>> efran penaflorida. >> reporter: penaflorida created a classroom on wheels in the philippines to educate his country's forgotten children. >> each person has a hidden hero within. >> reporter: he received 125,000 to continue his work. the nine other honorees award $25,000 each. no dollar value can be put on the inspiration they provide. brooke anderson, cnn, hollywood. >> you can watch the entire event here on cnn, thanksgiving night 9:00 eastern and pacific. i'm heidi colins. "cnn newsroom" continues with tony harris. >> november 23, 2009. here are top stories for you this monday morning in the "cnn newsroom." health care reform heads for debate by the full senate. several democrats demanding tweaks. something you may not dwell on this holiday shopping blitz, your safety. good morning, everyone. i'm tony harris, and you are in the "cnn newsroom." the health care debate is simmer on the back burner until after thanksgiving but the rhetoric is heating up. senate democrats voted over the weekend to begin debate. and now, they have a fight on their hands from republicans and moderates in their own party. our congressional correspondent brianna keilar live in washington for us. look, republicans have seem locked on no. that leaves democrats, particularly their leaders, with the increasingly difficult job of keeping everyone on board. >> reporter: and that's obviously the goal, tony. you can't rule out democratic leaders trying to get some support from republicans. they may not have a choice, they may need it. the vote saturday a vote to begin debate on the floor. yesterday on the sunday shows, senator lieberman and senator ben nelson, both who voted yes, said they wouldn't vote for the bill as is with the government-run insurance plan in it. now, two others, senator mary landrieu of louisiana and blanch lincoln of arkansas have major reservations about the bill. that shows you that, if democrats lose even a single one of these senators here, they're going to have to look across the aisle to maine senators olympia snowe and susan colins to get support there if they can, tony. >> any doubt in your mind that the bill that the senate will begin debating after the thanksgiving break will change? >> reporter: it will have to, in order to get the 60 votes that democrats need. the number two democrat in the senate, dick durbin, indicating yesterday that leaders are open to adjustments on the controversial government-run insurance plan, the public option. if it turns out democrats need republicaner support, remember snowe had this idea that we talked about in months past of a public option with a trigger, meaning the government-run insurance plan only kicks in if insurance companies don't hold up their end of the bargain bringing down costs or covering the number of americans that congress wants them to. >> what's time line? when will the senate have a vote on this bill? >> reporter: the next step is debate on the senate floor after thanksgiving, we're waiting to see exactly when the vote will be. obviously the goal is before christmas, and there is a sense that, you know, congress is going to be hanging around for a while going into the holiday break. then for final passage of the bill, where the house and the senate would have to vote on their bill, that's moving now into the new year. the ultimate goal for democrats to get the bill to the president's desk for his state of the union address at the end of of january. >> interesting. brianna, appreciate it. democrats pushing for the senate health reform bill say it is time for action. california senator diane feinstein says the system is in need for an overhaul. >> america's in serious problems with respect to health care. we virtually every other developed country has a better system than we do. ours is costly in places it's ineffective, deeply troubled, and the time has come to really see that people who have no insurance can get insurance. >> well, the senate's top republican says democrats are taking an arrogant approach to hx health care reform. democrats are ignoring the will of the people. >> on a scale of one to ten, likelihood the senate will pass a health care legislation this year and congress will send the president a bill before the state of the un you address next year? >> we don't often ignore the wishes of the american people. they are screaming, many, telling us, please don't pass this, don't pass this bill. if the majority is hellbent on ignoring wishes of the american people, they have 60 votes in the senate. you would think that they might be able to do this, but i believe there are a number of democratic senators who do care what the american people think and are not interested in this sort of arrogant approach that everybody is sort of shut up and sit down, get out of the way we know what's best for you. we're hearing from the american people, they don't want us pass it. you know, it's hard to handicap the ultimate outcome, whether the majority will ig monore the american people. they'll be heard sooner or late. >> checking the wire and day's big stories. insurgents in afghanistan killed four u.s. service members in the last 24 hours. official says three died in roadside bombings, another was killed by insurgent gunfire. nato charged allied nations to commit more forces to the afghan war arc head of a u.s. decision to sent u.s. troops. president obama will meet with his national security team on afghanistan and pakistan, taking place tonight. in california a transit police officer and a passenger both injured in a scuffle and takedown. take a look at the video here. a witness shot camera phone video of this arrest saturday night. wow, posted it on the internet sunday. bay area rapid transit police have been under scrutiny since the fatal shooting of an unarmed passenger last new year's day. a b.a.r.t. spokesman promises a thorough investigation of the incident. >> the video was posted by somebody who has jumped to conclusions as to what he believes happened and we're not saying that person is wrong or right, but what we do need to say to that person and to the rest of the world, that we're going to look at all of the fact, not just what you see on the video, and then we'll make a conclusion as to what happened. >> federal investigators trying to narrow down the cause of a radiation leak in pennsylvania's three mile island nuclear plant. this is where the nation's most serious nuclear event occurred in 1979 leading to tighter oversight of the industry, a spokesman says saturday's leak was confined to a reactor billing and in the a threat to the public. about 150 workers were sent home. >> we've also looked at the exposures of the individuals that were involved here. based on the information that we see to date, we found that while there were some contaminated individuals, possibly some intakes of the radioactivity we found nothing that indicates there's anything circumstance anything that exceeded the industry rogatory limits. >> live pictures now of the third and final space walk for shuttle "atlantis" astronauts. they are attaching a fresh oxygen tank and science equipment to the international space station. one of the astronauts on today's walk became a father for a second time on saturday. congratulations. arkansas voters are divided over health care reform and the idea of a government-run insurance option. facing a tough re-election fight, caught in the middle of the divide. the story from john king. >> reporter: aisha's fish and chicken is a family business known for friendly service. >> we're going to hook them today. >> reporter: wings and catfish. >> five-piece wing, extra sauce on it. >> reporter: and spicy signature sauce. >> $.31. >> reporter: health care is out of the question. >> it's too expensive right now. we're having a little trouble keeping our head above water. we had it one time but it was so expensive, we finally dropped. i can complain to my wife about it. >> five piece, no sauce. >> reporter: a bbusiness decisi and personal rick. stanley has diabetes and takes half of his prescription because he can't afford the $500 bill for the full dose. >> as soon as i move all the time i don't want to go into a coma, you know, because my sugar dropped to a level. it's a situation where you take a gamble but you can't afford not to. >> reporter: the family hopes congress makes health care affordable and thinks creating a new government-run public option is the best way to do that. >> if they don't do that, you know, i don't think i'll vote for them. >> reporter: it's an important statement because african-american votes in places like pine bluff will be critical in next year's midterm elections. democratic senator blanch lincoln faces a tough re-election race. >> no question. they see an opportunity here and an opportunity to win a senate seat doesn't come often for republicans in arkansas. >> historic. >> reporter: senator lincoln opposes a public option. while that angers liberals, political scientist art english says lincoln needs to worry about conservative democrats and independents in a state president obama lost by 20 points. >> it's tough. it's like that show "malcolm in the middle" but it's senator blanch lincoln in the middle, and it's been tough on her. >> reporter: larry levy owns this little rock brake shop and has gone from paying 100% of employees' health care to 60%. >> it kept going up. as employees got old, premiums got to high we couldn't afford it. >> reporter: levy sees disaster in democratic plans to create a public option or a mandate that everyone buy health insurance. >> we don't know what it's going to cost us. we have health issues i agree. there needs to be reform. but let's identify the problems that we have and let's fix those problems. let's just don't throw out everything and start all over. >> reporter: they say that if taxes go up it will be on people above 250 grand a year. you don't buy it? >> no, i don't buy it. we middle class people will shoulder the burden, i have no question about that. >> reporter: levy describes himself as a conservative who did not vote for mr. obama but does sometimes vote for conservative democrats. he is not a fan of senator lincoln. >> she's playing games right now, ethink, you know? she's kind of swaying back and forth. she's in a tough position, but if she'll listen to her constituents we don't want her to vote for this, i think. >> reporter: you think ha that she better listen? >> i think she needs to listen, if she wants to keep her job. >> reporter: lincoln has lost his vote. he sees washington as veering too far left and sees the midterm elections as a chance to vote republican and put the brakes on the obama agenda. john king, cnn, little rock. >> boy, perfect question after that piece from john king in a saturday night vote, as you know now, the senate agreed to begin formal debate on a bill after thanksgiving. but as you heard this morning so far, there's plenty of division over the bill as it stands now. we want to know what you think. this about this question for us, please. is the status quo better than what's outlined in either the house or senate bills? is the status quo better than reform as it is being proposed right now? just go to cnn g.com/tony, leav us your comment. for months we've been telling you about the frustrations of refinancing your home. one woman takes on credit companies to prove she's alive. as you know, this is getaway week. folks trying to get home for the holidays. we've rebranded ourselves as your holiday travel headquarters. there's the man, rob marciano. that is such a fake conversation you're having right now. what are you talking about, rob? just for the camera. that is terrible. rob is back. just a moment. >> here comes the turkey. >> there it is. >> come on. >> good-looking bird. let's do this. let's check the numbers on wall street now. i guess we're, what, 90 minutes -- better than 90 minutes into the trading day. and the dow is in positive territory. up 157, 155 points. that's a robust rally. back in a moment. check out some of this video coming at us from the uk. this flooding and these decades if not centuries-old structures, bridges being washed away by the torrents of water being produced in the northern uk over the weekend. 14, 15 inches of rainfall in the 3-4-day period. if that part of the world, it is. worst flooding, you can see this -- this is a 1,000-year flood, we talk about 100-year floods here in the states, this is something you'd see once in 1,000 years. my goodness. all right. welcome back. let's talk about what's going on around the u.s. a couple of systems that need to deal with. one developing out here. this one, what brought all of the rainfall to the southeast the past couple of days. that's spreading northward across parts of the northeast. d.c., up to new york, eventually tonight, and tomorrow morning is where you'll see the rainfall. this developing storm out here is looking for -- that's going to develop, i think, tomorrow. here's how that looks. i think for wednesday, obviously a big travel day, the area of concern really in through here, as this guy develops. most in the way of rain, some wind, and the backside we'll see snow. and as this guy heads to the northeast, on friday, not so much thursday, but on friday, we'll see it wrap up pretty good. it could bring snows to the great lakes, maybe northern new england, mostly rain and wind across parts of the northeast. that's a quick check on weather. "cnn newsroom" with tony harris is coming back. i chose the boys & girls clubs. it's an investment for the future. i chose the national wildlife federation. our pets are our kids. we chose the aspca. we're sharing the love again this year. because giving back feels good. on the subaru outback, motor trend's 2010 and two hundred fifty dollars gets donated to your choice of five charities. about all the discounts boswe're offering. i've got. i some catchphrases that'llideas make these savings even more memorable. gecko: all right... gecko: good driver discounts. now that's the stuff...? boss: how 'bout this? gecko: ...they're the bee's knees? boss: or this? gecko: sir, how 'bout just "fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance." boss: ha, yeah, good luck with that catching on! anncr: geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. of your business, what do you see? is the glass half-empty or half-full? well, with ups, you could eliminate warehouses. streamline your supply chain, and even reach new global markets. so your business is more adaptable, more efficient and more profitable. hey, the opportunities are out there. seize them with ups. is anybody else thirsty? so the day after thanksgivi thanksgivinga lot of you watching will jam stores looking for holiday deals. the nation's largest retailer, walmart, taking new steps to keep customers and workers safe. here's national correspondent susan candiotti. >> reporter: the mad dash for bargains can be funny to watch, but last thanksgiving weekend in new york, it was horrific. a long island walmart security guard was trampled to death on black friday, arguably the biggest shopping day of the year. >> people screaming, coming in the store, passing out, falling out. it was horrible site. >> reporter: emmanuel took us back to wall smart. when the doors opened at 5:00, an hour later than expected, the crowd surged forward, glass shattered and the guard was caught in a human steamroller. >> you had at least seven to eight people on top of each other. you didneven see him. they were stuck, exacted in. >> reporter: he felt like he was swept up in a tidal wave, trapped against a vending machine. >> i would not hit that ground, i hit that ground it would have been -- i couldn't get my arms from my side. >> reporter: walmart acrovoided criminal prosecution. the retailer is voluntarily instituting changes nationwide this week. walmart declined a cnn interview. instead, the company provided a pretaped statement that said sports and entertainment crowd control experts gave them help. >> we're committed to looking for ways to make our stores even safer for our customers and associates this season. >> reporter: changes may include snake lines outswid inside stores similar to airport checkpoints and scattering sales items. some stores remain open 24 hours starting thanksgiving day through the weekend. so when black friday sales start at 5:00 a.m., shoppers can already be inside, possibly avoiding chaos. for shoppers up before dawn for door buster deals at any retailer, this safety advice from police -- >> if you see pushing and shoving, arguing for no valid reason, you know, you have a potential problem right here. if that's the case, i walk to the end of the line, let them all go in. >> reporter: emmanuel, who received a settlement from walmart, say his won't be burned again. >> you see that behavior's not getting straightened, you need to leave fast. >> reporter: walmart paid $2 million to a victims' fund and community grant. osha cited them for exposure. susan candiotti, cnn, new york. caught up on top stories now. debate simmering over health care reform. democrats voted to begin formal debate after thanksgiving. they say their bill will bring down costs and expand coverage. republicans say it will mean more taxes and government bureaucracy. ♪ >> wow that's pope benedict. sings and praise to alma mater muss ex-of the vatican proceeds go to under privileged children. "new moon" smashed box office this weekend. the latest in the "twilight series" brought in $140 million nationwide. the third large effort domestic open in history behind "the dark knight" and "spider-man 3"s. don't you love it? gerri willis has your top tips. the holiday shopping spread starts friday. a survey released last hour by the consumer federation finds shops are will spend more this season than last. something that is free when you spend, hassles of holiday shopping. gerri willis is here to talk about the little things that make a shopper grumpy. gerri, what's on your list? >> reporter: all right, there's a long one, you know? >> yeah, yeah. >> reporter: according to a new survey out by consumer reports tomorrow americans find shopping a painful experience. top gripes, 72% say stores never open all of the checkout lanes and that's a major annoyance. 68% cite fake sales. if something is always 20% off, that's not a sale. 62% of people are annoyed by the extended warranty pitch. 58% of folks don't like the practice of cashiers asking for your phone number. why do they do that? 52% don't like that store cards are pushed at the cash register. people are complaining about coop points that seem to exclude everything in the store. and in-store prices that don't match online prices. a lot to be grumpy about. >> how do you keep the annoyance factor to a minimum here? >> reporter: let's keep the annoyance factor a minimum in spending, right? >> yeah. >> reporter: resist special offers. avoid being upsold. holiday gift doesn't have to include every bell and whistle. buying high-end electronics purchased with a credit card so you can return the items no questions asked. that gets you out of paying for an extended warranty. getting the store card will negatively impact your credit score. shop with a goal in mind. another idea, keep the kids at home. >> yeah, yeah. >> reporter: they're not a help if you're trying to shop for the holidays and you only want to spend a little bit. >> good point. gerri, tell us about this consumer federation holiday spending survey, some encouraging news in it? >> reporter: well, look, as you mentioned consumers are plan on spending more this year than last. this year only about 43% of consumers are going to cut back on their holiday spending. compare this to last year when 60% said they would cut back. another trend, fewer people are concerned about meeting monthly debt payment this year than last year. that's good news. a quarter of people were concerned about meeting credit card payments, that's less than 28% last year. of course, please, share your holiday gripes or tips with us. e-mail me at gerri@cnn.com. we'd love to hear from you. >> gerri will share it with us we can share it with everyone. the sharing tile of year. good to see you. thank you. one of the biggest nights of the year. thanksgiving. cnn shows you the cnn heroes celebration. we'll take you behind the scenes next. got to tell you, it is difficult to pick one hero from ten who have all done amazing things to make the world a better place. almost 3 million of you did just that, cast your vote for cnn's hero of the year. over the weekend the winner was announced. cnn's brooke anderson was there. >> reporter: it was a night of tears. >> god bless this country. >> reporter: and triumph. a night to honor everyday people doing extraordinary things. >> you know what? it's the oscars of giving. >> reporter: ten finalists for cnn hero of the year were recognized for helping others around the world. among them, a 20-year-old amputee who is getting artificial limbs to kids who need them. >> i think that's every amputee's goal, not be limited or defined by their situation. >> cnn hero, jordan thomas. >> it's the greatest night of my life. thank you very inch. >> reporter: a florida man who refused to stand by while his fellow vets suffered on the street. >> there will be no man left behind, as long as we are this nation! >> reporter: the heroes night began on a star-studded red carpet in hollywood and continued inside the kodak theatre home of the oscars where musical greats paid tribute in song. ♪ the smallest thing you make all the difference♪ >> reporter: some of hollywood's biggest stars joined in. >> let's honor our hero, betty. >> reporter: how cool is tonight? >> truly cool. truly memorable. truly wonderful. keep doing good things. >> reporter: 2.7 million votes cast online to determine which of the honorees would be named cnn hero of the year. the honor went to -- >> efran penaflorida. >> reporter: penaflorida created a classroom on wheels in the philippines to educate his country's forgotten children. >> each person has a hidden hero within. >> reporter: he received $125,000 to continue his work. the nine other honorees award $25,000 each. no dollar value can be put on the inspiration they provide. brooke anderson, cnn, hollywood. >> reporter: you can watch this entire event cnn thanksgiving night 9:00 eastern and pacific. if you have ever tried to correct errors on your credit report, you know what a hushg cue l herculean effort it can be connie thompson with komo. >> reporter: all ann howell wanted was lower mortgage payments, last thing she expected was more stress. months earlier she discovered her husband of 55 years dead in his sleep. >> i was misdiagnosed with a problem i had on my forehead. >> reporter: turned out to be cancer. days after that surgery, she needed open heart surgery, and almost died. >> i was still grieving and i -- and then all of the surgeries and the radiation. >> reporter: then, when she applied for refinancing, the bank said no. >> because somebody made a real ignorant mistake when they -- when they told experian that i was dead. that was a terrible blow. >> reporter: her experian credit report had her listed as deceased. correcting the mistake was a nightma nightmare. an interstate nightmare that took the full time attention of ann's daughter in california, letters, faxes, notarized explanations, long distance phone calls, for months a brick wall. >> we don't care, we have to get a credit score, without that credit score we can't make the loan and we can't get a credit score because you're deceased. we know you're not deceased but they think you are. we're not going to do this loan. >> reporter: in desperation, ann's daughter contacted our abc affiliate in san francisco, one phone call did the trick. the creditor admitted their mistake and sent an apology. >> it was just mind boggling. >> reporter: ann got her loan, but she's still furious. >> because it was just stupid. and eye nobody should go through this. >> experts will tell you to check your credit report once a year. here what happens you do. go to annualcreditreport.com to order your free report. it is the website authorized by the federal trade commission. more than 7 million people have lost their jobs during this recession. so the burning question is, when will the lay-offs end? susan lisovicz is at the new york stock exchange with details of a new survey of economists. what's the forecast? >> reporter: well, a bunch of economists looked into the crystal ball and they say that the labor market will hit rock bottom in the first quarter of next year. so january to march, we'll see the bottom for the labor market. and that hiring will actually begin in the second quarter. the problem, however, is that it will take a long time to make up for the 7 million jobs lost. and more than half surveyed don't expect jobs to be recovered until 2012. that will keep a lid on the economic growth. expectation is pace of recovery will be painfully slow. >> what about other sectors, susan, like housing? >> reporter: well, that certainly is top cal, tony, no question about it. today, the economists' expectation for next year that is the housing sector will contribute to overall economic growth, which would be the first time since 2005, obviously, we have fresh signs of a housing rebound today because existing home sales surged 10% in october to the highest level in more than 2 1/2 years. economists also expect business spending to pick up as companies restock inventories and expect stock prices to continue to rise, and that is what we are seeing today. terrific rally for the start of the week. the dow and nasdaq, s&p 500 each up about 1.5%. we'll be talking more about the housing report, by the way, in the next hour. >> love it. love it. susan, appreciate it. thank you. could settling for a job now hurt you when the job market begins to pick up? you know, if that's your concern right now, you may be in better shape than most. a special report on your job search at cnnmoney.com. native-americans determined to take back a piece of land they once owned. happened 40 years ago on alcatraz, site of at ban donned federal prison off san francisco. nicole lapin takes us back with one of the occupation's organizers. >> reporter: can you take me back to 40 years ago when you were on similar boats? what was it like? >> exciting. it was that element of danger. we had no idea when we were -- the first boat we ever took out there was a two-masted schooner called the monty chris cal. he allowed 50 indians on board. >> reporter: what was your real motive? >> to take the island. we said, hey, surplus, we would like to have a little piece of our land back again. it's about time. we're going to claim the island by right of discovery. well, that same policy that columbus used on us. >> it was very, very festive in the first few months because we were so excited about taking a piece of ground for the indian people. >> reporter: adam fortunate eagle leading the indian occupation. his kids were living in the cells. his daughter, here in the d-block. >> we knew it was history making in that something big was happening but we couldn't grasp it at the time. so we were just kind of happy to be a part of all of these indians coming from everywhere, which was exciting. that was a bed. and i slept on the bed and my girlfriend, she slept right by me. and we had our little flash flights because there was no electricity. everybody had candles or flashlights and we prepared with that. then to secure ourselves in, not that we felt we needed it because we always felt safe, but we had our little rope. we tie a rope, put a knot on it, that was our lock basically. in the morning we'd get up, go down to the communal kitchen where every pitch in have breakfast and welcome new boats. we'd go down to the dock and welcome new indian dprz all over the country. >> reporter: why do you think 40 years later people don't know this story? >> because the government and the whole educational system still does not want to acknowledge american indian history in our own country. there's not a textbook out here in the school system, that i'm aware of, that puts the indian story of alcatraz together and the significance. >> when visitors come here, they come to alcatraz all observe the world, they're surprised to hear about the indian occupation. they know about the federal prison. it's a significant part of the alcatraz history. >> the occupation lasted 19 months. among other things it greatly influenced the government's decision to end what was known as the indian termination policy. basically a push to assimilate native-americans into mainstream american culture. native-americans look at this at a symbolic time in their history. not only did they go there to make a statement, but they went there to fight to reclaim their identity. it's a fight they tell me that continues to this day. tony, when you think of alcatraz, i know you, you think of the rock, sean connery. that is part of the story but not the entire story, as you just saw. >> i feel look a bit of a knucklehead. you doing your story led me to do google search. learning more about it. thanks, nicole. top stories now, the table set for a post thanksgiving fight over health care reform. senate democrats voted over the weekend to the begin informal debate on the bill. face staunch opposition from republicans. moderate democrat want changes. live picture -- not live? astronauts from shuttle "atlantis" are attaching a new oxygen tank and some science equipment to the international space station. the third and final space walk of this mission. ♪ take a look here. okay. entertainer jennifer lopez up for the count, right, after falling at last night's american mewic awards. no harm, though. okay. beyond that a big night for singer taylor swift. a big night on what has been a big year. she won artist of the year along with four other -- all right, enough of that with j. lo! enough! not again. lord. boosting science technology, engineering, and math, we are awaiting an event with president obama and we will bring it to you right here live when it happens. sarah palin is signing copies of her book in north carolina today. last night she flew into asheville for dinner with the reverend franklin graham and billy gray lap. the eller is 91 and in decleaning health. he has been impressed with pa palin's commitment to love of country. "going rogue" is going well. cnn i-reporters are documenting long line. thousands jammed the sam's club parking lot outside pittsburgh to meet her. these photos from josh, palin's book sold 300,000 copies on its first day. number one seller at amazon.com. keep sending i-reports to cnn.com. president obama in the eisenhower executive office building now highlighting several initiatives this morning to boost science, technology, engineering and mathematics. >> seblth secretary steven choo, doing outstanding work each and every day. i want to ark knowledge eddie bernice johnson from texas, she is one of the members of the science and technology committee doing outstanding work. charlie bolden in the house. there he is right there in front. nsf director, dr. bement is right there. dr. john hohdren, science and technology adviser. melanie barnes, domestic policy counsel chair or head, director. director. and then we've got some students from some wonderful students from some wonderful schools. oakton high school in vienna, virginia. long fellow middle school in fairfax, virginia, the washington mathematics science technology public charter high school in d.c. and the herndan high school in virginia. welcome, everybody. now the students from oakton high school are going to be demonstrating, designed to scoop up and toss moon rocks. i'm eager to so what they do, for two reasons. as presidents i believe robotics can inspire people to pursue science and engineering. i also want to keep an eye on those roboted in case they try anything. it's an honor to be here and to be joined by salary ride, the first american woman in space. sal sally. a person who has inspired a generation of girls and boys to think big somewhere set their sights higher. i want to thank nasa and charlie for providing the interactive globe, an innovative and engaging way of teaching young people around the world. welcome myth busters from discovery channel. where are they? there they are. i hope you guys left the explosives at home. and finally, allow me to thank the many leaders here today who have agreed be part of the historic effort to inspire and educate a new generation in math and science. we live in a world of unprecedented perils but unparalleled potential. our medical system holds the promise of unlocking new cures but it's attached to a health care system that's bankrupting families and businesses and our government. the sources of energy that power our economy are also endangering our plan pept we ceplanet. we face challenges in a global marn marketplace that link the main street, office worker in america, the factory worker in china, and economy in economy i share an opportunity but we also share, unfortunately, a crisis. the key to meeting these challenge, to improve our health and well being and froeprotecti our security in the global economy will be reaffirming and strengthening the world energy and that leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today, especially in those fields that hold the promise of producing future innovations and innovators. and that's why math in education ee science is to important. one of 15 americans rank 21st in science and 25th in math when it compares to peers around their globe. time and again we've let partisan and petty bickering stand in the way of progress. and time and again as a nation we let our children down. so i'm here and you are here because we all believe and we can't let it change our position in the world. it's time for america and all across washington to take responsibility for our future. and that's why ids important to meet the goal, the recovery act included the largest in history while preventing hundreds and thousands of educators from being fired because of the shortfalls. we've launched a $4 billion race to the top fund. one of the largest investments in education reform in history. and through the race to the top, the states will have to compete for funding. and producing the most innovative programs in math and science will be an advantage. in addition, we are challenging states to improve achievement by raising standards, using date to for better informed decisions and take initiatives to turn around struggling schools. we're asking states to focus on teacher effectiveness to make it possible for like people in this room to bring enthusiasm to the classroom. you know that the success we seek will not be attained by government alone. it depends on the commitment of private citizens and parents and students and businesses. it depends on all of us. that's why, back in april, at the national academy of science, i issued a challenge, to encourage folks to think of new and creative ways of engaging young people in science and engineering. and we are here because the leader in this room answered that call to action. today we are launching the educate to innovate campaign. a nationwide effort to help reach the goal that this administration has set, moving to the top in science and math education in the next decade. we've got leaders from private companies and universities and foundations and organizations representing millions of teachers from across america. the initial sector of this campaign is more than $260 million and we only expect this to grow. leaders from intel, time warner cable and hewlett-packard are teaming up with the carnegie corporation and other foundations to fine and replicate successful science, math, and technology programs across america. sesame street has started to two-year initiative to teach students about math and there are going to be interactive science content to 60,000 school, reaching 35 million students. these efforts extend beyond the classroom. time warner cable is joining for the coalition for science after school and first robotic, the program created by dean caman, which gave us the cougar candidate, which will fund students for after school and sony is launching a nationwide challenge to design compelling and freely available science-related video games. organizations representing scientist, teachers, and joined by others in the community, are participating in a grass roots effort called national lab day to reach 10 million young people with hands-on learning. students will invent rockets and get their hands dirty and they'll have a chance to build and create and maybe destroy just a little bit to see the promise of being the makers of things and not just the consumers of things. the administration is participating as well. we've already have a number of science-focused events of young people at the white house, including including astron me and steven include have launched an initiative to inspire tens and thousands of students to pursue careers in clean energy and today i'm announcing that we're going to have an annual science fair at the white house with the winners of the national competitions in science and technology. if you win the ncaa championships, you come to the white house. if you're the student that produces the best hardware and software, you ought to be recognized for that as well. here at the white house, we're going to lead by example. we're going to show young people how cool science can be. through these efforts we're going to expand the scope and scale of science and math education from around the world, including for women and minorities who, too often, have been under represented in these fields but who are no less capable in pursing careers that will help improve our lives and the economy. we're going to challenge the private sector to partner with community colleges, for example, to help train the workers of today for the jobs of tomorrow. even as we make college more affordable so that, by 2010, america, wants again, to lead the world in producing college graduates. now, i have to say to the young people who are here, you can't let students off the hook. in the end, the success of this campaign depends largely on them. but i believe students will rise to the occasion, if given a little bit of a push, we're going to have to create these opportunities because our future depends on them. and i just want to mention the importance, not only for students but also of parents. you know, i was in asia, as many of you are aware, for a week, and i was having lunch with the president of south korea, president lee. and i was interested in the education policy. they've grown enormously over the last 40 years and i asked them, what is the biggest challenge that you have. and he said, the biggest challenge that i have is my parents are too demanding. he said, even if somebody is dirt poor, they are insisting that their kids are getting the best education. he said, i've had to import thousands of foreign teachers because their all insisting that korean children have to learn english in elementary school. that was the biggest education challenge that he had, was an insistence, a demand from parents for excellence in the schools. and the same thing was true when i went to china and i was talking to the mayor of shanghai and i asked him how they were recruiting people when they had so many people in this one city. said, teachering is so revere and the pay scale for teachers are actually comparable to doctors and other professions. that gives you sense of what is happening around the world. there is a hunger for knowledge, an insis steps on reverence for science and math and technology and learning. that used to be what we were about. that's what we're going to be about again. and i have to say that this doesn't get a lot of focus, not once was i asked about education policy during my trip by the press and often times events like this get short tripped. they are not what is debated on cable. but this is probably going to make more of a difference in determining how well we do as a country than just about anything else that we do. everyone in this room understanding how important science and math can be. it goes beyond the facts and biology textbook and questions on an algebra quiz. it's to show human capacity to solve problems and think critically, a set of skills that informs the decisions that we make throughout our lives. so, yes, improving education in math and science is about producing engineers and researchers and innovators that will help transform our economy and lives for the better, but it's also about something more. it's about expanding opportunity for all americans in a world where an education is the key to success. it's about an informed citizen where many of the problems that we face are at the root of the problems and not only unlocking discoveries but unlocking the knowledge of our young people a sense of hard work with effort, they have the chance to achieve extraordinary things. it would be easy to grow cynical, especially at a time of economic uncertainty. especially when we've seen so many from wall street to washington fail to take responsibility for so long. but i believe we have an opportunity now to move beyond the failure of the recent past and to reconnect with optimism. it was not built on greed, relative risk, short time gains and investments. it was forged by bold men and women who took big chances at ideas and believing that in america, all things are possible. that's our history and remain fixed on the world ahead and this is going to be our legacy as well. so with that, this is proof of the extraordinary promise of american young people. i'd like to invite steven harris and brian from oakton heights high school to come up here and demonstrate what their team has built. and it's flashing so far. i don't see it whirling. where are they? give them a big round of applause. all right. what do we have going here? >> he was just chas stized a little bit by the president, not being interested in the subjects and moving on. president obama highlighting some of the initiatives this morning to boost science technology and engineers. and matt particulars education are on board to educate the initiatives and including the communications and time warner cable, sesame street on board as well. there it is right there. take a look. robotics fun at the executive office building. sesame street on board, as the president mentioned, with a two-year focus on science and let's get going here. time for the top of the hour newsroom. it's 12:00 in washington, where behind the scenes bargaining on a health care reform bill focuses on four key senators all across america. the national realtors association says that sales of homes went ballistic in november. and in space, atlantis astronauts prepping the space station for the post-shuttle era. let's get started. senate democrats start one hurd hurdle, setting the stage for the debate next week. details now from brianna keilar. >> reporter: the yays are 60 and nays are 39. >> reporter: for a moment it looked like they were gathering momentum after months of political posturing. >> i'll we're asking for is to have a debate on it. >> reporter: and prodding from the president. >> to finish this on behalf of the american people. >> reporter: the democrats had their 50 votes, enough to send the votes to the floor. >> we need to make a month different transparent -- >> why worry about a govern--run plan that would be subject to recommendations that might abe supplied universally without respect to patients? >> reporter: it became clear that the bill won't fly as written and republican, looking to slow down the process, seized the opening. >> most americans think that we should get it right rather than to speed it up. >> reporter: democrat mary landrieux -- >> i'm proud to have asked for it and i'll fn to. that is not the reason that i'm moving for debate. >> reporter: still, with no republicans on their side and it's still a long stretch and we can see the finish line. >> so there you have it. as health care reform moves forward in the senate, it faces many road blocks. we want to know what you think. and think about this for us, please. is the status quo, what we have now, the status quo better than what's outlined in either of the house or senate bills? go to cnn.com/tony and we'll share with you your comments in the next hour. the white house announced this morning that president obama will meet tonight with the national security team on afghanistan and pakistan. all of the key generals and staff will be there. this is the ninth meeting of the president's war council. the white house has said that the president will not decide on sending more troops to afghanistan until after thanksgiving. caught on tape in carl, was it police brew tal tea or a bay area rapid trans silt officer doing his job? you decide. take a look right here. wow, it's not clear what caused the glass to break. but a b.a.r.t. spokesperson promises a thorough investigation. we're watching the third and final spacewalk of the shuttle "atlantis." the shuttle undocks tomorrow and should touch down here on earth on friday. and check out what has been a pretty robust rally here at the exchange board. we were up 55 points and a bit of a sell off. but still treading heavy in positive territory. we're following the numbers with sus s susan throughout the day here. the prediction is that growth next year will be stronger. but what about -- gerri, the recovery won't be jobless for long. i hope they are right. >> that's right. and these numbers are just out today. it's a survey of economist, some 48 economists. and what they are saying they survey their forecast, what do they say it looks like? instead of losing jobs, our economy will start gaining jobs. so january to february of 2010 will be the last quarter for job losses and then we'll move into the plus column. but what you need to know now is that they are saying the average unemployment rate for next year will be 9.6%. that's still very, very high, tony. about 7.3 million americans have lost their job in this horrible economy. now 61% of those surveyed said that the recovery will not happen until 2012. so we're going to have a couple of years to wait until the economy really starts rebuilding these jobs so people can get back to work and start spending money, et cetera. >> gerri, what's the views of these economists? will we see spending pick up any time soon? >> interestingly, they are saying no. they are saying that consumers are tightening their purse strings and they are going to stay that way. the savings will rise to 4%. it's been around 3.3%. we had the huge jump up in the personal savings rate and then it retracted a little bit. but they are not going to be out spending like they did in the late 90s and we're going to really watch our purse strings which, after all, it makes a little bit of sense here. >> and what about economic growth, gerri? >> well, economic growth, according to this group, they have actually improved their numbers here. they see a fourth quarter gdp. that's the broadest measure of the economy's growth at 3% for next year. 3.2%. so solidly in the plus column. that's good news. additional info here, tony, that you might be interested in, they see the housing market really picking up. they say home prices, get this, will be up 2% next year. that's as more people buy houses. residential investment increases and they say 2010 will be the first year since 2005 that we've seen housing contribute to the broad economy. so that's good news. we see good news here. you know, from there, i think we'd all be happy to see the house prices go up a little bit. >> i hope they are right about that, gerri. thanks. still to come, high waters create high drama after the most rain is recorded in england. ts . according to a leading independent research firm, in 2009 clients rated wells fargo advisors the #1 u.s investment firm for doing what's best for them. with advisors nearby and nationwide, we're with you when you need advice and planning expertise to meet today's 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(announcer) aricept is well tolerated but not for everyone. people at risk for stomach ulcers or who take certain other medicines should tell their doctors because serious stomach problems such as bleeding, may get worse. some people may experience fainting. some people may have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bruising, or not sleep well. some people may have muscle cramps or loss of appetite or may feel tired. in studies these were usually mild and temporary. (woman) if it helps mom be more like herself longer, that's everything to us. (announcer) don't wait. talk to your doctor about aricept. look at these pictures. more than a foot of rain in 24 hours. watch it. watch it. there it goes. this is the northern part of england. this bridge was one of several that gave way after days and days of rain. i don't know how i missed this over the weekend. on friday, a police officer was killed when the bridge collapsed. authorities are protecting the flooding from the heaviest rain ever recorded, chad. there has damaged more than a thousand homes. roads are blocked, schools closed. we'll get to chad in a moment but right now we have more about the clean-up efforts. >> reporter: everything on the lower floor has been destroyed. when we arrived, he only had just got back in. >> everything was moved around and then dropped again and then -- >> reporter: family and friends are working frantically to clear what they can in case floodwaters return. the rain is falling and more is forecast. >> from the first moment and then looked after the third night and obviously can't continue now. >> reporter: a few doors along, a grandmother measures herself against the high water mark along her living room wall. a few treasurers saved. >> that was a hero rescuing people. >> who was he? for 45 years she says that she has lived in this house. >> never been, you know, well, and it's not just grandmother ban croft who is laughing. incredibly, spirits here seem high where they are just barely beginning and people here don't really know when they will be able to get back into their homes. they are being told that right now it could be as long as six to mine months. gordon came out to offer his support and offered additional flood damage relief. >> thank you. thank you. >> we'll provide extra help to make sure that that happens. >> reporter: a town that is going to need all of the help that it can get. 7,000 people live in this tiny community. they are coming together to put right what the town's two flood-swollen rivers came close to destroying. but the cleanup is only just beginning. nick roberson, cnn, england. >> wow. chad myers, totally missed that story over the weekend as it was developing. a foot of rain in more than 24 hours? >> that's right. it didn't do very much but had a lot of wind in new york and new england and some damage and then all of the way across and then just kept going. it didn't keep the tropical cyclone status but it did keep moving and moved all the way into europe and into the uk and northern part of the british isles and you can still see some of the storminess here. we talk about u.s. weather all the time but in england, if you're going to be traveling this week, we can take you down to the cloudy skies for there and rain in parts of paris and into france. so for us i think the big story for the next couple of days is how cold it's going to be on thanksgiving. if you're going to deep frying your turkey, you should keep it in there for a while because the air is going to be so cold above it. >> i've heard all of the horror stories. it goes in the oven. >> chad, appreciate it. thank you, sir. >> yeah. thousands of people have complained that their walls are making them sick. what is going on here? minutes ago, the government released new findings on drywall made in china. we're back in a moment. voices heard. now, the president and congress are moving forward... with reform that includes the best ideas. backed by america's physicians. nurse leaders and nurse practitioners. america's hospitals. prohibiting cuts to medicare benefits. protecting your choice of health care professional. covering preventive care, and closing the prescription gap, to reduce out-of-pocket costs. ♪ a small radiation leak at a nuclear plant did not pose a threat to the public. a spokesperson says that they are still trying to figure out the cause of the leak. a congressman patrick kennedy because of the abortion rights. the two have clashed repeatedly over the issue and in october kennedy criticized the church's push for national health care reform. dr. conrad murray says that he's taking back his life. the cardiologist at the center of the investigation was in church on sunday. he's resumed his cardiology practice. murray says that his client needs the money. finally, answers about corrosive drywall made in china. just out, draft reports of the dangers. thousands of people are saying that drywall is damaging their homes and perhaps their health. our sean callebs looks at one of the homeowner who is you might recognize. >> reporter: sean payton has always had sympathy for the and tainted drywall from china that can produce potentially damaging gases. >> when something like this happens to the head coach of the new orleans saints or somebody who might be a little bit more visible, i think it draws attention to the fact that this thing really could happen to anyone. >> reporter: investigators say that they think they've traced the harmful drywall to a single coal mine in china. the source, a spiller. human conditions bring out dangerous gases and then atact and corrode metal. >> we had five computer failures. we're on our fourth hard drive right now. we have 13 air conditioning service calls, three different coil failures. we're on our third microwave oven panel. we had to install a second set of phone lines, a second alarm system. >> reporter: drywall from china came pouring into the florida and gulf coast states after a series of hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. it isn't all bad. the problem is, homeowners don't know what is tainted until it's too late. toxicologist patricia williams says investigators have consistently found three different toxic gases in the drywall and she gets calls from people worried about their health. >> they think, if they can do this to copper wire, what is it doing to my lungs and inside my body? i think they have to get out, first and foremost. >> few are as lucky as she and sean payton. the host of lawsuits in the south have been rolled into a massive class-action suit in new orleans but it's an uphill fight. >> i don't see this as an easy situation for the consumer or for the homeowner or the property owner. it will take some effort to collect. >> get mad at the reaction to those people that you were counting on them from the beginning. this product has passed through a lot of hands and the problem is, it takes a lot of time to sort through who is at fault here. >> that is the question. the contractor who put it in, the supplier who sold it, the chinese producers. many, like payton, a plaf in the class-action suit, just want the drywall replaced. but it could end up that so many are being victim nizedized again. >> as we report on this drywall issue from the consumer product safety commission that came out in the last hour s. there a problem with tainted chinese drywall? >> the simple answer is, yes. they have found a correlation between tainted chinese drywall. the three big states are florida, louisiana, and virginia. they know that it's giving off hydrogen s hydrogen sulfite and it can ka road metal. sean payton had to replace the air conditioning and the front part of his oven. that's the problems that they are finding. 41 homes that were tested, 10 there had been no complaints and they came back and said in these houses where people come pained, there were problems and weapon didn't find them in similar homes in similar areas where there had been no complaints. >> what are the problems associated with this chinese drywall? do we know? >> well, it's about the physical problems with homes. it car roads metal. people have been living in the base for years. is it causing breathing problems? >> by the way, it's the largest investigation that the consumer product safety commission has ever taken. they say, we don't know yet until we do further testing. >> sean, thank you. they risk their lives working as smugglers and they are as young as 5 years old. we'll take you to the afghan-pakistani border where they are putting their lives on the lines to rn pennies. let me tell you about... a very important phone call i made. when i got my medicare card... i realized i needed... an aarp medicare supplement insurance ca e too. one simple call... gave me the chance to talk... with a personal health insurance advisor... who answered all my questions... about medicare supplement plans. so i could understand it all... after i called... i was able to choose the plan that was right for me. if you're already on or eligible for medicare... call now to find out how... an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by united healthcare insurance company... helps you pay some of the 20% of your medical expenses... not covered by medicare part b. that can save you from paying... thousands of dollars out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp... a name you trust. when you call now... we'll send you this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. so you can join the millions of people... who've already trusted us... for their medicare supplement insurance. plus we'll send you this free guide to understanding medare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor and choose my own hospital. and i don't need a referral to see a specialist. call now to get the free information kit.@i plus we'll include this free medicare guide. and the advantages don't end there. you can choose from a wide range of plans... that are all competitively priced... so you can find a plan that best fits your needs and budget. there are virtually no claim forms to fill out. and best of all... they're the only medicare supplement plans... endorsed by aarp. when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. call now -- 1-800-232-7773/tty and let us help you choose the right plan. so call now, 1-800-232-7773/tty and find out about... an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. a personal health insurance advisor is waiting for your call and, as always, we like to give you the latest financial information at cnn.com/financial. we offer you the latest information. the dow is at a 13-month high. look at that for be a second. the dow is up 120 points. although we are a bit off the session highs but still in positive territory. triple digit gains here. stocks obviously reacting to a big jump in home sales. let's get to susan lisovicz at the new york stock exchange. good to see you. >> good to see you, tony. we were expecting existing home sales to increase higher in october. let's face it, a lot of folks were trying to get in and collect that free money with the first-time home buyer tax credit. at that point n. october, there was a sense that it would expire at the end of this month. the sales activity, whatever the case, highest level in more than 2.5 years. so the question is, what's going to happen going forward, tony. >> yes. and so, as you mentioned, the home buyer tax credit has been extended and can we expect home sales to keep rising here? >> well, yes. in the sense that not only has it been extended to next spring -- >> and broadened. >> and it's been extended so people like you can even get involved. but one thing to note is that 13% of successful first-time home buyers in the last month were previously shut out, a deal went through, or was canceled. so there seems to be pent-up demand but we're heading towards the hibernation activity. the winter is pretty slow. jobless rate remains pretty high. a lot of people -- i think it's safe to assume that people will try to rush in and collect before the deadline, the next deadline expires, tony. >> and when that beach front thing that you're predicting for me, you are there? >> i am. >> for the unveiling. all right, susan, appreciate it. thanks. >> you're welcome. oh, boy, insurgents from afghanistan have killed four u.s. soldiers in the last 24 hours. that raises this month's u.s. death toll in that war to 15. and it comes as president obama considers whether to send more troops. the white house says that the president will meet with his national security team on afghanistan and pakistan tonight. and as the president continues to consult with his national security council, our troop levels in afghanistan -- we, of course, are continuing to listen to you. >> caller: we should stay in afghanistan. there should be more troops sent to afghanistan along with pressure on hamid karzai. because the taliban is pakistanis dressed as taliban. and until you dress the pakistan there will not be peace in afghanistan. >> caller: hi. i hi that history has proven that the generals on the ground in a conflict aren't always right and i believe that mr. obama needs to listen to all sides. i think the focus should be on a strategy which gets the afghanistan people to get involved in the country. >> >> caller: i think we should make sure that the terrorist camps do not get set up again so there is not one waste of an american life. we've been asking this question and your thoughts on it for weeks now and you just continue to respond and we appreciate that so much. and we want to leave the phone number up and the question remains the same, because we'd like to hear more of your thoughts and comments on this. 1-877-742-5760. let us know what you think the u.s. should do next in afghanistan. you know, some families along the afghan-pakistani border depend on their children to bring home money each day. they do it in some of the most dangerous areas. >> reporter: he is street smart and tough. but he's still just a boy, age 9. i need more power to do this, he says. i'm not strong enough. his mission is to fill up and unload his wheelbarrow at least five times a day every day. it's very hard work, he says. he is one of the estimated 300 children who smuggle items back and forth over the border and not just any border, but the border between two of the world's most dangerous places, afghanistan and pakistan. one of the things these children are most afraid of is not surviving the job at all. there have already been two suicide blasts in the last three months in this border crossing. and at only eight years old, she already has war stories, just from working here. when the bomb exploded, i was in afghanistan with my sister, she says. we were crying and then we ran away to the pakistan side. sabar is from pakistan. she loads sacks of flour over to afghanistan. it comes with its own hazards, especially due to a spike in food prices there. when we bring the flour, the pakistani police stop us and they hit us. they beat us, she says. but most of the time these children aren't hassled, so the goods get through and for shipper, they are cheap labor, about 20 cents for the short trip to the checkpoints. but in their lives, every single cent make as difference so the children are not allowed to come home unless they make a certain amount of money? >> of course. >> this man works for an organization that helps border children. >> have you been threatened by the taliban? >> of course. yes. >> reporter: every move to help these children is being watched, he says, in case it goes against islamic law. the taliban knows everything that it is doing. >> if we implement is this against our culture and religion, we cannot implement it at all. >> there are many parents that will not let their children quit this work because their families can not survive without the money. some of these families live in caves. it's one of many hardships that these kids endure. we meet shamil. i want to be an engineer or a teacher, he tells us. at 15 he cannot read but he can still dream. sara snider on the afghanistan-pakistan border. president obama speaks about engineering, math. take a listen. >> to protecting our security and succeeding in the global economy, will be reaffirming and strengthening america's role of scientific discovery and technological innovation. police in california say that an assault of a 12-year-old may be related to a facebook message. the boy was beaten up twice after a kick a ginger gay. investigators say it may have been followed by the show "south park". this morning's spacewalk. live pictures? awesome. this spacewalk got off to a slow start but things seem to be moving now. they are looking up a new oxygen tank and experiments to the international space station. this is the third and final spacewalk of this trip. in 2009 clients rated wells fargo advisors the #1 u.s investment firm for doing what's best for them. with advisors nearby and nationwide, we're with you when you need advice and planning expertise to meet today's challenges. wells fargo advisors. together we'll go far. (announcer) we understand. you want time to enjoy the holidays. but aleve can last 12 hours. and aleve was proven to work better on pain than tylenol 8-hour. so why am i still thinking about this? - how are you? - good, how are you? aleve. proven better on pain. so will the search for the votes weaken the health care costs? poppy harlow is in new york. poppy, good to see you. there's still a lot of debate about the best way to achieve reform. >> yeah, and some people are saying that they are scaling back to control costs in order to get more votes. that's getting some attention right now. the major goal we know right now, you have to bring down overall costs and when you talk about the cost pictures, when you look at family plans all in for this year, over $3500 for the average american family. we need reform and they say reform is not only going to bring down costs for not only me and you but for businesses as well. that's a contentious point. but a yale professor is known as the father of a public option. he came back in 2001 and wrote a big paper on it. here's his take on it. >> most corporations that provide health insurance today do so voluntarily. so if less costs are going to get shifted and produces long-term cost control, it's going to help provide that voluntarily for less. >> the big remaining question, tony, how do you pay for overall reform? what the senate bill is doing right now is it raises the medicare tax on individuals that make more than $200,000 a year. so the high-net worth individuals. they say, add that up over ten years and that's going to provide $54 billion in funding. that doesn't do anything to reign in costs. what does that do to lower our costs overall for the system? >> and that's the debate for the delivery side of health care. what you're pointing out is the delicate balance because there's so many opinions out there on how best to reign in costs, what is getting the most attention? >> well, both are not popular on both sides of the aisle. in the senate bill, there is this contentious 40% tax on high-cost insurance plans. it's not included in the house version and supporters say it's going to help you cut spending overall. people might say, hey, i don't need all of that coverage. i'm going to -- opponents say insurers are going to opt for that but they are going to pass it down to the workers and the companies that provide health care coverage. so big debate here. that's something to keep an eye on. the taxes of the cadillac plans. we'll keep our eye on that. we're following it closely and on twitter.com. >> i tell you, poppy harlow -- like she's not in the room. >> thank you, tony. still to come, dating in the dark. it gives a whole new meaning to blind date. you can't see who you're chatting up. it's the first thing you see in the morning. and the last thing you see at night. ♪ [ piano ] it stresses you out. ♪ [ pop ] it calms you down. it helps you remember. it helps you forget. it keeps you connected. it's the only thing you own that is always within an arm's reach. which is why you don't need to get a phone. you need a phone that gets you. and you. and you. and we are htc. the status quo and outlined in health care now. bill says i vote for reform. i say congress pass the health care bill and get on with other issues. we're back in a moment. you've all heard how difficult blind dates can be. but one company putting a whole new spin on it, our richard lui w takes us to the dark side. >> reporter: it sounds like a typical date. guy and girl meeting but meeting in the dark is taking it to a whole new level. >> you are meeting them, not what they look like. >> yes, i did put more perfume on but smell is very important to me. i like to smell good. >> so what happens is, the guys are on this side, girls on that side. they can hear each other and learn about the other participants but they never see one another. it creates this really exciting best of atmosphere. >> reporter: vision impair guides who have to deal with this scenario every day lead the people through the event. >> other than what they just look like, it's amazing to see the humility, the respect, and the degree of openness that occurs in an environment where you don't have the pressure of seeing someone beforehand. but not everyone is in total agreement. >> we project what we feel. 80% comes out of body language. not in a picture, not what we say, not what we do in the dark, but how we present ourselves. you really need to see someone face-to-face. it's that important. >> reporter: after spending time in the dark and writing down the names of who they want to see, it's time for the revealing moment. some daters make the connection and others don't. >> tonight was -- i don't know what it was. i didn't get any cards. i don't know. sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. >> i wasn't expecting some of them to look the way they did. it wasn't a bad thing. it definitely wasn't a bad thing. >> i witnessed a lot of interactions and dating in the dark and i can tell it's naturally turning into a deeper relationship. and a few of those instances i have seen lights go off and say, well, will we be friends? even in that case there's an important lesson learned that there's a lot more beneath the surface. >> reporter: richard loui, cnn. the message that michael had will live on forever. start with love and let's love one another. thank you very much, we're going to miss you, michael. >> michael jackson won a total of 23 music awards. and that, my folks, is a record. the movie "new moon" took in $143 million in the three days it's been opened. it was also the focus of some of yo your i-reports. >> more. more. >> please, more. >> special effects were good. >> we enjoyed it. i thought it was better than the first. >> who was the best part? >> wear wolves? >> i think the first time. >> i'm tired of "new moon," my daughter and i, and i'm not really a "new moon" fan but i enjoyed it. what did you think about it? >> i loved it a lot more than i thought i would because -- gosh, anyone who has seen it, i'm sorry. >> all right. so here's "new moon" from what i gather caters to horm knolly-stressed out teens. and whatever makes a fast buck, i was entertained. gecko: all right... gecko: good driver discounts. now that's the stuff...? boss: how 'bout this? gecko: ...they're the bee's knees? boss: or this? gecko: sir, how 'bout just "fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance." boss: ha, yeah, good luck with that catching on! anncr: geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. finding is job in this economy is not easy but there is hope. >> a woman laid off and hired her own boss, used a little known government program. for five years, she worked at a place where she made a difference, counseling victims at a domestic violence center. then, one day last march they told her it was all over. >> my position was eliminated because of economic times. >> reporter: she built a career at helping people and at 53 years old, she wondered what else she was qualified to do. >> i remember saying, i'll be back for this. meaning, i'll be back. they said well, just start your own agency. don't let being laid off stop you. so that's what i did. >> reporter: and she did it with the help of a self-employment assistance program, s.e.a. it's a nonprofit helping victims of domestic violence like this woman who we will call sarah. >> i was in a very bad way when ida came to me and i can sit and talk about it now with some focus and some confidence that i have a plan. i have resources and i'm going to make it. >> the counselor got some counseling and training of her own at sca. >> for the 13 years it's existed in new jersey. close to over 8,000 businesses have been created. >> reporter: the program gives potential small business owners three class, in areas such as marketing, fundraising, and bookkeeping. the department of labor offers the programs in the state and she began taking classes in august and in just a month she opened her doors. victims like sarah could not be more grateful. >> the first word that m coulds to my mind is hope. they will clear the way. >> i believe that small business is going to make a difference in this economy. i don't want to be medium or large. i want to be small. i'd like where i am, helping victims. >> reporter: well, tony funds itself by private fund