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Leery Vet Shun Back Pay; Carnival "Splendor" Returns to Shore
Aired November 11, 2010 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And it's almost 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 7:00 a.m. out west. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Kyra Phillips.
Here's a look at what has us talking in the NEWSROOM. Today is Veterans Day, a time to honor the generations of Americans who have served and sacrificed in the nation's military, but some of those veterans are not claiming money that's rightfully owed to them. And time is running out.
CNN's Chris Lawrence will join us with more on that.
And in Alaska, election officials have begun counting the write- in votes of the bitterly fought senate race. So far, nearly 90 percent of the ballots counted are considered clear votes for incumbent, Lisa Murkowski. Her opponent Joe Miller had filed a legal challenge over how accurate the voters' spelling had to be in writing Murkowski's name.
And the crippled Carnival Splendor is now just about eight miles from San Diego and due to arrive this afternoon. An engine fire on Monday left the 4,500 people on board without air conditioning or hot water. No hot shower.
Meantime, overseas, President Obama is in South Korea on this Veterans Day. He is remembering the so-called "forgotten war". The president praised members of the audience that fought in the Korean conflict and the U.S. troops who stand guard today at the border.
There will be a full day of remembrances at Arlington National Cemetery in this country in Virginia. Later this morning, Vice President Joe Biden will lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns.
And just outside the cemetery's walls, Americans are gathering at the Marine Corps Memorial. It's also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial because it celebrates the iconic photo of the flag raising there.
All right. Believe it or not, there are many military veterans who are ignoring thousands of dollars in back pay that's rightfully owed to them and time is running out.
CNN Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It's like a winning lotto ticket that's about to expire. The government has half a billion dollars to give away but can't find enough troops to claim it.
IAN SMITH, THE MISSION CONTINUES: I was immediately suspicious about it. It seemed like another scam that a lot of people prey on soldiers with.
LAWRENCE: But it's not. Ian smith earned that money, so did other soldiers and marines. When their enlistment was up, the Pentagon forced them to stay in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have orders to report to the first brigade.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not me. I'm getting out today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're leaving on the 22nd, shipping you back to Iraq.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ... enlistment was up, the Pentagon forced them to stay in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have orders to report to the first brigade.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not me. I'm getting out today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are leaving on the 22nd. We're sending you back to Iraq. You have stop lost.
LAWRENCE: Like the fictional soldier in "Stop Loss," Ian Smith finished his enlistment including a brutal tour in Iraq.
IAN SMITH, THE MISSION CONTINUES: I could not bring myself to acknowledge all of the horrors. We had daily memorial services for people that were dying in atrocious ways.
LAWRENCE: Ian works at a veterans outreach center in St. Louis but still remembers when the Army told him you're going back to Iraq.
(on camera): And they weren't just saying, stay another month?
SMITH: Or 60 days. Right. It's a surge tour, it's going to be 15 months instead of 12. It was probably the worst news that I could have heard at the time.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Troops like Ian put off schools and new jobs and some lost relationships, so Congress authorized $500 for any month they were held over. In Ian's case, it was nearly $7,000. But thousands of veterans forgot to fill out paper work or just thought it was too good to be true.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As your commander in chief, I am here to tell you that this is no gimmick or trick.
LAWRENCE: Even after the president implored vets to get their money, there is still nearly $300 million unclaimed, and vets must apply by December 3rd.
(on camera): Did you ever think it would be this hard to give away money.
LERNES HEBERT, SR. PENTAGON PERSONNEL OFFICIAL: Well, if you can imagine that someone coming to you and telling you that without any strings attached that they are going to pay you thousands of dollars.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): The Pentagon Lernes Hebert says the VA did direct mailings, and the Pentagon advertised it on every web site it could, but even without that outreach veteran Mike Pereira is rushing to finish his paperwork in time.
MIKE PEREIRA, THE MISSION CONTINUES: I hope that I don't miss out on the opportunity especially if I had known sooner then I would have been able to prep a little better.
LAWRENCE: In just a few weeks, it will be too late.
HEBERT: If anybody even suspects that they might be eligible for this payment, we want them to apply.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Chris Lawrence joining us now from our Washington bureau. So Chris, if these vets are just hearing about this right now, how are they supposed to scrounge up their paper work in just a matter of weeks to meet that deadline?
LAWRENCE: Well, Fred, all they got to do is go to defense.gov and get the application in by December 3rd. There are a ton of folks who are available to work out the kinks from that point on. You know, like we said, I mean Congress set aside $530 million for these troops. More than half of that is still sitting out there. And so I asked the Pentagon, why are we so wedded to this December 3rd. If you end up, on that date, you still got 50,000, 60,000 people out there who might still be eligible, do we just pull the money away?
I mean, this really is not a lottery ticket. They earned that money. He says Congress is keeping a close eye on the proceedings, how many people are filing and how many claims are getting paid. So perhaps there is a little bit of wiggle room in that lame duck session if enough people are still out there that maybe, maybe, they bump that date up again.
WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Lawrence in Washington, appreciate that. The greatest generation is passing on its memories of World War II to the next generation. Students are getting a living history lesson from the people who were actually on the front lines. In about 30 minutes from now, we're talking to an 85-year-old vet and a sixth grader spending this Veterans Day together in New Orleans.
And that crippled "Carnival Splendor" is now just about eight miles from San Diego. And it's due to arrive this afternoon. Images right there. An engine fire on Monday left the 4,500 people on board without air conditioning or hot water.
Senior producer Paul Vercammen is in San Diego who is joining us live. So a few hours way, they are inching ever so closer thanks to those tug vessels. Give me an idea what awaits them.
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, here's what we're expecting right now, Fredricka. In just a little while, maybe as soon as half hour - don't forget the "Carnival Splendor" is a pretty massive ship and it's going to peek its head, if your will, right over my shoulder over there in San Diego Bay and perhaps sort of fitting that all of use are glued together because just behind you can see Coronado Island and that is where the USS Ronald Reagan is stationed.
Of course, the military helped out with a lot of the "Splendor's" issues, the Reagan delivered supplies to the "Splendor" and aboard that ship, it was quite an ordeal over the last few days. It was supposed to be a seven-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera, and just as they got under way, the engine fire, what the passengers have described to us lately here at CNN, "long lines for the toilet and long lines for food as you can imagine, they have all been getting a little bit antsy because usually on this cruise, you have various shore stops, and people sort of get off and get out and about and get on land and enjoy the vacation. So it's been tough, but again relief came via the USS Ronald Reagan, and of course, the Coast Guard has done a good job supporting and helping the ship. So we expect to see the ship in just about a half hour coming into San Diego Bay. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow! Family members of a lot of the passengers, they're not there in San Diego, or are they?
VERCAMMEN: They're not here yet because this was quite a twist. You may recall that yesterday afternoon, the people with "Carnival" was saying midday, midday. Everything was pointing to midday. We have not seen the first trickle of those family members yet but we anticipate once they get word of this very early arrival, this was quite a surprise, they said earlier this morning.
Then we'll start to see family members come on in, and what "Carnival" has done - you may have heard at one point they were talking about going into Ensenada, Mexico. They felt like there were more hotels to choose from logistically in San Diego because they need to put up the passengers who came from other parts of the country. They will fly them out of San Diego as well, put their families up. They're going to pay for that as well as, of curse, refund their money and book them on another cruise in the future.
WHITFIELD: Boy, ultimately this costs "Carnival" hundreds of thousands. I don't know, maybe even millions of dollars.
Paul Vercammen, thanks so much. Of course, we'll get a tally, I'm sure. "Carnival" will share that with us as soon as they calculate all of those numbers. Paul Vercammen, thanks so much.
All right. Turning to politics now, nine days after the election, and we still have one undecided Senate race, in Alaska. The latest count of write-in votes appears encouraging for incumbent Lisa Murkowski and quite troubling for her opponent Joe Miller. CNN political producer Shannon Travis joins us now from Juneau. So Travis, where do things stand?
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Well, where they stand are that Senator Murkowski is probably very happy this morning with the way things and her opponent Joe Miller is probably hoping to still have the last laugh.
We are here in the room in Juneau where the vote counting will continue today. There was a lot of furious activity yesterday but let's check through some of the numbers of, the final unofficial numbers that we got yesterday at the close of the counting.
Out of 19,000 write-in ballots that they counted, just over 19,000, Senator Murkowski is pulling 89 percent, just over 89 percent of them that are confirmed, clear, unambiguous votes for her. Now, these are unofficial. They are not being added to her actual vote tally. They are being sorted, basically being put in a stack, if you will, to say, hey these are clear votes for her.
About eight percent, just over eight percent, almost eight and half are votes being counted for her but being challenged, again, just being sorted into a box, if you will, saying, "hey, these are votes for her." Basically, what this means is about 97 percent of these votes are being sorted in her favor and that looks really, really positive for the senator.
WHITFIELD: OK. So Shannon, give me an idea because there's a legal challenge here that Jim Miller is launching. Where does that fight go?
TRAVIS: Yes, I mean, it's a big legal challenge. Basically, Joe Miller is saying hey the state is evaluating voter intent. If a ballot is marked incorrectly, it says Lisa Murkowski but misspells her name or maybe it says Lisa M., an official here is voting sometimes that that counts for her. Joe Miller wants that to stop and he has filed a lawsuit.
But yesterday, he sought an injunction to stop those ballots from being counted. The judge, the court wouldn't issue that but is going to hear some arguments next week. So we don't know where this thing is going to go next. It could be a protracted legal battle. Only time will tell, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Shannon Travis, thanks so much from Juneau, Alaska. Appreciate that.
All right. Performer Kanye West tweeting about his "Today" show interview, and he's not happy with Matt Lauer. We're getting the lowdown in our showbiz update.
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WHITFIELD: All right. First it was Kanye West taking on President Bush, and then it was Kanye and Taylor Swift. Now it's Kanye and Matt Lauer. "Showbiz Tonight" host A.J. Hammer is in New York with our "Showbiz Update." A.J., what happened?
A.J. HAMMER, HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Well, Fred, Kanye West and Matt Lauer had a pretty uncomfortable interview this morning on the "Today Show." Kanye somehow managed to turn a heartfelt apology to former President George W. Bush into yet another controversial moment for him. Kanye was trying to apologize for having called Bush a racist but when the program was being taped, Kanye apparently felt that he was being manipulated and he proceeded to go on one of his trademark Twitter rants after the interview. He claimed that the interview was brutal and Matt Lauer tried to force his answer and that he's done with talking to the press.
Of course, everyone was watching this morning and you can see from the interview that West and Lauer weren't exactly having a comfortable conversation. I'm going to play for you a part of their chat where Lauer is trying to get West to react to some video of President Bush. Let's look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, HOST "TODAY" SHOW: When you look at his face, what would you say to him?
KANYE WEST, RAPPER: I mean, pre-looking at his face, I came up here because I wanted to say something to him right after the fact. You know, I would say -you know what I'm saying. I don't really have to do the TV stuff with me. This is reality. This is the real thing going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kanye went on to say that he thought that Lauer was trying to force his answers. The whole interview is like that, too. West is complaining about the tape playing in the background and it was sometimes kind of looking off the camera and telling people to be quiet. So Fred, he is threatening to no longer do the press. That may actually be a good move for Kanye. He is a very talented man and he should focus on his creativity right now - I think.
WHITFIELD: But he is scheduled to go on the "Today" show in a concert in a couple of weeks. I wonder if that will still happen.
HAMMER: He is supposed to be performing, and I believe that's this Friday actually. And I think it would be a bad move for him to pull out of doing that. We're going to have to wait and see if that happens. But I hope everybody can sort of make amends or that will be another controversial Kanye moment.
WHITFIELD: A little awkward.
All right.
Let's talk about the country music awards, the CMA Awards last night. No controversy there, or was there?
HAMMER: No, there wasn't. There were some great moments, a few big moments. The biggest winners were the established country stars like Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, they took home five awards between the two of them last night. But the big buzz is this woman, Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow. She got up on stage. She performed a song from her new movie "Country Strong." She got a standing ovation, which is really saying something in that room.
So, really a good night for Nashville, Fred. A great night for Gwyneth Paltrow and I got to say she's got the chops. She could do it. She could leave acting but I don't her to and be a country music star. I think she'll have success.
WHITFIELD: Well, I remember she sang, recorded tune for another movie that she did a while back and I can't think of the name.
HAMMER: Right with Huey Lewis.
WHITFIELD: Yes. But you could tell the she could sing and now she really got that country thing going on. Pretty good.
HAMMER: Yes. It suits her.
WHITFIELD: All right. A.J. Hammer, thanks so much. Appreciate that.>
HAMMER: You got it, Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK. Perhaps you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world. A.J. has got it, this evening, on "Showbiz Tonight" at 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.
A controversial book for sale on amazon.com. The author says it's a guideline for pedophiles. After a public outcry, the on-line retailer took it down. We take a look at the legal implications of the listing and if this decision could impact other books for sale.
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WHITFIELD: Now within view of the San Diego coast, the Carnival "Splendor" is just a couple of miles away from shore. The 4,500 people who have been on board since Monday without hot water, without electricity, well, now they're finally going to be on land. That voyage will now soon come to an end, at least the voyage at sea. A lot of folks have to get on a bus and travel about two miles - two hours north before they are reunited with a lot of their family members. We're keeping a close watch on the Carnival "Splendor" and it's voyage back to shore. After this trouble (INAUDIBLE).
All right. Amazon.com has removed a controversial guide book for pedophiles. The book sparked angry, user comments and threats to boycott the online retailer. The author calls the self-published e- book, "A How to Manual on Pedophilia." You told CNN it's boundaries for pedophiles that should not be crossed. More than 2,00 people commented on line expressing outrage that amazon.com would even list the book.
The author said he published it to address what he considers unfair portrayals of pedophiles in the media.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIP GREAVES II, AUTHOR OF PEDOPHILE GUIDE: You know, every time you see them on television, they are either murderers, rapists or kidnappers. And you know, that's just not an accurate representation of that particular sexuality. It's not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So rights attorney Avery Friedman is in Cleveland. Good to see you, Avery. So did Amazon - does it have the legal responsibility - has it crossed the line - to remove this book because people have complained about it?
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Well, you know, it sounded like a major constitutional blowup here, Fredricka. And what happened it sort of fizzled out, why? Because Amazon responded to the people, you know, and objecting to its listing the book and, therefore, they removed it. So the constitutional issue, the issue of freedom of expression or reading whatever you want to read evaporated because they gave into the comments of people who objected to it.
WHITFIELD: So when the publisher or I should say when the author and some of his supporters say this is censorship but now amazon.com would no longer make this available, you say this does not have a legal leg?
FRIEDMAN: Well, it's clearly censorship, the question is it is unlawful censorship. This isn't like a public library being shut down because after the first amendment prohibits government from interfering with freedom of the press and freedom of association and freedom of distribution. Here it's a private company and what Amazon clearly did, at least in my judgment is they responded to concerns by shareholders, by market forces and they realized, "oh, my goodness, there's going to be a boycott and all of the other products that we're trying to sell may be adversely impacted. Therefore, we're going to shut the book down." Bottom line, yes, censorship, whether it's legal or not. That's easy. It was not unlawful to do.
WHITFIELD: All right. So other controversial books might encounter the same fate? FRIEDMAN: Well, you know, that actually is a much larger issue that you've identified and that is, at what point does a private company - is it responsible for disseminating anything that people want to read. After all in a free society, it should be that way, but when you come to very controversial issues that border on, in many instances, criminal activity, private companies have that right.
Amazon decided this is what we want to do here. They shut the book down, so to the extent that controversial books have been shut out, this is one, and, frankly, we understand what they did because it had nothing to do with the Constitution. It had everything to do with market forces.
WHITFIELD: All right. Avery Friedman in Cleveland, thanks so much. Good to see you this weekend. Saturday our usual, that time, that channel, noon Eastern time in the NEWSROOM along with Richard Herman. Good to see you.
FRIEDMAN: Face to face.
WHITFIELD: That's right. And that, too. Thanks so much, Avery.
All right. Time now to travel across country. First stop, Springfield, Ohio, that's where a planned demolition of a smoke stack tower went totally wrong. Take a look right there. That 275 foot tall stack felt toward a 12,000 volt power line and two power generating buildings. The stack was supposed to land in a nearby dirt field. Work crews and about 50 bystanders ran for cover and thankfully no one was hurt.
And in Staten Island, New York, it's already turkey day in the Dungen (ph) Hills neighborhood. The residents there say this site however is not that appetizing to them. Dozens of wild turkeys have invaded their community. And residents say the turkeys graze on the grass, block street traffic and leave behind their unwelcome calling cards.
And finally, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, a class of preschoolers honored our nation's troops on this Veterans Day. The kids from Metro Christian Academy sang, read essays and poems. This happened actually yesterday, and they did that in front of 30 dozen veterans. The student also plan to write military people currently on active duty.
One is a member of the greatest generation. The other could become the greatest fan on this Veterans Day. We'll show you how some young Americans are learning history from the men who actually shaped it.
VIDEO PLAYING
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WHITFIELD: All right. Live pictures right now of the Carnival "Splendor" within view of the San Diego coast after passengers on board have had to deal with no hot water, no hot meals since Monday, the end is in sight. The end of what has been a miserable trip at least since Monday engine problems on the Carnival "Splendor" cruise liner.
All right. It is almost 10:30 on the East Coast, and almost 7:30 a.m. out west. Here's a look at what else has us talking in the NEWSROOM.
President Barack Obama and other world leaders are attending the G-20 summit which opens today in Seoul, South Korea. It is expected to focus on currency policy and economic recovery and growth worldwide.
Google has reportedly fired the employee who leaked news about a company-wide pay hike. They company announced in a memo Tuesday that it plans to give 10 percent raises to all of it's employees. The memo was then leaked to the media. A Google spokesman refused to comment on the issue or the memo.
And fewer people filed for unemployment benefits last week. The U.S. Labor Department says initial claims for jobless benefits dropped by 24,000 to 435,000, the lowest in nearly four months.
It's Thursday, and that means it's time for our 30-second pitch. It's a chance for one of our viewers to reach out to prospective employers and tell them why they should be hired. On this Veterans Day, we're talking to Tristan Metroze, who served seven years in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. Tristan enlisted after the 9/11 attacks. He got his bachelors degree in the service and has completed his MBA work at the University of Pittsburgh. He says his ultimate dream job is to be an investment banker. Tristan Metroze joins us now from Pittsburgh with his 30-second pitch. Good to see you.
TRISTAN METROZE, FMR. U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL CORPSMAN: Good morning, Fredricka. Good to see you too. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Well, fantastic. Now I understand you actually graduate, you'll be ending that program right in April and you are hoping to land something right away?
METROZE: Yes. I hope to do so, Fredricka. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: OK. What has it been like, as you have been putting the feelers out to see what the markets are like and what the prospects of you landing are job are?
METROZE: As of right now, the job market is improving, but not as much as we hoped. But hopefully come in April, it will get better.
WHITFIELD: All right, Tristan. This is your shot. Give us your 30-second pitch for all those employers who need to be paying attention to you.
METROZE: Absolutely. Thank you.
I am an MBA candidate at the University of Pittsburgh. I have seven years of leadership experience in the United States Navy. I'm creative, intelligent, highly motivated, and have strong interest in investment and the banking industry. And I really hope that you can give me a chance to be part of your team and -- so that I can help you development comprehensive financial solutions that meet -
(BELL RINGS)
METROZE: -- the needs of your global clients.
WHITFIELD: Well, fantastic. Well, Tristan, are you are you willing to move anywhere?
METROZE: Yes. Actually, I am, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Okay. All right. Fantastic. And so how can a prospective employer locate you?
METROZE: I am on Facebook, of course. And also LinkedIn with the name Tristan Metroze.
WHITFIELD: Got it. And there's your email right there. Tristan, thanks so much, and all the best to you and thank you for your service.
METROZE: Thank you very much.
WHITFIELD: If you are out of work and you want to sell yourself to prospective employers, just let us know. Send us a resume and aletter to 30secondpitch@CNN.com. Also, if you want to hire our 30- Second Pitchers, go to our blog, CNN.com/kyra. Their information and the e-mails will be there so you all can connect.
There are over 23 million military vets in the U.S., and on this Veterans Day, we pause to say thank you to all of those brave men and women who have answered the call of duty.
Take a look right now, live pictures of Arlington National Cemetery where Vice President Joe Biden will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns next hour.
But today hasn't always been Veterans Day. It started out as Armistice Day on November 11, 1919, exactly one year after the Treaty of Versailles ended the First World War. This is an old photo of a Chicago parade that year. Congress declared the day a federal holiday in 1938, and in the aftermath of the World War II and the Koran War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day dedicated to American vets of all wars.
Our troops past and present have helped shape American history, and today at the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans, the Greatest Generation is swapping stories with the next generation, giving student a living lesson on the war. Instead of a call to arms, it's been dubbed a call to ears.
Robert Wolf volunteers at the museum, sharing his experiences with the Army's 343rd Infantry Regiment and Steven (sic) Suazo is a sixth grader at Patrick Taylor Academy, one of dozens of students taking it all in today. It looks like a very great turnout there.
So, Robert, give me an idea, you know, what kinds of stories -- how detailed you're getting with a lot of these young people about your experiences.
ROBERT WOLFE, VOULUNTEER, NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM: Well, mostly, we are making a valiant effort to try to help them imagine what it was like to live at that time. It was quite a different time. And it was one of those situations where everybody in the country was involved, and it's a real effort of imagination to begin to think that one is participating in it.
Stefan here is one of our best customers here at the museum. He's been here a number of times, and it's a pleasure to talk with him because he is interested in almost everything. I was talking to him before we went on about the Higgins Boat. We're sitting in front of a Higgins boat, an LDVP, and we're talking about what the contribution was of Mr. Higgins, and Higgins Industries in New Orleans. That's one of the reasons that this museum is in New Orleans.
WHITFIELD: And it really is it a beautiful museum.
Mr. Wolfe, e were looking at pictures of you. You were 18 years old when you served. I wonder, you know, Stefan, when you hear a firsthand account from Mr. Wolfe about his experience in the war, what most surprises you about what it was to serve in World War II?
STEFAN SUAZO, SIXTH GRADE STUDENT: Well, to me, what surprises me is how much effort they really had to put to defeat these people. I mean, it's amazing. It's no wonder that we have a Veterans Day. I mean, with al of the valor, bravery, and loyalty they showed during this war, it's obvious that they deserved it.
WHITFIELD: And, so, Stefan, had you ever heard of this first- person account stories before meeting Mr. Wolfe?
SUAZO: Yes. I have been spoken to many veterans during my time at this museum. There's -- almost every day there's veterans here, so I take every opportunity I can get to speak to them.
WHITFIELD: And Mr. Wolfe, how important is it in your view that so many young people are coming out, not just today, but on a regular basis, schoolchildren come in, and the likes of you and other vets are there to enhance the displays that are there at the World War II museum with your first-person accounts?
WOLFE: Well, it's one of the more important things in the museum, but it's not only the schoolchildren who come in. Increasingly, we're getting adult children and adult grandchildren of veterans who come in, and they are in some ways even more interested in the stories that we have to tell than the schoolchildren are. And it's very gratifying to be able to give them some sense of what it was like to live in those times.
I'm generally taken aback when people want to thank me for my service because I didn't volunteer for anything. I did what everybody did at the time and what I'm sure everybody would do if called upon to do it again.
WHITFIELD: Well, then, maybe we need to rephrase it and say that we're grateful for your service because I think every American feels that way, very grateful for your service and dedication. Mr. Robert Wolfe, and Stefan Suazo, thanks so much for your time, and enjoy your day and pass onto your fellow vets that we are all very grateful for what you have done.
WOLFE: Thank you.
SUAZO: No problem, thanks.
WHITFIELD: So, for ways that you can honor our troops this Veterans Day, and throughout the year, visit our Impact Your World page at CNN.com/impact.
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WHITFIELD: Scanning our "Morning Passport." Iran is jumping into the video game industry. Young Iranian designers are featuring a game that features a legendary Persian hero who fights the forces of evil using an array of bladed weapons. Iran is trying to take a slice out of the Western monopoly on the market. The game was unveiled this week during a ceremony attended by the minister of culture.
Now to Spain. A new Spanish neighborhood hoping to attract young homeowners is naming a treat after the Super Mario video game character. The cartoon plumber turns 25 this year. And what a way to honor him. The street will be in a subdivision still under construction. The neighborhood is designed for young first-time home buyers, an age group that grew up with video games, including Nintendo's Mario. Residents decided through an online poll to name their streets after the video games. Other planned streets will be named for Sonic the Hedgehog and Space Invaders.
President Obama has been fighting against extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Now, a top aide says he's willing to go along with it.
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WHITFIELD: The jockeying for leadership posts is going on right now on Capitol Hill, but one contest seems to be over. Our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash is at the CNNpolitics.com -- no, you are not. You're there on Capitol Hill. All right!
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I am.
WHITFIELD: So, what do you have for us?
BASH: That's right. You're talking about the leadership post. Michele Bachmann, who is a Tea Party favorite. She is a Republican congresswoman from Minnesota. She was running for the number three spot in the new House Republican leadership. She dropped her bid last night pretty much because Jeb Hensarling, Republican of Texas, had it locked up. She says she is going to support Hensarling but she is going to keep pushing Tea Party ideals through the Tea Party caucus, which she helped found, Fredricka.
Second item on the Ticker, one of the biggest fights coming in the next few weeks will be extending the Bush-era tax cuts, which are going to expire at the end of the year. The president has said since his campaign that he only wants to extend those for middle-class Americans, but his top adviser David Axelrod is saying, maybe we have to look at those for the wealthiest Americans because of what happened in the election. He said, we have to deal with the world as we find it. The world of what it takes to get things done. So, very interesting comments from David Axelrod.
WHITFIELD: OK. And meantime, Christine O'Donnell, who was running for the Senate seat out of Delaware is back again. She's not going away or running off into the sunset. Different form but back.
BASH: Very different forum. She was on "The Tonight Show" last night. And you know, you probably could have expected this. She said that she has been offered a lot of things for her future, including a book deal, including a reality show. She says she is probably not going to go the reality show route, but she says she is instead interested in maybe doing a television program on keeping the government honest, on government accountability.
But you know, I have to admit, Fredricka, reality shows are one of my guilty pleasures.
WHITFIELD: No way! Not you?
BASH: I know, I know. I know. Don't you think it would be an interesting thing to see her do a reality show? We were coming up with some names back in the office. I won't give you all of them, because they're probably not appropriate. But "Real World With Christine O'Donnell." Why not, right?
WHITFIELD: Why not? I think that's very safe. And I'm trying to figure out, where do you have time to watch reality TV. You're always planted somewhere there on Capitol Hill?
BASH: TiVo.
WHITFIELD: TiVo. Oh, yes. TiVo. I have to get hip with that.
All right, Dana Bash. Thanks so much. Appreciate that.
BASH: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: So we will have another political update one hour from now. And a reminder, for all of the latest political news, go to our Web site, CNNpolitics.com.
All right. CNN's newest primetime program "PARKER SPITZER" has been challenging guests with ways to cut the federal budget. Last night, former Reagan budget director David Stockman offered his opinion.
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ELIOT SPITZER, CNN CO-HOST, "PARKER/SPITZER": And what would you do with Social Security? DAVID STOCKMAN, FORMER REAGAN BUDGET DIRECTOR: Well, unfortunately, it needs to be means tested. In other words, it's a $700 billion-year program. It's the heart of the budget. And we're going to have to say to the better off elderly people already retired and this is -- will be seen as unfair but it's unavoidable. You're going to have to have your benefits means tested.
SPITZER: Explain what that means.
STOCKMAN: That means, we'll look at your private assets, we'll look at your private income and if they're above a certain level, let's say, $50,000 a year of private income, we're going to have a ratcheting back of your Social Security check in order -- as a contribution to solving this problem.
SPITZER: So Social Security will go more and will be focused upon those who need the money --
STOCKMAN: Right.
SPITZER: -- and not exclusively based upon what you paid in --
STOCKMAN: That's right.
SPITZER: -- which has been the equation until now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Watch "PARKER SPITZER" tonight, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
On this Veterans Day, a live view right now of Arlington National Cemetery. We know that Defense Secretary Gates is there. We also understand Congressman John Boehner is there, and Vice President Joe Biden will be laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
All right. And then on the West Coast, we're continuing to watch what's taking place with the Carnival Splendor, that crippled cruise liner right there, now in the view of that San Diego port. Folks in perhaps just a few hours will actually be able to get off that crippled ship where there was no hot water, no hot meals since Monday. And there are images there of folks who are just watching the view.
Our Paul Vercammen, senior producer, is joining us from San Diego. So, how much closer might that ship be?
PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Oh, Fredricka, it is much, much closer. In fact, I think it should get into port pretty quickly here. You see it's turned the corner into San Diego's harbor. We can't say it's steaming into port because you see it's being pulled by a flotilla of tugboats. Good to see.
When I was out on the USS Ronald Reagan, we were watching one poor tugboat just straining to pull this along. And one of the reasons is that you can't tell from his angle, but the Carnival Splendor is more than three football fields long, something like 113,000 gross tonnage. It's just absolutely massive. And that's why this was such a difficult task. Once it was disabled, they had to figure out how to move it to either to Ensenada, but they changed their mind. So, they decided to bring it here to San Diego Harbor. I assume we'll have this reunion rather quickly as it traverses the harbor and docks here behind me.
WHITFIELD: So, Paul, it seems, are they a bit ahead of schedule?
VERCAMMEN: A bit is an understatement, Fredricka. They were talking about midday day today, and this was yesterday. And somehow I think adding in the other tugboat and some other favorable conditions allowed them to really ratchet things up.
So, they got things done in a hurry, Fredricka. They're way ahead of schedule.
WHITFIELD: So, now, I wonder what kind of welcoming committee is in place there. I mean, folks have not had hot beverages. They haven't had hot meals. Yes, they had Spam. Yes, they've had cold sandwiches. You know, they've been in the dark for a long time. What's been put in place, if anything, there in San Diego, to welcome them or give them creature comforts?
VERCAMMEN: Well, I believe they've set up various drinks and other things and other hot food behind me, and also, the other welcoming committee will be for a lot of people to see their relatives who will be relieved to find out they survived their vacation. Insert your own joke there, Frederika.
WHITFIELD: Well, hopefully folks have a sense of humor after all they've been through, but then again, I imagine there are a lot of folks who are steamy over their vacations being spoiled like this.
VERCAMMEN: I think steamy is the operative word after you lose your air conditioning.
WHITFIELD: Yes, understatement and a little smelly, too. But at least they made hopefully to shore safely. And as far as we understand, no one has been injured, no one has gotten ill during this end of the journey, right?
VERCAMMEN: That's exactly right. In fact, I was talking to the Coast Guard a short while ago and disappearing from the frame just a little bit earlier was the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Morganthal. And they played a crucial role. It was sort of the guardian angel, if you will. Once they got there with the 18 crew members, they sent a Navy Corpsman aboard and made sure everyone was okay, and just to make sure there were no surprise deliveries or births and no major trauma. They didn't even have to do any repair of broken arms or anything like that.
Not that you would expect it just because of an engine going out, but throughout a cruise, things happen. And they say so far, so good. Everyone is in good health. Yes, they might be a little angry and peeved, but nothing major going on aboard the Carnival Splendor in terms of medical issues. WHITFIELD: OK. Paul Vercammen, we'll check back with you because it is really close, just over your shoulder there. That huge ship. Three football fields long, that's extraordinary, pulling into port there at San Diego.
Thank you so much, Paul. We'll check back with you.
We'll have much more of the NEWSROOM after this.
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WHITFIELD: Every day at this time, we honor the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan for us. We call it "Home and Away." Today we're lifting up Corporal James Edward London from Bellport, New York. He was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad on May 30th, 2007.
James' mother sent us a tribute saying this. Quote, "He was the light of my life, and I have so much respect for the way he lived his life, his courage and determination. He accomplished more in his short 20 years than many men do in 70 years," end quote. James mom ends with this. "We miss you all day, every day."
If you have a loved one that you'd like us to honor, here's all you have to do. Go to CNN.com/homeandaway, type in your service member's name in the upper-right search field and pull up the profile. Send us your thoughts and your pictures, and we'll keep the memory of your hero alive.
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WHITFIELD: General David Petraeus has a message today for U.S. troops, including the thousands under his command in Afghanistan.
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GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES, AFGHANISTAN: Well, on this Veterans Day, let me just say hoowa, hoorah, hooya, and air power. And also let me say thanks to each and every one of the serving veterans watching this, for your selfless service, for your extraordinary commitment to the very important missions that we're involved in here in Afghanistan, still in Iraq, and in a host of other places around the world.
It's been the greatest of privileges for me and so many others of us to serve with you, to serve with the new greatest generation as you have come rightly to be recognized.
I can imagine no higher honor, in fact, than the opportunity to serve with such wonderful individuals, with such great Americans.
And, again, on this Veterans Day, I want to say simply and very sincerely, thanks.
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WHITFIELD: And in line with tradition on this Veterans Day, we want to take to you Arlington National Cemetery.
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