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BP Dressing Up Pictures; White House-USDA Reconsider Sherrod Case; U.S. Senators Meet with British Prime Minister; Ambulances Swarm Denver Tarmac After United Jetliner Makes Emergency Landing; Unemployment Benefits Moving Closer to Being Restored

Aired July 21, 2010 - 09:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First, a quick shout out to the Gulf of Mexico. Thanks for 300 million great years. Now let's talk about the company that messed it up. BP just cannot stop bumbling its way through this crisis like a bull in a China shop. Remember this classic from May?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY HAYWARD, CEO, BRITISH PETROLEUM: We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused their lives. There's no one who wants this thing over more than I do. You know, I'd love my life back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: He might get his life back and soon. There's report out of the UK that CEO Tony Hayward will step down in a few weeks. The company's denying it, which means it's probably true because how much can you trust a company that actually photoshops pictures of its own command center?

We're talking about Americablog found that BP dressed up a picture that appeared on its web site, basically photo shopped some underwater pictures onto some blank screens. Not a huge deal, but come on. It's not a huge deal but basically it's not a huge deal, they say, but if you are so obsessed with your image that you dress up a sinking TV monitor for a web page what are the lengths will you actually go to?

Well, BP tells the "Washington Post" the photographer edited the pictures and there was nothing sinister about it. The original pic is now back up.

Let's check the top stories, day 93 of the gulf oil disaster. The ruptured well is capped but officials have now found five small leaks, none are believed to pose a significant problem.

You're money, the president's signature. Later this morning, President Obama will sign into law the biggest financial reforms in decades. The president says it will end taxpayer bailouts. Republicans disagree saying it will grow big government, and one thing is for sure. It will change the way you and I spend money. In Denver, ambulances swarmed the tarmac after United jet liner hit severe turbulence, jolting passengers and crew members, injuring at least 30 people. the fire department says at least one person is seriously hurt but released no other details. Flight 967 from Washington D.C. to L.A. was carrying more than 200 people when it hit rough skies and prompting the pilots to divert to Denver.

All right. The question of about Shirley Sherrod now is will she get her job back at the USDA? The department actually threw her under the bus after a context-free racially blurb of a speech that went viral on the internet. The White House agrees that the case needs a second look. The agriculture secretary is considering it but would Sherrod take it? I asked her just a few minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIRLEY SHERROD, FMR. GA. DIR., RURAL DEVELOPMENT, USDA: You know, my first reaction was, I'm just not so sure. I don't know. I have been receiving calls - I received a call this morning from the president of the NAACP in Douglas, Georgia, where I made that speech, and he said, I just called you to say I wish you would consider, if they offer, going back. He said, I think you can do even more for us at this point. I hadn't looked at it in that light.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Earlier this morning, we found out that the White House agrees there was more to all of this than met the ear. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us with more on that. Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, first of all, I want to apologize for some of the construction noise behind me if you have a difficult time hearing us. But you know, initially, Kyra, it was all about how the White House was not involved in this whatsoever, and now they've done a really a 180 on this.

They are, of course, involved in this. It was yesterday about 4:30 in the afternoon, a White House official said look it was not the White House that pushed Sherrod at the U.S.D.A for her resignation but it was clearly the secretary's decision, Vilsack, and two hours later, Kyra, about 6:30 or so, another White House official chimed in saying that the president had received news about Vilsack's decision about the resignation, and that he had his full support in that decision.

Well, everything changed overnight, of course, when the NAACP released the full videotape of her remarks and said THAT they had been schnookered. The secretary came out and said he's going to take a second look at this, and now what we've learned from another White House official this morning, and I'm quoting here, he says "we're not sure what the ultimate result will be but with it's clear that with new information through the full speech, a longer look needed to be taken. The White House contacted the department late last night about the case and said based on new evidence that it should be reviewed.

Kyra, clearly, the White House is in a position now where they have got to come forth and try to take a second look at this because they realize that that initial decision was not the right one. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Let me just make sure - I know there's construction going on. Can you hear me OK if I ask a question, Suzanne?

MALVEAUX: I can hear you just fine. Bear with me for a second. You know, one thing that obviously caught people's attention yesterday was when Shirley Sherrod was being interviewed for the first time with Tony Harris, and she actually said that one of her bosses called her and said, "the White House wants you to resign because they're afraid you're going to turn up on Fox News and Glen Beck.

Has the White House responded to that? Is that true? Was that call made and was that even mentioned, do we know?

MALVEAUX: The White House said categorically that they were not involved before her resignation, Kyra. They did not weigh in on this. We also heard from Secretary Vilsack who said the same thing, that he didn't talk to anybody from the White House about this. We know that through Sherrod's statement that it was a deputy, Cheryl Cook who she spoke with on the phone.

So that's one of the questions we will ask in the briefing, of course, is whether or not Cheryl cook from the Department of Agriculture was in touch with somebody here inside the building. So far, categorically, they say no. One of the other things I want to mention, Kyra, remember the last teachable moment we had on race when it was professor skip gates as well as Sergeant Crowley, we saw the president come out in the briefing room and make a surprise statement and talked about it to kind of cool things down.

I've asked whether or not that's going to happen this afternoon. I got no response here. So I think it's going to be interesting to see what level of involvement President Obama is going to have in all of this, whether or not he will reach out to Ms. Sherrod himself or and express regrets, whether or not we'll hear statements, all of that is yet to play out. So we'll see how that goes.

PHILLIPS: You're going to need a beer after all of that construction work. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you so much.

So who was among the first and fastest to throw Shirley Sherrod under the bus? The NAACP, the group that you would think would have at least wanted to hear her side of the story. Funny how a little context can change everything.

Here's what the group's president said last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN JEALOUS, PRESIDENT & CEO, NAACP: We saw a statement that we believed was a condensed version of the truth, that was, you know, shorter than the actual statement but true. We responded quickly because - as we do in this line of work where we're called to respond to video evidence all the time, make very quick judgments.

We had a quick set of calls. It was late at night, as you may recall our statement came out at like 1:00 a.m. that we were dealing with this. We woke up some people in Georgia. We tried to figure out what was going on. We looked at it and we said, you know what there's just no way to condone this. We didn't realize it was spliced and diced six ways from Sunday. So as to completely hide this beautiful story of transformation that you see if you go to our web site and look at the full video.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: What about the guy who posted the bias clip of the speech on the web site? Conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart says this story isn't about Shirley Sherrod at all.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW BREITBART, PUBLISHER, BREITBART.COM: My problem isn't with Shirley Sherrod. It's with the double standard in the media, that it's willing to play up that the tea party is racist without any evidence. This is my evidence to the NAACP that they condoned racism at a freedom dinner around a group that is supposed to be about nondiscrimination.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Breitbart obviously didn't know how to say Sherrod's name properly, of course, is an active supporter of the tea party movement.

More than 2.5 million out of work Americans are one step closer to getting their unemployment benefits restored. Senators voted 60 to 40 to re-start benefits but begin running out at the end of May. They broke a Republican road block minutes after swearing in the new senator from West Virginia. The Senate could put its final stamp of approval on the bill today sending it to the house.

And later this morning, President Obama will sign into law the biggest financial reform in decades. The Senate passed the massive 223 page bill by a vote of 60-39. President Obama says it will end taxpayer bailouts. Republicans disagree saying this will grow big government but one thing is for sure, this will mean changes to the way you and I spend money.

First off, putting that $2 cup of coffee on your credit card may be a thing of the past. Stores will be allowed to require minimum purchases when you use plastic. The rules also clamp down on so- called swipe fees, the fee banks charge stores when customers use credit cards. Fewer fees mean less revenue for banks. And that could translate to fewer perks like free checking and cash back rewards. Next up, your loans. Banks will really be making sure that you can afford it, especially when it comes to mortgages.

We will also have annual access to your credit score. Next hour, we're going to have coverage of President Obama signing the financial reform bill into law. It's scheduled for 11:30 Eastern, 8:30 Pacific.

A mass murderer convicted for the Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people set free so he could go home to die. Nearly a year later, he's still alive. And now a group of U.S. senators want to know why this killer was even released.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. It's been 22 years since the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. 270 people were killed, most of them Americans. And for many families of the victims, time can't fully heal those wounds.

So when the convicted terrorist behind that deadly blast was set free last August, there was an uproar but Abdul Basset Al-Muhammed al Megrahi, a mass murdered, arrived in his native Libya to a hero's welcome. It was appalling.

al Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. He was supposed to die within months. This video taken from his hospital bed in Libya. But now there's word that he may live more than 10 years.

President Obama is now joining British Prime Minister David Cameron in condemning the release of the Lockerbie bomber. Cameron is in the United States on his first visit as Britain's leader and he didn't bite his tongue when discussing al Megrahi's release.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Releasing the Lockerbie bomber, a mass murderer of 270 people, the largest act of terrorism ever committed in the United Kingdom was completely wrong. He showed his victims no compassion. They were not allowed to die in their beds at home surrounded by their families. So in my view neither should that callous killer have been given that luxury.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, four U.S. senators met with the new British prime minister to ask how a man who killed 270 people could even be released from custody.

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez was at that meeting and he joins us live from Washington, D.C..

So Senator, what's the reality check here? Everybody wants to see this guy go behind bars except for those that were on the tarmac cheering his release.

Is there any possibility, any possibility for you or even Cameron to put this guy back behind bars? SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ, NEW JERSEY: Well, look, it's going to be tough, but we're not going to be satisfied until we try and see if it's possible. You know, if we can create enough pressure here where the Libyans, who say they want to rejoin the family of nations that are fighting terrorism and on the right side, get the type of pressure that says, you don't show that by having someone who killed 189 Americans, 38 from my home state of New Jersey, celebrate in the lap of luxury and freedom, then maybe we can get al Megrahi back into a prison, maybe it might be a Libyan prison at the end of the day, but we need to try, and we also need to have the facts to know exactly how this wrong decision that the prime minister himself recognizes took place.

PHILLIPS: Is it impossible to even hold the doctors accountable, the so-called panel, that allegedly diagnosed him? Is it possible to hold them accountable and have them go back, make another diagnosis? I mean is that even a reality?

Could that even happen?

MENENDEZ: Well, first of all, al Megrahi is in Libyan custody, custody to the extent that he's in Libya. He's actually, you know, from all accounts living in the lap of luxury, which is not what we want a terrorist convicted bomber to be because it sends a wrong message to the world and to would-be terrorists.

So physically, he is not in our position or the British possession. But getting to the information as to how could the doctors have gotten it so wrong, how is it that, in fact, that, you know, al Megrahi was released? What was the interplay between the British and Scottish government? What was the interplay between BP as a company seeking a contract for drilling off the coast of Libya for oil, and what was their intercessions with the former British government?

All of that is incredibly important to know and to come out so that we create, number one, what is the truth, two, see where that truth leads us, and, three, make sure that this could never happen again.

PHILLIPS: And, senator, that is exactly what I wanted to ask you about next. BP and this relationship to the release of al Megrahi, what do you know? What evidence exists that there was some type of relationship that BP had influence, possibly, on that release?

What do you know?

MENENDEZ: Well, what we know is that BP hired and used a former MI-16 British intelligence officer to speak to the former justice minister of Great Britain, Jack Straw, for the purposes of saying that, look, the deal between BP and Libya is in danger if you don't get this prison transfer agreement approved.

Now, it is hard to believe - and that Jack Straw ultimately told the Scottish government that al Megrahi could be included in that prisoner transfer agreement. Now, although the Scottish government ultimately didn't choose to use that, but their compassionate provisions for releasing a prisoner as the basis under which they released al Megrahi, you got to wonder, you know, of all those whatever prisoners they were, that the prize for the Libyans was al Megrahi.

And so all of these connections, whether BP was actually advocating for the release of al Megrahi in order to ensure that it got the contract, you know, that's an issue that we need to know as well. You know, this is all why we asked Prime Minister Cameron to conduct an independent inquiry so that we could get to the truth in his country and next week, we will have a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and we'll try to see what witnesses are willing to come forth and do our own efforts at trying to arrive at what that truth is.

PHILLIPS: Well, we sure hope you are able to do something, because I think all of us, including you, of course, because you represent many of the victims' families, we would very much like to see that terrorist behind bars once again and by all means, not living a free life.

Senator Menendez, thanks for your time.

MENENDEZ: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Gulf residents, look to the horizon. A gathering storm could make the oil disaster even worse. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras takes a closer look as soon as we're back.

But, first, a quick check of the big board this Wednesday morning. The Dow right now up 16 points.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Let's check our top stories.

Ex-USDA official Shirley Sherrod says she doesn't know if she will go back to her old job but Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is giving her ouster a second look after reviewing the full video of Sherrod speaking.

A fire storm erupted after a clip appeared to show Sherrod saying that she didn't fully support a poor farmer because he was white.

President Obama to sign Wall Street reform today into law. It will change the way big financial firms do business and it could change the way you spend money. That includes minimums for credit card purchases and free annual access to your credit score.

Day 93 of the gulf oil disaster, BP's ruptured well is capped, but officials have now found five small leaks, none are believed to pose a significant problem.

Some nasty weather brewing in the Caribbean that could mean some trouble for the gulf oil clean up as well. Jacqui Jeras is monitoring that for us. Jacqui. JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Kyra. Yes, we're going to have to keep our eye on it. It would be the weekend, really, at the earliest that this could potentially get into the gulf. And while it's been showing some signs the last couple of days that this could develop a central area of circulation, it really kind of fell apart in the overnight hours and early this morning.

So this is the area that we've been talking about. And notice how the shower and thunderstorm activity really just kind of fizzles out a little bit. However, there is still a high probability that this could become our next system in the next 48 hours. So less likely today, maybe tomorrow.

The hurricane hunters decided they're not going to fly into it anymore today. Too much dry air, too much wind shear. But tomorrow, they're going to give it a go, they say. And we'll see what happens.

Now, where is it going? These are the computer model forecast. Each line representing a different model forecast of where it may go and notice how they really cluster together here through the Bahamas, towards South Florida and into the gulf down the line.

Once this actually develops its center of circulation, we will have a much better idea of where it's going and also once it gets further down to the north and west, it will have a much better chance of developing. Because there is less shear in these areas.

One of the things I do want to show you is one of these models is strengthening a little bit. Again only one model but this shows you the forecast winds as it heads towards the Bahamas and that green is indicating tropical storm force winds, around 39 plus miles per hour. So we'll watch it and monitor it, Kyra. We'll see what happens through the day today but much more likely, we think tomorrow.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks Jacqui.

Bottoms up, a new study reveals that more and more Americans are drinking alcohol. We're going to find out why after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Treating breast cancer, that tops today's "Daily Dose." Federal health advisers urging the FDA to withdraw it's approval of a major breast cancer drug. The drug is sold under the brand name of Avastin. Avastin was -approved two years ago but after initial studies showed that women who took it went longer without their symptoms of getting worse but follow-up studies showed that didn't translate into a better survival rate and the side effects outweighed the benefits.

And a new trend seems to be emerging when it comes to booze. A study shows that more adults in the U.S. are drinking. At the same time they aren't drinking heavily or more frequently. However, there is one disturbing exemption. That study finds an uptick in the number of people who binge drink at least once month. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks in one day. That study was over a 10-year period, by the way, between 1992 to 2002.

Living in a world without the threat of nuclear weapons. The former queen of Jordan thinks that this can be a reality. What she's doing to make it happen coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Nuclear weapons. They can wipe out entire cities, kill millions of people so it's no wonder the U.S. is always keeping a close eye on nations with nuclear capabilities, places like North Korea, the north testing nukes last year and then telling the world about it. It set off an earthquake in the northeast, part of that country.

The United Nations recently voted to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran. Leaders there accused of working on nuclear weapons. And this isn't just about countries. Terrorist groups like Al Qaeda would love to get their hands on nuclear weapons.

But right now, at least nine nations can build them, but there's a movement in full force to eliminate all nukes. It's called global zero, and the hope is to live in a world without the threat of nukes. Film makers and leaders around the world are using a documentary to deliver their message. It's called "Countdown to Zero." Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Highly mixed uranium is now within the grasp of many countries.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't take a Manhattan project to make a bomb.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got to ensure that never once do terrorists succeed in detonating a nuclear weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of the forces on launch-ready alert could kill over 100 million Russians and Americans within 30 minutes.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I state with conviction America's commitment to seek a world without nuclear weapons.

RONALD REAGAN, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Would it not be better to do away with them entirely?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The ultimate number is none.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: None, none.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: None.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'd be better off without them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I say zero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No nuclear weapons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Zero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Zero nuclear weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, joining me now to discuss the global zero movement is the former queen of Jordan, Queen Noor, who's among more than 200 world leaders dedicated to eliminating nuclear weapons.

Thank you so much for joining us, Queen Noor.

QUEEN NOOR, FORMER QUEEN OF JORDAN: It's my pleasure, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Let me ask you, how realistic is it that we'll ever be completely free of nuclear weapons, and how does Global Zero even hope to accomplish that goal?

QUEEN NOOR: Well, I think from the clip you just showed, you can see that this is an international, bipartisan, nonpartisan effort. Global Zero is comprised of former heads of state, defense ministers, military commanders, former architects of nuclear programs in many of the nuclear stays. All of whom share this conviction based on their experience and their knowledge that we are essentially at a nuclear tipping point where we can either allow things to continue as they are with an increasing escalation and proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world and the related risk of nuclear terrorism as terrorists seek to get their hands on nuclear materials necessary for making even just a small dirty bomb. Or the alternative is that the international community come together, the nuclear states follow the lead of the United States and Russia and together begin to commit to eliminating all nuclear weapons and safeguarding all nuclear materials.

And this -- because this is a nonpartisan and international effort led by the experts and the politicians and those who were key to these programs in the past and understand them best today, that is where I think our hope lies and where the credibility of this film lies.

PHILLIPS: Let's take another look at a clip from "Countdown to Zero."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Iranians have worked very hard at disguising and hiding their facilities. Many of their facilities are in crowded, urban areaS and underground. Extremely well protected from any sort of aerial bombing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons capability, the impact is across the whole of the region. You will get a whole set of other countries deciding they've got to acquire nuclear weapons capability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Queen Noor, was there ever a time that you ever worried about Iran, South Korea, the threat of al Qaeda getting their hands on nukes?

QUEEN NOOR: Well, actually, if you look at the film, there have been fears since the dawn of the nuclear age that through an accident, a miscalculation, or the madness of terrorists and others that there could be a catastrophic nuclear event.

So, our program, Global Zero's program and this film illustrates the importance of an international framework that brings all nuclear states together to work to eliminate their nuclear arsenals and requires that no other states acquire nuclear weapons. So, there are no exceptions, and there is a framework that allows for no double standards and would increasingly isolate any countries that were seeking to acquire weapons because the international community would be together in its commitment to eliminate them altogether.

PHILLIPS: Working on this documentary --

QUEEN NOOR: That's the best way to approach --

PHILLIPS: Yes, go ahead.

QUEEN NOOR: I was just going to say that's the best way too approach any so-called rogue states or outlier states that don't subscribe to that international framework is to have one framework that applies to everyone. And then those who will not come on board will be increasingly politically, economically and otherwise marginalized and isolated. And that will be the pressure that diminishes their interest, one would assume, in acquiring these weapons.

PHILLIPS: Queen Noor, final question. As you worked with the various leaders on this documentary, filmmakers, did you discover anything new or uncover anything while working on this that maybe you didn't realize existed, or something that surprised you or taught you something you didn't already know?

QUEEN NOOR: There's a lot of information in this film, some of which I was aware of. I grew up during the Cold War. I have the searing images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki imprinted forever on my memory. There is information in this film that will educate everyone.

The most important thing about it, I think, is it's a very balanced film. It brings international perspectives to bear -- American perspectives, Republican and Democrat, but also Russian, Pakistani, Iranian, British and European. It brings together the perspectives that help to explain how we arrived to where we are today, and most importantly, how those leaders and all those who support them through the Global Zero and other movements believe there is only one direction now. That direction is zero or we and our children and theirs will live in an increasingly dangerous and potentially catastrophic time --

PHILLIPS: The documentary is "Countdown to Zero" --

QUEEN NOOR: This is an existential threat.

PHILLIPS: And it's something -- it's a threat we talk about practically every day here at CNN. "Countdown to Zero" is the documentary. Queen Noor, thank you so much for your time.

QUEEN NOOR: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Reforming Wall Street titans may seem far removed from your everyday life, but when President Obama signs the financial overhaul, it could change the way you bank, the way you shop and they way you spend. We're crunching the numbers right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: President Obama is scheduled to signed the landmark financial reform bill in less than an hour, and a lot has been said and written about what it means for big banks. But it will also have a big impact for many consumers.

Patricia Wu joins us now live from New York. So, Patricia, what are the changes we are going to see?

PATRICIA WU, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, there are some key changes that are coming for consumers. First, there's access to your credit score for the first time. So, if you get turned down for a loan or get offered a crazy interest rate, there's no more mystery. You will be able to see the credit score your lender is working with for free.

So, the changes are also on the way for debit and credit cards. On the debit side, the Federal Reserve is charged with making sure the swipe fees that banks charge retailers are fair and proportional. That could bring down costs for stores and in turn, maybe for you.

On the credit card side, store owners can now set minimums on transactions up to $10. So, you may not be able to charge that cup of coffee like I do every morning. But the good news: stores don't have to be shy about offering discounts for cash instead of credit. That means you might be able to negotiate a better price if you pay with cash. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: What about changes in mortgage rules? That's what led to the economic meltdown in the first place.

WU: Absolutely. This legislation was clearly crafted with that in mind. Lenders are not allowed to make loans that borrowers cannot repay. They must verify and document a borrower's income and savings. Also, they can't steer people into high-rate loans when they qualify for lower rates. And it limits penalties for paying off your mortgage early.

But of all of changes, the experts say the most significant one for you and me is the Consumer Protection Agency. It will be making rules for years to come, and the agency's goal is to make sure that financial products are easier to understand.

The best part, a personal finance expert summed it up this way, Kyra. For the first time in a long time, someone's full time job will be to look out for us. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be monitoring it, obviously covering the signing as well. Patricia Wu, thank you so much.

All right. Let's go ahead and check our top stories right now. Day 93 of the Gulf oil disaster. BP's ruptured well is capped, but officials have found five small leaks. None are believed to cause a significant problem at this point.

President Obama to sign Wall Street reform, as we just mentioned, into law. It will change the way big financial firms do business. Could change the way you spend money, including minimums for credit card purchases and free annual access to your credit scores, as Patricia Wu just mentioned.

Ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich may not take to the witness stand after all. For months, he's been promising to testify on charges he tried to sell or trade President Obama's old Senate seat. Now, that pledge has been cast in doubt by his lawyers. The final decision is expected later this morning.

We've just gotten a statement from the Congressional Black Caucus. The group claims that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack overreacted when his department pushed Sherrod out the door after an edited blurb of a racially-flavored speech went viral on the Internet. The caucus wants her to get her job back ASAP. The White House agrees that the case needs a second look. The Agriculture secretary is considering it.

But would Sherrod take it? I asked her that question just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIRLEY SHERROD, FORMER USDA EMPLOYEE: You know, my first reaction was, I'm just not so sure. I don't know. I've been receiving calls -- I received a call this morning from the president of the NAACP in Douglas, Georgia, where I made that speech. And he said, I just called you to say I wish you would consider, if they offer, going back. He said, "I think you can do even more for us at this point." I hadn't looked at it in that light.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: That brings us to today's blog question. Send us your thoughts on a job for Shirley. Well, many of you did respond. Maybe not with an idea for a new job, but with your heartfelt messages, for sure.

Kathleen says, "I'm not the publisher you're looking for, but I will certainly buy Mrs. Sherrod's book. That woman is the new Rosa Parks." And Todd says, "I think this lady is one of many African-American who has been through so much but persevered through diligence and compassion. More young black people should pay attention to this and become informed about what our elders had to go through."

Pamela says, "Mrs. Sherrod, take your job back and hold your head up high. You did nothing to deserve this."

Remember, we want to hear from you. Log onto CNN.com/Kyra and share your comments with us.

If BP were a TV character, it would be Rob Petrie from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," tripping over that ottoman every single time. Oh, boy, you've got to be a certain age to remember that, I know. We've got another ottoman to tell you about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Cross country this morning, two Utah state workers accused of leaking the names of hundreds of reported illegal immigrants could soon be fired. According to CNN affiliate KSTU, the list was anonymously distributed last week to media and government offices across Utah. It contained personal information about 1,300 alleged illegal immigrants.

Now, the Utah Department of workforce Services has fired a temporary worker and issued a termination work notice to the other. Eight other employees question in connection with the list have been cleared. The state attorney general's office has launched a formal investigation into the case.

In Bell, California, city official pushing the council to address some bloated government salaries. We're talking about one of L.A. County's poorest towns, unless you're in city government. We've expressed our disbelief, and the people of Bell are now expressing theirs.

(VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, no, they don't sound too happy, do they? A protest at bell city hall happened on Monday. People were upset that the city manager makes nearly 800 grand a year. His assistant, about 380 grand. And the police chief? A whopping $457,000 a year. Let's remind you this is a community where the annual median income is around $35,000 per year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And these peep who are here we elected to represent us turn our backs and stole money from our -- ourselves, you know, we're all mad. And the bottom line, is we're here to have them removed and kicked out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: A councilman has called for an investigation. The whole council will talk about it on Monday.

All right. First, quick shout out to the Gulf of Mexico. Thanks for 300 million great years. Now, let's talk about the company that's messed it all up. BP just cannot stop bumbling its way through the crisis, like Rob Petrie stumbling through the living room on "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Remember this gem from CEO Tony Hayward?

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TONY HAYWARD, CEO, BP: We're sorry. We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused their lives. And there is no one who wants this thing over more than I do. I'd like my life back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Great news, though, he might get his life back. There's reports in the UK that that claim that Hayward will step down will happen in a few weeks. The company's denying it, which means it's probably true. Because how much can you trust a company that Photoshops pictures of its own command center?

AmericaBlog found that BP dressed up a picture that appeared on its Web site -- basically Photo shopped some underwater pictures onto some blank screens. Not a huge deal, but, come on, if you are so obsessed with your image that you dress up a stinking TV monitor for a Web page, what other lengths will you go to do that? BP tells "The Washington Post" that the photographer editing those pictures -- there was nothing sinister about it, and the original pic is now back up.

Whoopi Goldberg gets woozy while television. She says the drugs made her do it. Our Jeanne Moos will have the highs and the lows.

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PHILLIPS: It's time for "Home and Away," our daily tribute to fallen heroes in Iraq or Afghanistan. We will tell you about how you can be a part of it in a minute, but right now, we want to lift up Army First Lieutenant Joseph James of Sag Harbor, New York, member of the New York National Guard.

Joe was with the 10th Mountain Division when he was killed June 4 in Afghanistan. He was leading his platoon on a dismounted patrol in Kandahar Province when it came under attack. Joe and his men were forced into an area mined with homemade bombs, those dreaded IEDs. This young lieutenant didn't hesitate. He disarmed one bomb and was working on a second when he heard that click that every soldier in Afghanistan fears. That bomb was triggered. He shouted a warning to his men just before that explosion killed him. Lieutenant Joe (INAUDIBLE) was 24 years old.

We want to hear more stories from you of such sacrifice like Joe's. Go to our Web site, CNN.com/homeandaway, and put your service member's name in the upper right search field, pull up the profile, add your memory. Send us pictures, too, and we'll add them to our Hall of Heroes.

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PHILLIPS: Flashback to 1873, where had you to keep an eye out for an ambush. At least when Jesse James and his gangsters were around. On this day, the outlaws staged the world's first robbery of a moving train. It happened near Adair, Iowa. And as the story goes, early in July, the gang learned that $75,000 in gold was to come through Adair. Somehow, the gold shipment got delayed, so the the bandits only got away with $3,000, $2,000 from the train's safe, and the rest taken from passengers.

Trying to profit off the astronaut who made one small step for man may prove to be one giant misstep for an airport worker in Boston. A customs official and his friend are facing charges that they failed to file Neil Armstong's travel documents, then tried to sell them on line. The two men could face up to ten years and prison and a quarter-million dollar fine.

We've all had bad days when you are just a little off your center. Well, comedian and "The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg had that kind of day yesterday. CNN's Jeanne Moos shows us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDEN (voice-over): If Whoopi seems a little loopy, it's not your imagination.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW" CO-HOST: Welcome to -- welcome to a day of hot topics right here on "The View."

MOOS: Next thing you know, Whoopi herself became a hot topic.

ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, "THE VIEW" CO-HOST: Are you feeling all right?

(LAUGHTER)

GOLDBERG: You know, I have to fly drugged, so I'm still slightly drugged.

MOOS: She said she had just flown in from an aids benefit in Vienna.

(on camera): Whoopi is one of those fearful fliers who has to knock herself out to get on a plane.

(voice-over): Well, her plane may have landed, but Whoopi still seemed high a she tried to master the teleprompter.

GOLDBERG: There's a slow moving thing there that now says parents in Massachusetts are angry that schools are sending students home -- MOOS: "The View" had no comment when we called to ask what Whoopi was on. A spokesman said she already explained everything.

GOLDBERG: -- the fact that I'm still sitting up straight.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: Whatever she took, it led to a truly memorable toss to commercial.

GOLDBERG: I got a little gas. We'll be right back.

MOOS: Could have been worst. At least Whoopi was no "David after the dentist," still feeling the anesthesia.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why is this happening to me? Is this going to be forever?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MOOS: At least she was no Joe Namath.

JOE NAMATH, FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER: I want to kiss you. I couldn't care less about the team struggling.

MOOS: At least Whoopie was no Anna Nicole Smith.

ANNA NICOLE SMITH, FORMER PLAYBOY PLAYMATE: If I ever record an album, I want this guy to produce it.

MOOS: At least Whoopi was no Japanese finance minister, falling asleep at his own press conference

At least Whoopi was no Farrah Fawcett.

FARRAH FAWCETT, FORMER ACTRESS: Sort of like they -- wow. I really thought I was looking out the window.

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: At least Whoopi had no window to distract her, not since Danny DeVito came on hung over has "The View" been so spacey. Whatever Whoopi took to tolerate being up in the air, she found herself on the air and still hadn't landed.

GOLDBERG: This morning, it's being reported that she's --

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --

(LAUGHTER)

GOLDBERG: She's checking into celebrity rehab. MOOS: -- New York.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: That does it for us. See you back here tomorrow morning. I don't know, Fred, I want a little bit of what she had.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I don't know. I think we're all flying high but we'll have our feet on the ground. How about that?

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: All right, sounds fair.

WHITFIELD: We'll play it safe. All right, Kyra, have a great day.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, you too.