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Congress Remembers 9/11; No Deal Yet With Chicago Teachers; Poll Shows Obama Bounce; GOP Ticket Backs Rahm Emanuel in Strike.

Aired September 11, 2012 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Ashleigh Banfield. It is 11:00 on the East Coast and it's 8:00 on the West Coast.

This is a solemn day for many Americans in this country. This is the marking of the 11th anniversary of the attacks on September 11th. In New York, you're watching family members as they read the names of the victims from the attacks on the World Trade Center Towers.

Earlier this morning, four separate moments of silence were noted. Two of them marked the moments that the planes hit the North Tower and the South Tower and two of those moments of silence marked the moments when those towers each collapsed at different times.

President Obama and his staff also observed this moment of silence on the lawn at the White House. The President then left to go to the Pentagon to pay his respects at the memorial for those who died there on 9/11, along with their families who were present.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No matter how many years pass, no matter how many times we come together on this hallowed ground, know this, that you will never be alone.

Your loved ones will never be forgotten. They will endure in the hearts of our nation because through their sacrifice, they helped us make the America we are today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Vice President Joe Biden paid tribute to those heroes who lost their lives on United Flight 93 and then thousands of miles away, this is Afghanistan. Kabul, to be exact.

You're looking at our U.S. troops who are there right now as they remember the fallen, both from 9/11, and then, of course, from the war that ensued.

Next month will mark the 11th anniversary of the start of that war in Afghanistan, which, as you know, still continues today. Let's get you back to New York right now. Our Poppy Harlow is standing by, live. We've been watching all morning the remembrances and also, Poppy, the reading of the names of the victims from the Trade Center, but this is a different routine this year than in past years. What's changed?

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: It is. You know, Ashleigh, it's about the families, remembering. It's about the victims.

I was here covering the 10th anniversary last year and it was really about the politicians. President Obama was here. There was a credible terrorist threat.

There's none of that this year. It really started off with everyone singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," then the bagpipes and then they began reading names, taking breaks for the moments of silence.

And that's different than it has been in the past. It's about just remembering those that were lost, the victims, 2,977 victims, aged 2- to-85, being remembered here today.

Spoke this morning with a man named Bob Hughes. He and his wife lost their 30-year-old son. He was a trader on the 89th floor of that South Tower and he said to me, my message today is that we will never be beaten. So, it's about that.

And over the past year, since the memorial opened, 4.5 million people from around the world have been able to come to this site and to remember the victims. And that has been very healing for them, as well.

So, it's a really nice, beautiful morning here. It is eerie in the sense that it is a crisp, clear, sunny day, just like it was on September 11th, but it is now about the victims, and not about politics or politicians or terror threats. It's just about remembering.

BANFIELD: Poppy, you know, it's remarkable to sort of think back the last 11 years and what we've accomplished since then and how much farther we still have to go and I'm thinking of last year, the first year that we could see the 9/11 memorial and visitors and family members who've been able to come to it. And then if you look at the time-lapse video of the building of what was once known as the Freedom Tower, but has since been renamed One World Trade and it's just remarkable to see the progress that's been made there.

But we still don't have the museum and that's been a real sticking point. What's the problem? And where's the solution?

HARLOW: The problem is that they all but stopped construction on this museum. It is going to be massive, 110,000 square foot museum being built below, underground, below the memorial. But there was political infighting, bickering, issues about who would control it, who would operate it and, ultimately, the funding issues. Together, the museum and memorial have a price tag of over a billion dollars. But, Ashleigh, late last night, the Port Authority that runs this place and the 9/11 Foundation reached an agreement, so they are now in the next few weeks going to kick off construction once again on that museum. That is very good news. The families here are very happy to hear that.

I did have a chance this morning to catch up with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to ask him about funding. He is among those that wants the federal government to chip in $20 million a year to pay for a third of the yearly operating costs of the museum and the memorial. Take a listen to why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Do you think that the federal government should supply this money?

MAYRO MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, (I) NEW YORK CITY: Yes.

HARLOW: Do you think you're going to get it?

BLOOMBERG: Well, I hope we'll get it. I think so. Because they provide that kind of funding for other memorials around the country. It's not an unreasonable amount of money. It's consistent with what they do elsewhere and this was an attack on America. It took place in New York, but it was America and what America stands for that was threatened. And, fortunately, everybody came together and, hopefully, the federal government will come through and help us. We're still going to have to charge for a museum. We're still going to have to fund-raise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: So, Ashleigh, we'll see if Congress does approve that funding. Either way, this museum is now set to open, either at the end of 2013 or, at the latest, the beginning of 2014 and that's going to be closure, the final set of this memorial, this remembrance for the people that come here to what was Ground Zero and what now is a much more beautiful place, especially on a day like today.

BANFIELD: Yeah, I know, Poppy, looking up into the skies over New York today, it's just eerie, the similarities between that Tuesday back then and the Tuesday it is today, the same, beautiful, crisp blue sky.

Poppy Harlow for us, live, down at formerly Ground Zero. Thank you for that.

I want to get right to the minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, senator -- U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi who's speaking on Capitol Hill because this is also a congressional remembrance ceremony. Let's listen in.

REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) MINORITY LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: ... into a time of unity, how our country came together with resolve and with hope. May God bless the memories of the victims and the families of 9/11. May God bless their families and children, again and again, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) MINORITY LEADER, U.S. SENATE: More than a decade later, most of us still remember 9/11 like it was yesterday, the initial confusion, the horrifying realization of what was happening, the watching, the waiting, the grief, the anger, the resolve. And we remember how worried some people were about what the attacks would do to America. Would it weaken us in the world? Would it weaken us at home? Would we stand up? Would we shrink?

Well, eleven years later, we can say with certainty and with pride that 9/11 didn't reveal the weakness of America, it revealed the greatness of America. We didn't have to wait very long to see it.

In the first moments after the attacks, we saw the courage of the first responders. In the days and weeks that followed, we saw the goodness and generosity of the volunteers who descended on New York.

As the months turned into years, monuments were dedicated, mighty buildings rose again at the World Trade Center site. And, of course, we've all watched with admiration and gratitude as so many have stepped forward since 9/11 attacks to serve in the armed forces and in our intelligence community. We honor them today, too. Thanks to their service and sacrifice, America is a safer place.

Many who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks have been killed or captured, many of those who harbored them are on the run and across the globe there is little doubt today that ours is the greatest fighting force the world has ever known.

Out of a great evil, we've seen greatness and goodness from our country and from our countrymen. And that's why we can now mark this solemn anniversary, not simply with pain, sorrow, but with a renewed pride in our nation and an unbending confidence in the resilience and the goodness of its people.

In her darkest hours, America always summoned the courage and the strength to persevere and to prevail. We now know that 9/11 was no different and here's why. Because, as Americans, we believe that every person counts.

That's why we're still haunted by the faces of those who died, by the hopes and dreams that were extinguished, by the families and friendships that were shattered on that crisp, September morning, 11 years ago. And that's why we are determined to vindicate their lives.

In remembering those we lost on 9/11, we testified to our shared belief that each and every one of them was irreplaceable. We renew our commitment to live lives worthy of their memory and we pledge, once again, to do whatever it takes to keep Americans safe from those who still wish to do us harm.

SEN. HARRY REID, (D) MAJORITY LEADER, U.S. SENATE: It was 11 years ago today, on a crystal clear morning much like today, that terrorists attacked our nation, but their attack wasn't just on our planes or our buildings. It was an attack against the American spirit, an assault on freedom and democracy.

They were determined not only to take lives, but also to break our nation's will. But although the terrible violence of that day turned our world upside down, it also reminded us of our collective strength and power. It brought us together as a nation in the fight against terror.

In the years since, we've crippled Al Qaeda, we've brought to justice the world's most dangerous terrorist, Osama bin Laden, and our nation has begun to heal from the wounds of that devastating morning.

But we will never forget that bright September morning. We will never forget the thousands of innocent souls lost in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. We will never forget the firefighters and rescue workers living and dead who rushed into the twin towers, knowing they might never come out.

We'll never forget the sacrifice of the brave men and women of our nation's armed forces, State Department, intelligence community, who've dedicated more than a decade to making America safer and the world safer.

We'll never forget the spirit of unity and determination that carried us through the dark days after that cowardly attack and 11 years that followed.

And we'll never forget the way our nation fought back against the uncertainty and fear to emerge stronger than ever before.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Cardinal Edward Egan, who was archbishop of New York on September 11th, 2001, talks about going over to St. Vincent's Hospital that morning.

As he helped receive the injured, Archbishop Egan found himself standing with two doctors, one of whom was visibly shaken. Turns out a family member of his was in the towers on a high floor.

Cardinal Egan asked the young doctor if he'd like to go somewhere and talk. The doctor said, no, your eminence, I'm a doctor and this is my place.

You know, every one in those hours, no matter their station, everyone stood their ground. Everyone kept their place, the professionals who did their duty who ran in so that others could run out, the patriots who banded together in the sky over Shanksville to save this capital and these steps, the volunteers who raised their hands and said, I'll go and now fight overseas in perilous conditions, the good Samaritans who lined up to give blood and asked, what can I do? And the faithful on their knees in prayer, seeking God's strength and guidance. Everyone kept their place.

To summon such courage in the midst of such loss, to be confronted with such evil and not give a thought to retreat, that is the heart and the core of the American people. That is the bond which lies beneath our daily lives.

Every generation, through hard sacrifice, has preserved the blessings of liberty and freedom and, if we ever falter, it will be because we forgot what we learned in hardship.

Today, we listen and we vow never to forget, to celebrate the greater good that comes from serving one another and, standing shoulder to shoulder -- and to carry on, come what may, to meet the unmet challenges and to complete the unfinished work, for we are Americans and this is our place.

Join me and bow our heads in a moment of silence for those that we honor and remember today.

BARRY BLACK, CHAPLAIN, U.S. SENATE: Let us bow for the benediction.

Eternal Lord God, may the memory of 9/11 remind us that you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble, therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

May our gratitude for your sustaining providence motivate us to strive for greater unity, to be more aware of our mortality and to work to leave this world better than we found it.

Continue to bless and keep us, make your face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us, lift the light of your countenance upon us, and give us your peace, now and always. We pray, in your sovereign name, amen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please join me in singing "God Bless America."

UNIDENTIFIED MALES AND FEMALES: "God bless America, land that I love.

"Stand beside her and guide her through the night with a light from above,

"From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam.

"God bless America, my home sweet home.

"God bless America my home sweet home."

BOEHNER: This concludes today's ceremony. Thank you all for coming.

BANFIELD: The speaker of the House concluding this emotional and poignant ceremony and look at that. That's a rare show of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill. It is -- it has not been a good year. It has not been a good several years, certainly with the tenor on the Hill, but this is a time when it doesn't matter what party you're from and, certainly, an emotional time for the speaker of the House, John Boehner, wiping away tears during this memorial on Capitol Hill.

Our Dana Bash, our congressional correspondent, is live on the Hill, as well. You were there, exactly 11 years ago today, again, a Tuesday morning, I don't know about the skies in your city right now, but Dana the skies in New York, clear, crystal blue, beautiful, and crisp. It is identical. The day is identical today in New York to the day it was eleven years ago.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And it is the same here, Ashleigh. It is really spooky, I have to tell you. The air feels the same. The sky looks the same. Everything feels similar.

Just a little bit of background on the last part of that ceremony you just heard, everybody singing "God Bless America." Eleven years ago, after a very, very chaotic, tumultuous and scary day here on the Capitol Plaza, members of Congress made their way back to the steps of the Capitol, just as they were just now, and that song, they broke into in an impromptu way. It was genuinely impromptu.

I was standing right there. They came back because they wanted to show the world that the government was not going to buckle, that they were going to stand here and they were going to do so in a bipartisan basis and then, all of a sudden, they just broke into song, members of Congress of both parties, singing "God Bless America."

And that is why, if I'm not mistaken, every year since, they have done the ceremony and ended with "God Bless America" to remember that moment, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: I can see some of the pictures and you can see Senator Dick Armey in the front -- excuse me, from Texas and so many of those faces are no longer on the Hill, whether they were voted out or whether they retired, but it is poignant to see that they're doing the same thing.

But then is it business as usual? Is there some time now as they all dissipate?

BASH: You know, I'd like to say it's not going to be business as usual, but that would probably be naive. They are likely to go back and do what they have been doing with regard to, you know, fighting each other on pieces of legislation that they each care deeply about and, of course, preparing for the election that is just eight weeks away.

Very, very different from the atmospherics on 9/11 when everybody went back into that building and genuinely worked together to deal with the airline industry, of course, to deal with how to confront the Taliban in Afghanistan and on and on and on, the very real crisis that this country was in. They genuinely did work together 11 years ago.

And, if I might just add just a little bit of color, I just remember coming in to the Capitol after we heard that the planes had hit the World Trade Center, you know, racing in to do my job, coming in here.

At the time we could park right over here, I was racing in to the door right behind me. The police officers here understood that I was a journalist and, like others, we were trying to get in to do our job, they weren't stopping us.

The minute I got in there, the Capitol police started to scream, run, run. Literally, they said run for your life because what happened was, people in this building on the other side of the building, Ashleigh, could see over the river to Virginia and they could see the smoke rising from the Pentagon, from the plane hitting the Pentagon.

And ran out here, ran across this lawn, we were trying to set up a shot just like sort of the shot that you're seeing that I'm in front of right now in order to get a sense of what's happening here.

And then, the police officers got word on their radio that Flight 93 was missing and they weren't sure if it was going to hit the Capitol or not. And then they really started screaming, everybody run for your life and they wanted everybody to get out.

And littered across this grass here were shoes. People ran so fast that they literally ran out of their shoes. It was really frightening.

BANFIELD: I don't think I've ever heard you tell that story before, Dana. That's unbelievable. And, you know, it's incredible. Here we are, 11 years later, you and I both having these experiences and I learn something new every year.

I have to say it's very difficult to follow the coverage, but it's pretty remarkable. And I think for years to come we will have a different, somber remembrance. The formulaic part of it may be the same, but the emotions will be different.

Dana Bash, thank you.

BASH: Thanks, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: I hope you're OK on today. Back after this.

BASH: Thank you. You, too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: So, when is it going to end? The question that every parent in Chicago is asking right about now, as 30,000 teachers and staff return to the picket lines instead of the classroom for a second day in a row.

The talks are going on, as we speak, and the school board president, David Vitale, remains very optimistic. Last night, he was actually quoted to say to the local newspaper, "We believe we should resolve this tomorrow." Which means today.

"We are close enough to get this resolved, he said, adding, "This is hard work."

That may sound fine, but it sure doesn't cut it for all those parents of the nearly 400,000 students who are simply left in the lurch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TENISHA MOTEN, MOTHER: You got high school kids. They're going to be on the streets during school hours. That's going to start conflict between the other kids that they're in school with. That going to just start more violence in Chicago if you ask me. VALICIA HILL, MOTHER: For us that want to get a job, that want to work, that want to go to school, it's ridiculous. I think they need to come on. Our kids shouldn't have to suffer for them.

MICHAEL GORDON, FATHER: My kids are at home missing out on all their education. So, now, they get to go home and play around and pretend like this is a fun day. This ain't fun for nobody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: And this is only day two. Jay Rehak is joining us, again, after our conversation yesterday. He's a veteran Chicago public school English teacher. He's also an executive board member of the Chicago teachers' union.

Mr. Rehak, thanks for coming back. I appreciate this. You and I spoke fairly extensively yesterday with regard to job security and teacher evaluations and how those two are intertwined.

And, today, I want to bounce forward to the issue of teacher layoffs and what is called the "recall process," how to get laid-off teachers rehired. If I understand it in broad strokes, sir, the union wants to be in control of how to put those laid-off teachers back into the system and the mayor and the school district, they want the principals to have that control.

Can you make the argument that it's not best that a principal knows what's best for his or her school and the particular needs of that school with regard to who should be hired in or who should be hired back?

JAY REHAK, ENGLISH TEACHER & EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER, CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION: Well, Ashleigh, thank you for welcoming me here, but I'd like to kind of clarify the situation.

The idea of recall, the idea really is a fundamental issue of how we're going to deal with our schools. And our school system, now, as around the country, a lot of schools are being labeled, I think unfairly, as failures based on what a call a "data-driven madness" where they're going to somehow determine that a school is failing because of a student test scores and not take into consideration the socioeconomic factors that actually impact those schools.

And the consequence of that is the teachers in those buildings are summarily being dismissed. That is, they're firing everyone in the building and the union is saying, let's take a look at this as a culture and as a society. Are we determining that people who are in those buildings are all -- should be fired? Is that really what we're trying to say to people? If it is, we have to really rethink this.

Ultimately, the recall provision says no, just because your school was closed -- and I think oftentimes just by redlining these schools and determining where they want to close a school and that's it, that somehow that entitles the Board of Education or other people to just summarily dismiss people. It's sort of a cultural decision that we have to make. Is that really what we want to do with these school teachers who put their heart and souls into these buildings only to be told they're out because someone determined that the school didn't make a certain cut score? And it's really a fundamental issue, the idea that somehow standardized tests can drive al this decision making.

BANFIELD: So I understand the point that the wholesale firing right across the board without more of a surgical precision to it. I can understand where that can be difficult.

REHAK: Yes.

BANFIELD: But at the same time, can you not understand it is extraordinarily difficult to suggest that principals don't also have the best interests in mind of their fellow teachers, or many of the teachers who may have been fired from other schools for that very reason, and may very well want to bring in a good teacher after a great interview, and a good showing of ability?

REHAK: Yes, and, Ashleigh, I want you to understand something. We are basically big fans of most of the principals in this city. So it's not really an issue of us against the principals. These principals should be able to hire people. We're not suggesting that they can't. What we're suggesting is, is that the people that they determine -- they don't want in that particular building, that they not summarily be dismissed. What that means is when you start a new school, yes you're entitled to staff that you see fit. What about nationally board certified teachers that don't get chosen? Or people who have excellent skills or people with tremendous amount of experience that someone says, you know what? It's a little too expensive to have you in the building so let's get somebody else.

BANFIELD: Mr. Rehak --

(CROSSTALK)

REHAK: They should not be penalized for the standardized test scores of those children.

BANFIELD: I recognize that, but the rest of us who don't work for the public sector, we play by those rules all the time. I could tell you countless numbers of my friends who have remarkable resumes who are out of work because it's hard to get a job. It's not because of any kind of strategy or formula planning. Why should teachers not have to follow the same rules as those in the private sector when it comes to get a job?

REHAK: Ashleigh, this is what we're exactly fighting for, for the middle class. The fact of the matter is, Ashleigh, is you're right. The private sector has become very, very vicious in the way that they just determine they're going to fire people summarily and move some sort of factory over next -- some place else et cetera. But in our case, we believe that schools are not like factories, but we also don't believe that private workers should be treated the way they are. So really it's a -- us standing up and saying this is not the way professional people should be treated. This is not how hard-working people should be treated. So the fact that the private sector is vicious in the way they deal with people does not mean, oh, let's do that to the public sector. And that seems to be confusion that some people have.

(CROSSTALK)

REHAK: We believe that that's not the way it should be.

BANFIELD: I thoroughly enjoy having our conversations and I find them very enlightening. While I hope to have another chance to talk to you, I also hope we don't have to talk again, because that would signal the end of this impasse that is so debilitating to so many families.

Jay, I'll say good-bye for today and, again, in a strange way say, I hope I don't see you again.

(LAUGHTER)

But if I do see you again --

(CROSSTALK)

REHAK: You may see 30,000 of my -- you may see 30,000 of my friends out in the streets this day.

(CROSSTALK)

BANFIELD: I have a feeling we've already started to see that.

REHAK: You'll see them again today -- parents, children, teachers.

Thank you very much, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Thank you, sir.

REHAK: Appreciate it.

BANFIELD: Thank you for joining us today. I do appreciate it.

We are going to get the other side of this story as well. Because in a moment, we're going to hear from Jesse Ruiz, who is a vice president of the Chicago Board of Education. That's coming up.

(CROSSTALK)

BANFIELD: We're continuing our conversation about the Chicago teacher strike now into its second day. A few moments ago, I spoke with Jay Rehak, who is a veteran English teacher for the Chicago Public Schools, also an executive member of the Chicago teachers union. We talked about some of the major sticking points, like job security, teacher evaluations which are tied to it, and also rehiring laid off teachers, something known as the recall policy.

Joining me now on the other side of this debate is Jesse Ruiz, who is the vice president of the Chicago Board of Education.

Mr. Ruiz, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today.

I'd like you, if you could, sir, to bounce directly off the conversation that I was just having with Mr. Rehak with regard to this recall policy. And I'm going to switch gears and challenge you now on the other side. If you don't have some kind of protective safety net for teachers, who perhaps volunteer to go to more challenged districts or challenged school areas, where the schools are poorer and perhaps their performances aren't as good, and who perhaps risk wholesale firings when entire schools get closed, how on earth are you ever going to get teachers to volunteer to take those difficult, difficult jobs in those difficult schools?

JESSE RUIZ, VICE PRESIDENT, CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION: Well, I agree. We recognize that challenge, and thus the system does do that, in fact. It does provide a safety net. So if a teacher loses their job because a school consolidation or other reasons through no fault of their own, they have that safety net where they get an opportunity to reapply for those jobs and be compensated within a pool of teachers that are waiting for that for up to five months. So those legitimate concerns are recognized, and are incorporated into our proposal.

BANFIELD: But as I understand it, they're not as solid in the proposal you have now as they were in the proposal that you had dealt with in a temporary kind of way.

RUIZ: Well, I believe they're solid. And it's looking at the three tiers of classification --

(CROSSTALK)

BANFIELD: Not according to the guest that we just had. I have to say this is a huge sticking point for the teachers.

(CROSSTALK)

BANFIELD: They are angry that that policy isn't stronger on their behalf to guarantee that they have some shot at getting a job if they are wholesale fired with the rest of the school --

(CROSSTALK)

BANFIELD: -- because of the standardized tests are hard to show if the school is either poor performing --

RUIZ: Sure.

BANFIELD: -- because of teachers or poor performing because of their --

(CROSSTALK)

RUIZ: Well, right now, the system actually does provide that. 60 percent of teachers currently under the current system today receive -- who are laid off are rehired into other schools. So 60 percent is a pretty good percentage. And this new system that we're proposing, frankly, would give even better protections to teachers who lose their job through no fault of their own. Again, giving the principal the autonomy, and unfettering them to make the best decisions for their schools, we're asking a lot of our principals. We're putting them in charge on the front lines of school reform. We have to give them that autonomy to hire the best qualified teachers who, frankly, they're sticking their careers on.

BANFIELD: Let me ask you about some of the also intricately woven issues, and that was our conversation yesterday with Mr. Rehak, and that was the standardized testing to test the performance levels of some of these teachers. You and I both know there are apples and oranges and mangoes when it comes to different areas of the city --

RUIZ: Sure.

BANFIELD: -- and how those kids can perform, through no fault of their own and sometimes through no fault of the teachers. How can you apply a standardized test to gauge those different fruits?

RUIZ: You're exactly right. You don't. And that's not what the system does. It provides multiple measures. It's not the typical standardized test that people think of today that you've incorporated all over the country through No Child Left Behind in recent years and we look forward to the reform and reauthorization of that law. But that's not what this system does. It doesn't take a snapshot in time. It's a growth model of assessment and incorporates multiple measures that take into account socioeconomic factors and provides a tool for teachers to get some feedback on their performance. This isn't a gotcha test. This is a tool to help them better their craft and not to weed out people.

BANFIELD: Well I got to be honest. You've thoroughly flummoxed me. I've been reading as much as I can into the issues you and the other side are facing and it sounds to me like you're both talking about the very same thing, but one of you sees it as a banana and the other sees it as a watermelon. And now you --

(CROSSTALK)

RUIZ: Well, you can see why we have a disagreement.

BANFIELD: That's what I don't understand -- exactly. Help me to understand how are you so far apart in what is essentially an assessment plan and a rehiring plan?

RUIZ: It's an evaluation plan. It's an evaluation plan that was designed and built by teachers, frankly, where it's been tested for the past three years in Chicago. Almost 10,000 -- or rather 10 percent of our teachers in Chicago have beta tested this. And have served as pilots on this. And so, this is a system that's borne by teachers. And they understand that this is something we're willing to work with them on. This next year, it's been our proposal to incorporate it as truly a beta test. And let's work on any tweaks we have to make to it to better it as a tool to help on teacher evaluation and bettering the craft of teaching for the benefit of our students. That's the bottom line that folks believe it's a gotcha test. That's not what it's meant to do. That's not what the teachers who designed it designed it for.

BANFIELD: This is a very tricky subject to navigate without question. I think unless we're in that room with the both of you we can't possibly know how hard it is for both of your sides.

Mr. Ruiz, thank you for taking the time. I hope we can -- well, I'll say the same thing to you that I did to Jay Rehak.

RUIZ: Sure.

BANFIELD: I hope that we don't talk again, but that if I do have to talk, I hope I can talk to you again.

RUIZ: Appreciate it. Thank you.

BANFIELD: Thank you, sir.

For the rest of our audience who feels as confused as I do about it, I have something for you a web site, CNN.com/education, because you'll be able to read a whole lot more about the differences in these two positions that quite frankly sound so similar but could be not further apart. Almost a half million kids stand waiting to hear the answers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: If you were with us this time yesterday, you heard Wolf Blitzer promise some brand-new CNN polling on the presidential horse race. I think they call it the bounce poll, or at least I do.

Today, Wolf is back looking particularly different, I might add. Similar to me in a strange way. I can't place my finger on it.

The numbers are in, Mr. Blitzer. And I have to say, I was surprised to see the difference in the polling when it comes to our polling versus ABC's polling.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Let's go through the numbers and then we'll review. Obviously the President, at least according to our poll, did get a nice little bounce. Here are the numbers. These are likely voters, the CNN/ORC poll. Last week, before the Democratic convention, this would be after the Republican convention, the two candidates were, tied 48-48. You see it there last week. Now we have the President at 52 percent, Romney at 46 percent.

And then we go in-depth to take a closer look why there was that nice little bounce for the President after the Democratic convention. Look at this. Likely voters, choice for president among men, before the Democratic convention, Obama was at 43, Romney was at 55. After the Democratic convention, Obama is at 48, Romney is at 47. That's among likely voters among men. And look at this. Among voters under 50 years old, before the Democratic convention, Obama was at 49, Romney at 47. But now, look at this huge bump for the President, 60 to 37 after the Democratic convention.

So how did this compare to the ABC News/"Washington Post" poll that just came out as well? Among likely voters, Obama 49, Romney 48. Among registered voters, in the "Washington Post" poll, the ABC/"Washington Post" poll 50 for Obama, 4 for Romney. So you see, I think it's clear, he did get a little bounce, but these things can change and there's three huge presidential debates beginning October 3rd coming up. Those will be really significant.

BANFIELD: It's fascinating to see those numbers and how they differ, especially when you showed me the registered voters. That was a pretty remarkable difference in the ABC poll.

Here's another thing I wanted you to weigh in on. I just spoke to two sides of the Chicago teachers strike and clearly they are at logger heads even though the president of the school board seems to think that they're close. They're speaking a different language about the very same thing. So with regard to that it's not just a Chicago story. You've got the mayor of Chicago doing something that makes me feel on "Alice in Wonderland." He's speaking to the unions in a tough manner that does not sound at all like the former Obama chief of staff.

BLITZER: Yes. And gaining some praise from some Republicans for doing that, as well. Here's what Romney said regarding the school strike in Chicago. Mitt Romney, "I am disappointed by the decision of the Chicago teachers union to turn its back on not only a city negotiating in good faith but also the hundreds of thousands of children relying on the city's public schools to provide them a safe place to receive a strong education. I choose to side with the parents and students depending on public schools."

And look at this. Paul Ryan, the vice presidential nominee: "Rahm and I have not agreed on every issue or on a lot of issues but Mayor Emanuel is right in saying that this teachers union strike is unnecessary and wrong." So getting some praise for Rahm Emanuel from Paul Ryan.

How did Rahm Emanuel respond to this? Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL, (D) CHICAGO: While I appreciate his lip service, what really counts is what we're doing here. And I don't really give two hoots about national comments scoring political points, or trying to embarrass or whatever the President.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: All right, so that's Rahm Emanuel. He doesn't mince words, as all of us know. But let's hope the strike is resolved and resolved quickly. I'd love to see a settlement today if possible, so the kids can go back to school, parents can deal with one less burden. All these 350,000, 360,000 kids can't go to school. That's pretty sad.

BANFIELD: Yes. It's brutal. And the ramifications for the parents and the people trying to now get sick days from work to look after their kids and the rest. The President hasn't weighed in on this yet and I'm wondering how long he can hold off or if he has to.

BLITZER: I'm sure at some point he will. And I'm sure he'll be asked at some point. They're hoping, at the White House, like all of us they are, they resolve this thing so we can move on. Learn some lessons from what happened in Chicago. If it happens in Chicago, it can happen in big cities across the country. Education is a huge, huge issue. It hasn't received a lot of attention in the presidential debate season. I assume it will be coming up in the three presidential and one vice presidential debate. It'll be an important issue. Obviously, as a result of what's happened in Chicago, we'll focus very much on it.

BANFIELD: You look very nice in your new glasses.

BLITZER: You were my inspiration, Ashleigh.

BANFIELD: Anderson Cooper said it was Tom Foreman, so --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Tom Foreman, Anderson Cooper, Ashleigh. I'm going back and forth. But you think it looks all right?

BANFIELD: I've been doing this 13 years. You look great. I'm all for it.

Wolf Blitzer in Washington, thank you. Appreciate it.

BLITZER: Thank you.

BANFIELD: Also a remainder to all of our viewers, don't forget to watch Wolf's perhaps. He starts live at 4:00 p.m.

You have a big lineup, don't you?

BLITZER: Every single day. A lot of live television.

BANFIELD: And a great new set. Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank you.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For my father, Gene Ramado (ph), love you and miss you every day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my father, Calicso Ryan Junior (ph).

OBAMA: This is never an easy day but it is especially difficult for all of you, the families of nearly 3,000 innocents who lost their lives, your mothers and fathers, your husbands and wives, your sons and your daughters. They were taken from us suddenly and far too soon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for joining us today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: The various different ways we've been remembering all day long the horrors 11 years ago on September 11th.

I wanted to show you something I woke up to this morning, the newspapers herein New York City. This is the "Daily News," with the front page with 9/11. This is the "New York Post," which may be more significant. Nothing on there about 9/11. As far as I can remember, this may be the very first time -- I've been trying to trace back all of the different "New York Post" covers since 2001. This may be the first time it's not on the front cover. I don't know if that signals we're moving on that, we should be, that we need to be, that we will never forgot. None of us ever will, not in New York, not in the city, not in the country, but perhaps it doesn't consume us completely on September 11th.

Back in a moment.

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BANFIELD: On this September 11th, thank you for watching NEWSROOM. NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL starts now.