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Hard Work on Health Care Reform; Afghan War Strategy Session; Jaycee Dugard Appears in 'People'

Aired October 14, 2009 - 12:01   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And time now for your top-of-the-hour reset.

I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is 12:00 at the Capitol, where the Senate begins the difficult job of merging two health care bills into one.

At the White House, President Obama holds a fifth and perhaps final strategy session on the war in Afghanistan.

And still in Washington, bonuses for bailed-out executives at AIG get new attention.

So, let's get started.

All right. Health care. Health care reform clears one major hurdle, but there's still a tough road ahead.

Today, the Senate begins work on merging two very different health care reform bills, one passed by the HELP Committee, and the one approved by the Senate Finance Committee yesterday.

Details from Congressional Correspondent Brianna Keilar.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With millions of eyes around the country watching, the call came down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fourteen ayes, 9 nays.

BAUCUS: The ayes have it.

KEILAR: The Senate Finance Committee's hotly-debated plan for health care reform passed, thanks to 13 Democrats and one lone Republican -- Olympia Snowe of Maine.

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE (R), MAINE: Is this bill all that I would want? Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls.

KEILAR: The plan has an $829 billion price tag. It prevents insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and requires all Americans to have insurance. That would be done in part by expanding Medicaid and offering subsidies to people who can't afford it.

OBAMA: We are now closer than ever before to passing health reform. But we're not there yet. Now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. Now is not the time to offer ourselves congratulations. Now is the time to dig in and work even harder to get this done.

KEILAR: And the road to getting health care done is still long and winding. The first hurdle a government-run insurance plan. The so-called public option isn't in the finance committee's bill but it is in another Senate proposal. Those plans now have to be blended together and lawmakers remain divided.

Another big sticking point, paying for reform by taxing high-end private insurance plans. Critics of that idea are already sounding off, including labor unions. Many of them gave up pay increases to get better health care in the first place. And this morning, less than 24 hours after the finance committee's vote, their opposition is in black and white in the morning papers.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar joining us live, along with national political correspondent Jessica Yellin.

And Brianna, let's start with you. Let's compare the two major health plans the Senate has come up with, the Senate Finance and the Senate HELP Committee versions of these bills.

KEILAR: And let's talk about the similarities first so that we can understand exactly what will certainly be in a Senate health care bill.

First off, both of these bills say that insurance companies cannot deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions, that insurance companies cannot cap your benefits, either annually or over the course of your lifetime, and both of these bills would include subsidies to help low-income and middle-class Americans purchase insurance. But there are some pretty stark differences, because the Finance Committee bill, Tony, is significantly more conservative than the Senate HELP Committee.

As you can see there, the public option. Finance Committee doesn't have it. HELP Committee does.

The employer mandate -- employers having to contribute to health care for their employees. The Finance Committee does not have it, HELP Committee does.

And then look at the price tag -- $829 billion for the Senate Finance Committee bill. And the HELP Committee bill, estimated at a little over $1 trillion. So, that one on the left, that Finance Committee bill, the only one that falls under President Obama's cutoff of $900 billion.

HARRIS: Cool. All right. Good stuff, Brianna. And Jessica, what's the significance -- boy, I think I under this, but I want you to explain it to us. What's the significance of Olympia Snowe signing on, at least for now?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first, Tony, on the surface, it gives the White House the veneer of bipartisanship. They do have one Republican signed on. But beyond that, it really gives significant cover to a group of Democrats.

You can call them moderate Democrats, some people would call them conservative Democrats who have been wavering on health care reform. And when they have a Republican signed on to the bill, if Olympia Snowe sticks with it, this group of conservative moderate Democrats has cover to vote for it as well.

So, it really helps the White House gather the Democrats in the Senate together in support, and do this as a straight-up vote instead of using Senate machinations to slide it through.

HARRIS: Yes. And what are the chances as we go through this process that positions will harden?

YELLIN: By the opposition groups? Significant.

HARRIS: Yes.

YELLIN: First of all, Brianna pointed out the ad in today's paper from the labor unions, who are very frustrated that there is not a mandatory public option, enough coverage in the Senate version. And then on the other side, we've heard the insurance industries already are out with the television ad because they're upset about other provisions. They say there's not enough support to get everybody in the plan and it will cost too much.

So, on one side, you've got the insurance industry. On the other side the labor unions. You've got to find a way to meld the two, or this isn't getting done.

HARRIS: Thanks to Jessica Yellin and Brianna Keilar on Capitol Hill.

Ladies, appreciate it. Thank you.

The outrage over those AIG bonuses resurfaces on Capitol Hill. A House committee is holding a hearing on a new audit report. It says the Treasury Department did not fully understand AIG's pay structure when it gave the insurance giants billions in taxpayer bailout dollars.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL BAROFSKY, BAILOUT SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL: Our audit also concludes that Secretary Geithner did not find out, did not learn of these bonus payments, until just days before they were made. But this, too, is a failure. It was a failure of communications, and it was a failure of management. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And consumers are still being a bit stingy with their spending. The Commerce Department says retail sales took a big dive last month, down 1.5 percent in September. That's largely due to the end of the Cash for Clunkers auto rebate program. Car sales skidded more than 10 percent.

Leave cars out of the mix here? Retail sales actually rose a bit.

The poor economy may be driving more and more young Americans into the military. For the first time since the all-volunteer force was established in 1973, all branches met recruiting goals for the fiscal year that ended September 30th. The Pentagon says 96 percent of recruits had a high school diploma, and that's the best educated group in 13 years.

Happening now at the White House, President Obama meeting with his war strategy team again to discuss a plan for Afghanistan. This session is critical, particularly in deciding troop levels.

We are joined live now by our Barbara Starr at the Pentagon and CNN's Atia Abawi, live in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Barbara, first to you.

We've been hearing 40,000 is the number of additional troops general McChrystal has indicated he needs. Now we're hearing numbers as much as twice that. What options are administration officials actually considering here?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Tony, to be absolutely candid and clear, we don't know, because, so far, administration officials are not publicly talking. But, behind the scenes, sources we've been speaking to for weeks now say that General McChrystal is looking in the range still of 40,000 front line troops to try and add to the mix in Afghanistan.

That is likely is what is going to be the most sustainable figure that they can come up with. But still, tough to find all the troops to fill that. But these news reports that going around about 80,000 troops, that doesn't seem very likely. There just aren't enough troops to send -- Tony.

HARRIS: Got you. OK.

And Atia, no matter how many troops the U.S. decides to send, corruption issues in Afghanistan are going to impact their ability to complete their mission, aren't they?

ATIA ABAWI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. The Afghan government at the moment is struggling, it's struggling a lot. And right now, so is the international mission here, the international community. The chaos that's being seen here on the ground is we're seeing the international community pointing the finger at the Afghan government, saying that they haven't been able to do it for the last eight months, that they've been riddled with corruption. And now we're seeing the Afghan government also pointing that finger back at the international community.

So, right now, many people are wondering what way to go forward in Afghanistan. But one thing is very, very clear, and that's that the Afghan government right now is not seen as very credible among the Afghan people -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

And Barbara, one more quick one for you. The issue is larger than Afghanistan, isn't it?

STARR: Oh, absolutely, Tony. You know, one of the things not much talked about is, what about across the border in Pakistan?

HARRIS: Yes.

STARR: You hear administration officials talking about attacking al Qaeda in Pakistan, but it is the Taliban groups across the border in Pakistan, now a major concern. They are launching attacks. They are organizing. They are getting a lot of fresh financing from Persian Gulf donors.

It is the Taliban in Pakistan that are front and center in the U.S. concerns right now -- Tony.

HARRIS: And our thanks to Barbara Starr at the Pentagon and Atia Abawi in Kabul, Afghanistan.

While President Obama weighs his next move in the Afghan War, Britain's leader today announced he is sending 500 more troops to the war zone. That would make 9,500 total.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he has been discussing war plans with President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: When I spoke to President Obama last week, we agreed that when a new government is formed, the international community, including Afghan's neighbors, must develop a contract with the new government, including this commitment to growing the Afghan army, tough action on corruption, a more inclusive political process, include reaching out to the reconcilable elements of the insurgency, and stronger Afghan control of local affairs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. We have been asking for your comments on what President Obama should do in the Afghan War. Here's what a few of you are saying. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think we need to stay in Afghanistan. I've never been in the military, but the military guys are there and McChrystal knows what he's doing.

We made this mistake in Vietnam. Twenty-eight percent of Americans who believe in being there, I believe, are the people who got men and women there.

We can't keep going in and out of countries and doing this. It ruins our reputation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, my name is Nate. I'm from Lanham, Maryland. And my comment is, we should leave Afghanistan. I feel that it's just not a good war that we should be into. We need to focus more at home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, my name is Anna. I'm from Bettendorf, Iowa.

I am in support of our troops 100 percent. I'm a military spouse myself. But I do believe that if we do not stay over there and keep our forces over there, then it's going to be over here in no time.

Our soldiers are doing their job and keeping the United States safe. And our president and our soldiers are trying to do their best, so that way we can live a better life.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HARRIS: Oh, man. What comments.

Thank you so much.

And we still want more of your comments. Just give us a call at 1-877-742-5760. Let us know what you think the U.S. should do next in Afghanistan.

You know, we've been following the Dow throughout the day because we're really close, as you can see here, to that 10,000 mark. It's significant. A lot of folks say it's psychological, but it's a barrier, so we're following it.

Gerri Willis is with us now.

And Gerri, we're getting there. We're close.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: But, boy, you know, what does it mean, really, 10,000? Right? I mean, yes, we're close, whatever.

I mean, look, the reality, Tony, is a lot of people lost a lot of money last year. We saw 401(k)s down, down dramatically, 24, 25 percent, some people more. So, hallelujah for them, right? Because they're seeing their life savings kind of come back here. They're seeing improvement, and that is good news.

The bottom line here if you're looking at this number on the Dow and you're thinking, wow, I'm going to get in, guess what? That's not the way you want to make the decision.

You want to make the decision not based on a line in the sand that the Dow is hitting or not hitting, but on some fundamental basis. Are stocks attractive to you now? Are they fairly valued?

What are you saving for? Is it a long-term horizon?

Today, it may make all the sense in the world for you to continue to buy stocks, or it may not. But I've got to tell you one thing. If you're just looking at the line in the sand and making your decision on that basis, that's not a very good way to do it.

HARRIS: Well, you always tell us you can't time the market. So, people deal with some real fundamentals here.

WILLIS: Yes. Yes. You've got to see, are stocks expensive, are they cheap?

HARRIS: Right. Yes.

WILLIS: What am I saving for? Is the goal near term? Is it a long ways away?

Those are the kind of questions you want to be asking yourself if you're trying to decide whether you want to invest in stocks or not today. And I have to tell you, I think the best news out of this, if the Dow does go over 10,000, is a lot of people out there who had a lot of losses last year are going to see some improvement in their 401(k) returns, and that is good news.

HARRIS: That's good news. That really is.

All right, so it's a big number. It's 10,000, so, you know, we'll pay attention to it. And now you understand better why.

Gerri, appreciate it. Thank you.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

HARRIS: California getting soaked, and other parts of the country aren't doing much better. Chad's in the Severe Weather Center checking out where things are headed. And he's up with us next, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Let's get to our top -- ooh, a little early. We never get there early. Our top stories now.

U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan a key issue before President Obama right now. He is holding a fifth war strategy meeting with top advisers. The Associated Press reports the top U.S. commander wants up to 80,000 more troops.

More hard work ahead in the push for health care reform. Now that the Senate Finance Committee has approved its bill, works gets under way today on merging it with another bill from the HELP Committee.

Another check of the day's top stories coming your way in 20 minutes.

She captured the hearts of the country. Jaycee Dugard was kept from her family for 18 years after her childhood kidnapping. Now we are getting a new picture of the young woman who is trying to emerge from this entire ordeal.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right. Let's look at the -- well, first of all, let's get you to CNNMoney.com. If you're looking for the latest financial news and analysis, it's the number one spot. Our money team does just an awesome job of breaking down the complexities of our financial world. CNNMoney.com.

But let's get you to the Big Board now, New York Stock Exchange.

As you can see, boy, the Dow's been trading in triple-digit territory throughout the day so far. We're coming up on three hours into the trading day. The Dow, plus 107 points. We're getting there. Maybe we'll get there today.

We've been flirting with 10,000 for a couple of weeks now. The Nasdaq is up 22 points.

We, of course, will be following these numbers throughout the day with Susan Lisovicz, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: "People" magazine has a new photo of Jaycee Dugard, the first since her 18-year-long kidnapping ordeal. Now 29, Dugard's blonde hair was brown, but she still flashes that big, beautiful smile.

Dugard says she provided pictures to lift the veil and show she's OK. Her accused kidnappers are awaiting trial.

David Caplan is a senior editor at "People" magazine, and he joins me from New York.

David, good to see you. Thanks for your time.

DAVID CAPLAN, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

HARRIS: Hey, why the photo now? Is it just a response really the intense public interest in the case, or -- and sorry for sounding a little cynical here -- perhaps part of a broader media strategy?

CAPLAN: Well, you know, Jaycee's family actually, you know, reached out to "People," and really wanted the photos out there, because they're really being hounded right now by photographers. They appreciate that there is huge national, worldwide interest in her, in the family, how they look. And they decided by doing these photos with "People," it's really sort of releasing it on their own terms, and they're able to control the flow of information and photos and so forth.

HARRIS: So, but the question still remains, do you believe from -- well, I don't know what extent you're having communications with the family, but do you believe there is more of a media outreach to come at some point here?

CAPLAN: I think, you know, I don't necessarily think it's a part of a larger strategy. We're in, you know, communication of course with the family. We spoke with members of the family for our story.

We had an excellent relationship. And they turned to "People" in particular because we do have a history of really covering missing and exploited children very sensitively. So, in terms of a broader strategy, you know, I couldn't comment for the family, but this was their time and they wanted to get the message out there on their own terms.

HARRIS: So, you mentioned a story. So, there is a "People" magazine story to come?

CAPLAN: Absolutely. It's in this issue with the photos. We spoke to Jaycee's family, for example. You know, Jaycee's stepmom says -- spoke to us about the daughters. Saying how they're really, you know, they're all getting along. Right now they're in seclusion in northern California. Right now is really a period for the family to get to know each other again. To spend time with each another.

In the "People" story we talk about how they're doing. Jaycee and her daughters are taking horseback riding. You know, that's a very common sort of type of therapy for the daughters. You know, that they're really getting to know each other. And that actually, you know, considering all things, they -- Jaycee's daughters are actually pretty well adjusted as well.

HARRIS: OK. So, is this -- is this edition on newsstands now? Is it coming soon?

CAPLAN: Yes, it hits newsstands on Friday. And it has -- you know, it's several pages with amazing photos of Jaycee. And, you know, you see the back of her daughters. It's really incredible. And the story inside is amazing.

HARRIS: OK. So, OK, now I'm getting a bit of strategy here from "People." We get the picture today, leading up to the release of the edition on Friday. But tell us about the story that goes along with this picture. My understanding is that it's not a "People" photographer per say who took this picture.

CAPLAN: You know, at "People" we -- the family contacted us to take photos, so we ran the photos. You know, "People" doesn't actually have staff photographers who do that. But, you know, the photos are "People's".

HARRIS: OK. OK. And the question, you're going to be asked, so I may as well ask it now. Did you pay any fee at all for either access to the family for the interview or for the photos?

CAPLAN: "People," like really every news outlet, of course, pays for photos. And we have in the past. But I'd rather not get into the specifics of the actual deal.

HARRIS: Well, not every news outlet. Come on, David.

CAPLAN: Most of your print news outlets, they pay for photos.

HARRIS: OK. OK. All right. But you're not going to tell us how much you paid.

CAPLAN: That's, you know, that's a deal we would really discuss openly.

HARRIS: All right, David, appreciate it. It's great to see the picture of Jaycee and can't wait to see the article that goes along with it when this edition hits the newsstands on Friday.

David Caplan.

CAPLAN: Thank you so much. There's definitely more. Log on to people.com. There will be some stuff there, too.

HARRIS: OK, David, appreciate it. Thank you.

CAPLAN: Thanks a lot.

HARRIS: Not again. AIG has more big plans for more big bonuses. That's not going over so well on Capitol Hill. We will have the latest on that, as well as a check of where the bailout efforts stand right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right. Remember all the outrage when AIG paid huge bonuses to some employees after taking billions of dollars in bailout money? Well, the insurance giant isn't finishing doling out those big checks. But the Treasury Department may step in this time. Oh, really? Stephanie Elam joining us now from New York.

Stephanie, look, the top bailout cop, Neil Barofsky, has broad powers. He can kick in the doors and subpoena the records if need be. And, in this case, he is criticizing Treasury over the this issue of AIG bonuses?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There's a lot of cooks in this pot on this one, Tony, but you're right, Neil Barofsky is the inspector general for the TARP and he says the Treasury Department missed an opportunity to reign in these bonuses last year because it didn't understand their size and scope. He's testifying today before a House committee, but Treasury may get a chance to rewrite some history. Barofsky says the department's pay czar has told AIG not to pay out all the bonus money that it still owes.

Now, check out this pie chart here with me and you can see what we're talking about. $475 million in retention payments was set aside for employees of AIG, the financial products unit in particular. $40 million will not get paid out because so many employees have left the company. So, therefore, they're no longer open to getting that money.

Now, $237 million did go out. After the controversy erupted, employees pledged to return $45 million. So far only $19 million has been paid back. That leaves $198 million that still needs to be paid.

What we don't know yet is how much the administration's pay czar wants AIG to reduce those payments. His report is due in the next few weeks. And, obviously, a lot of people are going to be listening to see what he says.

Tony.

HARRIS: Well, AIG has argued on a number of occasion that these payouts are necessary to retain employees in the financial products unit. Isn't that the unit that got AIG in a lot of trouble in the first place?

ELAM: Yes, that would be the one.

HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

ELAM: The whole bit of problems that spread out across Wall Street and then on to main street. That's true. But you know what, it's not just the top executives we're talking about here. In his report, Barofsky points out that bonuses were paid to everyone in the unit. For example, $7,700 went to a kitchen assistant and a mail room assistant got $7,000. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL BAROFSKY, SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL, TARP: This also is a problem with transparency. And I, too, was left with the impression after the hearings and all the public announcements that these payments were going to those who were necessary and involved to unwind these complex transactions. And it was one of the things that surprised me the most as I saw the audit work come in, that this was essentially to every single employee at financial products.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: Now, Barofsky also says AIG's bonus structure is so complex the company itself is having trouble figuring it out. So that's a problem. We're talking about 630 separate compensation programs. Tony, we're going to have to wait and see if Treasury's pay czar has anything to say about this when he issues his report.

HARRIS: Boy.

ELAM: But there's a lot of people who are saying, from all levels, they should not get bonuses no matter what. And other people saying, it's just the top executives who really knew what was going on who should be penalized. So we'll have to wait and see.

HARRIS: Sounds like AIG had so much money to dole out, the company was looking for anyone to give it to. I'm sure you walked through that door a couple of times. They could have given you a handful of cash. That is just -- $7,000 in -- oh, boy.

ELAM: Yes, but there's the trouble that comes along with it. And the people who got their money and then had to give it back. Well, you know, it's just a little . . .

HARRIS: Ah, good point.

ELAM: I don't want all that problem.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes, yes, no more headaches. We both have enough.

Stephanie, appreciate it. Thank you.

ELAM: Yes. Sure.

HARRIS: You know we keep hearing about the TARP and all the these other rescue programs and there are a lot of numbers flying around. Let's make it as simple as we can. How much money has been spent? Our Josh Levs is here to show us.

Good to see you, Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, we get a lot of great reportings, right, like that that we're getting from Stephanie and the whole CNN Money team. And one thing I like to check on every once in a while is what you were just talking about, how much money have we actually spent? So here's the way to do it. One-stop shop, this is great, cnn.com, the bailout tracker.

And what I've done is I've pulled out -- it goes on for a long time because it looks at these rescue programs. But I pulled up the section on TARP right here and here's our answer. So $700 billion were promised as part of TARP. $372.5 billion have been spent as part of it. This Troubled Asset Relieve Program, those originally toxic assets, became troubled assets.

But take a look at this. I think this is so cool. The CNN Money folks put this together. What they did is they looked at these rescue programs and they decided which ones have been the most bold and which ones have been the most effective. And basically they put together this chart and they rated the TARP down here as weak but working. Weak but effective.

And while you're here you can actually click on some video and they'll give you an explanation about why they're making that argument. And you can see some other things, too.

And let me point out one more thing here. AIG, we were just hearing about.

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: You can track where all the AIG money is going all through this same place, cnnmoney.com.

And, you know, Tony, you and I had some fun with this. The Urban Dictionary is now defining TARP as a verb which implies an action or activity void of accountability. I don't feel like working, so I'm going to go to the beach and TARP all responsibility.

HARRIS: That's good. That's good. You know when you put all of these different programs together, how much has been spent?

LEVS: Right, because we're talking trillions, right? It's incredible. Let's zoom back in and I'll show you what the deal is here. Let's -- what we'll do is we'll zoom all the way down to the very bottom of this entire thing and it will give you the absolute total for everything. Keep in mind, this goes back to the Bush administration. It goes back to all these different programs we've heard. $11 trillion promised. $2.8 trillion spent on various programs aimed at rescuing the economy. So that's how far we are so far in that whole thing.

HARRIS: How many zeros in a trillion?

LEVS: Oh, geez, now I'll have to go through and count them. Three, three, three, three, three. I'll tell you later.

HARRIS: All right, Josh, thank you.

LEVS: Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Nine. Nine zeros. I know if I ask, I'll get an answer. Nine zeros.

LEVS: No. No. No, that's billion.

HARRIS: Nine is a billion. Twelve.

LEVS: There you go, 12. Twelve should be trillion.

HARRIS: Jen Cook, if you're going to get into my ear and give me an answer, make it the correct one.

LEVS: Come on, Jen. Come on, Jen. Everybody tweet her and tell her.

HARRIS: Yes, exactly. All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.

LEVS: Thank you.

HARRIS: Ford is recalling another 4.5 million vehicles because of problems with the cruise control switch. The car company says the faulty switch has been known to cause fires, even when the car is off. The recall primarily affects Windstar minivans, but has also been extended to some other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models made between 1992 and 2003. This is the eighth recall of its kind by Ford involving 16 million vehicles.

The Senate Finance Committee has acted. What major roadblocks remain before final version of health reform is passed?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right, let's get you caught up on our top stories now.

President Obama holding a fifth Afghanistan strategy meeting with his war council. His top commander asking for up to 80,000 more troops, according to the Associated Press, and warning of possible failure no matter how many troops he gets.

The heath care reform legislation could get support from a second Republican. Senator Susan Collins of Maine may join her colleague, Olympia Snowe, in endorsing a health care overhaul. But Collins wants major improvements to the measure that was passed by the Finance Committee yesterday.

Health care reform clears a major hurdle, but there could be more roadblocks along the way. Work is beginning today on merging two Senate committee bills into one. CNN's Tom Foreman looks at some of the challenges ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At this moment, as you watch at home, the president and other politicians here in D.C. are also watching you, because they really don't know what you want or what you will support. And their jobs down the road depend on figuring that out. It's also safe to say they're highly sensitive to the three questions you care about most. The first we've heard in virtually every one of those town hall meetings. What about my insurance? The care I have now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm leaving.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Even though most Americans want reform, almost 80 percent told the CBS/"New York Times" pollster they are pleased with their own health care. And many fear reform could force them to change.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why would we have to change if we're completely satisfied with what we have?

FOREMAN: The president says, no, you won't be forced, but the opposition has whipped that worry into a frenzy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TELEVISION AD: For seniors, this will mean long waits for care. Cuts to MRIs, CAT scans and other vital tests. Seniors may lose their own doctors.

FOREMAN (on camera): Here's the second question. What about big government getting even bigger? Again, a very hot issue in all those town halls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This government is out of control! We are in debt up to our eyeballs and you all are doing nothing but putting more debt on us and our children. And it's got to stop!

FOREMAN: "USA Today"/Gallup found more than half the voters think big government is a bigger threat to the future than big labor unions or big business. The bailouts, the soaring deficit all driving that concern.

And finally, what if this measure passes but fails to produce the results that people expect or want? Health insurance for everyone was the president's goal, but even if the plan approved by the Senate Committee passes, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 25 million people will still be uninsured in 10 years.

And the rest of us, well, at NBC/"Wall Street Journal" poll found 70 percent of you think reform will make your care no better, might make it even worse. Fair or not, these are real challenges that you have raised for supporters of this measure.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: You know, the only Republican to vote for a health reform bill is calling for more bipartisan compromise. Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine joined Democrats in passing the Senate Finance Committee bill. On CNN's "American Morning," she talked about the need to work through the differences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE, (R) MAINE: I think the Democratic leadership and the president has to begin to build those bridges and see what can happen among Democratic centrists. I'll be working to collaborate on different issues and providing significant improvements to the bill, along with Republicans, and seeing what we can do to make this better. Because that's what it's all about. It's understanding these differences.

But you're right to underscore the real challenge here, there's so many different facets to it, that it's easy to attack one facet, and yet it's all integrated and interrelated. I think we can work that out, but we just have to give this a reasonable period of time to do it.

And that's why I think Chairman Baucus in the Senate Finance Committee was right in undertaking this process of convening this group of six, of three Democrats and three Republicans, more than four months ago. We were involved in very intensive discussions on these issues. And I think it's reflective of how much time this issue takes and we should give it the time that it deserves to get it right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Snowe says failure by the government to take action will only worsen the health care problems facing the country.

Health officials say the H1N1 flu has pretty much spread across the country and is affecting people who are usually not at risk. Our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, is here.

And, Elizabeth, if you would, tell us more about this report.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Tony, when we usually think of the flu getting people really sick, sick enough that they go to the hospital or even die, we usually think of elderly people, right?

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

COHEN: Well, H1N1 is a little bit different. The Centers for Disease Control has announced some new numbers of a study they did looking at folks who either ended up in the hospital or ended up dying because of H1N1 flu. So let's take a look at these numbers.

When they looked at hospitalizations due to H1N1, 45 percent of the adults had no underlying conditions. In other words, they weren't elderly and ill. They didn't have any underlying conditions, such as asthma or heart disease, et cetera.

Also, when you look at deaths, 30 percent of the adults who died from H1N1 also had no underlying conditions. And this strikes a lot of people as a little bit strange.

HARRIS: Yes.

COHEN: And, obviously, well, it's tragic when anyone dies or ends up in the hospital, but sort of unexpected.

HARRIS: So why is this happening?

COHEN: You know what, it's very interesting why this is happening. The reason -- well, there are lots of theories. But one big theory as to why this is happening is that H1N1 seems to have a propensity for causing viral pneumonia. Now, young, healthy people can fight off a lot of things, but viral pneumonia is very, very difficult to fight off, even if you are young and healthy. So that seems to be one of the reasons.

HARRIS: Some of the folks who are getting very sick and dying from the swine flu, how old are they? Is there a range here?

COHEN: We are told -- we don't have exact numbers, but we're told that the vast majority of people who are getting -- who are getting very sick from H1N1 or dying are young. They are not elderly. They're young. So I don't know what young means exactly, but probably under the age of 65.

This is a situation, Tony, where being older is actually helpful. If you're around the age of 60 or older, you were around when a similar strain of this virus was circulating. So your body has a resistance to it. But if you're younger, you probably haven't seen this before.

HARRIS: Got one more for you. Who should -- remind us again of who should get this vaccine to protect against H1N1.

COHEN: Right. The vaccine is out. It may not be easy to find, but it is out. So anyone can get the H1N1 vaccine, but there are certain people who are being told, you're high priority. Pregnant women. Anyone six months to 24 years old is considered high priority for the vaccine. Caretakers of babies under the age of six months, because those babies can't get the vaccine. Health care workers and anyone age 25 to 64 who has a health problem, such as asthma.

HARRIS: Terrific. Elizabeth, as always, good to see you. Thank you.

COHEN: Thank you.

HARRIS: Some Latinos are calling for a boycott of the U.S. census. Why are they upset? And what are they hoping to accomplish?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Oh, let's go, let's go, let's go! The entire Obama family moving last night to the Latin beat. President and Mrs. Obama dancing with daughters, Sasha and Malia -- I need to see those pics again -- at a White House event celebrating Hispanic music and culture.

Come on, turn up the music, please. Is that Jennifer Lopez? Mark Anthony? Was that Jennifer Lopez? The first family was joined by celebrities, including Eva Longoria-Parker, Gloria Estefan, and yes, Jennifer Lopez. The concert will air on PBS and Telemundo. President Obama praised the diversity and soul of Latin music.

When it is comes to the 2010 census, some Latinos may be saying count me out. CNN's Brian Todd explains the reasons behind the calls for a boycott.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Miguel Rivera holds an impromptu rally on Capitol Hill for a campaign he never thought he'd take on. Rivera is an Evangelical minister from Bergen County, New Jersey. He leads the National Coalition a Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders and he's leading an effort to get undocumented Latinos in the United States to boycott the census next year. It's a protest, he says, against the Obama administration and Congress for not passing a bill to improve the immigration status of undocumenteds.

TODD (on camera): What have they not done that you believe merits this kind of action?

REV. MIGUEL RIVERA, NTL. COALITION OF LATINO CLERGY & CHRISTIAN LEADERS: They basically have done nothing. The truth is that, as of to now -- as of right now, I'm sorry, basically we're not seeing that this is a true priority, nor for the White House or for this Congress.

TODD (voice-over): Contacted by CNN, a White House spokesman flatly refuted the claim, saying President Obama has tasked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to work with Congress on reform. And, "the president has consistently said we would begin work on comprehensive immigration reform this year, and that's what we're doing."

But Rivera's group believes the census boycott in the only bargaining chip undocumented immigrants have to improve their conditions.

TODD (on camera): One of Reverend Rivera's biggest complaints is that counting more undocumented immigrants doesn't necessarily give them more power in Congress. They may have more numbers in a given congressional district, but because those people can't vote, they don't really get the representation from their congressman that they should. He calls those ghost districts.

TODD (voice-over): But several Latinos groups are against Rivera's stand. They say it's ludicrous to believe that not getting counted will actually improve access to resources. Gabe Gonzalez, of the Center for Community Change, also says there's a bigger picture.

GABE GONZALEZ, CENTER FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE: But what I do think is fundamentally important is that people participate in every aspect of American society that's open to them. The census, as I said, is part of that participation.

TODD: Gonzalez's group and many other Latino organizations argue that not participating in the census will only place undocumented immigrants further in the shadows. Most of them, he says, want to be citizens, want to be part of the fabric of American life and a census boycott isn't the way to go about it.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: We are a week away from "LATINO IN AMERICA." CNN's bringing you a comprehensive look at how Latinos are changing America. "LATINO IN AMERICA," next Wednesday and Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. It will also be simulcast in Spanish on CNN en Espanol.

You know, we've gotten tons of responses to our blog question about whether Rush Limbaugh's past comments should be a factor in his bid for the St. Louis Rams. Here's a bit of your feedback from BHJ, "I believe it's a free country, so Rush should be able to pursue whatever he wants. The players should be able to refuse to play for him, and the NFL should be able to consider Rush's history and it's impact on the NFL brand." From Kathy, "I, for one, will not watch any game involving the Rams if this blow-hard, racist, hate-mongering propagandist has anything to do with them." All right, Kathy, don't hold back.

And from Ken, "Rush can buy what he wants. But there is no denying that he is a bigot. If he buys the Rams, they will lose money when the fans refuse to go to the games."

As always, send us your thoughts, cnn.com/tony.

Dow 10,000 anyone? We're watching Wall Street.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Want to get you to Susan Lisovicz now at the New York Stock Exchange.

And, Susan, where have you been? I've wanted to talk to you about this Dow 10,000 and you've been . . .

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I have been calling the control room and harassing them!

HARRIS: I want you on television to talk about this milestone and what it really means.

LISOVICZ: Well, what it really means, Tony, is that a reflection of the fact that things are not as bad as they once were. And in a number of instances, getting better. What's getting better, for instance? We have heard from two big corporate giants. One is a tech company, Intel.

HARRIS: Intel, yes.

LISOVICZ: A chip giant. Everything uses chips these days. Did very nicely on sales, on profit, on its outlook. And then we heard from a huge bank, JP Morgan Chase. JP Morgan Chase made a whole lot of money in the last quarter, so it is a relief. Another sign that things are getting better. And that is why the market has been on a tear since March. And, frankly, that's why we're about 17 points away from Dow 10,000.

The NYSE started handing out these hats. You see it? In the last hour, Tony. It's Dow 10,000, 2.0. The 2.0 is because we've been there before.

HARRIS: There you go.

LISOVICZ: The last time was a year ago this month and the first time was 10 years ago.

HARRIS: Terrific. Susan, appreciate it. Yes, yes, Susan Lisovicz, all right, from the New York Stock Exchange.

We are pushing forward right now with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM