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Rebelling Against Airport Security; GM's Turnaround; Live Quidditch

Aired November 19, 2010 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It is 10:00 a.m. in the East Coast, 7:00 a.m. out west. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's some of the story that got us talking this morning as we top the hour.

A crack in any windshield is bad. It's even worse when it's on an airliner traveling at several hundred miles an hour. Pilots on this Delta flight declare an emergency.

President Obama at the NATO summit in Portugal. The focus, Afghanistan and the future pull out of troops. Here's the problem, Afghanistan's president demands that withdrawal sooner rather than later.

And the royal wedding, and burning questions. Where will Britain's Prince William marry and when? Well, his fiancee actually went on a scouting mission over there at Westminster Abbey last night.

Flier rebellion is growing against the TSA's new airport security measures as the day tick down to the massive Thanksgiving travel rush. And we're just six days out. Passengers, pilots, civil rights groups and now politicians fighting against the groin touching, breast grazing patdowns and those revealing full-body scans.

Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas is introducing the American Traveler Dignity Act to "protect Americans from physical and emotional abuse by federal Transportation Security Administration employees. Another Republican Congressman Florida's John Mica wrote a letter to the nation's 100 busiest airports urging them to ditch the TSA and use private screeners instead. But the TSA insists that those scans and patdowns are all for our safety.

Congressman Mica joining us now live from Capitol Hill. And congressman, just in the name of transparency, 16 airports already use private contractors, and according to our research, congressman, you have accepted more than $80,000 in campaign contributions from groups and execs tied to some of these contractors that you are advocating for.

So, just, first of all, do you believe in any way, shape or form, this is a double standard? So some may see it as that way.

REP. JOHN MICA (R), FLORIDA: First of all, that's your research, it's lousy research, and you picked it from a wrong wire service. It's the junk that's put out there like TSA is reaching for in people's pants. In fact, those are corporations and other groups in Florida that have supported me over 18 years, and they threw that all together.

So I don't care if TSA proponents want to give me a hard time. I'm still going to work to reform TSA to make certain that it operates more cost effectively, more efficiently and most importantly, that it does the best job with security, not imposing, again, things like they have done with random patdowns and also use of advanced screening technology.

PHILLIPS: Now, do you believe in the TSA? Do you think it's a worthwhile organization? Do you think it does its job properly?

MICA: I'm the won that created TSA. I came up with the name, drafted the original legislation with other legislators, enacted it in 2001. That's when we set up having two alternatives, one with all federal screening, and we always have TSA. We have TSA also with private screeners, and we've had that model for a number of years.

Every time I think I've seen tests of the system, the private screeners under federal supervision perform statistically significantly better. Those aren't my words. Those are the words of that independent evaluator. So we can do better. We don't have to have 67,000 TSA employees, 3,590 in Washington, D.C. administrative personnel making $105,000 on average a year. We can use a better model, a more efficient model and a model that focuses security on bad guys, not mom and pops and veterans and little old ladies and children going through security lines.

PHILLIPS: Now, congressman, though but private firms will have to follow the exact same protocol as TSA?

MICA: Yes, and didn't you just hear me, that the evaluations of their performance indicate, again - I should say independent evaluations of the private screeners say they perform statistically significantly better. What we're trying to do is actually get better performance so they can identify whether there's a threat. And, again, these independent evaluations have shown they do a better job. We've had the models.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Sure, but there have been undercover stories and also independent testing of these private screeners versus TSA, and many of these private screeners came out doing just as poorly as the TSA.

MICA: In some tests, that's right, but overall, I believe you get a better model. You get more efficiency, and I believe that they can also target and perform the job better than the federal government. The federal government is the operator, the administrator, the auditor and the overseer. That model never works, never will work.

What happens is you get a big bureaucracy, and that's exactly what we've got. 3,590 administrative personnel in Washington, over 8,000 out in the field. It's blown to 67,000. We put a cap when I was - back when I was chairman, when it reached the 40,000 level. In the last four years, it's mushroomed out of control.

PHILLIPS: And just to clarify because you mentioned these campaign contributions that we're doing bad research and just getting this off the wires. Just to confirm to make sure did Lockheed Martin Corporation employees Political Action Committee not give you $36,500?

MICA: Over 18 years, in fact and in my district. Actually, I put this provision in the law in 2001. Actually, they've only been and I just found this out yesterday when someone brought it to my attention, that they have been in the screening business for the last year and a half. So I don't recommend any firms. All of the competition to acquire a private firm is done on a competitive basis by TSA. So I have nothing to do with that. That's a bunch of baloney.

PHILLIPS: Ed Raytheon, one Raytheon's companies as well?

MICA: Same thing, they are also in my district. They have only been in the business and I only knew yesterday, again, for a short period of time, and I don't do anything as far as recommending or getting involved. That's a competitive process, and they have to go through that.

They're recently in the business. Again, that's an 18-year period. So, again, I have people who don't like me in TSA. I just don't like the way TSA is performing, and, no matter what they throw out there, I'm going after reforming TSA. I can tell you that.

PHILLIPS: So, if, indeed, these airports implement private screeners would the TSA hire them, oversee them, pay them? What are you proposing?

MICA: Well, we already have the models in place. We've had them since 2001. TSA sets the protocols. The hiring, all of the other things are done, but the standards are set, the level of pay is set by TSA. It's again, the operations, which is always more efficient, more economical and better performed. The main thing is the better performance, I believe, with having private screeners under federal supervision.

Look at the Israeli model, look at the successful European models. There are plenty of examples, and we have seen it also in the United States in almost two dozen models.

PHILLIPS: Congressman John Mica, we will follow up -

MICA: Good to be with you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you for joining me.

When we will have an answer, by the way? You mentioned something about a December 8th meeting that this will be reviewed, this possibility?

MICA: I don't recall that, but I sent today to the TSA administrator, both myself, (INAUDIBLE) and the ranking member, a request for a full review on the current patdowns. Now, we hope in January when the new Congress comes into session that we'll begin reviewing all of the different procedures, the administration and some of these other things I brought up.

PHILLIPS: Got it. So January, January is where we follow up, correct?

MICA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thank you. Appreciate your time, congressman.

So, would you like to see the TSA go away, or are those folks just doing what it takes to keep us safe? Hit me up on the twitter page. Twitter.com/kyracnn.

All right. Let's head over to Washington, and the new faces of Congress. Earlier this morning, the incoming class of freshman lawmakers gathered on the steps of the capitol for the traditional photo. That image, as you know represents big change. Midterm elections have tilted the balance of power and Republicans will control the House beginning in January.

We got a couple of stories about how lawmakers are handling your money. First up, jobless benefits. The House failed to pass a bill yesterday that would have extended long-term help for out of work Americans. That measure would have kept four million people from falling off the roll.

And vice president Joe Biden says the White House wants to hammer out a compromise on extending the Bush era tax cuts. As you know, the issue has been deadlocked for months. The White House wants only the middle-class to get permanent relief. Republicans want to include the wealthiest Americans with the GOP taking control of the House in January. Biden now says bipartisan talks later this month will search for middle ground.

And another day, another country, another big challenge for President Obama. He's at the NATO summit in Portugal and confronting one of the thorniest issues facing our troops. Their future in Afghanistan. The recent criticism from Afghanistan's leader, President Hamid Karzai want the forces to begin scaling back operations, and a short time ago, the president reaffirmed the time frame for withdrawing U.S. and NATO forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I expressed my gratitude to the Portuguese armed forces, who are serving alongside us in Afghanistan, and here in Lisbon, I look forward to working with our NATO and our ISAF partners as we move towards a new phase, a transition to Afghan responsibility that begins in 2011, with Afghan forces taking lead for security across Afghanistan by 2014. So the summit is an important opportunity for us to align and approach to transition in Afghanistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the future of the Afghan war effort is the central focus of the NATO summit. In fact, the secretary-general says this meeting is one of the most important in the alliance's history.

Eva Longoria devastated by her divorce but Tony Parker is playing it coolly. We're going to hear the basketball star's side of the story.

What does Susan Boyle and the Beatles have in common? We're going to tell you right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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PHILLIPS: Here comes the sun. How about here comes the competition? Guess what, Beatles, got to move over. Remember Susan Boyle, the big sensation that knocked us all out with that amazing voice? Well, her newest album called "The Gift" is number one in the U.S. and the U.K., and that hasn't happened since these guys did it more than 40 years ago. Let's listen.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: Yep. That's when she made that famous appearance and no one knew what she was made of, on "Britain's Got Talent" and as you know, she became an overnight sensation, wooing everybody, winning everybody over, and now she's getting everything she deserved.

Well, NBA star Tony Parker, not really singing happy tunes, but he is speaking out, and he's talking about his divorce from actress, Eva Longoria. Longoria announced that the couple is splitting after three years of marriage. In a statement issues by "People" magazine Parker says "even I have been discussing our situation privately. I was aware that she would be filing for divorce in Los Angeles."

And singer Chris Brown reportedly getting high marks from the judge who sentenced him to do community service for beating up former girlfriend, Rihanna. Brown plead guilty to felony assault back in June 2009. TMZ reporting that the judge told Brown during a progress hearing that she was blown away by the singer's work ethic in carrying out his sentence. So far, he has completed 581 hours of his nearly 1400 hours of community service.

And if you have no idea what Quidditch is, well, I can pretty much guarantee you that your kids do. It's the big Hogwarts sport from the "Harry Potter" series. Wizard jocks on broomsticks. Come on, they take it very seriously. Well, guess what? So do real people. They just play a little closer to the ground.

CNN's Josh Levs actually with them right now at the University of Georgia and we're going to take you there, live.

And if you're a Harry Potter fan, well, let's see what you're made of. How many goalposts are there on a Quidditch pitch? 12, 2, 6 or 8? Think about it during the break. We'll have the answer for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Harry Potter fans, how many goalposts are there on a Quidditch pitch, 12, 2, 6, 8? If you said 6, give yourself a pat on the back. We'll show you how real people play Quidditch in just a few minutes.

A list of things that you can't bring to the airport gets longer every year, doesn't?

But go ahead and bring your smokes. Chances are, you'll find somewhere to do it. One in four major American airports allows travelers to light up outside. And here's the list. Atlanta DFW, Denver, Vegas, Charlotte, Dulles and Salt Lake City.

But the CDC says THAT those dedicated smoker lounges aren't doing enough to protect millions of travelers from the danger of secondhand smoke. CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now. So what does the CDC want them to do?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They want them to get rid of smoking at airports entirely. No more lounges, no more smoking outside. They want absolutely nothing and it's interesting, what they say is that you can actually monitor and they have monitored the air, outside of these lounges, and what they see is that even if you are just walking by, you're inhaling carcinogens and you're inhaling toxins. So these just - you're not in the lounge, but just walking by the lounge can actually be harmful.

PHILLIPS: But there are ventilation systems, and actually not all of them are behind closed doors. I have been walked by a few of those, and the door if it is supposed to be a closed door is open, and you smell it coming through.

COHEN: Right. That's true. Sometimes the door is open, and even if the door is closed, those ventilation systems, no matter how good they are, there is about a 10 percent leakage. So that's a lot. You can't make it air tight, apparently. So you might not smell it but you are breathing it in, and it can actually do you harm, especially if you are old, if you're very young or have some kind of breathing or heart problems. It can actually do you damage.

PHILLIPS: So will these lounges be done away with? I mean, are airports paying attention to this.

COHEN: No. We called the airports and said well, what are you going to do? The CDC says that you should get rid of these lounges. At the Atlanta airport, you know, obviously a very big one. Here's what they said, "the smoking lounges eliminate the need for passengers wishing to smoke to exit and then re-enter the secured areas." In other words, they say it's a pain in the neck for you to have to leave and come back, so we're just going to let them smoke at the gate or near the gate. PHILLIPS: I know. My guess is something is going to build up here, and there's going to be more pressure. Look if bars don't allow smokers, restaurants are not going to allow smokers, this has got to be the next place.

COHEN: It's sort of one of the last places.

When I walk by that in the Atlanta airport, I feel like it's sort of the old days.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it does. It does. It does seem old school, doesn't?

COHEN: Old school, to give people a place to smoke seems very old school.

PHILLIPS: We'll see if anyone will listen to the CDC. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Quidditch has come a long way from an imaginary sport from J.K. Rowling's mind through the "Harry Potter" series to a very real playing field. Actually many playing fields at hundreds of schools across the country, including the University of Georgia.

Josh Levs is going to show us how it's done. Hey, Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Kyra. Yes, you know, as the "Harry Potter" movie opens around the country, more and more young people around the country are playing Quidditch, the game you are supposed to fly around on one of these. So how do you take that and turn it into this? Well, it took a little bit of wizardry. We're going to tell you all about it. Coming right up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: General Motors is back, and GM stock is trading on Wall Street, allowing the iconic American company to repay some of its $50 billion in taxpayer bailout. But there is a divide growing between Wall Street, Washington and Main Street in Detroit over who should get paid first.

Carol Costello following this for us from Washington. Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO: Hi, Kyra. If you ask the United Auto Workers Union how GM failed so spectacularly, it accepts some of the blame. I talked with UAW president Bob King who told me, both GM and the union lost sight of providing for the consumer. It was all about how much money each side could make, and now they say it has changed and GM is on its way to profitability but there is a looming question.

As GM continues to prosper, should workers who gave up salary and benefits profit too?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COSTELLO (voice-over): Management and union standing together at the New York Stock Exchange as the new General Motors goes public. It truly is a new day. Not only for GM, but for - now, don't laugh - bipartisanship. United Auto Workers president Bob King.

BOB KING, UAW PRESIDENT: We understand to be globally competitive we have to work together and what's exciting about this, there is so much division and partisanship in America, here is labor and business and government all working together to keep jobs in America.

COSTELLO: To accomplish that thousands of UAW workers retired early, wages for senior workers are frozen at about $28 an hour, while new hires now make 50 percent less, $14 an hour, or about 30,000 a year. Fat pension plans are gone for new employees. They now contribute to 401(k)s. For union workers, the cuts have been painful. Some feel betrayed by union leaders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're breaking us apart.

COSTELLO: Still, the UAW accepted the cuts, and GM's CEO credited them and increased worker creativity for his company's resurgence.

DAN AKERSON, CEO, GENERAL MOTORS: It is inspirational how good the company has come out of it and it's largely because of the employee base.

COSTELLO: If GM continues to prosper, it's projected to make $5 to $6 billion in profits this year, should employees prosper, too? It's a valid question. Negotiations on a new union contract start next year.

AKERSON: We are paying competitive rates, vis-a-vis our competition. So it's going to be a success based pay structure is what we strive for like what you do in most businesses.

COSTELLO: For the union, that sounds promising. It's goal is to share in the company's upside while helping the auto industry remain viable.

KING: It is a different world we're in and top management, General Motors recognizes you've got to work together every day and when there's an upside workers have to share in that upside and we will.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Oh, but that probably means no more union concessions. The immediate goal, though, Kyra, for both sides is repaying taxpayers and of course, keeping General Motors in business. But this is a question that really affects many of us out there in the workplaces. As companies become more profitable, at what point should workers profit, too? Maybe you get that raise you didn't get for the last two years, or maybe you work less hours. Who knows? I mean - and should you? PHILLIPS: It's interesting. We talked to so many GM workers over the past couple of years, and I'm thinking of a family specifically, a grandfather, a dad and a son, and their tune has totally changed. Some were kind of keeping faith in the company. Some of the other ones were saying, that's it, it's the end of my career. And all three of them have sort of been invigorated by this news and talking about investing in the company and hopefully getting back with them.

COSTELLO: Certainly. Even seeing the union head, Bob King, standing on stage with the CEO of gm was amazing because you wouldn't have seen that 20 years ago because the union and the auto industry had such an adversarial relationship. But you know, things change and when you run on hard times, I guess that forces sometimes positive changes.

PHILLIPS: There you go. And they need the good news right now, those employees. That's for sure. So does our economy. Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

PHILLIPS; 10:30 in the East. Rush hour getting pretty busy in Los Angeles. Here's some of the stories we're talking about right now.

A Florida Congressman is telling airports to kick the TSA to the curb. John Mica wrote a letter to the nation's 100 busiest airplanes and urged them to let private screeners handle security. Complaints over full-body scans and patdowns inspired that letter.

MySpace has signed a deal with its old foe. If you have a MySpace page, you'll be able to use it to log John to Facebook. You can also get content through MySpace based on your likes and interests on Facebook. Those two sites were big rivals at one time, but Facebook seems to be the dominant social network nowadays.

All right. Don't be offended if you don't see much of your kids this weekend or other family or friends who are big Harry Potter fans. They might be doing what these mortals at the Mall of America were doing last night. Waiting in line to see the latest flick, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One." That opened at midnight. This is the one that could push the boy wizard and Voldemort out past Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, and make the "Harry Potter" series the highest grossing film franchise ever.

Here's another sign that the series is hugely popular. The game in the series, Quidditch, where the wizards hop on the brooms chase around sniches and quaffles (ph). Yes, that's a real game now, believe it or not. Kids who have grown up with the series have Ground Quidditch because modern science hasn't allowed for flying brooms yet. In fact, there's an international Quidditch Association now. It's actually helped set up teams at more than 400 colleges and 300 high schools, most of them in the U.S.

(AUDIO GAP) PHILLIPS: the IQA is a nonprofit and trying to get more kids and young adults to get on the broom. One of those schools right here in our own backyard. The University of Georgia, home of the Dogs. And our Josh Levs is there to show us exactly how they do it and why they're so interested in this. Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: C'mon, admit it, Kyra. When you watched the movie, you thought about how cool it would be to ride around on one of these things, right? Fly around and catch the snitch and all of the incredible number of rules in the game, anyway.

Take a look behind me. It's going on, sort of! They grounded the game, as you said. I'm at the University of Georgia. There is an actual Quidditch game going on behind me right now. It's this new phenom. Thousands of young people who grew up with Harry Potter all over the country and world are starting to play it. And I'm joined by two of them right here. Liz Sheldon and Will McCraney (ph), two students here. Thanks for joining me.

LIZ SHELDON, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA STUDENT: Thanks for having me.

LEVS: Now, talk to me here. Why create a game of Quidditch? Because we all know you can't fly on broomsticks. You can't actually do what's in the movie. Why do it?

SHELDON: I mean, like you said, we grew up with Harry Potter. We're the Harry Potter generation. When we came to college, we were like, this is our favorite book. We want to make the sport happen. And so, we like doing weird things and making weird sports. So, we're like Quidditch! Got to make it happen.

LEVS: All right. Well, Will you got to help me out here. We're going to show some pictures of the game behind us. What are we seeing? How did you turn this into that? What are we looking at here.

WILL MCCRANEY, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA STUDENT: We play alternate Frisbee for the chasing part of the game. You can see that they're throwing the Frisbee round back here, trying to make it through the three hoops here on the PVC pipes. We kind of homemade our own goals.

Also, we have two beaters who play with the dodge balls --

LEVS: Let's explain that. So, basically, The people with the dodge balls can throw it at someone, the real version of knocking someone down, right?

MCCRANEY: Exactly. When you get hit by the dodge ball, you have to stop in place and spin around five times.

LEVS: And the numbers and rules are incredible. And this Frisbee - I know you want to get the Frisbee through the hoops. And that gives you points.

But the ultimate prize is the snitch? Where's our snitch? Hey Snitch, come on over! Come on over! All right, so you remember from the movie, the snitch is that little golden ball with the wings that flies around. Well, they've got a clever way of doing it. This is the snitch right here. Alex Squires. Turn around. This is the new modern day snitch. So, Alx, basically, the idea is that someone that you hide, right -- and you -- what's the deal?

ALEX SQUIRES, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA STUDENT: What happens in the game is I go hide, and I have a five-minute head start, and the seekers are running around trying to find me. And then ultimately, they find me and it becomes a foot race to become the first to pluck that off my back.

LEVS: So, turn back around so I can show it - so, basically, someone has to grab you and boom! They get it off?

SQUIRES: Right.

LEVS: And they don't win but they, what, 55 points?

SQUIRES: 55 points.

LEVS: Nice! That's something.

We're going to show you some more of the game, but can you run now? Let's get it back on you. All right.

Get the snitch! Get the snitch! Everybody get the snitch. We have games all over the country for you. There was recently a tournament in New York City. They are chasing down the snitch. I'm so happy at this moment.

There is a tournament in New York City which all these universities got together. We have some iReport photos for you, showing all of the schools that are now playing Quidditch, including the world's best univeristy, Yale, which is going beat Harvard tomorrow in the football game. Bulah, bulah! B

Anyway, back to this. So, what we are seeing here are young people who grew up with Harry Potter using their own kind of wizardry, their own clever ideas, turning this into the ultimate game. Plus, beautiful day. I got to tell you - let me bring it back to Liz and Will over here. This is making me miss college a little bit. You must have had an incredible reaction to this, right? You have more than 100 young people doing this?

SHELDON: Yes. We have six teams of 20 people each, so about 120 people out here. This is our fourth year out here. Every year it is getting bigger and bigger. We started out with 50 people. They were just kind of like, oh, Harry Potter, awesome. Now it has grown so much over the four years.

LEVS: So, 120 young people are doing this.

Let me get a personal perspective. Why do you do this? There's a lot of other sports. Will, why are you doing this? MCCRANEY: I do it because it's kind of a weird sport.

LEVS: You do it because it's weird?

MCCRANEY: It's kind of weird, yes. And it's not ridiculously competitive. It doesn't take up a lot of time. Btu it is a competition, and it's a fun thing to do on Sundays.

LEVS: All right, well, listen. Thank you so much for joining me and for schooling me. They are going to be schooling me more. I'm about to give it a shot myself. We'll see how hilarious and slapstick that looks, Kyra. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: No, I don't know. I think you're onto something, Josh. You may be doing this on your off-time now. Who would have ever thunk it? Thanks, Josh.

LEVS: C'mon over, we'll play. C'mon!

PHILLIPS: All right.

Well, royal wedding just announced, but so many questions left unanswered. Suspense building over where William and Kate will tie the knot.

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PHILLIPS: This just coming into us. We've been talking a lot about the black farmers, interviewing a number of them, about waiting for their money to come through after this settlement with regard to a discrimination lawsuit. Apparently Brianna Keilar is on the phone with us now with some news that they might start seeing the cash.

Brianna, what do you know?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Kyra, that's exactly right. CNN has just learned, and we're hearing it from Democratic and Republican sources in the Senate, that these black farmers who were discriminated against by the U.S. government will finally be on their way to receiving their settlement money that they have been waiting just years for.

This was a settlement with the U.S. government because the U.S. Department of Agriculture discriminated against them, not giving them farm loans, not even processing applications in some cases, especially compared to white applicants.

The thing is, though, it's been hung up in a partisan feud in the Senate. There have been several attempts to move it through, and they have been unsuccessful. There's been a hang-up over how to pay for this money. Billions of dollars for black farmers, and also billions in a Native American settlement.

Here's what cleared the path. Last night, Oklahoma senator Tom Coburn, who had put a hold on the bill over objections as to how it was paid for lifted that hold. And now these Democratic and Republican sources are telling us while they're working out some last- minute details, they are expecting that this will be fast tracked and passed the Senate today.

And I think a lot of people, they may recall, something about this black farmer settlement. Got a lot of attention -- you interviewed Shirley Sherrod, Kyra. But it got a lot of attention because her family had actually gotten their settlement but there were thousands more farmers who were waiting for their money. This is discrimination that occurred in recent decades, and these families have been waiting years to get this money. And they lost family farms, some of them. They're now expecting to get this money. The next step here will be for this to go back to the House, but that's not really expected to be an obstacle, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's something we have covered on this newscast from the very beginning, Brianna. This is good news that finally these farmers are going to get exactly what they deserve. We'll continue to track it. Thanks so much, Brianna.

All right. Scanning our "Morning Passport". Let's begin in London with that big buzz over the royal wedding plans. We could learn today when and where Prince William and Kate Middleton will get married. Westminster Abbey is the leading contender, we're told, for the venue. Kate was spotted there this week. The church has ties to the monarchy dating back 1,000 years. That's actually where the funeral was held for Princess Diana. And also, Queen Elizabeth got married there.

And speaking of the queen, check out her eyewear. Pretty hip, huh? Well, Her Majesty she suddenly didn't become a modern fashionista. Apparently the glasses had a more functional purpose. She was viewing 3-D footage of a scientific research project.

And in Moscow, Russian president Vladimir Putin has a cute little cuddly new friend. A 10-week-old Bulgarian Shepard puppy. And the president has asked Russians for help in naming him now. The pooch was actually a gift from Bulgaria's prime minister after the two signed a gas pipeline agreement.

Griping over the airport pat-downs. One creative mind has an idea, though. Wear a really special pasty. Oh, boy. That story from our Jeanne Moos.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": In an upcoming interview with Barbara Walters, Sarah Palin says she believes she can beat Obama in 2012.

The way things are going right now, Bristol Palin could beat Obama.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, big bucks spent on anti-stimulus ads. And that tops our Political Ticker this hour. Here's CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser with more. Hey, Paul.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, Kyra. Let's talk about that. $82 million. That's the amount of money spent by Republican candidates, campaigns, the party and independent groups that backed Republicans. They spent $82 million in the midterm elections to attack stimulus.

Remember, the stimulus was probably the first big program passed by President Obama back in February of 2009. The idea was to pump a lot of money into the economy, to help kick start the economy, get us out of the recession, to create jobs and save jobs. But it really became a political football during the campaign. Republicans said you know what? It didn't work, it was a huge expense and put the government bigger into debt. And it didn't save or create jobs.

Well, to a degree they used it in the election and I guess, to a degree, was successful. Of course, the Republicans won back the House of Representatives. And talking about that, I'm going to ask our Reggie Salmar (ph), our cameraman, to zoom right in here to the Political Ticker. You know, the Republicans did win back the House and made gains in the Senate.

But you know what? According to a new Pew poll, only 46 percent of those surveyed across the country correctly knew that. Fourteen percent thought that the Republicans won back both chambers, both the House and Senate, Kyra. Eight percent thought the Republicans just won the Senate. And 1 in 4 didn't know either way. So, I guess people aren't reading the CNN Political Ticker. Maybe that's it. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: That's the problem. What's up with that, Paul? Don't you want people to be paying attention?

STEINHAUSER: They should, but unfortunately, sometimes they don't.

PHILLIPS: Well, I understand that former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee headlines a major gathering in Iowa this weekend. What's up with that?

STEINHAUSER: Well, I guess maybe that has something to do with the race to the White House. Iowa, the caucuses kick off there the presidential primary calendar. The former governor will be speaking at a major social conservative rally on Sunday, and his theme will be what he calls a breakdown in traditional families and values and marriage is helping to increase poverty across the country.

That's going to be his speech and it comes just a few days after he told a radio station in Iowa that he definitely was not ruling out a race for the White House again. Said he wasn't ruling it in, but definitely not ruling it out. Remember, Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, did win the Iowa caucuses in 2008. And Kyra, as we ramp up to the next race for the White House, we will definitely keep a close eye on him and everybody else.

Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Sounds good. Thanks, Paul.

We'll have your next political update in one hour. And you'd better watch, or Paul Steinhauser's going to be really mad. You can also go to our Web site, CNNpolitics.com.

President Obama says that GM's incredible turnaround shows that the government bailout was a pretty wise move. GM shares being sold on Wall Street again and the automaker raised more than $20 billion yesterday with its IPO.

The government got nearly $12 billion of that, and last night, Congressman Barney Frank weighed in on "PARKER SPITZER."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: It's not just General Motors that's working out. The bank piece of the T.A.R.P. - we've already got more money back than we advanced to them. We made a profit on that. We've got more coming in because we wrote into the bill requirements that there be some payback.

But at a time when unemployment is high, good news is a hard sell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: "PARKER SPITZER "every night 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

Veterans of the U.S. military now locked in a daily battle to survive. But in today's "Making Their Mark" segment, we will show you how one program reached out to our homeless vets and reminded them that they're not in this fight alone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We're talking about "Making Their Mark," and the people that highlight a number of important things in our country, and today's a program in Alabama called Stand Down. It's an annual event that actually reaches out to military veterans who are adrift and homeless. And here, they can get the basics, like clothes and food, but also something much more. They can find help from the very government that they defended.

Hal Scheurich of our affiliate WALA has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HAL SCHEURICH, WALA-TV CORRESPONDENT: The Spring Hill Recreation Center was a busy place today. Housing first, fifth annual Stand Down for homeless veterans attracted big crowds. Vets packed double bags full of new clothes and supplies that will help with their life on the street. It's a life that's becoming more and more common with our veterans.

Studies show that one-third of America's homeless population served in the armed forces. Because of this, the Department of Veterans Affairs has set an ambitious goal of eliminating homelessness among veterans in the next five years.

JERRON BARNETT, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: So, this is one of our most visible programs to do just that. And I tell you what, we couldn't do it without the community support.

SCHEURICH: Shirts, pants, tents and sleeping bags were handed out by scores of volunteers while community organizations provided resources not readily available on the street. The folks who attended were able to receive free services as basic as hair cuts, But for many, it's the information they gathered while that will prove the most valuable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Resources are health care and everything, housing. Total package.

SCHEURICH: There are an estimated 160,000 homeless veterans across America, and a growing number of them are families. The challenge for the VA and Housing First is to reach them with the benefits they're due.

BARNETT: A lot of vets don't know what's out there available for them. So, we try to bring it to them in a one-stop shop.

SCHEURICH: It's an offering these veterans are not taking for granted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found out services we're qualified for. Yes, I'm going through these stations that they have, and they are helping us out. Blood pressure checks for people who need their blood pressure checked --

SCHEURICH: And all of this is designed to relief some of the pressure from life on the street.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: There's wide ranging estimate on just how many veterans live on the street. Advocacy groups say the numbers anywhere run between 100,000 and nearly 200,000.

Here's another sobering claim. Various groups say that about one in about every four people living on that street has once served in the nation's military.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Bracing for the TSA pat-down. Now creative minds are offering up a special kind of pasty to cover up. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports about the whole racy mess.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Not since Monica Lewinski has there been such sexy talk in public.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Having people feeling their underwear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feels up my wife in front of everyone!

MOOS: But all of this feeling up has left some feeling down.

(SINGING) I don't like the TSA.

MOOS: Jonathan Man (ph) is known for creating a song a day.

(SINGING) They scare me with their x-ray before they grope me, which is not OK.

MOOS: The thing is one man's pat-down is another man's grope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This pat-down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Grope down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been patted down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Groping your junk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Advance pat-down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have had my love pats.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they grope me, I'm going to say, do I get a lap dance with this?

MOOS: Only on "Saturday Night Live," this old skit feels brand new.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just checking the back pockets, checking it with the back of the hand, and now, I'm going to use the front of my hand.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just security procedure, sir, and for the last thing what I need to do is I'm going to search the inside of your mouth with my mouth.

MOOS: Taiwanese animators have given the screening controversy their special twist, noting, for instance, the passengers who refuse a scan can get a private pat-down.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

MOOS: And concluding that no one knows how far security measures will eventually go. But look where they've already gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The product is called flying pasties. MOOS: Rubber shields you insert under your clothes made with materials that deflect the scanners to hide your private parts for women and men.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which one did the old man wear?

(LAUGHTER)

MOOS: They come emblazon with one-liners like objects are larger than they appear. Just hiding my junk, and even the fourth amendment protecting against unreasonable searches. In a Skype interview from Thailand, flying pasty spokesman, Mike Francis, said, he thinks TSA agents can read the one-liners on their scanners through your clothes.

MOOS (on-camera): They'd pull you out for special attention because that would look like you're the underwear bomber because you have these pasties on.

MIKE FRANCIS, SPOKESMAN, FLYING PASTIES: Our advice all along is to say I'm wearing something called the flying pasty and just covers my privates parts, and I just want to maintain my dignity.

MOOS (voice-over): Ah, yes, dignity. I was groped by the TSA and all I got was this lousy T-shirt. We have entered the age of the audacity of grope.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: On that note, happy traveling this weekend. T.J, any uncomfortably pat-downs lately?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, I have been through that. And it is not a pat-down. It's not a pat-down.

PHILLIPS: What exactly happens?

HOLMES: You get felt up.

PHILLIPS: No pat-down, but a feel up!

HOLMES: You got felt up.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: So, I have been through it, and I'm telling you, woo- hoo!

PHILLIPS: It gets you started, doesn't it?

HOLMES: Yes, it does.

Kyra, on that note --

PHILLIPS: Have a great show. HOLMES: I'll give you a love pat on your way out of the studio.

PHILLIPS: Oh, fabulous.

(LAUGHTER)