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Coast Guard Holds Press Conference on Security Scare; Health Care Negotiations

Aired September 11, 2009 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Time now for your midday reset. I'm Tony Harris in New York. It is 12:00 in Washington, where a Coast Guard training exercise touches off a security scare. We have a Coast Guard news conference that is getting under way right now.

Let's take you to it live right now.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

VICE ADM. JOHN CURRIER, CHIEF OF STAFF, COAST GUARD: ... as they normally do on Channel 81, which is a Marine frequency, a discrete Coast Guard channel that apparently was intercepted by a member of the public. Their discussions were taken out of context.

And what we've seen is a reaction to a training exercise that really was just that. Our people have to train. They do it on a routine and normal basis. We coordinate our training with the other federal agencies. We have very, very well-developed protocols for protection of the national capitol region.

This being a normal training exercise, preplanned, the coordination was minimal with other federal agencies. I want to re- emphasize that no shots were fired. There was no suspect vessel. There was no criminal activity. This was a preplanned, normal training exercise.

I'm happy to take any questions that you might have.

QUESTION: Was there a discussion of shooting of guns on the frequency that led to (INAUDIBLE)?

CURRIER: On Channel 81, which is an open frequency, but a Coast Guard discreet working frequency, part of the protocol in their training is verbalization of gunfire and orders between the boats simulating what we would normally do if we were intercepting a suspect vessel. That "Bang, bang" was verbalized on the radio, but I want to re-emphasize that no shots were fired, no weapons were trained, no ammunition was loaded. This was strictly on the radio, a verbalization.

That's a normal technique that happens all over the United States in major ports, where our people train to interdict criminal activity and potential terrorist threats.

QUESTION: So, somebody said "Bang, bang," or you simulated the noise? CURRIER: No, somebody said, "Bang, bang" on the radio at the appropriate time in the training exercise when the actual interdiction of the boat would have taken place.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: The president was not in the area. He had been at the Pentagon earlier this morning. He was not near where this training exercise was taking place. There was no pre-notification of Secret Service, to my knowledge, because this, as I said, was a routine training exercise.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to take the questions and shuffle them around. I promise to get to everybody.

You.

QUESTION: Was today the best day to be doing this, September 11th? A lot of emotion out there.

CURRIER: We will look at our procedures and our timing of this exercise. But I will tell you this -- we're charged with 7/24, 365, all day, every day, all weather, security and safety on the maritime interests of the national capital region.

We train every day. We have crews that are highly proficient, and this is a routine exercise. I don't think that our operational commander saw any reason not to train today.

Yes?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: OK. This is a discreet Coast Guard working frequency, but it is not encrypted. So, anyone with a scanner, just like many police departments have their communications intercepted, this was intercepted. If we're involved in an actual operation with Secret Service or other federal agencies, we go encrypted on the radio so it cannot be intercepted. But for normal, open training exercises, oftentimes we use clear channels, and that's apparently what happened this morning.

QUESTION: Admiral, NORAD notifies us when they're going to be doing flights over the city. (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: This is a low-profile, normal training exercise that goes on every day as we train our people to handle the boats, handle the security protocols. There's really no reason for specific agency notification on an exercise that is this low profile. It's a routine, everyday exercise.

Other agencies, including NORAD, conduct exercises on a daily basis. It's only when they're affecting national airport or in close that it becomes noticeable to the public would they make those notifications.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: As I said before, we have very well-defined security protocols in the national capital region. Apparently, what happened is, due to press reports and uncertainty that was generated by press reports, the FAA reacted by putting a ground hold on a small number of aircraft at Reagan National until they could sort out the information.

QUESTION: Admiral, you mentioned that no weapons were trained. Does that mean if I were standing on the shore of the Potomac when this happened, I would not have seen anybody holding any gun or pointing any gun at any other vessel? What would I have seen standing on the...

CURRIER: What you would have seen -- what you would have seen were four 25-foot response boats. They're colored orange. You've probably seen them out on the Potomac before.

They have modern automatic weapons, 7.624-caliber weapons on the bow of the boat. You would have seen a crewman standing by that weapon as the boats were being maneuvered and simulating the interdiction that they would have done for a suspect vessel, but you would not have heard gunfire. You would have not had weapons pointed at anyone or anything of that nature.

QUESTION: A follow-up. This took place, I understand, between the 14th Street Bridge and the Memorial Bridge. Was there any thought of moving it down river or upriver, away from the activities going on all day at the Pentagon?

CURRIER: Well, first of all, the training activity is quite removed, actually, from the Pentagon, OK? But the Potomac presents us with challenges.

For those boats to maneuver at high speed and do the training that they need to do, they need a fairly deep and fairly open portion of waterway. And that presents the best area, and that is the routine training area where they're normally -- where it normally takes place.

QUESTION: Admiral, was there a restricted zone for boats on the Potomac today for either purpose, for either of the events for the ceremonies at the Pentagon or because of the training?

CURRIER: No. That's -- for special events, we oftentimes will put a security zone in place, but this morning there was no security zone. There were no special precautions. This was strictly a normal training exercise.

QUESTION: What about normal protocol? What other agencies would you be alerting that you were going to be doing this?

CURRIER: If a security zone were established, it would be in close concert with the Secret Service, the park police, the other district police, and the other agencies, the law enforcement agencies here. As this was a normal training exercise, there was no coordination per se with other agencies.

QUESTION: Admiral, you say this was a normal training exercise. How often, then, would an exercise like this happen? Does it happen every day? Does it happen every week? And also, is the Coast Guard concerned by the media reports in the way that this went down?

CURRIER: First of all, our routine training exercises on the Potomac area, the national capital region, take place approximately four times per week. And we do it on that frequency so that our crews can remain proficient. We've got a 7/24 response protocol here.

To the second part of your question, yes, this is very instructive for us. And we're going to back through this. We're going to review our own protocols, our own procedures.

We're also going to look at how we engage the press. All of it we'll back through. We'll be open and transparent on how we do that. We may even ask some of you for advice on how we can preclude this type thing from happening again.

QUESTION: Admiral, instead of yelling, "Bang, bang, bang," did your folks radio, "We have expended 10 rounds"? Did they radio that?

CURRIER: I don't have the transcripts of the radio. I can't conjecture on that. But I think as part of the training, rather than fire actual rounds, our normal practice is to articulate the rounds being fired on the radio so that the timing is proper for the rest of the execution of the maneuvers. So -- but I cannot tell you with any certainty whether or not that was verbalized.

QUESTION: Admiral, would that be something that...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on. Hold on.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: I'm sorry, I couldn't hear the second half of your question. It's too breezy.

QUESTION: Was this done on 9/11 on purpose because of (INAUDIBLE)?

CURRIER: No. I think that it's very important for our people to maintain proficiency. In retrospect, of course we look at the sensitivity of 9/11. We're also going to look at our engagement with the press, our messaging on this.

We're going to do a top-to-bottom review on it. We'll be transparent with our results.

We are a learning agency. But I want to reiterate that our young people out there on those boats are highly proficient and very professional. And this was executed exactly according to their training plan. This was not ad-libbing by anyone involved. This was sanctioned by higher levels in the operational command, preplanned, and executed as it usually is on a routine basis. QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) articulates "Bang, bang, bang," to then say over the radio, "I've expended eight rounds, I've expended 10 rounds" (INAUDIBLE)?

CURRIER: Well, first of all, let me say, when they start this exercise, they first come on the radio. Even though it's a discreet Coast Guard working frequency, they announce, "This is a drill. This is an exercise."

They preclude all of their actions with that. And any other follow-on communications, yes, it's quite possible that they said, I've expended x number of rounds. But that would have been strictly as part of the training scenario.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: I can't confirm or deny that that was articulated. We'll back through this in time and find out exactly what was said. But as part of how we normally train, it's quite possible that it was articulated eight or 10 rounds were expended. But that, as I said before, would have been precluded before and after the evolution by saying, "This is a drill." OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last question to the man in the green.

CURRIER: I'm sorry?

QUESTION: Do you normally talk with the other agencies when you're going to do something like this? Because when I got down there, there were about 10 police cars there, and when I asked them if they knew what was going on, they said, No. We have reports shots had been fired."

CURRIER: Well, I think what you see here is a loop between what actually happened, press reports, and the uncertainty that was being generated by that because of the high profile of the press reports and the fact that other agencies, due to that uncertainty, reacted as they normally would. They dispatched units, and this is probably...

QUESTION: A follow-up. I noticed you're not issuing an apology.

CURRIER: No, I am not issuing an apology, because although it's unfortunate that it escalated to this level, what you're seeing here is the result of a normal training exercise, such that when we have a threat or when we have a security issue in the national capital region, all agencies can come together, under a secure communications protocol, and execute security operations very professionally and successfully.

QUESTION: Admiral...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One more.

QUESTION: ... you contradicted yourself today. First you said there was minimal notification to federal agencies, and then later you said there was no notification. Would you clarify? Who was notified in advance of this exercise? And why are local agencies not in the loop on this?

CURRIER: Well, first of all, to my knowledge, the information I have at this time, there was no specific notification of state or local law enforcement agencies. The reason is that, just like when the D.C. Fire Department trains, they don't necessarily notify all other agencies.

This was a routine, low-profile, normal training exercise that happened. The radio intercept generated intense media coverage and interest, justifiably so, but I think what happened was you saw this spiral out.

QUESTION: What federal agencies were alerted in advance?

CURRIER: No. As I said, to my knowledge, no federal agencies.

QUESTION: And then if I can follow up, you seem to be putting (ph) a lot of this on the press. Your press office basically shut down. They would not answer any questions. They didn't return calls, from my experience today, and they wouldn't even confirm that it was a training exercise, even after a spokesperson told the AP it was a training exercise.

Are you satisfied with the way your agency handled this today?

CURRIER: I think I mentioned before that we're going to back through this incident, we're going to look at our messaging, we're going to look at our press engagement, and we're going to find out how we can better do business to ensure that this type incident doesn't happen in the future.

QUESTION: Who green-lights this exercise? You said it was green-lighted from above.

CURRIER: Understand that this is Coast Guard headquarters. We're not the operational commander here. The operational commander sector Baltimore.

The local station had a training plan, was approved by sector Baltimore, as would routinely happen. And this exercise was executed as would routinely happen.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: The Homeland Security Command Center here in Washington, were they notified, the Department of Homeland Security, the command center here in Washington, were they notified in advance of this training exercise?

CURRIER: No. Nor would they normally be. We are a component agency of DHS, and this low-tempo, low-profile, normal training exercise does not garner national command and control.

QUESTION: In the future, do you think you'll be notifying them about...

CURRIER: As I said, we are -- we are going to back through our procedure. We're going to take a good, hard look at what we did here today and ensure that if we need to modify procedures, if we need to modify notification, we will do so in the future.

QUESTION: Do you have a recording of the radio chatter, and will you release that to the press?

CURRIER: There are recordings of some it. I don't for sure how much of it at this point. I've not heard it personally, but I'm sure that in working with our press office that, when they generate that, they'll be happy to talk to you about it.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

CURRIER: Although I have not heard the tapes, our normal procedure is to announce that this is a drill. I have no indication that that wasn't done.

We have highly disciplined and professional young people operating these boats, and I would say, with some level of confidence, although I haven't heard the tape, that that would have been announced before and after the exercise was commenced.

QUESTION: Sir, if this happens four times a week, why has this never generated any (INAUDIBLE)?

CURRIER: Well, I'm not sure why that is. I think someone probably intercepted a transmission on a Coast Guard discreet working frequency that caused them great concern. And I don't know where it went from there, whether it went to the press or to a local public service agency. I don't know at this point. We will find out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be taking the rest of your questions off to the side. The admiral does have to get going. If you can please just step off to the side, and I'll get you the information as I have it.

Thank you.

HARRIS: We've been listening to Vice Admiral John Currier, Coast Guard chief of staff, answering a lot of questions, and probably have more as a result of that press conference. The Coast Guard promising a thorough review of the training exercise that caused so much confusion this morning.

Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve live with us now from Washington with the very latest.

And Jeanne, you were listening, as well as I was there, to the vice admiral, and he said, look, this was a ordinary training exercise, the kind of exercise that happens for the Coast Guard virtually every day, whenever it's scheduled. Low-profile training exercise, that's all this was. And yet, it turned into quite an event this morning. JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It did. And for a couple of reasons.

One, because of the day. This is 9/11. We knew that there were ceremonies under way at the Pentagon today.

The president apparently had left at this time this happened, but there were others. There were still ceremonies in place, taking place, and so the day had special significance. And there's always been fear in some quarters that something might happen on a day like this.

So, we -- as you could see, the overhead shot of the river, we could see here at CNN boats dashing around on the water, interceptions taking place. And when you listen to the radio traffic, there was no mention of a drill, no mention of an exercise in the portion we listened to.

And I believe we have an excerpt of some of what we heard. Let's play that for you.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don't slow down, (INAUDIBLE) you will be fired upon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MESERVE: There you could hear one small part of it. They went on to say, "Ten shots have been expended. We're going in to assess the situation."

So, that is why there was some fear that something really serious was happening here.

We did place calls to the United States Coast Guard. We asked them before we took anything to air, "Can you tell us what's happening here?" And they couldn't tell us. They did not know what was happening. So, that's how it transpired.

As it turns out, nothing did happen. And that's the wonderful news here, that this was simply an exercise. There wasn't any tragedy here. But the fact that it happened on 9/11, so close to a site where there was a commemoration, is raising a lot of eyebrows.

HARRIS: Yes. OK, Jeanne, let's leave it there for right now.

As I mentioned, a lot of questions still to be answered, and we're being promised a thorough review by the Coast Guard.

Jeanne, appreciate it. Thank you.

Still to come, members of the so-called Gang of 6 are still trying to come to an agreement to health care reform. We will get a live update from Capitol Hill in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get to our top stories now.

Observances are being held in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania today, on this eighth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. At a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon, President Obama said we remember with reverence the lives we lost.

The FBI and Connecticut state police have joined authorities in New Haven to search for a missing Yale University grad student. Twenty-four-year-old Annie Lee is supposed to get married Sunday. Lee was last seen Tuesday at the university's medical school.

General Motors trying to win back customers and stay in business. Now offering a 60-day money back guarantee. Starting Monday, new GM vehicles with less than 4,000 miles can be returned for a full refund. Customers must be current on payments.

We will get another check of our top stories in 20 minutes.

A key group of senators is working on a compromise to health care reform. In a meeting wrapping up in the last hour, the so-called Gang of 6 talked about several components -- Medicaid, medical malpractice, abortion.

Quickly now to our congressional correspondent, Brianna Keilar.

Brianna, if you would, tell us what came out of the meeting.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, no major developments, Tony. This was their last meeting of the week. They're going to be meeting again on Monday. But you really get the sense the timeline here is starting to tighten.

Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, from where all of these Democrats and Republicans hail, he said that he is going to be putting the finishing touches on a bill by the middle of next week or end of next week at the latest. This will be the bill that, ultimately, the entire Senate Finance Committee will start voting on the week of September 21st. And Senator Baucus saying the window for Republicans to come on board, for Democrats and Republicans to find a bipartisan compromise, that it's closing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D), CHAIRMAN, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE: It's understood that we have to start making some decisions (INAUDIBLE) together Monday for -- the early part of the week, or the middle part of next week.

QUESTION: Does that mean Monday is the last day you expect this...

BAUCUS: Well, Monday is getting close. There's not much time after Monday. You know, Monday, Tuesday, into there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So, "Monday is getting close. There's not much time after Monday," Senator Baucus said.

And I ran in to Senator Olympia Snowe, one of the key Republicans in this so-called Gang of 6, in the hallway right after he made those comments, and she wouldn't rule out that Monday would work out, Tony. But she certainly seemed to cast a lot of doubts on it. She said they're waiting for the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to really crunch some numbers so they can ultimately just really know what they're dealing with.

And also, you mentioned Medicaid. This is another issue.

The way Medicaid works is it's not just federal money that goes to fund Medicaid. And this proposal right now before this committee is to expand the reach of Medicaid.

States also have to chip in. So, this group is going to be talking with governors, really just to see what is feasible for states who are so cash strapped at this point. So, she obviously saying that a lot of things still need to get done. She wouldn't rule out the middle of the week, but we'll certainly be watching -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

Brianna Keilar on Capitol Hill for us.

Brianna, thank you.

More U.S. Troops to Afghanistan? The Senate Armed Services chairman says hold on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. As always, we'd like to remind you about our terrific money page, CNNMoney.com, as we take a look at what's happening at the New York Stock Exchange and a look at the Big Board.

Boy, we started off in positive territory today, but some selling going on right now. Just about three hours into the trading day, the Dow is down 34 points, and the Nasdaq -- at last check, the Nasdaq was down nine points.

We will be following these numbers throughout the day for you.

Coming Monday in the CNN NEWSROOM, President Obama planning what the White House is calling a major speech on the financial crisis. Monday marks one year since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. That triggered last fall's global meltdown. The White House says the president will focus on the steps he's taken to restore the economy and commit his administration to unwinding the government's role in the private sector.

What was it like inside the World Trade Center towers after the planes hit? We will find out from someone who knows all too well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: An uplifting achievement. It's what we're talking about in our "What Matters" segment in partnership with "Essence" magazine.

The October issue is on newsstands today and it includes a story about a young pilot, Kimberly Anyadike. The 15-year-old flew a single-engine Cessna from California to Virginia back in July. The 13-day journey makes her the youngest black female pilot on record to fly cross-country. Anyadike learned how to fly when she was just 12 through an after-school program for at-risk young people. She wants to be a cardiovascular surgeon when she grows up. You go, girl!

The terrorist attacks of September 11th may soon be officially part of American public school curriculum. Middle and high school students are expected to test the lesson plans this year in several states, including New York, New Jersey, and California. The goal is to help students who may not remember the tragedy think critically about the attacks.

It has been eight years since the terrorist attacks that changed America, but some who escaped the carnage of the World Trade Center say it feels like they just left the building. Leslie Haskin was on the 36th floor of the north tower when the first plane hit. She wrote a book called "Between Heaven and Ground Zero." And she joins us live from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Leslie, it is so good so see you again.

LESLIE HASKIN, AUTHOR AND 9/11 SURVIVOR: Thank you.

HARRIS: You were telling me just a moment ago it's been, what, three years.

HASKIN: I think it's been about three years, yes.

HARRIS: Since we last spoke?

HASKIN: Yes. Yes. Thank you so much for having me again.

HARRIS: I want to -- oh, please, it's my pleasure. I want to get to how you're doing these days in a moment. But if you would, you know, this is one of those "then and now" interviews. So, how often do you think about this day and eight years ago?

HASKIN: Gosh, every day. Every day. I was just, you know, having a conversation earlier and saying to someone that for the world, the time continues to move. And it's five years, then six years, then seven and eight years that goes by. But for me, it's every day is September 11th and September 12th. So, every day I remember it.

HARRIS: You write in your first book, "one minute I was in the stairs, and the next oblivion." Tell me more about that oblivion. HASKIN: You know, everything happened so fast and everything was just beyond comprehension. I mean, it was the worst of the worst. And so, in one minute, I was living my life. I was an executive for a very large insurance company. And then the next minute, I was in this horrible reality that was really unimaginable. It was like being nowhere. And at the same time, you know, kind of absorbing all of this and seeing the most hideous things you can imagine.

HARRIS: No, I won't go there. I was going to ask you -- well, I will.

HASKIN: OK.

HARRIS: Is there an image that remains seared in your brain from that day?

HASKIN: There are several. There are several. I think the most -- the one that I remember most was walking past a woman who was trying to have a conversation. She was trapped and she was trying to pass me a note. And she passed away in just in the middle of her sentence, never got the sentence out. And the look on her face and just the reality of how short life is, that we could be here one minute and gone the next, is what stays with me most. And it's that -- it's her face and that realization that drives me.

HARRIS: Wow. We'll talk about what it's driving you toward in just a moment. You told our booker this morning, Marilyn Joseph (ph), "it happened eight years ago, but I feel like I just got out of that building yesterday. It is my life. I live that every day."

HASKIN: Right.

HARRIS: Did you -- do you suffer from post traumatic stress disorder?

HASKIN: I do, yes.

HARRIS: Did you ever seek help in dealing with that, with your emotions surrounding that day eight years ago?

HASKIN: I did. In the beginning, the few years, the years that immediately followed 9/11, I did. I was committed to a psychiatric hospital, as most people already know. And I did see a psychiatrist and was heavily medicated for a very long time after 9/11.

I still suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, but I'm not on the medication anymore and I'm not seeing any psychiatrists. I'm just living free in my relationship with God and in faith that God is bigger than post traumatic stress disorder or anything else. And that's what works for me.

HARRIS: Very quickly, what's -- what's helped you to the extent that you have turned the corner on this in your life?

HASKIN: I'm sorry? HARRIS: What's helped you turn the corner on this very dark day that has led to, you know, a pretty difficult chapter of your life? What's helped you turn it around so that you can get up and function from day to day?

HASKIN: It's been my relationship with God and the people that God has put in my life to be a good support. I have an amazing pastor, a wonderful brother, good friends and a son who loves his mom, you know, in spite of his mom, you know? So, you know, God is just real in my life, in our relationship and in the people that he's put in my -- put in my life. And that's what's keeps me going.

HARRIS: Well, Leslie, you've written two books "Between Heaven and Ground Zero" and "God has Not Forgotten About You."

HASKIN: Right.

HARRIS: I assume they're available for folks to purchase if they'd like to. And, very quickly, where can folks find your books?

HASKIN: They can go to -- the quickest, easiest way is to go to Amazon.

HARRIS: Great.

HASKIN: They're also in bookstores. But I'd go to Amazon. It's quick. It's easy.

HARRIS: It is so good to see you after all these years.

HASKIN: Thank you. You too.

HARRIS: You look fantastic.

HASKIN: I do, don't?

HARRIS: Yes, you do. Stay strong.

HASKIN: Thank you so much. Life is good.

HARRIS: And thank you for your time, Leslie.

HASKIN: Thanks for having me.

HARRIS: Yes, it is. Thanks, Leslie.

HASKIN: All right. Bye.

HARRIS: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a question for you, more U.S. troops to Afghanistan? Well, the Senate Armed Services chairman wants to go slow. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get to our top stories now. Do you remember where you were eight years ago? The nation pauses today to remember the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, with a reading of names, the laying of wreaths, and moments of silence for the victims and heroes of that terrible day.

GM says, if you don't like it, bring it back for a full refund. The nation's largest automaker trying to lure customers back. If that new car has less than 4,000 miles and you are current on payments, GM will take it back no questions asked.

And NASA engineers hoping the weather cooperates so space shuttle Discovery can land in Florida this afternoon. Storm clouds Thursday forced the shuttle into another day of orbit. If Discovery can't land in Florida, California's Edwards Air Force Base is available.

The powerful chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democrat Carl Levin, speaking out against sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. He wants to bolster Afghan forces instead. CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, joining me live from Capitol Hill.

Dana, look, this is an important voice weighing in on the U.S. role in Afghanistan.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A very important voice. As you said, he is the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he made clear that he believes, just like many other people around Washington believe, that the commander, U.S. commander, in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, is planning to recommend to the president to send additional combat forces to Afghanistan. That's on top of what the president already approved back in February, about 20,000-plus additional troops.

Well, Carl Levin is making clear he wants to stop that from happening. And the reason, he says, in a very forceful speech on the Senate floor, is because that's not the right way to go. The right way to go, before you send any additional U.S. combat troops, is to focus on the Afghan security forces. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CARL LEVIN, (D) MICHIGAN: We should increase and accelerate our efforts to support the Afghan security forces in their efforts to become self-sufficient, delivering security to their nation before we consider whether to increase U.S. combat forces above the levels already planned for the next few months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, following that speech, he came to the press gallery and talked to reporters in there and he insisted he wasn't frustrated, but certainly sounded that way, Tony, in talking about the fact that he simply doesn't think that over the past six months or so, since a Democrat has been in the White House and since he has been guiding the strategy in Afghanistan, that there has been enough focus on securing -- or actually increasing the security with regard to the Afghani military presence. He said that there needs to be more equipment, that there needs to be more training and that's where the focus should be.

Now, very interesting. This comes just one day after the House speaker voiced what we are hearing more and more from the left of the president's party, and that is that there simply isn't support for sending more troops to Afghanistan. And the House speaker said bluntly she doesn't believe that there's support in the country or in the Congress for that.

I asked Senator Levin if he agrees with that. He said that he agrees with that in terms of public opinion, but that his motivation here is from the perspective of somebody who has a very important responsibility as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee to try to guide the strategy there. I should say, he just came back from the region. He was there over the August recess.

HARRIS: Well, Dana, this is very interesting because the chairman has laid down a very important marker here. We'll see where the debate goes from here.

Our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash.

Dana, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

HARRIS: He is a one-man sports franchise. A big honor today for the man many consider the greatest basketball player of all-time.

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HARRIS: You knew this day would come. Michael Jordan, one of the NBA's greatest basketball players -- one of? He is the greatest. Who wrote that? -- is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. But Jordan's impact goes way, way beyond basketball. From CNN Sports, here's Larry Smith.

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LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are cited for saving the NBA from obscurity in the early 1980s, it's Michael Jordan who often gets credited for taking the league to a whole new level.

DAVID STERN, NBA COMMISSIONER: I think Michael was an agent of change because he came at a time when sports marketing was taking off. He came at a time when cable began to hit its stride. And he came at a time that globalization was something you read about but hadn't really achieved the status that people talk about it and certainly hadn't reached into sports. And all of those came together as it related to the NBA at a time when Michael Jordan and the Bulls were in the ascendency.

SMITH: The NBA's extraordinary growth during Jordan's career may have been from a confluence of events, but his impact on other businesses is undeniable. Corporations like Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Chevrolet all benefitted from their association with Jordan. But perhaps no company benefitted more than Nike.

SPIKE LEE, FILM PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, ACTOR: If you ask Michael, he will say he built Nike.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yo, Mars Blackman here with my main man, Michael Jordan.

SMITH: Spike Lee starred in those early Nike ads with Jordan and says they were groundbreaking.

LEE: As far as African-Americans are concerned, let's be honest, the faces of American companies up to that point had been Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. Because the fear was that the white consumer would not buy a product with a black face on it.

CHARLIE DENSON, PRESIDENT, NIKE BRAND: We were a running company. And he really helped us move into obviously basketball as a category, which then allowed us to move into several other categories as well that maybe he didn't play as direct role in, but gave us the confidence, the resources and the opportunity to build our brand and our business around the world.

SMITH: While Jordan was building his empire, some thought he should have used his power and influence to affect social change for African-Americans.

DAVID FALK, JORDAN'S FORMER AGENT: I think it bothered him, of course. Nobody likes to be criticized. But I think that one of the great things about Michael is that he was comfortable being himself. And it's no one's place to determine how active you should be.

SMITH: Today, Jordan Brand, a subdivision of Nike, exceeds annual revenues of more than $1 billion per year. And his success opened doors for all athletes.

STERN: Here was a star who was just transcendent which was great for marketing. And the good news for us was that other corporations followed the lead and changed the view of athletes. And I think that change has remained true to this very day.

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HARRIS: Number 23 from North Carolina, Michael -- hey, Larry, I got to tell you, the takeaway for me, from Jordan's career, is -- and I think this is an incredible message for young people, that if you are willing to make the sacrifices and you are willing to take first, your God-given talent, and work as hard as you can, you can move to the upper echelons of your chosen profession, whatever it is. And that, for me, is the takeaway of his tremendous career.

SMITH: I think that's a very good one, Tony. When you think about -- we think of Michael Jordan and the greatness. But, keep in mind, when he came out of college, he was not a great shooter. HARRIS: Yes.

SMITH: He worked on his jump shooting. He was not a great defender. He became the best defender in the league. One of the best of all-time. You know, you saw -- we talk about this in terms of athletes. We don't give the athletes credit of the work they put in to be the -- to reach that talent.

And his competitive nature was something, too. I don't care if it was ping-pong, cars, what it is, in golf. A great story in "The Chicago Sun-Times" this weekend about Jordan on the golf course. His competitive juices never ran out. And even when -- in April, when he was -- the Hall of Fame announcement was made for tonight, back in Detroit he said then, I hate that I'm here because I feel like I can still get dressed and go beat you guys.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. That is terrific.

A quick story. You don't know this, Larry, but I was up for the job of host of "NBA Inside Stuff" forever ago. A terrific show. Ahmad Rashad ended up getting that job and does a tremendous job with it to this day. And I remember going to the offices in Secaucus, New Jersey, not far from here, the NBA entertainment offices, and asking the folks who were putting that show on the air, so what is this show about? And they said, are you kidding me? It's about that guy right there. It's about getting that guy, number 23, on television as often as we can in this show.

SMITH: That's right.

HARRIS: That important to the league.

Larry, appreciate it. Thanks for the thoughts on Michael Jordan going into the Hall of Fame later this evening.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, would you be ready if something like 9/11 happened again? We've got some advice on how to get yourself better prepared. We're back in a moment.

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HARRIS: Events marking the 9/11 anniversary. He took part in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the 184 people killed in the attack on the Pentagon. In his remarks, the president said "we are not only united in our grief, but also in our determination to stand together and stand up for the country."

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let us renew our resolve against those who perpetrated this barbaric act and who plot against us still. In defense of our nation, we will never waiver. The pursuit of al Qaeda and its extremist allies, we will never falter.

Let us renew our commitment to all those who serve in our defense. Our courageous men and women in uniform and their families and all those who protect us here at home. Mindful that the work of protecting America is never finished, we will do everything in our power to keep America safe.

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HARRIS: And friends read the names of the 2,751 people killed in the attack on the World Trade Center. The ceremony paused for four moments of silence marking the exact times when the hijacked planes crashed into each of the twin towers and when the towers collapsed.

When our country came under attack eight years ago, the immediate concern for most of us was the safety of our family. Where were our spouses, our parents, our kids. Were they all OK? Today, we want to know if you're prepared for another disaster, whether it is a terrorist attack, a hurricane, fire, chemical spill, whatever.

You need a plan. To help you get started, you can go to ready.gov, click on "make a plan" once you're there. Some great tips there on ways to stay in contact with the family, where to go, what you really need to have on hand. Some simple things that could make all the difference. We also have a link to that site on our blog. Just go to cnn.com/tony. Tell us if you have a plan or not and share your ideas.

We are pushing forward now with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with Kyra Phillips.