Transcripts For WMAR ABC News Good Morning America 20100323

good morning, america, on this tuesday, march 23rd. i'm robin roberts. >> and i'm bill weir. >> this morning, the president set to sign health care reform into law today. as the republicans begin an all-out assault. >> we need to defeat these bastards. we need to wipe them out. we need to chase them out of town. >> a dozen states now promising to sue the federal government to stop the legislation. and an internet giant takes on a global giant. google tries to tear down the great firewall of china. but how will that powerful government respond? and a new twist in the michael jackson investigation. did his doctor stop life-saving cpr and delay calling 911 so he could hide the drugs in jackson's bedroom? and a pricey affair. we'll meet the jilted wife who turned the tables on the other woman. she sued to the tune of $9 million and won. make sure you added the and she won. >> and she won. >> george is off today. we're happy to have bill weir with us. if we could have the same spirit on capitol hill. >> if only. >> the president expected to sign the health care bill into law this morning. republicans regrouping after the big loss. >> lawmakers in at least 30 states are either threatening to file suit or already have. they're proposing legislation to stop this bill. but the president looks like he's ready to fight back. as we learn more about what went on behind the scenes to get the historic legislation passed. we'll also hear from both sides this morning. >> we will. we'll begin with jake tapper at the white house who has the latest for us. good morning, jake. >> reporter: good morning, robin. it has been a long, hard slog for president obama. but he gets his victory today. he will sign the bill into law in the east room. then, go for remarks and celebration. after this morning's bill signing, the president will return to the stump in iowa, where three years ago, he first pushed health care reform. >> every american has the right to affordable health care. >> reporter: some republicans say considering the bill is now law, their party made a mistake by not making more of an effort at bipartisanship. >> if you lose something as important as this, and you pick up some seats in 2010, great. maybe you lose them in 2014. this bill will still be there. this bill will be there forever. >> reporter: but most republicans seem to be matching the elation the president seems to feel, with outrage, with many calling for a repeal of the bill. >> i have a message for our democratic friends. enough is enough. democratic leaders may have gotten their votes. they may have gotten their win. but today, is a new day. they're living in a fantasy. >> reporter: the conservative anger is nationwide. a dozen republicans state attorneys general across the country, say requiring everyone to get health insurance is unconstitutional. and even excitable conservative broadcasters are more excited than usual. >> we need to defeat these bastards. we need to wipe them out. we need to chase them out of town. >> the sleeping giant has awoken. game on, progressives. we'll see you in the polls in november. >> those who love america and don't want to see that transformation of america into some kind of socialized country, let's get on our high horse. so that in the midterm elections, they can elect people who can undo what happened to america last night. >> reporter: house speaker nancy pelosi told abc news' diane sawyer, bring it on. >> you say, i'll take the hits. let them come at me, you mean it? >> i'm in the arena. you become speaker of the house, you're in the arena. you're the target. and shall we say, almost enjoy that. >> reporter: and president obama knows he has some selling to do of this bill, soon to be law, to the american people. he'll be talking about insurance protections, protections against insurance companies. and, of course, some of the other benefits for senior, such as the prescription drug benefit. bill? >> jake tapper at the white house. our thanks to you. let's get more now from senior white house adviser, david axelrod, who joins us from the people's house this morning. thanks for joining us. >> thanks, bill. >> so, we just heard the speaker of the house say she essentially enjoys the vitriol, coming at her. how do you view this white-hot anger you saw yesterday? >> i'm not thinking about vitri vitriol. i'm thinking of the guy walking out in tears and his family is grateful because they were going bankrupt. they didn't have insurance. and he wanted the president to know how much this meant to him. and there's people all over this country today who understand that americans have more security because of what the house of representatives did on sunday because of the president's leadership. and i'm gratified about that. >> there are those people who will be helped by this. but they are far outnumbered by the folks who won't see any change at all. or who are sort of violently opposed to the idea of this bill. how many seats do you think democrats will lose as a result of this in november? >> well, bill, first of all, let me challenge your premise. i think every american will have a more secure relationship with their insurance companies as a result of this. there's a series of protections that will be implemented over time that are going to be important to people. you can't -- insurance companies won't be able to throw you off of your insurance if you get seriously ill. if you have a pre-existing condition, you'll be able to get coverage. lifetime caps will go off. so, insurance companies can't say you have exceeded your limit. i don't care how sick you are, we can't pay for your coverage. that's going to affect a lot of people all over this country. small businesses all over this country, this week, when the president signs the bill, become eligible for a 35% tax credit for the health insurance they provide their employees. >> you have to be honest. this is going to be a heavy political lift in november. >> i think the heavy political limit if this bill went down. the reality of the bill is so much different than the caricature they win on it. that's why they were frantically trying to defeat it. ultimately, this is not about the politics of november. it's about the security of americans now and for future generations. every democrat who campaigns on this will be able to campaign proudly. and everyone who opposes it, will have to say i'm going to take that insurance away from that child with pre-existing conditions. i'm going to take that tax credit away from the small business person and raise their taxes. i think that's a tough argument to make. >> in the meantime, while that argument is being made, attorneys general in 12 states, from the carolinas to alabama, to washington, nebraska, are going to take you to court. they're going to say this is overreach. in a the president cannot force people to buy insurance. if this goes to the supreme court, how do you argue against that? >> well, bill, first of all, every, single major piece of legislation that's ever been passed in this country has engendered lawsuits. that's the nature of our system. and we expected that. and we are very confident that this will withstand those legal challenges. it was crafted in a way to do so. we think the authority is there to do this. >> all right. david axelrod. appreciate your thoughts this morning. >> thanks. good being with you. >> robin? >> okay, bill. the republicans not giving up without a fight. the republican governor of minnesota, tim pawlenty, is good enough to join us this morning. you were hearing david axelrod. and you heard at the end there, they expected the lawsuits. will you continue to press forward? >> absolutely. i sent a letter yesterday to my attorney general, who is on the other side of the aisle, which says this looks like an unprecedented overreach by the federal government, forcing citizens to buy a good or service, for no other reason than they happen to be alive or a person. that seems to be unprecedented. and the congressional budget office said so in a report in the 1990s. >> how do you respond to critics who say this is nothing more than an attempt to gut the bill? and why not spend time and energy to make it work the best way it can? >> well, the nation faces big challenges. and we need to fix the health care system. but they've taken it to a bureaucratic, government-run, approach. and they should have worked with us on better ways. as to the point you raise, i don't think defending the constitution and individuals' rights under the constitution and the relationship between states and the federal government, under the constitution, is a frivolous matter. it's a foundational matter. and it's an important one for our nation. >> and it's one that you and others share. but what about successful efforts by your republican counterparts to reform health care in their respective states. mitt romney in massachusetts, for example. do you think that was a bad idea? >> well, i think what is a good idea is not having the government take these systems over. republicans across the country, including here in minnesota, have had good ideas that we could have agreed on if president obama and the democrats would have set aside their version of the idea and worked with us on a bipartisan basis. those things could have been included. pre-existing conditions. including letting children stay on their parents' health insurance longer. including transparency in a market. including malpractice reform and tort reform and down the list. there were 10 or 15 really good reforms that both sides could have agreed on if president obama and the democrats would have set aside their obsession of thing from the 1960s or european approach to these things. it's not going to work. they have every entitlement program they currently run is bankrupt. this one will be bankrupt within 20 years, as well. >> it took about 13 months to finally get this passed. and there was attempts on both sides, and good intentions, on both sides of the aisle. how did this become such a political football, do you think? >> well, i think for conservatives, we underestimate just how powerful that this government-run, single-payer, federal health care obsession is within the democratic party or the liberal movement. it's something they've been working on for 30 years. and they were more interested in achieving that ideological or political goal rather than working with republicans to get it done. if each side had set aside the few things they can't agree on, there were ideas that would have significantly and incrementally helped the system. and they rejected those ideas, for the most part. >> and some things that didn't help. i don't know if you agree or not. the tone, the tone that it took. especially at the end when you heard slurs and other things. i want to play something in a barney frank said referring to a homophobic slur directed at him. >> there are leaders in the republican party and elsewhere who egg these people on. who legitimize, not simple disagreement with the bill, which is what people should be doing. but denunciation of people's motives. personal views. >> barney frank saying, of course, you can disagree. that's the american way. but the manner in which it has taken, do you agree with him, in some ways, it's being egged on? >> name-calling and attacking people personally or their personal characteristics is inappropriate. in some cases what you heard there was absolutely absurd, in what people were yelling or chanting. that should not happen. it was inappropriate. we can have disagreements. but we should have disagreements on the issues, on the substance. and we should treat each other civilly and thoughtfully and fairly. there's going to be tension and heat in these debates. but let's debate the issues. let's not debate people's personal characteristics. >> i think that's something we can all agree on. governor pawlenty, thank you so much for weighing in this morning. have a good day. >> thank you. later, we'll bring you live coverage of the president signing the health care bill into law. now, we turn to juju chang for the rest of the morning's use. >> good morning, everyone. signing the health care reform bill isn't the only thing the president has on his agenda today. he has a rare, closed-door meeting with the prime minister of israel, who continues to defy the u.s. by building settlements in jerusalem. our martha raddatz joins us now. what can we expect today? good morning. >> reporter: good morning, juju. at the heart of the spat between the u.s. and israel, was the announcement that israel will be building 1,600 additional housing units in jerusalem. an announcement that came in the middle of a visit by vice president biden. and right when the israelis and palestinians were trying to get the peace process back on track. but if anyone was expecting prime minister benjamin netanyahu to back down last night in a speech to a pro-israel lobbying group in washington, just listen to this. >> the jewish people were building jerusalem 3,000 years ago. and the jewish people are building jerusalem today. jerusalem is not a settlement. it's our capital. >> reporter: his comments follow hillary clinton's speech to the same group earlier in the day, where she criticized israel for the announcement. but both sides say there is progress being made. and say the bond between israel and the u.s. is unshakable. so, what happens now? the u.s. is expecting netanyahu to tell president obama that the israelis will make no further announcements about housing, while the peace process gets back on track. and will offer some additional confidence-building measures to the palestinians. juju? >> martha raddatz, thanks for that update. overseas now, a man armed with a ten-inch knife went on a rampage at a school in eastern china this morning, killing eight children, waiting to enter their classes. five other children were wounded. the man, a former doctor, reportedly has a history of mental problems. well, china's government is calling google's decision to shut down its search engine, totally wrong. google has rerouted its search site through hong kong, to avoid beijing censors. the chinese government could not choose to block access to the hong kong site, as well. the liberal community activist group, a.c.o.r.n., is shutting down, following months of falling revenues. they lost fedral funding after an undercover videos showed the group giving tax tips to activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute. income tax refunds are up this year. and the irs says the stimulus bill is a major reason why. the tax refund now tops $3,000. that's up $266 from last year. and finally, foiled by an eagle-eyed security guard. this incredible surveillance video out of russia, captures a man trying to set fire to an internet cafe. the guard jumps into action and nearly strangles the man. until his accomplice steps in. later, the guard manages to put out the flames. the suspect says they were hired by the owner of a competing internet site. that's the news at 7:15. >> two against one, that's not fair. >> that's double-teaming. >> not when there's lighter fluid in there. >> thanks, juju, so much. time for the weather. sam? >> now, three against one. lighter fluid and the whole thing. good morning, robin, bill. let's get to the boards. we'll start with the rain in the northeast. there's eight states as of early this morning are getting flood watches and warnings out. additional heavy rain. call it the cape, boston, into portland, maine. this is the heavy rain. but up to two inches additional rain in that area. big hit of snow. this is in the foothills. denver seeing 8 to 12 inches of snow today. this is a big deal for -- call it march catchup. they need the snow in the area. and the temperatures beautiful in the deep south. dallas at 76 degrees. a lot of the areas were seeing snow flurries yesterday. gorgeous in the southwest. all of america's weather in the next half hour. bill? >> okay, sam. thanks. we turn to explosive new allegations in the investigation into michael jackson's death. one of the few people who was in the room when the star died has some forward with new information about what dr. conrad murray was doing and not doing as the pop star layed dying. here's mike von fremd. >> reporter: the shocking details are from michael jackson's logistics director. he accuses the doctor of covering up a crime scene. >> i need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir. >> reporter: according to documents obtained by the associated press, alvarez says there was a delay in getting paramedics to jackson's house, while dr. conrad murray went on a frantic mission to hide evidence. alvarez says he walked in the room, with the pop star lying in bed, with no signs of life and a needle attached to his leg. murray was reforming cpr. the documents also reveal that jackson's two, young children, prince and paris, came into the bedroom and started sobbing, as they watched dr. murray trying to revive their father. alvarez also says dr. murray would not let anyone call 911, until after the doctor cleaned up drug vials in the home. alvarez says murray was doing chest compressions with one hand, when he suddenly stopped. and began grabbing vials, while ordering alvarez to stuff them, into two canvas cases. alvarez says murray told him, quote. jackson had a reaction. he had a bad reaction. murray's lawyer rejects that murray was covering up anything. and that alvarez's statement was given two months after michael jackson's death. and is inconsistent with a statement he gave police when jackson was taken to the hospital. and there's one other curious piece of information. after jackson was declared dead at the hospital, murray said he had to go back to the mansion, to get a cream that belonged to jackson. adding, quote, so the world won't find out about it. there was no further explanation. for "good morning america," mike von fremd, abc news, los angeles. >> so tough to think about the kids walking into the room and seeing the resuscitation efforts. >> i was just thinking about that, too. coming up, the lawsuit that has a lot of people talking. we'll hear from the woman who sued her husband's mistress for breaking up her maj and won $9 million. and have you seen this stunning video? what goes through someone's mind at a time like that? we'll hear from the hero cop in this scene. nutritious and... are you sitting down?... delicious, too! take their new spa apple cranberry chicken. they put in grilled chicken, whole wheat pilaf... sweet cranberries... farm-picked veggies... and an apple reduction sauce... plus 6 grams of fiber. cranberries got you thinking red? turn to page 57 for the red that suits you. lean cuisine. keep life delicious. at a national drugstore. but at walmart, the same $10 can buy so much more. ♪ more easter in your basket -- that's worth hopping in for. save money. live better. walmart. - sure, cake or pie? - pie. - apple or cherry? - cherry. ooil or cream? oil or cream? cream. some use hydrogenated oil. reddi-wip uses real dairy cream. nothing's more real than reddi-wip. but there's one that makes your skin look better even after you take it off. 98% of women who tried neutrogena healthy skin makeup thought so. does your makeup do that? neutrogena cosmetics. does your makeup do that? ♪ [ female announcer ] discover black silk from folgers... with bold rich flavor that's exceptionally smooth. wake up to black silk. hey bets, can i borrow a quarter? sure, still not dry? i'm trying to shrink them. i lost weight and now some clothes are too big. how did you do it? simple stuff. eating right and i switched to whole grain. whole grain... [ female announcer ] people who eat more whole grain tend to have a healthier body weight. multigrain cheerios has five whole grains and 110 calories per serving. multigrain cheerios. try new chocolate cheerios with a touch of delicious chocolate taste in every bite. let's take a look at the stats. mini has more than double the fiber and whole grain... making him a great contender in this bout... against mid-morning hunger. honey nut cheerios is coming in a little short. you've got more whole grain in your little finger! let's get ready fo breakfaaaaaaaaaast! ( ding, cheering, ringing ) keeping you full and focused with more than double the fiber and whole grain... in every tasty bite -- frrrrrrosted mini-wheeeeats! didn't know i had it in me. >> good morning. 7:24. after we cleared out from yesterday's rain, overnight dropped to 43 and some areas are developing fog. stevenson university a great representative of that. on 70 there could be fog bubbling up from the valley. the clouds will try to fill back in and even though we have the eastern view with the partly cloudy set up, 47, check this out. we have this band of clouds lifting to the north. the upper level circulation passing on top of dc and baltimore. the wider view shows a better perspective. a lot of moisture on the back side of this low pressure. that's what fills in during the course of the afternoon. unstable environment. the colder air is on the west and south side of the storm. as this goes through the afternoon and battles the late march sunshine, we can't help build the clouds back, showers, maybe a thunderstorm with gusty winds up to 30 miles per hour and small hail, nothing severe. because of the low freezing level of these clouds, it's possible to get small hail like some of you have seen yesterday. two degree guarantee up to 57 degrees. after evening showers, we clear out overnight. we set up a good looking day tomorrow with sunshine, high of 66 degrees. it's 7:25 on the clock. let's see what is happening on the commute. >> thanks. traffic is slow everywhere where it's usually slow this morning. it's expected to be not moving fast on the west side of the outer loop between 75 to 70. it will be slow going all the way from 95 as you make your way past providence road to give yourself a little extra time. checking the drive time, they will be up around the area. from white marsh to the beltway, taking you five minutes. we have one crash 95 southbound at keith avenue, that is off to the left shoulder out of the travel lanes. another incident in owens mills boulevard and red run. that is an accident involving a fuel spill. expect to see emergency crews on the scene there. an accident reported 29 southbound at route 108. we will be back with your morning news update next. baltimore is working hard to keep kids out of trouble thanks to a million dollar grant that came from governor o'malley's office of crime control and prevention and awarded at a kick off to youth prevention week. kathy mclean runs a program in cherry hill and says this funding is right on time. >> it benefits the entire community of cherry hill because we have enforcement programs. we have reentry programs. but safe street particularly targets young people who are at risk of carrying a gun, at risk of being a victim of gun violence. >> organizers plan to target young people between 14 and 25. some sad news from the national aquarium. the 11 day old dolphin calf died. it was born on march the 10th. the female calf was cared for and nursed by her mother and another experienced mother named shiloh. the cause of death we don't know. the community activist group acorn is closing down. we will have full details coming up at 9:00. see you in another half an hour. my goodness. every time we see this shocking video, a hero cop pushes a motorist out of the way as a car slams into him. he has been recovering from his injuries and is finally well enough to talk about what was possibly going through his mind that day. and he's going to speak out for the first time. that's coming up in just a little bit. we say good morning, america. bill is in for george. you didn't have to bring doughnuts. really. >> momma raised me right. when you're a guest of someone, you bring -- never arrive empty-handed. actually, this is a visual, if you can believe it or not, to the new health care bill. it comes back to that. and specifically, the doughnut hole you've heard so much about, has nothing to do with breakfast treats. >> nothing to do with that? >> it has to do with medicare and prescription medicine. and this bill will change that or promises to. and we'll explain. for the first time, after 15 months. you'll understand what the doughnut hole means. also coming up, tony and kate plus 16. that's how many points they got for their dance last night. it was the premiere of "dancing with the stars," including kate gosselin. we'll show you who did what. first, what is the price of infideli infidelity? can you put a price on it? for one spurned wife, it was a cool $9 million. that's what one jury said she was entitled to. but not from her cheating husband. but from the other woman, the woman he cheated with. andrea canning has more. >> reporter: there's nothing like a woman scorned with a jury on her side. north carolina judge awarded cynthia shackelford, $9 million, after she sued her husband's mistress, anne lundquist, seen here on this wells college website. she claims lundquist embarked on a scheme seduce her husband, allan. >> you have to expect your dirty laundry to be exposed. your finances. your sex life. every skeleton in your closet is going to be aired in public. >> reporter: anne lundquist responded saying, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the facts and circumstances of the case at this time. ail nations of affections does not just apply to mistresses. elizabeth edward threatened andrew young with a lawsuit. saying by covering up the affair with rielle hunter, he was, in part, responsible for the failure of her marriage. north carolina is one of zen states that allows for this kind of unusual lawsuit. and experts say there is one overwhelming defense. >> the main defense is that the couple had an unhappy marriage. you can't destroy a marriage, a third party can't, if the couple was miserable in the first place. >> reporter: cynthia shackelford said her marriage was intact until the mistress came along. she hopes her victory will deter other women from becoming the other woman. for "good morning america," andrea canning, abc news. and joining us now is cindy shackelford and her attorney, william jordan, who join us from raleigh, north carolina. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> cindy, let me start with you. your husband sent a letter to the local paper. and he said, numerous affairs that he had. numerous affairs going back to the first two years of marriage. he cited significant problems in the marriage, including three rounds of marital counseling that failed. were you aware of your husband's other affairs? and what was the state of your marriage, cindy? >> i had absolutely no knowledge of any of his other affairs. we had a great marriage. he was very affectionate. we have two, wonderful children. i mean this, is all a shock to me. it's all a shock to anybody who knows him. and anybody that knows me. >> were there any troubles along the way? married 32 years? >> we were married 32 years. and every marriage has a little blurps along the way. and the biggest one came a couple years ago, when our trouble started. >> $9 million. how shocked were you when you heard that amount? >> i was surprised. it was totally up to the jury. >> i want to ask your attorney, will jordan about that. how did the jury arrive at this verdict? >> well, it's a loss of support. it's damages for emotional distress, the loss of society and companionship. cindy's husband was a very successful attorney with a very substantial income. and her life was turned upside down economically. >> cindy, i would imagine this is more than just about money. that you said that anne lundquist intentionally sought to break up your marriage. how can you prove that? how did you prove that? >> well, intentionally, i met -- the first i met her, i met her at her home. my husband introduced me to her as his wife. she knew that we were married. i have e-mails. i knew that he was taking her home from work, from the office. and i didn't think it sounded right when it kept continuing. and he said she was just a good friend. and it just kept going. my message to people is, if your gut is something's going on, follow it quicker than i did. >> cindy, what's your final message this morning to a spouse who is unfaithful? >> well, my main message is to all those women out there who might have their eyes on some guy that is married to not come between anybody. if someone's divorced that's one thing. but as long as a couple is still living together as man and wife, still in the same home, the same bedroom, the same bed, lay off. i mean, it's not good to go in there and get between that. it hurts the children. my children are devastated. i'm devastated. i thought we would -- al and i joked about sitting on rocking chairs and having a glass of wine and talking about what our children did when they were little. and that's never going to happen now. >> well, he and others hear you loud and clear this morning. cindy, thank you so much. we wish you all the best. will jordan, thank you, as well. have a good day. >> you're welcome. thank you. >> and the mistress, anne lundquist is planning to appeal. this is not the first time a case like this has come along. there's seven states that have this law on the books. in fact, in 2001, a husband sued because his wife was having an affair and was awarded $500,000. it's time, now, for the weather. >> that's a good topic, robin. >> go to our website. our shoutout board. >> they will. that's a delicate conversation to have around the breakfast table. let's get to the boards. show you one or two things going on this morning. we will start with pictures out of pickens, county, north of atlanta. what's that? that's snow. yesterday, there were flurries. as soon as you got elevations north of georgia, you picked up snow. today in atlanta, it's 63 degrees. everybody in the deep south gets a warmup. we were talking snow over the weekend in a lot of these places. oklahoma city, dallas, little rock. 76, 73 degrees. tallahassee comes up to 72 degrees. it's nice to see miami at about 75 degrees. west coast looking in pretty good shape, as well. 71 in fresno. seattle and portland, showing off today with normal temperatures and bright, sunny skies. it's the northeast. small systems across the nation. boston will pick up heavy rain and gusty winds. new york, you're basically okay. we'll have more weather in the next half hour. robin? >> if people knew what you were doing in that cut away. getting situated. not that kind of thing. coming up next -- how the new health care rules affect your prescription drug costs. >> what a great question that is. >> it is, bill. it is. this is a history of over 50,000 crash-tested cars. this is the world record for longevity... and one of the most technologically advanced automobiles on the planet. this is the 9th generation e-class. this is mercedes-benz. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial. ♪ what had happened in central harlem was failure became the norm. the schools were lousy... the healthcare was lousy... gangs were prevalent. violence was all over. families were falling apart. you can't raise children in a community like that. people had been talking about things, but not doing anything. hi, mr. canada... how are you? i'm doing great, how 'bout you? right here on 119th street. if we could fix this block, then we could fix the next block, then we could fix the next block... we promised parents, if your child stays with us, i guarantee you that child is going to graduate from college. failure is simply not an option. the sixty...the seventy... the eighty... the ninety-seven blocks which ends up being 10,000 children. we start with children from birth, and stay with those children until they graduate. if you really want to have an impact that is large, you will get there going one step at a time. there is no act that is too small to make a difference. no matter what you want to do, members project from american express can help you take the first step. vote, volunteer or donate at takepart.com. how about a coastal soup and grilled shrimp salad combination? or maybe our new savory shrimp jambalaya. seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 at red lobster. welcome back. it's 7:41. the president heads to iowa today to try to sell his controversial health care reform bill. as americans try to figure out who stands to gain or lose from it, it is clear millions of senior citizens will benefit from one change. closing a major gap in medicare drug coverage. a gap that went some seniors went without medications they couldn't afford. bianna golodryga joins us from washington to explain it all. good morning, bianna. >> reporter: good morning. that gap is referred to as a doughnut hole. there is nothing sweet about it. it's nothing like the doughnut holes we love. it's like a black hole that sucked in 3 million elderly recipients that had to pay out of pocket for prescription drugs. that will all change now. what is being in the doughnut hole mean to 73-year-old pat englehart? about $4,000 or $5,000, in out of pocket costs for her regular medications. >> i cannot go to visit my children as often as i like. if the plane is too expensive, i don't make the trip. >> reporter: until today, there was nothing she could do. medicare only covered her drug costs up to $2,830. after that, like millions of other seniors, she had to pay full cost. coverage kicks in again, when you reach a level of spending they call catastrophic. but not until you spend thousands of dollars out of pocket. for a year supply, pat's blood thinner medication, jumped from $240, to $1,080. >> many stop taking their medications as a result. >> reporter: now there's a new law, what does that mean for people like pat? this year, they get a $250 rebate. beginning in january of next year, they get a 50% discount on all the drugs they used to pay full price for. under the new provisions, pat could have saved over $1,500. >> this is very important both for the pocketbook of seniors, because drugs are expensive and getting more expensive every year. >> i may get to california with these new provisions. to visit one of my children. >> reporter: meantime, a second bill, the reconciliation bill, is expected to pass this week. bill, it goes even further. it includes a provision that will close the doughnut hole gap by 2020. >> the hole gets a little smaller. gradually, will close. >> reporter: gradually shrink, yes. >> costs are going to rise. that's the reality of this. any other advice for seniors? >> reporter: this sounds simple. but experts say they hope seniors will go for annual checkups. once you enroll in medicare, you're only allowed one checkup when you initially enroll. now, every year, you'll be able to have medicare coverage for the checkups that are so important. elderly, the more and more they go to the doctors and get checked up, down the road they have to pay less for prescription drugs and other problems. >> ounce of prevention. you explain it. we get the doughnut hole. it makes sense. thanks so much. coming up next, how tough were the judges on the original moon walker, buzz aldrin? there's the moon walk. we have all the "dancing with the stars" highlights coming up. it adds a fourth color, yellow, to the standard rgb color system, creating a vast array of colors you can't see with your tv's three color technology. but, you can see this. whoa! oh my. [ male announcer ] quattron from sharp. you have to see it, to see it. [ engineer laughs ] [ male announcer ] quattron from sharp. mom: mom, anybody? momhey...where's grandma?o? grandma: here! mom: how'd you fit in there? woman vo: manage your weight at unbeatable prices. woman vo: healthy living costs less at walmart. vo: save money. live better. walmart. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 investment firms wouldn't even dream of overcharging people. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 inact, they'd spend all of their time dreaming up ways tdd# 1-800-345-2550 to give us more for our money. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 i guess i'd just like to see a little more give tdd# 1-800-345-2550 and a little less take, you know? tdd# 1-800-345-2550 if it was up to me, they'd spend a lot more time tdd# 1-800-345-2550 worrying about my bottom line. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 (announcer) at charles schwab, investors rule. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 are you ready to rule? day and night. and day and night. and day and night. ooh. new scrubbing bubbles extend-a-clean, a powerful sprayer that lets the bubbles do the cleaning. just spray and wipe. then let the water-activated formula take care... - of your bathroom -- let's go!, for up to four days. whoo-hoo! new scrubbing bubbles t extend-a-clean. we work overtime so you don't have to. s.c. johnson. a family company. fact. bleach doesn't get rid of stains. it just whitens them. with this stain-revealing dye, you can see the stains bleach leaves behind. lysol power toilet bowl cleaner removes stains better than bleach, while killing 99.9% of germs. to give you a toilet that's completely clean. lysol. the number one pediatrician recommended brand. lysol. disinfect to protect. also try lysol 4-in-1 bathroom cleaner. the best clean on soapscum. all right. "around the watercooler," it was appointment viewing in our house. i snuggled up with the kids and watched the premiere of "dancing with the stars." >> big ballroom dancers, the ing kids? >> they were watching the cha-cha. it was adorable. but it was the premiere. and it didn't disappoint. check it out. it started with a little peek at buzz aldrin. and my son said, look. he's living history. i didn't know he was walking on the moon 40 years ago. the judges, however, not so nice. >> i wonder why. i mean, it was -- >> he's 80 years old. and he walked on the moon. >> i agree. he tried. that was his attempt at the moon walk. >> that was the moon walk? >> that was the moon walk. "a" for effort. >> much better. >> and then, on to kate gosselin. she dedicated her performance to the moms out there. my son turn to me and said this is for you, mom. a little waltz. she didn't get the best score of the evening. if she got points for hair style. >> points were made she's the only one who doesn't come from entertainment or athletics. this is new to her. >> can we say that sam stayed up watching this. he took notes. we're not kidding you. >> you were waiting for this. >> i'm invested this year. i don't know what's going on. but i can't stop watching it this year. >> even the judges, though, said this is the most blockbuster lineup they had. erin andrews was one of them. >> she did well. >> did nicely. there you go. >> the longest legs and arms in the world. >> the judges said, she needs to use that. she has such long legs. but max, he got just as many cheers as erin. >> suspenders on the hips thing. >> love max. >> the woman from the pussy cat dolls. >> number one. >> very elegant. >> with derek. >> i think the one who got the biggest buzz, was miss pamela anderson, who was burning up the dance floor. >> i'm just saying. i don't have a favorite. we have to talk to everybody. i'm not allowed. but i was sitting up, propped up. and i was -- you're a gold. >> she was fun. >> she's 110% show girl. it was more fun to watch. i had a great time. >> she went with the form-fitting outfit. shocking. >> but i thought that some of the outfits were matronly for "dancing with the stars." and i was happy to see -- >> you were pleased. >> yeah. happy to see. >> look at her. >> it was after 9:00. >> using her legs. and pamela anderson -- >> what? >> this is just the first week. oh, boy. coming up -- can a healthy diet actually hurt you? we'll tell you how healthy food obsession got a little away with this woman right here. as the weather warms, walgreens and the makers of zyrtec... want to make sure allergies don' always have to keep ! you cooped up inside. that's why we're making it easier for everyone to find alergy solutions. by offering products like ew zyrtec® liquid gels. zyrtec®, the fastest 24-hour # allergy medicine, is now available in a liquid gel. zyrtec® liquid gels work on your worst symptoms... indoors and out. so you'll feel freer to love the air. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. man: be kind to your eyes with transitions lenses. transitions adapt to changing light so you see your whole day comfortably and conveniently while protecting your eyes from the sun. ask your eyecare professional which transitions lenses are right for you. woman: are you a vsp member? your satisfaction with transitions lenses is guaranteed. visit transitions.com/vsp or ask your vsp doctor for details. okay, dark circles... i've seen enough! introducing anew reversalist eye system from avon. part one brightens instantly... part two lightens the look of dark circles withinweeks. my eyes look bright and awake. call 1-800-for-avon to fnd a representative. . >> nice change of pace from 24 hours ago. we expect storms this afternoon but we get the benefit of a sunny morning in downtown baltimore. we have the north side of the city represented by the gilman school. the storm center weathernet temperature 46 degrees. winds are light right now. they will pick up and could get gusty this afternoon. currently 47 in fallston. 43 westminister. wrapping around the low pressure system we have ourselves carved out clear skies. the clouds will fill back in. this afternoon showers, maybe a thunderstorm and small hail with highs about 57 degrees. let's get a check on traffic now. here is kim brown. >> thanks, justin. traffic is slowing -- not too fel well around the area. slow on the top side of the beltway between harper up to providence. very slow as well on the west side down from 795 to route 70. looking here, traffic better at wilkins heading to 95. a peek at the maps, a couple of incidents, a crash approaching white marsh boulevard in the southbound lanes of 95. another accident southbound 95 at the ramp to the outer loop. give yourself a few extra minutes. crash gilford at east fayette and another in towson knowing wood at wilson road. keep that in mind as well. drive times 795 to 70 about 11 minutes. 95 from white march to 695 a 6 minute trip. we will be back with more of good morning america. loved the scentys of gain laundry detergent. and the moment she set eyes on gain fabric softener, she found herself overwhelmed with desire. ( ♪ ) ah, the things we do for love. the amazing scent of gain in detergent and fabric softener. sniff, sniff, hooray! [ female announcer ] they make little hearts happy... ♪ ...and big hearts happy too. because as part of a heart healthy diet... ...those delicious oats in cheerios can help naturally lower cholesterol. [ cheerios spilling ] cheerios. how can something so little... ...help you do something so big. try new chocolate cheerios with a touch of delicious chocolate taste in every bite. this hour on "good morning america," can eating healthy actually hurt you? we'll tell you about the new eating disorder that turns an obsession with healthy foods into a potentially lethal weapon. one woman's frightening story. and springtime means savings time. how you can get paid to upgrade your appliances. and the deep discounts on summer fun you can get right now. and miley cyrus' co-star, greg kinnear is here. he'll tell us what it is like to play miley's dad on "the last song." ♪ it's a party >> when miley was here yesterday, mobbed. i'm sure it will happen to greg, too. >> it should. >> yeah. >> i'm a huge fan of greg kinnear. >> i am, too. >> he goes way back in this business. good to see him again. so much ahead in this hour. good morning, america. i'm here with bill weir. george is taking time off this week. >> much deserved for him. maybe he's shopping. maybe relaxing. but this is a good time to think about spring shopping. becky worley has uncovered all sorts of deals. including cash for appliances. like cash for clunkers. but cash for appliances. >> for appliances. eric stonestreet is here. he's going to tell us what he has in common with his hilarious tv character. >> funniest show on television. period. if i rewound a scene with him this week, twice. he's so brilliant. put on a master class in dysfunction. >> he'll be coming along. let's get to juju now. >> you'll get a lot of letters from other comedies. >> bring them on. i can defend that one. >> good morning, everyone. let's get back to some news headlines. president obama is poised to seal his victory today by signing the historic health care reform bill into law. as democrats celebrate, republicans are refusing to give up their fight. attorneys general in a dozen states are suing to block the bill, claiming it's unconstitutional to force everyone to get health insurance. and one senator and one house member have introduced bills to repeal the legislation. we'll bring you live coverage of the president's signing this morning, set to begin at 11:15 eastern. senators with battle scars from the health care overhaul are gearing up for another fight. this one over financial reform. a senate committee has passed a sweeping bill that would rewrite the rules of wall street, giving the government unprecedented powers. our david muir explains what it would do. >> reporter: 18 months after the collapse on wall street, sent the nation into its first recession since the depression, the senate banking committee has sent a massive bill to the senate. the latest abc news poll shows 77% of americans believe financial institutions have not done enough to make amends for their part in the economy's meltdown. >> if we don't lead, others will. >> reporter: treasury secretary timothy geithner argues the overhaul is essential to preserve america's standing in the global economy. the bill will allow the government to split up firms considered a threat to the economy. create a council of regulators to watch for risks in the financial system. and create an independent consumer watchdog. >> we're in a defining moment in this debate about financial reform. >> reporter: republicans are defining it in other ways. house minority leader, john boehner, urged a group of bankers to force staffers to change the overhaul. telling the bankers, quote, don't let those little punk staffers take advantage of you. and stand up for yourselves. >> reporter: senators expected days in committee. instead, voting quickly to send it to the full senate. partisan divide is there. and so are the questions over whether this can pass through congress this year. for "good morning america," david muir, abc news, new york. and in other news, president obama meets with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu in a rare closed-door sessions. the two leaders remain at odds over israeli plans to build more settlements on disputed lands. police in new york now say driver error and not a manufacturing defect caused the recent crash of a toyota prius. authorities say the driver failed to brake before crashing into a wall. she was not seriously hurt. now, we check in with diane sawyer for a look at what's ahead tonight on "world news." hey, diane. >> good morning, juju. and thanks. good to talk to you. on "world news," the day's big stories. and a big bank insider will come forward to us to talk about whether customers are really treated fairly. you will hear what he has to say. it is a surprise. and it's part of our series on saving and strengthening the middle class, tonight. see you then, juju. >> we'll be sure to watch. finally, we're hearing from the first time from the police officer in this stunning video. he was helping a stranded drive near cleveland when an out-of-control car came right at them. >> many people have called me a hero for my actions. and i'm overwhelmed from all of the support and prayers i received from everyone. i do not remember much from the accident itself. and the last thing that i remember is standing next to the vehicle, discussing the traffic crash with the driver. i'm very thankful that my training and instincts took over when they did. >> so humble. lieutenant lambert suffered multiple broken bones. but doctors say he may be able to return in the next year. that's the news at 8:05. sam, that's a good samaritan for you. >> you don't know how anyone survived that. >> and he's so humble about it. >> i mean, that's what they do. people who are there every day to help us in trouble. but you got to also think about the driver, juju. that panic feeling when you know you're heading to somebody like that. >> horrible. good morning, everybody. >> good morning. >> let's shake that off and have a good -- this is a very active crowd. very different from the miley crowd yesterday, by the way. where everybody was kind of like, a kid about that tall. everybody's -- i'm getting lost in the crowd. let's get to the boards. show you what's going on this morning. one or two things happening we want you to know about. we'll start with the picture out of boston. if you look very carefully, you can actually see boston. but you have to get all the way up to the tv set. there you go. in there, there's an awful lot of fog and rain. and there's a small storm. awe powerful storm. and it will bring more rain from the coastal area, from massachusetts to maine. there will be throwback well inland, as well. new york city is out of the big mess today. on the west coast, it is beautifully nice. enjoy it. tacoma, seattle, 50 or 60 degrees. and in the deep south, west, it is gorgeous today. amazing skill set here. this is the -- flip the sign. the two-sided sign. robin? >> that is gorgeous. sam, thank you. thumbs up. yeah, sam. now, to the eating disorder that stems from too much of a good thing. it's called orthorexia. it happens when people are so concerned about eating healthy food, they end up wasting away to nothing. we read about this in "time" magazine. and experts say it seems to be on the rise. claire shipman has the story of one woman whose pursuit of healthy eating nearly killed her. >> get some lunch. lexcy, are you hungry? >> yeah. >> reporter: lunch. three years ago, that word alone would have almost paralyzed kristie rutzel. >> it took me two or three hours to figure out when my next meal would be. >> reporter: she was obsessed with healthy eating. going from vegetarian, to vegan, to a raw food diet. she was so fixated, she almost killed herself. shrinking her 120-pound frame in half. >> my parents said the doctor told them, you have to prepare for her funeral. >> reporter: they thought you were going to die? >> yeah. >> reporter: but this wasn't classic anorexia, kristie says. she suffered from orthorexia, an obsessive/compulsive disorder that is fears about eating unpure, unhealthy food. for you, it wasn't about weight. >> not about weight. wanting my heart to be healthy. wanting my body to be healthy. making sure that everyone i was putting in me was pure and good for myself. >> reporter: it was a diagnosis she found online. and one lighting up message boards and blogs alike. while there's some movement toward orthorexia being a separate diagnosis, most experts think it's part of anorexia. but they see the symptoms of obsessing over healthy food on the rise. >> we don't have data on how common the presentation is. but we do know what we're seeing in the clinic. often what we're seeing is people who are becoming more and more worried about what's actually in their food. >> reporter: kristie says it was like a mental prison. >> i think my worst points were when i was afraid to hang out with people or have christmas with my family. these times are supposed to be joyous and fun. cause med fear. >> reporter: and the doctors didn't seem to understand. >> like eating healthy. just eat more of the good food that you're eating. >> reporter: but she had an epiphany at rock-bottom and forced herself back to a normal existence. there are no specific treatments for orthorexia. and those for anorexia weren't working. so, she took charge of her own recovery. >> step-by-step. challenging myself. i used to eat this and used to love it. why not do it again? >> reporter: we're bombarded with pressure to eat healthy today. but experts aren't exactly sure that's why the symptoms are on the rise. >> one of the things we think is there might be an anxiety component to this. people might feel this is a way they can control their anxiety. >> reporter: kristie worries others are at risk because doctors don't recognize the unique signs. >> they can help me gain weight. but they didn't deal with the issues that came with the orthorexia. i'm afraid of this food. >> reporter: at a certain point, you decided you couldn't have milk anymore. >> yeah. >> reporter: you switched to soy milk. >> then, i wanted to cut out all da dairy. >> reporter: she has become an evangelist with her message. too much healthy can be a bad thing. >> my parents probably were planning my funeral. and here i am today, giving people hope and telling them you don't have to suffer through that. >> reporter: for "good morning america," claire shipman, richmond, virginia. dr. marie savard joins us now on how eating healthy foods can become unhealthy. we haven't heard a lot about this. what are the underlying issues here? >> this is probably an obsessive type of eating that we should take seriously and do a little more research. learn more about it. but what seems to happen is, it's not -- they think they're eating healthy. but in fact, these men and women, because actually young boys get this, as well, are actually restricting their food so much, they're taking in very little. gradually lose weight. get malnourished and even emaciated. they may think it's about being healthy as opposed to being thin. but a lot of experts believe this is just a symptom of an underlying disorder, probably serious. like an eating disorder. or even obsessive/compulsive disorder. >> you think fruits and vegetables. how can that be unhealthy? but it's all about balance. >> it's true. if you're just eating fruit and vegetables. for example, we know we need a wider array of foods. so, for example, a lot of these patients will eliminate the milk, the meat and the dairy. you need the amin know acids. that's an important component of your brain and spinal column. you get that in seafoods, grains, a wide mixture of foods. it's the diversity of eating. i think this is more of an obsession. >> a lot of people have to think they're conscientious. you're telling them, read the labels. know what's going into your food and your body. where do you know when you cross the line? >> there are five warning science. and i think the first is just if you see someone who is really worrying constantly about what they're eating. stressing out about it. second is ritualistic eating. if they're eating the same food in the same way, for the extended period of times. you heard in the piece, kristie took 2 1/2 hours to prepare. if they're reading labels to a large degree. we all look at labels. but if you see someone really focusing on everything that they eat and looking at the label before they eat. fourth is social isolation. that's really important. if you're no longer going out with your friends. not even doing holidays together. and then, last, is the weight loss and the nutritional deficiencies. that's a heads-up, too. >> have to look out for that. marie, thanks for your insight. you can find out more about orthorexia, it is called, on our website, abcnews.com. coming up next, secret savings and grills, games, gadgets that you can get right now. in the spring, heading into summer. nice! follow me, the missouri river is this way! lewis and clark expedition of 1804. oh, he'll never get this. magellan, 1520. awww, my 8 layers must've given it away. help keep your kid full and focused with 8 filling layers... of whole grain fiber found in kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. this is one giant leap for mini-kind. keeps 'em full. keeps 'em focused. hoo hooo! food myth number 22. nothing's better after a long day than a giant plate of lettuce. c'mon. an who's satisfied with that? with lean cuisine you can enjoy dishes that are nutritious and... are you sitting down?... delicious, too! take their new spa apple cranberry chicken. they put in grilled chicken, whole wheat pilaf... sweet cranberries... farm-picked veggies... and an apple reduction sauce... plus 6 grams of fiber. cranberries got you thinking red? turn to page 57 for the red that suits you. lean cuisine. keep life delicious. the bright, fresh scent of orange blossom. beautiful moments are born in the shower. a unique sensation in body wash. touch of happiness moisturizing body wash from nivea. touch and be touched. hey, frank. hey, dad. check out these... calculators. cool...checklists. videos. articles. worksheets. tips. strategies. they got tools. tools? [ male announcer ] one website to help you... save a little money. make a plan. stay on budget. ut some money in the bank. this will help me... get your act together. ohh! yea. stay on top of bills. have some breathing room. reduce taxes. this is how we can... get ahead of it. [ male announcer ] get started at bankofamerica.com/solutions perfect! ♪ perfect! for a value that goes a long way only campbell's chicken noodle soup is made with fresh egg noodles. 32 feet in every can. ♪ so many, many reasons ♪ it's so m'm! m'm! good ♪ you need listerine® whitening® vibrant white™ rinse. the mouthwash that gets teeth four times whiter than the leading toothpaste. and kills bad breath germs. listerine® whitening vibrant white™. - i got another 300 miles in me. - sure you do, honey. - come on guys, give me a hand. - we can make it to paperclip mountain. looks like somebody needs a comfort inn. hi, reservation for the carter family. uh, yes, your room is ready. free high-speed internet. relaxing pool. cozy beds. and free breakfast with hot waffles. need to relax after a long day of vacation? comfort inn. now stay two separate times with comfort inn... or any choice hotel and earn a free night. book at choicehotels.com. well, across much of the country, spring is in the air. and for savvy shoppers, that can mean big savings from refrigerators to video games, believe it or not. now is a good time to find great deals on certain items. and to tell us which of the items to look for, our tech editor and guru becky worley joins us. hey, becky. good to see you. happy tuesday. >> hey, bill. spring and sprung. >> right. and people might be thinking, need a new appliance. you say there's a catch for appliances program out there? i hadn't heard of this. >> it's been coming. it's been coming. now, it's here. cash for appliances. that's why we're here at sears. it's all about appliances here. rebates on washing machines, dryers, dishwashers. this is the government's plan to get energy hog appliances out of our homes to replace them with energy efficient appliances. they are offering rebates and incentives. this is over in just three states. but 47 of the 50 states have this program, currently running or slated to run in the near future. many of the state's programs are tied to earth day in the middle of april. and what you might see state-by-state, in illinois, 15% off major appliances. that's in addition to any sales that the stores may be running. plus, you'll get a $50 to $100 rebate in the mail, if you can prove that you have recycled your old device. if you're thinking about upgrading, now is the time. >> very cool. i'm guessing that the nice 50-inch plasma tv doesn't qualify as an appliance, though, right? >> no. sadly, there will be no rebates for them, my friend. >> but you do have electronics tips? >> yeah. one of the things where you can really get a good deal this time of year, games. so, the way the gaming industry works is that they debut their new games prior to the holiday season. they have big opening weeks or months. and then, they start the precipitous slide into the bargain bin. i know you've been waiting for halo 3 or call of duty 2? >> i love them both. i love the first-person shooter games. i do. it's like waiting in line for the new, hot movie. as opposed to going when the crowds clear out. that's smart. another thing i love, since this segment is all about me. is grilling. and barbecues. it's counterintuitive, though. isn't this the time when everybody's buying a grill? >> no. manly, man. people wait until summer to buy their grills. >> all right. >> you can think about this shoulder season for the barbecue. what i saw online was generally, your mid-range barbecues were $30, $40 less than last summer. but they are doing door-busters with barbecues. you can see a $379 barbecue, now for $199 in places like home depot. look for big savings. >> if you're cleaning out the closets, spring cleaning, can you take advantage of that in any way? >> i did it. the old clothes go to the consignment store or the second-hand store. and i love second-hand shopping. what i found is, when everybody brings their stuff to the stores, they put the already pretty cheap stuff on even more of a discount. and there's better inventory and newer stuff. so, now's the time to hit those consignment stores and second-hand places, bill. >> outstanding. crafty tips, as always, becky worley. we appreciate it. thanks so much. you can find out more of becky's great spring savings strategies at abcnews.com. and coming up here, the very funny, very talented, greg kinnear. [ female announcer ] did you know the snuggly softness from snuggle is also a great value? it's the difference betwen paying more... and getting more. snuggle fabric softener gives " you fresh, snuggly softness your family will love -- and it costs less thanthe leading brand! because everyone loves to snuggle! so i couldn't always do what i wanted to do. but five minutes ago, i took symbicort, and symbicort is already helping significantly improve my lung function. so, today, i've noticed a significant difference in my breathing. and i'm doing more of what i want to do. so we're clear -- it doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. my doctor said symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. my copd often meant i had to wait to do what i wanted to do. now i take symbicort, and it's significantly improves my lung function, starting within five minutes. symbicort has made a significant difference in my breathing. now more of my want-tos are can-dos. as your doctor about symbicort today. i got my first prescription free. call or go online to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you cannot afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. well, the tiguan's great. mm. and the routan has everything we're looking for. plus, every volkswagen includes no-charge, scheduled, care-free maintenance. so, what's this punchdub days about? you know, where you punch someone in the arm every time you see a volkswagen. red one! [ baby crying ] test drive? [ male announcer ] with great deals on all 13 models, it's a whole new volkswagen. and a whole new game. ♪ >> 8:25. temperature 45 degrees. 46 in york and 50 in hagerstown. cool temperatures to the south and west. that is underneath the core of this low pressure system spinning its way through d.c. and walt more. snow showers into the mountains. the showers will fill back in. this hole in the cloud field will fill in with developing clouds the next few hours and we will develop more showers into the afternoon, perhaps a small thunderstorm with gusty wind and continue any hail. no major -- tiny hail. no major thing. down to about 40 overnight. we should clear out after midnight and look forward to tomorrow with more sun and back up to 66. we are back with the roads. >> we are moving slowly around the usual trouble spots so far. no problems as you make your way around the area for the most part but as we take a peek at the beltway, you will see long delays on hartford road. as you take a peek at the maps, we have a couple of incidents. we had the right lane and shoulder blocked 95 southbound at white marsh because of debris in the roadway. that has been cleared away. a new crash 695 on the outer loop ramp to pairing parkway. another crash lockwood boulevard at lockwood drive. 83 southbound to 695 roughly eight minutes and 795 southbound owensville to the beltway five minute trip. at jfx, traffic is slow and heavy but moving to downtown this morning. we will be back with the morning news update next. breaking news in the wmar newsroom. city firefighters are on the scene of a school bus crash in northeast baltimore. it happened a half hour ago at lockridge boulevard and lockwood street south of coldspring about two blocks west of morgan. the fire department says that the school bus t-boned the car. the driver was taken out of the car. her injuries are considered to be nonlife-threatening. five medics are on the scene. we don't know if any children were hurt or where the school was bus heading. a school bus crash shut down the intersection of lock haven at lockwood. if you want more information, go for this breaking news on our web site right now at abc 2 news.com. baltimore is continuing to work hard to keep kids in our area out of trouble thanks to a $1 million grant. the money came from the office of crime pay trowel and prevention. kathy mclean runs a safe street program in cherry hill and says the funding is right on time. 2009 baltimore had 45% reduction in juvenile homicides and 39% reduction in jeff fuel shootings. they plan to target young people between 14 and 25. well, sad news from the national aquarium in baltimore. 11 day old dolphin calf has died. it was born march the 10th. the female calf was cared for and nursed by her mother and another experienced mother named shiloh. the cause of death is not known at this time. and the community activist group acorn is shutting down. a national spokesperson says the board decided to shut all field offices by april the 1st. next newscast at 9:00 this morning. we will see you then. emergency assistance. this is the receptionist. >> we locked our baby in the car. and people are judging us. do not break the window and get glass an her. >> sir, tell your wife to relax. it's okay. >> that's a man. >> really? the door should be unlocked now. >> check the door. check the door. >> it's not unlocked. okay. that is amazing. >> i'm on the phone with you right now. it's my sister and my mother-in-law. and she's super excited i'm here. she's watching. say hi, maria. good morning, america. i'll sing a song. >> eric stonestreet, who plays cam on "modern family." >> this is the beauty of this show is it's new enough he's still selling it one person at a time, over the phone. not for long. it is blowing up. this is one of the funniest shows on tv right now. "modern family." you'll meet him coming up. >> we can't wait to have more with him. it's a big morning for dads. >> a theme going on. greg kinnear, plays miley cyrus' dad in "last song." >> and miley was here yesterday talking about him. that was a big dad moment, as well. sam, you have weather. >> a little weather. we'll talk a little about the nation. shall we? [ cheers ] i don't know where that came from, robin. i have no idea. let's come over here. [ cheers ] let me just tell you -- let me let you in on this. there's always one part of the audience that's trouble. it starts everything. that's this part of the audience, from -- from -- >> lawson, missouri. >> and lynchburg, virginia. >> all right. let's get to the boards. we'll show you what's going on this morning. one or two things. they just bond together. start trouble. this is what's going on this morning. it's gorgeous up and down the west coast. and i mean, every inch of the west coast today. dallas in the middle of the country, is beautiful. it's a small storm that comes into the foothills, the rockies there. you have some snow in the denver area. west of it, you have a lot more going on. you have to catch up. you're behind normal. atlanta is 63 degrees today. the warmup, right in that southern corner there, in the southe i did not see this earlier. i like that sign. very good on the signage. robin? i just ran into greg kinnear in the elevator. you never know who you are going to run into. we have a full half hour. although senator ted kennedy did not live to cost his vote on the health care bill, his memory was among many of the bill's supporters. his widow, vicki, visited his grave at arlington cemetery as the final debate was taking place. she spoke with our jon karl. >> reporter: we have heard very little publicly from vicki kennedy since ted kennedy's death. but despite her low profile, she has been following the ins and outs of this debate. and actually working hard behind the scenes to get the bill passed. >> the bill is passed. >> reporter: what was your reaction when you finally saw the gavel come down? >> it was one of great joy. and it's one that i knew my husband would have loved to have seen. >> reporter: how would he have reacted to the vote? >> i think on this one, he would take a little bit more time and celebrate it. i have to say. this one was a long time coming. >> reporter: how disappointed would he have been to see this was a vote without a single republican in either chamber voting yes? >> i think he would be happy that it passed the legislation. i think he certainly would have tried, as did the senate and as did the house. president obama certainly made the outreach. he certainly would have tried to make this bipartisan. >> reporter: senator kennedy wrote this letter to president obama in may. >> what we face, he wrote, is above all, a moral issue. at stake are not just the details of policy. but fundamental principles of social justice. >> reporter: why did he decide to write this letter? >> he knew that he was very sick. and in the event he were not here, he wanted to thank president obama for his leadership. and to basically, just go on the record and say he thought it was the moral issue of our time. everything he did was about the future. >> thank you. >> think about his convention speech in denver. >> every american, north, south, east, west, young, old, will have decent, quality health care, as a fundamental right and not a privilege. >> wasn't about him. it was about going forward. it was about passing the torch to a new generation. >> reporter: when he writes, if you allow me to, when i thought of all the years, all the battles, and all the memories of my long public life, i felt confident in the closing days that while i would not be there when it happens, you will be the president who, at long last, signs into law, the health care reform that is the great unfinished business of our society. >> that's what he believed. and he was right. >> reporter: did he anticipate in any way, the level of vitriol? >> oh. absolutely. he absolutely knew it was going to be difficult. he talked to me about the fact that the closer we got, people would start to get more at odds because change is a scary thing. >> reporter: when scott brown won in massachusetts, did you think even for a moment that the cause was lost? >> no, i didn't. >> reporter: really? >> i didn't. i believed in this president. i believed in the speaker. i believed in the members of congress. and i believe in the american people. >> reporter: a lot of people have been saying that, you know, wanting you to run for that seat. did you have a moment when that happened, where you second-guessed your own decision? >> no. you know, i've been in a very emotional time. you know? very emotional time. >> reporter: vicki also told me that in the days before the final vote, she was talking to wavering members, in person and on the phone, wavering democrats. telling them to vote yes. including a face-to-face meeting with a massachusetts democrat named steven lynch, who had come out saying he would vote against the bill. and lynch did end voting no. he was the only democrat from massachusetts to vote no on that bill. robin, we can only imagine what that conversation must have been like. >> we can only imagine. it was great to see vicki. you can tell, it's been an emotional time for her. all right, jon. thanks. have a good day there in d.c. coming up next, greg ki [ male announcer ] it's our hottest offer of the season, but it's melting fast. so hurry, act now to get fios tv, internet and phone at the super low price of $99.99 a month -- guaranteed for 2 years! call now and you'll also get a multi-room dvr and set top box -- free for six months. with 100% fiber optics straight to your home you'll get an amazing hd picture, america's top rated internet and phone. all for just $99.99 a month. enjoy tons of your favorite shows and channels. fios brings facebook and twitter right to your tv. also, check sports, weather and traffic without interrupting your show. you'll get tv with four times more very satisfied customers than comcast. get it all for just $99.99 a month -- guaranteed for 2 years! plus a multi-room dvr and set top box -- free for six months. don't wait. this incredible offer ends soon. call 1-866-932-fios. that's 1-866-932-fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v. this is beyond cable. this is fios. [ announcer ] you make healthy choices every day-- oh, max! and you want to do the same for your laughable, lovable dog. [ barks ] that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with high-quality protein, including delicious real chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight, so he can make the most of every day. long live your buddy. long live your dog. purina fit & trim. and now, oscar-nominated actor, greg kinnear joins us in the studio. in "the last song," he plays a pianist. he left his family to pursue a procedure. now, he's trying to reconnect with his kids before it's too late. welcome. >> thank you very much. >> yesterday, miley cyrus was here. >> she was here? >> you can still feel the electricity in the room. she said, a lot of people don't know this. but greg is very funny. are you kidding? she doesn't remember "talk soup." >> i don't think she was born when we created the show. >> for those that don't know, look at that handsome, strapping man. >> and that tie. >> and a couple years later, you're nominated for an oscar, opposite jack nicholson, in "as good as it gets." when you came out of high school, did you know you were going to be an actor? >> i didn't. i was on the path of hosting some shows. and i got a call from sydney pollack, actually, who was casting harrison ford's younger brother in "sabrina," a while ago. and he was interested in having me come in and talk to him. and he's from indiana. you know, i'm from indiana. so, we actually had a chance to sit down and talk. and it led to an audition. and that led to my first movie. >> right. you know you're setting up false hopes for so many young men in indiana. just move to l.a. you'll be discovered. >> nothing to it. they'll call you. stick around long enough. no problem. >> so, as mentioned, miley was here yesterday. i think we have a little bit of the mayhem she touched off. it was sort of like the beatles at shea stadium. and what's most disturbing is the moms. look at the moms clamor around. they're knocking the kids out of the way. what was it like shooting a movie with this young lady? >> she is very famous. i thought i had worked with some famous actors. she's extremely -- it's like the beatles. when we were shooting down in georgia, there would be massive crowds like that waiting outside after we finished shooting. and she would be inundated to get a picture in the hot, atlanta summer heat. anything to get some sort of connection. so, she had quite a turnout. and, you know, she was 16 years old when we made the movie. i think she's graduated to 17. so, she's -- she's, you know, had quite a following. >> she seems to be fairly grounded. her parents seem to be doing it right. i can't imagine what that kind of attention at that age. >> it's the thing about letting your kids, you know, when they become actors. you just don't know, most kids will probably end up doing a little acting. or maybe end up in a show. or get a chance to work in a movie. might do a few parts here or there. what you don't know is if they're going to end up capturing lightning in a bottle and turn into the explosive thing that's happened with her. it's amazing. >> we got a taste of her acting chops. this is a clip of you and kelly preston, who plays her mother, in the film, "the last song." take a look. >> is she still not playing? >> not since the day you left. >> how is she otherwise? >> well, let's see. grades were in the toilet. it's a miracle she graduated from high school. and she doesn't have one friend without a pierced something. >> hmm. >> thanks. >> yeah. >> she told you she got into juilliard, right? >> no. without playing? >> they said they've been watching her since she was 5. not that it matters. she says she's not going. >> well. she'll make the right decision. >> i'm glad you're so sure. >> she came on the film just months after losing her son. how is she now? is she doing all right? >> she's great. kelly's a very strong woman. a very, you know, very, very impressive. and i think it was the elements of the movie that were tricky and difficult for her. but she does a great job in it. she's really cool. >> it's a hanky letter, this movie. >> hank. >> she had the issues. every parent has certain issues. you have three daughters? >> yes, i do. >> how has being a dad affected your work as an actor playing a dad? >> first of all, i'm a rock star, having done this movie with miley cyrus, okay? i'm set for years to come. i don't know. this was a different kind of movie i had ever done. i don't think i had done this film before. it's nice to do a movie my kids can see. this makes up for me starting the iraq war in "the green zone." this is a nice counterbalance. >> we look forward to it. best of luck. and "the last song" will be released wednesday, march 31st. tomorrow, miley's boyfriend, on and off screen, liam hemsworth. coming up, eric stonestreet from "modern family." [ male announcer ] it's our hottest offer of the season, but it's melting fast. so hurry, act now to get fios tv, internet and phone at the super low price of $99.99 a month -- guaranteed for 2 years! call now and you'll also get a multi-room dvr and set top box -- free for six months. with 100% fiber optics straight to your home you'll get an amazing hd picture, america's top rated internet and phone. all for just $99.99 a month. enjoy tons of your favorite shows and channels. fios brings facebook and twitter right to your tv. also, check sports, weather and traffic without interrupting your show. you'll get tv with four times more very satisfied customers than comcast. get it all for just $99.99 a month -- guaranteed for 2 years! plus a multi-room dvr and set top box -- free for six months. don't wait. this incredible offer ends soon. call 1-866-932-fios. that's 1-866-932-fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v. this is beyond cable. this is fios. and now, the breakout star from the hit tv show, "modern family."now, the breakout star eric stonestreet. on screen, he's cameron tucker, cam. flamboyant, dad. offscreen, says he's a regular dude from kansas. >> it's true. i feel like i'm in a fish tank. this is incredible. >> your third time to new york? >> third time to new york city. and here i am. first time i came, i was on "the view." it was like, i had never been to new york. and now i get to come and do these amazing things. >> how does a kid from kansas who wanted to be a clown? >> yes. >> insert photo here we have of you. the groucho marx. there's the pig one. don't we have one when you wanted to be a clown? >> that's where it started, in my crib. my long, blonde locks. that's how i expressed they wanted to be a performer somehow. and the circus came to town every year around my birthday. my parents took me there. i remember the day. it's a line in the show, when i figured clowns were people with makeup. i was like, that's what i want to do. it's funny. from very early on, i wanted to be a clown. and my grandma, louise, made me my clown costumes. it was great. then, became an actor. i don't know how it happened. >> but it happened. i want to play a little montage so people get a feel of why we adore you so. i'm crying just thinking about it. you say cameron, your character, he just -- he celebrates life. >> yeah. >> he -- and the moment. >> i feel like he's the guy that makes everything okay in uncomfortable situations. i want him to be calming and soothing and let everything feel good in a moment. and not let a moment pass. and just be the life of a party. >> let people see for themselves. ♪ the circle of life >> meryl streep could play batman and be the right choice. she's perfection. whether she's divorcing kramer. whether she's wearing pr ining . don't get me started on "sophie's choice." emotional. she couldn't forgive herself. i'm breaking the window. >> we lost our baby in the car. and people are judging us. >> i'm going to break it. >> oh. >> that was just classic. you said you're, in part, the character is your mom? >> yeah. in the audition process i needed to figure out a way to ground the character for myself. that was jesse tyler ferguson. he's a great actor. i try to bring something familiar to what i do. and my mom's passionate. she loves life. and she's very gesturing with her hands. and -- we're going to have lunch. and what are we going to do? that was like a -- >> that was so good. you did cam right there. >> it was amazing. so, i always just try to bring a familiarity to everything i do. and she was the most simple approach to that character, i thought. grounds it in what i know, you know? >> i think that's why people when they see it, they are seeing a bit of who they see. >> yeah. that's what's great about the show. they've really done a great job of hopefully everyone, when you all tune in, you see somebody that you know or something that reminds you of yourself. that's what we want to hold a mirror up for people. and just reflect what we all are. you know? >> i have to tell you, eric. the cast. what an ensemble. everyone to a tee. >> our kids are great. >> yeah. >> ed o'neill. i get to work with al bundy. i can't believe that. i'll never forget the moment that i looked across and said i am acting with al bundy right now. i can't believe it. i'm looking into the steely blue eyes of al bundy. what am i doing here? i was going to tell you before i came on the air, i knew when i auditioned for this part i wouldn't get it. i've been an actor for 13 years. i've gotten not very many parts compared to what i auditioned for. if i didn't get this, i would be so bummed because i knew it was going to be good. i wanted to work with these people so bad. it's a dream opportunity and a dream job for me. >> it's on wednesdays. we want to play a clip because you're here. and you're here, at home. a sneak peek of the next episode of "modern family." >> i cannot stand hanging out with his ivy league friends. >> they're the worst. >> debbie can't go two minutes without talking about columbia university. and the guy with the lazy eye from harvard. >> brown. >> i wish debbie would go back to columbia and take her brown friend with her. >> cam. you need to relax. you explained. >> not very well. you know how awkward i get when things get awkward. >> i know you've gotten a lot of support. but any negative reaction of people thinking you're going too far or over the top? >> not really. i had one guy tell me. he walked up to me. and he goes, oh, please. a kimono. are you kidding me? you are too much. thank you for delivering that message to me. you are the perfect person to deliver that message was too much. it was hilarious. >> you are too much, in the right kind of way. eric, congratulations to you. >> thank you. >> you're going to be huge. it is hysterical. you can see "modern family" every wednesday, at 8:00, 9:00 central here on wednesdays. and check out our slide show of dads on abcnews.com. do you know what's in your spread ? in land o' lakes spreadable butter with canola oil, there are just three natural ingredients. delicious sweet cream, canola oil and salt. nothing hidden, nothing artificial. spread pure, natural goodness straight from the fridge. discover land o' lakes spreadable butter with canola oil. land o' lakes, where simple goodness begins. coming up tomorrow, miley cyrus' boyfriend is here. on-screen and in reality. sorry. amie costello, roosevelt leftwich, roosevelt leftwich we're closing in on 9:00 here. the sun is out and we're trying to dry out some of the ground from yesterday's rain. if you're going to led out for the day right now, what looks like is going to stay sunny will cloud up in a hurry. winds gusting out of the south at 10 miles per hour and we have basically upper 40s across the board. here we go, wrapping around this upper level low pressure system, it's passing through central maryland. now that we get this morning sunshine and it's only been up close to two hours to really start mixing up the air and the showers wrapping around the west side of this storm and the cool air is actually going to spill in this afternoon. the sun will get us to about 55, 57 around lunch but when the clouds move and the showers developing, it will probably halt our progress on the thermo meter. we drop to about 40 downtown, could see some upper 30s by day break and tomorrow nice recovery with snin sunshine, back to 60. traffic is not rushing very quickly as rush hour supposedly winds down to close. long days on 59 from mountain road to white marsh boulevard. s with' look at the belt way, it's stop and go from 95 to providence road. the real problem is 295 southbound, the bw parkway is closed due to a a serious accident. all traffic is being routed to 198 this morning. ♪ [ male announcer ] ready to make this year a great year for your small business? ♪ verizon is here to help with everything you need to make the most of every dollar -- and every opportunity. you'll get high speed internet with a dedicated line to your business for consistently fast speeds; free wi-fi access from thousands of hot spots nationwide; plus unlimited calling to customers and suppliers across the country. call right now and we'll include two free extras for an entire year: our advanced internet security suite, plus 25 gigs of online storage, enough to safeguard all your important business files. it's a total business solution backed by the reliability of the verizon network, all for just $84.99 a month for 12 months. and you can't get it from cable. let's get to work. verizon wants to help your business succeed, starting with everything you need for just $84.99 a month. call 1-866-my-tools. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. i think i'll go with the preferred package. ( chuckling ) good choice.

Related Keywords

Jerusalem ,Israel General ,Israel ,Juilliard ,Texas ,United States ,Arlington Cemetery ,Colorado ,Alabama ,Fresno ,California ,Beijing ,China ,Minnesota ,Shea Stadium ,Illinois ,Lynchburg ,Virginia ,Russia ,Washington ,District Of Columbia ,Richmond ,Hagerstown ,Indiana ,Massachusetts ,Iowa ,Baltimore ,Maryland ,Miami ,Florida ,New York ,Canada ,Missouri River ,Missouri ,North Carolina ,Jackson House ,Atlanta ,Georgia ,Raleigh ,Boston ,Columbia University ,Jordan ,Denver ,Maine ,Iraq ,Sydney ,New South Wales ,Australia ,Nebraska ,Hong Kong ,Kansas ,Capitol Hill ,Dallas ,Paris ,Rhôalpes ,France ,Americans ,America ,Chinese ,Israelis ,Israeli ,American ,Martha Raddatz ,Becky Worley ,Kim Brown ,Timothy Geithner ,Steven Lynch ,Kelly Preston ,Kate Gosselin ,Nancy Pelosi ,Greg Kinnear ,Eric Stonestreet ,Anne Lundquist ,Diane Sawyer ,David Axelrod ,Cameron Tucker ,John Boehner ,Miley Cyrus ,Elizabeth Edward ,Jon Karl ,Tim Pawlenty ,Benjamin Netanyahu ,Claire Shipman ,Cynthia Shackelford ,Jesse Tyler Ferguson ,Pamela Anderson ,Scott Brown ,Harrison Ford ,Groucho Marx ,Los Angeles ,Cindy Shackelford ,Jack Nicholson ,Roosevelt Leftwich ,Erin Andrews ,Barney Frank ,Meryl Streep ,Michael Jackson ,Marie Savard ,Kathy Mclean ,Conrad Murray ,Amie Costello ,Vicki Kennedy ,Al Bundy ,David Muir ,Robin Roberts ,Hillary Clinton ,Ted Kennedy ,