Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Detroit Shutters Schools; Health Care: The Heat is On; The Pope and the Scandal
Aired March 17, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It is Wednesday, March 17th. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. Top stories now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people may think, as I stated earlier, that our plan is too ambitious, but the bottom line is that we have lagged behind for far too long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So here we go again. Detroit announcing plans this hour to close dozens of schools and replace some with new campuses that cover preschool through college?
Plus this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a matter of life and death for many Americans. While the GOP is playing politics with innocent American lives, one cannot morally sit by. The bill is much than it should be, but it is a start.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: The showdown over a health care bill. CNN iReporters weigh in while President Obama tries to get undecided Democrats off the fence.
And Fargo's showdown with the Red River. Sandbaggers, including school kids, are out in force, and the National Guard is on the way.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Look, we are seeing it all over the country -- huge deficits, teacher layoffs and school closings. Detroit's public schools are on the chopping block. Today, an announcement expected in just a couple of minutes here.
Our Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff is in Detroit.
And Allan, good to see you.
How many schools are in play here in Detroit?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, we're talking about more than 40 schools. Robert Bobb, the emergency financial manager of the public school system, gave the number, 45, ,a few days ago. It looks like we're going to talk about 45 buildings within the system.
In any event, that's more than one-quarter of all of the schools in this city. A massive announcement, and I have to say some people here are absolutely mystified, Tony.
This is why. This is the report from Excellent Schools Detroit, a community organization that all of this is based upon. It's a plan to revitalize the public school system. And within this report, the report says why we are hopeful.
It's talking about how we're greatly encouraged by certain schools, and one of those schools they talk about in here, it's going to be shut down. Carstens Elementary, where 98 percent of third graders meet or exceed state standards in reading, 95 percent do so in math, that compares with single digits for the entire system.
We spoke to the principal of the school. She said this is unreal.
Why is Carstens being shut down? Because the area has been abandoned. Very few people actually live in that area. And Tony, that's a major factor behind all of this closing, because so many people would be moving out of Detroit or moving their children out of the public school system.
Eighty-four thousand kids right now. The projection is that could drop by one-third over the next four years.
The whole idea here is to save $31 million by all these school closings. And these would happen in June, at end of this current school year. And what they really want to achieve, a graduation rate of 98 percent within five years.
Right now it's 58 percent graduating from high school. A long way to go, but the people behind this plan are saying they want Detroit to be known as the fastest-improving school district in the entire nation -- Tony.
HARRIS: All right. Allan Chernoff for us.
Allan, appreciate it.
And once again, we're expecting the announcement about Detroit's schools in about 10 minutes, and you can catch it live, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A fight end to budget cuts for public schools tops our big stories.
All right. Students in Topeka, Kansas, taking their message to the steps of the state house. They've seen programs, including banned athletics and foreign languages, eliminated. They say it is affecting the quality of their education.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know they're trying to understand, but they're just not in it and they don't understand how it's affecting our schools directly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And later this hour, I will talk to the superintendent of Maryland schools, Nancy Grasmick, about cutbacks there.
Improving the nation's public schools is the focus of conversation right now on Capitol Hill. Education Secretary Arnie Duncan spelling out a plan to reform No Child Left Behind. You are looking at live pictures of the Senate committee hearing. Duncan explaining the administration's plan for more flexibility and higher standards.
The heat is on. As the fight over health care reform heads toward a showdown this week, the political arm-twisting has persuaded one Democratic lawmaker to back the reform effort. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich voted against the House version of the bill, but in an announcement last hour, Kucinich said he will support the current plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: I've decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation. If my vote is to be counted, let it count now for passage of the bill, hopefully in the direction of comprehensive health care reform.
We must include coverage for those excluded from this bill. We must free the states. We must have control over private insurance companies and the costs their very existence imposes on American families.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: With Kucinich now in the "yes" column -- follow along here -- we've got 26 Democrats who have indicated to CNN that they are likely to vote against the legislation. Nine of those say they may reconsider if their specific concerns are met.
Needless to say, the president and party leaders are working hard trying to win over wobbly Democrats. Lawmakers are also hearing from their constituents back home.
Live now to Capitol Hill and senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash.
And Dan, if you would, talk us to about the administration's lobbying. And another question here, Dennis Kucinich turned from no to yes. Could that decision move some who are simply undecided? DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's unclear if he will move any that are undecided because most Democrats who are undecided are on the other side of the political spectrum within the Democratic Party -- from Dennis Kucinich, rather. Most are conservative Democrats from Republican-leaning districts.
And, in fact, Tony, we wanted to kind of get a sense of what it was like to be one of those Democrats. So I went yesterday to talk to John Boccieri. He is a freshman from Ohio. He voted no on the House health care bill, but he says, well, maybe the version that they're going to vote on now, which is a Senate version with some changes, could go further in it doing what he wants, which is more cost containment, more deficit reduction, and more of a focus on waste, fraud and abuse.
So take a look at some of what was going on in his office.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. JOHN BOCCIERI (D), OHIO: The decision I'm faced with is voting on an imperfect bill or doing nothing. And we just had calls from constituents. My chief of staff, his wife works for a small business and understands that they just had an increase in premiums. I'm not afraid to stand up and take a tough vote, and even if it means taking on our leadership. And it was a very difficult decision to come to, you know, on the first version.
Our office is under siege right now. We're getting calls from not only in the district, but all over the country.
BASH: Look at this. I mean, the phones have not stopped ringing.
BOCCIERI: You should see our district office. I answer my calls from time to time and hear what folks have to say.
This is Congressman Boccieri. We can agree on this -- that the system does need to be reformed, and we need to do it in a way that allows folks to have more choices. Would you agree?
BASH: You're a freshman. This is a very tough vote. This could be a make it or break it vote, maybe decide whether you come back or not.
BOCCIERI: And like I said, whether I serve two terms or 20, we want to make the right decision for the people of our district and Ohio and the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: And like many other undecided House Democrats, Tony, what he told me he's waiting for is legislative language which doesn't exist yet. Also, the information about how much this legislation will cost. We don't have that either.
Just one little footnote. I just checked with the congressman's office to see what the grand total of the calls and e-mails were yesterday. Get this -- 1,200 phone calls --
HARRIS: Wow!
BASH: -- and 1,600 e-mails. Just to give you a little context, they usually get about 500 phone calls a day to his office.
HARRIS: Hey, one quick one here. What's going on with the CBO scoring? Have you heard anything on that? I mean, I thought we were going to get somebody yesterday, I thought we were going to get something last week. And still nothing.
BASH: Yes. That's the, what, $900 billion question?
HARRIS: Yes.
BASH: We'll see.
We've been going back to Democratic sources on it minute by minute, hourly basis. We still don't have it.
What's going on, ,very quickly, behind the scenes, which we've seen so many times as they've tried to develop legislation, is they're going back and forth with the Congressional Budget Office, effectively trying to get to yes, trying to get to the point where they feel that the figure, the overall cost figure is at a point where they can get enough votes to pass it. And even more importantly, perhaps, the amount that it would reduce the deficit as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office.
That is something that they say is absolutely critical to winning over votes and for lots of other reasons. Just for example, the congressman I talked to, he said the amount that it would reduce the deficit could sway his vote.
HARRIS: Yes. OK. I just -- man, let's --
BASH: Taking a while.
HARRIS: --- get the CBO on the phone or something here. I just want to know what's going on here, because we've got to get it posted so folks can read it.
BASH: Exactly.
HARRIS: All right. Our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, for us.
Dana, appreciate it. Thank you.
Congressman Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania is an undecided lawmaker really feeling the heat. Supporters and a few opponents of reform clashed outside Altmire's office in Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hell it ain't. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Altmire says he still hasn't made up his mind.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JASON ALTMIRE (D), PENNSYLVANIA: I need to see the finished product and see that we're restraining the growth of health care in the long term, because we're never going to get our long-term budget deficit in order unless we address health care costs. But we also have to bring down the cost for people who have it now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So, you got something to say about health care reform? Give me a call -- 1-877-742-5760. Some of you already have. Wow. Man, have you ever.
Here's what some of you are saying.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Emergency room for three hours, $5,642.79. Something is awful wrong somewhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our nation needs to stand with every other industrialized nation in the world and give its people health care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they want to start with reform, they should start with the drug companies, the doctors and the hospitals.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HARRIS: More, more, more. We want to hear from you. Here's the number again: 1-877-742-5760.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: German Catholics say they listened for compassion today and they got silence. Pope Benedict held his weekly audience today, but he did not mention the sex abuse scandal that has engulfed the Church and his native Germany. Vatican watchers say his silence may fuel the perception he helped shield a sexually abusive priest during his days as archbishop of Munich.
The Vatican is a political, as well as a religious, institution. Like any good political operation, the pope's damage control machine is in overdrive.
Here's Senior International Correspondent Nic Roberts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The questions at the center of the crisis are, what did Pope Benedict know and when did he know about it? And what did he do about it?
COLM O'GORMAN, VICTIMS RIGHTS ADVOCATE: So what we're seeing is a global phenomenon in a global church, a global system at work with the Vatican at its center.
ROBERTSON: They are questions that began two decades ago when the pope was known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. For 23 years, he was the Vatican's chief investigator into allegations of abuse by priests.
O'GORMAN: In 2001, he wrote to every bishop in the world, telling them in the letter that every case of a priest who abused a child was to be referred to his department at the Vatican.
ROBERTSON: Vatican officials are defending the pope, praising his investigative work after he took control of abuse cases.
(on camera): According to one of the Vatican's top prosecutors, who is also a priest, Cardinal Ratzinger showed great wisdom and firmness in dealing with these cases, and he said he showed great courage dealing with the most difficult and thorniest of them. And therefore, he said, to accuse the pope of a cover-up is false.
(voice-over): But the pressure just keeps mounting. Newly released details of abuse in Germany are raising questions about the pontiff's judgment, even before he came to Rome overseeing cases of abuse.
(on camera): In 1980, when the pope was still a bishop in Germany, he oversaw the case of a priest involved in child abuse. The pope moved the priest from one diocese to another, his own, so that the priest could get therapy. Several years later, the priest was convicted of child abuse. The pope's critics say he should have paid more attention at the time and taken child abuse more seriously.
(voice-over): In Germany, over the past few months, several hundred allegations of abuse have been made. New cases are surfacing in Holland, Spain, Switzerland and Brazil, but nowhere is the pressure on the pope and the Church greater than in Ireland. Pressure is growing on the leader of the Irish church, Cardinal Sean Brady, to step down following revelations he knew of abuse in the 1970s. He kept it from police and had the victim sign an oath of secrecy. The priest involved, Father Brendan Smyth, the Irish church's most prolific pedophile, continued to abuse children for another two decades.
(on camera): Cardinal Brady says he'll only resign if the pope tells him. Officials here at the Vatican have responded saying that, in the coming days, the pope will send a letter to the Irish people.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Vatican City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And stay with us. We will be heading back to Detroit. A plan is in the works to shut down schools in order to save the school system.
We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: It is in the mail. Many of you probably already have it, the 2010 Census survey. Next, you could get a call or an e-mail, but it won't be from the government.
Ines Ferre joining us from New York.
Ines, good to see you.
What do we need to watch out for here?
INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK. Well, Tony, you know, scam artists try to work off something topical in the news that people don't fully understand, and that makes the 2010 Census a prime target.
The Census questionnaire has a total of 10 questions, and none of those questions should ask you for bank account information, a credit card number or your Social Security number. You may be asked general financial information like your salary range. Keep in mind that the Census will never contact you by e-mail. Also, don't ever click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that's supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau -- Tony.
HARRIS: Yes, but Census workers are going door to door on this, correct?
FERRE: Right. Well, see, if people don't mail back their forms, census takers will visit homes. And if a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they'll have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.
Also, if someone shows up at your door and either asks you for money to pay the 2010 Census or if they ask you for your Social Security number, don't give it out. The Census worker who comes to your door will only ask you the same questions that are on that survey -- Tony.
HARRIS: Got you.
All right, Ines. Appreciate it. Thank you very much.
Detroit, a city with high unemployment, low in student enrollment. We are going to get to the press conference right now as we promised.
Here is Robert Bobb. He is Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
ROBERT BOBB, DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER: Significantly, this plan allows us to cut operating costs by approximately $31 million in 2010 and ensures lower maintenance costs when fewer facilities come on line in outgoing -- in future years. Most importantly, for the residents of the city of Detroit and the parents of children in the Detroit public schools, this plan offers an investment, potential investment, of over $1 billion in city neighborhoods, assuming the citizens of Detroit approve and take an active role in the approval of a new bond measure sometime in the future.
I might also add that all of the schools that are to be built and are renovated will improve not only the athletic complexes, but will offer health clinics and public spaces. It's important that the investments that we're making in these schools also are investments where the community themselves can participate in using these facilities after hours.
This plan will coincide with the district's $41 million we're currently investing over the next few months in security upgrades at all of our schools. Phase one will see the investment of $500.5 million from federal stimulus bonds, and phase two will require a future investment of approximately $500 million. The plan calls for the closure of 45 facilities in June, with most programs moving to new or renovated facilities.
The community will have several opportunities to provide feedback. We will be hosting a series of town hall meetings across the entire community, and we expect the community to provide us with feedback, and we are soliciting the community's feedback. A final decision on the final plan will be made in mid to late April.
I would like to walk you through the process that we followed which began with data gathering on these aspects of the district. We've spent literally hundreds of hours analyzing data and the city of Detroit.
HARRIS: OK. You've been listening to Robert Bobb. He is Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager.
You heard him laying out the plan to restructure Detroit's school system. Forty-five facilities to be closed in June. The public comment portion of this whole rollout going on until mid to late April.
You heard the word "investment" a lot, even as Bobb was announcing the closure of facilities. Thirty-one million dollars is the estimated savings to the district in 2010 if this plan, as laid out today, is enacted. And the system will need a bond measure at some point down the road to move forward. No idea when that's on the schedule, or if that's on the legislative calendar at this point.
Let's get you to Josh Levs now.
And Josh, I guess the question -- oh, Josh is coming back a little later?
OK. When we talk to Josh we'll talk about whether or not a boost from stimulus funds could help the situation in Detroit.
We're back in a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Detroit, a city with high unemployment, a city low in student enrollment. Will a boost from stimulus funds fix things?
Our Josh Levs will break it down for us next, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: I like that. Just minutes ago, we heard Detroit public schools emergency financial manager, Robert Bob, talking about a plan to close 45 schools. It includes a major academic overhaul partially funded by federal stimulus money.
Josh Levs is at the Stimulus Desk. And all right, Josh, how much stimulus money are we talking about here?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Giant sums.
HARRIS: Yes.
LEVS: I hadn't seen the whole cartoon yet either.
HARRIS: That was good, wasn't it?
LEVS: Yes, it was nice. Yes, I like it. So, the huge sums of money. I mean, everyone should understand, the stimulus changed our economy. It was passed last year. It involves hundreds of billions of dollars, and in a lot of ways, it is fundamentally changing the way that cities and states are operating economically, and you keep seeing this big news out of school districts around the country, right?
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
LEVS: There's a building every few days. A new school district is announcing all these closures. A lot of this is very tightly connected to the stimulus. The opportunity to grab some of those federal dollars.
Let's start off with this, here's what Detroit is doing right now. They have this $540 million project going on, and this is what they're announcing that they want to do. Of that $310 million is coming from the stimulus. That's a huge chunk of change they're using to make changes there and guess what? They're saying it's not enough.
They're also saying that they're chasing after $80 million from this project called race to the top which is funded by the stimulus. All the school districts around the country are hoping to get their hands on this money. It's a $4.35 billion plan in which schools basically are competing, states are competing to get that money. We have a map that's going to show you which states are still in the running to get it for right now.
HARRIS: OK.
LEVS: There are 15 states and Washington, D.C. that are trying to get their hands on that money right now. Michigan is actually not one of them, but Michigan is hoping to get it in the next round in June. So, what we are seeing is a lot of these schools, Tony, doing everything they can to show federal officials they're really serious about making big changes in the hopes that they will get even more stimulus money -- Tony.
HARRIS: You know, the stimulus, you know this as well as anyone.
LEVS: Yes.
HARRIS: You've been on the desk for months now. It's supposed to be about creating and saving jobs. Do we know how many jobs will come from all of this money?
LEVS: We actually don't. In the case of Detroit, how many jobs will ultimately come out of that? We do know it's just a little piece of what they're getting. They also have $500 million they're talking about for construction out of stimulus funds to build and modernize buildings, and we do have a big picture on that. Let's show this last figure. Nationally, the education department has gotten basically $100 billion out of the stimulus. By far, more than those road projects, and you heard about shovel ready?
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
LEVS: By far, the education department is grabbing the most, $100 billion total, close to 98.3. You can see a 71 billion was awarded, so far. Tony, the education department tells me 300,000 jobs have already been funded, and we're hearing from folks right there on a blog, CNN.com/josh, Facebook and Twitter, joshlevsCNN, and of course, the best website in the world, CNN.com/Tony. A lot of people weighing in on whether it's doing anything for their schools so far. What we are seeing is everyone wants that money -- Tony.
HARRIS: And we got phone calls going on as well. It's terrific. Folks are weighing in a big, big numbers.
LEVS: Yes.
HARRIS: Love it, Josh. See you next hour. Thanks, sir.
Is there a lesson to be learned by other public school systems from a state ranked number one in quality of education? We will talk to the woman in charge. My good friend, Nancy Grasmick next, right? Nancy, smile at me. I haven't seen you in forever. Nancy is next right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: School closings, budget cuts, and student protest. We are digging deeper on these stories right here in the CNN NEWSROOM for you. We've invited Maryland State superintendent of schools, Nancy Grasmick. Schools there are doing incredibly perhaps it's because the state has made educational funding a priority. Though, cutbacks, Nancy, I understand, are looming on the horizon. Good to have you on the program.
Look, I wasn't aware of this until someone from the team made me aware of it that just last year, education week ranked your state's education system as number one based on -- we're talking about test scores, graduation rates. What do you think you're doing right in the state -- in my home state of Maryland right now?
NANCY GRASMICK, MARYLAND STATE SUPT. OF SCHOOLS: Tony, it's wonderful to be with you today.
HARRIS: Yes, good to see you.
GRASMICK: And to talk about Maryland's successes. This is the second year in a row we've been ranked number one, and we're very pleased by that, but we have a long history of accountability for our schools that goes all the way back to 1991, and so we insisted that every school be measured in terms of its performance. The school was not performing at a high standard that significant changes had to be made in those schools, replacing principals, replacing staff often.
In addition to that, we have insisted that our school systems hire highly qualified teachers with the right credentials, and we had an infusion of 1.3 billion additional dollars for public education that really started ramping up in 2003.
HARRIS: Wow. Is the big takeaway here that states should protect education budgets by law which I understand is the case in Maryland.
GRASMICK: That is the case in Maryland. There's a maintenance of effort requirement, and I do believe that the funding for school systems ought to be predictable. There ought to be accountability for the dollars, but it ought to be predictable and that law makes it predictable.
HARRIS: Are you worried about Governor O'Malley calling for some cuts that may be on the horizon and just how are you pushing back?
GRASMICK: I believe the Governor, and I think he's demonstrated this during his tenure. He's a big supporter of public education as are the members of our general assembly. So, we are not seeing at the moment huge cuts looming for public education. Now, we have been the recipients of about $800 million in stimulus money, but the way we're using those dollars related to our school systems is to say don't invest this in personnel because this funding will end, and we need to be able to sustain the use of whatever you're purchasing.
So, it's more for professional development, for technology, things that will benefit us on a continuing basis.
HARRIS: But you're able to do that because you've got set funding in place where other districts haven't been able to do that because their funding is really tied to state sales tax and to property taxes, correct?
GRASMICK: That's correct.
HARRIS: OK.
GRASMICK: And so we have a sustained and stable funding for the most part.
HARRIS: All right. I've got to show you -- we've got live pictures up here. The Education Secretary Arne Duncan is on Capitol Hill now. As you know, this week, President Obama is laying out changes to the no child left behind law. You know, some critics say the proposals put all of the responsibility and much of the blame on the teachers if students don't perform. What is your thought on that critique?
GRASMICK: Having been a teacher --
HARRIS: Yes.
GRASMICK: I believe, we do have an obligation to say is that child making growth within our classroom? I mean, that's the purpose of education, and it is not a set standard as we saw with no child left behind. It's a growth factor, and it is much more customized to the baseline where that child began. I think, it is very fair, as I indicated, Maryland's had a long history of accountability for its schools, and I believe, this is in tandem with that belief that we have to perform. The students are counting on us to perform, and there have to be changes if we're not performing.
HARRIS: Nancy, great to see you as always.
GRASMICK: Great to see you.
HARRIS: And we'll talk to you again soon, I'm sure. Thanks, Nancy.
GRASMICK: Thank you.
HARRIS: Let's do this. Let's get a quick check of our top stories right now.
A major sandbagging effort underway right now in Fargo, North Dakota, where the Red River continues to rise. It is expected to crest 20 feet above flood level later this week.
Wells Fargo is cutting more than 400 jobs in the Sacramento area. It is a result of last year's merger with Wachovia Bank. The company is consolidating to call centers.
Live pictures, do we have live pictures? Terrific.
How about this? Savannah, Georgia, right now feeling the Irish spirit. This is the second largest St. Paddy's Day parade in the country. Only New York's parade is larger. We're talking about 10,000 marchers, 51 bands participating, and check out the crowd when we get a shot here. Hundreds of thousands of people expected there today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Ninety-six hours, that's how long U.S. troops in Afghanistan have to question detainees. After that, they have to let them go or turn them over to Afghan authorities, but that's about to change. This is happening just one month after a CNN investigation revealed how the 96-hour rule was putting soldiers at risk.
Abbie Boudreau, with our special investigations unit here. Abby, good to see you. What's different here?
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Tony, this is a major change that's going to relief a lot of frustration for troops on the ground in Afghanistan. We spoke to soldiers who say the old policy put them at risk because they only had four days to question detainees before turning them over to the Afghans or releasing them. Now, they'll get two weeks.
General David Petraeus announced the change this week at the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. In January, we asked General Petraeus about the policy, and why so many soldiers were saying it just wasn't working. He told us it was a personal concern of his, and this is what he told Senator Lindsey Graham at the committee hearing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, CDMR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: The Secretary of Defense has approved, in a sense, a U.S. caveat, if you will, that goes along with our transitioning of authority of U.S. forces to NATO control, and it includes up to 14 days for interrogation, for analysis, and then in some cases, for those who need longer detention, that is also available as well.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: I want to thank you for leading that charge because I think our war fighters will appreciate that, particularly the marines down south and has that been well received by the force?
PETRAEUS: It has, sir, and again, if you know, if you want to live your values, you have to set conditions in which our troopers can do just that.
GRAHAM: Thank you. Yes. I'm glad that you've been given some relief because the old rule just didn't make a whole lot of sense, and I think the new way forward does make sense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOUDREAU: We are also told all U.S. troops will follow the new rule, the 14-day rule. The pentagon spokesman says he does not anticipate most suspects being held for the full 14 days. He says the new rule will also help secure information from high-value targets which, Tony, are, of course, the biggest threat to U.S. troops.
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely. So Abby, have you heard from any troops about how they feel about this rule change, and how it might make it easier for them to do their jobs on the battlefield?
BOUDREAU: Yes. I reached out to Roger Hill. He is the former army captain who is part of our original story in the 96-hour rule. In his case, he had 12 suspected Taliban spies on his base that he was detaining, and of course, he didn't want to release them, but he was running out of time to hold them because of the 96-hour time constraint.
So, at the 80th hour, he came up with a plan to scare some of the suspect into confessing which ultimately got him kicked out of the army, so I called him to get his reaction about all of this and the new rule, and he said that even though he should be excited, and he does think it's good for troops, he said the timing of it all is upsetting, and it just makes him feel sad, because he said if he would have had 14 days as opposed to four days, he would never found himself in this situation --
HARRIS: Yes.
BOUDREAU: And Tony, he plans to appeal his general discharge from the army. So, we'll follow that.
HARRIS: Yes. Good story. Abbie, appreciate it. Thank you.
Dr. Pepper and other sugary soda expelled from school as a CNN money team on Pepsi's learning curve.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: I need you to reach out to the program. I need you to talk to me directly. A couple of ways that you can do that. First of all, CNN.com/Tony takes you directly to this bam, blog page. If you would like to send us your thoughts on Facebook, here's what to do. Tonyharris/CNN. Here's my Twitter address, Tony Harris, CNN. Call us. Pick up the phone, 1-877-742-5760. Let's have more of your thoughts on the program. CNN NEWSROOM with Tony Harris.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The fight against childhood obesity is gaining traction, and now Pepsi is going to pull sugary drinks from the schools all around the world? Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange with details.
Wow, this is big. Is it also a first, Steph?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It is big, Tony, and it is a first for a major soft drink company. Both Pepsi and Coca- Cola pulled their high-calorie drinks from American schools. That happened back in 2006. But now, Pepsi is going global, hitting 200 countries by 2012. And here exactly is the plan. In elementary schools worldwide, Pepsi will only sell water, fat-free or low-fat milk and sugar-free juice. High schools will offer those choices, plus low-calorie soft drinks like diet Pepsi, so obviously, a big change from when I was in school -- Tony.
HARRIS: Wow. I love that!
ELAM: It is great.
HARRIS: Man and as a guy who is way too jacked up on sugary drinks today, maybe I should take Pepsi's lead here.
ELAM: Right.
HARRIS: Yes! How is this going to affect food company's bottom line there, Stephanie?
ELAM: That's a good question. The Pepsi says schools don't make up a big portion of their total revenue, but there will definitely be a decline in sales. The question is, how much? We do know that restrictions in the U.S. pushed down sales of high-calorie drinks in schools by 95 percent over the past five years, but at this point, the fight against obesity is getting so much attention that food and drink company almost have to get on board.
Even the first lady is behind it. Michelle Obama spoke at a food industry meeting yesterday and told companies to step it up. Those are her words. And put less fat and sugar in foods. At the same time, the FDA is cracking down on misleading food labels. So, some changes going on. Probably better ones and probably calmer kids coming home after school, too, to their parents.
On Wall Street, just want to give you a quick update here. Stocks are on the upside, and new report shows inflation is in check. That's allowing the Fed to keep interest rates at record lows. So, the Dow up 46 points, 10,732 and Nasdaq better by a little bit more than half a percent, Tony. So, not a bad St. Patrick's Day here. Green to match, you know, green going around. Nice.
HARRIS: I'm talking about the green. All right. Stephanie, see you next hour. Thank you.
ELAM: Thanks.
HARRIS: Tiger Woods returning to professional golf. Can anyone say ka-ching? It is the sound of money for broadcast stations and sponsors. Read more about it at CNNMoney.com.
Here's what we're working on for the next hour at CNN NEWSROOM, as Detroit announces plans to shut down more schools. I will talk to former Education Secretary Rod Paige about the achievement gap between black and white students.
And becoming battle ready sandbaggers in Fargo out in full force right now to face off against the mighty Red River. The mayor joins me in the next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You know, maybe you've got to see it to believe in it. The Department of Homeland Security decided to cut funding for SBInet, that's the virtual wall designed to monitor illegal immigrants entering the United States in the southwest.
Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joining us now from Washington. Jeanne, good to see you, first of all. Why these changes now?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It's been a rocky road to development for this system that has cameras and sensors and communications gear. It was supposed to be a force multiplier for the border patrol to help secure the nation because it's been so rocky. The Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, announced yesterday that $50 million in recovery act funding that was supposed to be spent on SpiNET is now going to be reprogrammed. She's going to spend it on other kinds of technology off the shelf that's been proven.
In addition, she says we're going to complete this stretch that we're working on right now, but then we're going to freeze funds until we complete an assessment of just how effective this project has been. The cost so far, about $700 million -- Tony.
HARRIS: Wow. And Jeanne, what's been the reaction to the announcement so far?
MESERVE: You know, this project has been called the boondoggle by some. There have been several very critical GAO reports, but it has its supporters in Congress, in particular. One of them yesterday, Congressman Harold Rogers put out this statement saying, I'm all for securing our borders but haphazardly pulling the rug out from underneath SBInet to fund some other unplanned projects suggests we're back to throwing money at problems, not relying on strategic decisions on utilizing the taxpayers' money.
But then there are others who say this is the right thing to do. Congressman Bennie Thompson characterizing SpiNET as a grave and expensive disappointment -- Tony.
HARRIS: Wow. OK.
Jeanne Meserve for us.
Jeanne, appreciate it. Thank you.
