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President Obama to Sign America Events Act Into Law; Battle for Gadhafi Strongholds; Swimmer's Incredible Journey; Countdown to the Emmy Awards; 7th Grader Attends Cyber School
Aired September 16, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, live from Studio 7, in today for Suzanne Malveaux.
Let's get you up to speed this Friday, September 16th.
President Barack Obama is at Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Virginia, right now. He'll sign the America Invents Act shortly, which modernizes American patent law. The new law will create 2,000 jobs for patent examiners. The White House says it will also mean new private sector jobs because streamlining the patent process will spur corporate innovation.
And House Speaker John Boehner is signaling trouble ahead for President Obama's jobs bill. He's redrawing that Republican line in the sand saying no to any tax increases. The president would pay for the bulk of his jobs bill by raising taxes on the wealthy. Boehner says the way to create jobs is to cut spending and get Washington out of the way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: There are reasonable regulations that protect our children and keep our environment clean. Well, then there are excessive regulations that unnecessarily increase the cost for consumers and small businesses, and those excessive regulations are making it harder for our economy to create jobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The congressional calendar is so full, it appears Congress won't even consider the jobs bill until October.
The U.S. Supreme Court will review the case of Texas death row inmate Duane Buck. Justices want to know whether a racist comment tainted his sentencing hearing. A psychologist testified blacks and Hispanics are more likely to commit a future crime. Buck's attorney doesn't dispute that he shot and killed two people in 1995. A third woman survived.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHYLLIS TAYLOR, VICTIM: I forgave him. Yes, sir, I forgave him in 1995. I feel that justice will prevail. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Duane Buck was eating what he thought would be his final meal when the Supreme Court called off last night's execution.
Amnesty International plans 300 vigils and rallies across the country tonight for Troy Davis. The Georgia man faces execution Wednesday.
Several witnesses have changed their stories, claiming police coerced them into lying. Nine others have signed affidavits implicating another man. Amnesty delivered petitions with more than a half- million signatures to the Georgia Pardons and Paroles Office Thursday.
The board votes on Davis' clemency petition Monday. Davis has no legal appeals left.
And Libyan rebels are making their move against regime holdouts today. They've launched assaults on several towns, including Sirte, Moammar Gadhafi's tribal home. Gadhafi has been hiding since rebels rolled into Tripoli, the capital, last month.
And President Mahmoud Abbas is delivering a live television address shortly. Abbas plans to ask the United Nations to declare Palestine a state next week. The Obama administration says it will veto the move. Washington says Palestinians should achieve statehood through peace talks with Israel.
And NASA must be missing the shuttle about now. The agency says Russia's next trip to the International Space Station won't happen until November 14th.
A new crew was supposed to fly next week, but that flight was postponed after a Russian rocket blew up in the atmosphere. The rocket is similar to one used by manned crews, so a safety investigation is now under way.
All right. The man underneath this burning car is now talking about Monday's crash. He says he's forever in debt to the people who risked their lives to get him out.
Brandon Wright, a 21-year-old Utah State student, is pretty banged up, but he should be OK Wright says he doesn't understand how he slid under the BMW when his motorcycle hit the car. He was wedged under there so tightly, that he couldn't even turn his head.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRANDON WRIGHT, MOTORCYCLIST SAVED FROM BURNING CAR: I just wanted to thank all the heroes that put their lives on the line to save mine. I'm forever in debt. I can't thank them enough. I just hope they know how much they mean to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And take another look at that video of that rescue, and you'll see the body of Wright being pulled out right there. He was not wearing a helmet. Really lucky man.
All right. Let's go back to Alexandria, Virginia, now, where President Obama is at a high school for science and technology. Momentarily, he'll be emerging there and heading to the podium, after stopping by a classroom to take a look at some of the students' science projects. He's getting ready to sign America Invents Act into law.
CNN White House Correspondent Dan Lothian joining us now.
So, Dan, tell us more about this America Invents Act. What is it meant to do?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, at the heart of it, it's meant to reduce the high cost of these legal battles that take place over who came up with the idea for a particular battle -- a particular product. And it's seen as potentially reducing this backlog of some 700,000 patents.
What the White House believes is that the sooner that these patents, these ideas, can get cleared and come to market, it potentially could be one area of generating additional jobs. And so this represents the first significant change to patent laws since 1952.
What it will do is, in the past, it was the person who invented the product that would have dibs, if you will, on the patent. Well, now it's the first person who actually makes the application.
What this does away with is the whole problem of, later on, down the road, inventors coming out of the woodwork saying, hey, I'm the one who invented this. It's the first person who comes up with -- who gets the application for the product will have that patent.
This just falls in line with the standard that is used around the world. And now the U.S., again, making this significant change to the patent laws for the first time since 1952 -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. And Dan, the president wants to focus on patents, but he can't help but notice that a lot of headlines are being made about his jobs plan. Some positives, some not so much.
The House Speaker, John Boehner, well, he's now pushing a Republican alternative. His plan calling for less spending and government regulation, and he says the tax hikes are actually off the table, something the president wants to happen.
So, any reaction now coming from the White House that there's this kind of counterpoint?
LOTHIAN: That's right. And, you know, this is not anything new.
Republicans and even some Democrats have been pushing back on this whole issue. The issue being taxes on the wealthier Americans. And the White House responding to those comments yesterday saying, listen, in a time like this, everyone has to make some tough choices. The president believes that there should be a balanced approach, that the wealthy Americans have been doing quite well over the last 10 to 12 years, and so they need to bear some of the burden here. So, that's the reaction from the White House, still believing, despite what Republicans are saying, that you need to be able, in order to get some revenue, have to tap into some of the wealthier Americans.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dan Lothian, thanks so much, from the White House.
All right. Here's what's ahead "On the Rundown."
First, a team from Libya's transitional council heads to Niger to demand authorities there to hand over Gadhafi's family. We'll have a live report.
And why the U.S. says now is not the time for Palestinians to seek statehood.
Then, rocket launchers, explosives and guns found along the Texas border with Mexico.
Also, Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with a 62-year-old who made a grueling attempt to swim from Havana to Florida.
And then, later, why a mother decided to have her child cyberschooled.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Right now battles for Libya are raging in Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte and other last remaining strongholds. Forces loyal to the new government are making advances despite stiff resistance from Gadhafi loyalists.
Our Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman takes us to the front lines in one of the battles in this CNN exclusive reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The rebels told us the town of Birak was safe, but it wasn't.
(GUNFIRE)
WEDEMAN (on camera): We're in this town that is partially under the control of the rebels, but there are other parts of it that still remain loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. Obviously, this situation is very fluid at the moment.
(voice-over): Opposition fighters entered Birak Thursday morning, part of an offensive to gain control of the last loyalist strongholds in the south around the city of Sabha. Before the gun battle took place, it seemed peaceful enough. Birak resident Massoud Hasnawi (ph), a self-confessed revolutionary, pointed out to me all the parts of town that still supported Gadhafi, which seemed like most of it. But those here opposed to Gadhafi hate him with a passion. Sabha native Al-Amin Shtawy burned the first books by the deposed leader he could get his hands on, then shot up his likeness --
(GUNFIRE)
WEDEMAN: -- and stomped him. He returned just a few weeks ago from studying banking and finance in the U.K. to join the revolution. He's looking forward to going back to Sabha.
AL-AMIN SHTAWY, SABHA NATIVE: It's my hometown. For three years, I don't be to Sabha. This is my first time to go to Sabha. I'm homesick for Sabha.
WEDEMAN: Outside the Birak Air Base, the second largest in southern Libya, an inferno of exploding munitions. Opposition fighters captured the base Wednesday night, but incoming rockets ignited thousands of artillery rounds buried underground. Inside the base, dozens of boxes with Soviet-era SA-14 surface-to-air missiles stored in the base's prison.
Casualties among the opposition fighters have been relatively light; resistance, halfhearted, commanders say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are just running. When they see us, they just run like rats.
WEDEMAN: They've taken several prisoners. Abwa Azoum Satar (ph) has been handcuffed to an unloaded machine gun in the back of a pickup truck. He told me most of the people in the area are still with Gadhafi. As for him, he said he's with whoever brings back electricity and water.
Reinforcements are pouring into Birak from around Libya. Pickup after pickup of fighters amassing for perhaps the final showdown.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Birak, southern Libya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Many of Gadhafi's family members and officials are already safely out of the war zone. They've crossed into neighboring Niger, and Libya's transitional government wants them back. Today, the government has sent a sent a delegation to Niger.
And our Senior International Nic Robertson is in the capital and joining us live.
So, Nic, a big question, where is Gadhafi? Is there any indication that he may have joined some family members in Niger?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So far, no indication of that. The first announcement that Saadi Gadhafi, Moammar Gadhafi's son, had crossed the border here did come from the government, and he confirmed it himself. So it seems that the government here would at least announce if Moammar Gadhafi crossed over, or so far that track record would indicate that. But at the moment, they seem to be giving sanctuary to Saadi Gadhafi, to some of his immediate supporters, and to a number of senior ranking military officials.
Saadi Gadhafi, we understand, is in a presidential guest house here, although when we drove by earlier, it's got an armed guard right outside of it -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And so, Gadhafi's family members, they've taken refuge in Niger, as well as Algeria. I understand that the transitional council from Libya has made its way to Niger, but will the countries have to hand them over? Is there any leverage there?
ROBERTSON: I think the leverage is not going to come from the Libyan government, but from the international community. Their prime minister here returned from a trip to Paris yesterday. Obviously, President Sarkozy, a firm support of the National Transitional Council.
We were told here in the capital when it was announced that Saadi Gadhafi had arrived in Niger, the U.S. ambassador immediately went to see the president here. So it seems that that's where the pressure will come from. But, despite that pressure, the justice minister here says no can do, he's not going to send Saadi Gadhafi back to Libya, to the National Transitional Council.
The government has held a meeting this morning at the senior level. There's going to be a press conference about that in the next hour or so.
Maybe the government's changed its mind, but so far they are saying not. And when I talked to Saadi Gadhafi yesterday, he told me that the Nigerian government here has given him guarantees they're not about to send him back -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.
All right. Now your chance to "Choose the News." Text "22360" for the story that you want to see.
Text "1" for the new gold rush. That's what it's being called, and that gold rush is now causing a mining boom. Prospectors are coming from near and far in the hunt for gold, all because of the surging price of gold.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Hello, my darlin', hello, my baby --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Who can get enough of that? Text "2" for Web fame. You've seen that cute couple whose webcam video went viral. Guess what's happening to them now? Here's a hint -- Hollywood. They're calling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Contain yourself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And text "2" for welcome home dogs. They are for war vets returning home, and soldiers say these specially trained dogs make all the difference in the world.
You can vote by texting "22360." Text "1" for "The New Gold Rush"; "2" for "Web Fame"; or "3" for "Welcome Back Dogs."
The winning story airs next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Imagine swimming more than 100 miles in rough, dangerous water. Now imagine doing that at 62 years old. That's what endurance swimmer Diana Nyad set out to do this summer to become the first person to swim between Cuba and Florida without a shark cage.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been following Diana's incredible journey, and it is this week's "Human Factor."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More than 100 miles of open ocean separate Cuba and Key West. Strong winds, vicious currents, and sharks make these waters very dangerous, but for champion distance swimmer Diana Nyad, these waters also represent a challenge. She plans to be the first to cross these waters without a shark cage.
DIANA NYAD, DISTANCE SWIMMER: I feel very centered about it. It's going to be difficult.
GUPTA: Now, she's attempted the swim once before in 1978, and she failed due to the weather. But the following year, she set the world record for ocean swimming without a shark cage. She then quit swimming for almost 30 years.
Now, at age 62, to even attempt a swim like this, she has to overcome some significant obstacles, not the least of which was getting her body back in shape after 30 years of not swimming.
NYAD: I just started swimming for 25, 30 minutes.
GUPTA: But half-hour pool swims quickly turned into six-hour training sessions. Then eight, 10, 12, even a 24-hour training swim in the ocean.
NYAD: I feel very strong, I must say.
GUPTA: But training was only part of the battle. She also had to get visas from both the U.S. and Cuban governments, find a meteorologist, several boats, and a navigator to support her during the swim. Finally, the day arrived. Diana left Havana at 7:46 p.m. on August 7th. She expected to have 60 grueling hours of swimming ahead, but by morning she was suffering from a crushing shoulder injury, bad asthma, and rough seas. After 58 miles of swimming, and some 29 hours into her journey, Diana was pulled from the water.
NYAD: There's nothing more this body could have tolerated at that time. It was a tough call, but it was the right call.
GUPTA: Today, Diana says she's moved on. And while she didn't reach the other shore, the swim was still a triumph for her.
NYAD: We had a gathering of the entire team, and I told them what an outrageously positive, grand adventure this whole two years had been. When you have a positive spirit going, it just gives you hope about how to live one's life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Wow. She is an incredible inspiration on so many levels.
Sanjay, she -- you know, she really epitomizes fitness, doesn't she?
GUPTA: She does. And the mental fortitude that comes with it.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
GUPTA: And she'll say, look, no faster than any other 14-year-old swimmer in the country, but --
WHITFIELD: She's got the endurance.
GUPTA: -- she's got the endurance, and to say, I will do this. I will swim and do something that no human being has ever done before.
WHITFIELD: So she didn't necessarily reach her goal, reaching that final destination, but she did swim an awful lot. She was in the water a long time.
How did she eat? How did she nourish herself?
GUPTA: Yes. It's a fascinating process, actually.
So, she's got her bathing suit, her swim cap and her goggles, nothing else. No wet suit. She cannot touch the boat. That disqualifies her.
So when she wants to eat, for example, she literally has to tread water, come up to the side of the boat, and people will put food into her mouth. Here you see them essentially creating a special beverage for her, and they basically put it on a line, in a big pouch, and then she just grabs that pouch from the water and drinks for a little while she's on her back like that, and then starts swimming again.
WHITFIELD: OK. And I can't help but think, treading water, and she doesn't have the shark cage, that is when she is most vulnerable. That's like what sharks like to see.
GUPTA: I know. It was a little freaky for I think everybody, because you know that there's a lot of sharks in this water.
They do use some protection. They use a thing called a shark shield, which gives off little electrical signals which sharks don't like, apparently.
But I asked her the same thing, Fred. And I said, "So, what are you thinking at moments like that?" She said, "Look, we do everything we can. If a shark gets in there, that's just what happens."
WHITFIELD: Wow.
GUPTA: That's Diana. That's how she is. It's amazing.
WHITFIELD: Wow. That's incredible. Because, yes, you look up -- I mean, water, look up, she looks like a seal. And that's exactly what the sharks like.
GUPTA: Right. Exactly.
You know, the amazing thing, we all have things in our lives, dreams that we've probably had that we maybe have had to let go because life moves on, or on requited loves, as I tell Diana this was for her. She just did not let go.
So, 30 years she kept that dream in the back of her mind. Sixty-two years old. She's like, I'm going to do this again.
WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness. So then something tells me there may be a next (INAUDIBLE).
GUPTA: She's got a lot left in her.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
GUPTA: I don't know if it's going to be this or it's going to be something else, but Diana Nyad, remember that name, because it's going to be one of those -- she's one of those iconic people of our generation.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Synonymous with incredible.
GUPTA: Yes, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.
GUPTA: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: We know you do incredible things, too. I wouldn't be surprised if you're going to follow her footsteps or paddle in the water and try and go from Havana to Florida.
GUPTA: I would do about a mile, not that I could in two.
WHITFIELD: All right.
Well, "Xtreme Dream," Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting. You've got to see more of this story of Diana Nyad. She's an incredible force. Tune in tomorrow night, 8:00 and 11:00 Eastern Time, for our special, "Xtreme Dream."
All right. Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas is expected to seek statehood recognition at the United Nations next week. Right now live pictures of his address.
I'll be talking with the former assistant secretary of state, Jamie Rubin, about the consequences, what's at stake, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. President Barack Obama right now at a high school in Alexandria, Virginia. He is there to also talk about the America Invents Act, new protections on patents, but he can't help but talk about his jobs bill and how he's getting a little bit of resistance on Capitol Hill already.
Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And let me give you an example of why this is relevant.
We're surrounded today by outstanding teachers, men and women who prepare our young people to compete in a global economy. If Congress passes this jobs bill, then we can get thousands of teachers all across the country who have been laid off because of difficulties at the state and local level with their budgets, we can get them back to work, back in the classroom.
This jobs bill will put unemployed construction workers back to work, rebuilding our schools and our roads and our bridges, and it will give tax credits to companies that hire our veterans, because if you serve our country, you shouldn't have to worry about finding a job when you get home. It connects the long-term unemployed to temporary work to keep their skills sharp while they're looking for a job, and it gives thousands of young people the hope of a job next summer.
And it will cut taxes for every middle class family and small business owner in America. And if you're a small business owner that hires more workers and raises salaries, you get an extra tax credit.
It won't add to the deficit, and we'll pay for it by following the same rules that every family follows -- spend money on things you need, cut back on things you don't. And we'll make sure that everybody pays their fair share, including those of us who have been incredibly fortunate and blessed in this country.
WHITFIELD: All right. President Barack Obama, underscoring the need for getting as much support as possible for his proposed jobs bill. Right now he's in Alexandria, Virginia. All right. Now let's call our attention to overseas and a highly controversial move this hour in the fight for Palestinian statehood.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas spells out his plan to seek full member status at the United Nations. His speech to the Palestinian people today is a run-up to next week's bid before the world body.
The Obama administration says it will veto the move, and Israel has warned of dire consequences. But Abbas is moving full-speed ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT (through translator): We are going now to the United Nations to demand our legitimate right (INAUDIBLE) to become a full member of the United Nations as the state of Palestine. We will take with us as a Palestinian delegation all the suffering and pains of our people in order to achieve this goal and to end the prejudice, the historical prejudice against our people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right, joining us live from New York, James Rubin, executive editor of "The Bloomberg View" and former U.S. assistant secretary of state.
Jamie, good to see you.
OK. So, he's preaching to the choir right now. But how might he craft his message before the U.N. to get the support that he wants?
JAMES RUBIN, FORMER U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, I think he is likely to get support from the world in the General Assembly, and that's really the issue, is that for most members of the United Nations around the world, this is an easy vote.
You vote on behalf of the Palestinians. You vote for them to be recognized as a full member, as a state. The problem is to become a real member of the United Nations. You have to be a state. And to achieve that, you have to get the Security Council to bless it.
The United States has said it will veto it.
WHITFIELD: Why?
RUBIN: The reason the United States is going to veto it is because we have taken the view, the United States, that a full-fledged state of Palestine should come about through negotiations with the Israelis.
And just as we ask the Israelis not to take steps to prejudge the outcome of negotiations, we're asking -- the Obama administration is asking the Palestinians not to prejudge the outcome by taking these unilateral steps. The idea here is, this is a tough problem, and the Palestinians and the Israelis have to solve it together, and one side just acting is not going to solve the problem.
WHITFIELD: Is the U.S. position on this vote a contradiction to the kind of U.S. support that went toward the Arab spring?
RUBIN: Well, I think there will surely be some who say that. I think the big difference here -- and this is something that has always puzzled me over the years -- is in the Arab spring, what you saw were hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people pursuing, at least in Cairo and Egypt, the primary example, peaceful change and peaceful change of their government.
I have never understood why the Palestinians -- and, frankly, if they did this, the Israelis would really have some concerns -- why they haven't come out and done peaceful change, why they haven't made civil disobedience and large-scale demonstrations, peaceful ones, as the method to achieve change.
I think, if they did that, if they could actually get hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Palestinians standing up every day, demanding their rights, the Israelis would have a much tougher time. As it is, what the Palestinians have largely done, and the world has seen this, is through these terrorists organizations have killed innocent men, women, and children in Israel as a way of trying to achieve their objectives.
And that's been rejected. That's been condemned, as it should be. And so the difference really is the difference between the seeking of democracy through peaceful change, the seeking of self-determination through large-scale peaceful demonstrations, and this kind of action, which really is just a diplomatic step to get worldwide condemnation of Israel by approving Palestinian statehood.
WHITFIELD: James Rubin, executive editor of "The Bloomberg View," thanks so much from New York.
RUBIN: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: The U.S. economy just can't seem to get over that hump. Now a new survey shows economists are concerned about another recession. We will go live to the New York Stock Exchange to find out more about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
WHITFIELD: With the economy and jobs weighing heavily on the Obama presidency and his approval rating at an all-time low, is he strong enough to win reelection?
President Obama's top campaign adviser weighs in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: President Obama has been focusing on inventions this morning at a high school outside of Virginia, in Alexandria, that is, so many might say that he actually needs to invent a new strategy to win reelection.
Political reporter Peter Hamby, part of the best political team on television, is live from the political desk in Washington.
So, Peter, the president's top campaign strategist, David Axelrod, is weighing in on the president's chances for reelection. What's he saying?
PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Well, Fred, there's a lot of hand-wringing among Democrats in Washington and around the country, frankly, about whether Barack Obama will end up being a one-term president. Obviously, Republicans want that. But his poll numbers are really sagging in some key battleground states.
David Axelrod, as you said, one of his top advisers, a longtime aide to the president, put out a memo today basically saying, not just yet. The president is doing well among base Democrats. He's doing better than Republicans are in some of these key battleground states.
This and is what he said. Take a listen to this. He said: "Despite what you hear in elite commentary, the president's support among base voters and in key demographic groups has stayed strong."
According to the latest NBC/"Wall Street Journal" poll, Democrats approve of his performance by an 81 percent to 14 percent margin. And he goes on to say the base is mobilized behind the president.
While that may be true, there are some troubling numbers for the president in some of these key battleground states. A really bad Quinnipiac poll came out in Virginia. And, as we know, these general election battles are fought among independent voters. And in Virginia, for example, a state that is central to the Obama campaign's reelection strategy, Obama split independents in Virginia in 2008 with John McCain.
A Quinnipiac poll yesterday had his disapproval among independents in Virginia at 62 percent. Only 29 percent of independents in Virginia approved. So he's got to get his numbers right with independents. You know, the base may be there, but until he fixes his numbers among independents, he's going to have a tough road ahead in the reelection.
Still a long way to go, Fred, and that's the point that David Axelrod is making today.
WHITFIELD: All right, Peter Hamby, thanks so much.
For the latest political news, you know exactly where to go, CNNPolitics.com.
A chef living in East Harlem was shocked when she discovered fresh produce was actually hard to find. It's one of New York's poorest neighborhoods, where obesity runs rampant. So she decided to make a big change. And it involved lots of fruit and vegetables.
She is this week's "CNN Hero."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GINA KEATLEY, CNN HERO: I grew up in very low-income areas. I saw a lot of poverty, homelessness as a child as well, but it taught me to redefine myself and not let your past determine your future.
When I moved to New York four school, I was living in East Harlem and there's very few places to buy fruits and vegetables and healthy food. We've seen most diabetic and obese of all the neighborhoods of Manhattan. People were super malnourished.
I saw the connection between poverty and obesity, and it just seemed unjust and I had to do something about it.
My name is Gina Keatley, and I'm giving nourishment to people who are literally dying for it.
You want some free collard greens? Come on over.
Change is possible. If you want somebody to try a tomato, you give them a tomato. It's inspiration. They to feel it, touch it, taste it, because people will not change unless something in them changes.
We go places other people will not go. We're giving out produce. We're doing classes.
You really can eat healthy on a low budget.
What are these?
UNIDENTIFIED KID: Greens.
KEATLEY: Great. What's this?
UNIDENTIFIED KID: Chicken.
KEATLEY: Chicken.
We really want them to start early on. It can set a ripple effect for the rest of their lives.
Say tortilla.
KIDS: Tortilla!
KEATLEY: OK. Good. All right.
But in the end of the day, the parents are the ones doing the shopping. So, we have to win them over, as well.
Thank you, guys. Thanks for coming.
When I see any child, it reminds of something that I didn't have and I want them to see.
It's about pulling yourself up and never accepting no and I can see it in people's faces. I think people are getting it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Fantastic. What an inspiration. Next week, we'll actually be announcing this year's top 10 heroes on CNN.com and you get to decide which one will be the CNN hero of the year. Vote for the hero who inspires you the most at CNN.com/Hero.
It's the battle between BFFs in Hollywood as two "SNL" funny gals compete at this weekend's Emmy Awards. We'll check in with Kareen Wynter live in L.A. There she is, poised, ready to go.
A preview coming up, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Don't forget to vote for today's "Choose the News" winner. Text to 22360 for the story that you want to see.
Text 1 for the new gold rush. The surging price of gold is fueling a mining boom.
Text 2 for web fame. Their granddaughter posted a video of them and called it webcam 101 for seniors. Now, Hollywood is calling.
And text 3 for welcome home, dogs. The old saying dog is man's best friend is really true for some war vets returning home.
The winning story airs next hour.
All right. Television's biggest night in Hollywood is just two days away. And critics say this year's Emmy Awards may be the closest ever.
"Showbiz Tonight's" Kareen Wynter joins me now from Los Angeles.
So, Kareen, such a tight race in so many categories this year, particularly close in the best actress in comedy category, right?
KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Of course. You got some favorites, some "SNL" alums, as well as "Mike & Molly," big breakout stars. So much to talk about, Fred. And I caught this morning, they're already rolling out that extravagant red carpet for Sunday's big event in Hollywood.
So, it's getting really exciting around here. Hollywood, of course, counting down to the big show on Sunday, the 63rd Emmy Awards. Such a flurry of excitement around town as everybody is getting ready. They're making those final decisions on the hair, the makeup, the outfit, the jewelry. Oh, what to wear, what to wear?
But, Fred, what everyone is really after, that one accessory, of course, the Emmy trophy.
And, you know, one of the most interesting competitions is for best actress in a comedy because it really fits two old friends against each other, Tina Fey versus Amy Poehler. They are pals, of course, from their days together on "SNL," "Saturday Night Live." Tina, she's nominated again this year for "30 Rock." She's won three Emmys for producing the show, but she's never, ever won for acting. And her buddy Amy, she's nominated in the same category for "Parks and Recreation."
And, Fred, their shows are also going head to head for best comedy series. So, we got a limit friendly rivalry here, but to worry. It's in a good way. The gloves will be coming off. But it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
WHITFIELD: That's going to be fun. Well, you know, Tina Fey, she has a few under her belt already. So, I'm sure she won't be too heartbroken if she weren't walk away this time.
WYNTER: Yes. You're right. That's a good point.
WHITFIELD: To share it with her buddy, her BFF, Amy.
All right. Thanks so much, Kareen. Appreciate it. We'll be watching. We'll be watching you tonight, throughout the weekend. Of course, Sunday, right?
WYNTER: Yes. Absolutely. We have a little bit more for you.
WHITFIELD: OK.
WYNTER: I don't know if you're short on time. But we just -- yes, we want to chat a little bit more with you this morning. We want to talk about another person in this category, people are rooting for -- she's a "Mike & Molly" star and she is just absolutely amazing, amazing. I think we have a sound bite from her. Take a listen.
OK. So, we don't have sound --
WHITFIELD: No sound.
WYNTER: No sound. No sound.
But it's going to be a very, very interesting race coming up this Sunday. Will it be Tina Fey? So much to, you know, see. And also the Emmy fashion -- we'll be talking a lot about that, all the extravagant gowns.
And, you know, we're talking about Amy, we're talking about Tina but a lot of people are saying that perhaps another person, Laura Linney, from that big, big show, "The Big C" on Showtime will perhaps take it in that category. So, we'll have to see what happens on that end -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. We will be watching. You've reeled us in now. We're like at the edge of our seats.
WYNTER: All right. OK, good.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kareen, thanks so much.
All right. A seventh-grader who didn't do well in a traditional school enrolls in a virtual alternative. I'll talk to him and his mother about why it's working for them. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Don't forget to vote for today's "Choose the News" winner. Text to 22360 for the story that you want to see.
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The winning story airs next hour.
All right. Today in our "fix our schools" segment, a seventh-grader who isn't doing well in a traditional classroom enrolls in cyber school, and his mother says virtual learning is actually working for him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good job. You guys are so on top of it.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Seventh-grader David Tanner is off to a new school year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Turn your paper over, write political maps.
WHITFIELD: But he's not in a traditional classroom. He attends Georgia Cyber Academy, a state-wide public virtual charter school. His mother transferred him to virtual school because she felt he wasn't reaching his full potential with the hustle and bustle of traditional school.
SUZANNE TANNER, PARENT OF 7TH GRADER: He had had a hard time organizing himself with that and keep up with the work. And so, his grades started slipping and we realized that this whole school system didn't work for his personality.
DAVID TANNER, 7TH GRADER: I can concentrate better when it's peaceful and quiet.
WHITFIELD: David tunes in to lessons taught by a live teacher fully certified by the state.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is correct. Here are some of the lakes.
WHITFIELD: The classes are recorded so he can watch them again later at his own pace.
S. TANNER: It offers flexibility in that he can actually speed through topics that he already knows, so he doesn't have to sit through the whole class if he doesn't -- if he already gets it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When this little guy, he's real --
WHITFIELD: Learning isn't limited to online. There are monthly field trips, David has the opportunity to get out and meet other students.
MALAYSIA MOORE, 10TH GRADE CYBER STUDENT: It is a very flexible program. You can go on field trips once a week and can you do all your homework at home. You can just like wear your pajamas if you want to. It is a lot less stressful than high school.
WHITFIELD: The state contributes $3,000 for each child. Kids from all over Georgia are eligible to attend and the school says it attracts all kinds.
MATT ARKIN, GEORGIA CYBER ACADEMY HEAD OF SCHOOL: We see gifted students who are getting bored in the class. We see students who fallen behind and need an opportunity to catch up. We see students with health issues or special needs that the distractions or obstructions in a classroom just don't work well for them.
We see students who face bullying issues in skulls or cultural issues, or their local school just isn't safe.
WHITFIELD: David's mother keeps him active and engaged with extracurricular activities.
S. TANNER: He plays violin and he plays soccer in the evening to get his P.E. hours.
D. TANNER: It says three scoops of chocolate ice cream --
WHITFIELD: And they still make time for the fun stuff, like homemade milk shakes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
