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Democrats Cruising Toward November Bruising?; Fastest-Growing Jobs; Counting the Underemployed
Aired September 06, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And hello, everyone. Live from Studio 7 at CNN world headquarters, the big stories for Monday, September 6th.
This is Labor Day. New CNN polling indicates Democrats may be cruising toward a November bruising. The CNN Election Express stops at a state fair to ask why as campaign season kicks into overdrive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are taking the people's money that, in all honesty, the people could spend better themselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: The underemployed, unskilled, discouraged, or working part- time jobs just to get by. One man's story is straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, what are we going to do? It's America. Where's our jobs?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Four-time U.S. Open tennis champion and legend Martina Navratilova. Her latest opponent, breast cancer. Her frank conversation with CNN's Fredricka Whitfield.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA, PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER: That sort of got me through all those tough times. So I'm very fortunate that I had that in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
And we begin with politics and the state of the economy this Labor Day. President Obama hits the road with renewed focus on the economy. We will tell you about his latest plan to move it forward. The midterm elections just 57 days away now. A new poll shows Republicans gaining ground. And the big issue, of course, it's the economy.
Let's bring in Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser with the CNN Election Express. He is in Pittsburgh. The Express is in Pittsburgh.
Paul, good to see you.
What do the latest poll numbers say about Americans, our economic concerns?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: This is troubling, Tony. We asked in our brand new national poll from CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, we asked, "How would you rate the economy?"
Check this out. Eight in 10 say the current economic conditions in this country are poor right now, Tony. And those who say it's very poor is on the rise just from the last couple of months.
This is troubling, troubling news definitely for the president and for Democrats in Congress. And remember, the economy, as you mentioned, by far issue number one with Americans -- Tony.
HARRIS: Yes. And Paul, how are Americans responding specifically? Who are Americans pointing to the finger at?
STEINHAUSER: You know, this is really interesting. Check this out, because we did ask this in our survey: "Do you blame the current economic conditions more on the Democrats or the Republicans?"
And more still blame the Republicans, 44 percent blaming the GOP, 35 percent blaming the Democrats. And 16 percent, Tony, they say, you know what? Both parties are to blame.
HARRIS: Yes, I think there's a lot of truth there.
And where does President Obama stand in all of this? Is he losing any ground, any footing here?
STEINHAUSER: Yes. We asked specifically, "Do you approve or disapprove of how President Barack Obama is handling the economy?" And our poll indicates that only four in 10, 40 percent, give a thumbs up to the president on the economy.
Tony, that's the lowest polling for the president on the economy since he's been in the White House.
And as you mentioned, we're in Pennsylvania. This is a state where the Democrats are trying to hold on to a Senate seat, the governorship, and a bunch of House races.
Hey, you know, T.J. Holmes is in the bus. He's going to be out here joining you in a few minutes. I know he talked to a lot of voters. Interesting stuff.
HARRIS: Terrific. All right, Paul. Good to see you. Thank you, sir.
President Obama heads to Milwaukee today on his latest push to jump- start the struggling economy. He unveils a $50 billion plan to improve the nation's transportation infrastructure. It calls for rebuilding 150,000 miles of roads, constructing and maintaining 4,000 miles of railways, and improving airports and the air traffic control system.
We are focusing on the economy as well, looking at your job. Today, as you know, I don't have to tell you, the labor market is in real flux. And where it will end up is anyone's guess. However, we are starting to see some trends emerge.
Stephanie Elam in New York with a look at the fastest-growing jobs. What are they?
Stephanie, good morning, first of all. And where are these jobs?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Tony. Yes, good morning. Happy Labor Day.
HARRIS: And what trends are we -- Happy Labor Day.
ELAM: Happy Labor Day, right?
This is why we have to talk about it, right? You've got people thinking about it.
But you know, one thing I can tell you, Tony, is that there's a common theme among the jobs that we have here. There are jobs that require extra education and training. The fastest-growing field among them, nursing.
The Labor Department says the number of registered nurses is expected to grow by 600,000 between 2008 and 2018. And of course it makes sense.
Think about it. Baby boomers are starting to hit retirement age, the population is aging and they need more medical care. So, within nursing, if you take a look at the subset there, the fastest-growing area is home health care. These are visiting nurses, at-home hospice, people who come to your home and are assisting you there.
Now, as we've said before, these tend to be recession-proof jobs, because you know what? No matter what, everyone is going to need medical care at some point. And that's why these are really good jobs. If you are heading to college, you might want to think about this.
HARRIS: Yes. Look at the baby. All right.
ELAM: I know.
HARRIS: So the next set of jobs on the list here, Stephanie, are also kind of a reflection of the economy, wouldn't you say? They're technical jobs. Tell us about those. ELAM: Yes, that's really true here. A lot of these names you go, what does that actually mean? But you really do need to pay attention to them, because the second fastest-growing job is network systems and data analysts.
Now, these are the people who design and build the systems that we use to connect to the Internet. They basically make communication possible in the way that we do it today. And this field is expected to add nearly 156,000 jobs by 2018.
And all those data systems, they'd be useless if we didn't have software, so no surprise that the number three job that we're talking about here is software engineer. And so why are there so many of these jobs? Think about all the Smartphones that you go through in a year, Tony.
HARRIS: Oh boy.
ELAM: You alone. I know you probably go through three different kinds, right?
HARRIS: Yes, right. Nice.
ELAM: No, I'm kidding.
But there's that. There's downloading apps and there's games, all of that. So that's software driving these things.
And this is the future. It's why many analysts say that some of the manufacturing construction jobs will not come back.
Now, I told you there six. We just gave you three. Of course if you want to know the rest, go to CNNMoney.com to get the rest of the list there -- Tony.
HARRIS: Well, folks are watching television, too. Are we going to have you back to go through the rest of the list?
ELAM: I'd be happy to.
HARRIS: Can we do that?
ELAM: You guys have -- you have a whole hour that you have to fill, so I didn't want to take up too much time.
HARRIS: And if you can't watch us, just go to CNNMoney.com.
All right, Stephanie. Appreciate it. Thank you.
ELAM: Sure.
HARRIS: Other big stories we are watching for you on this Labor Day.
Sources tell CNN as many as 2,000 additional NATO troops may be going to Afghanistan. It is likely most will be American. Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr reports some troops would work as trainers for Afghan forces. Most, though, would focus on locating and disarming roadside bombs.
Rescue workers in Guatemala say the number of dead from mudslides may hit 100. Crews pulling bodies from the muck. Take a look at these pictures. Pretty dramatic stuff here.
A hillside actually collapsed on to a major highway smothering a bus. Miles away, a second slide knocked a bus and several cars off the road. When people rushed to help, yes, more of the hill came crashing down on them.
Twenty hours floating in the Atlantic clinging to a beer cooler? Seven people are recovering today in Charleston, South Carolina, after their boat sank 30 miles off the coast. We have Coast Guard video of the nighttime rescue. You can hear the rescuers talking about finding the survivors.
Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the basket we've got two survivors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger. Another adult child?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They look like two kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes. It turned out to be three kids and four adults. All had severe jellyfish stings.
The Coast Guard helicopter stopped them just seconds before turning back to refuel. How about that?
With millions of Americans out of work this Labor Day, others are grateful to have a job, but know they can do better.
And Reynolds Wolf is tracking another tropical storm.
Reynolds, good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Tony.
Tony, last week we were talking about Earl. Now we've got a new one that is coming down the pike. We're talking about a new one, Tropical Storm Hermine.
Where is it headed? How strong will it get? We'll let you know coming up in just a few moments.
Keep it here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD TRUMKA, PRESIDENT, AFL-CIO: This isn't a business cycle. This is the result of 30 years of failed policy in this country.
We tried to say that we would have a low-wage, high-consumption society, and that simply doesn't work because the society, our economy, is built by consumer spending. And consumers can't spend when they don't have money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: What do you think of that analysis? Sizing up a down economy, the AFL-CIO president weighs in on what caused the downturn and what needs to happen now. He says the key is getting money into people's pockets to boost consumer spending.
On this Labor Day, while working Americans take a day off, one out of every 10 Americans are staying home because they are unemployed. The state suffering the most, Nevada, which has over 14 percent of its population out of work. Much of that is due to the high and huge drop in the gaming and construction industries. And Michigan with 13 percent unemployed, mostly hurt by the drop in demand for cars.
The states with the lowest unemployment, the Dakotas. North Dakota has only 3.6 percent of its population out of work. South Dakota, 4.4 percent.
What's their secret? Well, economists say they are actually adding government jobs.
The latest jobs report says 14.9 million people are unemployed, but that number doesn't take into account people who have given up looking for work or, as CNN's Mary Snow reports, people who are underemployed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD CRANE, UNDEREMPLOYED: I knew things were going to get tough.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): But Richard Crane didn't know it would be this tough. Yes, he has found a full-time job after getting laid off, but he is underemployed.
He now earns $16 an hour at Lowe's. He could not find work that used the skills of the job he had at a unit of General Motors operating heavy machines. There he earned as much as $130,000 a year.
CRANE: The overtime people used to make -- you know, it's not there. It's not there. It's not.
I see it every day. You know, I see it every day. I mean, what are we going to do?
It is America. Where's our jobs?
SNOW: In his new job, Crane has taken a pay cut of almost $100,000. He is struggling to keep his house and provide for his son, now 14, and his wife, who is battling cancer. He has given up second jobs to spend more time at home. His story of taking a job below his skill level is all too familiar, but it is largely untold.
HEIDI SHIERHOLZ, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: I can't hazard a guess on what percentage of the labor force is facing that right now, but we do know that it is sizable and it is really impacting families.
SNOW: Heidi Shierholz is a labor economist with the Economic Policy Institute who says that what is measured are discouraged workers who have given up actively seeking employment and part-time workers looking for full-time jobs.
And that amounts to an underemployment rate that stands at 16.7 percent. While she expects the labor force to recover to pre- recession levels, she say has the effects of losing a job have a lasting impact.
SHIERHOLZ: So people like Richard are in the situation where they are likely to face that earning hits that can last for decades.
SNOW: And for Richard Crane, his goals are forever changed.
CRANE: When I was working for GM, I was looking forward to turning 56 and retiring, and, you know, maybe try doing something else or even go until I'm 62. Now, we are just -- there's no real plan. It's -- our plan is to get from month to month.
SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, Hazlet, New Jersey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And while we are bringing you news from around the world, we are also watching what's hot online.
Where is, Maria, Ines Ferre? She is surfing the Web for us. There she is.
INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here I am, Tony.
He may need a bigger boat. This is from CNN.com. A fisherman on the Potomac River catches an 8-foot, 300-pound shark. Check out those teeth.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A new CNN/Opinion Research poll of registered voters shows Republicans' chances of taking control of Congress are rising. When asked whether they'd vote Republican or Democrat in November without mentioning a specific candidate's name, 52 percent say Republican, 45 percent say Democrat.
One in five questioned say they don't like either party. Of that number, 63 percent say they'll vote Republican, 25 percent Democrat. As you can see, the gap between those percentages has grown significantly since April in favor of the GOP.
Now, campaign season is kicking into high gear today with the arrival of Labor Day. Journalists from the best political team on television are riding the CNN Election Express this week.
T.J. Holmes is in Pittsburgh. Let's talk for a couple of minutes here with T.J.
And you know what, T.J.? I took a look at some of the material your team has been feeding in, and people you are talking to are sick about the economy, sick about the jobs picture, and pretty upset with both parties, huh?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it doesn't matter, Tony. Democrat, Republican, where you are from, black, white, whatever, everybody is sick of Washington.
And one of the most disheartening things -- listen to this, Tony -- that I've heard so far that will just break your heart and just give you an understanding of what's going on, a dairy farmer said that he just votes against the incumbent.
HARRIS: Yes, I heard that.
HOLMES: He said, "No matter what, who is in power, I vote against that person." His logic here, Tony, is that, you know what? I'll just give somebody else a chance to be corrupt and steal money.
That kind of attitude there is really -- they really permeate cities, states. It's across this entire country. And it's sad that that's the case.
Now, a lot of people around here, of course, it's the season right now. It's the unofficial end of summer, so the official start of the campaign season. You see a lot of fairs, a lot of parades, a lot of festivals going on.
Politicians are showing up to those. But people are talking politics.
Listen now to two ladies, a Democrat and a Republican. They are kind of selling the politics at a local fair here in western Pennsylvania. But if you listen to them, you can tell they have the same concerns, but you can also hear that some of that -- some of that storyline that's coming out of Washington is also starting to seep into the very fabric of the local politics and the local voters as well.
Just take a listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRISHA BLACK, MERCER COUNTY DEMOCRAT: And they are wanting to put government out of their life. We don't want government in our life. Turn in your Social Security check, turn in your Medicare, because it's government that got it for you.
CINDY ROBBINS, MERCER COUNTY REPUBLICAN: They just don't think that the people in Washington are listening to them.
BLACK: Their purpose at this point is to make our administration look bad.
ROBBINS: People need to have hope and they need to have the ability to go out and get a job. And they are frightened.
BLACK: It's the economy. And some of them are not hindsighted or farsighted enough to realize why we are in the position we were in. And everybody said, oh, don't blame Bush. Who else is there to blame?
ROBBINS: They are taking the people's money that, in all honesty, the people could spend better themselves.
BLACK: Their purpose is not our country. Their purpose is politics.
ROBBINS: This is the first year that the recurring theme of what people are telling us is that they are really scared to death.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And so, Tony, you kind of hear it there.
HARRIS: Oh yes.
HOLMES: And what I was trying to do in setting that up was, you can hear that people have the same concerns, but that narrative that comes out of Washington, D.C., and the back and forth they see on TV, yelling at people, you're starting to hear people out here on the campaign trail and the local communities start to sound like in some ways what we hear the politician sound like.
That's unfortunate. We know they have common concerns here. But you can pick that up in what you hear from some of the folks -- Tony.
HARRIS: Look, T.J., I don't think there's anything better you can do right now than to be talking to the people in the areas like you are in now and all over the country. If we could forget about the politicians and what they are saying for a moment, and have the politicians listen to the people, the people you are talking to, I think we would all be in better shape.
Both of those residents really passionate about their politics, but I'm curious, what is the political landscape like in their particular district?
HOLMES: You know, it's always a battleground state, Pennsylvania. We'll be in Ohio. We're going to be in Indiana. Going to be in Kentucky as well. But here, this will help people understand how Republicans can take back the house.
We hear it's 435 seats up for grabs. Yes, that's a lot. Maybe you can just see what happens and maybe they'll gain some seats.
But they are concentrating on vulnerable districts, one of which here in western Pennsylvania where you have a freshman Democrat in a Republican district. We're talking about the 3rd District here in Pennsylvania, the 3rd Congressional District.
Kathy Dahlkemper is her name. She's a freshman in a Republican district, a district that went for John McCain last time around. So they are targeting her.
So those are the kind of districts that can end up -- you've got those all around the country. So those are the types that could end up seeing a swing in the House of Representatives -- Tony.
HARRIS: It's really local. It comes down to the local dynamics in the local communities.
HOLMES: Very much.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes. We look at the polls and they give us something of a snapshot of the big picture, but I think what you're on to right now is what really matters, those individual races and those individual districts.
T.J., good to see you. And maybe I'll see you again next hour. Thanks, man.
HOLMES: All right, Tony. Thank you.
HARRIS: Yes, good to see you.
Let's get you caught up now on top stories.
In Georgia, a police dash cam catches this daring rescue on tape after a car crashed and caught fire. You'll see it here in just a second.
Deputies tried to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. There you can see it. One of the deputies knocked out the passenger window with his baton and pulled a man to safety.
Other top stories for you now.
The failed blowout preventer from the Deepwater Horizon rig has been brought to the surface. It is being taken to a NASA facility where investigators will try to learn why it failed.
And we have a winner. Listen to this -- one hundred eight-one chicken wings in 12 minutes. Ugh.
This tiny woman -- can we take that full? -- named the Black Widow -- where is she? Where is she? She downed nearly five pounds of wings to earn the new world record in the U.S. Chicken Wing Eating Championship.
Who knew it existed?
We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT) HARRIS: Throughout her career, the great one, Martina Navratilova, seemed to take any challenge in stride. But it took everything she had to beat the opponent she faced last February.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAVRATILOVA: The first most exhausting or difficult thing was when I found out I was positive. The second most difficult was the day I went public and added all these injuries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: What's next after surviving cancer for the great one, Martina? You will hear the rest of her interview with my colleague Fredricka Whitfield.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Aftershocks are rolling across central New Zealand today. An heart of Christ Church cripples. An estimated 100,000 homes damaged. Scientists say Friday's earthquake took place on a previously unknown fault line.
Here's Vicki Baker with TV New Zealand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VICKI BAKER, TV NEW ZELAND REPORTER (voice-over): A big team of experts shouldering a big responsibility.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of buildings. There appears to be quite a bit of damage.
BAKER: They'll be checking every building in the central business district.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a major task. 30 teams. And they will be working as quickly as they can.
BAKER: Around 90 buildings in the central city of damaged. Mainly those with break facades and walls. The sort engineers expected to find with problems.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Being a structural engineer, I was well aware of which buildings probably wouldn't be up before I left home yesterday, and I haven't found any surprises yet.
I just put the comment to extensive facade and other out of plain damage.
BAKER: The Historic Repertory Theater, one of those declared unsafe. The cost of fixing it likely to be too expensive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But essentially it's in a fairly bad way.
BAKER: Not all damage is obvious. At the Copthorn Hotel, cracks in the basement are causing concern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They continue emergency business so they're able to get in and get things out. But in terms of people staying there, there's no one allowed to actually stay the night.
BAKER: It'll be checked out thoroughly before reopening. It's not a quick job. Safety is the priority.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely, absolutely crucial, yes. How much do you value your life? I guess we're looking at people, obviously, wanting to get back into buildings quickly. We want to look at the economic situation for the central part of the city. And -- but at the end of the day, somebody has to sign off on these buildings, as well. And we don't want anybody going into a building that collapses tomorrow.
BAKER: Engineers from all around the country, as well as 50 urban search and rescue members have been called in to help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Engineers looking for problems. We're looking for quick fixes so we can get people back into their homes and businesses as soon as we can.
BAKER: They'll do jobs like removing brick walls and chimneys to make places safer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yellow means it's restricted building. There is an issue with the chimney on the roof. Once that chimney has been removed then it will go upgraded to a green.
BAKER: That's what they want as many houses and buildings made safe as quickly as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're able to come back here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. They'll be able today and move back in hopefully.
BAKER: With aftershocks continuing, the inspection teams don't want to take any chances with buildings that aren't up to standard.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: When you hear people talking about sharks on the Potomac, they are usually talking about Capitol Hill politics, right? But the talk this week is about real sharks in the Potomac River. Now this big boy - wow -- right there, was caught a few miles downstream from the nation's capital. It is one of two bull sharks caught in nets where the Potomac flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
CNN's Fredricka Whitfield spoke with the director of shark research at the Mote Marine Laboratory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: So how rare is this for a bull shark to find its way not just in the Potomac River but any freshwater river?
ROBERT HUETER, MOTE MARINE LABORATORY: Well, bull sharks are actually a species that are able to come into freshwater. It's very unusual for sharks, but this is one species that can. They've been found, for example, up the Mississippi River as far north as Illinois. So they are able to come into the Chesapeake Bay. Getting all the way up to the Maryland side, though is very uncommon.
WHITFIELD: OK. So I would imagine now the experts in that area, marine biologists, et cetera, might be trying to figure out how in the world might this shark made its way from the Atlantic Ocean through the Chesapeake Bay perhaps, into the Potomac River.
Is this going to be a difficult path to nail down?
HUETER: Well, it will. But the fact that more than one of these now have been caught, apparently, indicates that there may be other sharks around. There may be other bull sharks around. What they're doing there, who knows. But they may be feeding on rays that have been reported to be a little bit more common up in the Chesapeake Bay and recent years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Wait a minute. I'm getting some late-breaking news here. Is it true that Willie Dean (ph), the guy who actually caught that bull shark is going to be on Rick's show this afternoon, "RICK'S LIST"? What time is that? 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Willie Dean, the man who caught that bull shark. Did he catch both of them? There were two. He caught one of the two. On today, 4:00 p.m. Eastern, "RICK'S LIST."
Needless to say, if you see a bull shark in the Potomac River or anywhere, keep your distance. The fact is, bull sharks are considers among the most dangerous sharks in the world to humans.
Tennis superstar and breast cancer survivor, Martina Navratilova talks about how playing tennis got her through the difficult times.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Taking a look at our top stories now.
People going door to door in Bell, California, gathering signatures to get rid of the mayor and three of the four city council members. A payroll scandal found some city leaders making outrageous salaries. One of them raking in about $800,000 a year.
Officials say everyone is safe at Ft. Stewart Army Base in Georgia after a hostage situation there this morning. The gunman is in custody. A spokesman says the incident at the base hospital ended without any injuries.
And if you don't like this script, I'm going to send you a name of who you need to send a note to. You might be a redneck if you thoroughly enjoy this festival in Pennsylvania this weekend. The Borough of Weisport hosting the annual redneck festival in the name of good old-fashioned fun. You got your bull rides, your laundry lines, your beer, of course, and then there are these lovely bottle cap earrings.
We are back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Martina Navratilova is quite simply one of the best tennis players to ever pick up a racket. However, in February, she was challenged by her toughest opponent.
She spoke to CNN's Fredricka Whitfield about facing her mortality and her new life as a cancer survivor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Give me an idea what that period was like between diagnosis and lumpectomy?
MARTINA NAVRATILONA, CANCER SURVIVOR: I only had like three weeks in between the diagnosis. I went to see the doctor the next day. I was supposed to play in this exhibition in Palm Springs an Indian Wells tournament to raise money for Haiti. My first thought was I can't play tennis front of 12,000 people, I need to just sort of settle down and take care of myself. Then I thought, wait a minute, tennis is what always gets me through everything.
So I decided to play. I got ready. And three days after that hit for Haiti where I played with Steffi Graf, Justine Henin and Lindsay Davenport on the same court with them. Three days later I had the surgery and then three weeks later I was playing Lindsay Davenport at an event in Minneapolis. And so I had something to look forward to always.
And then when I had the radiation, I went and played at the French Open. Worked for Tennis Channel, played at the French Open and Wimbledon. Tennis sort of got me through all those tough times. I'm very fortunate that I had that in my life. And of course, a positive attitude always helps get you through stuff. So I had both.
So it was difficult time no doubt about it. And it was really difficult when someone public actually -- the first most exhausting and difficult thing was when I found out I was positive. Second most difficult was the day I went public and added all these injuries and had to talk about it. I'm still talking about it. So that's -- that took the most out of me, actually.
WHITFIELD: And difficult because you felt --
NAVRATILOVA: I'm glad that I did that.
WHITFIELD: Difficult because you felt you head to constantly answer questions or difficult, too, because this would ordinarily be a private battle and this was something you now had to open up, even as a public person, you had to open up and kind of explain away, reveal publicly?
NAVRATILOVA: Just because you have to -- I think if I could just do it once, you know, and be done with it, that would be great. But the repetition of it is difficult. And now it comes up with every interview and people when they meet you say are you OK? I'm like, yes, I'm great. Are you really OK? Yes, fantastic, thank you.
So, you know, still have my hair. I didn't have to do chemo. I feel like I dodged a bullet. People are like looking at me. You look great. I'm like, well thank you it's makeup.
WHITFIELD: It's like thanks for asking but at the same time, stop it already.
NAVRATILOVA: Yes, exactly. I've been cancer-free since March but the radiation really took a lot out of me. But again that was in June and I'm done with it. And my breast is still a little sore. But, you know, nothing to worry about and it's as good as new. Hopefully we'll be better.
WHITFIELD: Back to while you were playing. Jana Novotna, your doubles partner, she knew. She was there at your side during much of this. How about some of the other players?
Did they have any idea at the time of you continuing to play, even before radiation, that you were going through this?
NAVRATILOVA: Yes, well, they did. I went public in April so everybody knew. And the players were very supportive. Even the guys, Jimmy Connors and Jim Courier were sending me notes or calling and, of course, most of the women that I played with, Billie Jean King and Chris Everett, Pam Shriver, many players I haven't heard from, that's where Facebook comes in handy. I got many messages from people that I haven't seen or heard from in 30 years. Very touching, a lot of fans. I'm still getting a lot of support.
Most of all, after I went public, a got a lot of letters and notes from people on Facebook and otherwise from women who either had gone through the same thing and are giving me the encouragement or were thanking me for making them remember to go to the doctor and a few that something was found and they nipped it in the bud. And those are people that I know about.
So I felt very empowered and humbled but very happy that I did this because I know that I helped some women detect what they had earlier. So that's why I did it. Initially, I went to Robin Roberts who -- you know what she went through. She said I'm so glad you're doing this. I'll see you next week and let's go save some lives. That's when I was like, my God, I can really make a difference in somebody's life. You don't walk away from that. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Wow. How good is that. What a life. What a career.
More than 30,000 U.S. troops maimed or injured after the war in Iraq. They are coming home. Many changed forever. But all seeking a normal life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
I wake up every morning and I go maybe it was all a dream. And I think about just swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and hopping into the shower. But so far, it hasn't come true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
We will hear one soldier's story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Now, for your CNN Equals Politics update, senior political editor Mark Preston is part of the best political team on television.
Mark, good to see you. If you would, let's start here. Break down the numbers for us. What are Republicans hoping to gain from this election in November?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, let's just go baseline, Tony.
Republicans need to pick up a net gain of 39 seats in the House to take back control of that chamber. Across the capital, they need to pick up 10 seats in the Senate.
Now when you talk to Democratic strategists and Republican strategists right now, Tony, what they're saying is, look, probably about 30 seats right now, Democratically-held seats are probably lost at this point in time, we're about 60 days out from Election Day. Over in the Senate, they're looking at about eight Democratic seats. So things are very tough right now for Democrats, specifically House Democrats, Tony.
A lot of analysts are saying that Republicans have a very good chance of taking back that chamber. And if that were to occur, what does that mean, Tony? It means that the end of the Obama agenda as we know it comes to a halt. Republicans would be able to stop President Obama from muscling his policy proposals through Congress.
HARRIS: OK. And Mark, you have details on a Republican strategy.
What's that all about?
PRESTON: Well, you know, I was talking to Republican strategists late last night, and he told me, look, it's the 80/20 strategy. Eighty percent of this election is about them, it's about Democrats.
Even though Democrats have passed all these sweeping policy proposals, Wall Street reform, health care reform, the fact of the matter is, it's about the economy. Eighty percent of the election is about them. Republicans believe only 20 percent of the election is about Republicans. HARRIS: And Jerry Brown is trailing in the race in California. The governor's race there. There's a new TV ad.
Is it helping or hurting his campaign, Mark?
PRESTON: Well, I'll tell you what. Jerry brown really is running uphill right now, because he's running up against Meg Whitman, who is this billionaire. She's expected to spend at least $150 million, Tony, to try to win the governor's race out in California. Who would want to run the state of California right now? It's in such financial despair.
But Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman are doing that. What's interesting is this ad that Jerry Brown is releasing today is that it talks about his experience in the past when he was governor before. All the successes he had. So we talk about anti-incumbency, a lot about how experience is hurting candidates right now. Jerry Brown is talking about his experience and try to win in November.
HARRIS: Mark, let me sneak another one in on you.
Why isn't Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal throwing his support behind fellow Louisiana Republican David Vitter in the Senate race?
PRESTON: Well, a lot of people could come up with theories for that. Bobby Jindal really has a squeaky-clean image. A lot of people think he is eyeing the White House in 2012, more likely 2016. Bobby Jindal has his own race to worry about in 2011, Tony.
But you know what, David Vitter has a lot of baggage. As our viewers remember, David Vitter he all those problems about the alleged involvement with a prostitute here in Washington, D.C. So Bobby Jindal told a CNN affiliate just this last weekend, look, I'll let the voters of Louisiana make that decision.
HARRIS: Yes, yes. Probably smart. Mark, good to see you, sir. Maybe see you next hour.
PRESTON: Thank you, Tony.
HARRIS: Thank you.
PRESTON: Take care.
HARRIS: For the latest political news, you know where to go. CNNPolitics.com.
Here is what we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Building up the economy while rebuilding the nation's roads, railways, and airports. We will dig into the details of President Obama's latest plan to boost the economy.
And getting a first-class education for free. Find out about a college that is offering an opportunity of a lifetime for some students.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Iraqi authorities say at least six people are dead following a string of bombings and shootings today. The violence follows a bold attack by insurgents yesterday in the heart of Baghdad. At least five suicide bombers carried out a coordinated attack on an Iraqi military headquarters, killing at least 12 people. The assault drew U.S. forces into the fight four days after the official end of the combat mission.
America's combat mission in Iraq may be done, but the pain of fighting in that war and in Afghanistan is far from over for thousands of injured American troops.
CNN's Brooke Baldwin spoke with one of the soldiers about his life- changing injuries and his recovery at Walter Reid Army Medical Center.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan. Taliban's stronghold. One of the most dangerous assignments for U.S. troops and First Lieutenant Dan's Berschinski's new home one month into his deployment.
CAPT. DAN BERSCHINSKI, U.S. ARMY: People were ambivalent, at best, and outwardly hostile, most commonly. Rocks and thumbs down, middle fingers up.
BALDWIN: From his first mission outside the wire this West Point graduate realized every day had the potential to be deadly.
BERSCHINSKI: My very first mission, I watched three IEDs go off in succession on a group. So from the very first day, it was like, hey, game on, this place is not friendly, let's keep ourselves off the road as much as possible.
BALDWIN: To keep off the road, soldiers would stick to dirt trails, even orchards. That's where his platoon was patrolling on August 18th of last year.
BERSCHINSKI: We heard an explosion. You could see the dust rise up over the trees.
BALDWIN: An IED had been triggered, and soon after, another explosion. Two men were killed. Berschinski, unscathed, had to hold the area, so they could search for the bodies, come daylight. And as he was walking down a trail, steps from his compound, another blast.
BERSCHINSKI: I don't really remember a sound or a flash. I just remember a pressure. But immediately I knew what had happened. Then the next thing I know, I'm just opening my eyes, in a bright room in the ICU here at Walter Reid. I didn't even understand the gravity of my injuries.
BALDWIN (on camera): Who told you, the doctor?
BERSCHINSKI: They tell you, but it doesn't sink in until you really have the strength and then mental clarity to lift your sheets and look.
I'm kind of at the point where I can walk with one hand so that's the first step of being able to walk with one cane.
BALDWIN (voice-over): Dan's left leg, amputated above the knee. His right, at the hip. A year after the attack --
BERSCHINSKI: It's a bit frustrating. I wake up every morning and I go, maybe it was all a dream and I think about just swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and hopping into the shower. But so far it hasn't come true. So then I just go, oh, crap. Back to that.
BALDWIN: Here in Walter Reid, Dan, now a captain, knows pain is the price of progress. Ask his physical therapist; his recovery is faster than anyone predicted.
BO BERGEROAN, WALTER REID CLINICAL SUPERVISOR: Time wise, I think it's remarkable. From the very beginning, he's been one of those guys that he gets frustrated, and he's determined to make it work.
BALDWIN: Dan is taking his rehab step by step. And as he remembers that day in Afghanistan, this Georgia native says he wouldn't have wished it any other way.
BERSCHINSKI: Quite honestly, if it hadn't been me walking through those orchards in Afghanistan, it would have been some other 25-year-old infantry lieutenant. Really, I have no regrets.
BALDWIN: No regrets.
BERSCHINSKI: Yes, no regrets. And I pause, because it's kind of -- I have to double-check in my head. But, yes, I've thought about it quite a bit. And I really don't think I have any regrets.
BALDWIN (on camera): So what's next for Dan in terms of his progress going into the future and his rehab at Walter Reid? He told me he doesn't really know. He really has to take it day to day. He's a smart guy, though, and he's hoping going on, go to grad school, possibly get his MBA, possibly work into the prosthetics industry.
But if you'd like to learn more about him his brother has set up this pretty amazing and thorough blog with all kinds of pictures, through his progress at Walter Reid. In fact, he's met all kinds of people, all the way from the president to Jon Stewart from the "Daily Show" and he would tell you, Dan Berschinski realizes he is lucky to be alive.
Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: The Defense Department says that more than 30,000 American troops have been wounded in Iraq; 7,000 more in Afghanistan.
