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The Road Ahead for the U.S. and Afghanistan; Battle of Bachmann vs. Palin; Jobless More Than Six Months; National Debt At Historic High; Former Secret Service To Candidate
Aired June 08, 2011 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I want to get you up to speed.
An extremely dangerous wildfire has burned its way into the record books in Arizona. The so-called Wallow Fire is now the second biggest in state history. It has scorched almost 400,000 acres. It's still spreading. Thousands of people have had to leave their homes.
((BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN YORK, FIRE EVACUEE: We packed up everything that we could --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Memories.
YORK: -- memories and clothes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if I'm going to have to start over again or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: President Obama discusses the road ahead for the U.S. in Afghanistan in a video conference with Afghan president Hamid Karzai. Mr. Obama is deciding the size and scope of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which is scheduled to begin next month.
A Senate panel is hearing testimony on whether FBI Director Robert Mueller can stay on the job for two more years. President Obama has requested the job extension. Under current law, the FBI director can serve no more than 10 years. Mueller's term is scheduled to end September 4th.
More forensic evidence is being presented to jurors in the Casey Anthony trial a day after they were told a cadaver dog reacted to the smell of human remains in two places, including the trunk of Anthony's car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MICHAEL HUNTER, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: The smell of decomposition is so distinctive, it's so overpowering, there's no way you're going to mistake it from simple trash. So, no, I think the defense has a very difficult time with that type of issue. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Casey Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008. She has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, she could get the death penalty.
In Lima, Peru, Joran van der Sloot is in court today for an evidence hearing. He's the suspect in the killing of a young Peruvian woman. He is also linked to the disappearance of American teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba. The Peruvian victim was killed last year in a hotel room, and her father was expected to be at today's hearing.
California's new plan to deal with overcrowding in state prisons sends some offenders back to local jails. State officials say the plan could affect as many as 33,000 inmates, but for it to happen, California voters would have to approve it at the voting booth this November.
Two more people have died in Europe's E. coli outbreak, bringing the death toll to at least 24. The cause of the crisis has still not been conclusively identified, and officials still think it may have been bean sprouts from a north German farm, even though some of the farm sprouts tested negative for the bacteria.
Facebook is rolling out new facial recognition technology. The feature scans every picture and suggests the names of people who appear in the images. If you think it's a little too close for comfort, you can opt out of the feature by going to your privacy settings page.
Well, a closer look now at the road ahead for the U.S. and Afghanistan. President Obama is deciding how many American troops are going to come home and draw down. That drawdown begins next month. Also in the discussions, what happens in Afghanistan after those troops leave.
Joining us from Washington with some insight to discuss this, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen.
Peter, thank you for joining us here.
Obviously, you've been there many times. You know the situation on the ground, as well as the politics of all of this.
The administration, very much split over whether U.S. troops should stay in or get out of Afghanistan fairly quickly. Vice President Biden, on one side. Defend Secretary Gates, on the other.
If you're advising the president, which side do you come down on now?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, luckily, Suzanne, that's never going to happen. But let me, instead of answering that directly, sort of slay out what the choices are for the administration going forward. Obviously, there's a July, 2011 drawdown that we're coming to. Is it going to be a token withdrawal? Is it going to be a small withdrawal? Is it going to be a sizeable withdrawal?
Inside the Defense Department, people I've spoken to think that the numbers are probably 10,000 out of the 100,000. Of course, the political pressures have grown for a sizeable withdrawal. And on the military side, General Petraeus and others will -- they're looking to consolidate gains and not make the mistake of pulling out too quickly.
And then there's the other even bigger decision, which is, what is the ramp down rate for the 30,000 soldiers of the surge between now and the end of 2012? And then, what to do, as you implied, in 2014.
You know, the Afghan government was very concerned about us pulling out substantially in July, as at one point it seemed to be possible. I don't think that's going to happen.
They do want a stated forces agreement with us similar to what happened in Iraq. Many people want some kind of recognition that the United States won't be leaving, closing, turning off the lights completely in 2014.
So there are really three sets of decisions. There's the very quick one in July, what to do with the 30,000 troops of the surge, and finally, what is really the long-term deal that we'll do with the Afghan government after 2014?
MALVEAUX: Well, what is the end game here, Peter? What do you think the U.S. mission is at this point?
BERGEN: Well, I think the end game -- I mean, look, we were to attacked from Afghanistan on 9/11. We've already run the experiment of doing nothing in Afghanistan, closing our embassy there in 1989, doing it on the cheap in the sort of post-9/11 era, when we had very limited troops and the Taliban came back.
So I think a readily fully resourced mission is what's required. And if you look at the polling data in Afghanistan, 68 percent of Afghans had a favorable view of international forces in a BBC/ABC News poll taken just late last year.
So Afghans don't want us to leave. They want us to perform. And I think that there are many indicators that indicate things are going in the right direction in Afghanistan. You know, there's one million kids in school --
MALVEAUX: And Peter --
BERGEN: Go ahead.
MALVEAUX: Sure. Real quick, we know things are improving in Afghanistan, but what about the threat of al Qaeda in Afghanistan? What do we make of that? If we pull out U.S. troops, we pull them out quickly, would that threat still be a big problem to the United States? BERGEN: Well, you know, in the absence of effective government, that's where al Qaeda thrives. And right now they're based in the tribal regions of Pakistan, which isn't controlled by any government, including the Pakistanis.
So, we kind of know that if we don't get it right in Afghanistan, al Qaeda will -- and it's not just al Qaeda, Suzanne, it's every Islamic insurgent terrorist group who's headquartered in pre-9/11 Afghanistan. So they would all seek to move back into the vacuum if we don't get it right, and we have a sort of moral obligation, in my view, to get it right.
MALVEAUX: All right. Peter, thank you very much. We appreciate it.
BERGEN: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead this hour "On the Rundown."
First, former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Could we see these conservative stars head to head?
And gruesome evidence in the Casey Anthony trial. How important is it? We're going to ask an expert.
And then, the "Sissy Boy" experiment, therapy meant to make little boys more masculine.
And hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires -- a look at this year's crazy weather.
And finally, the long-term unemployed, those out of work for six months or longer. We're going to talk with some of them at a job center.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here are today's choices for "Choose the News."
First, tanks restricted in Misrata. Rebel forces in Libya are capturing weapons from pro-Gadhafi forces and refurbishing them to use against the dictator. But we're going to tell you why NATO forces have stepped in and banned them from using captured tanks.
Second, from Secret Service to Senate candidate. A man who recently was paid to take a bullet for the president if necessary now has harsh words for President Obama. We're with the former agent as he hits the campaign trail.
And third, driving in the fast lane. A woman from a billionaire background has the need for speed and risks her life as a professional drag racer.
So, you can vote by texting 22360. Text 1 for "Tankless in Misrata"; 2 for "Secret Service to Senate Candidate"; or 3 for "Driving in the Fast Lane."
The winning story airs later this hour.
Now the 2012 presidential race and what may be a looming showdown between two contenders, Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin. The gloves may be already coming off. Bachmann has hired Ed Rollins as a strategist. And in a Politico interview, Rollins says this -- he says, "People are going to say, 'I've got to make a choice and go with the intelligent woman who's every bit as attractive.'"
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser, those are fighting words.
He joins us from the Political Desk in Washington.
Paul, you've spoken with Ed. What's behind this?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, that's some tough talk there.
Now, Suzanne, I know you know Ed Rollins very well. So do I. But for some of our viewers who may not know him, back in 1984 he was the campaign manager -- he ran Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign.
Most recently, he was the guy that ran Mike Huckabee's election campaign four years ago. Remember Huckabee won Iowa? And that was a big success story.
I spoke to Rollins earlier today about those comments he made to Politico and some other comments he made on a radio show yesterday, where he was equally tough at Sarah Palin, and he said, "This is not part of any strategy." As you mentioned, Rollins has been hired. If Bachmann jumps in, as we expect later this month to announce her candidacy, he's going to steer that campaign.
He told me it's not part of the strategy. And he told me specifically, "I don't think Palin runs. And if she does, we'll deal with it. There obviously is a trend in the media to link them" -- meaning both women. "In the long run, we want Palin and her people as our allies."
That's what Rollins told me earlier this morning -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: No mistake that -- no accident certainly that they're going after Palin here. They're going after some of the same voters though, however, the Tea Party folks. I mean, what does he think he's going to be able to accomplish there? It seems like Palin has really got that wrapped up.
STEINHAUSER: You're exactly right. They seem to be going after similar voters.
If Palin announces later this year -- and that's still a big "if." Remember, that bus tour last week kind of sparked speculation. She says she's contemplating a bid for the GOP nomination. But if she runs, and Bachmann does run, as we expect, well, they're going to be going after social conservative voters and Tea Party activists. They're both very popular with these people.
And in Iowa, which is the first state to vote, of course, both these groups vote in big numbers. So there could be a battle for the same voters if Palin runs, if Bachmann runs.
Stay tuned. This story is far from over -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: We are staying tuned. Thank you, Paul. Appreciate it.
Coming up Monday, CNN will host the New Hampshire presidential debate. Join us as Republican hopefuls take on the issues, as well as each other. The New Hampshire presidential debate, that is next Monday, June 13th, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MALVEAUX: Well, hit by shrapnel, badly burned, the president of Yemen is licking his wounds in Saudi Arabia. But his return could potentially throw his country into civil war. Michael Holmes is going "Beyond the Headlines" for what that could mean for the rest of the region.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARMEN WONG ULRICH, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Time now for "The Help Desk," where we get answers to your financial questions.
Joining me this hour, Manisha Thakor is a personal author, and Doug Flynn is a certified financial planner and founder of Flynn Zito.
Guys, let's get right to Kathy in Southaven, Mississippi. She asks, "Can a mortgage company or bank holding your house loan get money off your savings or checking account if they foreclose on you?"
Manisha?
MANISHA THAKOR, PERSONAL FINANCE EXPERT: A painful question, and there's not a clear-cut simple answer in the sense that what we're talking about here is not waived garnishment, but bank garnishment. Rules vary from state to state. It depends on the scenario.
A lot of people think if their house is foreclosed on, then there's no other obligation. Depending on the nuances around it, you might be liable for the difference between what the home was able to sell for and your mortgage. So you definitely want to be talking to your lender if you're in this situation and find out perhaps if could you arrange a short sale at this stage instead.
ULRICH: All right. Good luck with that, please.
And Wayne in Bella Vista, Arkansas, asks us, "Does a charitable gift annuity make sense for someone with a modest income?"
Doug, shed some light on this one. DOUG FLYNN, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER: I typically don't see it for people with a modest income, because what you're saying is, I want to take a chunk of money that I will never have access to the principle again, put it away. I can get income off of it, and then when I die the charity will get that money and I get a tax deduction.
If you're in a modest income, those aren't typically the people that would do that versus just making an outright gift to the charity where they could use the money right now. We do see it with higher income because of the tax benefit that you do get. It can be done if you need an income, but it's not a common thing, I would say, with a modest income.
ULRICH: All right. Great advice, guys. Thank you so much.
Now, do you have a question that you want us to answer? Well, send an e-mail any time to the CNNHelpDesk@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: A look now at the unrest still rocking the Arab world.
In Syria, a humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of refugees trying to escape the violent government crackdowns by flooding out of the country. Hundreds swarming the border of neighboring Turkey.
In Libya, NATO warplanes continue to battle Moammar Gadhafi's compound in Tripoli, and there is no plan to let up the pressure. Today, NATO commanders extended their commitment to the war there for three more months.
And finally, to Yemen. This is where President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains in a Saudi Arabian hospital after being badly injured when a bomb went off inside his compound on Friday. While the president insists he'll return to Yemen after he heals from his wounds, his presence in Saudi Arabia highlights what a power player that country has become in the Arab uprisings.
Well, Michael Holmes is going "Beyond the Headlines" to talk a little bit more about this.
And Michael, Saudi Arabia has been trying to convince Yemen's leader not to return, not to go back, because there's such fear that the blood and the violence and the civil war is just going to erupt if he returns.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, Saudi Arabia is right in the middle of all of this, and they're trying to sort of keep their own country under control.
And yes, you and I have talked about this, too. Saudi Arabia is an oil-rich nation. It's the world's largest producer. It's right next door to Yemen, which is running out of oil and is the poorest country in the Middle East, one of the poorest in the world, actually.
Now, the deal that was offered up by the Gulf Cooperation Council, the GCC, and Saudi Arabia, spearheaded those negotiations. It was to keep him out, get him to step aside. Now he's in Saudi Arabia, he's in hospital. They don't want to let him go. They want to convince him somehow to stay and not go back to Yemen.
MALVEAUX: Can they actually do that? How would they do that, Michael? I mean, is that even possible?
HOLMES: Money. Money. I mean, that would be their main thing, would be a financial inducement, and to talk him around, talk some sense into the guy, that him being there is not working out for the country.
Even the U.S., who had wanted him to stay there for so long because of the terrorism angle and the fact that he was helping with the terrorism angle, even the U.S. is now saying, he's got to go. Well, now he's out of the country with these wounds, which are worse than first thought.
They're hoping that they're just going to be able to keep him there. He took 35 members of his family. So maybe he's got that in mind, as well.
MALVEAUX: What's the worst-case scenario if he returns to Yemen? What can we imagine would happen next?
HOLMES: Well, I think there would be more violence. I mean, the man who is taking over at the moment, who's in an interim position, the prime minister, he's already talking cease-fire, he's talking with the tribes.
The worst-case scenario if he went back is there would be a further explosion of violence. Now, the country's teetering on what you could call a civil war now. You've got to remember that people cheered when this guy left the country. And him going back would be a complete betrayal for those people.
The other thing to remember is the al Qaeda aspect of this. And we've discussed this before.
Yemen is the headquarters of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP. Now, during all of this fighting, Saleh had pulled off of his forces back to the capital to protect him, really.
MALVEAUX: Right.
HOLMES: Now, that's left the rest of the country pretty much without forces to battle al Qaeda. It's left an open field for them, and they have regrouped, rearmed.
MALVEAUX: And Michael, the situation in Yemen as well, you were mentioning the economics of it all. I mean, that this is a country that you said is soon going to run out of water. Is that true?
HOLMES: Yes. It's an economic basket case.
And, of course, foreign investment has completely dried up during all of this, and foreign aid is drying up, too, because there's nowhere to send it and keep an eye on the money. As I said, they're running out of oil, they have got very little left anyway.
But one of the things is that they're running out of water as well. And when I say running out of water, I mean running out of water.
The World Bank says that this could be the first capital city ever to literally run out of water. Their water tables are that low because of the economic problems in the country. They don't desalination or anything like that.
And this is a key area. It's just across the Gulf of Oman from Somalia.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
HOLMES: Pirate country. Imagine if this becomes a failed state. It doesn't bear belief.
MALVEAUX: That's why the United States, the Obama administration, working very closely with the Saudis to make sure that Yemen's president does not return.
HOLMES: Yes. But even that, even if he does, even if he doesn't return, this country's going to need help, big help financially.
MALVEAUX: All right. Michael, thank you.
HOLMES: Good to see you.
MALVEAUX: Appreciate it.
Well, the prosecution in the Casey Anthony trial is focusing on the findings of cadaver dogs. Just how important is forensic evidence in the case? We're going to ask an expert.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown on some of the stories that we're working on.
A dog handler testifies in the Casey Anthony murder trial. Hear how a cadaver dog reacted after smelling the trunk of Anthony's car.
Then, experimental therapy to change the sexuality of a boy. Family members say it led to suicide years later. It is a CNN exclusive.
And in 15 minutes, the long-term unemployed are more frustrated than ever. And you can hear it in their voices. We head to a jobs center to listen in.
And in the Casey Anthony trial in Orlando, Florida, a dog could turn out to be critical to the prosecution's case. Specifically, a German Shepherd named Gerus, a dog, a trained cadaver dog. Now, Geras' handler says the dog smelled human remains in the young mother's car and backyard. Gary Tuchman has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Casey Anthony looked emotionally detached during this day of court testimony, except when her eyes focused laser-like on the prosecutor as she approached the defense table to hand over a document. The prosecutor who believes Casey Anthony deserves the death penalty. The prosecutor who called this man to the stand.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you called to assist in an investigation regarding the disappearance of Caylee Marie Anthony?
JASON FORGEY, ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Yes, I was.
TUCHMAN: Orange County, Florida sheriff's deputy Jason Forgey is a canine handler. His dog was trained to sniff for cadavers and has become a player in this high-profile trial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Geras is a German shepherd.
TUCHMAN: After Caylee Anthony disappeared but before her body found, Geras was brought to the Casey Anthony's Pontiac Sunfire, which had been impounded.
FORGEY: Geras comes out of the truck with his front paws, comes out of the trunk to the right rear passenger taillight, bumper area, and gives me a final trend alert. He goes into a down position.
TUCHMAN: And that's the signal the dog gives when it's detected the scent of a dead body. Geras was also brought to the Anthony's backyard where the same thing happened.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this the area that you were describing where you got the alert? Trained final alert?
FORGEY: Yes, ma'am.
TUCHMAN: Casey Anthony's attorney wanted the jury to doubt the dog's accuracy.
JOSE BAEZ, CASEY ANTHONY'S ATTORNEY: There are such things as false alerts.
FORGEY: Yes.
BAEZ: OK. Dogs are not infallible?
FORGEY: They are not perfect, no.
TUCHMAN: But the deputy says he had his own alert when examining Casey Anthony's car.
FORGEY: I smelt it, clear as day.
TUCHMAN: What's notable about this testimony is that ultimately it may not contradict the defense's case. During opening statements, Casey Anthonys' attorney said that Caylee Anthony accidentally drowned in the backyard pool. And even though he's not supposed to deliver his closing arguments until the end of the trial, we may have heard a bit of that argument --
FORGEY: I don't believe a dead body in the backyard is a disputed issue in this case.
VOICE OF BAEZ: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sustained.
TUCHMAN: Nevertheless, defense attorney Jose Baez continued to attack the credibility of Deputy Forgey and his dog.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Orlando, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Today, jurors have heard more forensic evidence,. including testimony from a second cadaver dog handler who also found the potential scent of human remains in the Anthony's backyard.
Joining me now is Panama City chief medical examiner Michael Hunter. Thank you, Michael, for joining us here. First of all, tell us how important forensic evidence is in this case.
MICHAEL HUNTER, PANAMA CITY CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER: You know, this case is going to be built on forensic evidence. I think early on, they were able to place Casey within the trunk of the vehicle. That was forensic based. They have a theory that possibly there was chloroform used. That's information that's been obtained through forensic analysis of items obtained from the trunk.
I think what the prosecution is doing is trying to build a forensic case, build their cause of death, and then it's probably going to be put together and wrapped up with testimony from the medical examiner down the road.
MALVEAUX: And when we talk about forensics, what kinds of things are we talking about?
HUNTER: You know, forensics is a broad area. I think right now we're really just talking about the location of the decomposed body. Not necessarily the location of Caylee specifically, but that there's been a decomposed body in the vicinity of that residence. So, the prosecution is going there.
They're also looking at chemical analysis of specimens obtained from the trunk of the vehicle. That's going to be forensic chemistry involved there.
MALVEUAX: What is the significance of where the dead girl's body was found?
HUNTER: You know, I -- you know, what is the significance mean? I think the defense has already come out and said, yes, she died. So, I sometimes don't really understand why there's such an argument about the fact there is evidence of a decomposed body, because that's exactly what you would expect.
But I think what they're showing is that she was decomposing in different areas of the backyard because the dog is hitting on different areas, and that the body was placed in a vehicle where you bring up the term chloroform. That's where they're finding evidence that possibly chloroform was an agent that may have been used in this case.
So, they're saying, OK. There's a decomposed body. We have evidence of that because of the odor, the dog, the testing that's been done. But, oh, by the way, along with that, we're finding a chemical that could be used to, say, subdue somebody.
MALVEAUX: OK. Putting it all together. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.
HUNTER: Sure.
MALVEAUX: Shocking experimental therapy designed to make feminine boys more masculine. One family explains how the therapy affected their family. The special series is airing on CNN's "AC 360," and we'll have a preview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: In a special three-part series that continues tonight at 10:00 Eastern, "ANDERSON COOPER 360" examines a shocking experimental therapy designed to make feminine boys more masculine. Tune in tonight to see how it affected one family in a special report titled "The Sissy Boy Experiment."
His doctors called him Craig. His parents were afraid he was too effeminine. So, at age 4, Craig was enrolled in a government funded program at UCLA where he was plunged into a series of experiments using aversion therapy. The behaviors judged effeminate were beaten out of him -- literally, figuratively. And Craig's case was judged a success.
But age 38, this poster child for change in gender identity disorder was so depressed and disturbed he committed suicide. In this heartbreaking series, Anderson Cooper speaks with Craig's family and looks into the man behind that therapy. Here's a glimpse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": This is the last time Mark Murphy remembers his brother Kirk as a happy child. The photo was taken when Kirk was four, a year before he was placed in experimental therapy at UCLA to treat what doctors identified as exaggerated feminine behavior.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It left Kirk just totally stricken with the belief that he was broken, that he was different from everybody else. COOPER: Kirk's sister, Maris, and brother say Kirk was never the same after therapy.
MARK MURPHY, BROTHER OF KIRK MURPHY: The only thing they did was destroy our brother. They took him away from us. He was empty. Nothing there.
COOPER: In 1970, Kirk Murphy was a smart, outgoing five-year-old growing up near Los Angeles. His mother, K.T. Murphy, however, was worried about him.
K.T. MURPHY, MOTHER OF KIRK MURPHY: Well, I was becoming a little concerned about playing with the girls' toys and stroking the hair. You know, the long hair and stuff. I was seeing effeminate mannerisms. It bothered me because I wanted Kirk to grow up and have a normal life.
COOPER: To treat Kirk's so-called sissy behavior, he was repeated placed in a room with two tables. He was observed through a one-way window. He was given toys to play with and could choose between traditionally masculine ones like plastic knives and guns or feminine toys like dolls and a play crib. He could also choose clothing to wear. An Army hat and military fatigues or a girl's dress, jewelry and a wig.
His family says the impact of the experimental therapy lasted his entire life.
MARK MURPHY: He had no idea how to relate to people. It was like somebody walked up turned off his light switch. We got what we wanted, and we'll see you later.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He actually ate his lunch in the boy's bathroom for three years, where he didn't have to put himself out there. Even just to have a friend.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: It's a story you really don't want to miss. This "AC 360" special examines this so-called therapy meant to keep effeminate boys from growing up gay. Tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.
Frustration announced for the long-term unemployed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They list the jobs, but are they really going to call you for the interview? If you're going to downsize your company, you obviously can't hire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: A reminder to vote for the day's "Choose the News" winner. Vote by texting 22360. Vote 1 for tanks restricted in Misrata. Rebel forces in Libya are using captured weapons from pro- Gadhafi forces, but NATO has stepped in now and won't allow them to use tanks.
Text 2 for from Secret Service to Senate candidate. A man who once worked as an agent protecting the president now starting his own campaign.
And text 3 for driving in the fast lane. A woman set to inherit millions of dollars risks her life as a professional drag racer. The winning story airs later in this hour.
President Obama is talking jobs as the economy takes a toll now on his poll numbers. His approval rating down now six points since late last month. It's at 48 percent now, down from 54 percent. At a community college in Virginia just last hour, the president stressed the importance of training for future manufacturing jobs. He also talked about the state of the economy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Obviously, we're slowly recovering from a very painful recession. But there are too many people out there who are still out of work. Without a job that allows them to save a little money or to create the life they want for their families. That's unacceptable to me. It's unacceptable to all of you. So we've got to do everything we can, everything in our power, to strengthen and rebuild the middle class. We've got to be able to test new ideas, pull people together and throw everything we've got at this challenge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And 6.2 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer. And our CNN's Poppy Harlow reports, the frustration is getting worse.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: You know, Suzanne, well, you know, last week was full of signs that the U.S. economy seems to be slowing. It was capped off with a very weak jobs report. Only 54,000 jobs added in May. That is down from more than 200,000 jobs added in the prior month. We've got 9.1 percent unemployment.
But the biggest problem is for those long-term unemployed Americans. People that have been out of work for six months or longer. The numbers prove it is harder for them to find work than for others to find work. So we spent a day at a career center talking to some of these folks. And as you can hear, their frustration is palpable. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were a lot of jobs out there. But they're slowing down. I got 18 years of experience, but I have no degrees under me. I have my high school diploma. But there's no jobs out there when they can bring students in for $11, $12 an hour, and, you know, instead of taking someone that's had 18 years of experience, because of the degree. SALVATORE MASTROENI, DIRECTOR, ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER: We are the emergency room for this crisis. I did see a very nice, steady growth and a reduction here at the One-Stop of the number of people that were coming in on a daily basis. However, recently I have seen an uptick.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In March there were more listings for job availabilities. Between last month and this month, it's even harder. They list the jobs, but are they really going to call you for the interview? If you're going to downsize in your company, you obviously can't hire.
DEXTER FRANCIS, FORMER IT MANAGER: The last few months of 2010, beginning of 2011, I was going on a lot more interviews, as opposed to now. I think it's, they're not hiring. The jobs have been listed. It's just that they're not hiring.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARLOW: Now the head of the career center says he saw this uptick in jobs earlier this year, but in his waned, he says, due in part to regulatory uncertainty in Washington and also the national disaster in Japan and all that weather here in the United States. All that destruction.
But when you look at the numbers, 6.2 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer. And more than 2 million Americans have gotten so frustrated, they have stopped looking for work altogether. And those people are not even included in the more than 9 percent unemployment rate.
So the jobs picture still incredibly weak. You can see a lot more of their stories and hear it in their own words. We've got it all right here on CNN Money.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Thank you, Poppy.
The national debt crosses a massive new milestone. We're going to tell you what it means for the markets and your bottom line.
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MALVEAUX: So, for the first time since World War II, the national debt will exceed the size of the economy this year. That's according to the Treasury Department. Alison Kosik is live from the New York Stock Exchange.
This is amazing when you think about it, Alison, the kind of staggering debt. What does that mean for the economy?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know what this debt does, Suzanne? This high debt cuts right into economic growth here in the U.S. You know, think about it this way. Your own debt. You know, you have a credit card, let's say, with debt that's just too big to handle. And even if you have a job and you're earning money, it means you can't really move forward. You can't go on vacation. You can't invest. You can't save as much because you're busy paying down that debt. Not to mention, of course, the interest.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: So what does that mean for Wall Street and investors? Does that spook them?
KOSIK: Of course it does. And the two main concerns are, for one thing, what I just mentioned, it slows growth for the economy. Secondly, you know, the government just has to do something about its debt for Wall Street to feel better. You know, Congress is currently debating raising the debt ceiling, but it's reluctant to do so. And what Wall Street really needs is an agreement to lift that uncertainty and head off higher borrowing costs.
And people forget how Washington and Wall Street are connected. You know, proof of that, you think back to September, 2008, when Lehman Brothers failed. Congress didn't pass a $700 billion bank bailout. The Dow tanked 900 points right there is where you saw that immediate reaction to how Washington and Wall Street are so connected.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Wow. What's happening in the markets today?
KOSIK: We've got kind of a quiet day. We're watching oil more than stocks, actually. Oil is making bigger moves back up $2.50. Back above $101 a barrel. What happened was OPEC couldn't agree on a proposal to boost oil production, so it kept output right where it was. That means volatility is right back for oil prices. But the good news is, it's helping oil stocks today.
Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Got some good news there. Thank you, Alison. Appreciate it.
The dog days of summer, they've arrived early. Even at the White House. Wait till you check out the video. We got this just minutes ago. There he is. There's Bo. We like Bo, the Portuguese water dog that president and Mrs. Obama gave their daughters a couple of years ago. That dog is chillin' in the D.C. heat in front of the White House on the North Lawn. Press pool cameras captured him earlier this morning and he looks just he's just hot. He's just hot. But he's under the shade there a little bit, catching a little cool there. Go in the doghouse, Bo. There he is, Bo, just chilling out there. It is hot in D.C., hot at the White House. It's hot here, too. But Bo is just chillin'.
You told us what you wanted to see. Your "Choose The News" story is just minutes away.
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MALVEAUX: You told us what you wanted to see. Here's your "Choose The News "winner. A former secret service agent, who protected President Obama, wants to become a politician in his own right. CNN's Brian Todd reports he's in the Maryland Senate race.
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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It wasn't long ago that Daniel Bongino would have taken a bullet for President Obama, literally. Now --
TODD (on camera): Are you disappointed in him?
DANIEL BONGINO, FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT: I want to say personally that I have enormous respect for him. He treated me with dignity and respect. And he is a wonderful man. His family was great to me.
But I just disagree with the ideology. It's a simple ideological play. That's it. The country's going on the wrong path.
TODD (voice-over): Bongino says it repeatedly, this isn't personal. As part of the Secret Service's presidential protective detail until 2010, Bongino literally shadowed President Obama for nearly two years, and President Bush before that. He's got nothing but complements for both men personally, but there's a political fire in Daniel Bongino and he's quit a rising career as an agent to make a run for the U.S. senate in Maryland.
The odds don't favor him. Bongino's a Republican in a state that hasn't had a GOP senator since 1987. If he wins the nomination, he'll challenge Democrat Ben Cardin, who's been Congress for a quarter century. When we questioned whether he has enough experience, Bongino talks health care and economic recovery in Tea Party terms, which he says he agrees with.
TODD (on camera): People might be wondering, what are you going to be able to do coming from the Secret Service policy-wise that will make you legitimate?
BONGINO: I've done an enormous amount of research on macroeconomic policy. We got to get government out of the way. They're in the way. They're standing in front of the American entrepreneur. We've done this before. We know how to get out of this.
TODD (voice-over): Aside from saying they don't agree with Bongino's politics, Cardin's office wouldn't comment on his candidacy.
TODD (on camera): Then there's the matter of the Secret Service, which is known for being fiercely non-political. Contacted by CNN, the agency wouldn't comment on Bongino's candidacy. And a former Secret Service officer told us, as long as Bongino doesn't reveal any privileged information that he overheard while he was on the detail, there shouldn't be an issue.
TODD (voice-over): As we walked just a few feet from the White House, I pressed Bongino on the toll he's seen politics take on families as an insider. TODD (on camera): Why drag your family through this?
BONGINO: It was a tough decision. You know, a really tough decision. My wife and I thought about this for a very long time. I had never thought about jumping into politics, but I had always followed the issues. And when I left the job, we said, we're going to take a week and we're going to calmly think about this. And she was willing to get in with me. She really was. We had that Rocky/Adrian moment in "Rocky II" when Adrian wakes up from the coma and tells him to win.
TODD (voice-over): Bongino says he and his wife have no illusions about how hard it is to be in politics. He says he's had to travel to 27 countries as a Secret Service agent, that it's been rough on his family, but they've stuck it out.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: If your choice did not win or you just want to check out the runners up, I'll have links to them on my page at facebook.com/suzannecnn.
CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Randi Kaye, who's in for Ali Velshi.
Hey, Randi.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Suzanne. Thank you.
