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President Obama to Unveil Deficit Reduction Plan; Breaking Down the Budget; Some Banks Hiding Fees; D.C. Caught in Budget Battle; Searching For A Serial Killer; Protecting Your Identity Online; Fix My Flight: Tips From A Pilot
Aired April 13, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. Want to get you up to speed for Wednesday, April 13th.
In a couple of hours, President Obama unwraps his long-range plan to rein in the nation's $14 trillion debt. The proposals will hit home for many of you, from those who earn a big paycheck, to retired Americans, to the nation's poorest citizens. It is not clear if President Obama will offer a specific detailed plan or simply a broad outline.
CNN is going to have special live coverage at 1:00 Eastern.
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and his two sons are in custody now for 15 days. Prosecutors are questioning them about corruption and allegations of abuse. The elder Mubarak became ill during the initial interview and was hospitalized. Now, Egyptian state television reported that Mubarak had a heart attack, but later said he suffered a nervous breakdown.
NATO responds to calls for more help in Libya by releasing gun camera video. The NATO alliance says that it shows a British bomber destroying a Libyan tank at Misrata. Well, Gadhafi forces have had Misrata under siege for weeks. A doctor tells CNN that 10 people were killed in heavy shelling on Tuesday.
Libyan rebels join Britain and France's criticism of NATO today. During a meeting in Qatar, they pleaded with NATO to be more aggressive with the air strikes.
(CHANTING)
MALVEAUX: Women and children in Syria today demanding the government release their husbands and fathers. Security forces rounded up 500 men in one small village on Tuesday, almost every adult male who lives there. The men took part in protests against the Syrian regime.
The owner of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant apologized again today. He promised Tokyo Electric will help pay living expenses for displaced families. The executive hoped to meet with the Fukushima governor during his visit to the disaster region, but the governor declined. Authorities have found the body of a California tsunami victim. Dustin Weber was taking pictures of the waves as it arrived from Japan on March 11th when the surge washed him out to sea. His body was found 380 miles north on an Oregon beach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LORI DAVIS, DUSTIN WEBER'S MOTHER: I just felt the pain all over again. It was like reliving the minute I found out about the whole accident.
BLAISE BUTCHER, DUSTIN WEBER'S FRIEND: To have the ocean bring him back to us is almost a Godsend in a way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Two hours from now, New York police plan to discuss the Long Island serial killer investigation. The medical examiner confirms now that remains found this week are human, bringing the number of potential victims to 10. All were discovered on Long Island beaches.
The transportation Safety Administration is taking another look at its screening policy for children, but it says that a New Orleans screener did nothing wrong when she put a 6-year-old girl through a pat-down. Video uploaded on YouTube has reinvigorated the privacy debate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARJORIE ESMAN, ACLU: A child who is audibly complaining, "I don't want to do this" should, at the very least, have been given some privacy.
DERIONNE POLLARD, AIR TRAVELER: I think we spend a lot more time getting ourselves inflamed over things that are really not necessary. That took all of, what, 20 seconds to get done? You know, suck it up. It's a part of travel right now.
DANIEL AMOS, AIR TRAVELER: During these times they do have to do that, because some people do use their children in a way that is horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: More now on the deficit reduction plan that President Obama is unveiling today, and what is in it for you. Well, the president is expected to call for reforms in Medicare, Medicaid, as well as an increase in taxes on the wealthy.
I want to bring in our White House correspondent, Dan Lothian.
Dan, great to see you.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Suzanne. MALVEAUX: Have we learned anything about the specifics about what the president is going to outline in the next hour or so?
LOTHIAN: Well, as you know, Suzanne, the White House has been very vague about exactly what the president was going to lay out, but I did talk to a senior administration official who did confirm that President Obama would be calling for an end to these tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans, these Bush-era tax cuts. Those are the ones making more than $250,000 a year.
And as you know, this is quite controversial, because there are a lot of Republicans out there who are saying in this environment, this fiscal environment that we have, this is not the time for tax increases, because it will only hamper the economic recovery that is fragile at this point. So that is, no doubt, going to be a difficult one for President Obama to sell to Republicans. But as you pointed out, the administration is laying out what it's calling four steps, or the vision that the president has, which includes keeping domestic spending low, saving in defense spending, savings in health care, which could involve some cuts in the -- in Medicare and Medicaid, and then also overhauling of the tax system.
I should point out that President Obama, realizing that there could be some criticism coming his way, has invited a bipartisan group of lawmakers here to the White House. That meeting was supposed to start at 10:45 this morning. It started just a few minutes ago, according to a senior administration official. It is a chance for the president to lay out that vision to them prior to the speech -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Sure. And, Dan, it seems as if the president's already getting some criticism from folks on Capitol Hill before he even speaks on this. I know you mentioned the four pillars there, but Senator Mitch McConnell -- this was just a short time ago -- he went after the president.
I want you to take a listen.
LOTHIAN: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: The truth is, the president is only entering this debate at all because he can no longer ignore the growing bipartisan calls for action. If he were serious, he'd be talking about a detailed roadmap for action, not just grabbing headlines by announcing another speech. Of course, we can hope that the president presents more than just his vision for the future this afternoon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Dan, I'm assuming that all the folks that you're talking to there at the White House, clearly, they're listening to this criticism. They know that he's got to provide specifics. When you talk to folks there, do you think that they've mapped out a plan that is specific enough to address some of the Republicans' criticism, or do you think maybe those guys are just not going to be happy whatever he puts out on the table?
LOTHIAN: Listen, I think they do believe the latter, that no matter what the president puts out there, there's going to be criticism. Republicans on one side, the liberal Democrats, of course, they're concerned about cuts in entitlement programs. And so, it's a very difficult balancing act, difficult for the president as he tries to find areas where both sides can compromise.
We should get a sense of how these early discussions are going, because I'm being told by an aide up on Capitol Hill that Speaker Boehner, who's taking part in that meeting with the president, expected to come out here just behind me to talk to reporters, weather permitting, to give us his take on the latest talks with the president and how they view this vision. And one other note I should point out, that the president's speech is expected to last anywhere from 40 to 45 minutes -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. We'll all be watching, Dan. And hopefully, weather permitting, we'll get more news from Speaker Boehner as well. Thanks, Dan.
Now your chance to "Talk Back." There are a lot of opinions on the best way to help balance the country's budget.
Carol Costello is here with today's "Talk Back" question.
Carol, I love this question of yours, because we've been pointing the finger at everybody else about how to balance the budget. And you get to the heart of the matter.
COSTELLO: I get to the heart of the matter -- should we raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans in this country? And that's a battle that the president will probably fight in earnest shortly after his speech.
So, you know, here's a wake-up call for you, though.
In the month of March, the country ran a $188 billion deficit. In other words, it spent $188 billion more than it took in. This is a defining moment for leadership in the country's debt crisis.
Republicans laid out their plan. Now President Obama will propose a two-for -- reduce spending, but also end the Bush-era tax cuts. That means raising taxes on people earning over $250,000 a year.
Sound familiar? You betcha.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Two hundred fifty thousand dollars a year. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year.
Yes, asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year, a quarter million dollars a year, to go back to the tax rates they were paying in the 1990s.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That was during the campaign for president for Barack Obama. Republicans didn't like the idea back then, and they sure don't like it now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ERIC CANTOR (R), MAJORITY LEADER: You can't fix the problem that we're facing by cuts alone. We know that. The challenge for us is how you grow the economy, and we don't believe you grow the economy through raising taxes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The White House prefers to call it shared prosperity and shared responsibility, like from some of those corporate CEOs who aren't exactly hurting. Not that raising taxes on the rich will solve all of our debt problems, because economists say there simply aren't enough rich people to generate the revenue we need.
So, our "Talk Back" question today: Are tax hikes on the wealthy the answer to our debt problem?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll be interested to hear what people have to say.
MALVEAUX: Invite those who make more than $250,000 to weigh in on this. I want them to weigh in on this and say, OK, we'll pay. We'll go ahead. We'll give a little bit more.
COSTELLO: I'm sure I won't get many of those kinds of e-mails from people making over $250,000 a year, because, look, who wants a tax raise? Nobody wants their taxes raised. It's a tough thing to ask of people no matter how much money you make.
MALVEAUX: Yes. Well, President Obama and some other wealthy Americans say that they're willing to make the sacrifice, so I'd be very curious to see if there are folks who say, OK, I'll give a little bit more.
COSTELLO: I wish I had powerful CEO friends, but I don't.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: But I'll try to find some.
MALVEAUX: Share the love and wealth. Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure. MALVEAUX: Ahead "On the Rundown," Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. We're going to explain why you may not get out of it what you're actually putting into it.
Plus, Kentucky's flood zone. More rain may be on the way.
Also ahead, how to protect your money from hidden bank fees.
And imagine this -- if your city were told how to spend its money. Well, I'm going to talk to a D.C. lawmaker about that frustrating situation.
And finally, some travel tips from a pilot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tuesday, definitely a good time to fly. You know, a lot of people want to fly, obviously, on the weekends, so Fridays, Mondays are not good days to fly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: President Obama will call for reforms to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid during his speech on the deficit reduction plan today. And those entitlement programs, along with Social Security, make up a huge part of the federal budget.
Breaking it all down for us -- we appreciate it -- Don Lemon joining us with how these programs actually look, how they shape the budget.
And what's at stake here?
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And you're absolutely right, a huge part. And you know, as a White House correspondent, politicians don't want to touch that. They don't want to talk about it. They'll talk around entitlements because they know --
MALVEAUX: Absolutely.
LEMON: -- people really have a visceral reaction when it comes to messing with their entitlements.
First of all, let's talk about the federal budget, the budget for the next 11 years, the next 10 years, about $40 trillion. That's the federal budget.
And so, entitlements, as Suzanne mentioned, a huge part. About 40 percent of that budget comes from entitlements like Social Security, like Medicare and like Medicaid -- 20.4 percent, that's what Social Security makes up; 12.8 for Medicare; 7.2 for Medicaid.
And this is a place where they can make some real big changes here, politicians. But again, they're afraid to touch it because people rely on it and they've paid into it, and they want to get what they have owed. But this is why those entitlements make up such a big part of the budget, of Social Security specifically, because in 2010, about now, there are three workers for every retiree. So, every person who has retired has about three people in the workforce supporting them.
By the time we get to 2035, when we go up to about 50 million people who have retired from the workforce, you only have two workers to support every retiree. Again, that's because of the baby boomers. A lot of them are starting to retire, and they're putting all that money into the system now. Now when they're retiring, they're going to take a lot of it out.
So I want to break this down to you. And we're talking about -- this is House Republicans' proposal.
If you're going with the House Republicans' proposal to cut $6.2 trillion out of the budget, right -- and I want to break it down for a family. If you're a family bringing home $40,000, and you want to cut the exact percentage that House Republicans are trying to cut out, which is $6.2 trillion, which is 6.2 of whatever you earn, so if you're trying to cut that from $40,000, you're going to have to do about $6,200 every year for the next 11 years.
And that means about $517 a month for the next 11 years if you want to get to exactly what they're trying to cut out of the federal budget. That's a lot of money, and that hurts your wallet. And it's going to hurt your home as well.
How many people can cut that much money out? I mean, to cut that --
MALVEAUX: So that's how you would have to --
LEMON: -- from $40,000, that's a lot of money.
MALVEAUX: That's the amount of money that you'd have to put away, that you'd have to save, in order to comply with the Republicans' idea of the budget.
LEMON: Yes. And it's not just like sitting here saying, oh, that's the amount of money you have to put away. Remember, you've got to pay your mortgage, you've got to send the kids to school, you have to do all that, if you're making $40,000. And you've got to do it for 11 years -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Wow. OK.
LEMON: So there you go.
MALVEAUX: All right. Don, thank you very much.
LEMON: You're welcome.
MALVEAUX: Excellent presentation there. President Obama, he's going to be delivering his deficit-cutting speech at George Washington University today. I want to you stay with us at CNN for live coverage of his remarks. It's set for 1:35 Eastern.
(NEWSBREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
MALVEAUX: Well, is your bank pulling a fast one on you? A new survey actually shows that hidden fees are a big problem. We're going to go to New York to find out more.
Also, Americans pride themselves, right, on working hard? But we're not putting in nearly as many hours as some other countries, some other folks, according to a new study. In fact, the United States isn't even in the top three of the hardest-working nations.
According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, China is number three. Japan, number two, with workers averaging nine hours a day.
Can you guess what country works harder than any other? We're going to have that answer for you after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: So what country works harder than any other? It's not us. It's not the United States, China or Japan.
It's Mexico, where, according to a new study, the average worker puts in 9.9 hours each day. Thought we were the hardest-working folks. I guess not.
Want to check the CNNMoney.com's lead story here.
A record number of Americans who actually get government help -- that's one in six Americans here -- record numbers showing it's Medicaid, food stamps, a number of things. One in six Americans getting help from the government.
Also want to check out real quick here the stock market. The Dow Jones, now up by 28.34, 28 points or so.
Also want to talk about a troubling concern now for consumers who are trying to save a little money to get through these tough times. Well, this new survey shows that some banks are actually skirting the law, hiding some of the bank fees.
Our Alison Kosik, she's here with us from the New York Stock Exchange.
Alison, that's very discouraging here. I mean, a lot of people, they're just trying to make it. And you've got these bank fees that are being hidden. I mean, I would assume that banks have to provide this information, all of their fees. ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And you're right about that, Suzanne. Banks do have to disclose most fees as they're related to your account.
There are laws that say they have to do that, but don't think that they're going to make it easy on you to do that. You know, so, because of this, there's one consumer advocacy group that went out, kind of fanned across the country, went to these banks, kind of like a secret shopper, and tried to get this information about fee schedules from these banks. And listen to what they found out.
Most of these banks didn't disclose these fee schedules when they were asked. But then, after these staff members went ahead and pushed them more, asked them several times for this fee schedule, finally, the banks ponied up the information. And then there was even a portion of the banks who didn't even give the information at all. And then there were other banks who just gave the runaround to these people saying, come back tomorrow, you have to open an account, that's how you get this fee information.
You know, it really makes you understand why so many people think these banks are such rascals -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Rascals.
What do people do about these rascals? How do they find out about these fees?
KOSIK: You know what? The real trick is just to keep pushing, to keep asking questions. And believe it or not, check your mail and read these statements that these banks put out, and that includes your e-mail, because there's a lot of consumer regulatory information coming out these days. So the trick here is to read up on it, and then you'll become more knowledgeable.
Also, consider putting your money in credit unions. You usually find fewer fees there.
And keep in mind, free checking, sure, it is still alive. In fact, half of all banks offer free checking. You just have to find which banks. Much of this free checking you'll find at smaller banks like credit unions, and, once again, at smaller banks.
Also, there are several Web sites you can go to, including bankrate.com, findabetterbank.com, and moneyrates.com. That will help you comparison shop as well.
Really, with this, Suzanne, the bottom line is, if these banks keep turning you away with no information, or the wrong information, just keep pushing and keep asking. I guess at some point they'll pony up that information you're looking for.
MALVEAUX: OK. All right. Thank you, Alison. Appreciate all the good advice there. Thanks.
Time now to tell you about today's "Choose the News" candidates. Let us know which story that you'd like to see. Vote by texting 22360. You know how it works.
First, a mother and daughter in Afghanistan are facing death threats for helping women succeed. Their business employs dozens of Afghan women and is expanding into now Taliban-controlled areas.
Next, a former president rides his trike and is raising money for charity. The unique items that Jimmy Carter auctioned off.
And finally, it's a fear -- all of us are afraid of this one. And this fear came true for about 28 people, all at the same time, trapped in a New York elevator. The entire ordeal caught on tape.
Vote by texting 22360. Text 1 for "Afghan Women Making Progress"; 2 for "Jimmy Carter's Charity Auction"; or 3 for "Trapped in an Elevator." The winning story is going to air in the next hour.
The nation's capital, caught in the middle of the budget battle. Local leaders now say it is the district that is being used as political pawn. I'm going to talk live with D.C. delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here's what's ahead on "The Rundown."
The search for a serial killer on New York's Long Island.
Plus, you're online, they're watching. How to protect your digital identity.
And the fares are up, the lines long, the delays can feel endless. Well, CNN is showing you how to "Fix Your Flight."
About two hours from now President Obama is outlining his plan for dealing with the nation's long-term deficit and rising national debt. The plan is expected to include changes in Medicare, Medicaid, as well as an increase in taxes for wealthier Americans. Stay with CNN for live coverage of the president's remarks. That's happening at 1:35 Eastern.
Well, caught in the middle of the debate over budgets and deficits is Washington, D.C. Imagine, the city of Orlando, for instance, being told how to spend its own money and then city leaders having to fight for the right to spend money as they see it. Well, this is what we've just described the situation in the District of Columbia, population 600,000,and it's fight with the White House.
Joining us is Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton who the congressional representative for the district, but has no vote, because D.C. is not a state.
Congresswoman, thank you for being with us here at CNN.
I want to start off by playing a clip here, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray who got arrested for protesting the White House and Congress' treatment of the District. Here the what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR VINCENT GRAY, WASHINGTON D.C.: Frankly, what I would suggest is that Congress butt out of the business of the District of Columbia. I've heard no rational reason why the District shouldn't have the authority to approve how we spend our own money.
It's clear that we have very little support. I'm not sure what the White House did in all this, to tell you the truth. It looks like the District of Columbia was essentially thrown under the bus in order to be able to get a political deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Congresswoman, do you agree with the mayor's assessment of how this went down?
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, (D) DC DELEGATE: Yes, and I'll tell you why. What you saw, perhaps, Suzanne, is double outrage spilling over into the streets of the nation's capital just a couple of days ago when the mayor and city council, other residents were arrested, and the double outrage was this. The District along with the rest of the country was brought to the brink of shutdown for no reason having anything to do with us.
Our budget was caught up here. It shouldn't even be over here, and all that was needed was an amendment that I put on time and again that would say, let the District continue to spend its own money if the federal government shuts down.
Well, when that was all over, Suzanne, the whole country breathed a sigh of relief, but the District of Columbia was still on the hook.
Remarkably, there are only three attachments, so-called riders, to the bill that's about to be voted. Two of those, I would say, are relatively non-controversial.
Here we are paired with gray wolf, don't bring any prisoners home from Guantanamo, and don't let the District of Columbia spend its own money as it pleases, in this case, on abortions for low-income women. Suzanne, states, 17 states, hundreds of jurisdictions spend their own local money on abortions for poor women.
MALVEAUX: Well, in light of that, I mean, you've been an adamant supporter of this president, but he used the District as a bargaining chip in the budget fight.
Are you still going to be a strong supporter of his re-election bid in 2012?
NORTON: Well, imagine the position it puts the District in. We expected the president and the Democrats to do a lot better, but don't throw us in with wolves. The people who really want our skin are the Republicans. They are the ones that refused to pass an amendment that could have kept the District open. They are the ones that are responsible for the attachment that we can't spend our local funds on abortions for poor women.
So we don't want to be thrown in with the Republicans. That would be a whole lot worse than what we got now.
MALVEAUX: Have you spoken personally with the president about this? About what happened and how the district was treated, your feelings?
NORTON: I have not. I have certainly spoken with the chief of staff. I have spoken with the Democratic leadership in the Senate. And I have been real clear, you all got to do a whole lot better than this because you've only whetted the appetite of the Republicans. They'll want a lot more now. And if they think we're the easy pawn, why shouldn't they come back for more?
We're just saying to our Democrats, hang tough, because you sure didn't do it this time.
MALVEAUX: Congresswoman, quick here, just want to circle back here.
Will you still be supporting the president in his re-election bid for 212?
NORTON: Yes, and I told you why. The people responsible for the attachment in the first place, the Republicans who want to take our money not only for abortions for poor women but they have a whole crowd of other attachments.
The Democrats got all the attachments off before and I bet the Democrats are going to do better next time they see that they've got the mayor, the city council, all in the streets getting arrested with national attention focused on what the Democrats didn't do. So they'll do better next time.
MALVEAUX: All right, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, thank you so much for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM, appreciate it.
NORTON: Certainly.
MALVEAUX: Remember to vote for the story you'd like to see the next hour. Vote by texting 22360.
Text 1 for Afghan women risking their lives to help other women. Hear from a mother and a daughter who opened a business and are expanding now into Taliban controlled areas.
And text 2 for Jimmy Carter's charity auction. The former president sells some of this personal mementoes and some of them are quite unique.
And text 3 for trapped in an elevator. Twenty-eight people, one cramped elevator, all on video.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: The body count in New York's serial killer case keeps rising now. Police now say there may be at least 10 victims. Crews have use everything from cadaver dogs and horses to fire truck air ladders and a helicopter in their search on Long Island.
Our CNN senior correspondent Allan Chernoff reports they are now calling in divers.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, a dive team from the Suffolk County Police Department is checking the waterways in the bay off of this barrier island. This comes after an extensive search on land that began last year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice-over): May 1st, 2010, 24-year-old prostitute Shannon Gilbert disappears after visiting a client in the tiny community of Oak Beach, New York.
December 11, 2010, a canine officer training his dog uncovers skeletal remains several miles west of Oak Beach. A forensic examination determines they are not those of the missing prostitute.
Two days later, three more victims are discovered.
COMM. RICHARD DORMER, SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE: They weren't all clustered, but they were within a quarter of a mile of each other.
CHERNOFF: Once the remains are positively identified, the link between the victims is clear. All four are prostitutes in their 20s who advertised on Craigslist, as Gilbert did. Authorities are convinced they're dealing with a serial killer.
March 29, 2011, another skeleton found nearby, another question mark. It's still not Gilbert.
April 4th, the search area expands and yields more bodies.
DORMER: We found human remains, three human remains so far.
CHERNOFF: Monday, April 11, investigators start looking in Nassau County resulting in yet another grisly discovery.
DORMER: At about 3:30, officers discovered what appeared to be another human remain.
CHERNOFF: The death toll for the Long Island serial killer or killers rises again. Still, no sign of Shannon Gilbert, the woman for whom the search began.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Those latest remains are a skull and a set of bones that are now at the Nassau County Medical Examiner's Office undergoing forensic examination -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Thank you.
The president, the first lady and the queen of talk, daytime talk. The Obama's getting together with Oprah. Details in our local update.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Indiana's governor may be setting his sights on the White House now.
Mark Preston, part of "The Best Political Team On Television," live from the Political Desk in Washington.
Great to so you, Mark. What do you have crossing now?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Suzanne, yes, there's been a lot of talk about Mitch Daniels. Will he, will he not run for president? Well, the Indiana legislative session is still ongoing. He's being urged to run. He said now, Mitchell Daniels, the former Bush administration official, he was the budget director, Suzanne, you remember, you covered the White House at that time, he said he'll make a decision by May.
And no surprise, the top issues of his campaign would all focus around the economy and fiscal issues. He said right now he doesn't think that the other candidates, the other potential Republican presidential candidates are spending enough time on those issues, and he told that to the "Indianapolis Star" yesterday.
You know, Deval Patrick, a very close friend of President Obama, he is the Massachusetts governor, he had some very, very strong words for those who don't think President Obama was born leer in the United States and he had some very sharp words for the Republican Party.
First, regarding those in the birther movement, he said that, in fact, racism might be linked to those who think that President Obama wasn't born here in the United States.
And for the Republican Party, let me just tell you what he said last night on CNN. I think his words speak very -- his -- basically his words say what they say. He said, anger and fear has been a tool used politically for a long time in the world, and is being used, I think, by the National Republican Party today.
So some very harsh words by the Massachusetts Democratic governor of the Republican Party on CNN last night -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And, Mark, I understand -- I remember, the first time covering the president, the president was seen with Oprah, the first lady. Big gathering, really needed a lot of support, generated a ton of enthusiasm and excitement.
I understand they're going to be on "Oprah," yes? PRESTON: Yes. Well, you know, Suzanne, this is her last season before she devotes all her time to her own network. Well, the president and first lady actually will actually be on her show. They're taping it on April 27; it's going to air May 2nd.
So Oprah Winfrey, who is very close to the president, she played a big role in the campaign in 2007. She is going to have him as one of her final guests -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, Mark, appreciate it. Good to see you.
For the latest political news, you know where to go, CNNPolitics.com.
Well, it's something that causes a lot of worry, but we often don't know how to make sure that our identities are actually safe online.
Stephanie Elam here with us from New York and some top tips on how to make sure that your privacy is protected.
And, Steph, this is a difficult thing for a lot of us.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, because it just kind of goes out into the ether for so many people and they don't know what to do.
So with that in mind, Saturday is the Better Business Bureau's Secure Your ID Day. So let's take a look at some ways to make sure your identity is safe when doing business online.
The Better Business Bureau says stay on the lookout for fishing scams. It's a popular e-mail scheme where hackers, they're try to get your e-mail, your log-ins, passwords or credit card information via e- mail. And, for example, the Better Business Bureau says it's seen e- mails sent from a phony bank to look like it's coming from your bank.
So if you get an e-mail that looks like it's from your bank saying that your account will be deactivate or deleted if you don't update your profile immediately, anything that looks like that, that's probably a fishing scam, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: I've gotten those emails before, actually. So it's very good advice.
ELAM: Me, too.
MALVEAUX: Yes, I have gotten those.
Do consumers -- how do they protect information if they think that they are a targets of this fishing scam?
ELAM: Well, right. For the e-mails we were just talking about that we both have received, the BBB says never reply. And if the message includes a link, never click on it, because it could contain a virus and that would just be awful.
Now even if they claim they are from your bank, the IRS or a credit card company, most of these businesses will contact you by snail mail for personal information.
And the BBB says your younger and older lived ones could use your help identifying scams, since teen may be tech savvy but not scam savvy and older folks may be targeted because they're often very trusting. So this is something to keep in mind as well, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Steph, thanks.
Obviously, the password, the key to keep are your identity safe online. We'll talk more about that with Stephanie after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We're back with Stephanie Elam in New York.
Steph, you've got some top tips for folks who are worried that their information isn't safe online.
ELAM: Yes, Suzanne.
You know, the folks at Identity Theft 911 say change your passwords and change them often. Use a strong password that has longer characters and includes upper and lowercase letters as well as symbols.
And change your security questions and answers that can reset your password and actually don't use real answers to them. Like, you know, your high school mascot. Use something different.
Also always make sure you're using an encrypted sign. When adding any important info, look for https, the "s" actually stands for secure, at the beginning of the link.
And since Saturday is the BBB's National Secure Your ID Day, they're having a shredfest. So go to bbb.org to find a participating local bureau where you can securely shed documents and get advice.
And if you want to report a phishing scam, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The number and Web site we'll be showing you right here. There you go, you can see right there on the screen. And for the possible phishing email, go to spam@uce.gov. That's where the FTC stores these messages in a database that law enforcement officials use in their investigations.
Now the FTC, they don't actually resolve individual complaints, but you might stop it from happening to someone else.
And when it comes to that password thing, Suzanna, I know people have too many passwords, but when it comes to your ID and keeping it safe, it's worth it.
MALVEAUX: Exactly, that's really hard. (CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: I can barely remember the password I have.
ELAM: Make it something really, really random or strong, like, you know, the equivalent of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or something. At least do that.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: All right. I'm going to try. I'm going to try, Steph. That's all I can do. I'm going to try.
ELAM: All right, cool.
MALVEAUX: All right, thanks.
We're hearing a lot of talk out of Washington on ways to pay down the country's debt. There are various opinions that are out there. This afternoon, we're expecting that President Obama is going to propose letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire which would raise taxes for those making $250,000 or more a year.
And it brings us to today's "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello here with more on that.
Carol, what are they saying?
COSTELLO: Whenever there's a tax questions, Suzanne, you know you're going to get many, many responses.
MALVEAUX: Lots of people.
COSTELLO: Yes, and I'm glad.
Out "Talk Back" question today: Are tax hikes on the wealthy the answer to our debt problem?
This from Samantha, "Every sector needs to take a hit somehow...whether it's a good hit or a bad hit; everyone bears some sort of responsibility. I'd like it explained to me, though, why the rich get such an enormous tax break."
This from Laura, "The middle class is going extinct, soon there will only be poor and rich...It is ridiculous that tax rates they get. Fair and equal tax should be for all, not just the middle and poor class."
This from J.P., "No, the federal and state governments won't solve their fiscal problems until they cut spending; confiscating more from the wealthy will simply prolong the day of reckoning."
And this from Heidi, "Lives come before livelihood. Shouldn't we ask some sacrifices from the who will have to cut back on luxuries, not just those who will have to cut back from groceries?"
Keep the conversation going, Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll be with you again in about 10 minutes.
MALVEAUX: All right, looking forward to it, Carol. Thank you.
More passengers, more security, more fees, higher fares, help is on the way. CNN is showing you how to fix your flight.
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MALVEAUX: In 10 years, about 1 billion passengers will fly in the United States, each one of them with some complaints; we've all complained before. So we're spending three days offering some solutions. We call our series "FIX MY FLIGHT."
Today, we go inside the cockpit to get a pilot's view to of what you can do to upgrade your chances of an on-time departure and a smooth flight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAPT. ERIC HENDRICK AIRTRAN PILOT: I've been flying for AirTran for 10 years now. I've seen a lot of passengers come and go.
There are certain days of the week. Tuesday, definitely a good day to fly. You know, a lot of people want to fly, obviously, on the weekends. So Fridays, Mondays, not good days to fly.
Also, Tuesday is probably going to give you one of the best deals. If you have the opportunity to travel in the this morning, that's the best time to travel, OK? As the day goes on, certain things happen. Weather could be a factor, volume of traffic could be a factor. The earlier you fly, you avoid a lot of traffic the most traffic.
A lot of people seem to think sitting over the wing is less bumpy. I would tend to agree when you're in what we call "light choppy air." But once you get to a higher level of turbulent flying, which is not unsafe by any means, but the entire aircraft feels the same thing.
Because we care about our customers and we care about their comfort, we're always doing things to try to get you a smoother ride.
Getting on is definitely a challenge sometimes, it really is. Sometimes I see people get on the aircraft, it's a 45-minute flight, and they'll take out a computer, a novel, two magazines, OK, and an iPod. You're not going to use all those things, OK? Be more realistic what you're going to use when you're on the aircraft.
The second thing is be a little bit more organized. Be familiar with where you're seated.
I think that the first thing I would talk about on the topic of the seat belt sign is, if you are a passenger traveling, use the bathroom in the terminal before you get on the aircraft. That's one of the biggest things, one of the largest problems we have out there. We can't move if someone is standing up, so we have to stop where we are. When you're in largest airports and the busiest airports in the world, like we are here at Hartsfield-Jackson, not only are we stopping, but that would cause the captain to stop 10 or 15 aircraft behind us.
The first thing that an air crew wants to do is get you from point A to B in the most convenient and the safest way, OK? We want to get to the hotel as much as you do, I guarantee it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: All right, if you're simply not in the mood to fly, there are always trains, cars. Our Sandra Endo, she's going to take a look at the options and how they compare. That is next in our next hour in our "Fix My Flight" series.
