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'Pledge to America'; New Health Care Provisions; GOP Pledges Health Care Rollback; Holiday Hiring Outlook; Napolitano: Terror Threat Evolving; Patrolling a Troubled River

Aired September 23, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

DON LEMON CNN ANCHOR: Kyra, thank you very much. Live from Studio 7 at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, it is Thursday. It's September 23rd, and it's the first full day of autumn.

A wave of new health care rules and regulations kick in today, and we're going to outline the measures and look at how they might impact you.

The GOP rolls out its agenda for governing in a Republican- controlled House. For starters -- and this is just for starters -- repeal the new health care law.

And on patrol in the Tigress River. Iraqi security on the water and on the job protecting the strategic heart of Baghdad.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Tony is off today.

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

And here's where we begin. "CNN Equals Politics," of course, and that's where we begin today.

This one is not a contract. It's not a contract. No, this time, the Republicans are out with a "Pledge to America."

It lays out a broad blueprint to create jobs, cut spending and extend tax cuts. Here are some of the bullet points of the policy and the strategy the GOP hopes will restore it in the power to the House.

Some specifics here: weekly votes on spending cuts; cut the budget on Congress; hiring freeze on non-security federal workers; and a vote on every regulation costing more than $100 million.

What does all that mean, if anything? Our senior political editor, Mr. Mark Preston, part of "The Best Political Team on Television," is in Washington this morning.

OK. We remember -- what was it, the Contract with America back in 1994? That was Newt Gingrich's big plan. How is this different? Is this Contract with America 2.0?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SR. POLITICAL EDITOR: Yes. You know, in very many ways, Don. The fact of it is, this is a campaign document. Back in 1994, Republicans used the Contract with America to take back control of the House of Representatives, as well as take back the Senate. What we have seen just this morning is House Republicans are unveiling this "Pledge with America," but the bottom line is what they're trying to do is tell voters across the country, look, we are going to reform Washington, we lost our way for the past eight years or so, but we are going to help you out, what Democrats have done over the past couple of years has not been enough.

Don, this is a campaign document.

LEMON: OK. So are all Republicans on board with this pledge?

PRESTON: Well, you know, Don, mixed reviews so far. "National Review," a very well respected magazine, weekly magazine, says that, "We'll Take the Pledge."

They say -- they compare it to the Contract with America. They say, "The inevitable question is, is the pledge as bold as the contract?" Their answer, "The pledge is bolder."

However, we're hearing a very different theme from "Red State," which is a very influential conservative blogging site. This is what say: "At a time when America needs a bold, simple, fresh plan for putting America on the path to fiscal and constitutional sanity, we instead get an 8,000-word term paper of inside-the-beltway regurgitation that lacks the one thing that the American people seem to be dying for, and that is actual leadership."

So, mixed reviews right now in conservative circles -- Don.

LEMON: CNN Senior Political Editor Mr. Mark Preston.

Mark, thank you very much.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All these things are designed not to have government more involved in health care, they're designed to make sure that you have basic protections in your interactions with your insurance company, that you're getting what you paid for, that you have some basic measures of protection in interacting with the health care system, which means that you're not going to go bankrupt, you're not going to lose your house if, heaven forbid, you happen to have an accident. And you're able to get the quality care that you need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: President Obama says changes from health care reform will help individuals and government deal with rising medical expenses. The first provision goes into effect today, six months after the president signed that legislation.

You know, the number of uninsured people in the U.S. increased almost 17 percent. That was between 2008 and 2009, and it's according to a recent Census report.

Will the provisions of that legislation that goes into effect today make a difference, and for whom?

Our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us now.

Elizabeth, who will today's changes impact?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: All right, Don. Let's start by talking about who they won't impact.

Fifty million Americans need to have insurance in this country. They don't have it, and it's not going to help all 50 million.

For example, if you're an adult with a pre-existing condition and you're having trouble getting insurance, this isn't going to help you today, but there are several groups who will hopefully find some relief in the provisions that go into effect today.

LEMON: So give us some specific examples of some of the changes, because I'm sure people want to know.

COHEN: Right, you want to know.

All right. Let's take a look. We've brought back our well-loved avatars to explain who is going to get help today.

Let's take a look at "Young Ivan." He is 26 years old, and he does not have insurance because he's still studying. And so let's see what happens.

Right now, under these new provisions, he can stay on his parents' insurance until he turns 27. Now, currently, in many states, that's not the case. You have to get off your parents' insurance at a much younger age.

Now, Ivan is studying, but this would pertain to anyone. You could be working at a job without insurance and you can stay on your parents' insurance. However, there is an exception.

If you're a young person who is at a job that does have insurance, you're going to have to take that insurance. You can't go on your parents' insurance.

Let's take a look at someone else who's going to get some help today. Her name is "Healthy Helen."

All Helen is interested in is preventive kinds of services. So, starting today, insurance is going to have to pay for her to get her blood pressure checked, breast cancer checks, like mammograms starting at a certain age, cervical cancer checks, depression. There is a whole long list of things that insurance companies are supposed to start paying for, for preventive care.

You can get the entire list at CNNHealth.com. My colleague, Sabria Rice (ph), has written a wonderful article that spells it all out for you with lots of links on how to find out what you should be getting right now -- Don.

LEMON: And there are many more examples, and you're going to get into some of the specifics a little bit later on, right?.

COHEN: Right. That's right. We've got more coming.

LEMON: All right. Next hour. Thank you, Elizabeth Cohen.

Make sure you check out Elizabeth's upcoming special. It's called "The Empowered Patient." It's October 2nd and 3rd at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

Republicans pledge to repeal the new health care law if they win control of Congress. We'll look at the possibilities.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We told you Republicans are out this morning with a strategy to take back the house and an agenda to govern. Among other things, a "Pledge to America" would roll back the six-month-old health care reform law.

What are the chances? Well, what are their chances? We asked CNN's Jim Acosta to look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), DELAWARE SENATE CANDIDATE: I would fight to repeal the bill.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a GOP battle cry for the midterm elections.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: The American people will be heard, and we'll repeal and replace.

SHARRON ANGLE (R), NEVADA SENATE CANDIDATE: I have pledged as my first act of legislation to put in a repeal Obama care law.

ACOSTA: If Republicans win a majority of seats in Congress, one of the first things they promise to do is repeal President Obama's signature achievement -- health care reform.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your response to that?

ACOSTA: Under a new GOP-controlled House, Texas Congressman Joe Barton would likely become chairman of a key House committee overseeing health care. He says hearings would begin as soon as January to dismantle the law.

REP. JOE BARTON (R), TEXAS: If we're given the opportunity being the majority, we are going to try to repeal it and then replace it --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right away.

BARTON: -- with something that makes sense. Well, the sooner the better.

ACOSTA: That threat comes as new portions of the law go into effect this week. Provisions that stop insurers from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions or dropping policies for people who get sick. Big expansions of coverage don't come until 2014. Still, recent polls show the law remains unpopular.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I voted against the health care bill because I thought it would be too expensive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Even some Democrats are running against it. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius argues the public will come around.

(on camera): Why is this law so unpopular?

KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, HHS SECRETARY: I think it's more confusing than unpopular. I think that --

ACOSTA: You would grant that it's unpopular right now?

SEBELIUS: Well, when you say that --

ACOSTA: It's not as popular as you would like?

SEBELIUS: That's accurate. I think it's based, though, a lot on people believing that the law contains elements that it doesn't have. Death panels.

ACOSTA: You're ready to have this debate all over again?

SEBELIUS: I am indeed.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello, hello, hello.

ACOSTA (voice-over): So is the president who points to parts of the bill that are popular.

OBAMA: If young people don't have health insurance through their employer, that they can stay on their parents' health insurance up to the age of 26.

ACOSTA: Parts Congressman Barton wants to keep.

(on camera): Are there portions of the law that should be kept?

BARTON: I think coverage of preexisting conditions. The ability to keep your insurance and not have it revoked unless --

ACOSTA: Your decisions.

BARTON: -- unless you committed fraud.

ACOSTA (voice-over): Other Republicans say scrap the whole thing. Conservative activist Alex Cortes with the group defundit.org says the solution is to starve the law of money.

ALEX CORTES, DEFUNDIT.ORG: The option is defunding. Go after some of the smaller provisions. We will not let Kathleen Sebelius implement and enforce this law.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: But tinkering his health care reform won't be easy. Any bill changing the law would likely be vetoed by the president, and Republicans really have no chance of picking up enough seats in the midterms to override that veto, but Republicans say just because they may not have the votes, doesn't mean they won't try -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Thank you very much for that, Jim.

More on the "Pledge to America." CNN's Dana Bash talks with a man who would be Speaker, Republican Leader John Boehner.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: You know, all year we have been introducing you to some truly remarkable people. We call them CNN Heroes. They're everyday folks who are really changing the world. Today, in about 90 minutes, at 1:00 Eastern, Anderson Cooper will announce this year's top 10 CNN Heroes at CNN.com. Be sure that you log on and vote for the CNN Hero who inspires you the most -- CNNHeroes.com.

House Republicans put it in writing, and we're detailing their governing strategy that they call a "Pledge to America."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon. Tony is off today.

Let's focus now on crime and consequence. Georgia authorities say the remains of a missing 911 dispatcher have been found almost three and a half years after her disappearance. Teresa Parker was last seen leaving her sister's house in March of 2007. A farmer discovered a jawbone on Monday that helped police uncover the rest of the remains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JOHN EVERETT, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA: It's difficult to report, but it's also a day, I think, that the family can somehow receive and get some closure. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Sam Parker is the victim's husband and a former police sergeant. He is in jail for that murder. He was convicted last year even though a body had not been found.

Jurors in Connecticut's triple murder home invasion trial are hearing from the state's chief medical examiner today. Steven Hayes is the first of two suspects to be tried. He is charged with capital murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, burglary and arson in the deaths of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her 7-and-11-year-old daughters.

Now, the officer who interviewed Hayes after the July 2007 killings testified yesterday that Hayes said he was desperate for money.

I want to bring in our legal analyst here at CNN, Sunny Hostin. She is from "In Session," which is our sister network, truTV. She is in New Haven, Connecticut, right now.

So, Sunny, let's start with the case that you're covering there. What has been the most damning testimony so far against Hayes?

SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION," TRUTV: Don, there has just been so much damaging evidence for this defendant. I mean, it's cumulative.

If you look at it, there has been evidence that he ran out of the home with one of the girl's baseball caps on. There's been evidence of almost a confession where he explained his motive, that he needed the money, and really admitted to doing all of these things. There has been evidence from the medical examiner, as you mentioned, yesterday and earlier today.

There really is just so much overwhelming evidence against this defendant. I haven't seen anything like this in a long, long time in terms of the strength of the prosecution's case.

LEMON: Well, Sunny, what about the defense? Let's talk about that.

HOSTIN: I've got to tell you, I don't know what the defense is going to do in this case, again, because it is so significant and substantial, the case that the prosecution has built against this defendant.

Right now, the defense is doing all that it can in terms of just putting the prosecution to its proof, making sure that the prosecution bearing the burden of proof. But the cross-examinations of the state's witnesses has been very, very short, very brief, and I think they're just saving their big guns, if this defendant is convicted, to try to save his life because this is a death penalty case.

LEMON: All right. We're going to continue to follow that, but let's move on now, Sunny, to another murder case. This one is in Kentucky. And that's where Woody Will Smith is on trial for strangling his wife to death.

His lawyers are using caffeine intoxication as a defense in that case. What is that? This a new one. I've never heard of that.

HOSTIN: Very unusual. "The caffeine made me do it," is what this defense is. And the defense is saying that he strangled his wife because he was intoxicated by caffeine, Don.

The defense is saying that he was taken all of these caffeine- laden diet pills and basically downing those diet pills with energy drinks. So, they have two arguments here -- either he just wasn't responsible for doing this, he didn't know what he was doing because of the caffeine, or that he gave a false confession because he was so hopped up on caffeine.

But what is really interesting, Don, is this is not the first time that this caffeine intoxication defense has been posed, and it has worked. In 2009, a man was charged with running over two people after drinking two large cups of coffee and he was cleared of those charges based on this defense. So, unusual but not unheard of. The American Psychiatric Association says that if you drink cups of coffee, you can have a caffeine overdose. So, just think, this defendant had about 400 milligrams of caffeine in his blood. So, who knows, this defense may work.

LEMON: Coffee and energy drinks. You answered my next question. I was going to say, is this viable? And, apparently it is. You said it has happened before. It will be interesting, the caffeine defense, the caffeine defense.

HOSTIN: That's right, that's right.

LEMON: Let's talk about another crime. This one is - I'll move away from crime and talk about a ruling in Florida in the courts there. It's on gay adoption. A judge there struck down the state's ban on gay parents adopting children.

Could this affect similar laws in other states? Is this going to set a precedent?

HOSTIN: Well, what is interesting is, it's being reported, and I've done some research. Florida is really the only state at this point that still has this expansive ban against gay and lesbian parents adopting. So this may be the last state that has this sort of ban. And I will say that the governor of Florida has indicated that he is reviewing this decision, the decision finding that ban constitutional, and he may actually drop this case.

I think though -- and I will say also that they are saying that the state has 30 days to appeal and that they will not enforce the ban for the next 30 days. What is troubling, though, is if he does drop this case, then the ban will not be in this particular area of Florida, but it won't apply to all of the other areas in Florida.

So if it goes to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court finds that the ban is unconstitutional, then that will become the law of Florida. So for those proponents of the ban, it would be a win almost, if he drops it.

LEMON: You know, there's this de facto thing that's really in a lot of states that single parents can't adopt children. I'm wondering if this will have any effect and will other places be watching this closely because there are many places where single parents can't adopt kids.

HOSTIN: Absolutely, absolutely. And I think people are watching this case very closely all across the country. And what most people are saying, Don, is these adoptions should be determined on a case by case basis, that it has nothing to do with whether or not you are heterosexual or homosexual. It depends on the actual family. It depends on the prospective parents.

LEMON: All right. Sunny Hostin, appreciate it.

HOSTIN: Thanks.

LEMON: You're going to hear from one of the gay foster parents who sued to change Florida's adoption laws. That is next hour. You'll hear from them. And I'll interview Martin Gill, in just about 45 minutes.

In the meantime, Iraqis themselves securing Iraq. We're along for the river patrols on once very dangerous waters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: House Republicans are out this morning with a governing strategy they call a Pledge to America. The document echoes the GOP's 1994 contract with America. Remember that? Focusing on jobs, taxes and spending. Here's some of the specifics: weekly votes on spending cuts, cut the budget of Congress, hiring freeze on non-security federal workers, and vote. Vote, on every regulation costing more than $100 million.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R), CALIFORNIA: We are calling on Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid to implement these proposals before Congress leaves this fall. We pledge to you that we will create jobs, end economic uncertainty, and make America more competitive. We will cut Washington wasteful spending and reduce the size of government. And we will reform Congress and restore your trust in government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And there you see her right there in the big monitor, our senior Congressional correspondent Dana Bash, live in Sterling, Virginia, where the GOP unveiled its pledge last hour.

Dana, what are you hearing?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You just heard Kevin McCarthy. That last part was very interesting. They're talking not only about a legislative agenda, but a quest to restore what he called trust in government. That definitely, if you look at the specifics of what they're trying to say, that definitely seems to be part of the goal of these Republicans in announcing what they call this Pledge to America today.

I just had an exclusive interview with the man who is trying and vying to be the speaker of the House, should the Republicans be successful, and that is John Boehner. As you probably know, he is somebody who has had questions, and certainly Democrats, the president included, are raising questions about whether or not he is somebody who is too cozy with lobbyists. So that speaks to the question of perception.

I asked him about that and whether or not he may be is willing to say that he's going to have more restrictions on lobbyists, or do something else to reassure people that the perception really would change.

Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: I'm a small business guy who stumbled into this political arena. And when people talk about my relationship with the business community, I'm sorry. I am the business community. That's who I am; the heart and soul of me. When I see government, like I did as small employer, I choke the goose that's laying the golden egg. That's what drove me here. That's a fight for a government that allows the American people in a private sector to be the engine are opportunity for all Americans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So no apologies for any relationship that he might have with lobbyists.

But, to look at this in a bigger picture way, Don, what they are also trying to do is convince voters out there, particularly those very angry Tea Party voters they are trying to harness and get them to the polls for Republicans, convince them that they actually are listening, and that they are cutting spending, and they are going to do the things that they have been demanding out there, trying to get some specifics from Mr. Boehner, and other reporters did at that press conference.

They are saying that they want to reduce spending to the levels back in 2008, before the stimulus bill, before the bailout bill, things like that. Try to get specifics, they talk about getting back some of the unspent money. But beyond that, it still seems to be pretty hard to get a line by line.

Just a quick piece of color. We were waiting for this to start and there was a voter out here, a voter who said that he is an independent, he actually is registered in a swing district in Florida. He said he went online and read this document last night. He said he wants to support the Republicans, he's one of those angry voters. He said to me, where's the beef? So that may be something that these Republicans are up against, despite what they're putting out there.

LEMON: Where are the specifics? Where is the beef?

Thank you very much. Dana Bash, Sterling, Virginia.

We want to check some of your top stories right now on CNN. This is the first one. President Obama addresses the U.N. General Assembly in New York, and last hour, he told the annual gathering, the United States, and the international community are looking for resolution to differences with Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They cannot demonstrate the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program. And those actions have consequences. Through U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929, we made it clear that international law is not an empty promise. Now, let me be clear once more. The United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Also this: Atlanta-based mega church Pastor Eddie Long responds to three lawsuits alleging he used his position to coerce young men in his church into sex. Long released a statement through his attorney denying those allegations. We have just learned that radio host Frank Ski has cancelled his appearance here in the CNN NEWSROOM next hour. He says he's been told not to talk.

Why is everyone so quiet here? Why is the bishop, who is usually very vocal, so quiet? That's what we want to learn and we're going to talk to our very own Ed Lavandera next hour about this. People are asking that same question to me online. Where is the bishop? Bishop, where are you?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We have been telling you about Avandia, right? Avandia. And we have breaking news that was just announced here. Here's what they're saying, this is for the USFDA, just announced that it will significantly restrict the use of this diabetes drug.

It's called Avandia. They are suggesting only patients with Type 2 Diabetes who cannot control her diabetes on other medications use Avandia. Only people with Type 2 Diabetes who can't control their diabetes on other medications should use Avandia. Again, this is just coming from the FDA.

These restrictions are in response to data that suggests an elevated risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke in patients treated with Avandia. Now our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, will join us in just about 30 minutes. She's working on this and she's going to bring you the very latest on the breaking story with this diabetes drug Avandia, stay tuned.

We all know "CNN Equals Politics" and it's time for our update. Our deputy political director, Mr. Paul Steinhauser, part of "The Best Political Team on Television" joins us live from Washington, D.C.

Paul, tell us what's crossing the Ticker now.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Don, let's talk about the battle for control of the Senate. You know, if the Republicans win 10 Senate seats, they take control of the chamber. That's a tall order, but it could happen and one of the places it could happen, Colorado.

Don, take a look at this, our brand new CNN/"Time" magazine/Opinion Research Corporation poll of likely voters in Colorado. And the numbers suggest that right now the republican challenger there, Ken Buck, who is backed by a lot of people in the Tea Party movement, he's got a five-point advantage over Michael Bennett, he is the man was appointed U.S. senator there earlier last year when the current, when the senator stepped down, Salazar, to become interior secretary.

Listen, a lot of great battleground polls, all of them on CNN.com/Ticker.

Talking about the U.S. Senate, Don, let's move to New York state where a new poll this morning suggested that maybe Hillary Clinton's old U.S. Senate seat could be up for grabs as well. Check this out, on the CNN Political Ticker right now, a new poll in New York state by Quinnipiac suggests that the current senator there, Kirsten Gillibrand, who took over when Clinton became secretary of state, suggests that Gillibrand only has a six-point advantage over the republican challenger there, a guy called Joseph DeGuardia, former congressman and also the father of Cara DeGuardia who, if you watched "American Idol", she was a judge there for the last couple years.

And hey, just go back here on e second, Dave Jenkins (ph), our cameraman, that's our new look on the CNN Political Ticker, by the way. A brand new look for the Ticker at CNNPolitics.com.

Last thing I want to talk about that's also on the Ticker right now, Don, from our senior -- no, I'm sorry -- from our chief national correspondent and anchor of "JKUSA", John King, let's talk about David Axelrod. You know, Axelrod is saying that he may be gone from the West Wing next spring.

He's a senior adviser right now, as you know, to Barack Obama, to the president, but he was e-mailing with a bunch of reporters, including our own John King, and he said he would remain at the White House through the midterms and into early next spring and then maybe he'll leave. Where is he going to go? Well, remember, Barack Obama reelection for 2012 is not that far away, and you would think that's what Axelrod would be doing.

Don, back to you.

LEMON: All right, thank you, Paul.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Her injury forced her to miss the U.S. Open, but tennis pro Serena Williams is trying to win for kids in Africa. Williams talks about her charity in this "Impact Your World" report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SERENA WILLIAMS, BUILD AFRICA SCHOOLS: I'm here today to open up my second Serena Williams Secondary School. With this charity called Build Africa Schools, I saw some of these kids doing who were actually doing their homework in the dirt with sticks. For me, that was really moving.

The kids definitely have the smarts to do anything, they just don't have, necessarily, the equipment. And that's why we offer schools to provide kids who have a dream and want to do better.

ANNOUNCER: Join the movement, CNN.com/Impact.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's talk about the number one issue in the country, issue number one, of course, your money, your money. So why don't we check the markets and check what's on CNNMoney.com. Of course, you can get all the information you need to know about the economy and your money.

Hey, here's what's at the top of the page. Interesting, John Boehner and the president of the United States agreeing on something? They agree that on one thing and that's extending the tax cuts for the middle class. You can check out the whole story at CNNMoney.com.

Nasdaq is up 15. The Dow is up 13. There you go, you see the numbers right there. Of course, it's still trading, the market is still trading above 10,000 here.

We learned this morning that unemployment lines grew last week, 465,000 people signed up for benefits. The good news, the good news here? We're getting into the holiday hiring season. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with the details.

So what's the outlook here? Do retailers have a plan this year, Alison?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know what, Don? Things are looking up if you're look for that seasonal employment, you know, those temp jobs over the holidays. Retailers are looking to hire up to 600,000 people to fill these seasonal jobs, and Challenger Gray and Christmas, this is a firm that tracks this sort of thing, shows how we've made progress over the last few years.

Check out 2008, we were in the middle of the recession during the holiday season and we really hit rock bottom. These seasonal workers, we hired less than 400,000 of them. But hiring began to grow in 2009 and it's expected to pick up this year.

So we're moving in the right direction, but we're also seeing caution from retailers. You know, retail sales are expected to pick up but not by that much, so retailers are a little reticent to hire a lot of people all at once just in case consumers don't spend as much as they're hoping. So it could be awhile before we get to those prerecession levels of that kind of seasonal hiring that we saw before the recession -- Don.

LEMON: Alison, where are these jobs?

KOSIK: Very good question. Two good places to look at, analysts tell us, are Wal-Mart and Target. These big discounters are doing really well because a lot of consumers are shopping at them, looking for those great deals.

Also, Target had a good second quarter, earnings were up in the double digits. Wal-Mart gave a really positive outlook, so that's why they're hiring.

We also have some other ideas. Macy's is going to be looking for 65,000 people to work during the holiday season. Toys "R" Us also hiring 10,000 people for the holiday season.

You know, the best thing to do, Don, what analysts say, walk around the mall, take a look at where the hiring signs are in those store fronts. Also the seasonal positions that I'm talking about, you're really going to find those in the seasonal store fronts like Toys "R" Us, those kind of seasonal stores are opening up all across the country.

LEMON: I've done that before, the seasonal jobs. We called them Christmas jobs or holiday relief, what have you, people going on vacation.

KOSIK: Exactly.

LEMON: Sometimes those jobs become permanent.

KOSIK: You never know. Yes.

LEMON: Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange.

Megachurch Pastor Eddie Long releases a statement through his attorney denying allegations he coerced young men in his church into sex. Now, we're going to talk with our correspondent Ed Lavandera not only about this third lawsuit being filed, but why is everyone so quiet. Why is everyone been -- they put the clamp on everyone here. What's going on with that? Is it a good PR move for the bishop? We'll talk about it.

Plus, read any good books? Well were they digital or were they analogue? We're talking about the future of e-books with an author known to walk around with a paperback book shoved in his jean pockets.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Nine years after 9/11, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says terrorism threats against the U.S. have increased and evolved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET NAPOLITANO, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Recent events of intelligence show a trend toward, as you mentioned, Senator Collins, smaller, faster-developing plots rather than larger, longer-term plots like 9/11.

These plots may include the use of IEDs or teams who use small arms and explosives, both forms of attack that have been used abroad.

The results of these changing tactics are fewer opportunities to detect and disrupt plots.

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LEMON: Napolitano, FBI Director Robert Muller and other top security officials tell the Senate Homeland Security Committee, al Qaeda remains a major international threat. They also note an increase in groups that affiliate with al Qaeda and self-radicalized Americans.

With the U.S. combat mission in Iraq now over we're seeing more evidence of Iraqi forces stepping up to control their own country. CNN's senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman reports on one important patrol.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They patrol on a river running through a city that has seen some very bad times. Baghdad's River Patrol keeps an eye on a strategic stretch of the Tigris, running by the heavily fortified Green Zone, headquarters to several key Iraqi ministries and the Parliament; also home to the U.S. and British embassies.

(on camera): In the darkest days of the violence here in Baghdad, one of the main jobs of the River Patrol was to fish dead bodies out of the water.

(voice-over): On this day, the body they pulled out was alive and well. This was merely a demonstration put on by the River Patrol, part of a graduation ceremony for 40 policemen who had just finished a training course.

With the death squads lying low, the patrol is rescuing more live people than dead from the waters. Though this, too, was just a show.

The patrol's colonel, Fadel Abbas, insists things are much better. "Thank god," he says ,"now there's stability, the security situation is good. The Security Forces have the situation under control and it's getting better day by day."

This is one of those occasions where Iraqis and Americans like to stress their solidarity, the Americans eager to show Iraqis taking charge and in the lead. It's all part of the new phase in U.S. involvement here, focusing on training and advising before the planned total American withdrawal at the end of next year.

Americans helped in the training course, but much of the funding for the River Patrol is Iraqi. Lieutenant General Michael Barbero is the deputy commanding general for advising and training in Iraq.

LI. GEN. MICHAEL BARBERO, U.S. ARMY: I have been here 42 months, and on this tour I've been here 12 months and I've spent the Iraqi Security Forces and they are ready today to provide for the internal security of Iraq.

WEDEMAN: But when they do the job for themselves, some fear, it might not be such smooth sailing.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Baghdad.

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