wrong.
Personal finance editor Gerri Willis is in New York to break down the numbers.
Finally some numbers that we can smile a little bit about, at least.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: You bet. It was a real relief, because there were some people out there who were afraid that we might even get 10 percent unemployment, but the real number for July came in at 9.4 percent. And consider what that means compared to where we've been. In June, the jobless rate was 9.5 percent. The expectation was 9.6 percent. It's a long way from recovery, but, as you can see, it is an improvement.
Now, when you look at payrolls -- and these are job losses, you're looking at the numbers right here -- we saw the lowest drop since August of '08. The number, 247,000 jobs lost. Even the June figure was revised higher to 443,000. That's good news. I'm sorry, the number was revised lower, so that means fewer jobs were lost.
Expectations, far bigger for the month of 325,000. So, what does this all mean?
Well, as you know, Betty, out there high jobless numbers are a big factor in a weak economy. People definitely want to see more jobs. It really adds to consumer confidence.
Let me show you some numbers here on sectors that are really losing jobs.
Number one, construction. The most jobs lost, 76,000. Manufacturing, you've heard the story time and again about what's going on in Detroit, auto manufacturing. Those jobs down 52,000.
Retail, people aren't going to the mall in the middle of a recession. Those jobs down 44,000.
Financial activities, we know the problems on Wall Street. Those jobs still contracting.
The one bright spot here, health care. That sector creating 20,000 jobs.
And there's another bit of good news, too, in this report, Betty. The average hourly workweek, which is important. It tells you how many hours people are actually getting paid for out there. It edged moderately higher. Now, the reason why this is important is because at some point, if that number keeps growing, employers will have to add jobs, bring in more workers to take on the extra work.
So, we'll be keeping an eye on that. We'll also be keeping an eye on part-time workers. That's another important positive indicator, too.
But finally, some good news on the job front.
NGUYEN: A little bit of good news. And I am happy to see it, as are many people.
Gerri, thank you for that. We'll be checking in with you shortly.
WILLIS: My pleasure.
NGUYEN: In the meantime, though, here's a question for you. Buy a new car? Well, look for crowded show rooms this weekend. President Obama signed a bill today extending Cash for Clunkers. You know, the government's popular auto rebate program. And the measure supplies Cash for Clunkers with another $2 billion. That's expected to carry it through Labor Day.
Senators from Michigan, of course, home base where the automobile industry, well, they are simply thrilled.
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SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: Well, this is a great thing not just for the automobile industry, but for consumers who now will have a continuing opportunity to buy a car that they otherwise might not have been able to do.
SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D), MICHIGAN: As of this morning, there were 180,000 deals that had been inputted and completed. We know that this will be a great weekend to go out and buy an automobile.
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NGUYEN: A little bit of a hint there.
Well, Congress originally provided a billion dollars for Cash for Clunkers, but customers eager for rebates up to $4,500 used up that money in just a matter of days.
So, are President Obama's advisers hinting at a second stimulus plan? In just a few minutes we're going to hear from White House Correspondent Ed Henry on that very topic.
Also, August could be a make-or-break month for health care reform. And passions in the debate, well, they are running extremely high.
Want you to see a forum in Little Rock, Arkansas. Concern about a government-run health care plan was one of the hot-button issues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to open it up to the free markets. You need to get the government the hell out of our way.
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NGUYEN: Oh, and there is more. Lines were long. Tempers, they were very short at a health care town hall in Michigan. The forum in Romulus, Michigan, at times turned into a free-for-all.
The story now from Mara MacDonald of our affiliate WDIV.
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MARA MACDONALD, WDIV-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Congressman John Dingell drowned out by the boos and cheers from an angry crowd. Dingell hosting a town hall to hear what people think about the idea of national health care.
The 81-year-old could barely get a word in edgewise.
REP. JOHN DINGELL (D), MICHIGAN: You're going to see adequate health care (ph).
MACDONALD: Crowds started showing up early to wait in line, both those for and against, yelling it out before the meeting ever got under way.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Just say no! Just say no!
MACDONALD: Once inside, it was a free-for-all at times.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It got really heated and really loud. It was a lot of chanting, a lot of booings. You know, some clapping. It just -- at one point it felt like people were more worried about drowning each other out than listening.
MACDONALD: Dingell's wife Debbie vowing to set up another town hall.
DEBBIE DINGELL, JOHN DINGELL'S WIFE: I will make sure that we can very quickly schedule another town meeting and (INAUDIBLE) that can get as many people as you want to get.
MACDONALD: So many questions about what the Obama health plan really means.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something has to be done in a way of reform, but not to redo our whole health care system.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's going to be more division in this country than ever, and the majority of people want this bill stopped.
MACDONALD: Marcia Boehm, who was invited as a speaker here tonight and supports the idea of national health care, had a hard time being heard over the crowd. But her message is this...
MARCIA BOEHM, HEALTH CARE REFORM ADVOCATE: I believe that it's immoral for us to have individuals in this country without health care. People are dying every day because of that.
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NGUYEN: Well, another health care town hall meeting turns into mayhem. The forum, this time, in Tampa, Florida.
It just erupted into a shouting match, with people pushing and shoving. And the problem started when an overflow crowd tried to get into the meeting room.
Meanwhile, though, inside the event, Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor was drowned out. We want you to take a listen at what happened.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut the door!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get off of me!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody back up!
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NGUYEN: Some town hall meeting.
Well, let's get to Mike Deeson from affiliate WTSP, St. Petersburg.
What's going on there today? Anticipate anything like that to be happening where you are?
MIKE DEESON, SENIOR REPORTER, WTSP-TV: Well, they're not having the protests today, Betty. But what they are doing is trying to reorganize and figure out how they can do this town hall meeting once again.
Part of the problem, as you mentioned, there was an overflow crowd. The room only held 250 people, and more than 1,500 people showed up for the event. Those who were opposed said that it was an organized effort to keep them out of the event. The Democrats, meantime, say it's an organized effort to disrupt anything relating to the Obama administration. So, they're looking for a larger room right now.
We talked to Congresswoman Kathy Castor to set up an interview later on today, so we're going to talk to her this afternoon exactly about how they will do this, but she got nowhere at all last night and had to be sort of shuttled out of the room, didn't talk to anybody else. And she got out of there in what was supposed to be a good moment for her to be able to talk about the Obama health care plan. It turned into a disaster for both her and the Democratic Party last night -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes, it seems like no one was heard with all the shouting and shoving.
All right, Mike. Thank you for that.
So, is this public anger just part of the democratic process or something more insidious? Well, there are accusations that the GOP is bussing in folks and coaching them on how to disrupt town hall meetings.
Politico.com Senior Political Reporter Jonathan Martin joins me now to talk about this.
And Jonathan, the first thing I want to do right now is run an ad that the Democratic National Committee has just released in response to what has been happening. So, I want you to take a look at this.
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NARRATOR: Their goal: destroy President Obama and stop the change Americans voted for overwhelmingly in November.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will break him.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I hope he fails.
NARRATOR: This mob activity is straight from the playbook of high-level Republican political operatives. They have no plan for moving our country forward, so they've called out the mob.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I want to know, why are you people ignoring...
NARRATOR: Call the Republican Party. Tell them you've had enough of the mob.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: All right. So, that's one side of it.
And let me get your take on this, Jonathan.
JONATHAN MARTIN, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, POLITICO: Sure.
NGUYEN: What is going on behind the scenes? I mean, is this truly the democratic process at work or an attempt to disrupt public meetings?
MARTIN: Well, first of all, I don't think what you showed is actually airing anywhere on TV, it's only a Web video. But, nevertheless, a few things.
First of all, I think the Democrats nationally are trying to do a sort of political jujitsu here. They're trying to gain strength from something that appears to be working against them.
They're trying to portray these town hall protests, some of these outbursts, as extreme, and trying to sort of damage the fight against health care by, you know, portraying the opponents of it as these radicals. And you saw on that Web video there, they're trying to conflate those who don't believe President Obama was actually born in America with some of these folks at the health care town halls. And now, there may be some overlap, but it's no accident that they're trying to conflate the two, trying to portray the opposition as radical.
So now to your question. Is there genuine, you know, emotion about this health care issue? Absolutely. There's no question about it.
Is there also an orchestrated effort to try and get folks to turn out for these town hall meetings? Of course there is. And it's been happening on both sides.
Folks here in D.C. are trying to rally support for and against the health care bills at these professional town halls all over the country. And because of now the fact that it's happening on both sides, you're seeing a ratcheting up of some of these outbursts. At first, it was isolated here or there, mostly coming from conservatives. Now you're seeing some real sort of clashes back and forth because both sides are now really engaged trying to get their folks out during the recess to these town halls.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. And it's happening in several states.
MARTIN: That's right.
NGUYEN: But, let me ask you this, too. What does it say when you have David Axelrod, you know, meeting with Senate Democrats and essentially providing a handbook on how to handle these town hall meetings?
MARTIN: Well, look, they're trying to win back the message war. They don't want to have this August recess totally dominated by people out in America, you know, crying out against the health care bill.
They want it to be seen in the media, especially in the local media, local TV, that there are two sides to this. But there are equally passionate proponents of President Obama's health care reform. And that's why you saw President Obama's aides telling senators yesterday on Capitol Hill, look, anything that the other side does, we can double that. So, they are now mobilizing their supporters. President Obama's political operation is trying to get their supporters out.
NGUYEN: So, essentially your saying this fight has only just begun.
MARTIN: Exactly. And I think it's only going to get more heated from here. The more folks are engaged, the more people see these TV reports, when a town hall happens in this community, they're going to want to show up and express their views.
Now, that said, this is really drawing out folks on the extremes of both sides. Now, where is the vast middle on this issue?
NGUYEN: Well, and where are the concrete answers? I think a lot of people watching this just want to know -- look, that there are valid questions out there -- where can we go and get those answers and actually get a solid answer and not shouting and shoving?
Jonathan, unfortunately, we are out of time.
MARTIN: OK.
NGUYEN: I wish we could speak with you all day long.
MARTIN: No shouting here.
NGUYEN: No, no shouting. This is very civil.
MARTIN: Yes, absolutely.
NGUYEN: We do appreciate your time.
Thank you so much. Bye now.
NGUYEN: All right. Talk to you soon.
In the meantime, though, August is shaping up as a make-or-break month for health care reform. And if you had the chance to talk face to face with your congressman or senator, what exactly would you say?
Well, you can tell us about it at our blog. Go to CNN.com/newsroom, and we're going to share some of your comments later, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
All right. Let's get to this. The unemployment rate among men higher than women. Can you guess why? Well, we're going to break that down for you.
Also, the latest on the Dow. Let's take a look.
It is up right now, 147, at 9,403.
And we've got numbers on the Nasdaq?
Up 31 points. Not bad for a Friday.
We'll see how it ends out. We'll keep a watch on it.
Stay with us. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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NGUYEN: Well, the latest jobless numbers, they are out, and they're not as bad as many expected.
Our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joins us. He's in the middle of his radio show right now.
And Ed, the president talks economy just a little more than two hours from now. We got the jobless numbers. Not too bad, but I understand you just heard a little news from the Obama administration as to what their thinking is going to happen with unemployment.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Very interesting.
Jared Bernstein, the vice president's top economic adviser, just on the show. We're going to play a little bit more of the interview in a few moments as well, so people can tune in at CNN.com/live. He said that the president had been teasing out that unemployment could reach 10 percent. It had been at 9.5 percent and now it's at 9.4 percent.
I said, "Does this mean now the trajectory is downward and it's not going to 10 percent?" Jared Bernstein said absolutely not, it still could go to 10 percent. Very interesting bit of news, because the White House is trying to be very careful to manage expectations here.
The president is going to be coming out in the Rose Garden in a couple hours, you mentioned. He is not going to be coming out with a bottle of champagne saying happy days are here again. We have to look beyond the top-line number about how things are getting a little bit better.
When you look beneath those numbers, 247,000 people still lost jobs in the month of July, number one. They're hurting.
Number two, something like 400,000 people left the job market altogether to stop looking for jobs. That's not a good thing either.
So, we've got to be really careful with that top-line number and remember that even if this suggests we're starting -- and I stress "starting" to hit bottom -- and that could be good politically for this president, there's still a lot of people hurting around the country.
NGUYEN: Well, no doubt. And maybe this is an indication of it, as well. One of the president's people was hinting at maybe, just maybe, a second stimulus package.
What's that about?
HENRY: Well, Christina Romer yesterday gave a speech here in Washington -- she's the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers -- saying, look, the first stimulus package, $787 billion, a lot of Republicans have said it hasn't worked. She said it has because it has changed the trajectory of the economy, that things basically would have been much, much worse without the stimulus. But she still left the door open to, if in a few months down the road the recovery is not moving as quickly as the president has promised, that maybe there would be a second stimulus.
I asked Jared Bernstein about that. He sort of left the door open on a second stimulus as well, but said, look, we want to see whether the first one fully works yet. Let's not rush into a second stimulus.
Interesting, as well, the political back and forth. You'll remember, the House Republican leader, John Boehner, he was on YouTube in recent weeks with a bloodhound back in his district, saying, "Where's the jobs, Mr. President? Where's the jobs?" And Republicans have been using that message effectively.
Well, Jared Bernstein told me on the show a few moments ago, "I think John Boehner needs a new bloodhound." So, you can see, while the White House is being cautious in a way, on the other hand, they're gloating just a little bit and saying they think that maybe the country is starting to turn the corner, but they're going to be very careful not to celebrate just yet -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right.
As you just heard, Ed Henry spoke to the vice president's chief economic adviser, Jared Bernstein. And, well, he's coming to back to answer your questions about the economy. So, send your questions to mailtothechief@cnn.com, or tweet us right here at KyraCNN. That's in the 1:00 p.m. Eastern hour.
In the meantime, Ed, we will be chatting with you a little bit later. Thanks so much.
HENRY: Thanks, Betty. Appreciate it.
NGUYEN: All right.
And just a reminder. The president delivers his remarks from the White House Rose Garden. That is set for 1:30 Eastern and, of course, CNN will bring that to you live. You can also listen to his remarks online at CNN.com/live.
In the meantime, though, stimulus dollars stuck on the highway. Yes, one of the first shovel- ready projects to get government money has hit a roadblock.
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NGUYEN: All right. So maybe you're trying to figure out how much house you can afford, and looking at ways to dig out of debt. Well, we know you have money questions, and our Personal finance Editor Gerri Willis has some answers for you today. She joins us live from New York.
And, Gerri, I've got a question for you. This first one from Hassan in Connecticut. And this is what Hassan says: "I owe about $16,000 in credit card debt and I am unable to pay. So, what can I do? I'm about four months behind. Is consolidation a good solution?"
WILLIS: Well, hi there, Betty.
Yes, Hassan, it's generally not a good idea to take out new debt to cover your old debt. And it's in your best interest to call your creditors and try to work out a repayment schedule.
Perhaps you can have your bills suspended for a period of time. Maybe you can get out of paying late fees and penalties. Or maybe even -- and a lot of people are doing this -- getting your principal reduced. Consolidation is not only hard to get nowadays, but unless you have a plan to pay off the new consolidated loan, you'll just be digging yourself deeper into debt without addressing the fundamental problem.
NGUYEN: All right.
So, Gerri, the next question coming from the Lone Star State -- Texas, of course.
This person says, "I am drowning in student loan debt without a real way to pay it and live. I have already exhausted forbearance options while searching for employment, but I've set up a budget to help. After I pay, there isn't even enough to live on. Are there any options to resolving my debt?"
Boy, this person sounds like they're in real trouble.
WILLIS: Wow.
You know, there is some good news for Johnson, though. If you have federal loans, you may be able to take advantage of the government's income-based repayment plan. It basically pegs your payments to your income, and since you don't have any you may pay nothing per month.
Go to the U.S. Department of Education to see if you qualify.
But if it's private student loans you're talking about here, you've got much less leeway. Your best bet, call your lender, let them know about your hardship, and explain that you've been trying to get a job. They may give you forbearance, wait for their money. Otherwise, though, try to as hard as you can to save up a little money each month, even if that means canceling cable or taking on a roommate to meet costs. It will be well worth it in the long run.
NGUYEN: Yes. Every penny counts these days.
WILLIS: Right.
NGUYEN: And here's the last question for you. This one from Terri. And Terri says, "How much money should go towards housing? There are so many factors to consider. Would you be kind enough as to give me some pointers as to what to look for or what to avoid?"
WILLIS: You know, a lot of people which they had thought about this, oh, say, four years ago; right? Look, spending the right amount for your house is critical to making a good investment and making sure that you can afford it.
If you agree to spend more than you can afford, you're setting yourself up for all kinds of problems. So, as a rule of thumb, you don't want to spend more than 28 to 33 percent of your gross income on housing.
And to figure out how much you can borrow, get a handle on your income. Then calculate your debts to determine how much you really can afford. And don't forget about those utility costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance costs.
To get a sense of your taxes, contact your local tax assessor's office. For utilities, go to FNS.USDA.gov, and type in "standard utility allowance" in the search tool for an estimate. You can check out state-by-state insurance estimates at III.org.
And, of course, if you have any questions, send them to me at gerri@cnn.com.
And don't forget this weekend, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE." We're going to take a look at how to wage a battle against your insurance company if your claim is denied. Plus, making the most of a miserable job, solutions that don't involve sacrificing your paycheck.
That's "YOUR BOTTOM LINE," Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.
NGUYEN: Very interesting stuff there. I'll be watching. All right. Thank you, Gerri.
WILLIS: Thank you, Betty.
NGUYEN: And we do invite you to check out our special report, "America's Money Crisis." That is at CNNMoney.com. The lead story right now? The latest jobless numbers.
So, let's get to those numbers, shall we? As Gerri just told us at the top of the hour, 247,000 people lost their jobs last month. Now, that sounds bad, but it is the fewest job cut since last August. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate actually fell.
(BUSINESS REPORT)
NGUYEN: So, let's talk about this now. Money to build and repair roads and bridges is a big part of the $787 billion stimulus plan, but some contractors complain that the money is not moving fast enough.
CNN's Kate Bolduan reports now from Rockville Center, New York.
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Your stimulus dollars at work, sealing cracks and replacing concrete slabs on New York's Southern State Parkway, the first stimulus-funded highway project to break ground on Long Island. Cost, $1.7 million. That should be music to the ears of Marc Herbst, head of the Long Island Contractors Association. So, it may surprise you to hear this.
MARC HERBST, LONG ISLAND CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION: And here we are in the heart of the construction season and 40 percent of the workforce here on Long Island is still not working. We haven't seen construction that low in the workforce in decades. And the stimulus program hasn't put the people back to work at this point.
BOLDUAN: Nearly six months after President Obama signed the stimulus bill, Herbst complains transportation dollars are only trickling down.
(on camera): Generally, too much red tape? HERBST: Too much red tape. And by the time we get to work and the money flows and gets here, we're going to be in the dead of winter. Shovel-ready now. We won't be able to put the shovel in the icy ground.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): He's not alone. Sherry Morian runs a construction company that recently won a stimulus bid to replace this aging bridge in Pennsylvania.
SHERRY MORIAN, PRESIDENT, QUALITY ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS: It has to be designed. You have to get permits. You have to get environmental clearances. You have to get coordination with the utilities. It still has to go through the agency and get all of their approvals.
BOLDUAN: But, wait, transportation officials insist recovery money is moving faster than ever. New York expects a total $1.1 billion for highway and bridge projects.
TIM GILCHRIST, TRANSPORTATION ADVISER TO NEW YORK GOVERNOR: The Recovery Act funding is going out, and people will see their dollars at work. From my perspective, what will happen next is the motorists on Long Island will be complaining about all of the construction.
BOLDUAN: And in Washington, the secretary of transportation says the focus is not only on speed.
RAY LAHOOD, U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: We want to get it out quickly, but we want to make sure it's done by the book. No earmarks, no boondoggles, no sweetheart deals.
BOLDUAN: But the question is, are all the checks and balances causing a stimulus slowdown?
(on camera): DOT estimates every $1 billion of transportation spending will create 11,000 jobs. The contractors warn if more money doesn't hit the ground here soon, this ground could very well be frozen until next construction season.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Rockville Center, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, as you know, very well at this point, the weekend's almost here and that means a lot of you will be hitting the yard sales, Well, Rob Marciano, specifically. He is at the mother of them all right now. Rob, are you broke just yet?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not yet. But the bargains are just about to start, Betty. This is the first couple days of the longest yard sale in the world. It stretches 654 miles, and we're live here all morning long. The shoppers are out bargain hunting, and we're going to be coming back live right after the break. Stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: All right, the weekend almost here. A lot of people getting excited about it. But not about this right here, severe weather. Really?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we have a chance of it, Betty. I mean, take a look at this. We have this area of low pressure. This is crawling its way towards parts of the Great Lakes, and when it does so, there's going to be a chance of some rough weather this weekend for Chicago, for the Twin Cities, as far south as, say, Des Moines, perhaps, even into, well, parts of Michigan and Chicago before all is said and done.
Meanwhile, for much of the Gulf Coast, could see some scattered showers, very hot in parts of the Southeast. Meanwhile, to the west, the four corners very dry and very warm for you in portions of southern California.
You know, in speaking of the weekends, Betty, let's see, T.J.'s off this weekend, but we're going to have Rob with us.
NGUYEN: He's working.
WOLF: Yes, of course.
NGUYEN: He's on assignment, shall we say.
WOLF: That's what they're calling it.
NGUYEN: We have Rob Marciano, who in fact is on assignment as we speak. But I don't know if this is really work. He's at a yard sale.
WOLF: But it's not just a yard sale. It is the world's...
NGUYEN: It is the mother of them all.
WOLF: It is the mom, the grandma, the granddad, the whole family all together in a yard sale.
NUGYEN: What is it, what, 654 miles exactly. That's how long this thing stretches in Dunlap, Tennessee. And Rob, I understand a little bit earlier you actually broke something. Does that mean we have to pay for that?
MARCIANO: Yes, I do. I haven't done that yet. I've managed to dodge the owner of that teacup. But, yes, I'm down two bucks already, and I'm coming home empty-handed.
Hey, guys. Yes, this is where it's happening. As Reynolds said, this is the granddaddy of them all as far as yard sales go. It stretches all the way from Alabama -- that's Reynolds Wolf territory, by the way. Doesn't quite go through Texas, Betty, but it goes all the way up to the Michigan/Ohio border.
NGUYEN: Hey, it's long enough, 600 miles.
MARCIANO: Why aren't you guys out here? I mean, you know, I'm joining you all for the weekend show tomorrow.
NGUYEN: We don't get those primo assignments.
WOLF: One can dream, but those dreams don't always, you know, reach reality. But if you can, Rob, looking for, like, a used pink flamingo, maybe a yard frog or duck, anything like that.
NGUYEN: An old set of golf clubs for me.
WOLF: Yes, something that really is tasteful.
MARCIANO: I haven't seen many used pink flamingos. I have seen these gorgeous painted gourds. Isn't that gourd-geous? See? It's hollowed out, and I've seen plenty of that. More rose lamps. I haven't seen any leg lamps yet. But we're in the market for that.
And then, Betty, for the, for the ax murderer in you, that's a (INAUDIBLE) blade for you.
NGUYEN: How did you know?
MARCIANO: No.
NGUYEN: I can't wait.
MARCIANO: Listen, thousands of people come to this thing. Some people, their entire vacations are spent right here. Some people, the vendors collect all year long, and thousands of dollars are exchanged.
Some people, $8,000, $9,000, in some good years, $10,000 are made right here. You just rent a little spot out on somebody's lawn for, I don't know, 25, 30, maybe 50 bucks a day, and you go to work. So, we've seen people from Texas, from Missouri, from New Jersey. I mean, they just hustle right up 127, and they just sort through the junk.
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: And why not? Why wouldn't you spend the day there?
MARCIANO: One man's -- right, Reynolds?
WOLF: It's great stuff. You know, Rob, just a little side note for our viewers. I mean, Rob and I like to collect macrame. We're, like, real big fans of macrame...
NGUYEN: Get out of here.
WOLF: ... and small porcelain figures. So, Rob, if you find those, remember, that's what we collect now.
NGUYEN: Rob, here's my question to you. You know, in this recession, are you seeing more people participate in this because they really just want to make some cash off what they have lying around the house?
MARCIANO: You know, we've seen a few newcomers. One guy loaded up his little small U-Haul, and he pulled up this morning. He was looking for a spot. He said, I heard about this, and I need to make a couple of bucks. He drove up from Florida with some sports memorabilia. I don't know where he is now, because we weren't about to give up our spot, you know. And he didn't have a Therman Munson rookie card, which is what I was looking for. So, that was the own only thing I was going to trade for.
But yes, they're hoping for it to be a little bit busier this year. It's bigger and better than ever, in part, possibly, Betty, because of the downturn and the recession. But yes, you can hear the ice cream truck going. It's a little bit steamy out here, but spirits are high, and, you know, folks are picking up the stuff and putting it down and picking it up and putting it down.
NGUYEN: Yes, well, you don't need to touch anything else because you've already broken a tea cup.
MARCIANO: I know. You can't take me anywhere. I'll see you guys tomorrow.
NGUYEN: Keep away from the items. We'll be talking with you shortly.
WOLF: Good times.
NGUYEN: Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right. See you.
NGUYEN: All right. And actually, Rob and Reynolds will be joining me at the anchor desk tomorrow. We've got our show coming up.
WOLF: It's a long day for you.
NGUYEN: Yes. That's all right. It's good to be working.
WOLF: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: And there is much more coming up right here in the CNN NEWSROOM, as well.
Speaking of up next, keeping kids out of trouble when there isn't much for them to do. Today's "CNN Hero" is doing just that with music. We're going to meet him, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: The U.S. military may have dealt a damaging blow to the Taliban in Pakistan. A Pakistani official says the leader of the Taliban there has been killed. It is believed that Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a U.S. drone attack. A Pakistani official says they won't know for sure until they do some more investigation, including DNA processing. Mehsud was believed to be behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December of 2007.
Well, there is new insight this morning into the arrest of two American journalists released by North Korea this week. Lisa Ling says her sister, Laura, and Euna Lee briefly crossed into North Korea, quoting here, "maybe 30 seconds." The two journalists returned to the States Wednesday after former president Bill Clinton intervened with Pyongyang. But Lisa Ling says in an interview this morning that the two journalists never set out to enter the communist country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA LING, SISTER OF LAURA LING (via telephone): We know for certain that Laura and Euna never intended to cross the border when they left U.S. soil. And Laura's actually very eager to tell the story of what actually happened, and I want to let her do so. But right now she's really just getting reacclimated. The process has been slow and, you know, she's still very, very weak. But she is very anxious to tell the story.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The journalists work for Current TV and they were arrested in March and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor.
Well, with the nation's highest murder rate and one of the highest crime rates, New Orleans still struggling after Hurricane Katrina. Two murders this year involved kids who were just 14 years old. CNN's Hero of the week is fighting hard to keep kids off the street and out of trouble using the power of music.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN Heroes."
DERRICK TABB, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: Music's just always been with me. I love to play it. I keep drumsticks in my hand. The musical legacy in New Orleans is really dying fast. Life after Katrina is really hard for a kid. You have violence, the drug life. I'm just tired of it. My aim is to get kids off the streets.
My name is Derrick Tabb, and I started a free music education program for the kids of New Orleans.
Let's go, horns up.
We do more than just teach music. We offer transportation. We offer instruments. I feed you so you're not hungry, right? Give you tutoring.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which one, eight times three?
TABB: I call it your no-excuse policy. You don't have no excuse why you're not here. You don't have to have any experience.
Press down on it, just like that.
We meet five days a week year round. We are constantly learning something new and that's what keeps the kids coming back every day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would get in trouble. Now, when I'm here, I practice. When I'm at home, I practice. It just changed my life.
TABB: I love seeing kids happy, just having fun. You have to keep teaching these kids this culture. I don't want to say that I'm saving lives, but I say I'm giving life, a whole different life of music.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And you can find out more about Derrick or any of our "Heroes" on our Web site at CNN.com/heroes. And in just a few weeks, we will be announcing the top ten "CNN Heroes" of 2009.
Well, an entire generation grew up on his movies and we're going to take a look back on the films that perfected teen angst.
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NGUYEN: Well, Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be sworn in as a Supreme Court justice tomorrow, and the ceremony will be open to television cameras, of course. A Supreme Court first, though, the Senate approved Sotomayor Thursday 68 to 31. Just nine Republicans voted for her, and Sotomayor will be the first Latina justice on the high court and just the third woman. She will replace Justice David Souter. See Sotomayor's swearing-in ceremony on CNN when it happens right here on Saturday.
Well, as we focus on health care reform and the ailing economy, half a world away, millions live on less than a dollar a day, and health care options, well, they're often nonexistent. I'm talking about Vietnam, where I was born. I just returned from a humanitarian aid trip along the Mekong Delta that really illustrates the importance of international aid organizations, even during a recession.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (voice-over): Our journey begins at the crack of dawn, as relief supplies are loaded onto a bus. We're headed away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, to poor farming villages in southern Vietnam. It's a long and bumpy ride.
And once we arrive, the heavy lifting begins. All this aid was donated through the nonprofit my family founded called Help the Hungry.
(on camera): Now that this boat has been loaded with supplies, we're headed to remote villages along the Mekong Delta. To give you an indication of how poverty-stricken this area is, the local Red Cross says families here live on less than a dollar a day.
(voice-over): It's important that we distribute this humanitarian aid before the potentially deadly monsoons flood the region, but you don't have to look far to find those already in need. Hundreds gather at the shoreline. They'll take the food, clothing and hygienic supplies back to their huts. In fact, some are so small, even a child can't can't stand up inside it. What's even harder to believe, a family of five lives here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
NGUYEN: She says they've lived here for about three years. In a corner is their makeshift kitchen. They scratch out a living fishing from the same murky canals where they bathe and get their drinking water.
They can't even afford to keep their children in school. Her 12- year-old daughter only made it to the second grade, yet when I ask what she wants to be when she grows up, her face lights up as she says she wants to be a teacher.
It's a heartbreaking battle between hope and poverty that continues to play out as we go from village to village all the way to the Vietnam/Cambodia border.
(on camera): But this is life for the people who live here. And it's a difficult life. And no matter how much we bring and how many times we come, you never leave feeling like you've done enough. There's so many people in need here.
(voice-over): Which is why we continue to come back, year after year. Proving the poor are not alone in their struggle, and maybe, in some way, it will instill the kind of hope and determination need to rise above seemingly impossible odds.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: It is indeed a difficult journey, and for more information on how you can help, please go to help-the-hungry.org. You can also join us on CNN Saturday morning. That's tomorrow 6:00 a.m. to noon Eastern. I'll have more on my humanitarian aid trip to Vietnam.
Well, Here IS what we are looking at for the next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. The debate over health reform, it is boiling over at several town hall meetings, with those on either side of the issue trying to outshout each other. We're going to show you one that turned violent.
Also, GI uniforms meant to provide brief but critical protection against fiery explosions. A battle is brewing in Congress over just who will make them.
Also, targeting street violence. Our Don Lemon will bring us one program that's helping bad boys turn their lives around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NGUYEN: "Oh, Yeah." That song from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," one of the many films from John Hughes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW BRODERICK, ACTOR, IN "FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF": How could I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: I love that movie. Ferris Bueller, of course, "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," so many to list. These movies really defined the 1980s and made a lasting impact. And so did director John Hughes. He died Thursday of a heart attack at the age of 59.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez looks back at his legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ (voice over): For young people, his films defined the '80s. In coming of age comedies like "Sixteen Candles," writer- director John Hughes showed American teenagers coping with real-life social problems.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What in God's name is going on in here?
GUTIERREZ: Most of his teen stories were set in Shermer, Illinois, a fictional town that reflected his suburban Chicago upbringing.
1985's "The Breakfast Club" centered on a group of high-schoolers who bond over weekend detention. It fueled the careers of the Brat Pack, stars like Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald.
Lighter fare like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Weird Science" followed, as did romantic teen dramas such as "Pretty in Pink" and "Some Kind of Wonderful."
Like his young characters, Hughes eventually graduated to the adult world, writing and directing "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" with Steve Martin and John Candy.
He carved out a new niche as the creator of family films like "Beethoven" and the wildly successful "Home Alone" starring Macaulay Culkin.
In his later years, Hughes retreated from the Hollywood spotlight, occasionally contributing the odd story idea. But he'll be remembered best for the films in which a generation of teenagers saw themselves.
Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
