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President Obama Set to Unveil Jobs Plan; Flooding Forces Evacuations; Journalist Reports Not Many Afghanis Know about 9/11; Danica Patrick Switches to NASCAR; NASA Testing New Rocket Motor

Aired September 08, 2011 - 15:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin. It is finally here.

Hours from now, President Obama will address Congress and the nation and unveil his highly anticipated jobs plan. Both Democrats and Republicans, they are waiting to hear his proposal, and, of course, so are you, millions of Americans out of a job and looking for work.

In a matter of minutes, one of the people closest to the president who advised him on this very plan will join me live.

But, first, I want to begin with a fast-moving situation right now. In Pennsylvania, and really across much of the Northeast, the floodwater is rising. And people have to get out. More than 100,000 ordered to evacuate.

I want to show you this first picture. This is going to be Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, what is left of Tropical Storm Lee. We have been talking about Lee for a couple of days now. Pouring rain on top of already saturated land. You know, that's a bad equation -- has triggered near historic flooding there. The Susquehanna River already 12 feet above flood stage and rising.

At least three people in Pennsylvania have died, including a 71-year- old man who was crushed when his basement walls simply collapsed on him as he was trying to bail out water.

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, right along the Susquehanna River also getting some of the worst of it.

CNN's Mary Snow actually had to evacuate the area. She was perched I guess precariously close to that river and is now on the phone.

Mary, I know you and the crew had to move to higher ground. That tells me that's not a good sign.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brooke, you know, city officials really had everybody clear out of the area.

In Wilkes-Barre, about half of the city has been asked to evacuate, and they have about another hour. City officials and county officials moved up the timeline, so that people must leave by 4:00, and that's because the Susquehanna River is expected to crest between 8:00 and midnight. And where we were standing, that levee can really hold up to about 41 feet, and that is what the river is expected to crest at, and, you know, that was, say officials, too close for comfort. That levee, by the way, was built because of a devastating hurricane back in 1972, Hurricane Agnes.

BALDWIN: Yes.

SNOW: And there were thousands and thousands of homes damaged and that levee came into play and really what officials are telling us is this is the first big test for that levee.

BALDWIN: I know you were talking to the mayor, and you were asking him, you know, has this been tested before, this levee? What was his response? How worried is he?

SNOW: He is worried. You know, the officials that I have talked though say that they are confident that this levee will hold. If the forecasts remain on track, as I said, the level that the river is supposed to crest is about 41 feet, which is what the levee can handle.

You know, they are watching this very carefully though because if that fluctuates at all, you know, obviously it is problematic, but I think because of their concern is why they had to move as well, and police had been patrolling, you know, the area along the river, really asking everybody to head for higher ground.

BALDWIN: I have Chad Myers standing by.

And I know you know this area very well. What, your parents were born in this area, yes?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In Plymouth, right downriver, yes.

BALDWIN: So we will talk about exactly more about the cresting of the river.

But, Mary, I have one more for you, because if you follow the Susquehanna River northward, you know, you look at places like Binghamton, Johnson City and Upstate New York, do we know how much higher the river there is expected to rise?

SNOW: Exactly, and that's why there is concern here because they are seeing the runoff from Upstate New York. One of the good things that -- the good sign is the rain has pretty much stopped here. It's not really raining that hard right now. That was one sign that officials were happy to see, but, yes, they are very concerned about that runoff from Upstate New York.

BALDWIN: You want to jump in?

MYERS: Mary, I don't know what the officials are telling you, but we have been watching these gauges all along the Susquehanna, from Binghamton, where the water is actually over some of the flood walls into the city, although that should not flood the city proper, but down to Meshoppen, where the flood was supposed to stop at 43.3. It's now 43.7. It's over what the forecast was.

And I believe that's probably why the officials moved you out of the way, because it's not an exact science on how high this river is going to go.

SNOW: Absolutely.

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: So just because it's supposed to be three inches below the top of the wall doesn't mean it couldn't be four inches over the top of the wall.

BALDWIN: Mary, go ahead. What were you going to say?

SNOW: Yes. No, absolutely. Chad, what you were saying is that because this can fluctuate, and this isn't an exact science, that's what has made them concerned.

You know, at the beginning of the day, the river was expected to crest later in the evening and then that changed throughout the day, and that's why they moved up that evacuation deadline to 4:00 p.m. So, yes, any fluctuation, you know, obviously they are concerned about. They say that this levee can hold between 41 and 43 feet.

BALDWIN: Here's my question then. If I'm living there along the river and I know there obviously you have some fears of flooding, but did they get any kinds of heads up? Did they know that the rains like this would be seen? Did they know -- of course the ground was already saturated, but did they get enough time to say, OK, packing my bags and I'm leaving?

SNOW: Well, you know, they have been watching this closely and some areas here along some of the creeks, and that's one area of concern, were evacuated two days ago because of rising waters when the tropical storm rains had come in.

So, yes, they have been watching this very closely. They wanted that four-hour buffer zone, they said, because they were afraid that people may not take this seriously. And some of them, the mayor included, had the memories of 1972 weighing on them, so that they really didn't want to take any chances.

BALDWIN: OK. Mary Snow, thank you very much. We're going to check back in with you next hour. Hopefully we will establish a picture now that the crew will be able to get to higher ground.

Chad, as we -- go ahead.

(CROSSTALK)

MYERS: This is important, because we're talking about the levee protecting Wilkes-Barre.

BALDWIN: Yes. MYERS: That's one city. All the way from Pittston, through Edwardsville and Swoyersville, and Plymouth, where my parents are from, down to Shickshinny and Nanticoke, those are not protected. Those areas are absolutely going to flood. The water went from 15 feet to 43 feet in almost 24 hours.

BALDWIN: Wow.

MYERS: So you think about a river that goes up 28 feet in 24 hours, people cannot be ready for that. Those people from Kingston all the way down to the river, all the way down to Swoyersville and Nanticoke and Shickshinny, the water is going to flood and there's nothing they can do about it because there's no wall for them.

BALDWIN: Yikes.

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: Chad, we will check in with you in just a little while. Thank you very much.

MYERS: You're welcome.

BALDWIN: Still ahead, though, she's making history. Danica Patrick about to join the NASCAR circuit full-time and the move comes as she spearheads this awareness campaign in memory of her grandmother. Danica Patrick explains when she joins me live.

And coming up, hours from now, President Obama will address the nation and give his plan for jobs in America. But will he give deliver tonight that changes employment tomorrow and what's the sticker price? His domestic policy adviser is standing by. Melody Barnes joins me next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The president's jobs speech tonight before the joint session of Congress, unusually early, 7:00 Eastern time. CNN live coverage, you just saw the graphic, starting at 6:00 precisely.

And joining us now from the White House, the president's domestic policy adviser, Melody Barnes.

Melody, thanks for sparing some time for us here.

Let me just begin with is the speech ready to go, and what kind of tone will be the president be setting tonight?

MELODY BARNES, DIRECTOR, DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL: Great. Well, thanks so much for having me, Brooke.

And the speech is absolutely ready to go, and the president is ready to go. He's ready to go to the Hill and to talk to the American public and also to talk to Congress, to sell them that he will be sending the American Jobs Act with to them next week and that he wants to work with them and wants them to act immediately so that we can put Americans back to work.

That's the objective of the speech, but more importantly that's the objective of what we're trying to get done.

BALDWIN: OK, Melody, help set us straight. Is this purely a legislative package, you know, subject to congressional approval, or will the president give us something, specifics that will start creating jobs like tomorrow?

BARNES: Well, the president is going to send legislation forward to Congress next week. He's been all over the country for the past several months listening to the American public, but also talking to business leaders, talking to experts about the best ways that we can move forward and create and to save jobs to meet the needs that are out there. We want teachers in classrooms. We want firefighters and policemen out in communities.

We want to build our roads, our bridges, all those needs that have to be met.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Will he do anything unilaterally?

BARNES: Well, the president is always looking for ways that we can act more immediately to get things done, so that's always something that he he's looking to do and wants to do and will do, but in this instance, he's specifically sending the American Jobs Act to Congress and asking Congress to stand up and take its -- do its job and to move immediately and to pass this legislation, so that we can create those jobs in the way that the act calls for.

BALDWIN: OK.

When you look back, you look at the stimulus package, and that was $787 billion, the president promised to save or create 3.5 million jobs. That didn't happen. But what is the sticker price on this one, and how many jobs will you be able to create?

(CROSSTALK)

BARNES: Well, first, I want to correct that.

The American Recovery Act created, saved three million jobs, at least three million jobs. It made a very tough recession, a recession we didn't know was as bad as -- was going to be as it was, it made it a little bit easier, but obviously that's not enough and that's not meaningful for people who don't have jobs today.

So what we're sending forward is a package that will be completely paid for, will not add a dime to the deficit, but it's going to require the president and Congress to work together to get this done, and we are willing to do our part.

BALDWIN: But how many jobs will this specific plan create? BARNES: We are confident that it will create a substantial number of jobs, and we are also confident that independent analysts, not those working at the White House, but independent analysts, will substantiate that.

BALDWIN: Can you be more specific beyond substantial? Is there a specific number?

BARNES: After the president announces his package this evening and sends this forward, we will be able to talk more specifically. I'm not going to get out ahead of him with the kinds of specifics that your question would require me to answer right now.

BALDWIN: OK.

BARNES: But I can say that it will be substantial and independent analysts will be supportive of that.

BALDWIN: OK. We won't get new trouble with your boss at the moment.

(CROSSTALK)

BARNES: Thank you. I appreciate that, Brooke.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: We will be watching.

But I do want to listen to House Speaker John Boehner speaking today. And he was asked why his Republicans won't be giving, you know, an official response to the president's speech tonight. Here's the speaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Listen, this is not a State of the Union address. The American people shouldn't be forced to watch some politician they don't want to listen to.

(LAUGHTER)

BOEHNER: And, frankly, most of them would rather watch a football game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, Melody, like it or not...

BARNES: Yes.

BALDWIN: ... the speaker is probably on to something there. You're not directly up against the game tonight, but you're practically begging the pundits to characterize this essentially as pregame entertainment, and this is a major address before a joint session of Congress. How did the White House let this happen?

BARNES: Well, I think the White House and the president are being responsive to the needs and the desires of the American people.

Obviously, people are interested in the football game, but most importantly people are interested in how they are going to go to work. They are interested in bringing a paycheck home and sending their kids to college and paying their bills, and that is what the president, who is the commander in chief and the leader of this country, will be doing tonight when he goes to Congress.

And I believe that the American people will be very interested in what he has to say and the fact that he is also going to say the time for dithering, the time for partisanship, the tame for all of the back and forth is over. This is the time to move forward, for Congress to act and to pass this bill and to get this done.

So I think there will be a lot of interest in it tonight.

BALDWIN: One more for you, and that's this. We're more than two-and- a-half years into the presidency. Much of the time was focused on passing the health care reform.

Did the White House, did it err by not going full-bore on jobs from the get, and had you done that, might we not be in the fix we're in right now? I know you know the numbers, 9.1 unemployment rate, 14 million Americans out of work.

BARNES: Everything that the president has done from day one has been about getting this economy back in shape. We passed the Recovery Act, as I said, created, saved over three million jobs.

We also passed a health care bill, something that both business leaders and individuals had been calling for because it was necessary to address the issue of cost for individual families, but also the costs on businesses, so businesses could be more competitive. All of these things fit hand in glove.

This isn't an either/or proposition. This is looking at our economy comprehensively. And in addition to that, health care is one of the fastest growing job sectors today. That's an area where we are creating jobs. So all of these are important factors to get our economy going, and the president will continue to do the work that he started over two years ago. And, tonight, sending that American Jobs Act forward, asking Congress to act, that's another important step forward.

BALDWIN: Melody Barnes live for us at the White House -- Melody, thank you very much.

Again, a quick reminder to all of you. We will be getting the best political team on television set for you at 6:00 tonight Eastern time, and then, of course, the president's address, joint session of Congress, 7:00 Eastern.

Now this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CAPT. ZACHARY SHORE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: If I had just gotten here, I would have been surprised. But having been here now for six months, I'm not. This is pretty much the Stone Ages where we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: We're learning what some American soldiers already know, that some people around the world don't even know what happened on 9/11.

Coming up, what happened when a journalist shared the pictures of the September 11 terrorist attacks in remote parts of Afghanistan?

Also, Homeland Security says chatter is starting to build ahead of the weekend's anniversary -- what they are doing to keep Americans safe.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: As the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 approaches, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano tells reporters there is no information about a specific threat, but she did say intelligence agencies are monitoring what she's calling -- quote -- "a lot of chatter."

Secretary Napolitano says her agency is taking the chatter very seriously. She adds it's not uncommon to see increased chatter before a major event like this.

Also, German police may have stopped a bomb plot. They arrested two men, one of Lebanese descent, the other from Gaza. Police say the two tried to buy chemicals to make a bomb. Law enforcement had been monitoring these men for months. Police do not think they have any ties to international terrorist organizations, and if they had a specific target in mind, investigators say they are not aware of it.

And messages allegedly from Moammar Gadhafi himself claim he is still in Libya. Syrian television airing several messages supposedly from the ousted Libyan leader. The man claiming to be Gadhafi says he's still in Libya and will not leave. He says -- quote -- "They claimed I left to Niger, so they can weaken you and destroy your morale."

And he calls these reports lies. Gadhafi has not been seen in public in months, and his whereabouts not known.

More headaches from that crane that collapsed there at the Washington National Cathedral. This 500-ton crane toppled onto cars yesterday during work to try to fix some of the damage caused by last month's earthquake and then also from Irene. Now all 9/11 commemorative events scheduled there at the Cathedral, including the president's speech Sunday, will have to move to other various locations, including the Kennedy Center.

Coming up next, as President Obama gets ready to announce his jobs plan in just a matter of hours, there's a program he's apparently studying, one that's drawn praise from both Democrats and Republicans, and it involves tryouts, kind of like auditions. I will talk to the man who launched the program, and he says it became victim of its own popularity. What does that mean?

Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Back to the jobs story. In terms of creating new jobs, we now know that Washington is watching the different states to see whether what they have got going on might actually work on the federal level.

Here with me now, Mike Thurmond. He's the former Georgia labor commissioner. His Georgia Works program has earned a shout-out from the president, also from "The Wall Street Journal."

Mr. Thurmond, thanks for coming in studio to talk to me about this specific program.

First, just essentially how does it work?

MIKE THURMOND, FORMER GEORGIA LABOR COMMISSIONER: It's what you said. It's a trial, a win-win proposition where job-seekers can audition their skills, receive new training. Employers provide the training at no cost, and we have had a 60 percent success rate over the past seven years.

BALDWIN: So essentially these prospective employees, they go work.

THURMOND: For up to 24 hours a week, for up to eight weeks.

BALDWIN: And they get paid. If they are getting unemployment benefits, they get their unemployment benefits in addition to a stipend.

THURMOND: And the stipend is to offset the cost of child care and transportation and other non-related costs.

BALDWIN: Who are the employers who you have working on the program?

THURMOND: We have had over 16,000 Georgia employers who provided training. More than 32,000 Georgia job-seekers have signed up; 23,000 have completed the training, and, as I said, six out of 10 found a job within 90 days.

BALDWIN: Wow. Are we talking health? Are we talking law, manufacturing? What kinds of jobs?

THURMOND: All of the above.

BALDWIN: Really?

THURMOND: It runs the gamut from white collar, blue-collar, no- collar.

What it really does is it allows employers to reduce the costs of hiring, training and recruiting new employees. In a difficult environment such as this, employers have to watch every dime. And so now they can make better choices about who is there, what are their skill sets and whether or not they will fit into their companies.

BALDWIN: OK. I want to read something. This is from -- I want to give credit to Stateline.org for pointing this out. They are reporting -- I see you nodding because you have seen this -- they are reporting that George Works peaked last December with 4,700 participants. Take a look at graphics. You can see it go up and then it goes down, the nosedive. The graphic kind of tells it all.

Mr. Thurmond, what happened?

THURMOND: Well, it's an indication of the seriousness of Georgia's job market. We opened it up not just to unemployment insurance claimants, but also those Georgians and Americans who have been out of work who don't qualify for unemployment benefits -- 50 percent of the unemployed Americans either didn't qualify or have exhausted their benefits.

So I opened it up because they are in more desperate straits than those who are receiving benefits, and we had an overwhelming response.

BALDWIN: So the number of people looking for jobs just totally overwhelmed the number of people who could have provided them?

THURMOND: Yes, the money that we had set aside.

Actually, it was a positive thing, because you hear so much and people say, oh, the folks are unemployed, they don't want to work. This demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that Americans are ready and willing to get back to work.

BALDWIN: I know there have been criticisms that the stipend ultimately it was doubled at one point in time. Let me get the number. I know Georgia actually ended up paying $2.2 million in stipend checks. I know some states like New Hampshire are now offering programs like this, minus the stipend because everybody, like you mentioned, they are watching their pennies, nickels and dimes, also the administrative costs and to make sure some of these companies are in it for the right reasons, right?

THURMOND: Yes. Yes. Yes, of course.

BALDWIN: But given all of that, would it work on the federal level?

THURMOND: I think it would work if we allow states to be creative. We don't need a big new federal bureaucracy.

What states need really is what the president did two weeks ago, provide leadership, direction, inspiration, and allow states the opportunity to be creative and innovative and create programs. New Hampshire implemented the Georgia Works strategy, but a little different from Georgia, and I think why it's successful in New Hampshire as well as here in Georgia.

BALDWIN: Allowing the different states to decide and be creative and figure out to put their people back to work.

THURMOND: That's it. Let employers and job-seekers make that magic where hiring takes place.

BALDWIN: We need magic everywhere we can get it.

THURMOND: We need magic.

BALDWIN: Michael Thurmond, thank you so much.

THURMOND: Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Appreciate it.

And now listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM PLETTS, REPORTER: Amazingly, in a country where, for 10 years, a war has been fought with 9/11 as its root cause and justification, it turns out not only were the villagers oblivious to 9/11, but so were the Afghan police.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Coming up next, this stunning report about what Afghans actually know about 9/11, and perhaps most importantly what they do not.

Find out what they said when a journalist showed them images of the 9/11 attacks, the Twin Towers, also who they think the bad guys really are. I will talk live with the man who found out firsthand. Adam Pletts joins me live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In our commitment to cover the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we came across this story that really stopped us in our tracks. This story comes from a journalist, Adam Pletts, who traveled all the way to Afghanistan with a handful of photos, photos just like this. I know, I don't even have to ask you what this picture is of, but that's a question that Pletts asked villagers, police, elders in Afghanistan, and we wanted you to hear their answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAM PLETTS, JOURNALIST: And 9/11 was one of those rare events that most people can remember exactly where they were when they first saw, it so perhaps we take it for granted that everybody knows what it is, but would at least recognize it, but is that really the case, especially in some of the places that have been most affected by its consequences?

Helmand in southern Afghanistan is the province that has borne the brunt of the fighting between the Taliban and coalition forces. While on patrol with the marines I get an opportunity to ask a couple of young afghan men what they know about 9/11.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, they never heard about this. PLETTS (on camera): Can you show them a few more, and can you ask them if they know where it is, even?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know, sir. We never heard about anything in the world.

PLETTS (voice-over): The two young men clearly never heard of 9/11. But maybe the elders would have more to say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. They are saying that they can just see the smoke from the building and that's it. When you guys showed us the picture they are saying I think that's Kabul.

PLETTS (on camera): If I had just gotten here I would have been surprised. But having been here for six months, I'm not. This is pretty much the Stone Ages where we are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you think about the reaction?

PLETTS: The guy that says it was Kabul, have never been to Kabul which shows you how isolated they are, even in their own country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did America and Afghanistan come to the point and get the airplane here to attack in the United States. They don't have that much power.

PLETTS: It was nice to go from Iraq to then here, a lot easier to understand, you know, why you're here, and you have that picture. Can always have the picture to remind yourself that's why we're here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Americans are saying we're going to help you. Destroy one building and destroy how many buildings and they say we're going to help you. Where is the help?

PLETTS: I do sympathize what some are saying, yes, your buildings were knocked down. But how many of our build having been knocked down?

(voice-over): Amazingly in a country where a war has been fought with 9/11 as its root justifications, turns out the villagers and Afghan police and some of the translators working with the U.S. military.

(on camera) You don't know the history of that?

No, I have no idea about certain things.

PLETTS: Have you ever seen these pictures before?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

PLETTS (voice-over): In fact, after showing the images to dozens of afghans, I only found one person who clearly recognized them and could connect them to the U.S.'s initial reason for coming to Afghanistan, and that was the police district chief in Marjah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said the terrorists attacked the building in New York and they destroyed most of this building. So that's why the Americans were forced to come into Afghanistan.

PLETTS: A survey taken in 2010 by the International Council on Security and Development found that 92 percent of afghan men in Helmand and other Afghan provinces had no idea what 9/11 was.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: And Adam Pletts out of Afghanistan, joining me now from Beirut. Adam, I have a number of questions for, but my first one really is how did you come up with this idea?

PLETTS: Well, I was embedded with the marines in Helmand in the same place that this story was made, and they -- they told me an anecdote about how they had been in one of the villages on the day when the moon was out during broad daylight, and they -- they told the villagers through their translator that America had put a man on the moon, which the villagers found absolutely hysterical. And they called all their friends around and thought it was ridiculous that you could put a man on the moon.

So the marines left pretty much the laughing stock of that village. And so I got to thinking, well, if they don't know that, you know, that man has walked on the moon, what else aren't they aware of and it was in this context of Afghanistan, the most obvious thing that springs to mind is 9/11, which we all think of as the root cause.

BALDWIN: That is stunning. Here's what I want to know. You showed all the people you showed the images to on camera, but off camera how many people did you show the photos of 9/11, to and how many people recognized it? Was it really just that one police chief?

PLETTS: There were about 80 people actually filmed on camera, and then obviously you see the edit of this particular story. And out of those 80, about 10 had some recognition. A couple said New York and recognized it straight away. But the only person who could connection very definitely with what the images were and put them into context of 9/11 and the sequence of events that led U.S. and international forces being there was the police chief in Marjah, as you saw. And the overwhelming majority were just totally confused.

But I just add I think it would be very different if you were to go to the big cities, more people would know, and if you walked around Kabul university asking the same question, you'd probably find that everybody knows, just like in the outside world.

BALDWIN: That's what I wondered. I know you spent 18 months in Kabul so if you're saying if you were in a more educated pocket of the country they would have an inkling as to what happened.

What about the marines, Adam? How do the marines act, in Afghanistan risking their lives trying to further the future of these afghans who don't even know why they are there?

PLETTS: Yes. Well, they were quite interested, I mean. Some of the marines, one of the officers I was with would stop their patrols specifically so I could show the pictures. And they took an interest in it and quite surprised themselves just because the contrast of your assumptions, and even though you're there and you can see that there's very little education, there's very little infrastructure, there's no media and illiteracy is really high, so there's good reasons they don't know. You can't say they are ignorant.

But even though you know all these things it's still surprising that this knowledge isn't there. I was in touch with one of them who sent me an e-mail, the guy you saw on the story, and he said that he'll remember that day for the rest of his life. So it obviously made an impact to him. I guess it's that contrast.

BALDWIN: So why do they think we're there?

PLETTS: That's a very good question, and, you know, I didn't go as far as pushing for answers for this, partly because there's always a danger that things in Afghanistan are going to be lost in translation. But I think it's important to note that the Taliban is kind of used as an umbrella to them so when you hear about the Taliban, sometimes, most of the time, insurgent groups are acting independently or in line with other groups and these guys will talk about the "bad guys" generically and that's what you hear in conversations between the marines and the bad guys. Why they are seen as the bad guys and why foreign military forces came in the first place, that connection isn't there.

BALDWIN: It is an eye-opening piece, Adam Pletts. We thank you so much for herring it with us.

PLETTS: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up, her grandmother's death inspired her to join a cause, and this coming weekend the country will see Danica Patrick doing most what she loves most, driving, only now it's behind the wheel of a stock car. The newest lady driver to hit the NASCAR track joins me live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Coming to an oval track in your neck of the woods, full time this season, Danica Patrick of Indy car fame. Hello, Daytona, hello Talladega, hello, Bristol, Tennessee. Danica Patrick made the switch to NASCAR. She made the announcement late last month and joins us live now from Richmond, Virginia. Danica, nice to see you and meet you here. Let me just begin with why the switch, why go from Indy car to NASCAR?

DANICA PATRICK, NASCAR DRIVER: I just have fun driving those cars. I have fun racing stock cars. There's a lot that happens in the race. There's lots of things that change, and I love the fact that if you can be on the lead lap at the end of the race with the yellow flag all bunched up that anything can happen. And there's lots of passing, and, oh, yes, those fenders are kind of fun, too.

BALDWIN: I was about to say, the rubbing, the fighting, you're OK with that? PATRICK: You know, I'm sure everybody shares a little bit of that feeling of driving down the road and wishing you could just like bump someone a little bit, and I've definitely felt like that in Indy car, but since the wheels are all exposed it's kind of dangerous. So it's nice to be able to exercise that aggression and, I don't just do it randomly, but when it's appropriate.

BALDWIN: Well, I'll ask you about the real road here in a minute, but everyone knows you're the first female to win an Indy race. You've got the sponsors. You have lots of attention, but other drivers and fans kind of want to know can you, Miss Patrick, can you bring it?

PATRICK: What is it? I guess everybody has a different idea of what it is.

BALDWIN: Being competitive?

PATRICK: I can only do my best. If that's the case, then hopefully they have already seen that on a good weekend I can be and hopefully that becomes just a regular thing and I'm very early in my stock car career, still not even completed what would be a full season of a nationwide series so lots to learn still for sure.

BALDWIN: In a male-dominated sport, can you just describe a moment you've had where you thought, you know what, this wouldn't be happening to me if I weren't a woman?

PATRICK: Well, I do feel very lucky to be a female and to receive the attention that I do, and it allows me to have opportunities outside of the car, as well as inside of the car that maybe a regular guy might not have. I have great partners. Go Daddy is a great sponsor. I'm doing an awareness campaign for COPD. I mean, I'm aware of doing such great things that maybe some people wouldn't get the opportunity to do.

BALDWIN: Here's what I want to know. When you go out on a date with your hubby, who drives, you or him?

PATRICK: Whoever's car is being driven, I have to say, or, you know, I'm very responsible. So if, you know, if I feel like letting loose a little bit, I'm a passenger for sure. So it depends on whose car it is most of the time.

BALDWIN: I was reading your tweets the last couple of weeks and you were tweeting you and Betty White have something in common. What is, that and how does it manifest itself?

PATRICK: I was reading a magazine, and there was some little tidbit in some kind of gossip magazine that said that Betty White has road rage. And I just thought oh, my gosh, my poor husband is going to hear me have road rage forever. I thought maybe as you get road rage, you might dissipate, I'd be more calm. But Betty White is pretty old and if she has that going on, I know I tend to have more than most regular people, so poor guy is going to be so annoyed with my dictation of everything happening on the road.

BALDWIN: Are you working on keeping the -- the road rage in checking, Danica?

PATRICK: I try. I really do. I know most people probably don't think that's true, especially the people that ride with me, but I do try. I do try a little bit. I try to be very responsible, especially in neighborhoods or by kids or animals or people walking on the street, I try to be very respectful. But when it comes to the highways and speed, I -- I try and be like about the fastest driver, but maybe the cop would pick someone else.

BALDWIN: How about this? Did you see the amount or kind of attention receive change after all the Super Bowl ads the last couple of years and the attention you've been receiving?

PATRICK: One thing that's definitely happened in my career, and I'm very fortunate for it, but -- and it's due to things like those super bowl ads I do with Go Daddy and other things that I do, but I continue to get a little more popular and recognized all the time, which is still in a really good place. I feel lucky. I'm not hounded. I don't have photographers chasing me. I don't have people bombarding me. But, you know, I kind of get that perfect amount of, yes, we have a seat for you at our restaurant, and here's a free dessert. I mean, it's kind of -- kind of a really nice balance right now.

But I'm really fortunate. I'm able to continue to do what I'm doing as well as getting to do some other fun stuff. I love photo shoots and commercials and doing magazine shoots so I'm enjoying it all.

BALDWIN: And this new health campaign while I have you, tell me about Drive for COPD.

PATRICK: We started the campaign last February at Daytona. It was the drive for the COPD 300, which was my first nationwide race. From then we just hit the ground running. We did a commercial that airs and is very successful. And we, you know, tour around getting people screened at races. We're racing at Richmond this weekend, and there will be a screener truck at the ration that can get people screened. It's just about awareness, you know, the fourth leading cause of death in the country.

BALDWIN: Your grandmother.

PATRICK: Yes, my grandmother had it, and that's what really tripped me into doing it and making something that was a real negative into a positive and honoring her really through the awareness. But it kills more people than breast cancer and diabetes combine. When you hear that, you're like, wow.

BALDWIN: Wow.

PATRICK: We're all so aware of those diseases and with October coming up and breast cancer awareness month. But the November is COPD awareness. My dream is that people will wear the ribbon in October and then wear the orange and navy pinwheel in November.

BALDWIN: Danica Patrick, best of luck to you this weekend at Richmond. Go kick some tail. PATRICK: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Danica, thanks so much. Go kick some tail.

PATRICK: Thank you very much.

BALDWIN: All right, keeping you in the top of the hour, NASA is set to test a new rocket motor. This booster is different from all the rest because it could send humans to a place they have never been before. A preview, next.

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BALDWIN: If you watch this show, you know I love space. You'll understand why the next story is, for lack of a better word, it's just cool. In a desert in Utah, NASA and a private company called Alliant Techsystems are minutes away from testing a solid rocket motor. I know you're thinking, OK, so what's the big deal? Here's why. This rocket motor could be a key component in what could finally launch people into deep space. That, my friends, makes it cool and worth watching.

CNN's John Zarrella covers all things space. He joins me on the phone. John, we know looking at the clock, about 20 minutes away from this test. I was reading this mode tore is like half a football field in length. What are we watching for?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you're going to see, Brooke, is -- it's interesting. It's an enormous motor. It's bigger than a shuttle rocket motor. If NASA ever settles on what the design of that vehicle will be that will take humans into deep space, this motor could be one of the boosters that's used.

And what they're going to do today is they have a giant building that it's housed in that rolls back. They heated that building to 90 degrees. There's about 900 sensors on the vehicle. You asked why did they heat it to 90 degrees? They wanted to test how the motor would react if it's launched in Florida in the summer.

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ZARRELLA: So the ambient temperature is 90. When the flame comes out of that nozzle and burns for two minutes, Brooke, it's going to be burning at 5,000 degrees. This is a very important test for NASA and for ATK.

BALDWIN: Maybe to an asteroid, maybe to mars. John Zarrella, thanks for hopping on the phone. We'll carry the test live from this desert in Utah in about 15 minutes from now. So stay tuned.

BALDWIN: If you are an animal person, you have to stick around for this. Even if you're not an animal person, this is a pretty amazing story. Kept in captivity for more than 30 years, these chimps right there are finally seeing daylight for the very first time ever. More on that ahead in our next hour. Plus, last night they were side by side. But who got a boost from the American voters, Romney or Perry? Wolf Blitzer has your Political Ticker next.

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BALDWIN: And now to Washington we go to Wolf Blitzer with the latest news fresh off the Political Ticker. Wolf, I want to begin talking about that debate last night in California, things heating up between Mitt Romney and Governor Rick Perry over Social Security, Perry's book "Fed Up."

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Who would have thought, Brooke, that these two Republicans presidential candidates would have a huge fight over Social Security, which is an issue that almost all Americans appreciate, deeply respect, and so many seniors, of course, rely on. And people getting ready to retire will certainly rely on it as well.