>> i'm erica hill. a good portion of the country up a little late last night watching baseball and that's because you couldn't turn away from this. talk about an end to the season. the red sox lose in the ninth inning. going in 3-2 and then fall out of the playoffs with a loss in that ninth. same thing extra for the extra inning for the braves. both teams were essentially alive for the playoffs after those representing collapses, though. the cardinals head into the playoffs, instead. much more on baseball's wild night coming up and more on the reason why your colleagues there may need a little stay awake. >> nice of you to wear black for the folks of red sox nation. >> i did go to school in boston even though i was raised a yankee fan. first thing this morning the latest on the home grown terror suspect caught in a operation. bob has the very latest on this story. bob, good morning. >> good morning chris. the latest example of the home grown threat. a 26-year-old massachusetts man is charged with planning air assaults on the u.s. capitol and pentagon, but the plot had no chance. this part-time drummer holds a college degree in physics and the massachusetts man used that science background to turn cell phones into detonators that could be used to trigger homemade bombs. but it was a larger plot that led to his arrest early wednesday. over the past nine months undercover fbi agents recorded multiple conversations in which he laid out plans for attacks on key washington landmarks. he allegedly planned to fill them with explosives and fly into the capitolpentagon and u.s. capitol. he travelled to washington to do surveillance snapping this picture of the pentagon. he was arrested when he moved to put his plans into action. buying what is believed to be 25 pounds of plastic explosives 3 grenades and officials stress that no time was he outside the control of his undercover handlers. in that sense, he presented no real danger. but he repeatedly told the agents that he was driven to kill americans. he told the undercovers, "i just can't stop. there is no other choice for me." >> we have to say there is no evidence that he had any help at all from actual terrorists. he does not seem to be any part of a broader plot. but if convicted, he does face up to 60 years in prison chris. >> pakistan has released an al qaeda leader who was once a body guard for osama bin laden. what does this say to the relationship of the u.s./pakistani relations at this point? >> could be a real problem here. if the reports are true u.s. officials haven't confirmed them. the u.s./pakistani relations, the former body guard had no real intelligence value and not a big player inside al qaeda and that might be true but comes just days after admiral mike mullein accused the pakistani services of directing the network carrying out attacks in afghanistan. this prisoner release could add yet to the growing tensions. >> bob, thank you. chris, want to turn our attention now to italy where amanda knox's attorneys are giving their final arguments trying to convince an appeals court that her conviction for killing her roommate should be thrown out. charlie daggata is there with the very latest. good morning. >> good morning, erica. lawyers for amanda knox has been telling a court this morning she is the victim of a botched investigation and with a new dna report, the truth is finally out. amanda knox arrived at court as normal and one day to prove to jurors that she was wrongly convicted of the murder of her roommate, meredith kercher, in 2007. she has been in an italian prison for four years. >> i never imagined seeing my own sister in a prissen and it's hard for me because amanda is innocent and she's not the type of person to do this. >> it was hard not having a sister there going to her for advice and everything and just growing up with her. >> her father curt, said the period ahead might be the most difficult yet. >> all the defense, all the arguments, all the testimony and all the forensic experts, that's one thing. but to have your daughter have to plead for her life, it's tough. >> reporter: he says amanda hasn't been eating or sleeping well. she looks pale and more frail than before. he and amanda made a list of ten things they'll do together if she walks free. >> she hasn't stepped on grass in four years. >> you don't think about those things, do you? >> no, you don't. you know, just laying in the grass. that's what she wants to do. pretty simple. >> reporter: you may be close. >> hopefully. and, you know we'll find out in a couple days. >> reporter: now after the closing arguments today begins rebuttal phase. at first it was thought that could wrap up as early as saturday and now we're told it will be monday at the earliest before we get a verdict. erica? >> cbs charlie d'agata. good to have you with us this morning, nick. a lot of talk this go around on how this is a much different affair than the last trial. how so? >> well i think we've seen that in the way that amanda knox's lawyers began his summing up. basically the buzz in the media room has been how eloquent he's been and how much more decisive he's been than thee was in the initial trial. his delivery has been superb. he's putting across a very very convincing argument indeed. certainly he opened it by appealing to the judge and jury both for justice for amanda knox, but also for meredith kercher, as well. he said that the jury should remember meredith kercher. they should remember her parents. but at the same time justice wasn't achieved by putting two innocents in jail and he reminded the court that they have been in jail for 1,000 days. you may recall this crime was committed in 2007 and they were convicted in 2009. amanda knox is serving 26 years and her co-accused 25 years. he pointed out that in his summing up that several errors in the way that the police carried out this investigation and he said he hoped, he was convinced that the truth never dies and he hoped that the judge and jury would see this and clear them both. >> the amanda knox that we're seeing here, too, is a very different young woman than the amanda knox we saw a couple years ago in court. we saw her smiling at that point. her entire demeanor is different. how much of an impact does just her appearance and the way she's comporting herself have on the judge and jury in this case? >> well the thing is italy is a very image conscious and i think there was a lot made by the judge and the jury in that regional trial when you may recall she walked into court on valentine's day wearing an all you need is love t-shirt. i know mentally people might say, what does that have to do with the case or trial? but things like that get picked up by the judge and the jury and by the media, as well. so that didn't do her any favors at all. this time we've seen a very demure and very polite and a very different amanda knox. even the lawyer himself pointed out that four years in jail completely changed her character. >> we'll continue to follow the developments over the next couple days. appreciate you being with us nick, thanks. >> you're welcome. >> now, here's chris. now, to politics. several big money republican donors say they're unhappy with the current crop of gop presidential candidates but republican voters will have to decide this race and cbs news political correspondent jane crawford is in washington with a look at how they really feel about the race at this time. jane, good morning. >> good morning, chris. we thought this field was pretty well settled but then texas governor rick perry had that big stumble and that started republican insiders talking again and again about finding yet another candidate to get in this race. but the polls show that this kind of thing happens almost every presidential election. >> how are you? good morning. >> reporter: campaigning across the country, the candidates who are actually running for president, like former massachusetts governor mitt romney downplay all this talk about someone else. >> i think we recognize that it's very important we get this right. and i appreciate the fact that it's taking a lot of careful consideration in the final week or two, it will really narrow down and people will decide who is the person that will have the best shot at replacing president obama. >> reporter: that may be because none of this searching and hand wringing is new. in europe every presidential election voters are dissatisfy would their choices, often when they are trying to beat an incumbent. in the latest cbs news poll just 43% of republican voters say they are satisfy would the field. but around this time in 2003 only 40% of democratic voters were satisfied with their choices to unseat president bush. senator john kerry lost to bush, but voter dissatisfaction early on does not always mean a loss in the general election. in 1991 democrats were begging top politicians like senator ted kennedy, new york governor mario cuomo to jump in. only 18% of democratic voters were satisfied with their options, which at the time including an obscure arkansas governor, bill clinton. now, of course cuomo and kennedy never got in that race and that second string candidate, bill clinton, became a two-term president. chris? >> jan as we get closer to the primaries, what is an actual cutoff date for a potential candidate like a chris christie to get in? there has to be a time when it's just too late in the game. >> that's right. it is right around the corner. i would say in about six weeks. that's because you're going to have these filing deadlines in key states like florida and south carolina to get their names on the ballot. these guys chris christie sarah palin, they'll have to make a decision sooner rather than later which means all this talk will stop soon enough. >> like you said in the graphic that you showed in the piece, perceived dissatisfaction. is this just primary politics but does this make candidate obama kind of lick his chops thinking he has a real advantage here? >> great question. it's primary politics. it happens almost every four years as all these polls show and the lesson here. what is important to keep in mind is that these candidates in this race right now are going to look a lot stronger as this race goes on over the next few months, more debates. they're going to be tested. so the eventual nominee is going to look like the nominee. >> jan crawford in washington for us. in the next hour, we'll speak with newt gingrich who is making some noise in this race now, according to one new poll. >> he's also got some new stuff out there today. he's going to be pitching to folks. we'll ask him about that new contract with america. right now check in with jeff glor with our first check of some of the day's other headlines. >> erica, chris, good morning to you. good morning to everyone at home. this morning a big vote to shore up economic problems. the euro zone bailout fund was considered a critical test of angela merkel's leadership in germany. the parliament easily passed that measure, although some legislatures are opposed to the growing costs most notably greece. germany is europe's biggest economy and subsequently pays more into the bailout fund. there has been a security scare for robert ford the u.s. ambassador to syria. he was attacked today by angry supporters of syrian president. he was cornered in the office. his violence against syria. doctors say jared loughner now accepts the fact that gabby giffords is alive. at first loughner was convinced giffords was dead, even though she was shown a video of the shooting. he has accepted the truth. loughner was at a hearing yesterday in tucson where a federal judge ruled that he can be made competent to stand trial with treatments. one of the nation's strictest immigration laws goes into effect in alabama this years ago baseball purest said having a wildcard team would take all the drama out of the pennant card races. >> they both came down to the final day. here's cbs news correspondent betty nguyen. >> high fly ball belted left. >> reporter: the atlanta braves who led the national league wildcard race by 10 1/2 games just one month ago stumbled through september and needed to beat the philadelphia phillies to secure at least a tie for a shot at october play. the braves led 3-2 in the ninth, but the phillies got to closer kim kimbral to tie it. and beat the braves 4-3 in the ninth inning. >> the cardinals are the wildcard champions. >> reporter: made the cardinals the n.l. wildcard. more dramatics in the american league. just one strike away from the october berth, the red sox jonathan papelbon also blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth. >> johnson down the right field line. >> reporter: tampa knew they still had to win to clinch the wildcard. down 7-0 to the yankees the rays roared back to tie the game on a pinch-hit home run with two out in the ninth. >> second base with two outs. representing the winning run here for the orioles. >> reporter: robertsingled in the winning run to give the orioles a 4-3 victory. >> they must wait and see what happens in tropicana field in st. pete. >> reporter: just four minutes after the sox lost the rays evan longoria slugged a line drive just over the left field wall for a walk-off home run in the 12th inning in a classic baseball celebration at the plate. betty nguyen cbs news new york. >> apparently the batting lesson you gave on the plaza -- it finally paid huge dividends. >> you're welcome. >> unbelievable night of baseball. we missed it all because with the hours we work, we were asleep. >> here's the great thing, get the replay in the morning thanks to betty and now we're get to go. still ahead this morning, more dramatic testimony at the trial for michael jackson's doctor. jackson's assistant took the stand. says dr. conrad murray did not want him to call 911. and we're going to meet one of theidary dare devil engineers inspecting the washington monument 500 feet in the air. this is "early show" on cbs. not for the faint of heart. >> nope. ...c ean living with joint damage. help stop the damage before it stops you... ...with humira. for many adults with moderate to severe ra,... ...humira's proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, blood, liver, and nervous system problems,... ...serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist 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and get this while one of them was up there working, she actually got a text message when she was working. she got to the monument and gets a text message. >> i'm hanging out right now. >> we'll find out what the extent of that message was and if she did get back to that person in a few minutes. >> fascinating to talk to one of those folks just ahead. first, more on the testimony that we have been hearing out of los angeles. more coming today in the manslaughter trial of michael jackson's doctor. he took what you could say a verbal beating on wednesday. >> ben tracy reports, prosecutors say dr. conrad murray didn't have a clue what to do on the day that jackson died. >> were you asked to call 911? >> no, sir. >> reporter: members of the pop star's inner circle described a chaotic scene in michael jackson's bedroom the day he died. dr. conrad murray hunched over jackson on the floor while his distraught children looked on. >> paris was on the ground balled up crying and prince was, he was just standing there and he was just -- you know he just had a real shocked slowly crying. dr. murray asked the question does anyone know cpr? >> i think what the prosecution is trying to create is this is a doctor who had no idea what he was doing. it's an emotional setting. the children are on the ground they are crying. dr. murray is sweating. he doesn't call 911. >> reporter: once dr. murray got to the hospital, there was no evidence he told anyone that jackson might have overdosed on the powerful anesthetic propofol. what he did say according to witnesses was odd. >> what did he ask? >> he said he was hungry. he hasn't eaten all day, all night, something to that effect. and he wanted a ride to get some food. >> he sat there in a waiting room rather than banging on the doors and telling the hospital personnel and the life-saving doctors who were working on michael jackson exactly what mcmichael jackson had in his system. >> dr. murray told me repeatedly michael jackson was healthy. >> reporter: according to a lawyer connected to jackson's canceled tour, dr. murray wanted an additional physician and a cpr machine on hand once those concerts began. evidence observers say that he may have known his propofol regimen was dangerous. ben tracy, cbs news, los angeles. this morning a jackson bodyguard is expected to testify that dr. murray asked him to hide propofol-related evidence before even calling 911. here is jeff glor at the news desk with a check of today's other headlines for us. good morning again. >> good morning to you. in our news here the fbi says a man from ths was planning to bomb the national capital. a van drove rezwan ferdaus outside the boston courthouse yesterday. they say he planned to use remote-controlled model planes packed with explosives to bomb the pentagon and the capital. a detention hearing for him is scheduled for monday. a car bomb exploded outside a bank in northern iraq this morning. at least two people were killed 35 others were hurt. this is video outside the scene. a suicide bomber set off the explosion as police were collecting their salaries. former imf chief dominique strauss-kahn was seen leaving a police station in paris this morning. there he had a face-to-face meeting with the french writer who says dsk tried to rape her in 2003. french police sometimes arrange such meetings to help decide if a case is worth pursuing. strauss-kahn denies the claim. sexual assault charges against him in new york were dropped in august. a british man critically injured after attacked by a shark off the coast of south africa yesterday. he went swimming there even though a great white shark had been spotted and that beach was closed. police here in new york are investigating a cheating scandal on college entrance exams. a 19-year-old college student was arrested tuesday for allegedly taking the s.a.t. tests for at least six high school students. prosecutors up next talk about being at the top of their field, we'll talk to one of the engineers hired to repel down the side of the washington monument 500 feet in the air. this is "the early show" here on cbs. this is "the early show" on cbs. his stimulant medicine was helping but some symptoms were still in his way. so the doctor kept eric on his current medicine and added nonstimulant intuniv to his treatment plan. [ male announcer ] for some children like eric adding once-daily nonstimulant intuniv to their stimulant has been shown to provide additional adhd symptom improvement. don't take if allergic to intuniv, its ingredients or taking other medicines with guanfacine, like tenex. intuniv may cause serious side effects, such as low blood pressure low heart rate fainting, and sleepiness. intuniv may affect the ability to drive or use machinery. other side effects include nausea, tiredness trouble sleeping, stomach pain, and dizziness. tell the doctor about your child's medicines and medical conditions, including heart, liver or kidney problems. [ woman ] adding intuniv helped eric. [ male announcer ] ask the doctor about once-daily nonstimulant intuniv. i've got nothing against these do-it-yourself steam cleaners. lugging around a hot water extraction unit can be a rush! that's why i'm carpet for life. but if things get out of hand, there's no shame in calling us. ♪call 1-800-steemer.♪ well, plenty of sights to take in when you go to washington, d.c. these days tourists are looking way up as engineers dangle outside the washington monument to carry out a delicate inspection. when a 5.82 magna tut rocked the east coast last month, the washington monument sustained more than just panic tourists fleeing the structure. they found a crack and closed the attraction indefinitely. yesterday the national park service dispatched a team of engineers to scale down the tower to conduct a block-by-block search for any more cracks that may have gone undetected. team members will descend from small seats harnessed over the structure the next four or five days. >> they are excited to do it and have lots of experience on high structures and historic structures. >> reporter: while in no apparent danger of collapsing spgs found several cracks in the last month it will go three to four significant breaks near the top, substantial leaks, a debris field near the base and daylight is visibility where morter has loosened. officials expect an in-depth inspection to be ready next month. join us is now is one of the high-flying cardini. thank you for talking to us this morning. you do this for a living but for those of us who don't, is it scary? >> it's awesome. it's not entirely scary. you have an appreciation for the height that you're at, but it's for me it's not so much the fear as just an awesome experience. >> i know this is your job and it's work. is there a certain adrenaline rush that comes along with it? i can't imagine there isn't. >> i think we see it as any other job because we do work from height relatively frequently. >> that. >> it is the washington monument and i think it's a little different because you're surrounded by reporters, but other than that it has the same qualifications that any of our jobs have. >> so what are you seeing so far? i know it's early in the inspection but what is some of the damage you've inspected that you've seen? >> we have seen -- well, really we have only been on the pyramidian. we want to make sure the rest of our access can go smojly so we are trying to clear up a lot of the lightning protection that may do and taking observations as we go and seen some opener mortar joins and a few cracks but we haven't seen the bulk of the structure yet. >> i heard you got a text message when you were on the point yesterday. did you have the opportunity -- first of all, what was the text? who sent it to you some and did you return it? >> i returned it. it was on actually on tuesday and it was from my realtor. she told me we got an offer on our condo and i told her that i couldn't give her a call to respond to is so she would to suffice with a text back. >> the housing market isn't that great. you probably should have taken that call. one never knows. how long do you plan on being on the pyramid? i guess what is the agenda for you? how long do they plan on having you out there? >> currently, we are here through the week, but whatever the job requires. >> did you volunteer for this? how did they pick you? are you one of the best repellers that is out there? >> definitely not. i got involved in it through our company and we have a great team of leaders, especially who got us all excited about it several years back and now we are part of a team of eight people who are all certified to perform this safely in our company. so we do this frequently as a group, and everyone is quite talented and great to work with. >> sounds like quite an honor to be part of this project so we thank you for very much for taking the time this morning. stay safe up there and we will talk with you soon. thanks again, emma. >> thank you. >> emma cardini. if you think the special sneakers make your butt look better. think about this. we will tell you why reebok just settled a false advertising claim when we come back on "the early show." hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in a little drop of chocolate. pure hershey's. use the hand towel analyzer at kleenex.com and find out what could be on your cloth hand towel. 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[ ribbits ] upgrade to kleenex hand towels for a clean, fresh towel every time. good morning. 7:55. i'm grace lee with your cbs 5 headlines. robbers wearing masks are hitting east bay businesses in the early-morning hours. six of them hit a walnut creek gas station early yesterday. one of them fired a shot but no one was hurt in the incident. and homeowners will march in san francisco's financial district today protesting foreclosures. oakland residents rallied outside of banks just yesterday. they dropped off garbage collected from abandoned homes. and no injuries this morning when somebody shot a pellet gun at an a.c. transit bus in emeryville. one of the bus windows was damaged. it's not known if this shooting was related to other recent attacks on a.c. transit buses that occurred in richmond. you can see from video that we have from just a few months ago, police though have not arrested anyone in any of the cases. traffic and weather coming right up. good morning. live look at the south bay northbound traffic coming out of downtown san jose pretty back up this morning. there's an accident reported northbound 280 just past the 11th street exit, remains closed past that towards cupertino. also, another accident just reported in hayward. northbound 880 right before winton avenue that's still out there blocking one lane, just minor injuries reported. hopefully they will clear it soon. in the meantime as you cross the san mateo bridge, that looks great all the way towards foster city. across the flat section all the way towards the high-rise nice and quiet. bay bridge different story really backed up well into the macarthur maze. we have also had a couple of incidents down the eastshore freeway from westbound 80, slow through berkeley. 40 minutes from the carquinez bridge to the maze. that is traffic. for your forecast, here is lawrence. >> elizabeth, we have been talking about a cooldown. you can see for yourself, folks, this is the reason why. check it out. that offshore wind has broken down. the sea breeze is back and wow what a neat shot this morning. the fog and low clouds surging across the russian hill in san francisco. and some cooler temperatures en route to the bay area. the numbers coming down in spots in the bay. still some 70s and 80s, nice there. still hot inland up in the low 90s in places there but at the coastline let's plan on 60s. much cooler temperatures over the next few days, no more 90s in the foreseeable future and as we head toward next week we have the chance of some rain. @@w@@u@@@@pa ♪ ♪ nothing to hide believe what i say ♪ >> caesar's palace in las vegas is now celine's. that refers to celine dion. she's taking time off after her long-time wish for a child. she was rewarded with a pair of twins and is now ready to perform again. she just wrapped up a special for the oprah winfrey network and will tell us how this all changes her home over the past year and gives her a new sense of purpose going back to work. welcome back to "the early show." i'm chris wragge, along with erica hill. if you thought a that version was good by journey, celine does it as well also. something very serious information ahead this this morning when it comes to your health, specifically your blood pressure. prehypertension is where your blood pressure is basically on the edge, teetering between normal and high. a new study out says that when your blood pressure is a little elevated, your risk of having a stroke jumps by more than half. that will definitely make you sit down, take notice. we'll take a look this morning at some ways to watch your blood pressure and to keep it from creeping up into the danger zone to keep the risk for a stroke down. officials say rezwan ferdaus planned to attack the pentagon and propose another attack on u.s. soil. one high-risk potential terror target is america's seaports. this morning mark strassmann takes a look at how security officials are protecting them. >> reporter: any shipment container could be the one. the bomb in the box, global trade twisted into global terror. >> containers in this field seem to be high risk. >> reporter: john is responsible for security at the port of newark, america's second busiest. within five miles of lower manhattan, more than 1 million containers a year enter america. >> like a bomb in a box, right? is that the worry you are looking for a lot more involved than that? >> the number one mission is looking for -- preventing terrorists and weapons mass destruction from entering the country. >> reporter: 9/11 transformed security at america's ports. overseas inspections en route. each container serial number now tracked and graded for risk. as a security approach it's different than airports which cannot profile passengers. ports can profile ships and containers and zero in on what's considered dangerous for a high risk. what's in it? where's it been? this mobile lab x-rays every inch of question ebl containers but all containers go through a series of radiation monitors. this one carried toilet seats from china. it checks out. >> it is very serious. if we don't like something we see, we'll take it to the next level of scrutiny. >> reporter: containers are the highest risk and are physically inspected, but that's less than 5% of everything that comes through. one of steven flip's worries he's a leading expert on port security. he says it has come a long way since 9/11 but -- >> we really don't know what's in boxes, especially the honor system. private companies essentially say here's what we are shipping here's the quantity and there's no mechanism to check it. >> reporter: here's what checks out, since 9/11 terror has never come to america's seaports. mark strassmann, cbs news new york. >> the department of homeland security's goal is to have all 99% of cargo monitored by 201, but that is two years away. >> we take a look at the ever changing republican presidential race. latest fox news poll shows mitt romney the front-runner for the gop pack. while texas governor rick perry has slipped to second and coming in a strong third is herman cain who won that florida straw poll last weekend. also making a surge this morning is former speaker of the house, noourt gingrich who joins us this morning from des moines iowa. good to have you with us. the latest cnn poll they had you in third which must make you feel pretty good. >> it does. i think the idea, the solutions, the positive approach we are taking is actually beginning to work and people are beginning to look for somebody who can meet the size of the problems we face as a country. >> you were releasing a new contract. among the tidbits we have coming out this morning you are looking to give americans in many ways more choice. one of those you could stick with the existing tax code or have the option of using a flat tax rate. you could stick with the existing social security plan or maybe looking at putting your money in a private personal account. when it comes to taxes, it feels that could add a layer, add xrexty and doesn't feel like it is reducing the size of government. >> well n the case of the tax code, it lets you decide whether you are off to have a one-page form or whether you want to keep your home mortgage deduction, you want to keep various kinds of deductions you currently have. i think it is very hard to get to a pure flat tax because people don't trust politicians and don't want to give up all the various deductions. this has been done in rhode island and a number of countries around the world, that people who want to can voluntarily do that, it simplifies the code for them. but the underlying point of the size of government in the new contract with america, we list a series of steps we'll talk starting on the very first day with somewhere between 50 and 200 executive orders. the first to abolish the white house czars. those are all done on inaugural day. then we move to ten areas one of which is to fundamentally reform and overhaul the government for the first time since the 1880s. that would save about $500 billion a year just by that process, so you would see a dramatically smaller government. i'm the only speaker of the house to balance the budget this a lifetime. i can say with authority, we can get back to a balanced budget if we have the right reforms and government will be smaller, leaner and more effective if we do it right. >> you say overall that your plan, the contract here would change the trajectory of this country, but you have also admitted in speaking with some of us who saw this early that it could take time. there are estimates it could as much as eight years, which would be two terms for any president. are you add mitting then that the changes this country needs cannot happen overnight and, in fact, may not even be possible in one term? >> i think the changes can begin within hours of being inaugurated. and i think the official wave of executive orders could have a very substantial redirection in the fact of the country. i think that the legislative outline that we are going to release today in des moines would be the first year of work in order to get moving things, but if you are talking about the system building up since 1932 80 years next year 80 years of bureaucracy, regulation habits it is going to take a little bit of time to move in. remember, you have to have constant action from the executive order. the bureaucracies, the interest groups aren't going away easily they will fight every i ch of the way as we have seen in madison, wisconsin, and in great britain. >> in terms of the fight you recently had endorcement from the tea party. they made some end rows garnering a huge voice in this country, but at the same time there's a feeling by some folks that this small group of people is starting to control the conversation. do there need to be more voices at the table in general at this point? >> well, i think to get everything done you need 305 million voices at the table. that's the total of the american population. but if you look at the issues we are dealing with several brand new, such as the change in approaching brain science for alzheimer's, parkinson's, autism mental health another is the application of the fundamental change and management of the government. the other is is the implementation of the government, which would return power to the states from washington and in medicaid alone it is estimated to save $700 billion over the next ten years. so i think you can bring people together as we did in 1980 with reagan and as we did again in 1994 with the contract to america. and you can have a large majority, not everyone but a large majority agree that creating more jobs balancing the budget replacing obama care developing a strong national security report on the danger we have from weapons of mass destruction in the big cities, we can -- controlling the border which is overwhelmingly supported, having an american energy policy which is about 80% of the american people favoring it we can build a coalition that is big and in favor of this change. >> we will be following this as it shakes out over the next year-plus, and we'll follow your progress as well. thank you for your time mr. speaker. sorry, mr. speaker, didn't mean to step on you there. now to jeff glor with the rest of the morning's terror stories. >> we have headlines to do here! in our news in italy tshs defense lawyer for amanda knox is making final arguments this morning. knox is appealing the 2009 murder conviction. her lawyer says she was an innocent girl crucified in the media. she is expected to address the court. a decision is expected next week. this morning in a very closely watched vote german lawmakers voted to expand the size and powers of the eurozone bailout fun. for now at least states off an immediate crisis in europe. the economy is a major problem there. europe contributes to most of the bailout fund. the taxpayers are >> announcer: this weather report sponsored by aveeno. discover the power of active naturals. coming up next even if you don't have high blood pressure your health could be at risk. we'll have the affect thes on prehypertension and strokes when we come back here on "the early show." improves skin's health in one day with significant improvement in 2 weeks. i found a moisturizer for life. 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[ male announcer ] ask the doctor about once-daily nonstimulant intuniv. . ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] each of these photos was taken by someone on the first morning of their retirement. it's the first of more than 6,000 sunrises the average retiree will see. ♪ ♪ as we're living longer than ever before, prudential's challenge is to help everyone have the retirement income they'll need to enjoy every one of their days. ♪ ♪ prudential. bring your challenges. ♪ in this morning's in this morning's healthwatch blood pressure and strokes, you could have an increased risk of stroke even if your blood pressure is slightly higher than normal. >> that's right. there's new research that people who have prehypertension have a 55% higher risk of having a stroke. dr. holly phillips is here with more on the story this morning. that number sounds very high. first of all, give us a better idea. what exactly is prehypertension and what did that study say about it? >> prehypertension is when your blood pressure is elevated but not yet high enough to be considered true hypertension. so just to go through the numbers, normal blood pressure is 120/80. prehypertension is when your top number is somewhere between 120 and 139 and your bottom number is between 80 and 89. true hypertension or when we call people -- we say you have high blood pressure. that's more of a number of 140 on top and 90 on the bottom or above that. now a quarter of americans do have this prehypertension state. the study today shows that in and of itself could cause a stroke. >> a lot of people only have their blood pressure taken when they go to the doctor's office. do you recommend doing it more frequently or at home? >> what i do in my office when i diagnose somebody with hypertension, prehypertension, i suggest they get a blood pressure monitor at home. can you pick up one of these at drugstores they start at $49.99. many people get nervous at the doctor's office. they got white coat hypertension. you're just nervous, somebody is taking your blood pressure. it's like a test. you start to think -- your blood pressure starts to go up on its own. if you have the blood pressure monitor at home can you test it several times a day and really know what your true number is. >> get a better sense of it. if you do in fact, have this slightly elevated number hypertension, what are ways you can work to bring it down. >> first we really focus on lifestyle factors. the most important is to lose weight if you are overweight. even just a weight loss of seven pounds can lower your blood pressure by 10 points. next you would want to watch your sodium intake not more than a teaspoon a day of table salt. a plant-based diet fruit, vegetables fish grains a little dairy. limit alcohol. two drinks for men, one drink a day for women. all those things can really bring down your blood pressure and prevent you're getting high blood pressure in the future. >> that is our goal. good advice as always. thank you. for more about your blood pressure and stroke risk logon to our partner in health web md and search prehypertension. coming up next the high price of health insurance is going up for some more than others. we'll tell you what you can do to make it more affordable when we come back. this is the "early show" on cbs. 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[ ribbits ] upgrade to kleenex hand towels for a clean, fresh towel every time. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] nutri-grain -- one good decision... can lead to another. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ with real fruit, more of the whole grains your body needs, and a good source of fiber. nutri-grain can help you eat better all day.tt0w@q aá([ dú:8!, tt5dsh #óóx." #@ "f(tt0w@q aáhzx1ú! if you're lucky enough to have a job with health insurance you know it's getting more expensive. this year's average premium for family covering is more than $15,000. >> up 9% from last year. here to tell us why and what you can do about it is ray martin of cbs money watch. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> the costs are staggering and people see the numbers. why are they going up so much? >> health insurance companies saying because of health care reform here. new law require them to add dependents under age of 26 and premove preexisting condition shrugs and exclusions. washington is pointing the finger the other way and sayer increasing costs now for health insurance because next year they have to justify their cost increases so running for the cost increases this year and putting in larger cost increase. the reality also they are increased cost for provider like prescription drug companies and health companies charging bigger premiums. >> it's a perfect storm. never a good time to see a rise in prices but this is probably one of the worst time for most folks given the economy. we saw prices rise last year. loch loch a lot of people saw that. >> people need a plan here. when you go into open enrollment here is what to do. compare your plans and deductible and out of pocket costs. look at the total services ult. not just the premium. next you pay out of pocket costs here, okay? two-thirds of folks pay something for doctor visits and a third have a thousand dollar deductible. look at a spending option that allows you to use pretax dollars like a flex spending account. next, think about piggybacking on your partner's plan. many folks who have a spouse work at another company might have a cheaper health insurance option if you move to that the net costs could be a savings of a xup hundred dollars a month and look at a domestic partner's rider there. you can be same sex or opposite sex relationship and not married and still covered as a dependent because it's a new feature. consider trade group benefits. if you're a member of alumni group you might get cheaper health insurance benefits there because some employers are impacted by the claims experience they have with one or two implies and their costs have gone up 10%, 20% or more. >> let's spin it around now. what shouldn't you do? >> don't coast on the same plan. don't stick with the same plan you had last year because it's in your comfort zone. you might find your health care utilization and the benefits you offered are changed significantly. think how you're using these for next year. also don't go out of network. you have to make sure the providers you use are in the network of plan you have because you will playay dearly if you don't. don't just choose the lowest cost premium plan. think about the services you use. if you're younger and healthier and your health care utilization isn't that much you might consider a high deductible. one of the best values for healthy folks out there. >> ask your employer and they will do your best to help you clarify the open enrollment period. if not you have ray martin right? at cbs money and good morning, everybody. it's 8:25. time for some news headlines on this thursday. a new survey suggests that the challenge to californians trying to get rid of capital in the state. the newfield -- capital punishment in the state. a new field poll found 67% support the death penalty. some are trying to push through a ballot initiative next year to abolish the death penalty. some new charges are being filed against six young men who were arrested for the shooting death of a german tourist. "the examiner" reports the original charges are being dropped and are being replaced by a grand jury indictment. and bart police officers have a new weapon now. it's a camera, small cameras clipped to their uniforms on their chests and record everything from an officer's point of view. bart is now testing them out. traffic and weather coming right up. a couple of accidents in san francisco off 280. northbound 280 at alemany boulevard that accident finally cleared to the right shoulder. now we have a new one. southbound 280 again approaching alemany boulevard so it is stacking up in the area. slow in both directions. the nimitz 880 through oakland, this is a live look as you pass the coliseum. it actually looks okay through here, likely in the next 15 minutes or so it will get even busier in the northbound lanes. and southbound 880 pretty slug, toward hayward where we have had a couple of fender beners right there approaching highway 92. that is traffic. for your forecast, here's lawrence. >> elizabeth, that fog is surging back onshore. that means we have some cooler conditions coming our way. it will take a while for that marine air to work inland but you can tell that offshore wind is gone now. seeing more of a sea breeze that's carrying the fog over russian hill in san francisco. as we head toward the afternoon, we are going to warm the temperatures up nicely. probably 70s and still 80s inside the bay. hot in the valleys. you're not going to feel that marine air just yet but it will be cooler around the bay area with some 60s and 70s. next couple of days, much cooler as we are going to see more fog and low clouds. a few more clouds on the weekend too with much cooler temperatures. and by next week, a possibility of rain. [ agent ] so your policy looks good, is there anything else? why did you buy my husband a falcon? thanks for the falcon. i didn't buy anyone a falcon. sure, you did. you saved us a lot of money on auto insurance. i used that money to buy a falcon. ergo you bought me a falcon. i should've got a falcon. most people who switch to state farm save on average about $480. what they do with it, well, that's their business. oh, that explains a lot, actually. [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] another reason people switch to state farm. aw, i could've gotten a falcon. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. [ falcon screeches ] ♪ you're here there's nothing i fear ♪ >> i'm going to cry. >> yeah. chris will never stop being moved by that. >> ah-ha! >> it's been quite a year for celine dion. she gave birth to twins last october after years of fertility treatment and now she is heading back to las vegas. first, a little chat with our own michelle miller about the latest for her. is not just her music, getting ready to record again but about her growing family and her boys. we will have all of that ahead here on "the early show." chris needs a moment though. >> i love that "titanic". welcome back to "the early show." erica hill along with chris wragge. a little fun at 8:30. a person who thought of putting more fiber in your pasta is doing pretty well right now probably. functional foods with added nutrients could be 176 billion dollar business in a couple of years. thing is we're not exactly sure if all of those additives give you any health benefits so we will show you how many functional foods there are right now. and figure out if it's worth paying extra for those foods. >> or if you should just cut back on the grocery bill and go back to old school. that is ahead this morning. here is jeff glor at the news desk with a final check of today's other headlines for us. >> iceman right ahead! i can't resist every time! good morning. news here this morning. tyson meat is recalling ground beef after four kids in ohio got sick from e. coli. they produced 131,000 pounds of its plant in kansas is it august. the beef sold at kroger and food lion and best before date of september 12 and the code 245d on the package. there is good news this morning in highway safety. suvs and pickups used to be among the most dangerous vehicles on the road but crash test showed dramatic improvement as mark strassmann reports. >> reporter: suv and pickup trucks are bigger and heavier than most cars on the road which makes them more dangerous in crashes but key safety improvements are making them far less deadly than they used to be. look at the way this pickup rides up and over the smaller car in a frontal impact. now the same crash with a pickup truck with a lower bumper and front end. the impact is noticely less severe. not just the changes that are making crashes with smaller vehicles less deadly. the passenger cars themselves now offer far better protection in crashes. watch what happens to the dummy in the passenger car in this side impact crash test. here is the same crash test but with side air bags required standard equipment since september 2009. all of the improvements are the result of a voluntary agreement by major automakers in 2003. and the results are clear. the fatality rate in suv crashes with cars and minivans has been cut by nearly two-thirds. from 44 deaths for every registered vehicles in 2000 to 2001 to only 16 deaths in 2008 to 2009. but the insurance institute which performed the study warns that even these improvements cannot overcome the laws of physics. given the size of some suvs, the smaller and lighter a vehicle is, the more vulnerable the people inside in the event of a crash. mark stras c1 3 in this morning's ask it early, cbs news business and economics correspondent rebecca jarvis is here to answer your questions on personal finance and the economy. so we will just get right into it here. the first one is about paying off student loans and comes to us from claire. >> i'm claire and my question is about student loans. i'm wondering if it's better to pay them off over time in increments which would improve my credit score, or to pay them off as soon as possible. >> well, it's not going to hurt your credit score to pay those loans off as soon as possible. but what you want to make sure of is that you're paying it off but you're also contributing if your company has a 401(k) program, you're also contributing to that and making sure that you're taking advantage of whatever matches the company 401(k) program has because at the same time, you want to get rid of debt you want to set yourself up for future and both things work simultaneously together. >> don't do one or the other, do both at the same time. >> yes. >> the next question from ourbook page from penny. she writes is it better to pay more on one card and pay minutes on the rest until one is paid off? or temporarily not pay the other debts to get one paid off? you never want to stop paying, right? >> exactly. penny, pay down that highest interest rate debt first but make sure you are making the minimum payments on all of your debts because the problem is if you stop making those minimum payments, all of a sudden the interest rates go up across the board and you start incurring fees down the line and, ultimately, that -- what you perceive as lower interest rate debt all of a sudden becomes higher interest rate debt as a result of you not paying it off on time. >> it doesn't help your credit if you don't pay those bills that will show up and lower your kroed score credit score. >> it will will. >> what will happen if some european countries go back to their original currency and how about that affect the united states? >> first off, this would be a logistical nightmare. all of a sudden, you have all of these countries changing currencies like greece and italy and spain and names coming up recently as a result of the crisis taking place in europe. what is the impact here on the united states? we have already seen some of it. the markets here in the united states are living in fear of what could happen down the line in europe. so you're seeing that already in your 401(k) in your pensions in any of your retirement savings. but in addition to that the companies that are based here in the united states big multinational corporations they get loans from europe and if there are more problems down the road with the euro the accessibility to those loans is going to be hindered. sometimes the loans create jobs and sometimes those loans build businesses. >> even if it is sort of a nightmare right now in europe which is what we are seeing it's better to stick with the euro across europe than try to go back to individual currencies? >> you're going to get different answers on this one, erica. people who say take your lumps now, take the reality out of the situation. there is all of these different european countries dealing with their own problems so we have to get through those problems and maybe a way to get through them is take some of them temporarily off the euro. ultimately, there will be if that happens, near term pain in the markets and also potentially in london. >> nobody wants more pain right? >> it could be better for americans traveling to europe but i am. >> it's not the decision -- >> exactly. yep, no. >> rebecca, thanks. here is chris. the economy is bad. people are hurting but a lot of consumers still have the urge to splurge according to new data from the chicago based market research firm symphony iri group. debbye turner bell takes a look at the numbers and the people behind them. >> reporter: like many americans, jenna hellor has been cutting back since the economy went south in 2007 but not any more. >> i think it's important to splurge here and there. >> robin sanders talked into a cosmetics store where some of the products can be pricey for a special triteeat. >> i have a little bit of buyer's remorse usually but i think i deserve it every once in a while. >> reporter: these shoppers are not alone. new survey data show consumers are spending big on little luxuries, sales of cosmetics accessories are up 20%. premade cocktails and coolers jumped 24% and yummy baked goods rose 16%. while not necessarily pricey they are fun and definitely not necessities. >> consumers are looking for treats and delights. in the recession, what happened is people just snapped those purses shut. i think right now they are saying, i can get a little more pleasure in my life i can allow myself to splurge a little bit more. >> reporter: earlier this month, shoppers swarmed target for a cheaper line of fashions and demands were so great it crashed the company's website. we saw the trend in full force during a visit to jcpenney. consumers were flocking to the clothing with designer names. >> i felt like it was important to reward myself after working really hard last week. >> reporter: but nobody seemed interested in the pajamas or fuzzy slippers. turns out while fun is in the blah hum drum boring essentials are down and out. fertilizer and weedkiller dropped 19%. vacuum bags were down 19% also and thermometers fell 20%. >> we are seeing a big shift in where consumers are choosing to put their dollars, taking them away from some of the cleaning and more boring areas and putting them into some of the more exciting or luxurious areas. >> reporter: seems like when times are tough, everyone needs a little splurge. even though you might have to cut back a little bit because of the splurge, is it worth it? >> absolutely. yes. no regrets. >> reporter: debbye turner bell cbs news new york. >> you may be seeing more and more of this at the supermarkets. so-called functional foods and added nutrients like higher fiber pasta and more protein in your pasta and more vitamins in your margarine. >> one estimate says that in two years, the functional food business could grow to an estimated $176 billi. but do the added nutrients do anything for you? joining us now is registered dietitian keri glassman, a contributing editor "women's health" magazine and a long time friend of ours on "the early show." >> nice to see you. >> what are the different examples we are talking about with this functional food thing? >> first real food is the best functional food. we have broccoli blueberries and electromate tows. brockry has compounds that help prevent cancer but think of the functional foods as enhanced and fortified products for example, calcium in orange juice and vitamin d in cereal and green tea in beer. >> green tea in beer? the first i've heard of that one. you say they are enhanced. are thee are these things you should incorporate into your diet? >> is there a time and place. a child might not like dairy or have an allergy. someone that doesn't eat any fish. omega 3 fortified eggs is another place to get it. but of course, a time and a place. it shouldn't be an excuse to, let's say, i'm going to have my vitamin d and eat that high sugar product. we have to be aware of the claims and what we are eating. >> do they provide the nutrition you do need? >> they do provide some nutrients but a great point because we are not necessarily going to absorb them in the same way as in their natural state which is why real foods are always again be the best functional foods and we have to be aware of the health claims as well. >> what are some of the health claims? they claim they have these things and hear why fiber and protein are good for you and different vitamins. is that backed up by anything if the term itself isn't regulated? >> the health terms vary. think about oats and soluble fiber on oatmeal package that claim associating it with heart disease is much different than let's say calcium improves bone health which does not relate to a specific condition like preventing osteoporosis. all of those claims verary great deal so you need to be aware of that. if you're concerned, discuss it with your registered dietitian or your doctor. >> they can't replace all foods and some of the nutrients may not be absorbed. these are things you have to take into consideration before you make any changes from your diet where it currently is, correct? >> exactly. >> how do you make sure you're getting all of the vitamins all of the nutrients you need if they don't all get absorbed say, in a product like this? >> you first of all, we started the segment off with eating real foods and eating a variety of real foods. if you need to bridge that gap and not getting enough calcium and if you don't eat a lot of protein speak to your registered dietitian and have somebody incorporate the right foods for you. up next celine dion goes back on stage in las vegas with a couple of more peopl i am a face unclogger. i am a nose coach. i am a throat untickler. i am a human cough suppressant. and i am the sniffles worst nightmare. i am a target pharmacist. ask me about cold and flu remedies. ♪ you gave me way to make me fly ♪ ♪ you touched my hand i could touch the sky ♪ >> celine dion may be one of the hardest working moms in show biz today. >> her family has grown by two and about to light up las vegas again as michelle miller tells us. >> she went from one kid to three in the blink of an eye and side a new performance contract and getting ready to record again. somehow with all of that going on celine dion found some time to sit down and tell us all about it. ♪ >> tonight is the night! >> reporter: it's been a big 12 months for celine dion. >> one thing by itself is big. and now it's like this. >> reporter: last october, the then 42-year-old singer and her husband rene celebrated the birth of their two baby boys nelson and eddie after years of unsuccessful attempts at more children. ♪ so now i come to you with open arms ♪ >> reporter: then in march, las vegas welcomed her with open arms as she signed on to perform at caesar's palace. the promotional poster says at all. celine's back! >> for me it's great because 70 shows a year, is just enough for me to get my it out. like ♪ so i can have a good time and then i can go with my kids and have a good time too. >> reporter: i think a lot of people like to know how you do it all. >> i'm pumping my milk. >> reporter: first of all, the fact that you're aren't exhausted all the time or are you? >> i am. some days i am. like for example my twins are going to be a year old already soon. they are not sleepers. at all. and i'm the kind of mom who responds to any sound. and i wake up about 12 times, 10 to 12 times a night. the problem -- maybe they are trying to kill me. thank you for welcoming my family. >> reporter: maybe the twins don't know how lucky they are having a mom with such a beautiful voice sing them to sleep. instead of one of her classics, she borrows a song from the baby's favorite tv show "pajaanimals." >> la, la lah-lah bye. singe to myself ♪ lullaby ♪ >> when it's on tv they look at me and freak out and i take credit. they think it's me singing it so that is okay. >> stomach up set! >> reporter: if the twins aren't enough, there is her 10-year-old son rene charles who offers a different kind of mothering challenge. something a lot of us moms can relate to. >> when i go to class, i want him to give me a kiss. >> reporter: not having it. nope. >> not in front of my friends. i said don't tell me i'm already there. maybe 13, 14 not 10 years old. i give him a kiss and he is like that or goes like that. i'm like show your friends that we're close and we love each other! we do. but he doesn't show it doesn't want to show it in front of his friends. forget about it. >> reporter: breaks my heart. >> me too. then he joins me in the middle of the night because he can't sleep. and singing. okay, come on, guys! oh! he comes to join me and then in class, it's like mom, it's okay now, thank you don't embarrass me. i'm thinking oh, my gosh. >> reporter: having been in show business since a tergeenager she is like an open book and invited cameras in her own home. the singer says it shows she is like any other mother. ♪ gold finger ♪ >> reporter: that may be a tough argument to tell. ♪ and something with the man in the mirror ♪ >> reporter: one price of fame is facing criticism. sometimes harsh criticism. ♪ you're here ♪ >> reporter: her 1997 oscar winning hit eye my heart will go on" from the "titanic" sound track recently named one of the worst song in the '90s in a recent poll. she remains unfazed. >> my heart will go on. for me it's a classic and to be part of a classic is something i'm very proud of. >> reporter: she's proud of a lot right now. sold out shows. a beautiful family. and a renewed sense of purpose. ♪ >> i feel grown and mature. ♪ oh, how i love you baby ♪ >> i still love singing very much but i think the fact i don't feel like i need to or prove myself then i feel like it's smoother. better in a way. thank you! good night! woo! >> wow. you can catch celine dion's documentary on the o own network saturday at 9:00. celine told me she is working on a new album next january or february. she will get it all in. >> with a lullaby on it? >> who knows. maybe. >> it looks like a great show. she is a great entertainer no denying that a worldwide talent. >> i would go. absolutely. >> i wonder how she fit back into the fantastic costumes. >> she has great genes. >> have a great day, everybody. your local news is coming up next. we will show you tomorrow on "the early show." good morning. it's 8:55. i'm grace lee with your cbs 5 headlines. no injuries and no arrests this morning when somebody shot a pellet gun at an a.c. transit bus in emeryville. one of the windows was damaged. no word if this shooting was connected to another one also an a.c. transit bus. at that time it was in richmond. and this morning, a memorial is growing for a 6- year-old girl who was killed while walking to school in east palo alto. she was hit inside a crosswalk by a car driven by a teacher from a different school. there's been no arrest made but the investigation continues into her death. the teacher has a number of traffic violations on her record. that according to the dmv. and homeowners are marching in san francisco's financial district today protesting foreclosures. oakland residents rallied outside banks yesterday and dropped off garbage collected if abandoned homes to make a point. we'll have traffic and weather in just a moment. good morning. we still have a lot of areas of slow traffic even though the commute is beginning to wind down. we are on the lower half now so right now here's a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza. and it is still backed up well into the macarthur maze. you will notice that drive time down the eastshore freeway still pretty heavy almost 40 minutes now from the carquinez bridge to the maze. it's because of a couple of fender-benders earlier this morning so expect some slower speeds especially through berkeley. southbound 280 at alemany boulevard in san francisco still waiting for tow crews to arrive. still have one lane blocked so 101 is going to be a better alternate. that is your traffic. for your forecast, here's lawrence. >> elizabeth, we are noticing more fog around the bay area this morning as it looks like the sea breeze is kicking in. let's take you to the transamerica building. you see a couple of patches of fog coming from there and spreading onshore. now from the top of the transamerica building looking toward the west, we have some clouds moving onshore. and it looks like cooler temperatures en route to the bay area. but it will still be hot well inland couple of low 90s there. a few 70s and 80s around the bay, 60s at the coast. rain on the weekend. affi 'm serio we've been , what a super long time. true. and at first it was all business you know, i'd take him here i'd take him there. everywhere. and over the years, we've really bonded. sure. why else would you always buy me chevron with techron? 'cause we need gas. i think it's more than that. i think that you care about me. you're a good friend. best friends? um, uh yes, best friends. yeah. [ male announcer ] your car takes care of you. care for it. chevron with techron. care for your car. ow. >> rachael: today...two unbelievable singers are shocking their biggest fans right here in our studio. first she turned to it celine dion's music to