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O'Donnell Money Questions; Three Suspects on Trial in Picasso Theft; Senator Collins Won't Support Defense Bill Amendment Including Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; Watching Ahmadinejad's Words; Weather Warriors

Aired September 21, 2010 - 09:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, guys. And good morning, everybody. Here's what we're working on this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LADY GAGA, SINGER: I thought equality was non non-negotiable.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Lady Gaga's call for action. But will it be enough to sway two Republican senators on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?

The FDA debates genetically altered salmon. Could it be safe? A top food expert weighs in.

And today the president awards the highest military honor to this man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his fellow comrades. You'll hear his story from the men who respect him most.

It's 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. out west, I'm Kyra Phillips. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

But first, we're just learning now that a helicopter that crashed in the Afghan province Zabul was carrying nine American troops. We don't have a lot of specifics right now as to what exactly happened, but we are being told that enemy fire has been ruled out as a possible cause.

Today's casualties make this year the deadliest so far for the war in Afghanistan. More than 500 coalition troops have been killed.

We're going to continue to monitor this story and bring you updates as soon as we get them.

But we're bracing for a close Senate vote on whether to open debate on dumping "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". It's part of today's bigger debate over a defense bill and the outcome could hinge on moderates like Maine's Republican senators, Snowe and Collins.

So pop star Lady Gaga is waging war on behalf of openly-gay troops, and if you've never thought of the outspoken singer as a political warrior, wait until you see this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LADY GAGA: I'm here because they inspire me. I'm here because I believe in them. I'm here because "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is wrong. It's unjust. And fundamentally it is against all that we stand for as Americans.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Her draw is undeniable. Lady Gaga has six million twitter followers and the attention of D.C.'s most powerful. She drew thousands of people to that Maine rally which was organized by the Service Members' Legal Defense Network.

The group says that 13,000 gay and lesbian service members have been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and last year about 400 troops were dropped under that policy.

Our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash following that debate. She's live in Washington.

So, Dana, where does it stand now?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Too close to call, that's exactly where it stands right now.

I bumped into Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown this morning in the elevator here in this building and he says he's not sure yet how he's going to vote. And, you know, Republicans, the leaders in the Senate, they are trying to block this defense bill for several reasons.

But the one that we hear the most from them is that they think that the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has set up a process that makes it just too hard for Republicans to amend or change this bill once it gets to the Senate floor for debate.

So that's why they say they're blocking it. And it's also why one of those Maine senators that Lady Gaga was trying to lobby, Susan Collins, even though she supports the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," she was the only Republican to vote with Democrats in committee.

She is leaning, it sounds like, towards voting with her party to continue to block the bill but there are other reasons. For example, that other Maine senator, Olympia Snowe, she released a statement saying, you know, she thinks it's best for the Pentagon to finish a review that's it's in the midst of right now before Congress acts.

I want to read you part of her statement. She said the question is whether we should be voting on this issue before we have the benefit of the comprehensive review that President Obama's secretary of defense ordered in March, to secure the input of our men and women in uniform during this time of war, as the Joint Chiefs of Staff from all of the services have requested prior to any vote."

So those are the kind of things that we're hearing as these gay rights activists especially are scrambling not just in public behind the scenes here to get these votes today -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And, Dana, Republicans has accused Democrats of playing politics by holding this vote so close to the election. Do they have a point?

BASH: Well, look. The Democratic leadership, they argue that this is a must-pass defense bill. It's $725 billion. It helps fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It gives -- authorizes a boost in pay for troops. So they say that they have to do this.

However the reality is privately, Kyra, you talk to some Democrats and they say they recognize that doing this now, at least trying to do this, that this bill doesn't include the -- at least authorization for a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal, that that is important for one of their key constituencies.

One of them -- there are many -- who are not very happy with Democrats because they feel that they did not try hard enough early enough on some of their big issues so that -- there's no question that's part of this.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep following the story, Dana Bash from the Hill, thanks so much.

Also this morning the Tea Party's new superstar faces some serious allegations about the way that she spent some of her campaign cash.

Christine O'Donnell is the Republican nominee who wants to fill Joe Biden's old Senate seat in Delaware. The GOP has reluctantly embraced her. A bit squeamish over the angry rhetoric that made her a darling of the Tea Party movement.

And today, she faces a new problem. A watchdog group has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commissioner over a handful of checks written last year.

Christine O'Donnell was speaking at a campaign forum in Delaware last night and our Gary Tuchman went right to the candidate to give her a chance to respond.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: We have been ethical. We have not -- I personally have not misused the campaign funds. We have our FEC lawyer, a great attorney, answering those charges. If it ever goes anywhere.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The O'Donnell campaign calling the accusations frivolous but there are a lot more records coming out. Things that raise all kinds of ethical questions like another check that O'Donnell back in March of 2009 for $750 to a landlord and former boyfriend.

Gary caught up with her later for a response to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miss O'Donnell, I'm asking one question you promised you'd answer.

O'DONNELL: I did answer it.

TUCHMAN: No, about the rentals last year. Why were you paying rent with those campaign money?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, sorry tonight. Not happening.

TUCHMAN: Well, that was the one question I had.

O'DONNELL: I answered it.

TUCHMAN: No, you didn't answer it.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Watchdog organization called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington did a lot of digging on this story and it's gone after candidates on both sides of the aisle in the past and claims to be nonpartisan.

They say Christine O'Donnell is, quote, "clearly a criminal," and should be prosecuted because of the spending. The group's executive director explained why last night on "AC 360."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, AC 360: You say in this report that she is a criminal. How can you say that? I mean shouldn't she be innocent until proven guilty?

MELANIE SLOAN, CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY & ETHICS IN WASHINGTON: Well, of course everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But if you look at the facts in this case and it's literally just the facts, you can look at the campaign finance reports Christine O'Donnell filed.

You can look at what her former campaign staffers have said and two former staffers, David Keogan (ph) and Christine Murray, have both said she basically treated the campaign coffers like her own personal piggy bank and she routinely was spending out of campaign money for her personal lifestyle.

This is the stuff that crimes are made of. This is embezzlement. This is no different than any other employee who steals from their job.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the allegations are the latest hit to O'Donnell's campaign. She was already trying to explain her 1999 claim that she had, quote, "dabbled into witchcraft."

Mark Preston is our senior political editor. He's joining me from Washington.

So, Mark, has O'Donnell's momentum suffered, do you think, in the days since her big victory?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, clearly, she has this national momentum from conservatives across the country, particularly Tea Party conservatives that are very happy that she was able to knock off this GOP establishment candidate.

She was derailed by her comments about witchcraft. You know social conservatives are probably wondering, what was she doing? What did she mean? But she's probably going to move beyond that. She said that's something that she did in high school and, Kyra, she has raised $2 million since she won that primary victory.

We've also seen Jim DeMint pour another $250,000 of his own Political Action Committee money -- he's a senator from South Carolina -- to run an ad on her behalf. So, yes, the momentum's on her side but she's now in the big leagues. She's no longer the insurgent candidate and she's going to have to answer some very tough questions.

PHILLIPS: All right. So what's next? And at what point do members of the Republican Party need to come out and say we support her or we don't support her?

PRESTON: And we're seeing that already by some folks such as Jim DeMint. We saw Mitt Romney cut her a check. He's someone who's seriously considering running for president. We've seen other ones come out as well.

What she needs to do right now is really establish a solid general election campaign. What does that mean? It means that she needs to start surround herself with some Washington insiders.

Now folks aren't going to like me -- like me saying that but the fact of the matter is you were talking about a six-week sprint right now to the general election. You need to put people in some very key positions that can help you win.

Folks that have won in the past. So it'd be interesting to see if Christine O'Donnell actually does embrace some real talented as well as some veterans to come on board and shore up her campaign -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Mark Preston, thanks so much.

And right now Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is among the world leaders set to speak at the United Nations summit. He's on a public relations offensive.

Sunday he told ABC News that he should get some payback from the U.S. after helping to free American hiker Sarah Shourd. He wants the U.S. to release Iranian prisoners and Washington says the cases have nothing to do with each other.

Ahmadinejad is speaking live next hour. We'll be monitoring his remarks. The FBI says that they've charged a 22-year-old Chicago man with two terror-related counts. He's accused of trying to detonate a bomb near Wrigley Field.

FBI agents say that Sami Hassoun was nabbed in an undercover sting operation after placing what he thought was an explosive device near the stadium. He also faces a charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

And new details are emerging in the investigation of that deadly pipeline explosion in San Bruno, California. Eleven days after that blast that killed four people and made rubble of an entire neighborhood, the utility's president made this startling revelation to reporters yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was San Bruno was on that -- on your top 100 list?

CHRIS JOHNS, PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC: That segment of pipe? It was not on the top 100 list.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: September 9th accident has prompted a review of gas transmission lines across the country.

Art thieves slip into Picasso's granddaughter's home and make off with two of the master's paintings. Today suspects go on trial for trying to fence them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RENEE RUSSO, ACTRESS: They shut off the air to drive out the tourists. Then they closed the gates to keep everybody out. Diversion. Make a lot of noise over there so over here in this room you can take 100 million off the wall and waltz right out the front door.

Oh, that's good.

PIERCE BROSNAN, ACTOR: Oh, yes.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And that's how they pull off an art heist in Hollywood, folks. But the plot of the "Thomas Crown Affair" doesn't play well with the head of Interpol's stolen works of art.

Karl Heinz Kind tells "The New York Times" the idea that rich collectors are behind art thefts is pure fiction.

Here's a fact. Former FBI agent Robert Whitman tells "The Times" that art thieves are working for themselves and proud of their exploits. And that brings us to Paris today.

Three suspects on trial for trying to fence two Picasso paintings stolen from his granddaughter's home.

Our Josh Levs is looking into the case -- Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Kyra, this trial is significant not just because it's about the drama of stolen, precious art in real life, but because there have been numerous thefts like this in recent years. There's actually hundreds of Picassos alone that have been missing.

Now, this art heist took place at the home of his granddaughter. Two paintings are the center of this trial. Let's go back to that screen, I'll tell you about them.

The first one is called "Mya With Doll." It's a portrait of his daughter, who was born to, apparently, one of his many lovers. This girl Mya then grew up, became a mom, and had a daughter named Diana. And it's from Diana's house that that painting was stolen.

And the second you're seeing there was called "Portrait of Jacqueline," which showed Picasso's second wife. Authorities say there were also two less expensive Picasso drawings that were stolen.

Three men were allegedly involved and are on trial for this. Authorities say the theft took place late at night. And listen to this. According to "The New York Times," the thieves use a carefully- molded fake key to enter her apartment while she was there. She was asleep. They were quiet. They left no fingerprints and they left no DNA.

The men who are on trial are actually accused of receiving stolen property. It's three of them. And they're not accused of theft, and authorities saying the reason is, there were no fingerprints or DNA left in the place to actually accuse someone of theft. This took place way back in February of 2007.

The three men arrested when they allegedly tried to broker a deal for the painting with an art expert. But we do hear no major damage to these paintings, that they are apparently still in pretty good shape. And I'll tell you, I have seen estimates, I've been looking at the value of these things. I've seen estimates that combined, these are worth more than $70 million.

No plea yet from the guys. So we will follow what happens in that trial, Kyra. And we'll see in real life how much this theft may or may not have resembled what we all see in the movies.

PHILLIPS: Yes. A lot of it does, believe it or not.

LEVS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: All right, Josh, thanks.

LEVS: You got it. PHILLIPS: Well, we've got our eye on Tropical Storm Lisa right now. Some amazing flooding pictures this morning coming out of Croatia. Bonnie Schneider in the CNN Hurricane Headquarters. Hey, Bonnie.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Kyra. We are tracking flooding internationally. You've got to see these pictures of rescues happening in Croatia. Torrential downpours have been causing flooding throughout much of this region, and it's been very, very bad. We're not expecting it to get much better because there's so much runoff from all the flooding that's been occurring.

You can see this air rescue happening right there. Just extremely dangerous. You know, it doesn't take a lot of water to cause a car to lose traction and, certainly, for a person to be knocked off their feet, and that's why we're seeing the rush and the flow and the current and the force of the water there.

We're not seeing flooding like that here right now, but tropical systems can often bring flooding. Luckily, the newest one, the 12th one of the season, Lisa, is well off out to sea. Here's the latest on Tropical Storm Lisa, this one formed within past 24 hours. And you can see it's well, well far off the coast of Africa. Very -- more close into the eastern Atlantic. Right now a tropical storm with maximum winds of 40 miles per hour.

Lisa is expected to advance to the north and west. You can see the projected path right here, moving right now lightly -- kind of slowly, rather, at northwest at 5 miles per hour. Expected to intensify as it continues there.

We're also tracking the threat of fire danger across much of the west once again today, particularly into Utah where temperatures will be warm. But really the concern is low humidity and strong, gusty winds today, just like yesterday. So that's a factor to keep in mind.

Across the country, we're looking at some cooler weather in the northern tier of the country. But really, as this is the last full day of the summer season, fall begins tomorrow, you're going to see very hot temperatures building. We've seen record heat here in the southeast, and look for more of that to continue.

And finally, just want to let everybody know, we're monitoring a brand new area of tropical development out here into the Caribbean. That's something we're going to keep our eyes on in the coming days. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: OK, Bonnie, thanks.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

PHILLIPS: A Vietnam War hero's story, hidden from the nation and his own family for decades. We're telling it the day he receives the Medal of Honor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: What's going to happen with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy? As you know, we've been waiting to hear from either Senator Susan Collins or Olympia Snowe on which way they're going to vote on this Defense Bill. Even Lady Gaga showing up in Maine to rally to try and convince them to support getting rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We haven't been able to talk to the senators until just now. We caught up with Senator Collins. This is what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: Because the majority leader has made very clear that he intends to constrain the number and kinds of amendments that Republicans can offer to this bill, and that's just not fair.

I'm a strong supporter of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," subject to the certifications of the president, the secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that it will not have an impact on combat readiness. And I'm confident they're going to be able to make those certifications.

I was the only Republican to vote for that position. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I spoke strongly during the debate on this issue during the committee. But it's simply not fair to block out amendments from people who disagree with my position.

For the life of me, I do not understand why the majority leader does not bring this bill to the floor and allow free and open debate and amendments from both sides of the aisle. That would be fair.

If there's an amendment that's offered to strike "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" provisions from the bill, I'll vote against that amendment and I'll help lead the debate against that amendment. But to say that those who have a different view have no rights to offer amendments and to even debate the provisions is just not right. It's contrary to the traditions of the Senate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the subplots going on here, Senator, are you getting any election-year pressure to stay in line with --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: There's another -- a number of other issues, obviously, involved within the Defense Bill, but "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is what's getting so much attention right now. Just hearing from Susan Collins, Republican from Maine. That vote goes down 2:00 PM Eastern time. We'll be following it. More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's the highest military honor awarded to the warrior that carried out auspicious gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States. The first formal system for rewarding acts of individual gallantry by American soldiers was established by George Washington on August 7th, 1782, when he creating the Badge of Military Merit. The Purple Heart would become the successor decoration to that badge.

President Lincoln was the first to bestow a Medal of Honor, and Congress made the medal a permanent decoration in 1863. Since that time, more than 3400 service members have received the Medal of Honor.

Today, that tribute goes to Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger. Our Vietnam hero was killed 42 years ago while defending a secret radar installation. He saved the lives of three airmen, carrying them to evacuation helicopters. A story of courage, indeed, and our Jeanne Meserve tells us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger died in 1968.

CORY ETCHBERGER, SON OF VIETNAM WAR HERO: So this is where your grandfather's buried.

MESERVE (voice-over): Cory Etchberger was in third grade when he was told his father had died in a helicopter accident in southeast Asia Only at age 29, when the Air Force declassified his father's story, did he learn the truth.

ETCHBERGER: I was stunned that, in fact, he wasn't killed in a helicopter accident. It was the first time I knew of anything of his heroic deeds.

MESERVE (voice-over): During the Vietnam War, the US military wasn't supposed to be in Laos. It was a neutral country. So Etchberger and others shed their uniforms and posed as civilians to run a super secret radar installation on a Laotian mountaintop.

In 1967 and '68, Lima Site 85 guided US bombing of North Vietnam. In March of '68, North Vietnamese soldiers scaled the tall cliff and attacked. The technicians were trapped. Etchberger picked up an M- 16.

TIM CASTLE, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: It's foggy. Weapons are going off all around him. He's got these comrades next to him, two of whom are shot and killed and fall off the cliff in front of him, and yet he continues to defend his men. His people.

MESERVE (voice-over): One of them was Stanley Sliz.

STANLEY SLIZ, SAVED BY ETCHBERGER: I got hit in both legs and everybody was screaming and hollering. But they weren't able to get close because of Etch firing at them.

MESERVE (voice-over): John Daniel still has the shrapnel wounds he got that day.

JOHN DANIEL, SAVED BY ETCHBERGER: He was the only one that did not get injured in this firefight. They kept throwing grenades and shooting, and we would pick up hand grenades and throw them back at them or kick them over the side of the mountain.

MESERVE (voice-over): When an American helicopter came to evacuate them, Etchberger braved enemy fire to get his wounded comrades, including Sliz and Daniel, on board first.

DANIEL: If it was not for him, I would not be alive today.

MESERVE (voice-over): But Etchberger didn't survive. As the chopper pulled away, there was gunfire from the ground.

SLIZ: Etch had been sitting on a jump seat right above my head. That bullet went right through him, killed him instantly. I live it every day. I live it every day. It haunts me.

MESERVE (voice-over): Etchberger was posthumously, secretly awarded the Air Force Cross for his heroism, but it was feared that giving him the Medal of Honor would expose the US military presence in Laos.

Since his story became public, his hometown of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, has erected a memorial. His name displayed proudly on the town's sign. But only now, 42 years after his death, will he get the military's highest award for bravery, a tribute many feel he is due. Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And we will follow that ceremony live, by the way.

Also happening live at the UN. You know his face. And you know how outrageous he can be. We're talking about the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. We're monitoring his comments there. And we'll let you know what he has to say.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Quick check on Wall Street. Opening bell rang just moments ago and the first few minutes of the trading you can see the Dow is down almost 12.

But the recession is long over, at least that's according to economists, not Americans who are still waiting for signs of recovery. In fact, many of us are worried that more bad times are ahead in the form of a dreaded double-dip recession. Let's take a look.

CNN's John Roberts spoke with a leading economist this morning. We're going to hear from him in just a moment. But first Poppy Harlow of CNNMoney.com breaking it down for us - Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Yes. We got the news during your show yesterday, Kyra, that the great recession, as you will, is officially over. 18 months long. The longest we have seen since World War II, really since the Great Depression.

But the bottom line, when people got the news, they were scratching their heads saying, I still feel like I'm in a recession. That's because we have more than 8 million Americans out of work. The recession eliminating more than 7 million jobs so it's to blame for the high unemployment rate in this country.

I want you to take a look at what we have seen in unemployment. The NBER, they are the ones that officially call the end of the recession. They said it ended in June 2009. You see our unemployment rate then was 9.5 percent. After the recession ended, unemployment rate topped 10 percent and even now it's at 9.6 percent. It's still higher than it was at the end of the recession.

So people without jobs feel like they're still in a recession and very -- economists described this very well is Lakshman Achuthan, he's the co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute.

Listen to what he says about why you might feel like we're still in a recession.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAKSHMAN ACHUTHAN, ECONOMIC CYCLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE: The reason the disconnect, I think, between anyone listening and saying, hey, it doesn't feel like a recovery, what is this guy talking about, is that 9 percent, only 9 percent of the jobs lost in the private sector have been recovered. And so there's a big disparity where 70 percent of the GDP has recovered, however, only 9 percent of the jobs has recovered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Exactly. The jobs picture is at the crux of all of this. I also want to show you some housing numbers because this matters in that the housing crisis was at the crux of the recession and we're still reeling from it. Look at median home prices in this country. 2007, they were $219,000. When the recession ended, they were about $172,000 and $182,000 now. So, Kyra, the jobs picture isn't better. The housing picture not much better either. That's why people think, OK, it still feels like we're in a recession.

CHETRY: Given the way Americans feel about the economy, how likely is a double dip recession?

HARLOW: It's a great question. Most economists would say this is not going to happen. We surveyed 31 economists at CNN Money and only 25 -- the chances most of them say of a double-dip recession is only about 1 in 4, only about 25 percent. Now, they most of them thought six months ago that the chances were only 15 percent, so they have increased the likelihood. Still though, more unlikely that we'll have that double-dip. But they do agree, high unemployment is here for a long, long time. And you're going to feel like we are in a double-dip recession whether we are officially or not, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Got it. Poppy, thanks so much.

Now let's turn to our "AM Extra." CNN's John Roberts, you actually spoke to Columbia economist Jeff Sachs.

How does he weigh in on the overall health of the economy and what does he think about the news that came out yesterday?

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR, "AMERICAN MORNING": You would think, Kyra, recession ended 14 months ago, everybody would be back in the black again and things would be going really well. But that's not the case. You heard what Poppy Harlow said. Unemployment's still up there at 9.6 percent. So many people trying so hard to find a job and just can't. Jeff sacks said in terms of the end of the recession, June of 2009, that was more of a marker than anything.

Here's how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFFREY SACHS, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIST: The meaning of the recession being over is a very technical meaning. It means that the bottom was reached, it doesn't mean we've come off the bottom, or very far off the bottom. What this committee does is look at the data month to month and ask, when did we reach the bottom and when is there at least some slight recovery starting? But nobody feels that there's much recovery. This is a pretty much a dismal situation from the point of view of jobs, from the point of view of household income and spending. People don't feel that there's a recovery. They may feel that it's not a free fall anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: So not a free fall anymore but certainly not that major upswing that we would like to see, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You also took an opportunity to ask him about the Bush tax cuts, something weighing heavily on Americans right now.

This is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SACHS: If you focus only on one thing, you can come to an erroneous conclusion. If you focus on the risks of the budget deficit, you come to another conclusion, which is, are we really going to borrow our way back to prosperity by going deeper and deeper into debt to China, for example? That makes no sense. I think the Republicans are being incredibly irresponsible on this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Strong words, John.

ROBERTS: They are. But you know, you have these two competing ideas. That you want to keep taxes low so that you can put money in the hands of consumers, get them spending and try to boost the economy that way, and as a result, increase revenues to the federal government. And at the same time you have got this huge budget deficit of $1.3 trillion projected for 2010. What do you do about that? Do you raise taxes on people to increase revenues?

Many people are saying it's a bad idea to be raising taxes on anybody at this point in time. But the president's saying he thinks that people who make above $250,000 should have their taxes increased. But even economists like Jeff Sachs say, you can't increase revenues and solve the budget deficit problem just on the backs of the rich alone. There are going to be a whole lot of tough choices that are going to have to be made in the years ahead if you want to get the budget back on track and get those deficits back down.

PHILLIPS: Tough choices that are going to affect all of us across the board.

John, thanks.

ROBERTS: They sure are.

PHILLIPS: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just left the mic at the U.N. This is a guy known for being a pretty loose cannon and who denies that gay people exist in Iran and questions about the Holocaust? A look at some of his outrageous moments, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Last night was the premier of "Dancing with the Stars," and, as you know, Sarah Palin's daughter made her debut. Here it is.

(VIDEO CLIP, BRISTOL PALIN ON "DANCING WITH THE STARS")

PHILLIPS: What do you think? A little sign to her mama there, getting rid of the stiff suit, breaking out. Bristol Palin kicked up the heels to the classic Three Dog Night tune, "Mama Told Me Not to Come." The teen mom got off to a pretty smooth start. Sarah Palin wasn't in the audience, though, but she Tweet from home saying, quote, "Over the moon excited and happy for Bristol. Cheering her on at the party in the Palin living room."

PHILLIPS: Let's see what else is crossing the wires right now by checking in with the Best Political Team on Television. CNN political producer Peter Hamby in Washington at the CNN Politics desk.

So, Peter, what's crossing?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: This morning we are talking political money. Late last night the Republican National Committee -- Michael Steele's group -- announced raising roughly $8 million, but they've spent $8.5. They've done that a number of times this cycle. We've got that up on the ticker this morning. They only have $4.7 million in the bank right now for this final stretch run. That's normally money that goes out to state parties for get out the vote efforts. Democrats, the Democratic National Committee, the Senate Committee, the House Committee, all of them raised more money in the last month than Republicans did.

What we're also talking about this morning, we're talking about national Republicans are running ads in Maryland. They're helping out Republican Bob Ehrlich, the former governor who's in a rematch with Democrat Martin O'Malley. Ehrlich has less cash on hand than O'Malley does, so national Republicans are stepping in to help. They think they can win that race. Martin O'Malley has a slim leads in recent polls.

And finally, you might remember during the 2008 presidential campaign Mike Huckabee's race was something of a traveling carnival. You had Rick Flair, the former wrestler and also Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris and Huckabee, they're getting back together. Norris is sending out a fundraising appeal for Mike Huckabee. If you subscribe to Huckabee's political action committee, you might have an e-mail from "Walker, Texas Ranger," in your inbox this morning.

PHILLIPS: Boy, you're bringing back an old show there. We watched for that while, Peter.

All right, thanks.

We're going to have your next political update in an hour. And a reminder, for all the latest political news, just go to our web site, CNNPolitics.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Oh, we all know what a loose cannon Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is. You just never know what he's going to say and how outrageous his interviews will be or who he's going to offend.

He just finished speaking at the United Nations Summit and believe it or not he stayed on topic -- well, until the end. They actually stopped translating. As you know, he usually goes off on another tangent so we're trying to find out exactly what was said.

Meanwhile, remember the last time that he spoke in New York? He claimed Iran's seeking nuclear power for peaceful purposes only and he said he thought more research is necessary to determine facts from the holocaust. He also said there is no oppression of women in Iran and no suppression of free speech. And then there was this memorable gem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, PRESIDENT OF IRAN (through translator): In Iran, we don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right. You see the point I'm trying to make here. Sometimes his statements are so ridiculous, so out there there's just nothing you can do but laugh.

"Saturday Night Live" knows exactly what I'm talking about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No threat I see is the threat of you not coming home with me. Our love for each other like when lives collide can't express how I feel and (INAUDIBLE) in describe. Iran you're so far away your home but in my heart you'll stay. You can deny the holocaust all you want but you can't that there's something between us. I know he states there's no gays in Iran but you really you and I baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, President Ahmadinejad is here back in New York's spotlight right now. And believe me we're listening to every word you say.

Well, here's what we're working on in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's go ahead and start with Josh Levs -- Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh boy, Kyra, I got to transition over to something serious.

Now, we are taking a look at the Dream Act, the controversy over how it could affect the young people in this country and where things go from here. I'll have that at the top of the hour.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Carol Costello in Washington. Home schooling it is hot, we'll tell you why more parents are choosing to pull their children out of public schools and teach them themselves.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange, its official the recession is over but the economy not exactly on solid footing at this point. So now what? Where do we go from here? Kyra, we'll take a look in the next hour.

PHILLIPS: It sounds good. Thanks, guy.

And fighting Islamophobia with the written word; world renowned spiritual teacher, Deepak Chopra talks about the perception of Islam and what needs to change. He discusses that with me right here in the CNN NEWSROOM next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, when lives depend on your weather forecast, CNN's Rob Marciano spent some quality time with his meteorological peers serving in the U.S. military.

Here's part two of the special series of reports, "Weather Warriors".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an M-4 carbine.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): They are just like any other soldier showing off their guns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With this I go forward.

It's what the guys like to use when they are in the southern Afghanistan where there's big wide open spaces and they really need to reach out and touch somebody.

MARCIANO (on camera): And what does this have to do with weather?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you have to be alive to be able to report the weather.

MARCIANO: That's a good point.

(voice-over): These guys are members of an elite unit, Special Operations Weather Team, SOWT.

MASTER SGT. MIKE MARSTON, U.S. AIR FORCE SOWT: The science of what we do or what you and I do is pretty much the same. The application of it is a little bit different.

MARCIANO: Yes, much different. It's environmental recon commando style. Today is Rapids Training Day. Get a fully loaded C- 130 on the ground and offload it quickly.

This is the 10th Combat Weather Squadron. Dirt bikes, APVs, Humvees and SOWT personnel -- when they need to get out into a hostile environment, they do it out of the back of a plane. And they do it in a hurry.

(on camera): These special ops weather guys aren't the weather geeks I went to school with.

(voice-over): No, sir. And on the ground is when they go to work.

(on camera): Of course the main objective for this SOWT is to gather weather information so that means you've got to get out there and you've got to get out there quickly. And you've got to set up whatever equipment you -- you are using to take your data observations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Temperature 23.

SGT. EVERT CARSON, U.S. AIR FORCE SOWT: Temp 23 Celsius.

MARCIANO: Sergeant Evert Carson has been deployed eight times.

CARSON: Overcast 180. How copy?

MARCIANO: Most have served multiple tours and all of them including this Sergeant Bryce Howser have war stories.

STAFF SGT. BRYCE HOWSER, U.S. AIR FORCE SOWT: As the IED goes off. We've got guys hurt on the ground and it's my job to let the MEDEVAC birds know exactly what to expect. I suggested a flight path for them to take through a specific pass at that point. They were able to get in and get the two wounded guys off the -- off the LZ.

LT. COL. JOE BENSON, COMMANDER, 10 COMBAT WEATHER SQUADRON: This is M-4. MARCIANO: Lieutenant Colonel Benson commands the SOWTs and knows how important this training is to keep all forces on mission.

BENSON: Early on in the Iraq campaign we had guys up in northern Iraq who were taking weather observations and passing them back to 16 aircraft which were about to deliver 1,000 paratroopers.

Weather cleared up just for a brief period of time, 1,000 guys were able to exit the aircraft and land up in a place called Basher Airfield (ph) and on with the mission they went.

MARCIANO: So don't refer to them as just the weather men.

HOWSER: To be called just a weatherman definitely gets under your skin a little bit but once you're put in a situation where you have to prove yourself and the weather call is on the line, that's whenever they realize, hey, this guy isn't just the weather guy. He's a special operations weatherman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready to transmit.

HOWSER: And he's a soldier.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: Well, I know what it means about not wanting to be called just a weatherman, but I'm not out there with guns, I'm not out there serving and protecting our country. These guys, Kyra, there's less than 100 of them so they have one of the highest deployment rates in the military. They go out all of the time, seemingly, and over the -- over the 60 or 70 year history since World War II, they have yet to lose a man which is amazing stat.

PHILLIPS: So how are these guys deployed, as a group or individually?

MARCIANO: Usually they're deployed individually and once in a while they go out with, you know, two-man teams, but they'll be linked up with a small special ops force. You are there with six, ten-guy unit from the Green Berets or the Navy SEALs.

These guys have been working nonstop with each other, a tight- knit unit, and then you throw this weather special ops guy in there, and you know, it throws it off just a little bit. So it takes a little bit of time for them to be a cohesive unit again, and the weather guy typically takes a little bit of a ribbing. They have all proved themselves on the battlefield. And they've all been welcomed back for sure. Amazing that.

PHILLIPS: They are -- they are true warriors.

Thanks Rob.