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President's Prime-Time Speech; Commandos Free Kidnapped Reporter; Campaign Finance Law Changes?; Deadly Flooding in Turkey; Surgeon on the Battle Lines
Aired September 09, 2009 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A defining moment for President Obama on the health care reform debate. We preview tonight's speech to Congress.
Commandos rescue a journalist captured in Afghanistan, but the operation comes with the death of a colleague.
And authorities say a bone fragment linked to a kidnapping suspect is probably human.
Good morning everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM, where the news unfolds live. This Wednesday, September 9th. You're in the NEWSROOM.
We're covering lots of news, and our crews are all over it. Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House, where the president just might be making last minute preparations for what could be make or break on health care reform.
And Brianna Keilar is on Capitol Hill, where there is a great divide over the very same issue. And our Kate Bolduan is at the Supreme Court, where the justices will be tackling what could be critical changes to campaign finances.
It may be the most highly anticipated speech of Barack Obama's young presidency. And his top domestic issue may very well be riding on it.
Tonight in a primetime speech President Obama will try to sell health care reform to Congress and to the nation. Support has been eroding amongst both audiences.
Let's get the latest from CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.
Suzanne, will the president be on the defensive tonight?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the headline here, Fred, is essentially that they haven't given up on this public option, so I guess in a way that is on the defensive because there are a lot of lawmakers who quite frankly just don't support that.
The idea of this government-run kind of health care insurance and alternative to private insurance. They do not believe that this is going to be something that they are going to give up at this time, although they know that they don't have enough lawmakers to get it passed.
What they are going to do is try to make it more palatable. They're going to try to explain it to the American people so that most folks get it. Essentially they are going to say it applies to a small group of people but very critical when it comes to reform.
Small business owners who might be rejected by, say, the dominant insurance company in their town or their state. And needs some sort of other alternative to get insurance for themselves and their families. But he's going to say that it's not going to impact the 180 million of folks who have insurance through their private employers.
It's not going to affect people who have Medicaid or through the VA get their insurance that way. A small but critical group of people it is going to have impact on. That is what we're going to hear from the president.
I had a chance to speak with Robert Gibbs this morning about this push for the public option. Here's how he explained it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president is going to talk about the public option and talk about the value of bringing through a public option choice and competition to the private insurance market.
I think t that's going to be a big part of what the president talks about. It's not going to be all of what the president talks about because it's not the totality of health care reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So Fred, there are going to be other ideas that the president is going to talk about. And one of the things that he's going to be offering Republicans is medical malpractice reform.
This is something that a lot of doctors have been complaining about, the fact that the insurance, liability insurance is so expensive that they practice what's called defensive medicine, prescriptions, procedures, tests that aren't really necessary but they're trying to protect themselves from lawsuits. They want to reform that system. The president is going to talk about his support for that.
Very important, Fred, got a letter here, the American Medical Association endorsing President Obama's plan here, that is big news. He went before them in Chicago. I was there when he tried to push for in his plan. They are now on board. And that is something that they were looking for was that medical malpractice reform effort by this president.
So those are two main things that we're going to hear this evening, Fred. WHITFIELD: Yes, that's a big victory for the administration because initially the AMA not necessarily on board with everything. An incredible about-face.
All right. Suzanne Malveaux, from the White House, thanks so much.
So we'll have live coverage of President Obama's speech to Congress. It gets started at 8:00 Eastern this evening. See it right here.
All right, going overseas now. A "New York Times" reporter kidnapped by armed gunmen Saturday is rescued by commandos. A NATO force rescued Stephen Farrell early today in the Kunduz Province of Afghanistan.
CNN's Atia Abawi joins us live from Kabul right now.
So Atia, tell us more about this operation.
ATIA ABAWI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, most of the information that we're receiving is coming from "The New York Times," Stephen Farrell's the paper that he works for.
The abduction actually occurred on Saturday where this NATO air strike had occurred. He and another Afghan journalist were there to investigate, receiving two warnings from a local elder to get out of there. That the Taliban were coming. But they did not leave.
In the end the Taliban did come, they abducted them. And while they were in a room early this morning with the Taliban, Steve Farrell says that he heard helicopters approaching and then the Taliban just stormed out of the room.
He and his journalist did not know what to do so they decided to run out of the building as well. That's when they were met with gun fire, both men falling to the ground and that's when Farrell heard British voices, so he started screaming British hostage, British hostage.
They told him to come over. He looked at his colleague and his colleague was laying dead on the ground. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And can you tell us any more about this journalist who was killed? His colleague.
ABAWI: His colleague -- his name was Sultan Munadi. He was actually a journalist working for "The New York Times" here in Kabul for some years now. He is a very well respected journalist among the community here, and one thing that's interesting is that he has had every opportunity to leave, to go to Europe, to go to America, but he decided to stay in Afghanistan.
And just a few days before he died he wrote this in a blog on "The New York Times" Web site. "I am hopeful of a better situation, and if I leave this country, if other people like me leave this country, who will come to Afghanistan? Will it be the Taliban who come to govern this country?"
So obviously, a man very interested in improving Afghanistan. Unfortunately, his life was cut short but let's also remember, although Stephen Farrell was rescued, among the dead was his colleague, a British commando and two Afghan civilians, a mother and her child. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: That's sad. Atia Abawi, thanks so much from Kabul.
The violence is escalating in Afghanistan with 13 now U.S. troop deaths this month. Our Josh Levs is working on a report that looks at the cost to the U.S. beyond the casualties. Josh will be joining us later on this hour.
And the U.S. Supreme Court meeting next hour for rare September hearing to consider a case that could change how political campaigns are financed.
Here's what we know. The justices are rehearing arguments whether to ease restrictions on how corporations and labor unions spend money to influence elections. The case began as a dispute over whether an anti-Hillary Clinton movie should be regulated as a campaign ad.
Well, today's high court argument will be the first heard by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, though she is not expected to play a key role in this case.
CNN's Kate Bolduan is about to go inside the courtroom for this morning's arguments. She joins us now.
So, Kate, what can we expect?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Fredricka. Well, you noted one thing we're going to be keeping an eye on as we head into the courtroom today, the first case before Justice Sonia Sotomayor. We'll be hearing from her for the first time potentially and we'll have to see exactly how she handles or kind of what role she tries to take on in this first case.
It really is an 80-minute arguments total. It's kind of a question and answer format hearing from lawyers on both sides of this case. And also hearing from the justices. We'll be keeping an eye especially on Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito.
Two conservative justices and really trying to get a sense from their line of question of just how far they believe that the court and the federal government should go to protect free speech and in essence overturn past precedent in campaign finance law.
And you really summed it up really well, but the main question that is facing the justices is just how far should the government go in regulating speech in an election year. And it's a big question.
WHITFIELD: And when would a final ruling actually come? BOLDUAN: We're expecting a decision in the next couple of months, and that is significant because whatever comes out, whatever decision we do hear, that could affect next year's midterm elections and elections beyond that so it could be very significant.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kate Bolduan there at -- in the shadow of the U.S. Supreme Court. Thanks so much.
All right. Rains and high water in northwestern Turkey and a huge way. Dramatic pictures now, a desperate situation. Waiting to be rescued as the flood waters rise.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And some flooding back here at home also. We're looking at Hurricane Fred exploding in intensity overnight. The forecast track is coming up when the CNN NEWSROOM returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN. Your hurricane headquarters.
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's check in with Rob Marciano. I hear there is a familiar name in this stratosphere of hurricanes.
(LAUGHTER)
MARCIANO: Certainly familiar to you, Fredricka. You know...
WHITFIELD: I think I like that name.
MARCIANO: Yes, Fredricka. A gorgeous name. You know, because we're lazy here we often shorten Fredricka's name to Fred. Take no offense here but you're one big old storm here, Fredricka -- 105-mile- an-hour winds. This thing has really exploded over the past 24 hours. At this time yesterday it was only a 50-mile-an-hour winds. So, cat two, bordering cat three, even a little bit of an eye.
This thing is moving to the west-northwest at about 12 or 13 miles an hour, getting into slightly cooler waters. If it jogs a little further north it will kind of slip into a zone, kind of a pocket, and that may very well protect us going forward.
Let's look at the National Weather Hurricane Center forecasted this thing. Brings it to category 3 status on later on today or tonight, then weakens it over cooler waters. But notice it jogs it to the north. And that would be good because it may very well get locked in to becoming a fish storm.
And if that's case, then we call breath easier, but until Fred is long gone, we will not be relaxing too much.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Yes, those are floodwaters like we just have not seen. I mean -- and it's torrential. You can see the current ripping through the streets there. MARCIANO: Yes, life threatening, obviously. Bad stuff over there in Turkey.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Rob. We'll check back with you.
MARCIANO: OK.
WHITFIELD: So those pictures from Turkey very, very dramatic. And this is what we know about it. 28 people thus far dead. Homes and businesses are flooded. Cars have been swept into the sea as you saw from those images and the currents.
Our Ivan Watson is in the flood zone in Istanbul. Ivan?
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. I'm in a place that got hit by a flash flood, a deadly flash flood this morning. As you can see behind me there is an irrigation canal but it was just overwhelmed by the wall of water that began before dawn this morning.
It flooded through here, hitting what was a parking -- an open air parking garage for cargo trucks. 18-wheelers that travel between Turkey and neighboring Bulgaria and Greece.
You can see these massive trucks have been thrown over, smashed against each other. And this was particularly deadly here because the truck drivers, they tell me, they normally sleep inside the cabs of the trucks at night. And water came before dawn.
So we spoke with one grizzled truck driver was reduced to tears describing how he tried and failed to save one foreign truck driver from those rushing waters this morning. Let's take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEHMET FIL, TRUCK DRIVER (through translator): There was one foreigner. We weren't able to save him. He disappeared. Maybe he was from Bulgaria. We couldn't save him. We reached out our hands to him but the water started to rise. We were afraid because the water was going to drag us, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: And, Fredricka, this is just a snapshot of what's going on across northwest in Turkey. Hundreds and hundreds of homes and businesses flooded. Hundreds of cars swept into the nearby (INAUDIBLE) sea. This site alone where you see so much destruction and where people have been going to with sniffer dogs in just the last hour looking for bodies.
At least six bodies have been pulled from this disaster zone and this is just a piece of what's going on in northwest Turkey right now with more rain predicted in the week to come. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Oh, no. All right. Ivan Watson, thanks so much. And again, at least 28 dead.
All right. A surgeon soldier putting his own life on hold, deciding to sacrifice so he can stay longer in the war zone. Just one of the compelling stories from the battle lines of Afghanistan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Time now to look at the "Top Stories."
The Sheriff's Department says a piece of bone was found near the home of accused kidnapper and rapist Phillip Garrido is likely human. It will go to a DNA lab for more testing. The bone fragment was found on a neighbor's property. But authorities say Garrido had access to that area. He's facing charges for allegedly keeping Jaycee Dugard captive in his backyard for 18 years.
A public hearing happening today on a plan to name a temporary successor for Senator Ted Kennedy. A bill is under consideration that would allow the governor to pick a new senator to serve until the January 19th special election. Critics say it's just a ploy by Democrats to get enough votes to pass President Obama's health care plan.
Ted Kennedy passed away two weeks ago.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai has a big lead in the election. With most areas reporting he has well over 50 percent of the vote. If the count holds he'd avoid a run-off with his top challenger. But some of those results may not stand. Yesterday the Afghan Electoral Complaints Commission ordered a partial recount.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is in Afghanistan this week bringing us stories of the challenges being overcome by doctors there. He's at a military trauma hospital in Kandahar province. There he met a one-of-a-kind surgeon who is dedicated to helping U.S. troops and Afghan civilians alike.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three.
MAJ. AUGUSTUS BROWN, U.S. ARMY: That's a mess. OK.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. Army Major Augustus Brown is the only vascular surgeon for the entire country of Afghanistan.
BROWN: Probably an antipersonnel mine that he stepped on. And basically it amputated his legs. His feet were gone. And we completed the amputations.
GUPTA: Brown is 43 years old. He's a long way from home. The same hometown as mine. Which makes this all the more personal.
(on camera): This place has been attacked. You're risking your life to save others. BROWN: The deal was when they need you for whatever they need you, go. That's it.
GUPTA (via phone): The go-call came January 29th. And there's been no rest for this battlefield surgeon.
(on camera): We're here in one of the trauma bays at the KAF Role III Hospital. It's an unusually quiet moment. But I wanted to give you an idea of the numbers here which give you a reflection of what's happening in Kandahar. What's happening in Afghanistan.
On average, they used to see about 80 patients a month. Mainly traumatic patients. By April it was 100 a month. And take a look at August, roughly 230 patients a month. And I think by fall the numbers will increase even more.
(voice-over): U.S. troops, coalition forces, locals, Dr. Brown treats them all.
(on camera): They asked me to help out. They needed four surgeons. They only have three. This is what happens when you have a hospital as busy as this one. One of your children was born while you were deployed?
BROWN: That's true.
GUPTA: How do you deal with that?
BROWN: It is a sacrifice to my family, but it's a privilege. Even when I'm back in Atlanta and they ask, what do I enjoy most about surgery? The most fun I ever have is in -- when I'm at war.
GUPTA: When you had to say goodbye to your wife and your many kids, you have...
BROWN: Yes.
GUPTA: ... lots of kids just like I do. Tell me about that conversation.
BROWN: It was hardest for my son. And the oldest is 6 years old. That's always hard. There's no silver lining in that. He gave me a good luck charm. It's a little stuffed dog. It's in my uniform in the back. I always go with it. The promise was as long as I keep it on me I'll be safe.
GUPTA (via telephone): In talking to Major Augustus Brown I realized there is a fear of death but he never lets it steal his thoughts. He finds, though, there are some images he can't shut, some that haunt him. Like this burned child. Her only pain relief a package of candy.
BROWN: You just don't ever see yourself after all of those years of education, sitting in the middle of a desert trying to scrape dead tissue off a child. That was probably the worst day. And they all lived. All of them. And they all got better. But I think maybe 20 years down the road when everything settles down if I could come back and see one of them alive, grown up and you feel like it was worth it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Now one thing worth pointing out about Dr. Brown is that he is a reservist. Most reservists stay in theater for about three months and then are asked if they wish to stay longer. He was asked that question, and he's chosen to stay a year.
I also want to show you something that's really boosted the morale here at Role III. Take a look at this. That's Malik, he is doing very well. He's starting to move the left side of his body.
There was a lot of concern that he might not survive and if he did, he'd be paralyzed on the left side. He is improving significantly by the day. And we're going to continue to have updates with him all week long. Back to you.
WHITFIELD: Thanks, Sanjay. Well, you can see more of Sanjay's behind-the-scenes reports from Afghanistan all week on "AC 360." That comes your way nightly 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
Inside the luxurious lair of the billionaire swindler. It could be yours. Yes, we're talking Bernie Madoff's New York penthouse. We have new pictures of the posh properties. See it before you can buy it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Fredricka Whitfield.
WHITFIELD: On Wall Street, yesterday's gains weren't huge but they were enough to push the NASDAQ to an 11-month high.
For a preview of what to expect today, let's go to Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange.
Hello to you, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka. Well, we've had three nice days of gains, and we're not expecting too much this morning.
The bulls perhaps taking a little bit of a rest. The only economic report we get is the Fed's beige book which is literally a beige book. Comes out this afternoon.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
LISOVICZ: Yes, you hear that music?
WHITFIELD: Very dramatic.
LISOVICZ: I think perhaps because it's a remote opening bell from Monterey, Mexico. CEMEX ringing the bell from Mexico. I guess it's quite dramatic.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LISOVICZ: In the meantime not quite so dramatic as the Fed's beige book providing a look at regional business conditions. We do expect some drama on the west coast today.
Apple holding one of its special events later today. Apple true to form is mum but the buzz this time that the company is likely to replace most if not all of its existing iPods with new models loaded with more memory and added function, such as a camera.
Fred, just in time for back to school. And there's lots of talk about whether Steve Jobs will be at the event. Apple co-founder returned to work this summer after taking a six-month medical leave. Also there's speculation about whether the Beatles will finally join the iTune store. That event in just a few hours.
Not much celebration in the retail sector. Neiman-Marcus lost nearly $170 million last quarter. Sales declined by more than expected. A lot of heavy discounting.
Also cash-strapped shoppers may not have much money for pricey clothes but they are spending money at McDonald's. The fast food giant posting a more than 2 percent increase in August sales. Americans and Europeans alike bought McDonald's new espresso coffee drinks.
And what we see percolating on Wall Street the first few minutes of trading, a few green arrows, kind of modest but they are -- we are seeing stocks higher - Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK. Everybody loving that McDonald's.
LISOVICZ: See you in a bit.
WHITFIELD: Susan Lisovicz, thank you.
All right. So first it was the Long Island beach house, now we have new pictures this morning showing the inside of Bernie Madoff's lavish New York penthouse. It's another of his high-profile assets that federal marshals plan to sell off.
CNN's Christine Romans joins us live from New York.
So, Christine, this is where Madoff spent his last few days as a free man, holed up as a free man in his penthouse.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And many, many years actually as someone -- the architect of a Ponzi scheme that took down many, many people and their fortunes. This is lifestyle of the rich and felonious, right, Fredricka?
Let's start in the penthouse. Everyone calls it the Park Avenue penthouse. It's actually much closer to Lexington Avenue on East 64th Street, the top two floor, 11th and the 12th floors. This is what the U.S. marshal said when he was sort of acting as the real estate agent, if you will, laying out this property for us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEP. ROLAND UBALDO, U.S. MARSHAL: We're here on the 11th floor of the penthouse. This is the lower level of the penthouse. This is Bernard Madoff's study. As you can see we're surrounded by cherry wood from the walls to the molding. Bernard Madoff's desk is where he did most of his work. This where Bernard Madoff spent the last few days of his free life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: I love the U.S. marshal service, sort of walking us through as the real estate agent, don't you? You know, location here not necessarily opulent. I mean, that gentleman there said that they hope that 8 to $10 million is what this place would fetch.
Listen, it's three bedroom, but in case you're interested, Fredricka, it really is only one bedroom, because two of those bedrooms they turned into his and hers studies. There are chandeliers as you can see. There's a nice parcade floors. It's a beautiful kitchen in there. Four fireplaces, a staircase that curves between the 11th and 12th floors. And all of the belongings, they will be auctioned eventually as well. There's a lot of art in there and furniture. We don't know yet when that will be auctioned, but at least they are listing this one.
We've shown you the Montauk place maybe a week and a half ago or so.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
ROMANS: We're told that there were 23 showings of that one, and maybe some 70 brokers who came through to see it.
So they are drumming up some support for the victims by showing this.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Right. And this very lovely, maybe a little less opulent than that beach house, but still valued nonetheless. Location, location, location.
ROMANS: Yes, absolutely.
And location in the Palm Beach example. They also showed us his Palm Beach mansion, $780,000 is what the mansion is listed at, but the property...
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: And these are part of the other properties that are for sale?
ROMANS: Yes. The properties is a half an acre, and so it's worth maybe $7 million. Discussed it to be $7 million. It's got 80- foot dock, right out there into the intercostal waterway. And with this place, there are -- there was a boat there. The Bull, a 55-foot yacht. There is another bull that was a shelter island run about a 38 -- that's The Bull.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
ROMANS: Right. That apparently -- I'm told that there is actually an elevator somewhere in there. A little platform with an elevator to get up to the flying bridge.
But this one is being held in Ft. Lauderdale along with another couple of boats as well. So all of these things are going to be auctioned off eventually. And, you know, I'm sure that the victims when they see these pictures, it just burns them because it was their money, of course, that was used for him to live this lifestyle.
There's a lot of people who remarks that he had these prime properties in Montauk, in Palm Beach, here, also in the south of France quite frankly. But it's not over-the-top opulent, but definitely some very good locations.
WHITFIELD: Yes. He had an eye for value. At least he knew, if he was going to buy a good property, he knew where to buy it, right?
ROMANS: It might be -- some of the few legitimate investments this guy ever made, because, you know, this house was built in 1973.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
ROMANS: That lot is worth a lot of money, that Palm Beach estate.
WHITFIELD: All right. Christine Romans, thanks so much, from New York.
ROMANS: Sure.
WHITFIELD: Appreciate that.
All right. The stakes are pretty high for President Obama's primetime sales pitch. He's taking his health care message to a joint session of Congress. The president is trying to salvage health care reform, which has gotten bogged down by bipartisan bickering. It may not be the members of Congress who right in front of him who are the toughest sell; however, that could be the American people.
So on Capitol Hill, lawmakers know that the issue may be at the crossroads. Some are trying to salvage a compromise and others trying to kill the effort once and for all. It's the latest from congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar.
Brianna, first, let's talk about the House Democrats. Just can't seem to get on the same page.
What's the matter? BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's true for rank and file Democrats, also true for House Democratic leaders, Fredricka. Whip James Clyburn, the number three Democrat in the House, has essentially suggested that Democrats agree to downsize the public option. The government-run insurance plan. And listen to what Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Listen to what they said late yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. STENY HOYER (D), MAJORITY LEADER: I'm not one of those that says if you don't have a public option it's not a good bill. I think it's a very good bill. I think the public option makes it much better.
Rep. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE SPEAKER: And I do believe that in order to pass a bill in the House we will have a public option. This is the legislative process.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: One microphone, two very different opinions about how essential a public option is to passing this bill in the House, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK, now to the Senate side, we're also learning details about Max Baucus' plan, and a new 10:00 a.m. deadline that he's imposing.
What's going on with that?
KEILAR: The clock is ticking here, Fredricka, for this bipartisan group of senators on the Senate Finance Committee. Chairman Max Baucus has said that by 10:00 a.m., obviously coming up here in a matter of minutes, he wants those senators proposed changes to a plan that he passed out this weekend. His proposal, roughly $900 billion price tag. It includes not a public option, but a non-profit health care cooperative.
There is no mandate here for employers to provide insurance to their employees, although, there will be penalties under this plan for larger companies that don't do that. There is a mandate for individuals to buy health care insurance, or pay a fine if they don't buy health care insurance.
For an example here, a family of four with an annual income of $66,000 or more, could pay as much as $3800 if they don't get health care insurance. Some exceptions here. But this is really an important day, Fredricka, ahead of the president's speech. Senator Baucus said yesterday the time is coming near where it's time to either fish or cut bait, meaning it's time to either come to a bipartisan agreement or move ahead, and some sources have said today may be that day - Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Brianna Keilar on Capitol Hill, thanks so much. Appreciate that.
And, of course, we'll have live coverage of President Obama's speech to Congress. It starts at 8:00 Eastern tonight.
And we're also talking about the president's speech in our blogs so we want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on this health care reform plan, and what are your thoughts on the fact that it's difficult to get Capitol Hill and the White House to agree on the matter. The president is going to be speaking this evening. We want to hear from you.
What are your expectations?
What do you want to hear from the president tonight to help clarify your thoughts on health care reform?
All right. It's a high stakes game in Afghanistan for the U.S. Our Josh Levs is over at the touch screen with an in-depth look at U.S. history there and the cost of war - Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. We're going to look how much the cost of added up to all the way through now. Also, why this summer is so crucially important for all of the U.S. efforts there. The stakes as you're saying in many ways at their highest ever.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.
CNN has learned one of the eight people killed in a mobile home in Georgia had recently been awarded $25,000 in a civil lawsuit. The award was granted to Guy Heinze Sr., the father of the man charged with the killings. Due to an appeal, he never got the money, and police refuse to say whether it's being investigated as a possible motive in the killings.
In California, authorities say that deadly wild fire burning for nearly two weeks north of Los Angeles is now almost 60 percent contained. Investigators say the fire was caused by arson. It has burned more than 160,000 acres. That's more than twice the size of Sacramento, the state's capital. The officials have a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction to $150,000.
It is 09-09-09. And it's turning out to be a lucky day for Beatles fans.
(VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The video game The Beatles Rock Band hit store shelves today, and it's being release at the same time as the remastered Beatles CD boxset. It's the first re-released of The Beatle's catalogue since 1987.
Pretty good renditions there. All right. A young Georgia girl is now the latest star born at the U.S. Open. How a little known 17-year-old's vicious backhand slice and sheer determination are giving her a shot at the title.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Time to check in with our Rob Marciano. Let's talk about that hurricane activity or threatening activity.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, Rob, thank you.
MARCIANO: You got it.
WHITFIELD: A CNN reporter experiencing the dangers of the Afghan war firsthand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you all right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Escaping a bomb attack deep in Taliban territory. A very close call.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. A quick trip to New York right now. You're looking at images of a lot of familiar faces of news people from Charlie Gibson to Diane Sawyer. And there you're seeing Ann Curry.
A "New York Times" reporter kidnapped by armed gunman in Afghanistan is safe this morning after he was rescued by Commandos. A NATO force freed Steven Farrell earlier today. Afghan officials say several people, including a British commando were killed during the raid. Farrell was taken hostage Saturday. He was covering a controversial NATO air strike on Taliban forces in the Kunduz Province. That attack left scores of people dead.
That dramatic rescue underscores the escalating danger in Afghanistan. CNN has an exclusive look from the war zone as one of our own reporters, Michael Ware, barely escapes a Taliban attack in the dead of the night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A hidden Taliban roadside bomb, and IED, is about to hit this Afghan police gun truck. A CNN cameraman and I are riding in it.
By some miracle it detonates a heartbeat too soon, otherwise we would all be dead. Instead, gravel rains over us.
WARE: Are you all right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
WARE: Then comes the shooting, a so called death blog of police firing aimlessly to ward off further attack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Some frightening moments there for our colleague Michael Ware and our other colleagues with him. The war has been raging now for eight years. But this summer has become a crucial time.
Our Josh Levs is here to show us some of the latest developments - Josh.
LEVS: Fred, you know, we see pieces of drama like that, right? It's easy to lose sight a big picture in what's going on there. So what I want to do is help everyone get that right now with the help of this great site, one of my favorite sites we have, CNN.com/Afghanistan.
In fact, let's zoom right in. I want to show you a few key points here. This is interesting from our own Tom Foreman who is referring to it as a ticking bomb this summer.
Let's go to this, eyecasualties.org. I want everyone to see the price the U.S. has been paying in lives this year. Just look at this one column of numbers here. Going back to 2001, you see the number of U.S. death each year all the way down to 2009. We're still in the middle of 2009. We've already had more than we ever had before.
Then let's look at the price we're paying in terms of money. This is from the Congressional Research Service looking at this year's budget. They say in total they're approximating about $189 billion, Fred, have been spent on the war in Afghanistan. And let me remind everyone, we don't actually have any of that money. That money is what CNN money calls money on national credit card. It's all borrowed money that we're paying debt on.
Now there are couple of more things you should know. Going on in Afghanistan this summer, including efforts to disrupt the poppy fields. Let's take a look at this video.
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LEVS: Authorities have been going around trying to blow up these poppy fields.
Let me show you why on this screen. You've got to see these numbers.
Opium production in Afghanistan, in 2001, the country had 12 percent of the world's poppy crop. The world began in 2001. By 2008, right, so all these years of war, poppies -- the amount of growth is incredible. It became 93 percent of the world's poppy crop. So authorities have been trying to knock down on it. And that's when we get to one piece of good news, which is that to some extent there has been some success on that. The U.N. says the blowing up efforts are actually achieving a couple of things.
And let me show you two more things that we have to keep in mind. You want to know why this summer is so important. First of all, the election.
Let's go to some video.
A lot of Afghan authorities, Fred, were specifically hoping that this election would show that the foundation for a functional democracy in Afghanistan after all these years now as you know a lot of questions about the legitimacy, which votes can be counted and not counted. So far, it's not having the international repercussions and authorities hoped. And, finally, as though thing weren't bad enough, we have some video lately of contractors reminding parts of the world over there, as you know, it was disturbing to a lot of people that -- let's just say affecting the image of the United States in that region, which obviously plays out in Afghanistan.
So put all of that together, Fred, you sure have a lot of problems. And that explains why we're seeing this summer have such high stakes in Afghanistan for the United States.
WHITFIELD: Yes. All right.
Josh Levs, thanks so much for putting all of that in perspective for us.
And our Anderson Cooper is in Afghanistan all week long bringing you a special look at the life in the battle zone.
There are dangerous challenges for both U.S. troops and Afghan civilians, and you can see Anderson's special reports every night, 10:00 p.m. Eastern on "AC360."
So we have a lot going on this morning. And all of our crews are in place to bring you all the details.
Let's check in with our correspondents beginning with Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.
MALVEAUX: Hey, Fred.
With the president is still working on his speech to Congress to be delivered this evening, he's making last minute changes, but we get a sneak peek. We know that there are some things that will please both Republicans and Democrats alike. I'll have more of that at the top of the hour.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. A proposed tax on so-called expensive Cadillac health care plans could help pay for reform. Will it mean higher premiums for everyone, though? That's a big question that's being debated on Capitol Hill. I'll have more on that at the top of the hour.
MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano in your hurricane headquarters. Tropical Storm Fred exploding into a category 2 hurricane overnight. Where is Fred headed? And is it any relation to the lovely Fredricka (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: I won't tell.
All right. Thank you so much, guys.
We'll also talk to the lawmaker who will deliver the Republican response to the president's speech. He's a surgeon who says he has deep insights into the nation's health care problems.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Do you recognize this woman right here?
A makeover for a world champion athlete at the center of a gender controversy. Here's the cover shot of South Africa's Caster Semenya. She was forced to take a gender test after easily winning the 800 meters at the world championships last month. In the new interview with "You" magazine, she calls the controversy a joke, and says God made her the way she is. Track officials say results of that gender test are expected within days.
Game, set and match. A little known 17-year-old from Georgia continues to surprise and dominate at the U.S. Open. Melanie Oudin's huge heart and Cinderella run to the quarterfinals beating some of the game's biggest names to get there is serving notice at the U.S. Open.
And here now is CNN's Larry Smith.
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LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS (voice-over): Serena and Venus Williams maybe America's most famous tennis, but Melanie Oudin has created all the buzz at the U.S. Open. The 17-yaer-old from Marietta, Georgia, started hitting balls at age 7, but her quest for greatness intensified. And by the 7th grade, she decided to become home schooled.
MELANIE OUDIN, U.S. OPEN QUARTERFINALIST: It was worth to play more and to not get in trouble for missing so many days of school because of tournaments, because I wasn't allowed to. And I wanted to play tournament so I had to start home schooling. And the amount of improvement that I got in that first year home schooling was unbelievable.
SMITH: Oudin's focus on tennis improved her game. It didn't come without sacrifice. Like any teenager would, Melanie misses hanging out with her friends, but she's also misses the bond she shared with her twin sister, Katherine.
OUDIN: We've always been close since we were little. But I think now, we definitely drifted a little bit apart from each other just because I'm gone a lot, and then she's got different friends than I do and different interests and stuff, but we're both happy for each other.
SMITH: Oudin turned pro last year, and received her first taste of fame two months ago after reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon. But that failed to comparison to what she's experiencing now.
On Monday, at the Racket Club, where Oudin trains, Melanie's friends and fans watched her become the youngest American to advance to the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Serena Williams in 1999.
TURHAN BERNE, MELANIE OUDIN'S SUPPORTER: She's as nice as she can be. She's the best sport, and she's a champion.
ALICIA KATZ, MELANIE OUDIN'S SUPPORTER: Such a close match every time. But every time she pulls it off. It's just great because we see her here every day, so dedicated, always working out.
SMITH: With Oudin's cue rating on the rise, her coach of eight years, Brian De Villiers is intent on keeping her humble.
BRIAN DE VILLIERS, MELANIE OUDIN'S COACH: This weekend, we were laying sod and doing yard work. I made her come and do it. I make her do everything the other kids do. She's no prima donna. You know, she has to understand, hey, this is your club, you help make it look good.
SMITH: That said, if Oudin wins the U.S. Open she's pretty sure De Villiers will let her slide on eating one of her favorite things.
OUDIN: I love ice cream, and I can't really eat it that much when I'm playing tennis. So I enjoyed it on my off season, but --
SMITH: Are you counting down the days until your first ice cream cone.
How many more days do you have until you can get into that?
OUDIN: A lot. I mean, if I win the U.S. Open or something, I'm sure my coach will let me have like an ice cream.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Melanie Oudin, we must all get used to the name.
