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Jobless Benefits Blocked; Handgun Ban: Is It Constitutional?; Chile: Three Days After Quake

Aired March 02, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you. Today is the 2nd of March, and here are the faces of the stories driving today's headlines.

First, we're talking about Linda Calvin out of jobless benefits and squeezed by her own senator. Talking about Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning balking at emergency spending.

And Otis McDonald's lawyers in front of the Supreme Court right now asking the justices to strike down local gun bans.

And African-American Methodists together to solve problems for the black community. It's a special focus on young men we'll have for you this hour.

Good Tuesday morning, everyone.

I'm Brooke Baldwin, in for Tony Harris. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA CALVIN, UNEMPLOYED HUMAN SERVICES WORKER: I may end up homeless. I may -- I don't know what the future holds for me right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Unemployed for almost a year. Sound familiar? Well, this woman's jobless benefits have completely run out. A bill to extend these benefits totally blocked by one single senator, Republican Jim Bunning of Kentucky.

Now a Democratic congressman from the same state says now is not the time to cut off benefits for so many people who are out of work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN YARMUTH (D), KENTUCKY: We know we've got -- we face long-term deficit situations, but we also know that there's a balance to be struck. And when you have people hurting, somebody is going to have to help them feed their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Just moments ago, Senator Bunning actually took to the Senate floor to, once again, defend his position. And that led to a heated back and forth.

Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash watching this whole thing for us, joining us from Capitol Hill with these details.

And Dana, my first question, which perhaps is just the obvious, not covering Capitol Hill, why can't Democrats just work around this guy? Why is it so important to have this unanimous voice vote?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They can. They can work around him.

It would take a couple of days and several votes to do it, but they absolutely have the tools in their procedural chest to do that. But they don't want to on the Democratic side. And it's primarily because they think that they have a good political issue here.

These are popular benefits that Senator Bunning is blocking, but Bunning is saying -- and he said it again this morning, as he has for the past several days -- that it's not that he doesn't want these benefits to be extended to people who don't have jobs, it's that he wants them to be paid for. So we caught up with the senator once again this morning to ask the question that some Democrats are asking, which is why now, why this issue, when in the past he hasn't demanded that other issues be paid for?

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: I have really just a couple of easy questions for you to answer.

SEN. JIM BUNNING (R), KENTUCKY: I bet you do.

BASH: No, sir. Just specifically on the fact that I understand your point. I understand your point that you're making about the need to pay for these benefits. But what Democrats are asking, and I think it's a fair question, is why now? Why not before?

BUNNING: Oh, it has been.

BASH: Why haven't you called -- what has changed? What has changed? Why are you now calling for things to be paid for?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, you see there, Brooke, not a lot of interest in answering a question there. But, as we said, Senator Bunning did go to the Senate floor to once again object to Democrats trying to get unanimous consent, or basically unanimity among senators to vote to extend these benefits. And he tried to answer the question, why now?

Listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUNNING: And the question I've been asked mostly is, why now? Well, why not now? What better time for it than to stand up when the majority leader has the ability to do exactly on this bill what he has done on 25 bills in the last five months?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So, Senator Bunning is saying, look, it's simple, everybody. We can pass this package of benefits, we just want to pay for it.

And Democrats are saying on the Senate floor and sources are telling us that they don't think that it is necessary to pay for this because they deem this emergency spending. That's on the policy side. And politically, at least for now, as we speak, Democrats think that they have a political winner in this argument with this issue and these benefits frozen because of the standoff on the Senate floor -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: So, Dana, as this may be, as you've said, a political plus for Democrats, I can't let you go without asking about Republicans. And it was significant in the back and forth because we first heard from the very first Republican voice in opposition of this.

BASH: That's right. Look, it's no secret that Jim Bunning has a pretty awful relationship with his fellow Republicans, especially his Republican leader, fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell, who essentially pushed Senator Bunning to not seek re-election and retire. That's a subplot here.

But it was very interesting, I agree, that Mitch McConnell actually went to the Senate floor during this whole thing, and he didn't -- it was like he was in the middle of -- in a parallel universe. He started speaking about health care. He ignored all of this going on.

It was only one Republican moderate of Maine, Susan Collins, who came to the Senate floor and actually said, I don't agree with Jim Bunning and many of those Republican colleagues don't agree. And she tried to have another process or procedure to work around Senator Bunning. The Democrats objected to that too.

But it sounds like there is some boiling of frustration among Bunning's fellow Republicans, who are -- do have to face voters in the near future and are concerned that this is politically bad for Republicans. So I wouldn't be surprised if something changes with regard to Republican silence broadly as the day goes on.

BALDWIN: Well, Dana, we're sorry we're seeing doors slammed in your face, but that's part of being a reporter. And we thank you for trying to get some answers for us.

Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash for us on Capitol Hill.

By the way, we are all over this story and, of course, its impact. We will have much more from Linda Calvin, the unemployed worker who's totally out of benefits now. She says it's a desperate time and D.C. doesn't get it.

More on her story later this hour.

Meantime, we also want to hear from you. Call, leave me a message.

Have you been affected by the block on all these unemployment benefits? Here's the number: 1-877-742-5760. All you have to do, leave your first name, and don't forget where you're calling from. Leave your comment in 30 seconds or less. And, as always, you can jump on our blog. That is CNN.com/newsroom.

We'll read those to you live.

Rising debt -- the U.S. Postal Service could soon make Saturday delivery just a memory. The USPS is expected to make that announcement at some point today.

Also likely, more branch closings and expanded use of those self- service kiosks. The agency posted a $3.8 billion loss last year, with mail volume down just about 13 percent.

And bad weather grounding planes across the South. Airlines canceling flights left and right simply as a precaution against this building snowstorm.

Take a look at the radar. You can see some of it coming down -- one to two, two to four inches. AirTran canceling 58 Atlanta flights. Delta is offering to reschedule flights threatened by the weather with no change fee.

For the third time in a week, Toyota executives are explaining their safety recall to Congress. Three different executives are answering some questions from the Senate Commerce Committee right now. Toyota has asked President Clinton's transportation secretary, Rodney Slater, to lead a "quality control review."

And let's take a look at some live pictures coming into us from the United States Supreme Court. Here's what's going on there today. The justices are weighing in on one of their biggest cases of the year. It has to do with Chicago and its controversial ban on handguns. The question they're addressing here is, does it violate the Second Amendment?

Here is CNN's Kate Bolduan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the most important gun rights cases in our nation's history, and it's putting the spotlight squarely on Chicago. (voice-over): In one of Chicago's roughest South Side neighborhoods, a rare safe haven for some of the city's most at-risk youth.

DIANE LATIKER, FOUNDER, KIDS OFF THE BLOCK: They walk looking backwards. If you would stay here two days, you'd realize our young people walk looking backwards every time, because of drive-bys.

BOLDUAN: When Diane Latiker opened up her own home to start the nonprofit Kids Off the Block seven years ago, she was fighting to stem the tide of gang activity in her neighborhood.

Now, Latiker says, she's just fighting to keep the kids alive, up against some of the worst gun violence the city has ever seen.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

BOLDUAN: And it has grabbed headlines. According to city statistics, Chicago has the highest rate of youth homicide in the country: 36 killings in the last school year alone -- 36 reasons Latiker supports Chicago's handgun ban.

(on camera): So, why have the ban in place if people are going to get them anyway?

LATIKER: Because I would rather something be in place than nothing be in place.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): That ban is now being challenged in a case that has made its way to the Supreme Court, a case brought by another Chicago community activist, 76-year old, Otis McDonald.

OTIS MCDONALD, CHICAGO ACTIVIST: We wouldn't want to go down to the right here.

BOLDUAN (on camera): Why is that?

MCDONALD: Because that's a hot area, where drug dealing and stuff goes on.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): McDonald says, like Latiker, he too fears for the safety of the community, but argues it's his constitutional right to protect himself and his family from the violence. He wants the handgun ban lifted.

MCDONALD: That's all I want. It's just a fighting chance. Give me the opportunity to at least make somebody think about something before they come in my house on me.

BOLDUAN (on camera): The supreme court almost two years ago struck down a similar ban in Washington, but because D.C. is a federal district, the court left largely unanswered how gun laws apply to states and cities.

When it comes down to it, why take on this ban? MCDONALD: We are in a war. Simply that. The innocent law- abiding citizens against the drug dealers and gang bangers, that's what it is. That's what it boils down to.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): But Diane Latiker fears making handguns legal again will only mean more guns on the streets and more names she will have to add to this memorial.

(on camera): How many are in there now?

LATIKER: Two hundred and one.

BOLDUAN: You said you were five short?

LATIKER: Yes, we are always behind. We are always behind.

BOLDUAN (on camera): The court's ruling has the potential of overturning decades of gun control laws across the country and may finally answer the question, where does the power of the Second Amendment lie, with the individual or the government?

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Survivors fending for themselves and one another three days after that 8.8 magnitude earthquake and then (ph) tsunami rocked Chile more from down there.

Also, a Southern snowstorm. Rob Marciano tracking this weather. He'll have that for us in just a moment.

But first, the latest on the Dow. It's up 37 points this Tuesday morning, sitting at 10,442.

We are just getting started here, CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: So here's the situation in Chile right now. It's really becoming a tale of two Chiles following Saturday's earthquake magnitude 8.8

Life is starting to return to normal both in Santiago and the northern areas, but central and southern regions continue to struggle with lack of food, lack of water, amid widespread looting. More than 700 people died in that massive quake and tsunami that soon after followed. Chile's president said all emergency measurements should be in place by today.

And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, she is in the earthquake zone today. She was rocked by one of the several aftershocks that is still shaking that nation.

And our Karl Penhaul takes us through one of the hardest hit cities. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the main streets in the coastal town of Talcahuano. And I want to show you what happened here.

It wasn't just the earthquake that caused a problem, although that did, the inhabitants say, damage some of the houses. But it was hit by a tsunami, two tsunami waves, the inhabitants say, and that has brought thick sludge down into the streets, inches of the stuff.

But now take a look at this. This is a sardine boat. The fishermen say that this weighs at least 25 to 30 tons, and it was just blown ashore, probably 600 meters from the sea, on a tsunami wave of about two meters, they say.

It would have been pitch black, and the people that I've talked to say the first they heard of this wave was just a clattering of the ship bashing against the houses, shipping containers washed ashore as well. They said it was completely terrifying.

Now, the way that the fishermen and other inhabitants describe just the sound of those tsunami waves was terrifying enough, but even more frightening, if you think what could have happened.

Now, as soon as that earthquake struck, the inhabitants say that they ran out of their homes, but after that they say members of the navy and possibly also firefighters, they say, went around with megaphones telling them to go back inside their homes. There was no danger of a tsunami wave coming.

Now, the inhabitants here say that it's because they followed their instincts and listened to the experience of their fathers and their forefathers that they survived. They say that if they had listened to the authorities and returned to their homes, hundreds would now be dead.

This is the hilltop where the people ran to after the earthquake and before the first tsunami wave rolled in. Now they're setting up tents. They have organized themselves into work groups.

The men go out and find food. The women organize themselves to cook it.

Come with me now. I want to show you inside here.

This is a fish canning warehouse. And what the people are doing, they're so hungry that they have come to get tins of this, whole tins here. This is mackerel. And as you can see, there are hundreds of people here, all, they say, coming to take this food.

Now, talking to some they say, well, we had permission from the warehouse owner. And then others say, "This is not looting, how can you say this is looting? We need the food. We're hungry."

Exactly. Exactly. And has the government been here to bring you aid?

Again, the same situation talking to many of them. They say they have seen neither hide nor hair of the government to bring them any form of aid, and so this is why they say that they're obliged to come and find food, to ransack food in this fashion.

(voice-over): Karl Penhaul, CNN, Talcahuano, Chile.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: So if you're sitting there and you're looking at these people and you're hearing these stories and thinking, how can I help? Well, you can.

We're here to help you help. All you have to do is go to CNN.com/impact, and there you'll see this huge list of both international aid agencies really working in those disaster zones. Plus, we have details on how you can text in your donations. Very easy.

Fast cash that will cost you. Why you should avoid payday loans. Top tips in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Nineteen million Americans resorted to what are called these payday loans back in 2009. Quick cash, costly mistake.

CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow is here with today's "Top Tips" -- Poppy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Well, here's what's happening. The Better Business Bureau right now is warning people about using online payday lenders. And just some background here so you know what a payday lender is.

It's essentially a loan that is short term. It's supposed to cover your expenses until you get your next paycheck, but you pay really handsomely.

The interest on these loans can be more than 500 percent in some cases. Just extraordinary amount of interest there.

And what the Better Business Bureau is seeing is that complaints are flooding in from people who signed up for a payday loan on Web sites like oneclickcash.com or 500fastcash.com or ameriloan.com. And what's been happening is that people sign up for the loans, they get the cash in their bank accounts, but the payments keep getting deducted from their bank accounts. And going just toward the finance charges for those loans, not towards the principal of the loan, so you rack up all of these charges. And one extreme example is a woman who made over $1,700 in payments on a loan that was just $225. Now, using a payday lender, either online or offline, folks, listen up. This should be the last thing you consider if you're hurting for cash.

I want to tell you some options you can try first. Talk to your bank about a short-term loan. See what they can do for you.

Think about maybe breaking a CD and paying a small penalty to get the cash from that savings. And also, work with a credit counselor. They can sometimes help you find an affordable loan.

And, of course, be on the lookout for red flags if you're dealing with one of these lenders. Here are some things to look out for.

If the lender is not forthcoming about their location or contact information, steer clear of them. Also, if you're not asked for any information except for your name and your bank account number, stay away. And if they don't answer questions in a straightforward way about any fees related to this, then, again, steer clear.

All of these things you need to keep an eye on so you don't get ripped off.

And we want to hear your experiences. Let us know what experience you've had with an online payday lender. You can tell us at Twitter.com/CNNMoney.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Top stories now.

Outrage, anger directed at one man -- Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky. Here he is. He's blocking an extension of jobless and health care benefits for the unemployed. Bunning says Congress should first pay for the $10 billion package.

And we're talking about this and we want to hear from you. Here's the question: Have you been affected by this block on unemployment benefits? Can you relate?

Just call us, 1-877-742-5760. And you can always just write in, write your comments on our blog. You can find that at CNN.com/newsroom.

And in Dallas, take a look at some of these pictures we've gotten in. Amazing smoke here.

This is an early morning fire destroying several restaurants and other businesses in a pretty popular neighborhood. We're told it started before dawn. Investigators trying to determine what happened, the cause.

Basketball tonight, hockey tomorrow in the same arena. Who makes that happen? The nightshift, of course -- in focus. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

BALDWIN: The Thrashers and the Hawks, two home teams, two totally different sports. But, you see, there's just one Philips Arena where they play.

Ever wonder how they do that, they go from the hardwood to the hard ice? Not magic, hard work.

Eddie Cortes shows us the people who makes sure home court is big enough for two in our "Nightshift in Focus" series.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: A final score for tonight's game, the Tampa Bay Lightning 2, your Atlanta Thrashers, 1.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The games end at 9:30 at night. We're starting at 10:00. We've changed this building over every night from hockey to basketball, basketball to hockey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we call the third shift, the nightshift. When everybody else is asleep, this is when this building can change from one thing to the next. It's extremely physical and very hard work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it is. It is hard work. Sometimes you get those two days off, you really enjoy those.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of people don't like working at night. Then again, I know people who wake up at 4:00 in the morning to go to work, and I don't think I could do that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 12:00 now, and we've got hockey deconstructed. The ice is covered. The basketball court is still coming out. I have 15 cartloads.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You put the pins in the floor pieces and putting the floor together like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 1:15 in the morning. We're about seven carts into our basketball laydown.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get used to it. You stay busy so the night goes -- the time goes kind of quick.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have a morning skate at 10:00. I have to have the ice ready for that. And the same thing for basketball -- 10:00 in the morning is usually the first shoot-around unless there's a matinee game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, by 4:00 or 5:00 we usually get through.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The basketball floor is down. Now we're heading into the final finishing touches.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have certain bleachers over here that has to come out. You just have to train your body to be up at night if you're not a night person.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is what it is. In the middle of the night, this is like somebody has to do it. I'll take it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: If you'd like to hear more about the people, maybe you, maybe you're about to go to bed right now, those who work all night long to bring us some of the things we take for granted, tune into the CNN special. We're calling it "Nightshift in Focus." You can watch it Saturday, March 13th, 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

One thousand dollars, $2,000, oh, maybe $3,000 in rebates -- President Obama's brand new plan to stimulate job growth and perhaps spruce up your home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Air Force One about to touch down in Savannah, Georgia, where the president will be promoting this new program, a rebate program called Home Star. Essentially, it's designed to save you a little bit money, make your home a little more energy efficient and create jobs all at once.

CNN senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joins me from Savannah.

Ed, I'm guessing you are somewhere inside the Savannah Technical College. Walk me through where you are and what he will be talking about.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is actually kind of an interesting behind-the-scenes story about that. It's in sort of a machine shop here at Savannah Technical College. The president's speech is going to be a five, six-minute walk away from here.

And originally, the White House press was going to set up and do live shots like this from the library right near where the president is going to speak in the college, but White House staff we're told last night as they were putting all this together decided that a better backdrop for them would be something like this machine shop. They thought the library, we're told, was not the best backdrop. It gives you an idea of how they're trying to manage the message, make sure that everything that people hear about this, about the president reaching out at a college like this, kind of promoting jobs, the economy.

And I think the other thing to note is the fact that while the president will be making this push for energy efficient homes that he thinks will create jobs by retrofitting these homes for energy efficiency while also improving the environment, I'm told by White House aides it's also likely the president will hit Senator Jim Bunning for the story you've been talking about and we have been talking about for a couple of days about this filibuster to block an unemployment benefits extension for people who are out of work.

The president's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, a few moments ago back at the White House once again hitting Senator Bunning. My colleague Suzanne Malveaux was there and said basically Robert Gibbs was saying while they could debate this out on principle and whether or not the Congress should be paying for these benefits in the long run, that this is an emergency situation right now and this money needs to get out to these people who desperately need it.

What's interesting is it's sort of served up for the White House to keep hitting Senator Bunning on this. They have been doing it a few days now, but this will be the first chance for the president himself to sort of weigh in and it shows how they realize they have got to get back on this jobs issue and this Bunning situation is a great opportunity for them politically to do just that, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I know unemployment rate in Savannah at least a little better than nationwide. I think it's something like 8.4 percent. A lot of people will be listening when it comes to jobs and also when it comes, I guess, to that Home Star rebate program. We'll be listening to both of those comments, we'll bring it to you live.

Ed, we'll talk to you next hour. Thank you.

And just a reminder, you can see President Obama's reminders on the jobs, the rebates and the economy and perhaps even Senator Bunning, 12:30 Eastern time live from Savannah right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Black children totally left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN, PRESIDENT, CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND: And then you've got over 80 percent of black children in fourth and eighth and 12th grade who cannot read or compute at grade level. And if you cannot read or compute in this globalizing economy, you are being sentenced to socioeconomic death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Three major African-American churches coming together to save their youth.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Top stories here.

Chile's president warns looting and lawlessness will not be tolerated. Unrest has just totally broken out in areas hardest hit by Saturday's massive earthquake. Thousands of people still without food, water, basic necessities. The president promises everyone will receive aid today. And we're also watching the weather radar. Take a look with me. A storm, you can see it, moving into the southeast that can bring several inches of snow. There's Centennial Olympic Park, a little bit of windshield action clearing out that camera. Already dozens of flights have been cancelled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, NBC'S "THE TONIGHT SHOW": I'm Jay Leno, your host, at least for a while. I've got to admit I'm a little bit nervous. Not because it's my first night back, because I know Dave and Oprah are watching.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Jay Leno back behind the desk of "The Tonight Show." A new desk, in fact, but same old Jay. Once the ratings are in, we'll let you know whether leno's viewers followed him home.

A summit to save the black community. Leaders from the largest African-American Methodist churches are meeting right now for the first time in 45 years. This is one of our "Faces of the Story" where we're focusing on problems facing specifically young black men.

I want to get the conversation going here with CNN's Don Lemon, he's at that gathering in Columbia, South Carolina.

Don, what issues are we talking about here? What are they focusing on?

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're talking about a whole lot of issues. But before we get to that, when you mentioned talking about the members of the Methodist church, the three largest black Methodist churches or denominations, we're talking about five million members combined. It's a lot of people and they have got a lot of power here. Over the course of the next couple days, the next two or three days we'll see about 5,000 people show up here in Columbia, South Carolina.

We're live as you can hear some of the people applauding and some of the speakers on the stage. We're at the Coliseum, the Coliseum in Columbia, South Carolina.

Here's the thing, we're talking about the issues. The reason they're doing this is because despite what's going on in Washington, despite what you hear from the Urban League, despite what you hear from all those organizations, they believe that the churches in this country are going to help the problems with youth.

Here's the issue they're seeing -- only 41 percent of African- American males end up graduating high school. That's according to the Great Gathering here and that's what they're calling this, the Great Gathering. They said African-American youth are arrested twice as often as white youth. And the homicide is the leading cause of death among young African-American men.

Now, they tried to get to some of the bishops for these churches and for these denominations, wanted to get some people who could relate to the people who are coming here and who could relate to young people. So who do they reach out to? Marian Wright Edelman, who is the head of the Children's Defense Fund, also Dr. Cornell West, who is a leading instructor and a leading speaker on race in this country.

Marian Wright Edelman compared the problems that young African- Americans are facing to apartheid and she also says this is the biggest crisis facing African-Americans since slavery. Listen to her to see why she came here yesterday to speak to this crowd.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WRIGHT: We know how to do this right and to support families. We've got to create the political will and the spiritual will to make it all happen, and then we've got to reweave the fabric of family and community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So listen, Brooke, right now they're breaking off, they're going to go into meetings to talk about the economy, health care, education. Then there's going to be a prayer walk a little bit later on today where they pray for the young people and pray that all these initiatives that they're trying to put in place and these meetings that they work out. And then, of course, a big gospel concert tonight with Hezekiah Walker and then tomorrow, there's something special that I'll tell you about, if you're interested, Brooke, I'm not sure.

BALDWIN: You have me sitting here with baited breath, Don Lemon, I can't imagine what that might be. Go ahead, take it.

LEMON: Well, they invited the president of the United States to give the closing remarks and he's going to do it in some way. Will he come? Will he do it by videotape? You'll have to stick around.

BALDWIN: We'll have to wait and see.

But you mentioned, I want to go back to that statistic, you said 41 percent of young black men graduate high school. Which would make me think, OK, that would make sense if perhaps educators are leading the charge here and speaking at this conference. Why specifically churches? Why are these three major churches walking through this, taking a stand?

LEMON: You know, I kind of answered that a little bit in the beginning because when I talked to the people here, they say regardless of what's going on in Washington, the president and the administration can help. Regardless of what's going on when you hear about the Urban League and NAACP, they feel that they need the cornerstone, what they think the cornerstone of the African-American community is or at least used to be and that's the church.

Listen to what Cornell West had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DR. CORNELL WEST, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: We want three things. We want spiritual inspiration, we want analytical insight and we want a sense of coming together, organizing and mobilizing. You have to have all three. You have to have some sense of what sustains us, that's why it's church-based.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Brooke, at the end of this they get together and talk about what they tried to establish in these different groups, in these different workshops and they see if they're going to work and present a plan, and then from there they try to execute it.

So, again, a big plan coming out of here. Their message to help young African-Americans, especially young men.

BALDWIN: All right, Don Lemon, I guess we'll have to wait and see if they get a message from the president. Kind of busy in Savannah today. Maybe can make a little time.

Don, thank you.

Out of work and out of benefits. A woman losing her unemployment has one very strong message for the senator blocking her payments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: So we've been talking this morning about this Kentucky senator who is single-handedly blocking this extension of jobless benefits. He's explaining his position yet again this morning.

Senator Jim Bunning took to the floor of the Senate last hour and he says he doesn't oppose extending unemployment benefits, he just doesn't want to add to the nation's rising deficit and he defended his tactics. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JIM BUNNING (R), KENTUCKY: It's not a filibuster when you object, and that ought to be brought out clearly. A filibuster is when you stand on this floor and you talk and talk and talk. I have not done that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So who's really listening to this? That's you, the folks who are out of work, out of jobs right now who are relying on these unemployment benefits to keep you going. You're taking aim at Senator Bunning.

One woman in particular, this is Linda Calvin. She is one of our "Faces of the Story" today. Unemployed, out of benefits, she shared her story today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Do you think Washington gets it?

LINDA CALVIN, UNEMPLOYED HUMAN SERVICES WORKER: No. Washington doesn't get it because they are not unemployed. They're not affected by the unemployment rate. They're not affected by the people who can't pay their rent. They're not affected by the people who can't buy groceries for their children. They're not affected by any of these things.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I understand that you were actually forced to move in with your daughter for a bit. Just recently, as you said, you got back your own place and you were trying to help take care of your niece as well.

So, what are you going to do now if, in fact, this isn't passed and that there are no benefits and the check stops coming?

CALVIN: Actually, I probably have to apply for welfare and food stamps and medical card, and maybe that will pay for food, but it won't pay for our living arrangements. I need a job or I need my extended benefits desperately.

ACOSTA: And, Linda, what are the prospects like out there?

CALVIN: Well, let's see, I've been unemployed since May of 2009 and I have sent out hundreds of applications and resumes, and I have not even had a call back. The economy is bad, businesses are closing, there are no new jobs coming to Kentucky for people to even apply to.

ACOSTA: And what would you --

CALVIN: It makes it difficult.

ACOSTA: And what would you say to Senator Bunning, if you could?

CALVIN: Senator Bunning -- I would say to him, bring some businesses here. Do something to bring business here. You're trying to save money, but fine, bring businesses here. Put the people to work, the economy will improve. When people have money, they pay bills, they work, they shop. They encourage the economy, they uplift the economy. If you're cutting off people's pay, the economy is going to go down and it's not going to be a pretty picture.

CHETRY: I know, and it's interesting, I'd like to get your thoughts on this one as well. Republican Senator Jon Kyl made the case yesterday as all of this was being debated in the walls of Congress, that actually continuing to give unemployment benefits dissuades people and is a disincentive for people to try to get out there and get back into the job market.

What do you think?

CALVIN: That's ridiculous. People don't want to live on free money. You can't have a future. You can't make goals. You're stuck when you are dependent on one particular income and there's no way out. ACOSTA: And do you understand at least one of Senator Bunning's points, that if we're going to pass programs to keep people on unemployment insurance and to provide other programs, that these programs should be paid for? And his complaint was is that they weren't being paid for. Do you understand that point at all?

CALVIN: It's kind of hard to grasp, but I understand that unpaid bills are unpaid bills. But we're talking about people's lives, we're talking about children that are going to go hungry. We're talking about -- where's the money going to come from to take care of these people? Is Jim going to come out of his pocket to pay it? No.

And, you know, President Obama, we're in America. You know, we need to take care of our people. I'm not the only one unemployed. And the reason I'm sitting here now is because this state is in a big unemployment and it's growing and growing. Businesses are not coming in. People are not finding work. People that have had jobs are taking menial jobs --

CHETRY: Right.

CALVIN: -- because they just can't find anything, and it's a desperate time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: We want to let you know, we are not going far from that story.

Here's what we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

Speaking of all of this, hundreds of thousands of Americans are now learning their jobless benefits could suddenly be cut. So coming up, I'll be talking with a father of three who says his cash is running out. He'll be joining me here in Atlanta to talk about that.

Also, we head live to Savannah, Georgia. President Obama will be talking about jobs as well, possibly making his first comments about Senator Bunning. But he'll also be talking about the new program he outlined in the State of the Union speech, talking about creating -- creating jobs, maybe saving some money, energy-efficient appliances. We'll carry his remarks live on CNN. That will be at 12:30 Eastern time.

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BALDWIN: You know, the slogan neither snow nor rain will stop the Post Office from delivering mail, but the economy might just do that. Alison Kosik is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with the details.

And, Alison, I know they are talking about, what, just cutting Saturday service altogether.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brooke. But keep in mind, this is only a proposal right now. Congress has to approve that plan, but also keep in mind that the U.S. Postal Service is putting this in writing today, proposing that mail delivery go to only five days a week. So most likely that Saturday service is going to go away.

They're also proposing making other cuts, including cutting local branches and expanding those self-service kiosks where you can go and mail your own letters and buy your own stamps, which are convenient.

All of this happening, of course, because the U.S. Postal Service is an independent government agency. It doesn't get any money from the government. It does not get your taxpayer dollars and that is why we are seeing the U.S. Postal Service in the red.

As for the stocks not in the red today, the Dow Industrials in the green, up 41 points. The Nasdaq up about 14. We got some sales numbers from General Motors. We found out that sales from February rose 12 percent. We're rallying on that news.

Brooke, back to you.

BALDWIN: Alison Kosik, thank you. You can always get more on this story, the cutbacks, all you have to do is go to CNNMoney.com.

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