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Voting Their Wallets in Ohio; Standing Up to School Bullies
Aired September 07, 2010 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: We're still waiting for word from Craigslist whether the shutdown of its adult services section is permanent or not. Over the weekend, the company slapped a "censored" label on the section. The section is not accessible inside the U.S. but get this, it can still be accessed outside the country. The move followed complaints from 17 attorneys general that the section promotes prostitution and enables human trafficking or senior legalling.
Jeffrey Toobin spoke on this last night on "AC360".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: The way the law is set up now, the Internet as far as this is concerned is treated much like the phone company in the sense that if a John and a hooker set up a transaction through the telephone, nobody thinks Verizon or AT&T is liable for the transaction. The law makes Internet service providers and even Websites like the phone company there. They are just a cut- out and not legally liable but Craigslist decided to take on this responsibility. And that's where the problem started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And Craigslist has said it supports the attorneys general's desire to end trafficking in children and women, through the Internet or by any other means.
Mid-term elections just eight weeks from today; the stakes are high for your jobs, your taxes, your health care and brand new CNN polls out this morning suggests the next 56 days could be long ones for President Obama and the Democrats.
Republicans are making big gains, apparently winning over the confidence of the American people when it comes to the economy. 46 percent now say the GOP will do a better job with the economy, taxes and handling the deficit. Those numbers have to sting for Democrats but the president is hoping to reverse the trend.
He's unveiling a string of new economic proposals one after another after another, and they add up to get this - $350 billion. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joining us live now.
And Ed, it's interesting that the White House did not come out and say, hey, we're offering up a $350 million second stimulus. They're coming out day after day after day, and we have to sort of have to add it all up and draw our own conclusion. Is that it?
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jim. You may hear this is not part the of president's infrastructure spending, by the way. There was a big construction project going on here at the White House. I don't think that's about stimulus. But you're absolutely right. It's interesting. It is almost a semantical political debate that's going on right now.
This White House knows it's toxic on the campaign trail to talk about a lot of federal spending. You've been chronicling it with people who are activists who basically say Washington just doesn't get it. They're spending too much money. The last thing they want to do is roll out what's seen as a second stimulus plan all balled up together into $350 million but in fact, when you add it all up, that's where we are at.
Let's start with the newest information we have which is that I'm now told by a senior official here that tomorrow in Cleveland, the president will roll out a $250 billion tax cut aimed at small businesses. It will basically focus on giving them 100 percent deduction, writing it off on investments in new plans, new equipment, all aimed at trying to spark the economy, of course.
This is on top of the $50 billion on infrastructure spending that the president spoke about yesterday. On Sunday, CNN reported about a $100 million tax cut that the president wants to give in terms of research and development for companies. All of this, the backdrop for the campaign trail out there where the president was in Milwaukee yesterday, really fired up, really taking it to the Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's no silver bullet. There's no quick fix to these problems. I knew when I was running for office, and I certainly knew by the time I was sworn in. I knew it would take time to reverse the damage of a decade worth of policies that saw too few people being able to climb into the middle class, too many people falling behind.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We all knew this. We all knew that it would take more time than any of us want to dig ourselves out of this hole created by this economic crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So you hear the case the president's making out there on the road, but a little reality check, this new economic plan may never see the light of day. I mean, the bottom line is he's facing resistant Republicans on the hill who don't want to give him a last- minute victory here before the election on this plan, and he's also facing trouble from some of his fellow Democrats, conservative Democrats who don't want to spend more federal money but also even some of the liberal Democrats who are just anxious to get home full time to campaign. They may not be in Washington very long, more than just a couple of weeks. At the end of this month, they may want to rush back and campaign. They may not get to this before the election. Jim.
ACOSTA: And Ed, the president's former budget director, Peter Orszag is straying from the Obama reservation today, making his thoughts known in an op-ed in the "New York Times" about the Bush tax cuts. I'm just curious, could this be a trial balloon or is this just simply his opinion on a pretty key issue right now?
HENRY: Well, I just spoke to White House spokeswoman Amy Brenhouse. We got some new reaction where she's basically saying this is one man's opinion. But it's important in a sense that just a month ago, he was one of the president's most principal economic advisers as the White House budget director.
Here's what he says, on the "New York Times," basically breaks with the president and says that the tax cuts for the rich should be extended. Saying "No one wants to make an already stagnating jobs market worse over the next year or two, which is exactly what would happen if the cuts expire as planned. Higher taxes would now crimp consumer spending further depressing the already inadequate demand for what firms are cable of producing at full tilt. There is little reason not to extend tax cuts temporarily."
But there's some good news as well, I would think in this op-ed. We need to give the full context here. He's saying this in a context of there should be a compromise. Whereas the president and Democrats say "OK, we'll take the tax cut for the rich for a couple more years but then the Republicans have to agree to end all of the Bush tax cuts in a couple of years."
That's something the Republicans don't want to hear. They don't want to endorse. So this is not all bad for the president, but having one of his recent - again, construction here - economic advisers saying he's against where the president is on extending tax cuts for the rich and using an argument that the Republicans on the campaign trail is not good news for the White House. Jim.
ACOSTA: All right. Ed Henry, we'll leave it at that because I don't want that truck to back up into your live shot. It sounds dangerously close at this point. But Ed Henry, live at the White House. Very interesting developments over there on the economy. Appreciate it.
The economy is a big topic in Ohio and both parties recognize how important that state is in the midterm elections and beyond. CNN's T.J. Holmes is in the capital city of Ohio, Columbus and he is traveling with the CNN Election Express. Hello, T.J..
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there again to you. You just heard in Ed's Report, the president had a bit of a rally, and they are certainly used to seeing rallies from the president here in the state of Ohio, in particular, Columbus.
Immediately after his stimulus package passed, he came here to talk about how that stimulus was going to help the state of Ohio recover, help them with job creation. Well, immediately after he left last year, after that, speech about the stimulus, the unemployment rate here in this state went up almost two percentage points over the next several months.
So we're used to seeing those rallies. So the president coming back to Ohio, again, tomorrow, going to be in Cleveland. Are they willing to give the president another chance? Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Too busy raising money for themselves to worry about what's going on in the rest of the country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There aren't many jobs coming in, and the ones that are here are minimum wage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't care what party they are, Republican, Democrat, independents, it's just the person that help the average man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get rid of them both. People run who want to do a job.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a strong Democrat; however, I'm disappointed in many of our Democratic candidates that they have not worked harder for the middle class. They've made concessions for the wealthy Americans and we're really hurting here in Middle America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: So, the president coming back here again tomorrow, to Cleveland. This will be his 10th trip to Ohio since he has become president. Why is this such a popular place for the president? It's because over the past 12 presidential elections, this state has voted for the winner, and right now they are sitting at 10.3 percent unemployment.
Also coming up, next hour, Jim, I've just said now I've been talking to a lot of voters throughout our trip here on the CNN Election Express and I just sat down with a couple of guys. You certainly are going to want to hear the conversation I had with them and why one of them at the age of 50 says he has never voted and he never will. He is that turned off by the process in Washington, D.C. great conversation you want to hear, coming up next hour.
ACOSTA: And T.J., I was struck by what the woman at the very end of that string of sound bites had to say. She said that she is a strong Democrat and yet she feels that her fellow democrats in Washington, her politicians, are essentially not doing enough for the middle class, and she feels like the middle class has been forgotten. That's got to be terrible to listen to if you're a democratic politician running in Ohio.
HOLMES: You have a couple of issues here, several races, but we have at least three or four, I believe, that CNN has identified in the state as some of the hot races, the up in the air races because you have at least two freshman Democrats trying to hold onto their congressional seats and you also have the governor, Governor Strickland here. He is in a tough re-election bid. It is so important to have Democrats in those governorships if you're trying to run who can organize in the state, during the presidential election. So yes, you see the polls as well, Jim, that Republicans are more motivated than Democrats to head to the polls.
That's bad, and also, independents, at the polls we have been seeing, not necessarily leaning toward the democrats and towards the president as they were maybe the last time around. So it is disheartening news for any Democrat to hear that your democratic voters are not fired up to go out and vote for you.
ACOSTA: And they don't have much time to turn it around. All right. T.J. Holmes live in Columbus for us. Thanks, T.J..
And all aboard the election express. That means you as well. It's on the road this week. On this week, carrying the best political team on television. Jessica Yellin, John king, Laura Borger, T.J. Holmes and Dana Bash are all in Columbus, Ohio, today, and tomorrow the CNN Express rolls across the Ohio River into Covington, Kentucky.
On Thursday, our team reports from Indianapolis. A busy week for our political team crossing the Midwest in the Election Express.
Now, still ahead, he is a darling of the tea party and he may be the movement's best chance for capturing a Senate seat.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (on camera): ... you talk about defending the Constitution, but yet you want to change the constitution. Isn't there a contradiction there?
MIKE LEE, SENATE CANDIDATE: Not at all. The constitution was made to be amended from time to time, sometimes we have to do that to make the Constitution more true to the American dream.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: All right. So does the tea party want to change the Constitution or defend the Constitution? I'll sit down and talk with a tea party favorite, Mark Lee. That's coming up. And this candidate says George Washington, by the way, was the original tea party man (INAUDIBLE) has to say at the bottom of the hour. Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Jim, we have ourselves a tropical storm. If you were not tuned in yesterday, this developed yesterday afternoon and now is swirling it's way across Corpus Christi, towards San Antonio. We'll talk about this. Plus, the fire threat out west when the NEWSROOM comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: All right. Heads up, everybody. Tropical storm Hermine is moving through Texas. These pictures are from Galveston. The storm made a land fall last night near Brownsville. It's winds are dying down. But forecasts say the storm will dump up to eight inches of rain on Texas and parts of Oklahoma as it moves north. Some spots could get a foot of rain and tornadoes are a possibility, too. Other states like Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas should also feel Hermine as well.
Let's check in with our Rob Marciano in the severe weather center.
MARCIANO: Who are these forecasters you speak of?
ACOSTA: What's that?
MARCIANO: Who are these forecasters?
ACOSTA: Forecasters say, and that's an all-encompassing term.
MARCIANO: Yes, it is. And when forecast is wrong, you reserve to them as masked men and women.
ACOSTA: Convenient for you.
MARCIANO: Yes. Unfortunately we are the face that communicates that forecast to you. Yesterday, a tropical storm popped up her in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, came onshore, as Jim said, just south of Brownsville last night. And right now, we have winds of 45 miles an hour because it's inland. So it's going to wind down as far as the winds go but it's still packing a decent punch here. We've got winds that are 40 and over 40 miles an hour at times. There's 23 there between Corpus Christi and Houston.
As this thing rolls up towards San Antonio, we are looking for this to be a little bit more active for sure for folks in San Antonio and in Austin. On the eastern flank of this storm, we are looking at the tornado watch. So that's in effect until 1:00 this afternoon. A little more spin on the right side of this thing, and this is all going to make its way up towards the north and east, and there are flash flood watches that are out there. Actually, just a warning just popped up on the screen here for Houston, Texas, and Corpus Christi as well.
So just take it easy out there. We'll try to get this thing out of the way and up towards Oklahoma and Arkansas, which we'll see a fair amount of rain with this as well. Where they won't see rain is across parts of north central Colorado, where there is a bad fire burning just west of Boulder. Red flag warnings are posted just east of i-25 and areas on the East Coast, not a lovely day. A decent labor day weekend for a lot of folks. It will start to heat up just a little bit and go back to well, more summer-like weather. Summer is not over just yet officially.
Jim, back over to you.
ACOSTA: Officially, but it's starting to feel like it, Rob. Thanks so much. MARCIANO: All right.
ACOSTA: Do you know who the Little Rock nine students are? You should because they just wanted a better education. They got it but they also got spit on, hit and thrown down the stairs in the process. But they overcame all of that. And we'll remember one of those students, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Checking the big board at this hour, and the Dow is up, it looks like about - down, we should say, 84 points at this hour, and that is not good news for investors. We'll be keeping an eye on this all morning. As we know, the Dow had a big rally last week, and so this may be a little bit of a correction that's in the works at this point. We'll keep an eye on it for you.
Checking top stories now - President Obama is pushing a $350 billion package of tax cuts for businesses. The three proposals would allow 100 percent write-off for new investments in plants and equipment, permanently extend their credit and for research and development and add infrastructure spending.
Tropical storm Hermine is dumping heavy rain in south Texas this morning. 45 miles per hour winds have knocked down some power poles and trees. There's also the possibility that tornadoes could hit the area in the next few hours.
And Jefferson Thomas, one of the Little Rock Nine, died of pancreatic cancer. He was 67 years old. Thomas was one of the nine African-American students who integrated central schools in the Arkansas City in 1957. Military guards escorted them to class. we all remember those iconic pictures. But other students still found ways to spit on them along the way.
Well, standing up to school bullies but now one victim turned pop star is taking a stand. We are talking to Demi Lovato about what kids can do right now to stop school violence. It's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Bullying in school is growing in epidemic. One in three students between the age of 12 and 18 has reportedly been bullied, according to the Pacer Center, they say they've been taunted, pushed, shoved, tripped, spit on, or worse. It's so bad that about 160,000 students miss class each day just to avoid bullies and some six in 10 teens say they watch bullying action at least once a day.
So one teen celebrity, a star of "Disney's Camp Rock," is joining the fight against bullying. She is helping kids stand up for themselves and others.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEMI LOVATO, ACTRESS: Hey, I'm Demi Lovato. I need your help. Lots of kids are being bullied and often feel that no one cares. So let's show them that we do care. And that no one should ever feel alone.
I support Pacer's National Center for Bullying Prevention and it's web site teensagainstbullying.org. It's about teens making a different saying that we care about what happens. And that we no longer (INAUDIBLE).
Join me in preventing bullying. Sign the end of bullying begins with me petition at Pacer.org and get your school involved in Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Month in October. Join the cause because together we can put a stop to bullying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And there she is, joining us live from Orlando. Teen sensation Demi Lovato, spokesperson for the Pacer's Center's Teens Against Bullying. And live from Minneapolis, Michael Keller, a board member with the Pacer Center Team again bullying. And Demi, let's start with you because it's a personal story and I have to point out I have a seven-year-old daughter at home. She DVR'd the movie that you were in just this past weekend and is a big fan. So it's great to talk to you.
Let's talk about this because it's a serious subject. You said you were bullied in school. Tell us about that.
LOVATO: Yes. I had an experience when I was in school that basically was so painful for me to go through that I decided to home school rather than deal with it every single day, and it was probably the darkest period of my life, so far. And I just don't want anyone else to have to deal with that.
ACOSTA: And, I mean, just tell us, how did you overcome this. I mean, because a lot of the kids out there must be wondering, you know, what do I do, how do I deal with this. You know, this kid that keeps picking on me day after day after day and making my life so difficult that I don't even want to go to school. I mean, your heart just breaks when you think about it. So, I mean what did you do?
LOVATO: Well, my experience was more verbal harassment than anything. A lot of people nowadays are suffering from cyber bullying, which has become more popular nowadays with all of the social networking sites, and just receiving text messages.
And, you know, there was a hate letter that got passed around, and it was basically a petition, and there were things that were said that still affect me to this day and cause problems for me that I suffer with to this day, and I overcame it through music and through the support of my family, but, mainly just putting all of my energy into the things that I love rather than fighting back or giving them the time of day.
And for me, that was, you know - it was so hard to overcome and it's so hard to turn the other cheek, but my mom was there for me and with me the whole way and saying, "just don't stoop down to their level. You can overcome it" and now, you know, I'm just trying to help others do the same. I speak to tons of teens at concerts, and you know, any time I get to meet them and they always ask me what should I do, and I always say just put all of your energy into what you love and use them as motivation for it.
ACOSTA: And Michael, you have a whole center dedicated to taking on this problem. How big of a problem is it? You know, we keep hearing these reports from schools all over the country where this is cropping up. Is it spreading, is it becoming worse, is it just because we're hearing about it more now, we're paying attention to it that we're focused on it? Which is it?
MICHAEL KELLER, BOARD MEMBER, PACER CENTER TEENS AGAINST BULLYING: I think it's all of the above. Cyber bullying certainly has brought is bringing it back in many ways, in ways that people never looked at it before, and a lot of very high profile bully sites that have occurred have really drawn the nation's attention to it, and I think schools and communities are really struggling with it in many ways. Some believe that around 10 to 15 percent of all students experience some type of bullying on a regular basis. So if she went to high school with 2,000 kids. That might mean a couple hundred kids we've experienced bullying on a regular basis over the course of the year. So it's pretty widespread.
ACOSTA: And what are some of the solutions that you're seeing, Michael, as you look at this problem from a bird's eye view? I mean, are there practical solutions. I mean, Demi mentioned her mom being there by her side. Obviously, parental support has to be part of it. And then peers, others kids at the school who witnessed this type of thing. They have to get involved, right? I mean, walk us is just through some of these solutions.
KELLER: Absolutely, the solutions also have to be widespread because it's a very big and complex issue but there's a lot of belief that if teachers, educators, parents, students all work together, there's a lot of good work that can be done, everything from laws that can be passed and all kinds of behavioral and cultural changes that can occur in school.
Demi's absolutely right, the role of parents, in her case, her mom is so important. One of the things that kids need to realize is they need to talk about it. They just need to talk about it to their parents. They need to talk about it to their teachers, get their teachers and parents talking together because bullying tends to occur in the shadows, in the hallways and in staircases, in the bathrooms, and in cyberspace. We just of need to turn the light on in a big way and make it hard to occur.
ACOSTA: And Demi, you want teens to take an anti-bullying pledge. Tell us about that, and what good do you hope will come out of that?
LOVATO: Yes, the pledge is basically something that we all just want to raise awareness, especially with the month of October, which is Pacer's National Month for Bullying Prevention. It is basically saying you are not going to enable bullying in your school and you're going to help prevent it. For me - what I hope is that, you know, I have a little sister that goes to a public school. She was home schooled and when she decided to go to public school, the first thing that I thought of was I was fearful of what she would have to deal with if she ever went through the same thing that I did. So all that I hope is that when you take the pledge that people - it will only help people to stop bullying.
ACOSTA: And you need to think about it, right? I mean this is a way to get people to think about it.
LOVATO: Right.
ACOSTA: Well, Demi Lovato such an important message. And Michael, we appreciate your time as well. Michael Keller from the pacer center that is dedicated to combat teen bullying, and Demi Lovato with an important message for all parents and families out there. Really appreciate both of your time, for coming on this morning.
LOVATO: Thank you. Thanks so much for having me.
KELLER: Thank you, Jim.
ACOSTA: All right. Thank you.
A pastor of a church in Florida claims to burn copies of the Koran. Remember 9/11 he calls it a warning to warn Islam, not hate against Muslim but it is getting an angry reaction around the world. We'll tell you about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: A planned church protest has turned into a huge worry for the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. To commemorate the 9/11 attacks, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville Florida, plans to burn copies of the Koran. Petraeus says that protest could endanger troops in the overall effort in Afghanistan. He says it is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here but everywhere in the world where we are engaged with the Islamic community. And Petraeus' prediction may be coming true. Hundreds protested in Kabul yesterday against those plans to burn the Koran. They call it an insult to Islam and Muslims around the world, especially at the end of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims.
And pastor Terry Jones, the man who organized the protest, talked about it on "AMERICAN MORNING" with our Kiran Chetry earlier today. She calls it a - or he calls it a warning to radical Islam, and not an expression of hate toward Muslims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRY JONES, PASTOR, DOVE WORLD OUTREACH CENTER: Yes, we first declared September 11th, international burn a Qu'ran day, actually, for two reasons. Number one, we wanted to remember those who were brutally murdered on September 11th. And actually wanted to send a very clear message to the radical element of Islam. We wanted to send a very clear message to them that we are not interested in their Sharia law.
We do not tolerate their threats, their fear, their radicalness. We live in the United States of America. We want to send a clear message to the peaceful Muslims. We have freedom of speech. We have freedom of religion. They are more than welcome to be here. More than welcome to worship. More than welcome to build mosques. But our 9/11 demonstration, our 9/11 protests is to send a clear message to the radical element of Islam that we will not tolerate that in America.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I just want to ask you this, does it bother you that the Military and the Military leaders believe that by doing this, you are very likely putting the lives of U.S. soldiers at risk in Muslim countries?
David Petraeus, the General, this is what he said, their actions will in fact jeopardize the safety of young men and women who are serving in uniform over here and also undermine the very mission that they're trying accomplish.
Are you willing to have the blood of soldiers on your hands by this demonstration?
JONES: Yes, we are actually very, very concerned, of course, and we are taking the General's words very serious. We are continuing to pray about the action on September 11. We are indeed very concerned about it. It's just that we don't know -- I mean, how long do we back down?
CHETRY: So you're saying that you very might -- you're saying that you might well go through with it. You're saying you're praying about it, you might not burn the Qu'ran on September 11?
JONES: I'm saying we are definitely praying about it. We have firmly made up our mind, but at the same time, we are definitely praying about it.
CHETRY: I said, don't you think you could possibly do more good about bringing attention to your concerns about radical Islam by not burning the Qu'ran on September 11? By saying, you know what, we're going to take the higher road here, we're not going to do this?
JONES: At this time, no. I believe that we are dealing with an element that you cannot talk to. We are dealing with an element they must be shown a certain amount of force, a certain a determination, and putting a stop to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Some tough questions there from Kiran Chetry.
We are hearing from you about the planned event. Josh Levs is monitoring your responses. Josh, I was thinking when I was looking at the protest going on in Kabul, if they all those protestors realize that the pastor who at the center of this protest is not exactly Billy Graham. I mean, this is not the most esteemed man of the cloth that the United States has to offer. I wonder what some of the responses are from our viewers out there.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And that's what viewers saying to us. A lot of viewers saying, "Hey, world, please keep in mind, this man doesn't represent any large number of people anywhere." I'll tell you, the widespread condemnation of this whole idea, the viewers in America, those of you who interact with me online and those of you who interact with me around the world, is now part of the story, a central part of the story.
I have been writing about this on Facebook and Twitter. Hearing what you have to say. Absolutely everyone who has written in is deeply opposed, no exceptions.
Let's take a look at Facebook, some of the quotes I'm getting here. From Igor Dolgov first: "Don't we already know that book burning is a sign of much greater trouble? This Florida church needs to wake up."
Next, from Ramzi Karim, "This is not very Christian-like. Is this supposed to show how they are better than Muslims? Is this something Jesus would do or approve of?"
Now, here's Jo Bryan Ahearn. "You can't accuse one religion of violence by inciting violence yourself. People are using this as an excuse to air their prejudices."
Time for a couple more here. Facebook, Jeannette Brantley, "Freedom of speech even extends to this ridiculous action by hate- filled 'Christian' zealots," she says. "There will be those in other countries with equally small minds who will hold all 'Christians' accountable for this. And the beat goes on..."
Let's get one more from Facebook here. This is from Patty Schaefer Roberts. "It's only going to add fuel to a fire that already is out of control. We should move forward, not backward."
Let's me jump over to Twitter here. Got time for a couple. Martin A. writes, "Koran burning is disgusting. This will only anger Muslims, not help anyone in the U.S., endanger our troops. No one is served by this. No one.
And finally, from MargiePully, "Burning any holy book, calling it a message for only a small portion of its followers, is not only wrong, it's delusional."
If you want to join the conversation right now, I'm online. Here's how you can get me. I'm at Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN. We're talking about this, and hearing your views, go ahead and join the conversation.
But Jim, I'll tell you. That's what people are saying, and the kind of anger and frustration we are getting from a lot of you. ACOSTA: Almost a universal condemnation. I guess it really was a universal condemnation from our viewers. We appreciate you showing us that, Josh. Just to show there are other sides to this issue, obviously.
We're going to go to a quick break and we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Breaking news for you. We have a tornado sighting just outside of Houston in Texas. Let's go straight to Rob Marciano in our Weather Center. This a tornado warning, I guess, at this point. Not confirmed, but a warning?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right. Just a warning. Radar- indicated, so not sighted or reported on the ground just yet. But, nonetheless, it's within this watch box that we told you about. It's west of the Houston about 50 miles now. Fort Ban and Waller Counties with this particular cell that is basically moving towards the northwest with the circulation of the storm at about 35 miles an hour. So, Waller and Fort Benn Counties.
If you are in there, definitely take cover. It's moving away from the I-10 corridor as we speak. The tornado watch itself, obviously encompasses a much larger piece of real estate from Corpus Christi almost all the way back to Houston, this is under a tornado watch until 1:00 this afternoon as Hermine continues to spin towards San Antonio. The latest advisory just coming into the CNN Severe Weather Center. We'll give you that update in the next hour.
Jim?
ACOSTA: All right, important information. Thanks, Rob.
President Obama set to announce another piece of his new economic plan tomorrow, tax cuts for businesses. But there's a major stumbling block. The $350 billion price tag. That's a big stumbling block.
Felicia Taylor is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to get Wall Street's take. And so far, the take is what, Felicia?
FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: So far, actually, Wall Street really isn't trading on this proposed plan from the Obama administration. Today is really gearing toward a look at what's happening overseas in the potential Greek default.
But here I am with Kenneth Polcari of Icapp Equities. And let's jump ahead in time for a second. Let's assume that this proposed plan becomes law. How would Wall Street interpret that?
KENNETH POLCARI, ICAP EQUITIES: I got to tell you, I think initially, Wall Street would look at it as a negative because what it would say we're in more trouble than what was originally thought, that stimulus plans -- prior stimulus plans haven't taken effect, jobs have not been created, the economy still is in kind of a tailspin, housing is in a tailspin. So, this would be like another effort to get it going, and I think the initial perception would be negative.
TAYLOR: OK, again, this still a proposed plan. This not enacted into law.
Let's also take a look at what Wall Street thinks has happened up until now. This a critical moment for the Obama administration, with the midterm elections coming up in November. Is there anything that Wall Street can see in the numbers coming up that may turn around the perception that there is indeed an economic recovery?
POLCARI: No. What they have to see is the numbers start be much more positive than they have been. Last month, the last couple of weeks, the macro reports that came out, although they were better than expected, they were still negative numbers -
TAYLOR: Yes, unemployment still went up.
POLCARI: That's right. And Friday's (INAUDIBLE). Everybody celebrated, but we still lost jobs. It's going in the wrong direction. And so, after everything that the administration has put in place over the last two years, if it's not happening by now, there's not a whole lot this election season that I think is going to be able to save them. I think it's going to be a tough fight for the Democrats to really hold their place.
TAYLOR: All right, Ken. Thanks very much.
So, once again, what Wall Street is seeing is not necessarily anything positive portending for the midterm elections, and certainly today, we can see that displayed on what Wall Street's action has been so far, which is to the downside. Jim?
ACOSTA: All right. Thanks, Felicia.
Well, moving on to harnessing the voter anger. The TEA Party charges toward the midterm election just eight weeks from today, and one candidate may be a virtual sure thing for a Senate seat out of that movement. I will introduce to you Mike Lee after the break.
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ACOSTA: Time now for the "CNN Equals Politics" updates. We're counting down to the midterm elections eight weeks from today. The TEA Party movement has backed a number of candidates for Senate. Nearly all of them in tight races, but that's not the case in Utah. And I know because I went out there and talked to Republican Mike Lee, who is almost a TEA Party sure thing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE LEE (R), UTAH U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: George Washington was the original TEA Party man.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Vowing to bring a TEA Party revolution to Washington, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate in Utah, Mike Lee, is a fire-breathing contender of what's become the Bible of this political movement, the U.S. Constitution.
LEE: I hereby vow to you I will not vote for a single bill that I can't justify based on the text of the original understanding of the constitution.
ACOSTA: But at the same time, Lee, a lawyer who once clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito also talks about changing the Constitution. Lee says he will alter the 14th Amendment, taking away automatic citizenship for people born in the U.S.. He also supports amendments requiring balanced budgets and term limits for Congress.
(on camera): You talk about defending the Constitution and yet you want to change the Constitution. Isn't there a contradiction there?
LEE: Not at all. The Constitution was made to be amended from time to time. Sometimes, we have to do that in order to make the Constitution more true to the American dream.
ACOSTA (voice-over): He's even questioned the 17th amendment, which allows voters to directly elect senators, something state lawmakers used to do.
LEE: People would be better off with their senators when they deliver their messages to Washington. Remember the sovereignty of the states.
ACOSTA: And Democrats like to point out, Lee also favors privatizing social security. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what would be the real thing, if you're the bad guy, to come along and say, we have to roll that back, we have to phase it out.
ACOSTA (on camera): Roll it back and phase it out?
LEE: Phasing it out, rolling it back, all of these options to consider.
ACOSTA: Based on social security -
LEE: Options that we could consider.
SAM GRANATO (D), UTAH U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: You take a guy like me who's not extreme on main stream. What they see is what they get.
ACOSTA: Salt Lake City food distributor Sam Granato is the long- shot Democrat in the race. He is trying to exploit hard feelings among some Utah Republicans who are still mad at the TEA Party for backing Lee over the more moderate incumbent senator Bob Bennett for the GOP nomination.
GRANATO: Since the ouster of Senator Bennett, I've had more Republicans, moderate Republicans calling, coming to help us.
ACOSTA: Like Senator Bennett's son.
JIM BENNETT, SON OF U.S. SENATOR BOB BENNETT: When we tried to get Bob Bennett to speak to the TEA Party, they said he was not welcome here. He will be booed if he comes.
ACOSTA: But other Republicans like Whit Lund are looking forward, not back.
WHIT LUND, LEE SUPPORTER: This would be Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.
ACOSTA (on camera): You're that angry?
LUND: Ticked off would be a better term.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Just like the TEA Party, Mike Lee wants to pull the Republican Party as far to the right as he can. And that might work in reliably red Utah.
(on camera): You're looking for one TEA Party guy to get in there, it's probably going to be Mike Lee?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mike Lee is the lock unless the unthinkable happens.
LEE: This is the year that we take that power back. It belongs to us. Let's bring about the change and it all starts right here.
ACOSTA (voice-over): The question is whether Lee's TEA Party principles will work in Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: I should point out that during our interview, lee did back away from the talk of phasing out Social Security. His campaign Web site, though, says he does favor a systemic overhaul of the program.
And our Paul Steinhauser joins us now to talk about all of this. And Paul, The TEA Party is a major force shaping this midterm election year. We're seeing it up there in Delaware right now where Christine O'Donnell is sort of an insurgent who's come out of nowhere to challenge Mike Castle, who is very much an establishment Republican Congressman who is running for Joe Biden's old Senate seat.
What do you think about that race up there? Could the TEA Party strike again?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: They just might. The TEA Party Express, the group who helped out Mike Lee out in Utah and just helped out Joe Miller in Alaska with a lot of financial support is now helping out Christine O'Donnell. It's one of the stories we have right now, one of our top stories on the CNN Political Ticker at CNNpolitics.com.
And we are waiting for a news conference about 13 minutes from now where we expect the TEA Party Express to announce more support for O'Donnell going up against that longtime congressman in Delaware, Mike Castle. He's very popular in the state, but not popular with those on the right, conservatives. Jim, that's just one of the things on the ticker, but also on the ticker this morning, the Senate rate in Florida. This is a wild three-way contest, and two of the candidates, Kendrick Meek, the Democratic nominee and Charlie Crist, the Republican governor who is now running as an independent candidate, they're both up with new ads this morning. New campaign commercials.
Remember, Labor Day is over, summer is over. People are back to work and they're back watching TV. Expect campaigns to ramp it up when it comes to campaign commercials on air.
And talking about Kendrick Meek, something brand-new on the ticker you haven't even seen on the ticker yet. It'll be there in a few minutes. Kendrick Meek is going to New York City tonight. He's going to team up with former president Bill Clinton. Clinton is hosting a fundraiser for Meek to help him raise some campaign cash. You know, this is the ninth time that Clinton has helped out Kendrick Meek since Meek decided to run for that Senate nomination in Florida. Clinton has known Meek for a long time and Meek, of course, also endorsed Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton's wife, back in 2008 when she was running for the White House, Jim.
ACOSTA: And Paul, it's great that you mentioned the Kendrick Meek-Marco Rubio race because I can work in a plug that tomorrow, I will be profiling that race as part of my TEA Party series.
You also mentioned that Clinton and Meek know each other well. When I was down there in Florida talking to Kendrick Meek, his campaign staff mentioned a great story about how back in the early '90s, when President Clinton was talking about - then-governor Clinton was talking about running for president, he was going to meet with the Florida Democrats, and Kendrick Meek was the state trooper in the state of Flordida who escorted Bill Clinton to go meet with the Florida Democrats to get him on his way to run for president.
So, politics is rich with those kind of stories. And our Paul Steinhauser and the rest of the political team, they're all following these developments. It will be an amazing midterm election. And Paul is on the scene.
So, appreciate it, Paul. Thanks so much.
And for all the latest political news, go to CNNpolitics.com. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ACOSTA: Now for the part of our newscast that really means a lot to us. It's called "Home and Away," a tribute to our fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan. We'll tell you how you can take part in a moment.
But first, we want to tell you about Lance Corporal Sean Hefner. He died in Afghanistan in 2009. His mom was asked to write his story for a book a group of Marine moms are putting together. Here's her memory of Sean after completing boot camp.
Quote, "Seeing my son after three months of training was a shock. Sean's countenance had changed. He was sure of himself, proud of himself. He stood taller, and his shoulders were broader. I could never put into words the pride that a mother feels when witnessing the fulfillment of your child's dream. He was now a Marine."
And we couldn't do this project without you. Here's how you can join us. Go to our Web site, CNN.com/homeandaway, and we'll keep the memories of your hero alive.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ACOSTA: A fitting end to today's show, that song there, and not just about this next story. Surviving divorce is never easy. But in Japan, they have taken it to a whole new level. The country's increasing divorce rate has sparked a new trend. They're calling them divorce ceremonies. It's a way for couples to say sayonara to an unhappy marriage. And Kyung Lah has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A diamond and platinum wedding ring, symbolizing eight years of this couple's marriage. Gone, in an increasingly popular ritual known in Japan as a divorce ceremony. Husband no longer, Taka (ph).
"It marks the end of this phase of our lives," he says.
The beginning for Taka and Michiko was in 2002. They had a child, built a life together but, eventually, grew apart.
"A part of me is expecting I'll feel much better after this," says Michiko. "I've had enough sadness."
The divorce ceremony begins with a silent and solemn procession through the streets of Tokyo. Two rickshaws carrying man and woman. Inside this purposely shabby building, a symbolic ceremony before witnesses, not to join together, but to break apart. The diamond and platinum ring takes several hard hits before it's finally cracked.
Walking to the reception, the former bride is all smiles. "I feel relieved. After I smashed the ring, I feel free."
The feeling's mutual, Taka tells me. "I feel better than before we did this," he says. "It's over."
LAH (on camera): So much of the ceremony is filled with symbolism. The couple at the reception sit back-to-back at separate tables, signifying their now separate lives. The party favors are chopsticks, because they're two sticks that you pull apart.
LAH (voice-over): There's no Chicken Dance, but a fish and cape- clad divorce musician at the reception, singing about splitting up.
Bizarre? No doubt. But a sign of the times in Japan. One in four marriages now end up in divorce, but it's still a cultural taboo. This ceremony, which only costs about $600, helps some Japanese come to grips with the country's changing social norms, says divorce ceremony planner, Hiroki Tarai (ph).
"There's no mistaking that divorce is a sad process," he says. "But I believe that by declaring your new start in life in front of your friends, relatives, and family, you draw a clear line. It helps emotionally."
Tarai says his business is booming. He's gotten a thousand calls, and has ceremonies booked for weeks. As far as Taka and Michiko, they say their thanks and farewells and walk off, separately ever after.
Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: And it's time for me to say sayonara to this hour of the NEWSROOM. And domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.
Is that how you say "hello" in Japanese?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Wow. Nice, Acosta.
ACOSTA: I'm pretty sure that's a bad '80s song.
Anyway, time to toss it over to my good friend Brooke Baldwin for the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.
BALDWIN: Jim Acosta, good to see you.
ACOSTA: Hi, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Thank you, sir.
