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CNN Sunday Morning

Bypassing the Earmark Ban; Smoke Forces Passengers Off Plane

Aired May 29, 2011 - 08:00   ET

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

JOE JOHNS, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN SUNDAY MORNING, this is Joe Johns. It's May 29th. Good morning. I'm in for T.J. Holmes.

Members of Congress promised an end to earmarks, but guess what? They found another way to spend your money.

Plus, a dramatic escape for passengers aboard a Delta flight. We'll show you what happened.

In this Memorial Day weekend, the fleet has arrived in New York. I'll speak to a Marine who survived being shot and is headed back to combat in Afghanistan.

We start with spending cuts on Capitol Hill. Every politician is looking for a way to save a little money, whether it's from Medicare or public television or what have you. But funding cuts may not be on the menu when it comes to pet projects.

Yes, they say they have banned earmarks, but somehow lawmakers are finding a way to keep the money on hand. They're taking it from other projects. So, instead of cutting that money from the bottom line, they're funneling it to a little known Pentagon fund.

Senior CNN congressional correspondent Dana Bash has a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Redstone Arsenal in northern Alabama, home of Army rocket and missile programs. It could get $2.5 million added to a defense bill to develop unmanned vehicle technology -- thanks to Congressman Mo Brooks who represents the district.

(on camera): So, that is probably going to go to your district and help your constituents.

REP. MO BROOKS (R), ALABAMA: I can't say that it's going to go to the fifth congressional district. But I will say this -- if that is a service that we can offer to America, I'll be tickled pink.

BASH (voice-over): In this press release, Brooks boasted about getting more jobs for his district.

(on camera): That sounds like an earmark, which the House banned this year. So, what's this all about? Watchdog groups worry it's a backdoor way around the ban.

(voice-over): The House Armed Services chairman cut hundreds of millions of dollars from a variety of defense programs and put the money in a newly created pot dubbed "The Mission Force Enhancement Transfer Fund." Lawmakers are using it to pay for projects and policy proposals. To some, it's a pet project slush fund.

TOM SCHATZ, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVT. WASTE: This money has never been in this bill before. It's certainly suspicious that it has occurred for the first time after earmarks have been placed under a moratorium, and it looks like a work-around.

BASH (on camera): But it's another form of pork.

BROOKS: Well, no, I disagree. I don't think that it's pork because you're not able to allocate where it goes.

BASH (voice-over): That is a big difference. With traditional earmarks, lawmakers guaranteed funding for projects back home. Here, the Defense Department has final say over the money. But in some cases, there appears to be little doubt lawmakers' districts would benefit.

Betty Sutton secured more than $30 million for a defense corrosion prevention program and projects. It so happens the University of Akron in her Ohio district has the first corrosive engineering program in the country. Sutton declined a CNN interview request.

Then there's the Tea Party-backed freshman Steve Palazzo. He scored $19.9 million for Navy ship design and feasibility studies, and sent out this press release promising much of it will directly benefit south Mississippi shipbuilding. He also declined to talk to CNN and aides said the Navy would ultimately decide how the money is spent.

Senator Claire McCaskill, a long time earmark opponent, says she knows the way things work and doesn't buy it.

SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL (D), MISSOURI: Somebody's going to call the Defense Department and say -- this is what it represents, this is what I wanted for. If it looks like a duck and it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it's a duck. It's an earmark.

BASH: Other lawmakers in both parties secured millions that could benefit their districts and rejected CNN's request for interviews to explain. Most said through their spokesmen the Pentagon will make it a competitive process.

The congressman who did talk to us said if he can still help his district in this post-earmark world, no apologies.

BROOKS: None whatsoever.

BASH (on camera): Thank you.

BROOKS: I'm doing my job. BASH: Until the Pentagon ultimately decides, we won't know for sure if lawmakers successfully steered pork to their districts. Regardless, some deficit hawks say members of the House Armed Services Committee should have used the hundreds of millions of dollars they found in Pentagon savings to help pay down the sky-high deficit, not for even more government spending.

Dana Bash, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: We're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars here. Put that into a special fund for the Pentagon or should we say pet projects?

Joining me now, Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

And, Steve, thanks for coming in on the holiday weekend.

Is it disingenuous for Congress to talk about cuts while funneling money to this fund? And they said they were getting rid of earmarks. But is this just sort of a way to get around that?

STEVE ELLIS, TAXPAYERS FOR TAX REFORM: Well, it certainly appears that that's the intent here. I mean, they created this "Mission Force Enhancement Transfer Fund," and then, now, they just transferred -- they basically put $1 billion into this fund and they used $700 million of that to go to a variety of different member oriented pet projects.

And so, here in Washington, they're talking about cuts -- they're talking about competition. But when they go back to their district, they are talking about bringing home the bacon, just like they always have.

JOHNS: Well, they say that it is the Pentagon making the final decisions, not the lawmakers. So, maybe that's the reason you don't call it an earmark? Do you buy that argument?

ELLIS: Well, you know, some of that is going to depend on what happens in the long run. But in reality, you can game the system such that it's a very one-sided competition. I mean, if you're giving funding to a project that's gotten funding year after year after year, for instance, Representative Hunter from southern California got $5 million for a brown-out -- basically a helicopter sensor. And he's gotten funding for that project in each of the last three fiscal years.

And so, clearly, when the Pentagon looks around, they're going to go back to that exact same entity.

JOHNS: Now, you know, Steve, over the years, you and I have talked many times about earmarks and the one thing we always have to say is, this is just a drop in the bucket when you look at the entire budget. What is the reason why this actually matters to Americans? ELLIS: Well, you know, we're essentially -- one is, we have a $1.65 trillion budget deficit and Congress should be looking in the couch cushions for every bit of spare change and not sending it back home. But then, two is, they invite this corruption into the process -- and I mean the small-C corruption where we pick winners and losers on the basis of political muscle rather than project merit. For instance, only the members of the Armed Services Committee actually got these projects. The rest of Congress wasn't able to do it.

JOHNS: Picking the winners and losers. That's the thing. Thanks so much, Steve Ellis, for coming in on the holiday weekend and I'll see you back in the nation's capital.

ELLIS: Sounds great. Take care.

JOHNS: The nation's chief executive offering comfort to tornado damaged Joplin, Missouri, later today. President Obama is expected to arrive shortly after 1:00 p.m. Eastern. He's going to meet with tornado victims and deliver brief remarks at 3:00 eastern at a memorial service. His visit comes as the death toll rises now to 142. More than 90 people remain missing.

The city is going to observe a moment of silence at 5:41 Central this afternoon. That is the precise time when one week ago today, that tornado plowed a half-mile path through Joplin.

President Obama's visit to Joplin comes one month to the day after he visited Tuscaloosa, Alabama. An April 27 tornado there killed 41 people, one of 14 tornadoes that tore across that state. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured Pratt, Alabama, shortly after that tornado. She's headed to Hackleburg today to survey recovery efforts there today.

Lockheed-Martin says they've successfully fought off a cyber attack and protected the integrity of customer and employee data. The attack was launched May 21st but the aerospace company is not saying what part of their computer system was targeted. Lockheed-Martin says they have kept government agencies in the loop on the investigation.

People are back in their homes this morning after a scary situation in Hudson, North Carolina. A massive fire at a chemical plant there forced the evacuation of more than 700 homes in the area. Crews fought the fire well into the night.

We don't know how it got started. The plant makes chemicals to coat furniture. The EPA does say the air is safe to breathe.

The Taliban is claiming responsibility for an attack on a top coalition general in Afghanistan. The German general is one of the regional commanders for the international security force there. He's in stable condition. Seven people were killed in the suicide attack that took place during a meeting between ISAF and Afghan military officials.

The remains of seven U.S. military personnel killed overseas returned Saturday to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The fallen troops include Sergeant Kristoffer Solesbee. He was killed Thursday in an attack in Afghanistan, and Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Thibodeau who was also killed Thursday. He died in a helicopter crash during combat.

Passengers forced to slide the safety with their plane burning. So, what caused the landing gear to catch? We'll have that for you in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: Fleeing a fire on the runway. Passengers had to use those inflatable emergency slides to get away from the Delta plane when smoke started billowing out of the landing gear. We get more now from George Howell from CNN affiliate WSB.

BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE HOWELL, WSB-TV REPORTER (voice-over): Emergency crews responded to Delta flight 2284 from Pittsburgh after officials say the brakes overheated on the taxi way causing the fire.

KATHLEEN HARRISON, DELTA FLIGHT #2284 PASSENGER: I decided we need to get off the plane. They kept telling us they were assessing the situation and then I think when the fire broke out, they opened the doors and we all went down the emergency chutes.

HOWELL: Kathleen Harrison was one of the 43 passengers on board.

HARRISON: The pilot was able to control the plane and got it stopped, but then there was a burning smell and the right side of the plane caught on fire.

HOWELL: Harrison says it was a bumpy landing. Passengers were evacuated on the taxi way and bussed to the terminal. Investigators say the plane will be taken to be examined at a maintenance facility.

HARRISON: I'm lucky, I had my stuff with me and I'm going home. But there are people that were flying to Paris and other places, and it's going to be a long time until they get their luggage. They said it's a national safety board investigation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: Actually, it took around two hours for the luggage to make it to the terminal. Investigators will check out the plane to find out what caused the problem.

We're going from the food pyramid to the plate. The government is trying a new shape to illustrate what we should be eating. The pyramid has been the standard for around 20 years. The new shape is part of a new initiative to promote healthy eating and good choices.

Here's CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The pyramid, to put it gently, is not considered a great public health success. You don't look at it and think -- oh, I get it. Now I know how to eat right. It was confusing and divided into lots of intricate sections.

And one of the biggest criticisms is that the stuff you weren't supposed to eat so much of like sweets and sugars were at the top of the pyramid, which was sort of counterintuitive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: The new design is from the Agriculture Department, expected to be unveiled on Thursday.

Almost a quarter past the hour. Let's check in now with meteorologist Reynolds Wolf.

Today's weather forecast looking pretty good. We're getting ready for Memorial Day officially.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, where I think a lot of people have their own pyramid that's going to include barbecuing and some outdoor events.

JOHNS: Corn on the cob. I'll take that.

WOLF: You got to have that. One thing people are going to be taking on their outdoor menu is also snow skiing, Joe. Believe it or not. Take a look at this video.

Let's go right to it. And on the video, you're going to see again the conditions you're going to be seeing out near Aspen, also near Yellowstone. The snow is so great in some places. They're going to allow ski runs to be open in Aspen. It looks pretty good from that vantage point.

However, we've been warned that towards the top of the mountain, things are fine, but towards the bottom, at then end of the run, it kinds of slushy. What can you do? It happens on Memorial Day. Just the idea you're out there is cool enough.

Another image that we have is a little bit farther up the Rockies, into the Tetons and Yellowstone National Park show snow is at 20 feet in some locations. Good luck trying to take the minivan with kids through there to go see the bears and the bison. Yes, good times.

Take a look at this. We show you some radar. You can see plenty of that snowfall still coming down the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park right about here. You see Idaho Falls, and (INAUDIBLE) areas here, low lying areas, mainly some rainfall in the highest spots - that's where the snow is going to pile up.

In some locations, you could see from five to nine inches of snowfall in the mountains, the valleys, considerably less. In fact, out in Sierra Nevada, it's basically same situation, more than five or so. Anyone driving along parts of I-80, you're not going to have an issue. But if you happen to be near Paradise, California, you look up towards the top, up towards the Summit, it should be just spectacular for you.

Now, very quickly, what you can anticipate the rest of your forecast today, it will be kind of stormy especially in the Central Plains and back into the portions of the Great Lakes, especially those of you tuning in, say, from Commerce Township, perhaps, even down towards Novi, expect a chance of thunderstorms near Detroit. And as you make your way into the Central Plains, from Texas northward, into Kansas and Oklahoma, chance for your storm is very muggy for you in the southeast and out west -- again, the combination of rain, sleet and snow.

But for central and southern California, it should be picture perfect.

Joe, back to you.

JOHNS: So, what's happening in New York?

WOLF: New York should be OK. A mix of sunshine and clouds, but enjoy it while you can because late Monday, rain may be moving there.

JOHNS: Got tall ships out there.

WOLF: It should be a lot of fun.

JOHNS: You bet. All right.

Witnessing America's military might on the high seas. New York celebrates Fleet Week and you'll meet one of the heroes being honored this Memorial Day weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STAFF SGT. AMANDA FORD, U.S. ARMY: Hello. This is Staff Sergeant Amanda Ford in Baghdad, Iraq. I just want to give a shout out to my husband currently located at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. And I also want to say thank you to all those serving in the military and words cannot express the gratitude I feel for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: Dirk against LeBron. It doesn't get any better than that. Both NBA superstars have been playing like men possessed. In South Beach this Tuesday, they go head-to-head.

HLN Sports guy Joe Carter joining me now live now to talk about it.

And I got to tell you, this is the not first time we've even this match-up but it's pretty exciting, huh?

JOE CARTER, HLN SPORTS: Yes, these two franchises met back in 2006. But, obviously, a lot has changed since then. And in that series back in 2006, Dallas, you remember, went up two games to one. And then Miami won the next four.

And Dirk Nowitzki, who is on that team, is still on the Dallas team today. He says that loss really burned. It was one of the worst ones he every suffered in his career. And, you know, these two teams are going to meet again Tuesday.

JOHNS: Has he gotten better? It looks to me --

CARTER: I think so. I think he's really completed his game. And if you ask most people outside of South Beach, they're going to be pulling for Dallas in this series because, you know, LeBron James and the whole taking his talent to South Beach really burned a lot of people, becoming public enemy number one. Vegas has had the Heat though winning this thing from the very beginning.

JOHNS: Yes.

CARTER: And, of course, they have them winning again in the finals.

JOHNS: Well, that was the way it was with Chicago, you know? I was kind of pulling for Chicago but I just didn't see how they were going to beat the Heat with all that firepower.

CARTER: So, you're telling me, you're not a Miami fan, right?

JOHNS: You know! I mean -- any time you leave Ohio, I got a problem with you. All right.

CARTER: Well, if you'd like to go to the game Tuesday night you better get out, your wallet, because apparently game one tickets averaging $1,200.

JOHNS: Right.

CARTER: The highest price seat going for $42,000.

JOHNS: All right. So, we got to talk about this fire at Dodgers Stadium. I guess I can say this on TV. This is sort of the baseball game from hell.

CARTER: Yes. If you look at the screen, it looks like cannabis night, but it wasn't. The small fire in the storage room. Forty firefighters had to put out this small fire.

JOHNS: But the game played on, right?

CARTER: They never stopped. They evacuated people from the upper level, put them in different seats. The game continued. No injuries were reported.

JOHNS: And then we had the ball in the stadium.

CARTER: You see a lot of video of fans catching foul balls with their kids in hand. Well, this is a little bit different. We've circled it here for you.

Watch the dad, he's picking up the daughter. And then here comes the souvenir and he makes a decision -- ball or daughter? Ball or daughter? And he says, all right, ball and he drops the ball.

JOHNS: Candidate for father's day. This guy is going to get a prize, right?

CARTER: He wants the daughter. And she's like, get away from me, dad. How embarrassing, you drop me in front of everybody.

JOHNS: People don't think there's actually a camera on you when you're in the stadium trying to grab that ball.

CARTER: I don't.

JOHNS: Right. He's going to -- he's all over TV.

CARTER: And if he's married, I guarantee you today he's got a honey-do list longer than you and I can imagine.

JOHNS: Well, you know, doghouse, big time, dude.

All right. Thanks, man. Good to see you, all right?

CARTER: Thank you.

JOHNS: All right. So, we're going on to a break and we'll come right back. More news in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: You've probably heard the saying "practice what you preach." But one Atlanta church is taking it to a whole new level. A pastor is literally sheltering his flock and housing members of his congregation who have fallen on hard times.

Listen to this from my colleague Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gas is up, the economy is down, and jobs are down right hard to come by. But in these trying times, four strangers formed a brotherhood of sorts.

All are without a job trying to get their life back on track.

DEXTER THOMPSON, RESIDENT: We help each other out because it gets like that some time. You know, it's hard to live check to check, but, you know, when you got brothers that will support you, you know, it helps out a lot.

KAYE: And all were brought together by this man -- Pastor Tony Smith.

Smith delivers the sermon at the Way of God Church in Atlanta. When he saw his congregation fall on hard times, he knew he had to live by the words he preached.

PASTOR TONY SMITH, THE WAY OF GOD CHURCH: When the economy fail, you know, people found themselves, you know, not able to get jobs and find places to stay, and just needed a boost somewhat, kind of help, this help somewhat, kind of house and help them out.

KAYE: Help is an understatement. Pastor Smith literally shelters his flock. He purchased a home for members to live in at no cost, while they struggle to get back on their feet. Members like Dexter Thompson.

THOMPSON: I was in the military. I got out and, you know, I started getting into drugs and alcohol and, you know, all those type of things. So, you know, one day I just got sick of that lifestyle that I had and I just wanted to change what I was doing.

KAYE: With the help of his new support group, this brotherhood, Thompson did change.

THOMPSON: I actually got hired on full time as an electrician. I also have another job where I work at home. I'm able to get some extra hours in so I can make some extra money, get on my feet. And, you know, I'm looking to move out one day and, you know, so some other members can come through.

SMITH: Watching these people recover, they finally kind of breakthrough. You know, you let them know that there is hope in the midst of despair. So, it definitely is a delight. It's a blessing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNS: More than 30 people have cycled through the house since it was purchased by Pastor Smith in 2006. The Way of God Church is now looking to buy another home where female congregation members can live while trying to get back on their feet.

If you want to explore more about your faith or other faiths, go to CNN's belief blog at CNN.com/Belief.

New York harbor is a bit more crowded and patriotic these days as the city hosts the 24th annual Fleet Week for the U.S. Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, allowing civilians an up-close look at our nation's military might, and a chance to meet the heroes who serve so admirably.

And I'd like to introduce you to one of those heroes right now -- 1st Lieutenant Matthew Krempel joins us live from the deck of the USS Iwo Jima. He's a Purple Heart award recipient for his service in Afghanistan.

Thanks so much for joining us.

Tell me an idea why Fleet Week is so special.

MATTHEW KREMPEL, 1ST LIEUTENANT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: The main reason Fleet Week is so special is we're out here for two reasons, really -- it's to educate the public, one, on exactly what we do for Navy Marine Corps team. A lot of Americans don't really understand it. They think it is a rivalry between the Navy and Marine Corps. And it is. It's an enjoyable rivalry.

But at the same point, we're always out there 24/7, 365, somewhere parked off the side of the coast in order to provide service to America and most people don't know that, like with the recent conflict in Libya and that Air Force pilot who went down, we were part as part after Navy Marine Corps team to retrieve him. As well as any humanitarian missions that may pop up around the world, we have been there and we continue to be there as well.

And the second reason is really to remember those who have fallen, our brothers in arms, sailors and Marines who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

JOHNS: Now, you have already served a tour in Afghanistan. You're getting ready to go back. And you were actually wounded in the line of duty the first time. Tell me a little bit about that and why it won't keep you from returning to Afghanistan.

KREMPEL: Well, ultimately, what happened on the last tour I got shot twice in my right arm and I ended up spending about a week in (INAUDIBLE) hospital. But, ultimately, as an officer, we're taught from the beginning that you have -- you have to be out there for your guys.

And, you know, for myself, I work out with my platoon, about 46 Marines, for a good year, training with them, then eventually deployed with them.

And for myself -- just to turn around and go home is really an afterthought. It's impossible to do for us. We have to be for our guys. We have to be on patrol with them constantly and be able to put ourselves on the line as well and do what we ask them to do plain and simple.

And, really, it's no question in my mind that would I go back, it's just when I need to go back. So --

JOHNS: Now, so much of our military effort in Afghanistan really started with Osama bin Laden and the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City. Now, as you return to Afghanistan, knowing that Osama bin Laden has been eliminated -- does that sort of change your outlook and your view of what you're going to be doing over there?

KREMPEL: Not exactly. I mean, of course, every American, it is good what happened with Osama bin Laden happened and for those New Yorkers especially that were heavily hit by 9/11 to kind of get that closure. But for ourselves -- I mean, the overall mission remains the same and when I was over there, yes, that was kind of an afterthought, so to speak. We were mainly focused on helping out Afghan public and being able to just bring freedom to the Afghan people. And, of course, Osama bin Laden's great, but we were kind of focused initially on a higher mission, sir.

JOHNS: Now, here, you have a date at Citi Field with the New York Mets baseball team on Military Appreciation Day. Tell me what's going to happen in the seventh inning stretch, if you know.

KREMPEL: Yes, sir.

Well, it should be a good night, sir. I'm going to be able to check out a couple of my lieutenant buddies and they should be presenting myself up on the jumbotron and I'll be able to introduce myself and kind of tell the Marine Corps story to the people out there. So it should be a good time sir.

JOHNS: 1st Lt. Krempel thank you so much on-board the Iwo Jima. I've been on board that vessel before.

KREMPEL: No problem.

JOHNS: We appreciate your service. Happy Memorial Day.

KREMPEL: Thank you sir.

JOHNS: A forecast in Washington, D.C. -- plenty of rolling thunder but one potential presidential candidate may hog up all the attention from the veteran bikers. We'll talk with the club's founder.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: Checking our "Top Stories".

President Obama is just back from Europe and he's heading for Joplin, Missouri. He'll meet with tornado victims and deliver brief marks during a memorial service at Missouri's Southern State University. At least 142 people died in Joplin. More than 90 are still missing.

Atlanta police say one woman died and another is in critical condition after they fell from a tenth floor hotel window. Police say the women were play fighting when they accidentally crashed through the window.

The remains of seven U.S. military personnel killed overseas returned Saturday to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. And the fallen troops include Sergeant Christopher Soldby (ph) and Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Thibadeau (ph) -- they were both killed on Thursday.

Now let me tell you what's going on in Washington, D.C. today. Potential GOP presidential candidate Sarah Palin is kicking off her bus tour there. It coincides with the Annual Rolling Thunder Bike rally. But here is a question, is she exploiting what's supposed to be a non-political event? CNN's Sandra Endo is live at the Pentagon. And Sandra, she's not exactly crashing the party but then again, she's not exactly invited.

SANDRA ENDO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well exactly, Joe. And we are waiting for the potential presidential candidate to arrive here at the Pentagon. We apparently found out that she will be riding a motorcycle just like the thousands who have gathered here for this annual Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom.

Thousands of motorcyclists are here, they're gathered, they are waiting for the day to start. It's packed with activities for them to honor the veterans of the nation, as well as prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Let's bring in now the national executive director of Rolling Thunder. Tell me what's unique about this day today and the events that are set for this Memorial Day.

ARTIE MULLER, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROLLING THUNDER: Well, it's -- it's to let America know and the world what Memorial Day is all about, that we honor those who gave their lives and limbs and minds so that we can live in freedom the way we do in America, and other countries that we made free.

And to basically put a little more pressure on our government for the live American POWs that they have left behind and have done absolutely nothing for to get them released in all these years. We don't care if you're American POWs or foreign POWs but any country who holds POWs from any previous war we want them returned.

ENDO: You'll be hearing from Secretary Gates later and Admiral Mike Mullen at your rally at the National Mall but also potential presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be riding with your group. Tell me about how that came to play?

MULLER: They said they wanted to ride with us and they are welcome just like anybody else. We're all here in this country as one and they have just as much right to ride with us as everybody else and we're glad to have everybody here.

ENDO: Do you feel like she's politicizing this event though?

MULLER: To this point I don't think so. The media turned that around the wrong way the past couple of days and we sort of hopefully straightened it out that she is coming here just to ride with us for the issue. I believe one of her sons is in the military and I think that's one of the reasons she's also here.

ENDO: Ok Artie Muller, thank you so much. Have a great day.

It is all going to kick off in just a matter of hours. They will ride from here from the Pentagon to the National Mall for a big rally -- Joe.

JOHNS: Sandra Endo in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon. Thanks so much for that great reporting and we'll be talking back to you.

A special Memorial Day edition of "STATE OF UNION" with Candy Crowley coming at 9:00 Eastern; Candy is talking about the difficulties veterans face after they return from serving. I'll ask her about that after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHNS: At 9:00 Eastern this morning, in honor of Memorial Day, "STATE OF THE UNION" is concentrating on issues that affect veterans. Candy Crowley joins me from Washington.

Now Candy, some veterans returning home from military service are experiencing a lot of difficulties, aren't they?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": The figures are pretty astonishing. You know one in four deals with either substance abuse problems, PTSD, homelessness.

And look, most -- most veterans come home and find a way to cope with the world that they find and move on to have very productive lives, but there are those, particularly those coming back from what really has been the longest war counting Iraq and Afghanistan, who after double and triple rotations into these war zones, are coming back with some serious problems.

The VA, by everything -- everyone we've talked to, said it has improved but it is not there yet in terms of getting some services to some of these veterans who are really in need. I mean one of the things that really had us sitting up straight was a statistic that showed that in a year-long period, more veterans and active military kill themselves than died in combat. I mean that's -- that's quite an eye-blinking number.

So we wanted to kind of look in and say look, the best way to memorialize those who died in the service of country is to maybe take a look at how we're treating those who were lucky enough to live.

JOHNS: Yes, I know. I've actually talked to one veteran who became homeless because she got injured in Afghanistan and while she was recovering, she lost her job obviously, lost her income, ended up homeless, all of this after serving her country -- a really sad story.

So you're talking to Senator Patty Murray about trying to help veterans who are unemployed. What's she trying to do?

CROWLEY: Well, she's got a couple of bills on Capitol Hill that she's pushing. One of them would require that those coming home go through kind of job training, job education.

Remember, a lot of young vets whose first job was actually the military. So now they get ready to go out into what's a bad economy. They have skills obviously that they've learned -- I mean one of the things I thought was so interesting was that medics. Ok, now imagine the things that they are seeing during warfare. So medics when they come out can't even drive an ambulance because they need to go through certification which generally teaches them things they learned quite well while they were serving overseas. So there are a lot of things, a lot of holes, a lot of gaps.

And she also wants to give tax credits to businesses who hire veterans. So those are a couple of ways she thinks she can help.

But I have to say one other thing. And that is, that we learned that only about half the vets coming home actually sign up for VA benefits. So there's -- there's a huge disconnect and there are a lot of sort of private things. And the other thing we've learned in these conversations is the government can't do it all, that the community has to start reaching out to some of these vets, whether it's the vet next door or a veterans' organization.

JOHNS: Well this is a Memorial Day weekend edition of "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley. Thanks so much Candy, we'll be watching.

CROWLEY: Thank you.

JOHNS: Starts in about 15 minutes at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 a.m. Pacific right here on CNN.

For a soldier going into a battle zone, it never hurts to ask for a little help from above -- saints riding into the fight on the wrists of America's warriors.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(ZACK BROWN BAND PERFORMS "CHICKEN FRIED")

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: That's awesome. That's the Zac Brown Band there. If you ever see them in concert, you may notice they're wearing battle saint bracelets. These are not-for-profit idea that comes from the Lemay family, Cynthia Lemay. And we have to say, of course, Cynthia Lemay is the wife of our weekend managing editor Jim Lemay here at CNN.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, absolutely.

JOHNS: She's awesome.

WOLF: And she's you know -- something else that she happens to be is she is obviously the mother of one of our enlisted men and all moms tend to worry quite a bit. What she's done is she's taken some of her worry and she's turned it into something positive. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF: A solemn march, a loud ovation and a last good-bye for these deploying troops. The Atlanta Airport is the final stop on their way to war, so that's where you'll find military moms like Cynthia Lemay.

CYNTHIA LEMAY, CREATOR, BATTLE SAINT BRACELETS: Where are you guys headed? Afghanistan?

WOLF: Lemay knows the pain of deployment all too well.

LEMAY: Our son right now is in Afghanistan. My nephew just got back from his third tour in Afghanistan and we also have several other members that are in harm's way.

WOLF: While she can't be on the front lines protecting her son, she can ask for a little help from above.

LEMAY: I put together these saints bracelet. My son's been wearing it since he went over. He's been in a couple of firefights and attacks.

WOLF: This is the battle saint bracelet. It's made up of 12 to 16 different saints, each with a unique military connection.

LEMAY: These are bracelets actually have different saints on them, including St. Christopher to protect you when you travel, and St. Barbara to protect you if you work with explosives, that have very specific meaning to the military and provide them specific protection.

WOLF: She started it as a way to feel connected and to show support for troops overseas. And now the small memento has spread to Hollywood and beyond.

(ZAC BROWN BAND)

WOLF: You'll find them on the wrists of celebrities like Zac Brown and the cast from "Band of Brothers", and now you can get them online, too; a token of support for those at home and those on the front lines.

BRANDON KUHN, U.S. ARMY: I feel pretty proud to wear this and it makes me feel like I'll be a little more protected over there, like I got somebody watching over me a little more.

LEMAY: When you have a loved one in harm's way, not a moment goes by when you don't think of them. So we wear these every day. We think of our loved ones and all the other servicemen and women who make so many sacrifices every day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF: The battle saint bracelets cost only $5. $1 of that goes to the Intrepid Fallen Hero Fund. So it goes to a very good cause.

JOHNS: The thing that I've thought about is when you look at the other bracelets people wear around that are very popular --

(CROSSTALK)

JOHNS: These actually look better. I mean they're much more artistic, they have the little ceramic painting designs. They're pretty good looking things and you know, conversation pieces.

WOLF: No question. Very simple, very elegant, great cause. You bet.

JOHNS: Thanks so much.

WOLF: You bet. All right.

JOHNS: Saving money and helping the troops and all you need is a printer or a pair of scissors. You'll hear from the coupon king coming up next, dishing on how the pros really shop.

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JOHNS: You probably know all about saving big by paying with coupons. It is probably the worst kept secret in shopping. But Nathan Engels is a guy who knows the real deal. He's not only making out like a bandit, his coupon clipping also benefits U.S. troops serving overseas. I asked him how he got into extreme couponing.

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NATHAN ENGELS, SHOPPER, TLC'S EXTREME COUPONING: I started it because my wife and I got married and we combined our finances and I'll tell you, we were just drowning in debt. We had so much that it was just incredible and so we started setting a grocery budget and for setting a grocery budget I realized I had to stretch my money and so I naturally turned to coupons to do that.

JOHNS: Well, you know, I went on your Web site and signed up because I'm something of a coupon fanatic myself. Some folks though accuse you and other couponers on the show of being a hoarder but the most important thing that we've been talking about all weekend here at CNN is all the groceries that you're buying that benefits Troop Aid.

Give us an idea how all of this works.

ENGELS: Well, what we can do is we buy a lot of stuff, as you can see on TLC's Extreme Couponing and so what we do with all that stuff is we can give it away and we're empowered to give through that. So, I think that's one of the great things about it.

A lot of people when they see the show they say, wow, those people have so much stuff in their garage but they really don't understand the purpose of why we stockpile. And, we tell people why would you pay for something later when it's free or cheap today? It doesn't make any sense.

But, if it's free or cheap today, buy a couple extra so you can give it away and that's the cool thing that what we're doing is we're empowered to give to organizations like Operation Troop Aid, Operation Homefront. Those are great organizations you can support.

And, this week, there are wipes that are free at some major grocery stores and those are some -- that's a highly requested item that troops in Afghanistan request. And so those things I wouldn't be able to buy three or four hundred dollars worth if I didn't have coupons. But, because I have those coupons I can go and get those wipes and donate them to the troops in Afghanistan.

JOHNS: So, just give me an idea of how many boxes of stuff you have in your house right now.

ENGELS: I do have a lot. If you watch this show you can see my stockpile. I mean it's a pretty -- it impresses me sometimes. But, I mean what our stockpile is really designed to prevent me from spending two or three hundred dollars at the store. So, right now, I think I have like 20 or 30 tubes of toothpaste. I have about 50 boxes of cereal. I have about three or four hundred cans of vegetables and soup. So -- but those things are great. They don't -- they have a great shelf life and I don't have to buy them when they're expensive at the store.

JOHNS: So you're kind of an extreme example, but is there any way the average shopper can do this, use coupons to donate stuff to troops?

ENGELS: Sure. You know, you can get on our Web site and that's a great place where you can learn to do this. It's really simple for the average shopper. It doesn't take too much time if you know what you're doing.

We liken this a lot to chess. You have to learn how to play the game and if you learn how to play the coupon game you'll really play it well but you sort of have to learn the rules. And, so, Web sites like ours are a great way to empower you to learn. We provide you with lots of lists and coupon matchups that will make the time that you spend doing this a lot quicker.

JOHNS: I've also read that you sort of dumpster dive for coupons. How does that work?

ENGELS: Yes, I dumpster dive for coupons because who wants to actually try to spend money for them? And, you know, if you buy the newspaper and you buy a lot of newspapers like a lot of couponers do, you end up spending $20 or $30 or $40 and that can be counterintuitive. So, we stress different ways, creative ways, to find coupons cheaply.

So, sometimes you can go to a convenience store -- I'm sorry, you can go like a cafe and see if anybody has purchased a paper and discarded it. You can go to a dumpster and pick out the -- the Sunday newspapers that have coupons in them. There are lots of different ways you can get coupons cheaply.

JOHNS: Nathan Engels thanks so much for that. You're coming to us from Cincinnati, which is my home state of Ohio and good to see you up bright and early. Thanks a lot.

ENGELS: Great.

(END VIDEOTAPE) JOHNS: No photo shop here. Check out these never-before-seen pictures of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. They were taken in Los Angeles, probably around 1950; sold decades later at a garage sale. Only problem is, no one knows who took them. If someone steps forward as the photographer, he or she may still hold the copyrights to the shots. Monroe died in 1962.

The governor of Missouri joins Candy Crowley at the top of the hour to preview President Obama's visit to tornado victims.

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JOHNS: "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley is coming up at the top of the hour.

But first, a quick check of this morning's headlines. President Obama is heading out to Joplin, Missouri this morning. He's going to meet with some of the victims of last week's tornado that killed 142 people. He'll also make brief remarks at an afternoon memorial.

The city holds a moment of silence at 5:41 Central -- the exact time when one week ago that tornado struck.

The Taliban are claiming responsibility for an attack on a top coalition general in Afghanistan. The German general is one of the regional commanders for the international security force there. He's in stable condition. Seven people were killed in the suicide attack that took place during a meeting between ISAF and Afghan military officials.

The USDA's food pyramid is going the way of the dinosaur. The USDA is unveiling a new icon Thursday in a renewed effort to improve the nation's diet.

Now here's "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley.