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Interview with Mayors of Los Angeles and Mesa, Arizona; Developing Crisis in Pennsylvania Due to Tropical Storm Lee; How to Get America Working Again; Rick Perry and Capital Punishment; Unemployment Crisis Hurts Cities; The Help Desk; Training The Afghan Army; Talk Back Question; Rescuing Endangered Rhinos
Aired September 08, 2011 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour now. I'm Drew Griffin.
We've got a developing crisis, really, developing in Pennsylvania. Up to 125,000 people are told to get out of their homes. It's all because of Tropical Storm Lee. What is left of it exactly is causing this dangerous flooding.
Three people dead. The Susquehanna River is rising fast. This is near Wilkes-Barre, expected to crest tomorrow morning. Also a lot of problems in New York.
Chad Myers, we've got you over here to tell us just what is going on.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Water going over the levels in Binghamton, the Shenango, and also the Susquehanna River. And then that water gets all the way down to Wilkes-Barre. But it's the other towns in that valley that I am most concerned about.
It's Shickshinny, it's Nannycook (ph), it's Plymouth, it's Bull Run, it's all the areas up and down US 11 here from Edwardsville to Plymouthville, and all the way back toward Ashton.
Now, there is a very nice berm built for Wilkes-Barre at 41 feet. But all the way up into Pittson, especially across parts into Wyoming, into Luzerne County, don't have that type of protection. Here's Johnson City in Binghamton, with water going over. Twenty thousand people being evacuated right now because of this, this white area here, more than 10 inches of rainfall west of Wilkes-Barre, right through Binghamton, down to about Lancaster and Harrisburg, and that's just in the past 48 hours.
Rivers are still rising. Here's the Susquehanna at Wilkes-Barre.
That's the line that tops the levee, 41 feet. The forecast right now, Drew, is 40.7. That's too close. And will the levee hold? That's another one. Probably, but this is a very big flood.
GRIFFIN: Chad, stick around for this. Take a look.
These are wildfires burning continuously for almost 300 days now. Four people have died, and in Bastrop County, the fire alone there, 1,400 homes are gone, thousands forced from their homes. Don't know what they're going to find when they return.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF ODOM, HOME IS STILL STANDING: And I can see that the house was standing. I said, "Thank you, Jesus." And then I looked over and I saw Shawna's (ph), and it was gone. It was gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: So sad.
The White House says there will be some new ideas in the jobs plan that the president is going to unveil tonight. One Democrat familiar with the plan says it could total now $400 billion.
Here's what we think it's going to include: a longer payroll tax holiday, meaning more money in your paycheck; also infrastructure spending; aid to states; and incentives for businesses to hire workers.
Republican front-runner Rick Perry made his debate debut last night. This happened at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. And it quickly became clear that he and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney were going to slug it out for this nomination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We created more jobs in the last three months in Texas than he created in four yeast in Massachusetts.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Texas is a great state. Texas has zero income tax. Texas has a right-to-work state. But Governor Perry doesn't believe that he created those things. If he tried to stay that, why, it would be like Al Gore saying he invented the Internet.
PERRY: Michael Dukakis created jobs three times faster than you did, Mitt.
ROMNEY: As a matter of fact, George Bush and his predecessor created jobs at a faster rate than you did, Governor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Get the picture? Well, between all that swapping, a lot of the Republicans did direct the lion's share of their attention to President Obama, criticizing his policies on energy and health care reform.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the gentleman will suspend until the disturbance is taken care of?
(END VIDEO CLIP) GRIFFIN: That happened this morning, a commotion outside the super committee meeting. People chanting, "Jobs, jobs, jobs!"
The committee, meeting for the first time today, trying to reduce the nation's debt. This is that panel of six Democrats and six Republicans who are going to try to come up with $1.5 trillion in savings. And if they can't do it, or Congress doesn't pass the plan, automatic spending cuts would kick in. The deadline, Thanksgiving.
This video taken in the aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center 10 years ago has never been seen before, a CNN exclusive. iReporter Lou Angeli (ph) taped 30 minutes of video on that day.
(CHANTING)
GRIFFIN: New defiance in Libya. Fighters advancing on one of Moammar Gadhafi's last strongholds have come under fire from Gadhafi loyalists. A spokesman for the new government there tells CNN the former dictator is surrounded now in a 40-mile radius with no way to escape, but nobody is saying where he is.
Meanwhile, a man purporting to be Gadhafi denies he has fled to Niger. His audio message was aired on a Syrian television station.
In Los Angeles this hour, jury selection begins for the man accused of causing Michael Jackson's death. Dr. Conrad Murray charged with involuntary manslaughter. He's accused of administering a powerful anesthetic to Jackson to help Jackson fall asleep. And then, the doctor failing to properly monitor him.
We're taking an in-depth look at the jobs plan that the president will outline tonight. With the unemployment rate stuck above 9 percent, and the economy stalled, a lot is riding on what the president proposes.
Christine Romans of our Money team joins us from New York.
Christine, just ahead of the big speech tonight, we have some new numbers in jobs and unemployment, and I guess they are not good.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Every week on Thursdays we get a read for how many people lined up for the first time for jobless benefits. And what it shows you is essentially how long the line was at the unemployment office in the last week.
And this week, the number is not good, 414,000 unemployment benefits claims filed last week. So these are 414,000 people who are newly unemployed, meaning they were recently laid off. That's more than economists expected, and it's showing you this number stubbornly above 400,000.
You're not going to be reflecting any kind of real dynamism or signs of life in the labor market until you get that consistently below 400,000. So it's showing you that you still are having layoffs, you still have people who have been unemployed for a very long time, and then you have these folks who are new to the unemployment rolls every single week -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Yes. Christine, I've been reading a lot about this, trying to figure out what, if anything, the government can do to create jobs, and looking at what Germany did. And I guess Germany really pushed these long-term unemployed people into finding work, and that's part of what the president wants the states to do, these long-term unemployed, find work for them.
ROMANS: Yes, because, look, the states have a lot of different retraining and unemployment programs. And I'm going to be really honest with you. Some of these retraining programs that the states do, I have talked to governors who have been sorely disappointed about how poorly some of those programs have worked. So, if we're going to do this, and going to do it on a large scale, it's got to be revamped and done correctly.
The president and the White House has mentioned a Georgia program where people, in return for getting their unemployment benefits, their jobless check, they go to work for a local company. That company gets basically a worker that it is not paying for, but also gets to try somebody out and see maybe if there's a fit down the road.
The worker gets to be renewing some skills, making some connections, getting something on the resume, so it's not just unemployment benefits with no retraining or no kind of job attached to it. So we'll see if the president is going to make any kinds of comments tonight about retraining and what can be done smartly about retraining to work.
I mean, I've profiled people, Drew, over the years who have had very expensive government-paid retraining programs when their jobs have been sent overseas or something, and it's still very, very difficult to retrain quickly for the right skills in the economy right now.
GRIFFIN: Yes, absolutely. Let me ask you about the infrastructure improvements.
I quite frankly have been hearing about that for several years now. The president is going to roll out some more money. Is that a sector, that construction sector, that needs the help?
ROMANS: Yes. I mean, you have the unemployment rate in what is called the construction and extraction part of the labor market. That's the technical term for that group.
It's more than 16 percent. When you look at pavers, brick masons, people who work on road maintenance and the like, I mean, there are some people you could put to work. No question there.
The question is, are they going to be shovel ready, some of these projects? Because we know last time around, for the stimulus, some of them weren't. Some of these projects -- I mean, local communities even said there was a little bit of economic activity. There was a bridge that was built and then nothing happened, we didn't see any residual effect. Are you going to do it a little more smartly this time and not be paying a super ton of money for one job to be created very -- in a very temporary basis?
But remember, we do have a trillion dollars worth of infrastructure improvements that we need to do in this country, so it's not just throwing away money at nothing if you really are going to be fixing things that need to be fixed.
GRIFFIN: Yes. I covered those projects too, Christine.
ROMANS: Yes.
GRIFFIN: I saw a lot of part-time, temporary work with eternal debt.
ROMANS: Yes. I saw it, too, and it was very frustrating. They can't make that mistake this time.
GRIFFIN: OK. Thanks a lot.
Christine Romans.
ROMANS: Sure.
GRIFFIN: CNN's live coverage of the president's speech begins with a special preview on "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- 6:00 Eastern is when we're going to kick things off. The speech is at 7:00.
And stay tuned all night. "AC 360" will have analysis on what the president proposes.
But will you watch? Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. And the question is: Will you watch the president's speech. Why or why not?
Carol Costello joins us from New York.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Such a simple question. But, oh, talk about pressure, Drew.
Tonight, the president will ask a joint session of Congress to listen to his idea for a bipartisan jobs bill. Good luck with that. They may sit in the same room together, but they are bitterly divided.
I mean, unless you've become numb to it all, you've heard it loud and clear, the vicious partisan attacks coming from both parties.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's the most effective food stamp president in American history.
REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: The Tea Party can go straight to hell.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: That's what we have witnessed since Friday, Obamageddon, Barackalypse Now.
JAMES HOFFA, PRESIDENT, TEAMSTERS UNION: Let's take these son of a bitches out and give America back to America, where we belong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So why bother with a bipartisan speech? As "New York Times" columnist Paul Krugman writes, "What will Republicans agree to? That's easy: nothing. They will oppose anything Mr. Obama proposes."
Still, Republican leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor say they want to work with the president on "areas of common ground." They will be listening tonight, but not Republicans will.
Congressman Joe Walsh is skipping the president's speech because, he says, "I don't see the point in being a prop for another of the president's speeches asking for more failed stimulus spending." And Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter, he won't be there either. He's hosting an NFL football party.
What about you? I know, it's crazy. What about you?
The "Talk Back" question today: Will you watch the president's speech? And tell us why or why not.
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Carol, thanks.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Here are the choices for today's "Choose the News." Text "22360" for the story you want to see.
Here's your choices.
First, the Japanese energy crisis. Blackouts common after the Fukushima nuclear accident, and that's forcing everybody to use less energy, so workers are ditching jackets and ties, turning up the temperature in the office, and changing their workdays.
Second, rhino rescue. You know, there are only seven northern white rhinos left in the world, but science may help save the animals from extinction. Stem-cell research offering some hope there.
Or third, Gumby robber. Big, green, and bendable. And now wanted for attempted robbery. A guy dressed as Gumby tries to knock off a convenience store.
You can text by voting "22360" -- "1" for "Japan Energy Crisis"; "2" for the "Rhino Rescue"; or "3" for "Gumby Robber."
The winning story airs later this hour.
Eight Republican candidates took to the stage last night to take swings at President Obama and each other. This is the first GOP debate this year. Two candidates in particular stole the show, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: Texas is a great state. Texas has zero income tax. Texas has a right-to-work state. But Governor Perry doesn't believe that he created those things. If he tried to stay that, why, it would be like Al Gore saying he invented the Internet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: We are taking a closer look at last night's showdown with CNN contributor and "Newsweek" senior political columnist, John Avlon.
So, John, a few weeks ago, Michele Bachmann was the GOP front-runner. Last night, it took her 14 minutes to get a question to her.
Has Rick Perry just taken her place as the Tea Party's sweetheart?
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Rick Perry has completely taken the oxygen and the enthusiasm that Michele Bachmann had expected after the Ames straw poll victory, which was also the day he got in. And it's because they have overlapping bases, fundamentally.
They both appeal to conservative populists, Tea Party people, and Evangelicals. But what Rick Perry has is executive experience, 10 years as governor of the second largest state, with a great economic story to tell. Those are things that Michele Bachmann can't really compete with.
And as a result, he sucked up that enthusiasm, and now what we have is, at the top of a ticket, a two-man race between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. And last night, the gloves were off.
GRIFFIN: Yes. You know, the pundits are talking all about Perry making the big mistake about taking a swipe at Social Security. And that was perhaps a political taboo. But there's a lot of people who believe what he's saying was the truth.
Are we at the point in this primary season where you can't say everything that is true?
AVLON: No. And that's what Rick Perry is trying to bet on.
The point team Romney is trying to make is that for a candidate to try to say that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, i.e., a fraud, an unfunded fraud, that that will be Kryptonite in a general election, it will kill people's chances in a state like Florida.
What Rick Perry is trying to do is say, look, I'm the truth-teller. I'm willing to throw some bombs and tell hard truths, and it's two totally different approaches to the nomination.
Rick Perry is trying to really appeal to that Tea Party support that is angry, wants honesty, and doesn't matter how radical you sound on fiscal issues in particular. Team Romney is trying to say, look, we need to win a general election, and he's trying to appeal to a pragmatic element in the Republican Party. The question is whether the Republican Party is feeling all that pragmatic right now, especially in these close primary primaries.
GRIFFIN: Let me ask you about jobs, and switching gear to the president and what he's going to say tonight. He's going to outline his plan. We know a lot of what's in it.
Are the Republicans going to be behind all of it, some of it? How is he going to muscle this through the House?
AVLON: Well, look, I mean, you know, recent history would suggest no, you're going to see a lot of happy, bipartisan rhetoric, but then when they're taking on camera, as John Boehner was recently, he said, look, the American people shouldn't be forced to listen to some politician they don't want to listen to when they would rather be watching football. That's disrespectful to the office of the president, at least.
Here's the reality. We have a divided government. For any progress to be made by Congress to deal with the economy, there has got to be bipartisan legislation.
The president is going to have an obligation tonight to come forward, to find the common ground that exists on economic proposals, new economic proposals, and then help build on it. But the Republicans have really shown a resistance to genuinely reaching out and working with the president.
Now, there are some ideas that are no-brainers -- a public/private infrastructure bank. This is something the Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO agree on. That should be a no-brainer, but there are going to be some folks who are stuck in a no Obama mode, who would rather deny the president any victory, then have cynical strategy and negative strategy. But the question is whether the American people say that's the kind of obstructionism that puts the American people and the economy at risk, and that's unacceptable.
GRIFFIN: John Avlon, thanks a lot.
AVLON: Thank you.
GRIFFIN: On Monday, CNN, along with the Tea Party Express and several other Tea Party groups, are going to host a debate with those Republican candidates. This is in Tampa. It's the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Tune in for the CNN/Tea Party Republican Debate Monday, at 8:00 Eastern.
Rick Perry may be the current front-runner on the national stage, but he is getting a lot of pushback about his role in a controversial death penalty case back in Texas.
Our Ed Lavandera has details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GRIFFIN: Rick Perry got some big applause last night at the Republican debate by refusing to apologize for his stance on the death penalty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERRY: In the state of Texas, if you come into our state and you kill one of our children, you kill a police officer, you're involved with another crime and you kill one of our citizens, you will face the ultimate justice in the state of Texas. And that is, you will be executed.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: But as governor of Texas, Perry signed off on one particular execution that's creating a lot of controversy.
Our Ed Lavandera reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cameron Todd Willingham was executed seven years ago, convicted of setting his house on fire to kill his three children. His appeals, including to the Supreme Court, repeatedly denied.
Texas Governor Rick Perry signed off on the execution.
PERRY: Willingham was a monster.
LAVANDERA: Just before Willingham's death, a nationally known fire expert studying the arson investigation found it horribly flawed, that the original investigators has relied on outdated arson science. Willingham's supporters asked the governor to halt the execution. Perry refused.
PERRY: We have a system in this state that has followed the procedures, and they found this man guilty every step of the way.
LAVANDERA (on camera): Cameron Todd Willingham's execution still haunts Rick Perry. The question is, not only did Texas execute an innocent man, but did Perry use his power to try and shut down a potentially embarrassing investigation into how Willingham was convicted? If there was no arson, Willingham would not have been executed.
STEVE SALOOM, INNOCENCE PROJECT: If this trial went to trial today, I can't see any way that Willingham would be connected. I can't see any way that a prosecutor would bring this case forward today.
LAVANDERA: The Innocence Project brought Willingham's case to an obscure state agency called the Texas Forensic Science Commission, which started looking into whether bad arson investigative techniques were used to convict Willingham. SAM BASSETT, FMR. DIRECTOR, TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMM.: The science was indeed junk science.
LAVANDERA: Sam Bassett was head of the commission. He says he was called into a heated meeting with two governor aides and told the investigation was a waste of state money.
BASSETT: I couldn't believe that they were injecting themselves into the commission business so directly and so confrontationally.
LAVANDERA (on camera): You got the sense clearly they wanted to influence the outcome, I guess?
BASSETT: Yes, that was my sense, that they wanted us to stop the investigation.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): The commission kept working. More fire experts agreed the investigation relied on junk science. Seven months later, Bassett says he was suddenly told he was not being reappointed because the governor wanted to take the commission in a different direction.
BASSETT: I've seen just kind of an endless drumbeat of strategies and actions to stop this investigation. It's been terribly disappointing.
LAVANDERA (on camera): And why do you think that you were taken of this commission?
BASSETT: It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this was a situation that the governor's office clearly did not want us to conclude.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Perry has denied Sam Bassett's removal was politically motivated, and the governor remains as unwavering today as he was two years ago in his opinion that Willingham deserved to be executed.
PERRY: Go look at the facts and you will find that this is an incredibly bad man who murdered his kids, and the record will stand the scrutiny.
LAVANDERA: More than two years later, the Cameron Todd Willingham investigation is still stalled, and nobody can say for sure if Texas executed an innocent man.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Austin, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Looking ahead to President Obama's speech tonight on jobs, I will be talking to the mayors of Los Angeles, California, and Mesa, Arizona. They're hit hard by the nation's unemployment crisis. We're going to find out what they want to hear from the president about jobs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GRIFFIN: We have been telling you about this flooding crisis in New York. The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, speaking in Binghamton.
Let's listen in to this news conference for a little bit.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: Across the state we have been dealing with natural disasters of a near biblical proportion. We've had floods, threats of hurricanes, earthquakes, and the National Guard has been phenomenal all through the Catskills areas. They've been working in the north country.
And they provide tremendous manpower, person power, and resources. They can provide transportation. With their equipment, they can provide public safety backup for the local police, working in concert with the state police. They do transport of water, of meals. So they are a general utility player of extreme competence capacity.
QUESTION: What areas so far have you looked at specifically, and where are you going to be covering next?
CUOMO: We did an aerial tour of the entire region to see what we're going to be looking at in a few hours. We'll be doing another tour now.
We were also down near the confluence point, where we saw water coming over the dam -- the walls already, which was frightening to see. So that's my point, that this should not be underestimated, and it's going to get worse, it's going to get better.
I should also mention...
GRIFFIN: That's Governor Andrew Cuomo in Binghamton, New York.
Let's bring in Chad Myers.
Chad, the governor really talking about this epic weather event, not just the flooding, but they have been through the hurricane, et cetera. It's getting hammered.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Right.
Well, the ground was saturated from Irene because there was a lot of rain there. And then just in the past 48 hours, this is New York City. There's Wilkes-Barre. And here is Binghamton. So this is where the governor was talk in Binghamton. He is talking about Confluence Point, which is the Shenango and also the Susquehanna rivers, where they come together.
Now, that wall was supposed to keep water out at 28 feet, 27 feet, somewhere around there. That water is actually going over the top of the wall at some point in time, and it's going over now, kind of filling in parts of the town that were protected by that wall of Binghamton, so 20,000 people being moved out of the way. But if you get down just to the west of Wilkes-Barre and you get toward Back Mountain, that's where a lot of flooding is taking place. Let's just go -- I will just go right to here. This is the Susquehanna river at Binghamton, 25.5 right now, going up to about 26.2, maybe a little bit higher than that.
And so at some point in time, when the water hits the top of the levee, the water doesn't go up anymore, it just spills over and spills into the towns. And here are some of the other towns downriver from Nanticoke.
This is the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley. This is parts of Luzerne County. And this is parts of Pennsylvania here where this water is going to go, Plymouth, Edwardsville, Kingston, all the way up the river. We will fly you -- you just keep going right up to Swoyersville and Wyoming.
Now, I know we talk about Wilkes-Barre and we talked about how that is protected by a levee and a wall to 41 feet. But it's the other side, it's the other side of the river that is not protected. So that wall protects half of the riverside, doesn't protect the other side. Here is Confluence Point. Here's Binghamton, water coming over the walls and into the city of Binghamton right now.
This is as bad, if not worse in some points as Hurricane Agnes or what it did in 1972. Waters have never been this high in some spots. And 2006 for Binghamton as well.
GRIFFIN: Wow.
Chad, we will keep watching it with you. Thanks.
MYERS: You're welcome.
GRIFFIN: It's the mother of all Texas wildfires, the Bastrop County blaze, 1,400 homes burned to the ground. It's only 30 percent contained. We will have a live report from that problem after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Want to take you to Texas, developments on the front lines of that massive wildfire. It just keeps getting worse, more houses, families homeless, lives wrecked.
Jim Spellman have been covering this from Bastrop, one of the hardest- hit areas.
Jim, you are seeing the worst of the worst right there.
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I will tell you, this morning, Drew, it was really disheartening for a lot of people when they updated the homes destroyed number from about 500 to almost 1,400.
A lot of people who were holding out hope that their home maybe survived even though it was in the fire zone inside the evacuation area, that has really dimmed for a lot of people. They have been releasing the specific street addresses of homes destroyed as they get them and posting on the wall here at this command center, and people when they find out obviously it's heartbreaking.
We caught up with a few of them. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SPELLMAN (voice-over): As firefighters begin to get control of the deadly Texas wildfire just a mile away, a makeshift command center becomes the new town square.
BILL LUDWIG, WILDFIRE VICTIM: Right here in (INAUDIBLE).
SPELLMAN: Bill Ludwig's home is inside the fire zone. But he doesn't yet know for sure if it's been destroyed.
LUDWIG: I'm shocked I guess mostly. Not knowing what the end result is going to be. I'm pretty convinced that I -- in my mind that it's not going to be good. But, you know, then trying to figure out where we go from here.
SPELLMAN: For Linda Arebalos, a single mom who's been raising her three children here, the news came in the form of a picture sent to her iPhone.
(on camera): When you see these pictures, it must be just heartbreaking.
LINDA AREBALOS, WILDFIRE VICTIM: It is extremely heartbreaking.
SPELLMAN (voice-over): Her home and her van, gone. AREBALOS: The house can be replaced. But I think all the memories is what really hurts, it hits the heart. I start thinking about my babies' pictures and the things they made in elementary and, you know, the things I put up to save to give to their kids -- and gone. You know, it hurts.
MANNY MANFRED, LOST HOME TO WILDFIRE: One-twenty-five.
SPELLMAN: Manny Manfred found his address on a list of destroyed homes. He's already decided he wouldn't rebuild.
M. MANFRED: No, because it would be very difficult. Even if you clean it all away and everything, to sit there and look at black charred monuments to the past.
SPELLMAN: He greets his wife, Vicky.
VICKY MANFRED, LOST HOME TO WILDFIRE: We lost everything.
M. MANFRED: I know.
SPELLMAN: Grateful that even though his home is gone, they're safe and together.
(END VIDEOTAPE) SPELLMAN: Drew, they have made progress against the fire here today. They're wary of how the wind is picking up, but they hope to roll out a reentry plan today and maybe even get some people back into certain areas later today -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: It's so hard to see those people who have lost everything they did own. Many of them had to get out so quickly. Have they had to leave animals behind? I'm wondering if you have any details on animals who have been rescued perhaps by some of these firefighters.
SPELLMAN: Yes, Drew, there has been people in there looking for pets. and some of the ranchers -- the ranches make up such a big part of the complexion of this part of the country.
We spoke to one rancher yesterday. He was able to get his horses on the trailers and out, but literally, less than a half-an-hour to get out, all he could do was cut open the fence to give the cows, the pigs a chance to get out and at least try to get away from the fire.
It will be really difficult for them to figure out what happened to the animals. Can they help them? There are already rescue centers set up. And will they be able to rebuild? And will this part of the country look the same after the fire is cleared as it did before? -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Jim Spellman, just a tough situation there in Texas. Thanks, Jim.
Don't forget to vote for today's "Choose the News" winner. Text 22360 for the story you want see. Your choices are, number one, for the Japan energy crisis, companies using less power, which means working on weekends, turning off lights, and no air conditioning. Text two for rhino rescue, science that may help an endangered species. Or text three for Gumby robber, a man dressed as a cartoon character trying to rob a store.
We will show you that and other strange robbery disguises. The winning story airs later this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: The White House says there will be new ideas in the jobs plan that President Obama unveils tonight.
One Democrat familiar with the plan says this is the cost, $400 billion, expected to include a longer payroll tax holiday designed to put more money in people's paychecks, also expected to include infrastructure spending, aid to states, and incentives for businesses to hire workers.
The unemployment crisis hitting a lot of cities hard. And mayors will be looking at how President Obama's jobs plan might help them, their cities.
And we're talking in-depth with two of them, Los Angeles, where the unemployment rate is 12.3 percent. Programs affected by the bad economy include homeland security, economic development, and help for homeless people, the city's population, more than 3.8 million.
And Mesa, Arizona, the unemployment rate there is 8.7 percent. They had to cut hazmat, SWAT programs, civilian, police and fire education. The population of Mesa 439,000.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles and Mesa Mayor Scott Smith are joining us now.
Scott, what do you want to hear from the president tonight that would help Mesa, Arizona?
SCOTT SMITH (R), MAYOR OF MESA, ARIZONA: Well, I think what we all want to hear is something positive and perhaps some specifics.
I think there has been a lot of talk, platitudes and generalities thrown around. But I think what we need now is we need some specific ideas. You have seen a lot of plans come out recently, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors', that have specific proposals.
And let's throw these proposals out on the table. Let's debate them. I think the interesting thing is, with all the different plans coming from the different quarters,, there's a lot of common themes, there's a lot of commonalities that I think both sides can agree on. And let's focus on those specific ideas and get them in place.
GRIFFIN: Mayor Villaraigosa, is there one thing that you want to hear, you want to see done? And I got to ask you, if you do, why haven't we seen it already?
ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA (D), MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES: Well, first of all, it's great to be on your show again, Drew.
And hello to Scott.
Look, Scott is a Republican mayor. I am a Democratic mayor, but we both agree that we do need specifics. And I think that President Obama will be -- in fact, I know that President Obama will be sharing specifics about how to create jobs and put people back to work.
I think he is going to fight for the idea that we can't continue to dither and just talk about the deficit and the debt, that we have to do something now concrete and effectively in a bipartisan way to put people back to work. He is going to talk about reauthorization of the transportation bill that will create almost three million jobs.
He is going to talk about, as you said, cutting the payroll tax, providing tax credits to small businesses, doing things that historically have been supported by both Democrats and Republicans. And it's time for both parties to get off the dime and not just be specific, but be diligent and forthright in moving ahead, and stop with the partisanship and the game-playing.
I mean, the idea that people wouldn't be going to the special session tonight is untenable.
GRIFFIN: Yes. VILLARAIGOSA: We want our leaders to work together.
GRIFFIN: Mayor, let me -- Mayor Villaraigosa, let me just jump in, because this is the same question I asked Robert Riche, the former Labor secretary, and that is, you know, what can the president do to create jobs in your city that are not tax supported jobs, but tax revenue plus jobs, private sector jobs? Is there something he can do, other than just hand out money, that would super actual economic and sustainable growth in the city of Los Angeles?
VILLARAIGOSA: Absolutely. Absolutely. By passing the reauthorization bill for transportation and the way that the president will propose, we can -- through a program called the TIFIA program, a transportation loan program, incentivize localities to create private sector jobs in Los Angeles, in Mesa, and in cities across the country. One hundred and twenty-four mayors have signed on to the expansion of TIFIA. Why that's important is, the government gets paid back. They're creating jobs, about 1 million jobs, without putting a lot of money forward.
GRIFFIN: Mayor Smith -- Mayor Smith, would that kind of --
VILLARAIGOSA: And this -- and it's being supported by John Mica, the chair -- the Republican chair of the Transportation Committee, and Barbara Boxer --
GRIFFIN: Mayor -- Mayor Villaraigosa, just hold on one second. Let me ask Scott real one quick.
Mayor Smith, is that the kind of program that you would support and would that help create actual jobs in Mesa, Arizona?
MAYOR SCOTT SMITH (R), MESA, ARIZONA: Well, smart investment in infrastructure creates both short term jobs, but it also creates long- term economic benefits. We're not looking for -- with the infrastructure -- and I'm in line with Mayor Villaraigosa on this -- we're looking for smart investments in infrastructure. And we're looking for ways that we can entice private investment and local investment so it doesn't increase the deficit. Smart investments in infrastructure return many time more the economic benefit than it costs. And we can do it in a way that gives us short-term benefits, which creates instant jobs, but also long-term economic drivers that will strengthen our economy in the long term.
Yes, that helps in Mesa, Arizona, but it's got to be a smart investment. We're not looking for make work here. We're looking for smart investments that include all sectors, federal, local, private money.
GRIFFIN: All right, Mayor Smith, Mayor Villaraigosa, I think we had some common ground there, even though you're on a couple of opposite sides of the spectrum. It's interesting to talk to mayors --
VILLARAIGOSA: No, we do have common ground. There's no question about it.
GRIFFIN: Yes, you do. You guys are -- SMITH: A lot of common ground.
GRIFFIN: You guys are right there on the front lines. That's why we like talking about -- with mayors. They really have to get the job done. We appreciate you both. Mayor Villaraigosa, I believe you're in Washington today.
VILLARAIGOSA: I am.
GRIFFIN: And, Mayor Smith of Mesa, Arizona. Thank you, guys.
CNN's live coverage of the president's speech begins with a special preview in "The Situation Room." It's at 6:00 Eastern. Followed by the speech itself at 7:00. And stay tuned for insight and analysis on "AC 360" at 8:00. All of it right here on CNN.
Today's "Talk Back" question, are you going to watch the president's speech? Tom, well he says, "I will watch the president's speech tonight. Why? Very simple, I am an American." We'll have more of your responses right ahead.
But first, here's some free money advice from the CNN "Help Desk."
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Well, time now for "The Help Desk," where we get answers to your financial questions. Joining me this hour, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, the founder of the financial advice blog askthemoneycoach.com, and Stacy Francis. She's a certificated financial planner and also president of Francis Financial.
All right, ladies. First question to you, Lynnette. This comes from Susan. Susan has $40,000 in credit card debt. Her house in under water. She makes a pretty good living, but lives paycheck to paycheck. She's wondering if she should file for bankruptcy?
LYNNETTE KHALFANI-COX, FOUNDER, ASKTHEMONEYCOACH.COM: I always tell people that bankruptcy should be a last resort. First, try to negotiate with your creditors. Try to re-tweak your budget. Perhaps try credit counseling. If none of that works, then possibly look into bankruptcy.
HARLOW: Last resort because it really stays on your record.
KHALFANI-COX: Absolutely.
HARLOW: To you, Stacy. Paul wrote in abut his son. His son just got his master's degree and the family still has about $15,000 in their 529 savings account. They want to know if they can change the beneficiary on that to the younger brother, to the other son, without getting hit by the gift tax?
STACY FRANCIS, PRESIDENT, FRANCIS FINANCIAL: Yes, they don't have to worry about any gift tax. And not only can they say -- change it to the other son, they could use it themselves or even give it to other family members, grandparents, nieces, nephews. So there's a lot that you can do. But kudos to them that they didn't use the whole 529 plan. That's great. HARLOW: Right. So saving for education, obviously, it passes on to family members.
FRANCIS: It does. It does.
HARLOW: All right, great to know. Thanks, guys.
And if you have a question that you want answered, just send us an e- mail any time to cnnhelpdesk@cnn.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Ten years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the start of that war in Afghanistan, what is going on there? Well, our Suzanne Malveaux is reporting from Afghanistan this week and she says one major challenge is to train the Afghan army so that army can take over its own security by the end of 2014.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are more than 200 Afghan pilots. The goal is, in the next four years, to more than double that number. Right now they've got Americans and Afghans working in a partnership. They hope that both these seats will be occupied by Afghans in the years to come.
But the real challenge is on the ground. That is because 86 percent of the Afghan recruits who try to join the army can't read or write. That is the main challenge for U.S. and NATO, to try to get those guys up to speed as quickly as possible so they can protect their own country and U.S. troops can go home.
Suzanne Malveaux, Kabul, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Having a bumpy ride there.
Suzanne will have more on the training of Afghan forces, including a 19-year-old Afghan woman, who's defying the odds by training to become a pilot herself. She's going to talk with American troops who were just children on the day of the 9/11 attacks. That should be interesting. Watch her live reports beginning tomorrow through Sunday, the actual day, September 11th, here on CNN.
And you have been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello is here with your answers.
Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Such a simple question, too. The "Talk Back" question today, Drew, will you watch the president's speech? Why or why not?
This from Mike. He says, reluctantly, "yes. So frustrating with everybody in politics right now. We need a clean sweep of our government. As a registered independent, it is incredibly disappointing to see the direction this country is going. Congress is just as much to blame as the president at this point. Doesn't seem like the president really has any control anymore."
This from Phillip. "I watch all of them. Even if you don't like the guy, he's your leader and you should at least listen to what he has to say so you know why you agree with him, or not."
This from Nora. "Absolutely. The Republicans are acting like kids covering their ears while Americans are hurting. They don't have enough respect to even listen to what President Obama has to say. They all need to put in time out."
This from Melissa. "No. He has nothing new to say. He is all talk about creating jobs and has been saying the same thing since he came into office. I want results."
Keep the conversation going, facebook.com/carolcnn. And thanks, as always, for your comments.
GRIFFIN: Carol, thanks.
Stick around. "Choose The News" right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Here is the "Choose The News" winners. You know, there are -- on Sunday, Japan is going to -- oh, we're going to do this story. There are only seven northern white rhinos left in the world. Science may help save these animals from extension. CNN's Colleen McEdwards has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All rhinos are endangered. Threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their horns. Many of them end up in traditional medicine markets. China has used powdered rhino horn in its medicines for 2,000 years.
In Indonesia, as few as 40 Javan Rhino are believed to exist in the forests. This is motion activated footage captured by the World Wildlife Fund earlier this year. They say it's very difficult to see them face-to-face.
BARNEY LONG, ASIAN SPECIES MANAGER, WWF: Our teams see them very, very rarely. In fact, Abbie (ph), the team leader we have in (INAUDIBLE), has only actually seen rhinos three times in the 20 years that he's been studying them.
MCEDWARDS: But a scientific breakthrough in stem cell research could be the key to saving another endangered rhino. Northern white rhinos formally ranged over parts of central Africa. There are believed to be only seven left in the entire world. None in the wild. All of them in captivity. Two of them female.
So researchers, collaborating with the San Diego Zoo, do something remarkable using human stem cell research.
JEAN LORING, RESEARCH, THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE: So small skin samples taken. The cells from that skin sample are cultured and then we add what are cultry (ph) programming factors to turn those cells into very potent stem cells, which are equivalent to embryonic stem cells.
MCEDWARDS: They're hoping to make test tube babies, which could ensure the survival of the species for generations to come.
LORING: We worked on making these stem cells for over two years. When we succeeded, we succeeded all at once. Everything worked suddenly. That's what happens in science sometimes, luckily.
MCEDWARDS: The stem cells could eventually be used to create sperm and egg cells for use in artificial insemination for many different species.
LORING: We plan now to do this reprogramming, making (INAUDIBLE) stem cells from a number of other endangered species that are preserved at the Frozen Zoo in San Diego.
MCEDWARDS: Though it's best to preserve wildlife and their habitats, science may step in to save a species from extinction.
Colleen McEdwards, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
