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President Obama's Primetime Speech; Soldier Faces Charges in Wife's Killing; Reshaping the Health Care System; Hurricane Fred Doubles in Intensity Over Last 24 Hours; Questions Over Constitutionality of McCain-Feingold Being Considered by Supreme Court Now;

Aired September 09, 2009 - 10:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, another look at the top stories we're watching right now.

The trial of a Kentucky high school football coach accused of causing a player's death resumed just moments ago. The coach is charged with reckless homicide after one of the players collapsed and died last year following a tough practice. The victim's father and two former teammates took the stand Tuesday.

Remembering Walter Cronkite. A memorial for the legendary newsman at the Lincoln Center in New York is scheduled to start in about 20 minutes. Presidents Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are among the planned speakers.

And it's an easy day to remember, right? 09-09-09. People across the globe are celebrating the rare occurrence. We saw mass marriages in Malaysia, and there are only three more opportunities this century for the triple digit day.

We'll let you figure those out on your own.

All right, primetime politics. In tonight's speech at 8:00 Eastern, President Obama will try to sell health care reform to Congress and of course to the nation. It may be the most highly anticipated speech of his young presidency. And it may be the most challenging for him. Polls show support is fading among both audiences, those on Capitol Hill and across America. The White House is promising more specifics from the president tonight, and possibly renewed signs of compromise.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us with a preview.

Suzanne, what can we expect to hear tonight?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, we know that the president is still tweaking. He is still working on this speech. We got some video and some fresh pictures early this morning here, this is in the 8:00 hour. You see the president working out of the Oval Office with his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel obviously getting updates to see if there are any closer to a deal.

Members of Congress trying to reach some sort of an agreement. This is going to be a critical speech for the president. And what we know from a sneak peek here, we are getting that he's going to offer both Democrats and Republicans something that they would make them happy essentially we'll see if they come up with something that they can agree on.

One of them is the public option. That is the government's alternative to provide an insurance alternative to private insurance. This would be for say small business owners who are rejected by a major insurance company and need insurance for themselves and their families. The White House -- the president is going to try to explain that doesn't apply to a lot of people but a very specific group but a critical group.

It does not apply as a public option to about 180 million people who get their coverage through their employer or through people who get it through Medicaid or the VA, things like that. What the White House and what the president is trying to do is make this idea of the public option more palatable. This is how Robert Gibbs put it to me earlier this morning.

(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 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, why is he doing this? Because there certainly are Democrats and the liberal base of the party who have been pushing for this public option. They say it's critical to health care reform. He's also going to be offering something for the Republicans. They have been pushing for medical malpractice reform. That essentially is what doctors have been complaining about here that they have to pay so much for liability insurance. They prescribe things, procedures, tests that aren't necessary just to cover themselves from potential lawsuits.

Well, he is going to say that he supports medical malpractice reform, something that will make the Republicans happy. We'll see if these two sides come together after this very critical speech. But obviously, Fred, he is trying to at least offer something to both sides.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne, is it fair to say he's spreading himself a bit thin this morning or today? This morning he'll be in New York or is probably already in New York to speak at Walter Cronkite's Memorial Service and then this evening before Congress.

MALVEAUX: Well, it's a very busy day, Fred, for this president. He really has his plate full. He is in New York at this very moment. He is going to be speaking at the memorial service for the late Walter Cronkite. He was asked by the family to speak to pay tribute, and Robert Gibbs said earlier this morning the president obviously recognized the tremendous importance that Walter Cronkite, the contributions that he made to journalism as well as to the country and that's what we're going to hear from the president very, very soon. Fred.

WHITFIELD: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much. At the White House.

And of course, we'll have live coverage of President Obama's speech to Congress. It's going to get started at 8:00 Eastern this evening. And we're also going to be talking about the president's speech on our blog. We want to know what you think and what you want to hear from him tonight. So go to cnn.com/fredricka and post your thoughts and we'll read some of your comments on the air.

Meantime, Congressman Charles Boustany will give the Republican rebuttal to the president's speech. He is a heart surgeon with more than 20 years of experience and he is joining us in the NEWSROOM with a preview of what he plans to say.

WHITFIELD: It is a huge day for health care reform with the future of the industry at stake and as you can imagine Washington has been crawling with lobbyists each one trying to woo lawmakers over to their side of the fence.

Christine Romans joins me now from New York with more on what is being called the most expensive fight ever to hit Congress. Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Because so much is at stake. You're right. This is health care lobbying the political power machine as CNNmoney.com puts it in its excellent analysis of this some $375 million spent so far on trying to influence the debate going on Capitol Hill right now. How has that money been spent? Well, let's break it down.

Almost $280 million on direct lobbying. And you can look at this pie, Fredricka, and you can see there are so many pieces of it because these are the different constituencies according to the Center for Responsible Politics who are trying to influence the debate and how much they are spending.

Drug makers and makers of health products by far the most, 135 million almost. Hospitals and nursing homes, also doctors, health professionals, health services, HMOs, also health insurers, all of them spending a great deal of money. There's also a lot of money being spent outside of that direct lobbying in television advertisements. Some 75 million.

Maybe you have seen that on your own television but you can tell, yes, a lot of money has been spent, $75 million. And $23 million has been spent already for contributions for candidates who are seeking re-election or election in the year 2010. All together that's almost $375 million.

Now, some of these influences and some of this money is likely being spent at cross purposes, quite frankly. Because you got drug companies, hospitals, doctor groups, you got lawyer groups as well. You also got special interests who represent immigrants, who represent the elderly and the unemployed and also the uninsured, also people who are retired and so you got a lot of different groups there who are using money, using clout, using their sharp elbows to try to get in there and influence this debate. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so, for today's "Romans' Numeral," want to give us a glimpse into that?

ROMANS: It's the number six, Fred. And I want you to think about it this way. For every person there on Capitol Hill, for every lawmaker who is going to cast a vote in this debate, there are six lobbyists who are pushing a point of view on health overhaul.

WHITFIELD: That's pretty overwhelming.

ROMANS: Six to one is the ratio. You know, usually when you don't have big health care reform, it's usually about two to one for health industry lobbyists versus your elected officials in Washington. So you can tell just how big this is and how big this is when you got six to one as your ratio.

WHITFIELD: And maybe that explains in part why there's so much confusion.

ROMANS: Maybe.

WHITFIELD: All right. Christine Romans, thanks so much.

All right. Still on the topic of health care, we are told that Christopher Dodd will not take over the Senate panel seeking a possible overhaul. That's according to a Democratic source who spoke to CNN. There had been a lot of speculation on whether Dodd would succeed his friend, Senator Ted Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat who spent decades fighting for health care reform. He died last month of brain cancer.

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 is just a ploy by democrats to get enough votes to pass President Obama's health care plan. Ted Kennedy passed away two weeks ago.

Let's check in again with Rob Marciano in the hurricane center. All eyes are on that Fred.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: This, Fred. And you. You know, might I add that you're easy on the eyes, Fred. Good to see you. No relation here. 105-mile-an-hour winds. Hurricane Fred was a tropical storm yesterday. So, it pretty much doubled in intensity in just the last 24 hours. Where this thing is going and how it's doing, boy you can actually see the last couple of frames of this really starting to fan out. Good outflow from it. So the National Hurricane Center is thinking it's going to strength and just right now, on the last little frame, nice little eye.

All right. It looks like it is sneaking a little bit farther to the north. That's good news. We want this thing to go northerly. We want it to kind of die out as a fish storm. And it may very well do that. Category 3 storm expected later today or tonight or tomorrow morning. And then curving, king of sneaking into a weakness in the ridge that typically keeps these things to the south, drives them toward the U.S.. Hopefully that weakness kind of locks it in as a fish storm.

If that happens, then we don't have to worry about Fred too long. I mean, it's not very far from the African coastline as it is right now. All right. Let's zoom in a little bit to the East Coast. This is going to be our focus I think over the next couple of days. Very slow moving area of low pressure right about here. You kind of see the circulation around it. And it is slowly kind of crawling up the coast line. It will take it two, maybe 2 1/2 days before it gets off the New England coastline and kind of weakens and heads out to sea.

In the meantime, you're going to have this persistent onshore flow, showers and slightly cooler weather and certainly wet weather for the folks who live in that part of the world. Speaking of wet weather, we had a lot of it. This is from that low - Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. These are records. Five and half inches of rainfall yesterday. All right. Norfolk saw three and a half, that was a record from the storm. And then Wichita, Kansas, saw three, almost four inches of rainfall there.

Here's some of the video coming out of Wichita from yesterday. A number of roads closed because of the amount of rainfall they had in a short period of time. Still a chance of seeing some rainfall there today but most of the heavy rain has moved off to the east. So everybody getting a little smattering...

WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. A spike in insurance claims for sure. I saw that car. It looked like it was under water almost.

MARCIANO: Exactly. Yes, you know, that's why you have insurance.

WHITFIELD: That's right.

MARCIANO: Hey, big doings out there in the Bay Area. San Francisco, good morning, San Francisco. There would be the Bay Bridge which is all opened up and ready for traffic to head over to the East bay. KGO, thanks for that shot, always a lovely city. It's good to know that their traffic, which can be horrendous at times, will be flowing a lot smoother. Thanks to that repair of the Bay Bridge.

WHITFIELD: Thank goodness. All right. Rob, appreciate it.

MARCIANO: See you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So, how did a documentary, a highly critical one of Hillary Clinton become a link to a possible change in campaigns finance. Well our legal expert will break down today's high court case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, the Most Trusted Name in News. Now back to the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: All right. Happening this hour. The U.S. Supreme Court re-hearing a case that could possibly lead to a reversal of the current campaign finance law. Joining us live to talk about the case is civil rights attorney and law professor Avery Friedman. Good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. So let's talk about what's at issue here. How could this particular case be so influential?

FRIEDMAN: Well, it's a real blockbuster, Fredricka, but the amazing thing about this decision, this case which is being argued this morning is that there is going to be an attempt by a corporation which underwrote an anti-Hillary documentary to say that they shouldn't be obligated to disclose their identity. And essentially what they're looking for is the U.S. Supreme Court to say that McCain-Feingold, at least the substantive parts of the law, are unconstitutional and essentially bust wide open the opportunity for corporations to underwrite political ads.

WHITFIELD: So, corporations as well as labor unions...

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: ... could stand to lose a lot. Meaning, they wouldn't be able to make significant contributions to campaigns if the court sees it that way?

FRIEDMAN: Well, no, no. It's the other way around. In fact, these restrictions which have been on the books since 2002 restrict labor unions, restricts corporations from not disclosing the fact that they're underwriting these anti- or pro-political ads. If this case is successful by Citizens United, it will essentially blow up regulation by Congress of corporations and unions. It's an enormous, enormous case.

WHITFIELD: And what is interesting here too is this court started considering this case last year, right?

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And now it decided to come back a month early with a new Supreme Court justice on the bench. What can we expect?

FRIEDMAN: Well, this is in and of itself, Fredricka, an amazing development because we now have the Supreme Court saying we're not waiting for our first week in October, we want arguments now. And we will see the premiere of Justice - now Justice Sonia Sotomayor in weighing in on this very important topic and so we'll see if she participates in oral argument today.

WHITFIELD: And a ruling in your view would come as early as when?

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's a very good question. Because I tell you one thing, they're not going to wait until the end of the term. We're going to see something probably before the end of the year. The other interesting thing is it will also be the premiere, Fredricka, of the new solicitor general Elena Kagan, who as you may recall was one of the candidates being considered by President Obama to be the appointment when the vacancy occurred on the U.S. Supreme Court.

WHITFIELD: Avery Friedman, thanks so much. Always good to see you.

FRIEDMAN: Nice to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: And good to see you on a weekday as well.

FRIEDMAN: Pleasure. See you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you.

All right. Conservatives feared a partisan political message but there was no sign of a partisan push when President Obama went back to school yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you quit on school, you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Some students in Michigan said the president's stay in school message was clear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even if something bad happens in your life, like your parents aren't there for you or you don't have a parent, just try your best, do your best. Ask who is around you for help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president is working hard and I think everyone should work hard to gain whatever dream they have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And what do the students in Louisiana say? Well, they said they were very inspired.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It made me feel I could be something better than what I already am. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It made me feel like I should try just a little bit harder.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) I can succeed. Obama put that in me. I'm going to go to medical school now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: There was some controversy before the president's comments, and it led some schools across the nation to actually block the president's speech all together.

All right. The Republican response to the president's address this evening will be delivered by a congressman who is also a heart surgeon. He joins us with a sneak preview in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Our top stories right now. A soldier is facing charges in the shooting death of his wife. Clarksville, Tennessee, police responded to the call of a possible shooting at the couple's home early yesterday. Jonathan Clyde Downing's wife was found shot inside the garage. Downing's vehicle was found a few hours ago later, some 20 miles away. Downing himself was in the woods nearby. It took officers almost two hours to talk him into surrendering.

In California, the sheriff's department said a piece of bone 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 is facing charges for allegedly keeping Jaycee Dugard captive in his backyard for 18 years.

Great expectations for Apple today. Interested tech geeks across the globe are waiting to hear the next big thing at a news conference this afternoon. It's the annual event that Apple holds to introduce new stuff like iPods and iPhones. We'll keep you posted.

Remaking the health care system -- it's a critical night for President Obama as he delivers a major speech to Congress and to all of us. Congressman Charles Boustany of Louisiana will give the Republican rebuttal to the president's speech. Boustany is also a heart surgeon and the only Republican doctor on the House Ways and Means committee. And he joins us now from Capitol Hill. Good to see you.

REP. CHARLES BOUSTANY (R), LOUISIANA: Great to be with you.

WHITFIELD: OK. We understand the president is still tweaking his speech before Congress, are you still working on your rebuttal?

BOUSTANY: Of course. And as we get information from the White House it will also help me decide on what exactly needs to be in our rebuttal.

WHITFIELD: What items do you know you will likely have in your rebuttal?

BOUSTANY: Well, Fredricka, it's important to recognize that health care reform is such a complex topic and health care affects every man, woman and child in this country. So the most important thing to do is to get it right and that's what I'm going to emphasize.

WHITFIELD: You do think there needs to be a reform plan, but define what you think needs to be in it to make sure it's right?

BOUSTANY: That's exactly right. We are for reform. We do believe that we have to provide a system that creates access to a doctor-patient relationship first and foremost for all Americans.

WHITFIELD: Well, the president would be saying that, too. But what would be different? What do you suppose needs to be in it to make it right just using your words to make it right?

BOUSTANY: Well, first of all, I think what we need to recognize is that there are a lot of things that we agree upon. Why don't we start there rather than starting with the very contentious approach that's been advocated and in fact an approach that's sort of been the only thing advocated in health care reform and that is a government plan.

I believe there are many other things that we could do to improve health care delivery, lower the cost, and we're going to have some specifics that are out there on a web site and of course, I'll mention some of those things in my speech tonight.

WHITFIELD: So what are those things that you know that you already agree upon that you want to push forward?

BOUSTANY: Well, we agree that first of all we need to have insurance reforms. The pre-existing condition issue is very important. That's one. There are many other areas. I don't want to get in all of the details of what I'm going to say tonight, but you know, let's just suffice it to say that there are a lot of things that we can agree on and that's where we need to start. And let's get this right. That's what the American people want first and foremost.

WHITFIELD: So as a cardiothoracic surgeon, are you still a member of the American Medical Association?

BOUSTANY: No. I've not been a member of the American Medical Association for quite some years now.

WHITFIELD: OK. Initially when the president spoke before the AMA, many members are reticent about his message and as a whole did not necessarily agree with the president. Today the headline is the AMA says it is behind the president's health care reform plan. How does that sit with you?

BOUSTANY: Well, I'm opposed to the House bill that we covered in committee in the House Ways and Means Committee. I voted no after we tried to amend the bill. There are a number of problems with this bill and it's unacceptable. Keep in mind that the AMA only represents somewhere around 15 percent of physicians and a number of state medical societies have actually taken positions opposite the AMA.

But again, it's so important that we get this right. Let's put all of the options on the table and thoroughly vet these options. You know, Fredricka, even with the government option, there are a lot of remaining unanswered questions that were not covered when we had hearings and even during the markup of the bill and I don't think that's a responsible way to go about doing health care reform.

WHITFIELD: OK. Given your experience in the medical field and you also know what it's like to be uninsured I understand for a period of time in your life you did not have health insurance, no coverage whatsoever. Have you reached out to the White House to express your personal opinion and your personal experience about how to get it right? You keep saying we want to get it right. Everybody wants to get it right. But have you offered any ideas about how to get it right?

BOUSTANY: I've mentioned a number of ideas to the White House liaison to the House and asked for meetings with some of the staff higher up and even the president himself. Frankly, there really have not been any discussions between the White House and House Republicans and that's of some concern to me. I'm quite frustrated to be frank with you. Because we do have a number of very substantive ideas that we could put forward.

WHITFIELD: OK. Representative Charles Boustany, thanks very much. We look forward to hearing your rebuttal this evening after the president's address to the joint Congress this evening.

BOUSTANY: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Thanks for your time, on Capitol Hill.

BOUSTANY: Thanks very much.

WHITFIELD: We'll take a look right now. Live pictures right now of the floor of the House and Senate where we're being told health care is a topic of conversation right now in anticipation of the president's speech this evening 8:00 Eastern time and, of course, you can catch that live right here on CNN.

The Cadillac of health care plans. Big premiums for complete coverage. Now those big deals are the target for new taxes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Fredricka Whitfield.

WHITFIELD: The battle for health care reform. Tonight the president delivers what could be a make or break speech on his top domestic priority. His prime time address to the nation takes place before a joint session of Congress. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill know the issue may be at the crossroads. Some are trying to salvage a compromise, others are trying to kill the effort once and for all. Let's get the latest from congressional correspondent, Brianna Keilar. Brianna, anticipation is the word of the day.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anticipation is the word of the day. You know the saying, Fredricka, you can't please everyone? Well, when it comes to Democrats and President Obama with his speech, that really may be the case. It will be tough for him to please everyone because rank-and-file Democratic members of the House are really all over the map when it comes to how they feel about a public option.

You have liberal Democrats who say they won't vote for a bill unless it includes a public option -- a public option without any conditions. And then you have some conservative Democrats like the Blue Dogs who say if there is a public option in the bill, they're not going to vote for it.

What's more, when you listen to house Democratic leaders, they're not even in the same place about how essential a public option is. Listen to Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This is what they said late yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD), 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-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: And I do believe in order to pass a bill in the House, we will have a public option. This is the legislative process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, this is what President Obama is going to be juggling as he walks a fine line tonight with his health care address to Congress. Also, he has to be careful because even though he doesn't have to win -- or I guess, really make Republicans happy because a lot of them have said that they're really not on board with the plans going on, there are a few that are key that he really has to make sure that he doesn't alienate, including Senator Olympia Snowe.

She's one of the Republicans at the table talking with Senate Finance Committee, this Gang of Six, a bipartisan group trying to reach a consensus. And she's someone Democrats think they may be able to keep on board and would be essential for them getting 60 votes in the Senate. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Brianna Keilar, thank you so much. Appreciate that from Capitol Hill.

President Obama will make his health care speech to that special joint session of Congress tonight. We'll cover it live for you starting at 8:00 Eastern time.

And we're also talking about the president's message and what is it that you want to hear. Already you've been commenting on my blog.

And Mark says: "I want him to explain to those who don't seem to understand how this will save money. Specifically elaborate on how the U.S. economy is 70 percent consumer spending."

And this from Mike, who says: "I want to hear him say that if it doesn't work, that they will either fix it or change it back the way it was."

So, these are some of your comments on my blog. Thanks so much for participating. We continue to hear what you have to say as we tick down to the president's speech, 8:00 Eastern time this evening. Of course CNN is carrying that live.

One of the biggest questions about health care reform is how to pay for it. You just heard from Mike, who was asking about that. One proposal would tax insurers on their most expensive plans. How would it work? CNNmoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Breakdown" from New York. Poppy?

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hi, Fredricka. Lots to talk about taxes as a way to pay for this, whether it's wealthier individuals or this proposal put forth by Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus. A 35 percent proposed tax on high-cost insurance plans. That would actually fall on the insurance companies to pay.

So, what is exactly considered high-cost when you talk about health insurance? Well, what this proposal puts forth is more than $8,000 when you're talking about an individual and about -- over $21,000 when you talk about families. And Fredricka, we should note it would be higher than that in the 17 highest-cost states across the country for the first three years to help pay for this.

To put this in perspective for you, take a look at these numbers. When you look at 2008, the average cost of health care all in for individuals, $4,700 when you look at employer pay and what you put in. And about $12,600 when you're talking about a family, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So, on these Cadillac plans, what kind of tax are we talking about on that?

HARLOW: Yes, what we're talking about here, these will affect people, top executives that hold those so-called Cadillac plans. We're talking about some, not all, corporate executives here.

For example, they don't have any co-pays. No deductibles. No restrictions on their prescriptions or doctor visits. Those can actually exceed $40,000 a year.

To be fair, though, we should note health care experts say not all premiums are high because of those lavish benefits. Sometimes, employers just have older, sicker workers so their cost are higher. Small businesses tend to have higher premiums than larger companies do.

That's why critics are worried the new tax could actually end up trickling down to all of us. The average workers or union workers with these extensive benefits and not just hitting the over-wealthy as planned. The bottom line here is there are concerns that they will eliminate some types of coverage altogether because if they have to pay 35 percent tax and if they don't want it, they might get rid of it altogether.

Advocates, though, on the other hand, Fredricka, say fewer lavish plans will cut down on overuse of medical services and waste. A lot of talk about that. There's complete coverage. This is the latest story for you right here on CNNmoney.com. A heated debate -- I think Brianna said it best when, you can't get everyone to agree on one thing, so there are a lot of opinions floating out there.

WHITFIELD: I know. It's tough to get everyone to see eye to eye on this one. Poppy Harlow, thanks so much. Appreciate that.

A new wave of Beatles mania around the world.

(VIDEO CLIP, BEATLES ROCK STAR GAME)

WHITFIELD: Looks pretty good, doesn't it? Sounds good, too. The video game, the Beatles Rock Band hits store shelves today. It's being released at the same time as the remastered Beatles CD box set, featuring the Fab Four's entire catalog. Suggested retail price on that: $260.

Something old, new, borrowed and blue. You know all those superstitions and traditions for weddings. And today's date, 09/09/09. September 9th, 2009 has thousands of couples in China and Malaysia hoping the way the numbers align will bring them eternal marital bliss. Sixteen thousand couples are expected to register marriages today in Beijing and Shanghai, even though it's a weekday. In Malaysia, more than 500 ethnic Chinese couples tied the knot at a Buddhist temple. In Chinese culture, the word for nine sounds similar to long lasting. It will be 92 years before the numbers align like that again.

So, who is the fairest of them all? Not just a fairy tale tag line in India. It's funding an entire industry. How lighter skin is becoming a must-have for Indian bachelors.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Remembering Walter Cronkite. You're looking at live pictures from Lincoln Center in New York where a memorial for the legendary newsman is currently in progress. Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are among the planned speakers. You're looking at (INAUDIBLE) there of CBS.

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 in the killings. Never got the money because the award was being appealed. Police refused to say whether it is being investigated as a possible motive in those killings. Authorities say the deadly station fire burning for nearly two weeks now north of Los Angeles is now almost 60 percent contained. Two firefighters died. Authorities say the fire was set deliberately, and they increased the award for information leading to an arrest and conviction to $150,000.

At the end of each year, we all get statements showing us how our investments have done. Now, a government watchdog group is doing the same by giving us an update on our $60 billion investment in the auto sector. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with details on that.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. This is where you really grimace and grown. The congressional...

WHITFIELD: Oh, I thought you were going to rev it up. Instead, it's bleak.

LISOVICZ: I will later on. This is tough to swallow. The congressional oversight panel isn't giving us a specific number but says probably about a third -- about $20 billion, $23 billion of our money won't be repaid. This is when the government threw money at GM and Chrysler last fall. This is before they had restructuring plans in which they shed billions of dollars of assets and started the painful and slow rebuilding process.

This panel, by the way, was created last year to help oversee T.A.R.P. And the $700 billion that was distributed. And GM and Chrysler have received $60 billion from the government. This is about a third that we're talking about here, Fred. It's a lot of money no matter how you slice it.

WHITFIELD: And the rest of the money?

LISOVICZ: The rest of the money is hard to say, Fredricka because much of the loans from you and I and millions of other taxpayers was converted to stock. After all, we are now equity investors in GM and Chrysler. We own 10 percent of Chrysler. Sixty percent of GM. And it depends on how they do in the months and years to come.

GM and Chrysler currently are private, but they are expected to issue a public stock offering next year. Just a few months ago, GM was a Dow 30 stock. Right now, I'm looking at the Dow Industrials. This is your reward, Fredricka. They're higher. The Dow is higher. The NASDAQ is higher. The S&P 500 is higher. But it looks like our investments in the auto sector in this particular case may not pay off.

WHITFIELD: All right. Darn. Thanks so much, Susan.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

All right. Let's talk about the skin care industry in India, where business is booming. But it's not just women driving up sales. Lots of men are also grabbing products off the shelves. But as CNN's Sara Sidner tells us, they think they can do much more than just improve their skin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This television commercial is sending out a not so subtle message to men in Asia. One actor says I'm unlucky because of my face. Not because of your face, because of the color of your face, the other says. Then he throws him a skin whitening cream. You get her just like that, referring to the girl they were staring at and indeed after putting on the cream he does, in the ad, anyway.

Skin whiteners once mostly targeted to women in India are now being advertised to men from some of the world's best known cosmetic brands. A marketing study found sales for skin whitening have jumped more than 100 percent in rural India.

JAWED HABIB, SALON CHAIN OWNER: That's the most important.

SIDNER: Jawed Habib says he knows why. He runs 140 unisex salons in India and around the world.

HABIB: We always have a complex towards the white skin, towards the foreign skin or foreign hair.

SIDNER: In recent years Indians have gained more disposable income than ever before and Habib says guys are not shy about spending it on their looks.

HABIB: They are trying everything.

SIDNER (on camera): Men used to be embarrassed about this sort of thing.

HABIB: Not anymore. I don't think so. I think nowadays they are very conscious...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: We'll try to bring you the rest of that story later on today. Right now, former president Bill Clinton at the Walter Cronkite memorial service in New York. Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... young presidency, and a very important day in our nation's life. President Obama, when he has this big speech tonight, still came to New York to honor Walter Cronkite. We thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: And since Walter isn't doing the news anymore, he doesn't have to be quite so objective. I think I can say that he and all of the rest of us wish you well tonight. We hope you prevail.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: I had a very unusual perspective on all of this. I was just a high school kid in Arkansas who had a TV for less than, oh, five years, I think, when Walter Cronkite started doing the evening news. I have to confess, my mother liked Huntley and Brinkley.

(LAUGHTER)

CLINTON: Until -- until we kept on CBS all day long on November 22, 1963. And after that, we lived with Walter Cronkite. That's all I knew.

Years passed. 1981, he left. I had formed some real opinions as a young student. I thought that he had the most trusted news program because he had an inquiring mind and a caring heart and a careful devotion to the facts, and because you really sensed that in the words of his own autobiography, he had a deep aversion to group conformity. He was always looking for the story, not the story line. And there's a big difference.

But after he left CBS, I didn't think much more about it. I looked at some of his specials, and then when I became president, we were vacationing on Martha's Vineyard together. And we would be thrown together at dinner parties or receptions or whatever. And he started talking to me about his young years before TV and when he worked for UPI and when he, like Ronald Reagan, did thirdhand radio accounts of sporting events. And Kansas city when it was a pretty hot town and Houston before it was one of our great metropolises.

And I just wound up being crazy about the guy for reasons that had nothing to do with all of the things we are here honoring about today. I thought he was one of the most interesting men I ever saw, and I thought a lot of his qualities that made him great in television, he came by honestly.

Keep in mind, one of the most moving accounts to me in the story of his own life was dancing with his mother on her 100th birthday. And at the end of their dance he said I thought she was exhausted. She asked me to get her medicine. I came back with it, and she said, "No, Walter, I wanted a martini."

(LAUGHTER)

So, that's the guy I got to know. And we continued to see each other after I left the White House. We would be thrown together at one event and another. But I thought he was an astonishing man. I liked his inquiring mind and his caring heart.

And he did something for my family that was so simple, and even now it's hard for me to talk about. But in a very tumultuous summer in our personal lives in 1998, we were up on Martha's Vineyard, and Walter Cronkite picked up the phone and said, "Betsy and I want you to go sailing with us. You and Hillary and Chelsea. We'll just go out and sail around." He said somebody might take a picture of it, but so what? I'll never forget that.

At the time, I could have done with a picture with Walter Cronkite.

(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: I say this because that wasn't something he had to do. He was 81 years old. He was a good man. Yes, he was a great journalist. And he lived a fascinating life which made him want to know and understand and to share his knowledge and understanding.

He was almost painfully honest. One of the most interesting things to me about his autobiography and some personal conversations we had later about his role in trying to advance public discourse was what he thought about the limitations of television news, what he spent his whole life doing. He said, "I did the best I could, but really, I think people should read more newspapers." Can you imagine anybody else fessing up to that?

So, I'm here to say thanks to his family and to his wonderful late wife for a man who was important in all our lives, a great citizen and a profoundly good human being. That's just the way it was. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

WHITFIELD: Former president Bill Clinton there in a tribute, a final goodbye to the great Walter Cronkite, who died in July at the age of 92. President Barack Obama who you heard president Clinton acknowledge there in the stands -- he, too, will be taking to the stage with his comments. And, of course, CNN will be carrying President Obama's comments live.

Much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Let's check in with the hurricane center, where we find Rob Marciano at the center of it all, and so is Fred.

MARCIANO: I know.

WHITFIELD: And I don't mean me.

MARCIANO: You see your name up there associated with now a major hurricane, Fredricka. So, I can understand how you would be taken aback. We're not going to take any of this out on you. If we're lucky, Fred won't do anything but mix up the ocean a little bit and mess up the fish a little bit.

One hundred and twenty-mile-an-hour winds. The latest from the National Hurricane Center brings us to Category 3 status. Another major storm for the year. You can see that eye there. The general motion of this thing is now northwesterly. So, that's good.

Let's look at the updated track from the National Hurricane Center. This is probably about 600 miles or so west-southwest of the Cape Verde islands. It's pretty far out there. We already have it forecast to make this turn toward the north and likely fizzle out and become a fish storm. So, if you hose (ph) this track, you have nothing to worry about. At that point, you would be off the hook.

WHITFIELD: Okay. Thanks so much.

All right. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN NEWSROOM continues with Tony Harris right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)