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Debate Over Extending Bush Tax Cuts; Aftermath of Explosion in San Bruno, California; Boxed in By Crime

Aired September 13, 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 this Monday morning, September 13th.

The struggle to find a job after doing time. Local governments looking at ways to move ex-cons from the prison system to the payroll.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chronic joblessness is a direct cause for the growth of the illegal (ph) or informal economy, and with that is a culture of gunshot wounds.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: If you are out of a job, consider heading east, the Far East. Hong Kong has the help wanted sign out.

And he new documentary "Waiting for Superman" heading to theaters. The filmmaker hoping to inspire Americans to change the way we teach our kids. It is part of our weekly focus on "Fixing Our Schools."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we don't fix our public schools for everybody, we're in trouble.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is a tax issue that will affect your finances. Pay attention, everyone. This is serious stuff here.

Lawmakers returning to Washington today face a debate over extending the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year. President Obama wants to keep them in place only for those making less than $250,000 a year.

The top House Republican wants to extend them for everybody, but he says he is willing to go along with the administration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: If the only option I have is to vote for some of those tax reductions, I'll vote for them. But I've been making the point now for months that we need to extend all the current rates for all Americans if we want to get our economy going again and we want to get jobs in America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Politics aside for a moment, let's look at the economic impact of extending the Bush tax cuts.

That was a topic of discussion on "YOUR $$$$$" with our chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI VELSHI, HOST, "YOUR $$$$$": Let's talk about tax cuts for us, average Americans. How does that money flow through the economy and hopefully encourage spending and hiring? The good news by the way is this is the one everybody thinks should stay in place, the extension of the tax cuts for the middle class.

Pretty obvious, that graphic didn't need to be too complicated, did it, Jeanne?

JEANNE SAHADI, CNNMONEY.COM: No, it's pretty clear. I don't have a lot of money. If you raise my taxes, I'll have even less.

So, if you keep my tax cuts in place, I know that I can continue to spend as I've been doing. It's not like if they keep the tax cuts that we are going to see a big change. In fact, it's going to be status quo as we have been having for the last several years.

VELSHI: Right, because we're using the word "tax cut," but in fact we're talking about keeping taxes where they are and not making them higher than they are.

SAHADI: Right. Well, you know, the taxes are scheduled to expire at a current law, so it's a tax cut relative to what current law would have it be. Go ahead. I'm sorry.

VELSHI: All right. Let me talk about -- and this is the one that is absolutely in contention, the top one or two, depending on how you want to do the math, percent of Americans, wealthy Americans. Let's put that on the board.

So the bottom line there is the same as everybody else: you give people a tax break they spend it. The top line -- and that one is a little dangerous for the economy -- you give the wealthy people who don't need to spend all of their income on day-to-day needs a tax break, they may save it. But the middle one is where it gets interesting.

Maybe they'll invest it. Maybe they'll invest it in a startup business which pays a better return than a long-established company, and that startup business then is in business, they get to hire people. Those people that they hire then end up spending money.

Rosanne, if it were to work, that would be lovely.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That would be lovely. And the question here is, what kind of bang for the buck you get when you give wealthy people more money? And as you said, a lot of them are going to save it. And, OK, so let's say they save it and that goes into investment. I can't guarantee to you that they're going to invest in U.S. companies.

VELSHI: Right, and you can't guarantee that any of us will these days, because the world is our oyster and we know that growth in other places is often stronger than it is going to be in U.S.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: So how much are the tax cuts we're talking about? How much? And how long have then been in place?

Josh Levs crunching the numbers on what the tax cuts mean to your current budget -- Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Tony. Here's the deal.

When we take a look at what's been going on with these tax cuts, the fact is the majority of them both sides are wanting to keep. And we are talking about something that goes all the way back to the Bush administration.

In order to try to drill this home for you, I want to give you some examples of what has happened when basically brackets were lowered. Basically, people just started paying less in taxes.

So we have our nice, friendly avatar couple that we like to visit from time to time. Here they are right here.

We're using information from something called a tax calculator at the Tax Policy Center. I'll show you that in a minute.

Totally imaginary example. Imagine that this couple is making about $57,000 a year.

HARRIS: That's good money.

LEVS: It's good money. In fact, that's right in the middle range of what middle class is in America. Middle class is a huge, broad term, but middle of the middle, you are getting around here.

So $57,000, about. Let's say the tax liability at this point is about $3,500 right there. Well, if the cuts were to expire, for them it would jump about $2,000, which is a big chunk of change for a family in this situation.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

LEVS: I mean, they would feel it. Now, no one is talking about removing their tax cuts. You've got President Obama wanting to keep those cuts, you have Republicans wanting to keep the cuts. But this actually needs to be extended or this will happen, so something has got to happen.

All right. Let's go to the next example of them. Let's say they're doing a little better. Let's say they're getting $106,000 per year, current tax liability about $9,400. It would jump $3,000 if those are not extended. Right?

HARRIS: But Josh, wait a minute. If you are making $106,000, you are not in the middle class at that point, are you?

LEVS: No, you're not, but they're still not talking about removing the tax cut for people because this is a couple making less than $250,000 a year.

HARRIS: Great.

LEVS: So even at that point, you're right, we jumped past the middle class, you're into high incomes.

HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.

LEVS: Only a small portion of America gets six-figure salaries. That said, it still would jump up to here another $3,000. It's not expected to.

This is an example of what would change if this expires as President Obama wants it to. Now you've got the couple making than $250,000, right? So they are at about almost $400,000 here.

Their tax liability, let's just imagine it's up in the $100,000 range, because remember, when you get to the second hundred thousand and the third hundred thousand, you start taking a bigger chunk of change. So let's imagine the taxes here about $100,000 there.

If it expires, according to our calculations, it would jump about $6,000. And that would happen if indeed this is ultimately dropped.

Now, this is the question: Will the $250,000 thing happen or not? But if what President Obama wants happens, then people in these situations will pay a bit more. This is how much more they would pay.

HARRIS: But Josh, do this for me. When we do this again, let's look at $251,000.

LEVS: I did, and you can barely see anything, because at $251,000 you are just barely above. It's only on that $1,000, and then you have to factor in are they paying the 401(k)s, do they have children?

It's only on the actual income that gets taxed anyway, so you really don't see much of a difference when you're dealing at $251,000. You have to jump up near the $300,000s to see a big number like that.

HARRIS: But you see how that's an important distinction. The one you just made is an important distinction, right?

LEVS: Only the income above $250,000.

HARRIS: Right.

LEVS: It's not all your income. The income above $250,000 would be taxed at a higher rate. That's where you get the controversy, what is better for the economy? What builds the economy, leaving that in people's hands to spend or taking it for the government?

HARRIS: OK, Josh. Appreciate it. Thank you.

LEVS: Yes. You got it.

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Colorado's focus on firefighting is shifting north from Boulder to Loveland. Crews say 100 homes may be threatened by wildfires burning outside Loveland. Already, two homes and four other buildings have gone up in flames near Boulder. Full containment expected today. Fire destroyed 166 homes last week.

And we are also watching what's hot online. Ines Ferre surfing the Web.

Ines, good morning.

INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.

Twenty-five years of TV, Oprah kicks off her final season. She's got surprises, and I mean lots of surprises.

And also, from CNN.com, who wore it best at last night's VMA Awards?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So, hundreds of people in San Bruno, California, are waking up today surrounded by destruction and devastation. They were allowed to return to the San Francisco suburb yesterday for the first time since Friday's deadly gas line fire.

CNN's Ted Rowlands joins us now from San Bruno.

And Ted, I really want you at some point to describe what people there are waking up to this Monday morning, but I know you've got a guest with you.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Tony. We have Christopher Hart. He's the vice chairman of the NTSB, the lead agency in the investigation into this explosion which took place last week.

And obviously, you guys are focusing, Mr. Hart, on this piece of pipe. We saw a chunk of it, if you will, get hauled out of here this morning.

What can you learn from actually analyzing the pipe? And what have you learned so far that you can share with us?

CHRISTOPHER HART, NTSB VICE-CHAIRMAN: We'll be taking that piece of the pipe, as well as the two pieces immediately adjacent to it on both ends, back to Washington, to our metallurgy labs, where we will do a detailed examination of them to determine what caused the breach of the pipe.

ROWLANDS: One thing that people are concerned about across the country is that these transmission lines are everywhere. There's miles and miles of them, and having this blow the way it did, and its age, should people be concerned about the future in the coming years and decades, about the infrastructure and this possibly happening more frequently?

HART: One of the systemic issues we'll be looking at, in addition to the specific issues related to this event is the fact that pipelines -- it's not uncommon that pipelines that were installed many, many years ago, as this one was in 1956, at that time they were in areas that weren't densely populated. Since then they have become densely populated. We need to address that and look at that in sort of the macro picture that we're addressing with this accident.

ROWLANDS: Specifically, in the days and weeks leading up to this, have you found anything of note in terms of people smelling gas? Have you been able to determine whether those reports are accurate? And there's also some reports that there was some construction on top of that area?

What can you tell us about what may have triggered this?

HART: We didn't find any contemporaneous construction, but we will be looking at the history of this pipe to see over the years, not just over the weeks, but over the years, has there been any construction that could have resulted in damage to the pipe that might have created this problem? In addition to that, we're following up on the rumors we've heard about people who smelled gas and called it in. We have not yet been able to verify that, and so we have asked people, anyone who smelled gas and called it in, please let the authorities know or let us know so that we can follow it up.

ROWLANDS: All right. Mr. Hart, thank you. I know you have a lot of work to do here.

Tony, basically, the investigation is ongoing. And the NTSB has said that it may take them months before they come to a final conclusion in terms of their final report, but they will update the public once they do find anything that is of note to this explosion that really has a lot of people nervous, as you might imagine, especially here, but really around the country.

HARRIS: All right. And so, Ted, that takes care of where we are in the investigation.

If you would, describe that scene and what people living in that neighborhood are getting up to and waking up to today. ROWLANDS: Yes. It's hard to -- we always say you have to be here to appreciate it. That really is the case here because, literally, the area where this explosion moved forward, it just flattened 37 houses, basically in an instant.

And we came in yesterday with a family that was here when it happened. They shared with us some amazing home video. A gentleman was out on his porch, and it really makes you step back when you see the intensity of the flames in that video, and then you go out on his porch after and look at the aftermath.

Basically, people are coming back to their homes. The ones that are coming back, their homes are intact, but their neighborhood as they knew it, obviously, is just completely blown away.

HARRIS: Right. All right.

Ted Rowlands for us in San Bruno, California.

Ted, good to see you. Thank you.

Getting a job is certainly hard for everyone in this economy, but for one group in particular, it is especially difficult. We will tell you why in a moment.

And the market's open for -- coming up on two hours now. Let's take a look at the numbers.

We are in positive territory. How about that for a Monday? Up 83 points.

We are following these numbers for you throughout the day, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Studies suggest there is still discrimination against minorities when employers hire, and if you're black, male and have a criminal record, getting a job is even tougher. Stephanie Elam found some state and local governments trying to change that, but for many it is still an uphill struggle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GENE MAYS, FORMER FELON: Here is a basketball.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gene Mays knows all too well what a criminal record can do to a job search. Once the top of his class in high school, Mays dropped out of college and began selling coke to support his habit.

MAYS: Once I started doing cocaine, it just shot straight to the top as far as my priority list.

ELAM: In 1989, he went to jail for drug trafficking. He served his time, paid his dues. MAYS: October 7, 1997, and that's the day that I got clean.

ELAM: Flash forward a decade. Mays, now married and a father, was studying to become an electrician to better provide for his family.

MAYS: I did something that they said had never been done. And that was I got 100 on each of the 12 tests during my first year.

ELAM: Despite this, the city of Cincinnati revoked its electrician job offer.

David Singleton is Mays' lawyer.

DAVID SINGLETON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OHIO JUSTICE AND POLICY CENTER: The city looked at Gene, saw that he had two felony convictions in his past, and said therefore you can't work for the city. It didn't care about his rehabilitation. It didn't care that he was ranked number one in his class each of the five year of the electrician's training program.

ELAM: Singleton successfully fought to get Cincinnati to ban the box, removing the criminal history question from its job applications. Employers are still free to ask the question later in the hiring process. The point is to give ex-offenders a chance at an interview.

SINGLETON: It's not felon first, employment programs. What it is, is it's giving people a fair shot to compete for jobs where they are qualified.

ELAM (on camera): So this box issue, is it more of an issue for people of color, for black men?

SINGLETON: Statistics bear out that if you're a person of color, you are more likely to be the focus of the police. You're more likely to wind up in the criminal justice system.

ELAM (voice-over): This summer Connecticut joined Minnesota and New Mexico in banning the box on state job applications while Massachusetts and Hawaii banned all employers from using the box. Massachusetts State Representative James Miceli is against softening the laws.

JAMES MICELI, MASSACHUSETTS STATE REPRESENTATIVE: I want to give everyone access to all of the information regarding someone's criminal record that they can get. Why not disclose everything up front?

ELAM: But Victor Garcia, a professor of surgery in Ohio believes there is a direct correlation between unemployment and the young people who end up in his emergency room.

VICTOR GARCIA, SURGERY AND PEDIATRICS PROFESSOR: Chronic joblessness is a direct cause for the growth of the illegal or informal economy and with that is a culture of gunshot wounds.

ELAM: Now clean for nearly 13 years, Mays is working for a transit company but he never did get that electrician's job. MAYS: Once a felon, always a felon. So that's what generally leads a person back to the life of crime because they feel like once they committed a crime, that it's no use now. What I hope can come out of this is that those same individuals that were thinking like that can now have a sense of hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. Stephanie Elam joining us now with more on this story.

And Stephanie, this is a tricky question here, but it's a tough one. But I'm going to ask it anyway.

You know, there are so many unemployed people in the United States right now. Why should we care about people who haven't always lived along the straight and narrow, above board?

ELAM: Right. And I think that's a lot of what people are going to think when they look at a story like this, or they look at someone like Gene Mays. But I think that the thing that you should take away from this is that this is not saying that these people will definitely get the jobs. It's just saying give them a chance to get in the door.

Also, if they do get jobs and they stay out of a life of crime, then they are more likely to pay into taxes and help keep these communities, especially in the urban core, which need these revenues, to actually come in and make it better, so that they'd be helping and paying into a system that so many of us are paying into already anyway. It would actually help out that way.

And it reduces crime. If less people are going back into the circuit of (INAUDIBLE), going back into jail, and then back out on to the streets and into this underbelly of finding money a different way.

HARRIS: All right. Makes sense. All right, Stephanie. Good to see you. Thank you.

Fighting a financial crisis from the pulpit. This October, CNN asks, is debt a bigger problem than racism? "Almighty Debt: A Black in America Special" coming in October.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We are getting some breaking news into CNN.

An airplane with more than 45 passengers and crew has gone down about 45 minutes ago in Venezuela, according to government officials. No immediate information on casualties or survivors.

And we're getting this from Venezuelan Globovision reports, and that the crash happened in Bolivar state. That's in southern Venezuela.

We will continue to follow developments. No pictures yet, but we will continue to follow developments on this and get you more information, do some mapping on this as soon as we can.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: A new documentary blows the whistle on America's broken education system.

We are "Fixing Our Schools" right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: President Obama says it's time to pay tribute to historically black colleges and universities, HBCUs. Today kicks off a week highlighting the historic institutions. In remarks last hour, the president said HBCUs play a major role in improving education. He placed continued support and challenged the schools to build on their achievements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You've made it possible for millions of people to achieve their dreams and gave so many young people a chance they never thought they'd have, a chance that nobody else would give them. And that's something to celebrate and that's something to be very, very proud of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: More now on our weekly focus Fixing our Schools. A new documentary headed to a theater near you sheds light on America's broken education system.

CNN's Kareen Wynter reports that the goal of waiting for super man is to inspire reform.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you think most of the kids here are getting a crappy education?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I don't think they are. I know they are.

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim has a message for America.

DAVIS GUGGENHEM, DIRECTOR, "WAITING FOR SUPERMAN": If we don't fix our public schools for everybody, we're in trouble.

WYNTER: The 46-year-old director knows how to get his message across. His last film earned $50 million at the box office, won an Oscar, and sparked an international debate over global warming. If lightning strikes twice, his new film, "Waiting for Superman" would do the same thing for public education. CNN caught up with Guggenheim at the Sundance Film Festival where his movie was first acquired by a major studio. GUGGENHEIM: The system we've built works really well for the adults, like the unions and bureaucracy and even the parents. But it's not working for the kids.

WYNTER: The film follows the lives of five children as they wait for their number to be called in a Lottery, a bingo-style drum (ph) determine which kids get into the best schools. An eye-opening movement for Guggenheim.

GUGGENHEIM: I drive past three public schools on the way to take my kid to a private school. And when I drive by those schools it haunts me. We're not doing enough for every kid.

WYNTER: Education reformer Geoffrey Canada and billionaire Bill Gates tells CNN they participated in the film because of their concerns.

GEOFFREY CANADA, EDUCATION REFORMER: We have a school day that's too short, year that's too short, and we've got lots of teachers who should not be teaching children.

WYNTER: And to offer solutions for the future.

BILL GATES, PHILANTHROPIST: Today the internet gives you the opportunity to watch the best lectures in the world. They're out there for free. If you take advantage of those resources, you can be broader and deeper than any of the kids in my generation were.

ANNOUCER: Among 30 developed countries, we rank 25th in math and 21st in science. In almost every category we have fallen behind.

JAY FERNANDEZ, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": When I'm watching these things, you have to have skepticism.

WYNTER: Weary of one-sided documentaries, Jay Fernandez from the "Hollywood Reporter" says "Superman" has more to do with inspiring change than assigning blame.

FERNANDEZ: The filmmakers and the studio are hoping that this doesn't just spark a public debate but actually spark some reform.

WYNTER: Fernandez, a father himself says his greatest concern is that moviegoers' guilt might actually keep them from buying a ticket.

FERNANDEZ: It's almost like, I know this is out there but do I really want to go and stick my face in it because I then either have to do something or I'm a total schmuck.

WYNTER: Hoping to avoid this problem, the film has struck deals with corporate sponsors to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars in books and school supplies for every 10,000 people who see the film. This way everyday people can be the superheroes public schools are waiting for.

GATES: It takes good examples to say, yes, we can do this.

WYNTER: Kareen Wynter, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Radio talk show host Tom Joyner is announcing a new initiative to enhance online education. This could be really, really big. He joins us to talk about that tomorrow, 12:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.

After 25 years, weekday afternoon TV will never be the same, right? Oprah Winfrey shutting it down at the end of the season. We will tell you what's next for the talk show queen.

We're back in a -

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: How about this? The end of an era. Oprah Winfrey turns the page on her syndicated talk show after 25 years.

Ines Ferre, how are folks reacting to this end of an era?

INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, I'll tell you. Yes, today marks the final season of the "Oprah Winfrey Show" and you know it's going to be a good show today if you've got John Travolta on there.

HARRIS: Hey, now.

FERRE: We want to show you this: Travolta and Oprah Winfrey walking on stage there. She said, look, I've got a big surprise for everybody. And she means big. Now, take a listen to this, take a look at what we're about to show you. A big surprise with 300 people in the audience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: We're going to Australia!

(CROWD SCREAMING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FERRE: Australia. She's taking everybody to Australia and that's posted on her web site Oprah.com. Last night, Tony, we were at the VMA Awards and we asked a bunch of stars about what they thought about Oprah's last season.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN GARRETT, SINGER: I'm very, very, very sad that -- I felt like she has raised families, you know what I mean? And I feel like she has so much to be -- people should really, really, really applaud her for the work that she's done.

FERRE: What is it going to be like without Oprah in the afternoon?

ICE CUBE, RAPPER/ACTOR: I don't know. I don't know if the sun will come up. Will the world spin? Who knows? I don't know.

AKON, SINGER: Last season? Where have I been? Are you serious?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got to get on that show before it's over.

AKON: I never get to be on Oprah? No, no, Oprah, please. Oprah, please listen, before -- please, I'm begging you on CNN. If I can just go on and wave to your audience, that's all I want to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FERRE: Now, when she announced that this would be her last season, she said 25 years just felt right, the perfect number, the exact time. So on January 1st, Oprah heads over to her new own network.

HARRIS: She's got her own network? That's pretty big.

FERRE: Her own network called (INAUDIBLE).

HARRIS: And Akon, it's not all about you.

Ines, appreciate it. Thank you.

FERRE: You're welcome.

HARRIS: Taking a look now at top stories.

The so-called underwear bomber is due in court this morning. For the first time since January, attorneys for Faruk Abdulmutallab may be talking about a possible plea deal. He faces six charges for allegedly trying to set off a bomb on a flight into Detroit last Christmas.

The largest appointment of New Hampshire guardsmen and women since the second world war are all packed and ready for Operation New Dawn. The brigade is expected to arrive in Kuwait by November. They'll provide logistics and beef up safety for personnel coming in and out of Iraq.

Thirty-three passengers are safe, either of them escaping with minor injuries after their tour bus caught fire on an Oregon highway. The bus driver noticed smoke dumping from the dash and quickly pulled over. Investigators say the fire was accidental.

How about this? Married for 30 years. A couple takes their partnership to a whole new level by going into business together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We balance each other. I can't do what he does. He can't do what I do. But together, we can do it. He can't do paperwork and he is not organized in that area because he's more creative.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Yes. Running a business when you're sharing the same bed. It's my DIY economy series, next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Time now for your CNN Equals Politics update. Our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is part of our Best Political Team on Television and he joins us live now from D.C.

Paul, what is crossing right now?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Tony, brand new on the CNN Political Ticker, on CNN Politics right now. You know what, probably arguably the most interesting and getting to be the most bitter Senate race in the country. I'm talking about the battle, the shoot-out in Nevada between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Republican challenger Sharron Angle who's backed by a lot of people in the Tea Party movement.

A brand new poll out, Tony, shows the race continues to be deadlocked. This is His is after both sides have put up tons of campaign commercials attacking the other candidate. Reid is angling for a fifth term in office, Angle wants to knock him out and be part of maybe a Tea Party coalition in the Senate.

Tony, check this out. Also brand new this morning on the CNN Political Ticker. Biden and Clinton to help out Joe Sestak. Right now, happening as we speak, right now in Pennsylvania, the former president up there helping out Sestak. Remember, he is the two-term Congressman from southeastern Pennsylvania who's the Democrat's Senate nominee. He also knocked off in the primaries Arlen Specter. So Clinton is up there helping him today, and Joe Biden, the Vice President, will be there later today to help Sestak raise money.

Polls indicate that Sestak is trailing Pat Toomey, the Republican Senate candidate in the race. The Democrats definitely want to hold onto this seat if they can in Pennsylvania.

And, Tony, not even on the ticker yet, I'm still writing the story so you're going to get it first. We're talking about Delaware, and that Senate primary tomorrow, it's getting even uglier. It's between Mike Castle, long-time Republican congressman from the state and a moderate Republican, versus Christine O'Donnell. She's a conservative candidate and she's backed by the Tea Party Express.

The Tea Party Express is demanding that the state party chairman in Delaware resign, step down. They say he is attacking O'Donnell and that he is attacking the Tea Party Express. The chairman says, hey, thanks a lot, but you guys are an outside group. Butt out of Delaware politics.

Tony, a lot of stuff going on in the ticker.

HARRIS: Wow, the ticker is hot.

Love the energy, Paul. Appreciate it. See you next hour.

And your next political update in an hour. And for the latest political news, you know where to go, CNNPolitics.com.

Let's update you the breaking news we were telling you about just moments ago regarding that plane crash in Venezuela. Reuters is reporting at least 23 people have survived the crash and are being treated in an area hospital for injuries. The plane had 47 passengers plus crew members on board. It happened in Bolivar state in southern Venezuela. The flight was bound for Margarita Island, a very popular tourist destination. But good news here, 23 survivors of the plane crash are being treated now for various injuries.

Let's get you to a break. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you to CNNMoney.com, your source for financial news.

Take a look at the lead story here. Wall Street bets on the GOP. This election, more financial firms and business groups favor donating two Republican campaigns over Democratic ones. OK. So that's That's the lead story, and a bunch of other items under latest news for to you check out, CNNMoney.com. Our money team doing a terrific job as usual today and every day.

Let's get you to the big board. New York Stock Exchange, take a look at the Dow. We are in positive territory. I think slightly off session highs, but still in good shape, up a 61 points. The Nasdaq is up 34 points. following these numbers throughout the day.

Confidence appears to be back on wall street, at least for the day. We'll check in five minutes. That's because global officials say they have a plan to prevent another financial crisis.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

HARRIS: Here are some of the stories we're working on for the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.

Hundreds gathering right now to speak out against a controversial technique to tap the earth for natural gas. Hear from residents who say fracking is poisoning their water supply.

And from making a marriage work to make a business work, what is it like doing a start-up with your partner? It's my Do It Yourself Economy segment, next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Out of work in America? Well, pack your bags for China. Pauline Chiou reports. Hong Kong has the help wanted signs out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROXANNA BLANCO, AMERICAN WORKER IN CHINA: How do you say it?

PAULINE CHIOU, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Roxanna Blanco considers herself lucky to have this job as an English tutor. Even with a degree in International Business and Marketing, the American could not find a job for an entire year. Finally told her mother she was going to take a bold step.

BLANCO: I think I just want to move to China. I think I'm going to go to China. She's like, are you crazy? You're going to go to china? I was like, yes, China. That's where I'm going to go.

Very good job.

CHIOU: Roxanna sensed the opportunities were in Asia. So last year she applied online for teaching jobs in China and got three offers. Roxanna's pull towards Asia is not unusual these days. Kayes (ph) recruitment firm says its Asia firm handled a 30 percent increase in job applicants over the past six months. Most job seekers are from the U.S., UK, and Australia.

Feeling frustration that they wanted to kick start their careers again but caught a tough 18 months and simply the general attitude of they've had enough. CHIOU: Emma Charnoff (ph) says banks are hiring again and casting a wide net for top talent, but are the salaries the same?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good question. We've certainly seen at least 15 percent increase on base salaries.

CHIOU (on camera): While the bulk of the jobs here in Hong Kong are in banking, finance, and law, on the mainland, a lot of sectors are hiring. China needs industrial engineers for its high-speed rail. Also urban planners and architects for stimulus projects.

(voice-over): On the mainland, report an upswing in overseas Chinese returning for jobs. Charnoff says she's also noticed an interesting spike in demand for math and science teachers at international schools on the mainland. Perhaps as a result of more ex-Pats moving to cities like Beijing and shanghai. Some schools are even offering relocation and housing allowances to attract teachers.

Back in Hong Kong, Roxanna plans to eventually return home to California, but with the U.S. unemployment rate at 9.6 percent, she's not rushing to buy her plane ticket.

BLANCO: Actually I am very nervous to go back. Like, we're talking about maybe going back in a year or so. And I'm really -- I still don't -- I still don't know if I'll find work.

CHIOU: Until then, it's a waiting game until the time is right.

Pauline Chiou, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)