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Protesting Higher Education Costs; Deciding Health Care Reform; Obama as the Joker; Students Protest Education Rate Hikes

Aired March 04, 2010 - 09:57   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Fed up with the Taliban, local militias are joining forces with the Pakistani Army, rooting militant fighters out of their towns and forcing them to flee underground bunkers. CNN's Reza Sayah has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A few months ago singing and dancing in Pakistan's tribal region meant a death sentence by the Taliban. "No, no, we never sang," says Abdul Satr (ph), "We couldn't even listen to songs on our cell phones." But in a place called Damadola (ph), hundreds danced and partied to mark a victory over the militants.

Up until last month it was the Taliban who were in charge here. The Pakistani Army took journalists on a tour of Damadola, a region in the district of Bajour, a 30-minute drive through the mountains from Afghanistan. This was a militant nerve center, the Army says, where fighters launched attacks across the border.

In 2006 a U.S. drone strike hit a building on this mountain. Al Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri was the target.

GEN. TARIQ KHAN, PAKISTANI ARMY: But we know that al Qaeda was here and this ridge that you see behind you called the "Mullah's High Ridge" (ph), it housed al Qaeda headquarters.

SAYAH: In August, 2008, the Army launched an offensive here, steamrolling its way towards Damadola. The militants were ready, holed up in a maze of more than 150 tunnels and caves.

(on camera): But these tunnels aren't big. It's a tight fit, but there's just enough room to comfortably stand up and walk back and forth. We made it way down another tunnel into what looks like another sleeping area. About ten sleeping bags lined up.

All right. And out we come. That's our little tour of the tunnels and the cave that they built.

(voice-over): A year and a half of fierce fighting later, the last month focusing on Damadola, and the Army says it's now in control, leading 8,000 troops for the entire battle was Brigadier Abid Mumtaz. He survived. 70 of his men did not.

BRIGADIER ABID MUMTAZ, PAKISTANI ARMY: I missed bullets by some inches. A rocket has landed near me. I've lost a couple of people who were standing very near me.

SAYAH: In a nearby market shuttered doors show many of the 250,000 refugees that fled are not back yet, maybe afraid the Taliban are waiting to come back too. But this time the militants won't come back, says the Army, because the thousands of locals who remained are making sure they stay out.

The men dancing, all part of a local militia that has taken up arms against the Taliban. No, no, they can't come back now says Abdul Satr. The Taliban have weapons, but we'll show them we have more.

Reza Sayah, CNN, Damadola in Pakistan's tribal region.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: It's the top of the hour right now, time to look at our top stories. Early voting is under way in Iraq for military personnel and others unable to get to the polls on Sunday. The elections for a new parliament are being held under tight security. Even so bombings around Baghdad today killed 12 people and wounded 47.

The Associated Press reports a group of black Democratic leaders are expected to meet tonight and may call on New York Governor David Paterson to resign. Paterson is being investigated over contacting a woman who had accused a staffer of domestic violence. He also faces ethics charges over taking free Yankees tickets. Paterson has said he will not run for re-election.

And battered by big waves, a Mediterranean pleasure cruise turned into a nightmare trip for more than 1,000 travelers. Two people were killed when the ship was hit by three massive waves. The waves, each around 26 feet high. The ship stayed upright but windows were broken out and more than a dozen people were injured. The ship limped into port in Barcelona, Spain, for repairs. There were nearly 2,000 passengers and crew on board.

It's a growing message from cash-strapped students. Stop the bleeding, stop the cuts to education. Students across the country today are protesting higher tuition, cuts in student services, crowded classes and reductions in funding for higher education. This is Georgia, where the state's university system plans a 35 percent tuition hike and a possible $1,000 student fee.

In Colorado, lawmakers are looking at cutting $1.3 billion from the budget and higher education appears to be a key target. The movement to stop education cuts and tuition hikes came out of California. Fees at California's community colleges are up 30 percent this year, and $1 billion plus is being cut from the state's university system.

An internet blog called student activism says 122 events in 33 states are planned for today's day of action. There's also the stress on teachers that worries a whole lot of people. Our Casey Wian visited one elementary school in Southern California where the budget cuts are visibly -- are clearly visible, that is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Here at Maywood Elementary School in southern California, there is a growing problem, and it's about to walk through that door. It's not him or him or her, or any of the students individually, but it's just that there are too many of them in each classroom.

And throughout California, budget cuts are forcing class sizes to increase dramatically.

(voice-over): Mrs. Cisneros used to have 20 students or fewer in her first grade classroom. State funding incentives kept kindergarten through third grade classes small. California had suspended that program to save money. So this year her class started with 27 students.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Melanie, what are you doing over there?

LORENA CISNEROS, FIRST GRADE TEACHER: One of the biggest problems in my classroom right now is going to be the seating, you know, just finding a seating arrangement for all those children.

Are you OK, Bailey (ph)? Yes. Can you make up a little bit of room for Bailey (ph), please?

All the work that four teachers would do, now three teachers do it, and that's been a challenge as well.

WIAN (on camera): As you can see, there are no students in this classroom. That's because Maywood Elementary lost five teachers last year. It's now being used as a meeting room. Last year, the Los Angeles Unified School District send out 8,000 layoff notices to teachers and other employees. About 2,000 actually ended up losing their jobs.

This year, more than 5,000 additional layoff notices are going out, and by the end of next year, the district will have cut more than $2 billion from its annual budget.

CISNEROS: We just spend a lot of money from our own pockets, sometimes a trip to the teacher's store is $60 to $100. For example, those books, I purchased them myself.

WIAN (voice-over): Lupe Hernandez is Maywood's principal. She has presided over four years of rising test scores and she knows some of her best teachers will get pink slips.

(on camera): What has it done for morale for teachers and other staff members here at the school?

LUPE HERNANDEZ, PRINCIPAL, MAYWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: You know, our teachers really work hard because we have had such great success. It's hard for them. They are staying here longer. They are in fear of what is next.

WIAN (voice-over): Educating a room full of six and seven-year- olds while keeping them safe is not a job for those distracted by the threat of losing their jobs.

CISNEROS: It's just too many students that will be without an efficient teacher. Because you're stress, you are thinking of the bills that you have to pay. You're thinking of your mortgage. You're thinking of your own family. It's very hard for all the children to learn when you have a stressed teacher.

WIAN: Casey Wian, CNN, Maywood, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So let's talk more now about the protests and the rising costs of higher education. I'm joined by Honora Keller, a so- called super senior, a fifth year student at San Francisco State University. She's in San Francisco, of course. And in Sacramento, Professor Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association. Thanks so much, ladies, for joining us.

PROFESSOR LILLIAN TAIZ, PRESIDENT, CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION: My pleasure.

WHITFIELD: Honora, Let me begin with you, do you plan to join the protesters, the student protesters today?

HONORA KELLER, SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY: Definitely I'll be there.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, what's your biggest beef here? How are these increases in tuition impacting you directly?

KELLER: I've had a lot of struggles paying for school. I have three jobs and I'm a full-time student and I work over full-time with those three jobs added together. And I definitely feel the fee increases. They affect be directly.

WHITFIELD: Does it worry you that you'd be able to finish that last year?

KELLER: It's been a constant worry. I just applied for graduation and the stress of trying to finish up with this fifth year instead of my fourth year was always in the back of my mind. So last semester I was visiting every counselor and making sure I was on track and hoping -- and taking more than full-time units to try and get out in this fifth year.

WHITFIELD: So, Lillian, clearly a lot of stress on the students, but stress on the professors as well?

TAIZ: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: In what way?

TAIZ: Well, you can imagine walking to a classroom where not all the students have seats. Students are sitting on the floor. Your class maybe has now 49 students and 49 people on the waiting list, so the pressure is enormous. We're trying to do the best job we can, the job we used to do when there was more funding in the system.

So we're doing so much more with so much less and it really isn't good for anyone, not the students, not the faculty, not the staff.

WHITFIELD: So can the state education system do without a rate increase like this? Can't it be -- can it still be operational if the increment were a lot smaller?

TAIZ: Well, the issue is really who's going -- is the state going to continue to contribute to its system of public education. What's happening is a lot of the cost of educating the students in California is being shifted over to the students themselves.

The amount of money that the state has invested in this system has declined dramatically over the years, and that's really the problem here. We have not continued to invest in public higher education that benefits all of us. Not just individuals, but all of us in the state.

WHITFIELD: Well, how much do you worry with this kind of rate increase, tuition increase, that simply it's going to turn off a lot of students who simply can't get an education, so an awful lot of students are going to be left out, period?

TAIZ: Well, you're absolutely right. Many are being turned away because they simply can't afford to go. But in addition to that, the system itself, because it doesn't have enough resources, is turning away 40,000. This is just in the California State University system. Turning away 40,000 qualified students. This is not good for the state and doesn't bode well for the future.

WHITFIELD: Lillian Taiz and Honora Keller, thanks so much for joining us.

TAIZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And later we'll compare California's education troubles to the rest of the nation with a member of our fact check team.

That's coming your way at 10:30 Eastern time this morning.

All right. CNN correspondents plan to cover this day of action in California. Casey Wian is at UCLA in Los Angeles, Ted Rowlands is in downtown L.A. for a rally scheduled this evening and in San Francisco, Dan Simon will cover protests at San Francisco State.

Let's talk about overhauling the health care system up next. Emotions running high and time is simply running out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: Americans don't know how else to say it. They don't want the massive bill. It's perfectly clear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: President Obama calls on lawmakers to vote after months of anger and accusations. Are we getting any closer to a decision?

Then, who's laughing now? We'll share a tale of bold images, bare-knuckled politics and secret documents left behind in a hotel room.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This is how a controversy really takes off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jetblue 191, cleared for takeoff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cleared for takeoff, Jetblue 171.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK. We've heard of take your kids to work day, but air traffic control at a busy airport? Really? And we want to know what you think about this junior air traffic controller. Go to cnn.com/fredricka and post your comments. I'll read some of your comments on the air next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The debate over health care reform, there's been a whole lot of talk and there's been very little action. Well, now President Obama says it's time for lawmakers to stop bickering and start voting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: For us to start over now could simply lead to delay that could last for another decade, or even more. The American people and the U.S. economy just can't wait that long. So, no matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform.

MCCONNELL: I assure you that if this bill is somehow passed, it won't be behind our Democratic friends, it will be ahead of them. Because every election in America this fall will be a referendum on this issue. And there's an overwhelming likelihood that every Republican candidate will be campaigning to repeal it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: President Obama says he wants an up or down vote by the end of the month. That means a simple majority in the Senate could create the biggest changes in health care in your lifetime. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now with a closer look. So where does the president go from here, Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there certainly is a strategy from the White House. The next couple of weeks are going to be critical for the president and for members of Congress. The president early next week is going to be taking his message directly to the American people, Fred.

He's going to be visiting in Philadelphia and St. Louis to make the case that health care, insurance reform, all these things are very necessary for the American people. That's the first part. The second part is what we're going to see here today. Obviously the secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, meeting with the CEOs of those big insurance companies. They are going to have to curb their behavior.

This is all a part of the legislation. They are going to need their cooperation and they have really stressed this administration increasing the regulations, toughening regulations against those insurance companies. And third, of course, Fred, is what I'm being told is that the president as well as his aides here in the White House are really going to be pushing hard members of Congress.

We're not talking about the Republicans any more, they feel like they have reached out enough. We're talking about the Democrats here. Try to come up with a way to support this legislation on the House side as well as the Senate side, making the case here that if these guys can't get this done, that essentially they're going to be faced with midterm elections and a voting constituency, the Democratic base, asking them "what have you gotten done and can you govern. You are in the majority, why can't you get this done."

That is the case that the White House is making in pushing those Democrats to move forward on this, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And what's the timetable that the White House is pushing for?

MALVEAUX: Well, the president is leaving for Indonesia. This is in two weeks, this is March 18th. What he'd like to see is the first step of the process, and that is for the House Democrats to go ahead and pass, to vote the Senate version of the bill. After that happens, that's when the Senate will take it up in that process of reconciliation, that majority vote, simple majority vote to move this thing forward.

So like the first part of that process done by the time he leaves the country. What he would like ideally is for this legislation to be passed before Easter, so the beginning of next month, but both the House and the Senate, they go on vacation. They have a recess, an Easter recess on March 28th. So it's critical if you look at the timetable, that this happens in the next couple of weeks, two or three weeks. That is what the president is going to push for because, Fred, they realize they're going to lose the momentum if they don't push and move on this soon.

WHITFIELD: All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks so much.

All right. Well, if you watched any of those town hall protests last summer, you probably saw it. Pictures of President Obama as the joker. Well, get ready to see a lot more of this. And the president isn't the only target. Look at the middle one. Apparently Democrats want your Dalmatians.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning once again. I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Severe Weather Center. Not a whole lot of severe weather east of the Mississippi although the cold air is driving all the way down to South Florida where they had wind chill advisories early this morning. It's going to be below average.

The winds will continue across the northeast. Nice and warm or warmer across the central part of the country and some of that warm air will try to get east to make things at least average. And seeing pretty good snows across parts of the intermountain west. 54 degrees expected in Denver today, 66, warmer in Dallas. 50s, still chilly in Atlanta. 65, certainly chilly in Miami and a high of 39 degrees in New York. Still windy there.

And if you are traveling there may be some delays, Boston, D.C., Philly and New York metros but as of right now we're looking OK. That's a quick check on your weather, the CNN NEWSROOM is coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now. A lingerie purchase is behind a judge's decision to jail Racine, Wisconsin's former mayor. The mayor, Gary Becker, was arrested in an undercover sting for attempting to set up a rendezvous with a 14-year-old. He pleaded guilty to two charges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY BECKER, FMR. MAYOR OF RACINE, WISCONSIN: I apologize to my friends and supporters. You placed your trust in me and I failed you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The judge says he was going to just give the former mayor probation but when he heard that Becker was buying lingerie in small sizes just two weeks ago, he decided on a three-year prison term. Becker also has to register as a sex offender.

The LAPD is now apologizing to the family of Robert F. Kennedy. They're also removing Kennedy items on display at a homicide investigator's conference in Las Vegas. Kennedy's family was upset over the inclusion of the clothes Kennedy was wearing when he was assassinated. Still on display are ropes used in the Manson family murders and the bloody glove from the O.J. Simpson case.

Sarah Palin is working on a new project, a TV show starring her home state. She has teamed up with reality show producer Mark Burnett and they're talking to networks about a documentary on Alaska. A source close to the Palins tells CNN that the family wouldn't be the stars of the show, but they may pop up here and there.

All right. The Joker, a Cruella Deville and Scooby Doo, are they proper depictions of the president, the House Speaker and the Senate majority leader? Well, according to Politico, the GOP is OK with it. In an exclusive report, the political news organization says it has uncovered secret strategy by the Republican National Committee to push fear of socialism to win back Congress and eventually the White House.

Joining us from Arlington, Virginia, to talk more about Politico's report is Jim Vandehei, the executive editor at politico. Good to see you, Jim.

JIM VANDEHEI, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, POLITICO: Good morning, Fredricka. How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. First of all, you know, you write at "Politico" or "Politico" writes that it obtained this 72-page Powerpoint document that was part of this Republican fund-raiser in Florida back in February, the 18th day of February. How did you get this document?

VANDEHEI: Ben Smith is pretty forthcoming in his piece on it. A Democrat, who happened to be at the hotel, found it. Somebody had left it at that meeting and given a copy to Ben and we posted the thing online for people to look at it. What it does, it gives you a great peek into how the party, the RNC, raises its money and the pitch that it uses to its donors.

And some of it is kind of surprising in that they -- I think it's obvious that they would push fear or socialism because you hear Republicans talking about that all the time when they're talking about Obama. To put in more blunt terms than you would normally anticipate but almost like the cartoonish aspect to it of these paintings of Obama or calling Harry Reid Scooby Doo.

It's odd they think that's what would resonate with donors, some of whom are expected to raise literally hundreds of thousands of dollars for the party but it does give you an insight into how that process works.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: How are you able to verify that this material that you were given by the Democrat is indeed material that was used during the fund-raiser?

VANDEHEI: One, we had several people that were present that confirmed that that presentation was used. And the RNC has since commented on it. Steele is trying to distance himself from it. He's saying he didn't authorize it himself or use it himself but his finance chair, who's one of the top officials at the RNC did give the presentation, does use that presentation for his pitch in trying to get money from donors.

So the RNC is not disputing the authenticity of the document. They're just saying, well, "listen, Steele doesn't know that much about it to begin with."

WHITFIELD: And your reporter, Ben Smith, you know, writes that the presentation explains republican fund-raising in simple terms. "What can you sell when you do not have the White House, the House or the Senate it asks. The answer, save the country from trending towards socialism."

So this clearly in your view and in others' view is kind of setting the tone of what midterm elections are going to be like? What the next year is going to be like? And that the Republican Party is in agreement that these are appropriate caricatures to use when talking about this country's leaders.

VANDEHEI: Precisely. And I think a lot of that pitch is aimed at small dollar donors. Remember, the Republicans, it is true, they have no power in Washington so it makes it harder to raise money. So you have to pull out all of the stops. What was surprising about the document is they often -- it often strikes sort of a condescending tone towards their own donors and I think that's where they're worried about backlash.

Once they knew that we had a copy of this, they started calling around to a lot of their big donors and saying, hey, this report is coming, don't read too much into it. They're very nervous about the effect that it could have on fundraising because there's a lot of activists right now who obviously are unhappy with Democrats but they're also unhappy with the Republican establishment and many of the big donors are unhappy with Steele and his tenure at the RNC.

They feel that he spends too much money, focuses too much on some of his own ideas and not raising enough money for the candidates to make sure that they're properly equipped financially for the November elections.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jim Vandehei, executive editor of "Politico." Thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.

All right. Let's talk again about that day of action. Students across the country protesting the rising cost of tuition. In California, the hike is so steep it could price them right off campus.

Here's a question. Are California students getting a good deal compared to kids in other states? Our Suzanne Simons has been checking the facts and she'll be sharing with us all those facts in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Cash-strapped students are hoping to send a message today with a nationwide day of action. Students are demonstrating against higher tuition, cuts in student services, crowded classes and reductions in funding for education.

The movement to stop education cuts and tuition hikes came out of California. Fees at community colleges there are up 30 percent this year. The Internet blog Student Activism says there are 122 protest events taking place in 33 states.

So, how much does it cost to go to college in, say, California and how does that compare to other colleges and universities across the U.S.? CNN executive producer Suzanne Simons has been crunching all the numbers, comparing, doing the shopping for us actually in this fact check.

SUZANNE SIMONS, CNN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Yes. Really. Exactly. Not just because I have my own headed for college sometime. But we won't talk about that.

The Fact Check Desk did want to know how California's tuition rates compare to states around the country. We broke down the numbers, and this is what we found. We base these on College Board data, and they monitor trends across the country. The average in- state tuition at California's four-year public colleges is $5,996. That's up 10.3 percent from last year.

Tuition at public four-year colleges across the country, it's a little different. But first, let's look at the University of California system, which is about $10,300 a year versus the California State University system, $4,800 a year. So there's a big difference even between just those two.

Now, if we do kind of branch it out and look at costs compared to other states, tuition at public four-year colleges in Vermont, for example, $12,000 a year. So, California is still, you know, just under $6,000. It comes in right in the middle. Because you look at Wyoming, $3,700 a year. It's still, even with these tuition increases, not such a bad deal.

So, our bottom line from the Fact Check Desk, still a pretty good deal but that cost advantage is really sort of eroding, obviously, with all of these hikes and the budget problems that California is facing. It's not destined to get better any time soon.

WHITFIELD: And it's a sudden hike too, especially as parents and young people are preparing for one set of fees and when they find out, oh, wait a minute, in a few more months it's going to actually be much higher, that blow hurts.

SIMONS: It does. But the big debate too, and this is something worth thinking about, is they're going to offset a lot of these increases for families that make less than $70,000 a year. So, they'll have more scholarships, more financial aid for the poorer families, but the families who are better off are obviously going to be paying a big chunk extra.

WHITFIELD: Folks always have a whole lot of questions after you get on the air and talk about this. They can find out more by going where?

SIMONS: Yes, we want them to e-mail us, too, at factcheck@CNN.com. We love to take things people say -- your politicians, anybody -- let us know what they say, and we'll check and see whether they're right or not.

WHITFIELD: All right, good. Suzanne Simons, appreciate that. Thank you.

SIMONS: Thank you.

WHITFILED: All right. CNN correspondents plan to cover this day of action in California. Casey Wian is at UCLA in Los Angeles. Ted Rowlands is in downtown L.A. for a rally this evening. And in San Francisco, Dan Simon will cover protests at San Francisco State.

As the U.S. economy pulls out of recession, questions still remain about one of the main weapons used to fight it, the massive bank bailout. Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson says he felt like he was literally trying to save the world as he attempted to manage this crisis. CNNmoney.com's Poppy Harlow is in New York with more on your conversation with him, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: It was interesting. This was one of the most candid times I have ever heard former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson speak. It was a conversation at NYU Business School here in New York between John Mack, the chairman of Morgan Stanley, and the former Treasury secretary.

It was very interesting. He started out by explaining how at one point when he was sort of guiding the ship of the U.S. economy away from the precipice, he said that he felt like he was trying to save the world, and he thought after Lehman brothers collapsed, if another big bank collapsed we would have another Great Depression. Unemployment would be 25, 30 percent. He said that is why he and regulators went in and bailed out banks to the tune of $700 billion.

But he said he made one very big mistake. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANK PAULSON, FORMER TREASURY SECRETARY: One of the things they missed was the anger in the American public, that all of us missed, because we never made the connection between Wall Street and Main Street. I was never able to communicate that I certainly didn't -- I wasn't trying to bail out any bank or an investment bank. The reason we did this was because of the American people, they were going to pay the price if the system collapsed. And that wasn't -- that point wasn't made.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HARLOW: It certainly wasn't made, and Fredricka, I think it still hasn't properly been made. This administration, the Obama administration is trying, but Secretary Paulson said another issue that is still at the forefront of Americans' minds is compensation. He did admit -- I thought this was very interesting -- he said, listen, compensation always in the banking sector has been out of whack, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And so is the feeling that this current administration has done any better job of making the argument that the bailout was for Main Street and not just Wall Street?

HARLOW: They have tried, but this was all spearheaded under the previous administration. We saw President Obama earlier this year come out and say even to the cameras that some on Wall Street are, quote unquote, "fat cats." The bankers didn't like that, but you've seen the administration trying to make the case to the general public that we are here for you.

The Obama administration has proposed a tax on banks. They have also proposed the Volcker rule, saying you can't take people's deposits and use them for your own trading mechanisms to make money. That is yet to make us (INAUDIBLE).

But this administration is trying to undo, in a sense, some of the harm that was caused when the bailout happened. But what was clear in hearing from treasury secretary Paulson is the American people didn't understand then, and they still don't understand now.

He spoke really candidly. I want to point you to CNNmoney.com, and you can see a lot more of what he had to say. He said we were really in the middle of a financial Armageddon, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. We look forward to that. Thank you so much. Poppy Harlow.

HARLOW: You got it.

WHITFIELD: Notice how the voices from the air traffic control are a bit higher than normal?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Jet Blue 57, contact New York departure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jet blue 57. Thank you, good day.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: That is the next generation of air traffic control going here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The junior transmissions have gotten at least one member of the curtain -- current generation, that is -- in trouble. Roger that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An air traffic controller at JFK in New York has taken the bring your child to work day a step further. He's now under investigation for allegedly allowing his two young children to clear planes for takeoff. Our Susan Candiotti has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Children directing planes at New York's JFK airport? Not once but twice?

JFK TOWER: JetBlue 171 clear for takeoff.

PILOT: Clear for take off JetBlue 171.

CANDIOTTI: The FAA says the controller allowed his son in the control tower to talk directly to pilots, and on the next day, his daughter, according to an informed source had a chance to radio two more planes.

JFK TOWER: JetBlue 57 contact New York departure.

PILOT: JetBlue 57, thank you, good day.

JFK TOWER: That is just the next generation of air traffic control going here.

PILOT: Roger that.

PETER GOELZ, AVIATION CONSULTANT: This is just unbelievable. How dumb can you be?

CANDIOTTI: Former NTSB official Peter Goelz says with runway safety such a critical issue, what happened is senseless.

GOELZ: It's one thing to have your children into the tower to get a look at it. It is a completely different story when you're putting them on the microphone with hundreds of passengers on these planes.

CANDIOTTI: The incident comes on the heels of other eyebrow- raising events involving controllers and pilots in the last year. Two pilots had their license revoked after overshooting the Minneapolis airport by 150 miles. Both said they were using their laptop computers. The pilots are appealing.

In Teterboro, New Jersey, moments before a midair collision over the Hudson River, a controller was making a personal call and a supervisor had left the building. They were both put on leave.

CANDIOTTI: Now passengers are left to wonder about what happened at JFK.

JFK TOWER: That's what you get, guys, when your kids are out of school. PILOT: I wish I could bring my kid to work.

JFK TOWER: JetBlue 171 contact departure.

PILOT: Over to departure JetBlue 171, awesome job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's very unsafe, and I just can't believe that something like that was allowed to happen, how it even occurred.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I was flying and I heard a child's voice on the radio, I'd have to question any commands they might have given me.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): The FAA suspended both the JFK controller and the supervisor and called the tower distractions "totally unacceptable." And added "this lapse in judgment not only violated FAA's own policies but common sense standards for professional conduct. The behavior does not reflect the true caliber of our workforce."

The Air Traffic controller association chimed in "we do not condone this type of behavior in any way, it is not indicative of the highest professional standards that controllers set for themselves and exceed each and every day."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Adios, amigos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Adios amigos. Over to departure. Jetblue 195.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: And Web sites are also buzzing about this. Both pilots and controllers are saying different things. Some call this outrageous and others are saying this whole thing is being blown out of proportion. Regardless, for now, the FAA is putting on hold all unofficial tower visits until the FAA sorts out its policies about this. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Susan Candiotti, appreciate that. Of course, we want to know what you at home think about this junior air traffic controller. Go to CNN.com/fredricka and post your comments. I'll read some of your comments on the air in just a few minutes.

Margaret and Bob all have something in common. Besides being on our map right there. They're all looking for work and they each have 30 seconds to make their case. Get ready for your close-ups, guys and ladies, coming to you in a couple of minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. It's Thursday, and that means time for our "30-Second Pitch." It's a half minute that could change the lives of our guests, jobless Americans reaching out to prospective employers. In Detroit, we have Jason Motlagh. He was laid off after being diagnosed with cancer. Margaret McClellan is in Baltimore. And in Sacramento, California, we have Bob Sacco.

Let's begin with you, Jason. You got laid off, you lost your job in December of '08 because of health reasons. Give me an idea of what's been taking place since?

JASON MOTLAGH, JOB SEEKER: Well, since then it's been a lot of treatment for Hodgkin's and a lot of work -- searching for work. It makes it a little different when you're going through chemo, you can only work from home. With today's job economy, that really limits what you've got available to you.

WHITFIELD: OK. Let me go to Margaret now. You're an air traffic controller. You were forced to retire, you believe, at the age of 50. Give me an idea of what kind of job you're looking for and how difficult it has been to land something.

MARGARET MCLELLAN, JOB SEEKER: Well, I wasn't forced to retire. I had 23 years in the FAA, and I retired because of the stress, you know. Constant stress, changing of shift work and everything. And I had worked at several airports.

But it's been hard. I was a travel consultant and did a couple of others things. I lived in Florida, and there wasn't -- in Sarasota, Florida, and it was hard to get a job there. So, that's why I'm in Baltimore now because it's a bigger city.

WHITFIELD: Gotcha. Bob, I understand you co-founded an Internet startup but couldn't make the cross-country move that the job required. Give me an idea what it's been like ever sense.

BOB SACCO, JOB SEEKER: Well, it's been a wild ride. My partner and I started our company out of our spare bedrooms. Me in the West Coast and him on the East Coast. The company grew and now it's employing over 50 people. And so, it's been a wild ride.

WHITFIELD: Okay. Let's get on to the "30-Second Pitch," which is why all of you are here. Jason, let me begin with you. Thirty seconds. The clock has started.

MOTLAGH: My name is Jason Motlagh, and I'm a senior Flash developer. My ten years' experience creating Flash applications allows me to quickly find solutions that are efficient and effective to long-term growth within an organization. My work history is filled with examples of pushing forward, which has placed me in leadership positions for other developers. If you're looking for a Flash developer that provides professional level innovation, I can be reached at jason@pandorasdigitalbox.com. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic. Margaret, your turn.

MCLELLAN: My name is Margaret McLellan. I am a retired air traffic controller and am a quick study who can conceptualize an idea and execute a plan. Twenty-three years in the FAA I became a multi- tasker so working constructively under stress is second nature to me.

I have excellent communication skills and am adaptable, flexible and creative. I'm a travel consultant and a tour manager. I'm certified to teach English as a foreign language, specializing in aviation English. I speak a little German, Spanish and French. I'm open to a broad spectrum of challenging opportunities --

(BELL RINGS)

MCLELLAN: -- and am available to enhance your office, business or classroom. Please contact me on my e-mail address, thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Bob, 30 seconds for you.

SACCO: Well, I'm an internet marketing veteran with over 12 years' experience in both Fortune 500 and startup companies. I excel at positioning rapidly emerging companies or brands in the marketplace with today's cutting edge technology and media tools.

Most recently, I co-founded a company that made ink magazines fastest growing companies in America for 2009. The company received over $15 million in venture capital funds plus new management, so I'm ready for a new opportunity. And I can be reached at bobCNNpitch@yahoo.com.

(BELL RINGS)

WHITFIELD: Excellent. Bob Sacco, Margaret Mclellan, Jason Motlagh, thanks so much to all of you. All the best and continued best health to you, Jason. And thanks so much for your time.

SACCO: Thank you very much.

MOTLAGH: Thank you.

MCLELLAN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And if you are out of work and want to sell yourself to prospective employers, let us know. Send us your resume and a letter to 30secondpitch@CNN.com, and we'll get you on the air just like we have these three.

All right. Guys, it might be time to rethink that prostate cancer screening. Turns out regular testing might do you more harm than good, say some. New information for you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Fredricka, back over to you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Rob. Appreciate that.

A warning now for men over 50. Get more information before planning that prostate exam. The American Cancer Society's updated guidelines say the risks are better proven than the results. They warn tests that detect cancer can also produce false positives. So, what's their advice? Talk to your doctor. Well, it's not what you would expect to hear from the mouths of babes.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Jet Blue 171, cleared for takeoff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cleared for takeoff, Jet Blue 171.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So what do you think about all of this, outrage or no big deal? I'm reading your comments next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An air traffic controller is under investigation for allowing his two young children to clear planes for takeoff. We played the sound for you all morning long, and we're talking about this story on the blog today as well. Here's what some of you are saying.

"As an airline transport pilot who has flown out of JFK since 1978, I have to say this issue is hyped up way out of proportion. They did not make any air traffic decisions, and safety was not compromised. They merely were repeating what their father had them say." That from Jim.

This from Andrew, saying, "His father should be commended for spending quality time with his children and allowing them to learn what he does every day. Every child should be so lucky."

And from Melanie, "Having hundreds of lives in the air and on the ground at risk because someone thought it was cute to have their kids clear planes for takeoff is unacceptable."

Remember we want to hear from you so just log on to CNN.com/fredricka and share more of your comments.

That's going to do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Tony Harris coming up next with more of the NEWSROOM.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, Fred, have a great day. It is --

WHITFIELD: No coughing today.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: -- Yes, no coughing!