Transcripts For KQED PBS NewsHour 20130821

Decision. It mate be august but at the white house today, football was in the air, 40 years late. Im proud to welcome the only undefeated, untied team in nfl history to the white house for the first time. Give it up for the 1972 Miami Dolphins and Health Officials say 300,000 americans contract lyme disease each year, 10 times more than previously thought. We explore what is behind the latest numbers. All ahead on tonights news hour. Major funding for the pbs news hour has been provided by cheer egypt ace military government dealt another below to the Muslim Brotherhood today taking the groups stream leader in cut. Margaret warner begins our covering. Authorities charge the groups general guide, Mohammed Badea with inciting violence in the aftermath of muhammad morrisseys oust last month. Leaders condemn the move. With regard to the rest of our leader, he runs peaceful protests and we are greatly saddened about him being taken to prison without being prosecuted and legal procedures. This will affect us all. But on the streets, some found it welcome news. Theres a great achievement. I was so happy. He is a nasty individual, an enemy. Horrid. The d. A. Is just one of many Muslim Brotherhood officials who have been detained since the government moved against two pro morrissey encampments on wednesday. Near apply a thousand people are said to have died that day and assistance then. The Muslim Brotherhood plateses the death toll near 1400. The turmoil has prompted egypts international partners, including the United States and the European Union to reexamine their aid to cairo. The United States, which give u egypt 1. 3 billion a year in military assistance has delayed delivery of four f16 fighter expwrets proved out of the bright star joint military exercises in egypt set for september. But gulf allies, saudi arabia, kuwait, and the uniteddarian emirates have stepped in with some 12 billion in monetary and fuel aid to egypt since morrissey was deposed on july 3. Monday the Saudi Foreign minister promised to fill any financial gaps left by other countries suspending aid. On sunday, egyptian 0 foreign approximate minister fami said egypt welcomed help from other quarters saying we are not looking to replace one friend with another, but we will look out to the world and continue to establish relations with other countries so we have options. On the news hour last night,r egypts ambassador to the u. S. Mohammed towfic said the growth is for both nations. We would like it to continue. We have the same objective. We want to see a democratic system in place in egypt. Reporter theres some confusion about the current state of the program. The daily beast first reported today that, according to vermon1 senator Patrick Leahys ovation the Obama Administration has suspended assistance temporarily. White house spokesman josh earnest insisted that was not true. This is part of a complex and broad relationship that we have with the egyptians. That review that the president ordered to early july has not concluded and reports to the contrary that published reports to the contrary that suggest that assistance to egypt has been cut off are not accurate. But leahys office stood by its claim in a statement saying the state department and foreign operations appropriations subcommittee was told that the transfer of military aid was stopped, that this is current practice, not necessarily official policy, and there is no occasion of how long it will last. Meanwhile Administration Cabinet members met at the white house this afternoon to discuss the egypt aid question further. For more on how much influence the u. S. And other nations have on the uncertain situation in egypt, im joined by talrak massu from the john f. Kennedy school of government and the Washington Bureau chief. Who holds the financial leff rimg in all of this . We have heard tale of uae and qatar and u. S. And saudi arabia who is egypt relying on . You are watching new dynamics in the region, after the way the United States dealt with the regional issues but now we have a coalition of three arab states in the gulf who are providing egypt with the most financial assistance, 12 billion. This is some sort of a marshall plan. If you were from the gulf to egypt and this is essentially unconditional aid unlike. American aid which is re very conditioned for a variety of legal reasonableness this country. But what you zee is a function of way the administration has been dealing with the regional issues for a while. The administration is reluctant on deciding on any issue. Even when it conflict wes its own interest. For example, with egypt, the ngo issue, it was the military not the government that initiated the legal harassment against International Ngos and organizations including a number of american ones. But, instead of raising help, the administration of president obama raised questions. And now because we alienate ited many egyptians over the years, many say we did not criticize mubarak when we should have and they are correct, we did not criticize the military when between should have and they are correct, now we alienated everybody and the only power in egypt is the military and we are trying desperately not to really alienate them completely. How much does egypt rely on this International Aid . Why is it essential . Well, i think as was noted in your report, first the aid from the United States, about 1. 5 billion goes to the Egyptian Military, about 80 percent of that 1. 5 billion takes care of the the Egyptian Military Arms Services so its important for the Egyptian Military readiness and then of course the aid that the saudis have been given obviously helps the egyptians meet their current needs including their sub sky program and etc. Joust to come back to the question that animated all of this, gwen, how much leverage does any of this aid buy anybody, i think it doesnt none of this aid could compel the Egyptian Military to do something it doesnt want to do. You have to remember in february, 2011 when the military was trying to figure out whether to depose mubarak in response to popular pressure, you can bet that the saudis and the emirates and other gulf countries were making quite lavish promises to the egyptians that in they just continue to support mubarak, they would provide aid and that did not suede the military, just as i dont think that losing the potential 1. 5 billion in aid, the potential loss of that would sway the military now in what it cease as an stecial fight against internal foes in the Muslim Brotherhood and islamists that they think want to destroy the egyptian state. Well, we know that there is a National Security Council Meeting at the white house today and there are questions own the table about what to do about this aid leverage. What are the questions . I think there will be some sort of a suspension of military aid. They will play different way with the economic aid. Butt i dont think in the long run they are willing at this stage to make a decisive decision to really take on the Egyptian Military. They will withhold a helicopter attack or planes and as we have seen with the suspension of the f16. But in the end this is not a legal issue nor the egyptians. This is a political issue and i doubt very much that even if you have a total suspension of the aid to the Egyptian Military they can live without the american aid for a year or two and this will not change their basic decisionmaking process when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood. Theres a decision by them supported by the gulf states, to crush did be underline crush, the Muslim Brotherhood. What happened to the muz limg brotherhood is the biggest split they have suffered since 1928 since hey were established. They are down but i doubt they are out. They have a long history of working underground egypt entered a long dark tunnel where you are going to see a long protracted civil striking. To what degree is what happens with money, incoming from all of these different nations affect the potential for instability in egypt and how little control outsiders may have on that . Well, you know, you said it in your question, gwen, i think outsiders have very little control. The military thinks its involved in an existential brotherhood they point to the burning of churches and other violence they attribute to the islamists and i think its unrealistic to expect any amount of american pressure to neck the military off of this course it has chosen for itself. Is that because other people will step in and fill any gap left by the us from f16 nobody is stepped in and there was no saudi or emirates aid, of the military would custodial be pursuing this course. Wee should not underestimate the extent that they believe that the Muslim Brotherhood, the year of Muslim Brotherhood leadership secured that country. I agree. The Egyptian Military would have thought carefully before they embarked on this crack down if they were not assured bit gulf so the state there would bal economic aid. International at the time and so the egyptian is really on the way to doe lapse lapse. Sometimes they have little is and i fully agree with that and thats why, withoftheeuropeans, for instance, theirability to influence that is limited. And the social function much americas diminishing influence throughout the middle east. One of the reasons the gulf states radio angry with the United States not only because of what happened today in egypt. Its because they see the president is weak on iran, weak on syria and israeli settlements and now they feel all of the leff village gone. And now they are stepping in and they have the means to do it. Thank you both very much. Thank you. Online we have a map that shows where all u. S. Military aid guess. Still to come on the news hour, Aljazeera America has its debut. Same sex marriage in the states. The dolphins day at the white house. And lyme disease on the rise. First the eerp news of the day. Pakistans former president the some point in time be was smrmt there to weep have a report narrated by john gla armed personnel were stationed around the courthouse. This was not a moment that mush would treasure. He seemed reluctant to get out of his vehicle. But the countrys former military ruler had little choice. He had been summoned to court. Prosecutors were ready to indict him. And in a 20minute hearing, mr. Mush was charged with murdering the former iconic prime minister, d. Per very mush didnt speak but his lawyers pled not guilty on his behalf. The case shattered an unwritten rule that military leaders are untouchable in pakistan. Remember, its been ruled bit generals for one half of its existence. Still, mr. Musharraf will be judged by the courts and his lawyers say theres no evidence he murdered butto. The important thing is that you have to prove the allegation. And still, there is no evidence. After years of self exim, Benazir Bhutto returned in 2007 to contest the elections. I feel very emotional coming back to my country. She knew she was taking a risk. She narrowly escaped one assassination attempt in karachi. 136 people were killed. Later she warned of another plot to kill her. I hope the next attack is going to be with certain people in the police department. And two months later, she would lose her life, as she waved to supporters after a rally in the city. Per very musharraf, then president , blamed the pakistan taliban. But prosecutors say responsibility lies with mr. Mush sheriff because he failed to properly protect other. Musharraf will be back in court for another hearing next week. The damaged Nuclear Plant in japan has leaked the largest amount of radactive water yet. 300,000 tons escaped from one of the storage tanks and seeped into the ground. The plant was flood bade massive tsunami in 2011 and triggered meltdowns in the reactors. The Power Company has knot determined the causeofthelatest leak and issued this wash warning. Its the equivalent of a limit for accumulated exposure over five years for nuke collar workers so it can be said we found a radiation level Strong Enough to give someone a five year dose in one hour. Four other tanks in similar plants have experienced leaks since last year. A panel says theres 95 percent certainty human activity is the main cause of global warming. The findings in their summary were published in the new york sometimes ahead of the release. The group of several hundred sign thrifts warned unless carbon levels are slowed, sea level could rise by more thanq three feet near the end of the century. Near hadly one hundred groups have signed objection to the city of detroits got for bankruptcy protection. The deadline was monday as midnight. Among the filers were the citys Largest Employee union. It said the city has not proven its involume sent. Detroit faces at least 18 billion in liabilities. A federal judge granted california prison officials personaltion to force feed inmates, lodge mg had a seven tweak long hunger strike. About 100 prisoners have refused meals since july 8. Theyre pro thefting gang leaders violence against inmates. About 70 of the strikers in are in failing health. Strikes on wall street pore mentioned today but there are better results from retailers. The nasdaq rose 24 points to chose at 3613. The bestselling crime novelist Elmore Leonard died at his home in michigan from complications of had a stroke. Leonard published more than 40 novels during his year, many with con men and gangsters as the character. The novel glitz was the number one bestseller. A number of his books made it to the big screen including get shorty and justified. He was 87 years old. Now back to judy. We turn tot launch of Aljazeera America, an allnews, aroundtheclock tv network aiming 20 separate itself from the fact pack at a crucial and competative time independent industry. This is Aljazeera America. Aljazeera america hit the airwaves today at 3 p. M. Eastern time . Our top story, the president has convened at a time when many News Networks are scaling back. Aljazeera has ex pandad its he efforts launching all now programming featuring of what will be indepth the dis its hoping to shape up traditional cape news and indicate tore americans leaking for an alternative. Neal thorn is executive rulesser of aljazeera english and he is part of the Transition Team helping with the Aljazeera America launch. Theres had a wide network of bureaus here and in america, 12, and other than 70 across the globe. So put those two things together and you get an enormous news gathering machine, very experienced correspondents on the ground with local knowledge. Current lip 48 million households can access the channel. Fewer than half Television Subscribers have angz to cnn. Itit is the latest move from a smaller operation in the u. S. With aljazeera english. That decision continues to barium from the home base in qatar. Afteramp it merged with the curt news channel earlier this year, Aljazeera America has faced limitations. The online live stream feature, which many viewers across the u. S. Use to access the Networks Content has been cut off. Xd and many cable and Satellite Companies remain reluctant to carry the news channel. Its understandable that the live stream cable companies, that its a difficult area for them so theres an understanding that thats the case. But i think Going Forward, there will be the ambition to get into more households and to have a wider distribution deal. And while the company tries to make aljazeera a household name in the u. S. , it is forcedco to combat negative perception from Americans Still have of the arab muse channel. For now with 850 hires across the country, of the network will try to sway new viewers to compete own the 24 hour cable news battlefield. Whats must aljazeera do to win the fighting . We us and it with 10 ra potter, 5 former reporter for cbs news and cnn and now is head of a Resource Center foretelevision and News Organizations and phillip seed, director of the center for Public Diplomacy and professor the is the International Relations at the university of southern california. He is less author of a number of books including aljazeera english. Welcome to both of you. Debra potter, let me start with you, so what does Aljazeera America bring to the news landscape in this crip that is knot already here. Theyre aproamed mg to bring 14 sprmts, fresh news through the day and the evening that is sort of straight feared and hard hitting. They promise depth and they promise not the kind of thing that you see on some of the cable networks, lots of opinion and shout fests and so forth. nr thats what they say they will be delivering. And is that different from what exists in the land escape right now . We could argue about somewhat out there but how do you say what they bring. I think theyre counting on there being an audience forni oldfashioned journalism. I expect they had do a lot of investigative work for and stay away from the Lindsay Lohans escapades and things like that. You have written a book about aljazeera english of the, tell us a little about who the owners are, and we know theyre based in the persian gulf kingdom of qatar. What who are they and what is their connection to Aljazeera America . Well, theres a Board Directors for the the aljazeera Parent Company which has aljazeera arabic, english, Aljazeera America, theres an aljazeera station in sarajevo, they have sports channels and childrens channel and its basic little a reult which is why 58 jazz network has a Financial System that search going to envy. So if Aljazeera America wants to send a reporting team to some obscure place they dont have to worry absent budget and that should give them a leg newspaper their reporting efforts. Is it pretty much unlimited budget spending. It sounds like it. They are e very deep pockets theyre is the are about six months an hour is what they say they will have, which suggests they vobt bln able to line unhld or if they want to keep ittown to differentiate themselves from what is already available. Debra potter, questions have been clearly raised about how much control, editorial control own the part of the owners, whether there should be any concerns about editorial freedom on the part of this channel . Well, i will certainly say the journalists that have gone to work there have been promised editorial freedom. Theyre note expecting to be mentioned with from the middle east. There were issues when aljazeera english launched, some prominent people left, saying they had had their stories and their copy dictated from across the ocean and i think maybe the channel learned something from that and realized they got a black eye and dont want to do that be again. How do you see the editorial of already editorial freedom. I think aljazeera in qatar knows to succeed in the United States anyway have to clearly of course independent is if theres nip controversy by meddling by the people who hold the money think that will be a big issue. Its important to distinguish between aljatz america and aljazeera arabic. Aljazeera parishistic is in the next is the i dont think it will be set up knob m to be about News Organization that represents not only the aljazeera brand but cat tarp plant and they want it to be high quality. Theres been a report written by one official worried that aljatzed wrerk was triesm to yeah. So that same issue came upnr with aljazeera english, that people at the arabic channel were afraid that they were going to soften the image of aljazeera but these things work out, and i think that the aljazeera arabic and english and america will be able to cover this quite nicely. We reported they are only seen in half and maybe less than half of American Homes because of the cable, limited cable access at this point. How much of a challenge is that . Its enormous. I think even those homes that get Aljazeera America today, many of them dont know it because they never found current to begin with which is the channel aljazeera bought to put this on the air. So they have a penetration issue which is that they need to be available in more homes and then they have to become visible to those homes in which they are available. So its a twostep process. Its going to take time. How tough is it to get on those cable delivery systems, phil . Pretty difficult. I live in pasadena, california, and i cant get Aljazeera America on a cable channel. I think theres a political hang over from the early days of the burkes when aljazeera was greatly vilified and some of these characters i think are still a little scared of that. But if Aljazeera America starts delivering a good product i think there will be public demand for it and people will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to watch it or not. What is the measurement that youll be judging them by . What should we look for from them . Well, i think theyre not subjecting them selfesteem bhaifned the size of their audience from from the gitgo. What way that is not the measure measure, my interest would be the quality of the journalism. They have hired good journalists of whom we have both worked with over the years and they made promises to them that theyre going to be able to do serious, hardhitting, in depth coverage that is not available anywhere else, that will be undercover communities in the United States. If they deliver on that promise, i think there will be a demand for it. How much of a demand, i dont know. Because one of the challenges is that americans say they want indepth hard serious news but they dont actually watch it. What will you be watching for, phil . Well, i think the seriousness of the journalism is important because what the people in doha want is for the people in the United States to be talking about Aljazeera America, to be saying to each other, did you see that story last knight. Aljazeera, since its inception has wanted to be a major player in the International News brings exp the fact is, you cannot be a major player unless you have a u. S. Audience. Thats why they used so much mount to buy up tv and theyre spending so much now, they want to be seen as a major player. Phillip and debra, thank you both. Your name k fu cochlearer now we look at the Supreme Court ruling on samesex exphairnlg how theyre interpreted across the country. The june decision on the defines of marriage act and californias proposition 8 didnt end the debate over gay marriage. The issue is still on the docket in courthouses in new jersey, pennsylvania and elsewhere, up for debate in state legislatures and own the ballot. For an update we turn to john eastman, a Chapman University Law School Professor and chairman. Board of the National Organization for marriage. And jameses ex,the director of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender project at the American Civil Liberties union. Did the Supreme Court decisions on doma and prop 8 change the legal strategy and change the landscape that faces prolegalization and antilegalization forces . Well, it didnt change the doctrine or the strategy. What it does, it reinforces what were already doing. That is, we have gotten to the place were at now which is 13 states plus the district of columbia, through different means. We have it through Court Decisions, a bunch of state legislatures passed those bills and then the people voted last fall in the ballot in three states. And our way forward is more of the same. We will go to state legislatures and go to the ballot and where appropriate, go to court. Professorred eastman last week a new jersey court heard an appeal of the xoifting state law there, based on the Supreme Courts reasoning in the case. The Montgomery County in pennsylvania is marrying people contrary to the laws of pennsylvania. Would this change what the antilegalization forces have to do now . I think its very important and the people that are opposed to redefining the Core Institution of marriage are going to continue to fight. Justice kennedys opinion in the defense of marriage act case rests heavily on the fact that states are the primary determines of marriage policy in our country. So its a little odd for somebody in pennsylvania to say im going to use that decision to undercut the policy of pennsylvania with respect to marriage. Now there are other parts of judge kennedys opinion that are very flowery language that have equal protection type aspect to them but Justice Kennedy doesnt settle that. Section two of the defense of marriage act is still in place and that says no state has to recognize marriages performed in other states if it runs counter to the basic policy judgment of the state. So the pennsylvania local registrar, i think, is wrong. Were going to face that out in litigation and theres and a number of other states where similar actions are being glain in those other states that have had a defense of marriage act on the books, does the Supreme Court opinion send an opinion that there may be patches in the language, things to make their laws federal doma prove . Do there have to be changes. I dont think. So the statutes and the state constitutional provisions define marriage has it has been in history, a man and a woman, dont need to be changed. Either the Supreme Court is going to find a right to redefine marriage in the federal constitution and all of those will be invalid, including in all 37 states that continue to have traditional marriage laws other the Supreme Court is not going to find that right in the federal constitution or make it up, in which case we will fight this out in the states in the political arena, which in a democracy is where policy shows need to be fought out. As you mentioned the fight was already well under way in a lot of states where people were just wait fog see whats people were wait to go to do. If your tea in illinois where the senate pass add legalization law, the governor promised to sign it, put u. But it was pulled before it 20 to thenr house, what affect does the Supreme Court ruling have . Does it give new hope or strength to people who want to make it legal in illinois . The three Court Decision in the doma case helps the political movement. It does it in some states in a very simple way. Prior to the demise of the defense of marriage act, if illinois ghaiv protections to section couples in a civil union, you didnt get much in the way of different protections if you got a marriage. Now, after doma is gone, if illinois give us samesex couples civil unions, it gets all of the state protection and none of the federal protections that come with marriage. If illinois phillips to giving the freedom to marry to samesex couples all of a sudden samesex couples get all of the state and federal protections and theres a vast disparity even more than brvetion between civil union and marriage and i think that is going to mean there are a lot of sloars who are taking another look at this issue. Professor, you heard jameses exsay it grifs political strength to the prolegalization forces. What is the assignment now for people who, like yourself, want to keep the situation where this . Well, i think the other side of that coin is what we saw happen in illinois. Both parts of the legislature are controlled by democrats yet the africanamerican pass pour rose up to put a stop to this train that was Going Forward in illinois, and they almost singlehandedly stopped the redefinition of bill from going through the illinois regulate our. Thats interesting because africanamerican pastors confront of demise of the family more than any other segment of our population. And what were trying to do is redefine the institution of marriage to say that fathers are optional. Thats predictably going to have devastating consequences are Civil Society and i think thats why this thing was pulled from the Illinois Legislature before it went forward. People prosecute standing back and start to think about the consequences that may flow from this radical redefinition of marriage. Is there a 50 state strategy or have several different strategies been unleashed overxd the past several months. Well, were continuing to work through multiple means to get more states that allow samesex couples to marry. Look, its clear what marriage s marriage is about family and commitment and love. And when same sex couples make the commitment that is at the core of marriage, its only fair they get the protections that come with that and that come with marriage in america. Thats all were looking for. I think one thing going on is the change, the increasing patchwork that we have in terms of protections for same sex couples in this country is leading to significant problems, so for example, we represent a lesbian couple in the lives in north virginia. One of them works in d. C. And the two of them got married in d. C. When she is at work during the day she is a married woman with a daughter. When she drives home to Northern Virginia on her commute at the end of the day, suddenly in the eyes of the state of virginia, she becomes an unmarried single mother. Thats not what her life is like and it doesnt make sense to treat her as unmarried when she has made the commitment at the core of marriage because she got married. She and her wife got married under dc law. Were looking for simple rule when youre married, youre married, and it shouldnt change when you cross state lines. We will have to stop it there. Professor, the next chapter in this is what america will do after a long time of all states recognizing all meernlgs and the federal government recognizing them all. Gentlemen, thank you for joining us. Thank you very much. Next, its no secret that president obama loves sports. What you may not realize is just how much of a passion it is. Kwame holman returns with that story. Im proud to welcome the only undefeated, untied team in nfl history to the white house for the first time, give it up for the 1972 Miami Dolphins. At the white house today the commander and chief played a role he cheerly relishes, sports fan in chief, thiches time to congratulate the team that made history 40 years ago with its perfect season. They had the leagues best offense. Leagues best defense, they posted three shutouts, they doubled the score of their opponents eight times, and they did most of it after the outstanding starting quarterback broke his leg in week five. When the miami dom d dolphins won the super bowl in early 1973, president nixon was embroid in the watergate scandal and the president ial visit had not taken hold. Former dolphins coach and hall of famer don shula. Its been 40 years but what the hell, we still feel honored. But when you luke at that, of the undefeated seem, and you all sign it and we want to present you with this, and even though you were a bear fan we understand you have to root for somebody. The sports fan president is loyal to his chicago teams. Since st. Petersburg the white house in found nine, there obama has brought in champions from each level and both jendzers to a degree far surpassing any of his preds isers. The president s personal locker must be filled with team jerseys, caps and balls that have been given to him over the years unofficial president ial statistics keeper mark knoller of cbs radio. By my count president obama has had 53 events honoring different sports teams, professional, college, basketball, baseball, soccer, the ncaa champions have been brought in and the president has honoredill league world champions here at the white house. Todays event pushed that to 54. Here is a mow memento team bl from the guys. During this eight years, george bush held 40 such events, despite welcoming the array of champs mr. Obama never forgets his personal loyalties. He attend ed the 2010 opening day for the Washington Nationals and donned a white sox cap to throw out the first pitch, more lob than fastball. Even though the team he is honoring isnt from chicago, even if he beat chicago, president is not shy about mentioning that he wasnt on rooting for the team that won; that he was rooting for his hometown teams. At todays celebration of the Miami Dolphins, the president had to make a painful acknowledgment about his beloved chicago bears. I hosted the bears in the south lawn. They missed their chance to have a visit and i called them the greatest team ever but i mean, take it with a grain of salt. [laughter] of course american president s have a long tradition of paying attention to sports. News hour Political Editor christina belatoni. George bush was part owner in the Texas Rangers franchise and he would be seen going to the game and talk about the game. It goes back further than that. Her better hoover had a medicine ball that he would play on the south lawn with the members of the cabinet and Supreme Court reporters. It was known as hoover ball. J. F. K. Was a golfer and one of the reasons he kept it from the press, the press had criticized eisenhower for doing so much golf during the wore. Today the president celebrates his love of golf. Last week in Marthas Vineyard mr. Obama play six rounds of golf in just nine days. Next, the rising toll of lyme disease and the questions surrounding treatment. Jeffrey brown has the story. Lyme disease was first identified in the 1970s but it now turns out its much more common than previously estimated, about 10 times more. The cdc reported this week an estimated 300,000 americans get the Tickborne Disease every year. Symptoms include, fatigue, fever, skin rashes and a headache. Left untreated it can lead to arthritis, facial pawlzy and problems with the nervous system. Of the nu she has been working a series absent the disease and its impact. Welcome. First of all how significant are the new numbers, more cases than previously thought. You know, the really significant, politically especially. For years scientists and those who work with patient whose have lyme disease felt the numbers were off. There were estimates in the 90s that said lyme disease was under reported by three to 12 fold but no one had a good hand on those numberers. So you know, sort of politically when you talk about funding to protect people against lime, it was sort of low own the totem poll. But with this new research which is not yet complete, the numbers could go much higher. 300,000 people is far different than the 30,000 that the cdc has been talking about. You talk about underreporting, how well understood is lyme disease, even at this point . Yeah, so theres much to be scuferredz and this sort of oftens the door to this incredible controversy, and lyme disease that many people arent aware of that some doctors had the trouble with body tbardz to protect themselves from patients who have given them death threats. Its a very controversial disease in large part because there are some questions about treatment in lingering symptoms for people with lime and people who have lyme disease that are sick. Just to get to the controversy, tell us what is the normal course of treatment . What what is it and how does it stand now . Traditionally you get bit by a tick, feel a rash or are sick. You go to the doctor and they diagnose you and you would get three to four weeks of oral antibiotics and that is enough to knock the disease from your system completely. Sometimes it goes longer if its more involved. Short courses of antibiotics over all. However, a large segment of people i believe that their symptoms linger for years sometimes and the only tway to treat them is to use long course antibiotics often through intravenously or orally for years on end so they can live and so they can really get out of bed in the morning, and that is a controversy, the medical establishment says, listen, theres no proof the longer course of antibiotics works at all, and these lyme patients say, yes, it does, just look at us. We can get out of bed in the morning. And a lot of debate is over the Insurance Companies because they wont pay for the antibiotics and as a result a lot of people lose their house, they sell their car to pay for the drugs. You have talked to a lot of people in these circumstances who have been told while the treatment is dorntion you should be cured but they style feel they still feel something is going on. They do. Its complicated by the fact the medical establishment acknowledges and greece that up to 25 percent of people that have been treated for lyme have lingering symptoms, sometimes for days or longer and they believe it falls off quickly. But something is going on and theyre not sure what it is. But what were talking about are people that have been sick for years and months and months and months and they just dont get better. They complain of fatigue, of being tired, of shooting pains, something called brain fog where they cant remember how to drive home in the middle of the day and those are symptoms and thats where the debate lies. I know you have you been at a conference that is ongoing now in boston about lyme disease. Is there how much is there a debate within the Research Establishment about the treatment . Thats a really good question. There does not seem to be a great deal of debate in the medical establishment that patients with lyme who haveling ring systems should use longterm antibiotics. But what is interesting is that, because people debris that some people remain sick, theres Good Research going into why. Thereswork at yale and a maybe the bacteria leaves bits of protein behind. Theres had a study at tufts that says, maybe in Animal Studies the bacteria does survive, it seems weakened in a way and doesnt make people sick but theyre trying to find out if that is flew humans. As you said, the new numbers, you expect it will push the debate forward even politically . I think so. If you just consider massachusetts, which is the boston globe is, wee spend 10 million a year and more on mosquito control. We spend 60,000 on tick borne diseases. The disparity is great and as lyme disease grows on public health, i think people are hoping that the Political Forces will come to bare that they will start seeing money to eradicate ticks n. The environment or help people learn more about them. Beth daily of the boston globe, thanks so much. Thank you. Finally tonight, Dolly Partons long time passion project, passing on the gift of reading. Wee take an encore look at a story from the news hour special correspondent for education, john marrow. Hello tumble out of bulkhead and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition. Most of you are familiar with dolly parton but to some she zoo more than a Country Music star. Everywhere i go, the kids call me the book lady. The book lady . Its not surprising to these children. I love reading books. Reading is my favorite thing to. I favorite was tortoise is the hare. David guess back to school. Where do the books come from . Dolly parton. Dolly parton sent me the books. In 1996 dolly created what she calls the Imagination Library too send free books to homes like this one. I like this one because it reminds me of my grandma. If she had not had those books she wouldnt have had anything until she started kindergarten. Madeline and her great grandmother live in pigeon forge, tennessee. Mattie was very quiet when she was little because she just moved around so much. She would always either have to be with her mother or her father and i think the books, she carried them with her a lot of times. That was hers shoo. He had something that she could call hers. The little girl has a grate imagination like me. She thinks of a monster, a green monster. Right here. And the granny tells her not to worry. We send these books to them with their little name on it. They look forward to going to the mailbox. This is theirs. This is mine. So i am going to either learn to read it or im going to make somebody teach me how to read it. It all starts here at birth, at this hospital in her hometown of severe county, tennessee. Every newborn gets a free book. I have been here three and a half years in the labor and delivery, and have gifnt probably 500 new books to new moms. Families in severe county can also sign up at the library. Each child receives 60 free books, one every month until age 5. It really, really started out as a personal thing for me and it was originally just meant for the focus in my home county because of my dad. They were not there were not books at my house growing up and my dad could not read or write. It was crippling thing for him. My tad was such a brilliant man. What started in one rural tennessee county has spread to 1400 communities across the United States, england and canada. Each affiliate raises money to pay for books and mailing, two dollars each. The Imagination Library takes care of the rest, right here where it all began. Sometimes the most powerful noings are the most simple. David is president of the dolly wood foundation. This interNational Organization with a 20 million budget produces and distributes almost 700,000 books a month. I think what were about is the emotional tie to books, that is children love something, they will continue to do it. Both girls are excellent readers, just ahead of where shea number in reading. I think it makes had a big difference when you have this huge library of books and so much is used from. I dont know that we would be able to afford to buy all of those books for our children. And its nice to know that we dont have to make that decision. We dont have to choose between a book and Something Else for the kids. Its just that just comes to our mailbox. Then you look to the right and to the left the value of reading to schirn well documented. Kids who have books in their homes and are read to regularly are more likely to succeed in school. We can definitely always tell if a child has been read to at home. Their vocabularies are larger. Rebecca teaches prek at pigeon forge elementary school. What do you use with a hammer . A nail. Nail, thats right. I think if you see that literacy is a big deal at their house, theyre going to they embrace that more. Theyre ready for it. Where is he sleeping . In theer. In the flower. The older i get, the more appreciative i seem to be of the book lady title. It makes me feel more like a legitimate person, not just a singer or entertainer but it makes me feel like i have done something good with my life and success. Dolly partons Imagination Library has given 50 million books. And now since that story originally aired that number has topped 50 million. Again the major developments of the day, authorities in egypt arrested the Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader and the white house convened a cabinet level meet together discuss u. S. Aide to egypt. Online a shrinking ice cap has opened new roofs on top of the world. Kwame has more. Had a chinese cargo ship took a shortcut last week. Use our graphic to follow the path through the ice free northeast package. That is on neuls hour. Pbs. Org. On consequence we look back at the march on washington, 50 years on with one of the original organizers, Eleanor Holmes norton. Im gene. Im judy woodruff. See you online and here tomorrow evening. Thank you and good night. Major funding for the pbs news hour has been provided by. This is nightly Business Report with Tyler Mathisen and susie gharib brought to you by. Sailing through the heart of historic cities and saland skip on a river, you get close to iconic landmarks, to local life, to cultural treasures. Viking river cruises, exploring the world in comfort. And a come back, best buy seemingly did it turning sharp losses into big profits. What went right at best buy and what can limping j. C. Penney and barnes noble learn from it . Crunch time. 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