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Chinese President Arrives at White House; Voting to Repeal Health Care; Rep. Giffords' Condition

Aired January 19, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good morning to both of you.

We got a lot going on, beginning with, of course, these live pictures right now in preparation for the state visit of President Hu Jintao of China. You see everyone poised there.

Of course, later on today, President Obama and the Chinese president will be getting down to business. Right now, of course, they are about to greet the visiting leader. This is a first of this magnitude in at least about 12 years or so. And, of course, we will take you there live to the garden as it happens.

You can see, of course, a number of people there who have gathered. Those who were lucky enough to get this bird's eye view of it. We understand that some of the dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are already there, as well, poised to do this welcoming of President Hu, who will be arriving momentarily.

We know that there was a kind of candid dinner that took place last night between President Obama and President Hu. Among the guests at that dinner, which we understand to be a much more candor environment, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was there. No note-takers apparently. That might be saved for this evening when there will be a state dinner of greater magnitude, of course.

All right. A look at our top stories. We'll get back to the White House momentarily.

Check out this -- a remarkable video out of Philadelphia. Local station WCAU capturing this raging fireball. A gas main exploded, killing one utility worker and injuring five other people.

In Haiti, charges are filed against the exile dictator who returned home over the weekend. John Claude Duvalier, also known as Baby Doc, fled the country 25 years ago and has not revealed why he is back. A source in the courts -- in that country, rather, says the charges are related to financial corruption and may include human rights violations.

And on to Colorado, a mother is charged in her child's death. Police say 34-year-old Shannon Johnson was on Facebook and left her son unattended in the bathtub. The 13-month-old infant drowned.

America and China, it's among the most important relationship that we have with a foreign nation, a rising superpower. And, today, President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao get down to business.

Right now, the White House is welcoming the visiting leader ahead of bilateral talks set for the next hour. It's the first of several meetings on this calendar for today, and President Obama and Hu will hold a joint news conference later on this afternoon.

You can hear in the background some of the music there and the pomp and circumstance. That will be unfolding today during this state visit of the Chinese president.

All right. The goal: to find some common ground and strive for common goals, but it's implicated. There are tough conversations ahead on topics that could affect all of us. Issue number one: money. China is our biggest lender. But beyond that, the U.S. has accused China of manipulating its money, keeping the Yuan low in order to give products with that "made in China" label an edge.

Then there's the issue of jobs. The U.S. ships a lot of stuff to China. They are our third biggest buyer and shipping more products overseas means more work here at home.

And don't forget about China's growing military. Sometimes, President Hu seems to be out of the loop. He is a civilian leading the military. Well, China tested a new stealth fighter last week and Hu looked like he didn't know anything about it.

So, there's a lot of ground to cover and the White House is rolling out the red carpet. You see it there literally.

Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is also joining us live right now.

As they get poised and ready for the arrival of President Hu, there is a lot at stake. But perhaps the president, President Obama, is really setting the stage here, trying to at least, I guess, beef up the confidence of President Hu by having this official state visit, something he wasn't able to get during prior visits with an American president.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I was hearing President Hu visited President Bush. He did not have the red carpet sort of rolled out in the same way. It's an important distinction.

It's clear that this administration is trying to point out, not just to the Chinese, but to the world, that the United States relationship with China is among its most important -- perhaps its most important of all.

And it's not just the economy, as you've been talking about, but security as well. Let's not forget in recent weeks, there has been tensions in the Korean Peninsula. North Korea is such a secretive regime. And China is one of our only real links to North Korea because of the trade and the economic ties China has to North Korea. And so, that's important and that's why President Obama, you mentioned that intimate dinner he had last night with President Hu, with Secretary of State Clinton as well, his national security adviser there, to talk about the security issues.

But the economy and trade are huge as well. And you see President Obama walking out right now. Let's take a listen.

(BAND PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: All right. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is still with us. We also have our business correspondent, Christine Romans, joining us as well out of New York.

So, Ed, back to you, though, first. You know, we talk about the importance of the president hosting the Chinese President Hu Jintao. They are going to be talking about a number of things. Security, as you mentioned, jobs, the economy, the Chinese currency.

Is this a visit that really promises to promote and secure some change, or is this dialogue to try to reset a tone with China for something later?

HENRY: It's a great question and I really think it's the latter. It's setting a tone. That's what senior U.S. officials say that this is an important dialogue.

We should point out that their dinner last night was the eighth time that -- since President Obama took office, that he's had one-on-one talks with the Chinese president. That is a huge number, obviously, in two years. It gives you an idea of how much care they are taking with this relationship.

And what senior U.S. officials say is, look, we're not expecting some major breakthrough. We're not expecting something to be a game- changer here, but they say that, in private, President Obama is planning to be direct and tough with President Hu. In public, he is, of course, going to be less direct and trying to highlight where they agree instead of talking about the disagreements on trade, on currency, on human rights as well, which we should note in addition to the other important economic and security issues.

And so, I think it is really more about a dialogue. We should not expect that when this is done, that there's going to be some grand strategic framework that's going to change the relationship for the next decade. But I do think this administration realizes that China is going to be one of our most important allies, potentially beyond this administration, and that they are building that relationship that's probably going to go well, well beyond this administration, Fred.

WHITFIELD: So, President Hu Jintao now arriving, being escorted by the president and Michelle Obama.

So, Christine Romans now in New York -- give me an idea of perhaps the parameters for the president. While he may be talking about human rights, he can only be so forceful on the issue of human rights because might that undermine the efforts when talking about economic issues. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And that's what's so interesting, Fredricka. There are so many difference aspects where the United States and China are both partners and adversaries, that you wonder, you can't push too hard on one part of the equation because you need China to be helping you with North Korea and Iran, or doing more with North Korea and Iran.

But, at the same time, the United States is more and more vocal now about concerns about trade issues, letting U.S. companies have more access to Chinese markets. China has "China first" policy for its markets. And, in many cases, they are trying to build national superior entities for their own industries.

And that's something that American CEOs have been a little bit concerned about. Even if they are going to China to do business, they are concerned that the Chinese will always favor Chinese companies first, in fact, asking for American companies to give up intellectual property to do innovation and investing within China -- in some ways, competing ultimately against the United States with U.S. innovation and technology.

WHITFIELD: All right. Christine and Ed, thanks so much.

We will listen in a moment here for the introduction of the two presidents.

(BAND PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: You're watching a welcoming ceremony of the Chinese President Hu Jintao there at the White House, alongside the president of the United States, Barack Obama. We're going to take a short break. And on the other side, we hope to hear comments coming from both presidents there from the South Lawn.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta.

Well, you're seeing activity at the South Lawn of the White House there, President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China there being greeted what appeared to be a number of schoolchildren there on the South Lawn. This is the opening and welcoming official ceremony of this state visit of the President Hu from China, there, being greeted by what appear to be a number of schoolchildren there on the South Lawn.

This is the opening and welcoming official ceremony of this state visit of the president Hu from China. This evening will be a state dinner but, before we can get to that part, we hope to hear from the president momentarily after he goes through this long line of people who have come to greet both presidents, here, on the South Lawn.

We'll be hearing from President Obama as well as President Hu. And we understand during this three-day visit of the Chinese president, they'll be talking about everything from trade to the Chinese currency, as well as human rights.

But you heard our business correspondent Christine Romans talk earlier how the US, while it wants to be quite emphatic about human rights, it has to strike a delicate balance because, certainly, don't want the talk of human rights to undermine their efforts to try to make some headway as it pertains to the economy. China among the fastest growing economies in the world.

You see lots of handshaking, there. It's unclear exactly what President Hu will be saying, but this will be a somewhat rare occasion because President Hu doesn't make himself available too often for public comments and certainly not comments in front of Western reporters, that certainly will be taking place momentarily.

Our senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry, is also there. Ed, let me bring you back into the equation on the timeline here. After going through this very long line of handshaking, which doesn't always happen during a state visit, why is this so important to show this kind of accessibility of the Chinese president and the American president?

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Oh, big time. You can see some of the Chinese folks who are there who are beaming at the chance to shake the hand of the US President. And you're right, for Westerners to get a chance to get that close to the Chinese president, this Communist leader, shake his hand, perhaps just get a glimpse of him, is extremely rare.

You know, to the news conference later today, just after 1:00 PM Eastern Time, I've been to many of these kind of join conferences with the US and Chinese presidents, both President Bush and President Obama and, quote/unquote, "news conferences" usually become just statements because the Chinese president is not willing to take questions from the Western reporters.

So, this was a big change that the White House was able to get, to force that and say, "Look, there's going to be some openness here." And, look, there could be all kinds of different questions the Chinese president can get as well as the US president in terms of some pressure on him from the media in terms of how tough is he really being in these conversations behind closed doors and in public with the Chinese leader on human rights, For example?

I think our colleague John King put it perfectly last night when he said on his program that here you have standing together one president who is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and another president who has a Nobel Peace Prize winner in jail right now. It's pretty remarkable when you think about that contrast.

WHITFIELD: It is very remarkable. And here, this is from -- this is an occasion that's taking place just days after President Hu had some interesting words with "The Washington Post" recently, saying that it was his intent and he could see that this trip would mean that China and the US would, indeed, find common ground. And that's something that was quoted in "The Washington Post" over the weekend. So, is this the result of President Obama, perhaps, being more firm with China in recent weeks, especially after this military exercises in North Korea, which caused some consternation between the US and China?

HENRY: Well, certainly they have their differences. And the White House certainly wants to highlight areas where they can agree. But I have to tell you that I'm not sure they can claim too much credit because a lot of that may just be rhetoric, frankly, because there were other officials before this visit.

There's always talks that both sides have beforehand to try to forge deals and whatnot. And the US economic team that met with Chinese officials before this, we're told, came back to the United States about a week or so ago very disappointed that they didn't get very far.

And so, we're going to certainly see them in all of this pomp and circumstance, both leaders highlight where they agree, but there are still sharp, sharp disagreements that they have over the way China handles its currency. The deep trade imbalances.

And we should point out, as Christine knows better than I, that the Chinese president will be going to Chicago after Washington and, in part, he's going to be visiting an auto parts plant there where China is investing a significant amount of money, to try to, in part, obviously -- let's just say it. A PR effort to say, look. China's investing money here in the US, and that means US jobs are created.

That may be the case, but a lot of Americans right now, with this stubbornly high unemployment rate, almost 10 percent, are seeing a lot of other US jobs being shipped overseas right now and, obviously, a lot of people in our audience, very skeptical that China is really willing to have a level playing field with the US that will foster more economic growth here, more US jobs created.

And that's why, in part, these talks will include meeting early this afternoon between the two presidents, as well as business leaders from both countries to try to hash some of that out, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Ed Henry, thanks so much. And Christine Romans will talk with you momentarily. Right now, let's listen to President Barack Obama.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Members of the Chinese delegation, on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. And on behalf of the American people, welcome to the United States.

Three decades ago, on a January day like this, another American president stood here and welcomed another Chinese leader for the historic normalization of relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China. On that day, Deng Xiaoping spoke of the great possibilities of cooperation between our two nations.

Looking back on that winter day in 1979, it is now clear the previous 30 years had been a time of estrangement for our two countries. The 30 years since have been a time of growing exchanges and understanding. With this visit, we can lay the foundation for the next 30 years.

At a time when some doubt the benefits of cooperation between the United States and China, this visit is also a chance to demonstrate a simple truth. We have an enormous stake in each other's success, in an interconnected world, in a global economy. Nations, including our own, will be more prosperous and more secure when we work together.

The United States welcomes China's rise as a strong, prosperous, and successful member of the community of nations. Indeed, China's success has brought with it economic benefits for our people, as well as yours. And our cooperation on a range of issues has helped advanced stability in the Asia Pacific and in the world.

We also know this. History shows that societies are more harmonious, nations are more successful, and the world is more just when the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all people are upheld, including the universal rights of every human being.

Mr. President, we can learn from our people. Chinese and American students and educators, business people, tourists, researchers, and scientists, including Chinese-Americans who are here today, they work together and make progress together every single day. They know that, even as our nations compete in some areas, we can cooperate in so many others, in a spirit of mutual respect for our mutual benefit.

What Deng Xiaoping said long ago remains true today. There are still great coop -- possibilities for cooperation between our countries. President Hu, members of the Chinese delegation, let us seize these possibilities together. Welcome to the United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

HU JINTAO, PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends. It gives me great pleasure to come to Washington and pay a state visit to the United States and at the beginning of the new year, at the invitation of President Obama. At this point in time, let me extend on behalf of the 1.3 billion Chinese people sincere greetings and best wishes to the people of the United States.

WHITFIELD: Chinese president Hu Jintao, here, speaking after President Obama just talked about this coming at a time, this meeting between these two nations, at a time when there has been some doubt about the cooperation between the US And China.

Our business correspondent Christine Romans is joining us from New York. Our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is there at the White House as this is all taking place, here, on the South Lawn.

Christine, let me begin with you, because we're talking about the cooperation between these two nations that it will take to restore the economic road that both countries would be able to enjoy some prosperity. Why is this particularly important, these two countries, these two presidents, coming together at this state visit, especially when President Hu will be handing over power in just a couple years?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, here is what's so important about it, I guess, for the American middle class. Because for so long, we've enjoyed low interest rates because we've had willing foreign -- foreign creditors. China's a big investor in the United States, that's helped keep our interest rates low, and that's been something that the American class enjoyed.

Also, we borrow money from China to buy things, consumer products more cheaply than we otherwise would have. So, the US/China relationship is something you feel every time you get in your car, every time you open up the cupboard in your kitchen, every time you go to the mall or to the shopping center.

The question is, where does that relationship go from here? Because China has used the open international markets that the United States has been championing for some time to build its own economic powerhouse.

But, at the same time, it is also building its own infrastructure spending a lot of American dollars -- money that it has made from investing in the United States -- to compete and overtake the U.S., eventually economically. We don't have the same world views. And that's something that the United States has been the super power and its world view democracy, freedom and the like has been the world's view for some time, open international markets.

But the Chinese are rewriting an international system with their own rules. And that's something that's unsettling in Washington. It's unsettling in Europe, quite frankly, as well. So this is why this relationship is so incredibly important because if both countries are going to prosper, they both need each other. There have been frictions that have been bubbling lately, no question about it. So it's incredibly important for these leaders to publicly put those frictions aside and maybe solve some of these problems.

Bottom line though, Fredricka, and every China expert will tell you this, China only makes decision based on the best national interests of China. China has hundreds of millions of people that it's trying to pull out of poverty. Even when China overtakes the U.S. in its the size of its economy, its per capita income for each person, how much money each person takes home will still be much, much lower than the United States. So no matter what, we're always going to be their big customer.

WHITFIELD: Which is why it's confusing to me as to why that country chooses to keep its currency low and that is one of the sticking points for the U.S. And European countries also want to have dialogue with China to stop them from doing that. Why?

ROMANS: Because it allows their export machine to keep humming. It allows them to employ millions of people in broad, huge, high-tech campuses, churning out what used to be low-skilled, low quality goods like, you know, tennis shoes and T-shirts.

Now it's high tech items like iPhones and iPads and more and more technology. Engine parts, maybe even a civilian aviation industry. There's a big deal that's been signed on the eve of this trip between GE. GE is going to be supplying some engines to the nascent Chinese aviation industry.

China is -- and also, you know, I think I've mentioned this before, but China has a strategy of creating national champions. So it invites American companies in to do business with China with the understanding that those companies are going to have to share technology, share expertise so that China can grow its own industries to be the best in the world.

And many of these industries, they have a very, very long way to go. The United States is the leader and has been no many years in innovation and technology. But the Chinese have long and very detailed national strategies for how to promote their own country. And in the United States, critics would say in the United States we have national strategies that go about two to four years depending on the elections and what election you're talking about.

So, this is a -- look. We are partners. Our success for each company -- country, rather, country, actually, if you will -- relies on the other. But at the same time, we're also competitors and that's an interesting place to be at this juncture.

WHITFIELD: OK. Christine Romans, thanks so much.

We're going to talk more about the meetings that President Hu will be having and the contingent that he has been traveling with -- the Chinese contingent -- and why it's so important and pivotal, certain American companies he will be meeting with during this visit.

We'll have much more -- our live coverage of the White House South Lawn, live pictures right now, President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. We continue to watch President Hu Jintao of China, there speaking on the South Lawn of the White House, following President Barack Obama, who talked about this hopefully being a new day in terms of relations between the U.S. and China, especially as it pertains to these growing economies.

And President Hu Jintao apparently just said that, you know, he is seeing some progress, particularly in the Obama administration. Our business correspondent Christine Romans is also listening. She, from her perch in New York. And our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is also listening. In fact, he's there at the White House.

Let me go back to Christine Romans.

And Christine, as the two are shaking hands here and beginning now their official visit together, we know that they had an informal meeting last night. Note takers were there. But apparently they did have an informal meeting last night. Hillary Clinton was there, as well. This evening, there will be a state dinner. Now, part of the agenda for President Hu, he and his contingent will be meeting with a number of American companies, including that of GE, as you had just mentioned earlier, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Motorola.

Why is it so important to have these face-to-face encounters with these American companies while here?

ROMANS: I think it's a symbol of the fact many of these companies have been doing business in China and with China for years. And it has been, quite frankly, a relationship that depending on the different industry, there have been concerns and successes about how far they've managed to get in.

You know, China is a huge middle class and growing middle class. I mean, it is the Holy Grail for any company looking for big growth. We know that GM now sells more cars in China than it does in the U.S. But those cars are made in China with Chinese workers, Chinese parts and the profits are -- you know, benefit China and the balance sheet in China.

So the question is, how do you make money and how do you open up China for these businesses? And to this point, I'll tell you the big story that most people talk about when they talk about China and business is that so many American companies have moved their factories because of low wages, subsidized campuses that they can use for their production, you know, that just simply the labor chain, the difference in the labor, lower environmental standards, and all that kind of stuff made it much cheaper to produce things in China.

But that story has changed. And as I said a moment earlier, it used to be toys and trinkets and T-shirts. And now the Chinese have moved up the food chain of very skilled manufacturing in that country. One thing that concerns business folks here is that from the factory floor comes innovation. And the Chinese are rapidly expanding their ability to make higher end products all the time with higher margins.

And what does that mean for those manufacturers and those workers in this country? That's a bit of soul searching 30 years into this relationship and this business arrangement between China and the United States. We are codependent nations that is for sure and this codependency changes every day.

WHITFIELD: OK. Which helps bring me -- Christine, thanks so much -- the U.S., of course, wants to promote exports to China. They want a greater Chinese investments in the U.S.

So, Ed henry, senior White House correspondent, I'm wondering what does China want out of the U.S.? We know what the U.S. wants.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, they want to know that they will continue to be able to invest here in the United States. They also want to know that there's going to be cooperation moving forward and that there's going to be kind of a working partnership here.

As you note, there have been tensions, particularly in recent months, both on the national security and the economic front. As China rises, it wants to make sure that, you know, this is not an adversarial relationship, just as the U.S. doesn't want it to be.

I think the way President Obama put it when he said, look, we can compete, he said in his remarks, but we can also cooperate in so many areas for our mutual benefit. Also worth noting the president said that he expects that the rights of all people will be respected. A very gentle mention, if you will, of human rights issues that are on the table.

We expect that behind closed doors, these are sort of the pleasantries that are exchanged. And you will hear gentle admonishments about where they disagree. That behind closed doors, we expect it'll be a bit tougher in terms of the language, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ed Henry, Christine Romans, thanks so much.

We're going to take a short break and we'll get back to the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: While at the White House, President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao are beginning their bilateral talks, just further up Pennsylvania Avenue, some serious talks about health care reform on Capitol Hill.

And now there could be more states joining the legal battle against the health care reforms. Florida wants six more states added to the federal lawsuit. They are the states that you see right here in red. In blue, the 20 states already taking part. And that would make a total of 26 states in this lawsuit. Add a couple more in yellow and Virginia has already filed a separate complaint. And Oklahoma, which plans to do the same. All these states claim the new laws are unconstitutional.

So this is it. After months of wrangling and weeks of debate, lawmakers in the House will vote today on repealing the new health care reforms. And Republicans have almost certainly the votes to knock it down in the House.

CNN's Jim Acosta is on Capitol Hill. So, walk us through what is likely to happen today.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, if there are no big surprises, House Republicans should be able to deliver on a campaign promise and pass their bill to repeal President Obama's health care law.

Because Republicans have a pretty big majority in the House, it should pass by a comfortable margin. It's expected to happen later on this evening. And if you remember, there was that kerfuffle that broke out before the events in Tucson, over the use of the term "job killing." In the repeal bill the term "job killing" appeals there. And there was not much of a mention of that phrase yesterday. Lawmakers tried to avoid those types of loaded phrases in talking about this legislation. But there were a couple of instances and this one exchange that went on between a new Republican in the House, Tom Reed and a Democrat, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM REED (R), NEW YORK: I rise today in support of the repeal of the job killing Obama care legislation. This bill a whopping 2,500 pages, a monstrosity of new spending and government bureaucracy. Rushed to approval after only 48 hours of arm twisting and deal making.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D), FLORIDA: And I challenge our colleagues on the other side of the aisle -- on the Republican side of the aisle -- who are vociferously advocating the repeal of health care reform on the premise that it is a job killer. To name one area of health care, one, where there have been job losses. I would suspect that we would hear crickets chirping because there are none.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And so there you had a crickets chirping. The debate is expected to get started later on today. And that is about as testy as it got. The debate was really more policy driven than personal.

And for those of you who -- who are enjoying this health care debate, get your fill of it now because this legislation is expected to go nowhere in the Senate where the Majority Leader Harry Reid -- remember the Senate is still in the control of the Democrats -- has indicated he is not going to bring this bill up for a vote -- for a vote -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: I'm so, despite the fact that it may be futile in the Senate, meantime, Republicans are still kind of working on a replacement bill so they vote in the House for reform and then there is something else -- else that they are working on, some doctoring of a bill?

ACOSTA: That's right.

Republicans say this is not just about repealing the bill and walking away. They want to come up with what they call a replace bill and they are expected to start talking about that tomorrow.

They're going to break out into committees and start talking about ideas. Some of these ideas we've heard about already. Eric Cantor, the Majority Leader, has indicated that they -- they will talk about buying -- being able to buy health insurance across state lines. They'd like to see tort reform as part of the equation.

And so you're going to see some of this going on.

And the other thing that's going to be happening on a separate track up here on Capitol Hill, Fredricka, is this effort to defund the health care law and -- and you're going to see Republicans working on that end of it as well trying to take money away from the Department of Health and Human Services that might go to implementing the health care law and money going to the IRS because the IRS is part of the enforcement mechanism of this law later on down the road.

So you're going to see Republicans going after those two elements as this process moves forward -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Jim -- Jim Acosta, thanks so much on Capitol Hill. A very busy day in Washington from Capitol Hill down to the White House as well. We'll have much more in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories now.

You have to see this incredible video out of Philadelphia. Local station WCAU captured this raging fireball. A gas main exploded killing one utilities worker and injuring five other people.

And long before the tragic Tucson mass shooting, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords told her husband she was worried about her own safety. Her husband said the two talked about it several times and things happened just as they had discussed. Giffords had gotten death threats and felt the political debate was getting overheated.

And Sargent Shriver, the man responsible for launching the Peace Corps after marrying into the Kennedy family, has died. Shriver also won the Freedom, the Medal of Freedom, rather, the nation's highest civilian honor in a life devoted to public service. His daughter Maria said he suffered from Alzheimer's for years and she remembers him as a gentle man.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA SHRIVER, SERGEANT SHRIVER'S DAUGHTER: Sometimes, he doesn't say anything. But sometimes he'll say, "You're beautiful." And I'll say to him "I'm your daughter, Maria." And he goes, "You are?" I go, "I am. You're my dad." And he goes, "Wow."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh. Sargent Shriver was 95.

And some new developments to pass along in the Tucson shooting rampage. "The Washington Post" is reporting that a surveillance tape shows suspect Jared Loughner approaching Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The newspaper says that he can be seen clearly raising the gun and shooting her in the head just about two or three feet away.

And former classmates have described the accused shooter as being odd and his behavior, somewhat unnerving. And now, there are reports that he also used drugs. A former friend tells ABC news that Loughner smoked pot and ingested hallucinogens such as mushrooms and the herbs salvia. As of now, no evidence suggesting that drug use is linked to the rampage that killed six people and wounding 13 others. And here's a measure of just how many people have been touched by the tragedy. This is a candle light vigil held hundreds of miles away in southern California. Claremont College invited the campus and the community to show support for those killed and those still recovering from Tucson.

And there may be some good news to pass along on Congresswoman Giffords. Her parents have sent an e-mail to friends and supporters saying Giffords will now be flown for Texas on Friday to begin rehab.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK KELLY, GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' HUSBAND: As she gets a little bit better each day. Every day I feel she's improving. And as long as she stays on that slope, I'm confident she's going to make a full recovery.

I don't know how long it's going to take. She's certainly going to go from here to some -- at some point to some kind of rehab facility.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've had a lot of people ask us, when's Gabby going to come back. And I know you can't predict that. And I know the doctors can't predict that.

KELLY: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But -- as you try to look forward, do you see her returning to public service?

KELLY: Oh, absolutely. I mean, she is tough. I mean, she is -- I mean, they've seen -- they've seen how tough she is. From the time she showed up here in the emergency room and how tough she is today. And I am certain that she'll be -- she'll be back stronger than ever. And I don't know if that's in two weeks or two months but it's coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And in the e-mail from Giffords' parents they also say that she is now reading cards from well-wishers and even scrolled through some photographs on an iPod.

We'll be right back with much more in the NEWSROOM after this.

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WHITFIELD: All right, checking news across the country this morning.

New York City is still basking in the Jets' big NFL playoff win against the New England Patriots on Sunday. So a Brooklyn bagel factory is giving out free bagels this weekend to honor the Jets. There you see it right there. They're dyed in green, the Jets' team colors, of course. The team owner says that he may end up giving away a million free bagels.

And in Tennessee a motorist called 911, to report a tiger by the side of the highway. Police showed up to check it out, it turns out it was a stuffed tiger and cub watching traffic go by. But somehow it looked really real. No one has claimed the stuffed animals which were still there by the end of the day.

And you might remember Icy the dog. Do you remember? She was rescued after being found floating down the river in Omaha, Nebraska. Icy's owner never claimed her well, now she has been adopted by the fire department's paramedic chief. Icy should feel right at home. The chief already has five other Dalmatians.

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