♪ caught in a bill romance >> leave it to lady gaga to make president clinton blush she also, of course, dropped the f-bomb during the show. but fun was had by all. >> he was a young president, and he is a young form ear -- goodness gracious. hide the kids. >> i wasn't ready for that. >> but he's had a quote, unquote, retirement that has been full. >> very, very full. >> 10 years for the william j. clinton foundation, and good for him. thank you for joining us. the cnn room room with kyra phillips is starting right now. big field, fast cars, banked tracks. and now a huge loss for the sport of racing. dan wheldon, two-time indy 500 winner, is killed after a fiery 15-car wreck at las vegas motor speedway. cnn's carlos diaz is in las

vegas. and there's crashes all the time in this sport. let's talk about what made this one so bad. >> what made it so bad is the fact that you have a field, which is bigger than the indianapolis 500, on a racetrack which is almost half as small. the oval here at the las vegas motor speedway is a mile and a half oval. and in indianapolis, it's a 2 1/2 mile oval. so you have a lot more spacing of cars. as you look at the wreck right now, you have a much fatter track so cars can go four wide, which means they are more bunched up going into turns, and dan wheldon starting at the back of the pack going for that $5 million grand prize. he had already passed over 1/3 of the field going into the 11th lap, and when the wreck began to happen, he was behind the group. and basically, jumped one of the other cars and went into the retaining fence on turn two. and you can see the massive pileup. it was quoted -- several drivers called it the worst wreck they

have ever seen in their racing careers. one driver said it was like seeing the movie "terminator" with all of the fiery parts of the cars laying around everywhere. dan wheldon was air lifted to a local hospital. he was pronounced dead. dan wheldon, and i got to know the guy personally, he is one of the most charismatic people that you'd ever want to meet. and that's the tough thing about racing, because drivers have to be so charismatic before the race, and then they are risking their life during the race. dan wheldon will be missed. a two-time indycar champion dead at the age of 33. kyra? >> carlos, thanks. and racing fans as you can imagine have been hit hard by the death of dan wheldon. just take a listen. >> people come to this place because they love the sport, and they love this race. and they love this series. and dan wheldon exemplified everything about this series and about why people continue to come to this place. this is the racing capital of the world. >> we'll have much more on this

story throughout the day. las vegas tomorrow night is the place to be. presidential debate for seven leading republicans. airs live right here on cnn. the economy will share the spotlight in a battleground state rocked by unemployment and home foreclosures. mark preston is here to talk more about it. mark, which candidates have the most on the line? >> well, you know, kyra, there's an argument to be made that all seven candidates that will appear on stage here at the venetian have it all on the line. it's an important day for all of them. but herman cain, who has risen in the polls just in the past few weeks, is certainly going to be a target from his rivals. mitt romney as well, who's been slow and steady throughout the whole campaign, will also be in the middle, and is sure to take some criticism. but it is rick perry right now who was the flavor of the month, which is the political term we seem to be using, back in august and september, who has dropped in the polls, who might actually have the most to lose. right now, rick perry has not had very strong debate

performances, and we expect him to really come out firing on tuesday night, kyra. >> well, we're going to talk more about herman cain throughout the morning. but before you go, tell us why cnn picked las vegas for the debate. >> well, as you said, you know, right at the beginning, issue number one is the economy. it has been for the last three years. and really what state has been hit harder than where we stand right now nevada? las vegas really relies on tourist dollars and is being hit very hard. the highest in foreclosure, the highest unemployment rate right now. people don't have money to get on a plane to fly here and spend money in the casinos and restaurants and shows. people are out of work. and right now, here in the west, nevada right now is a very important state for republicans, because they hope to win it in the general election in 2012. so las vegas right now really ground zero for the economy and the problems this country is facing, kyra. >> all right. mark preston. gearing up for tomorrow. thank you so much. now back to herman cain. when he strolls on the stage

tomorrow, he'll be bringing a little extra baggagement today he is trying to brush off controversial comments he made about installing a deadly electrified fence along the u.s. border with mexico. deputy political director paul steinhauser is in vegas. paul, he said he was kidding. how much is that comment going to hurt him? >> it may hurt him. he had a tough weekend, kyra, when it comes to what he said. when you rise in the polls, more scrutiny comes with that. saturday on the campaign trail in tennessee, here's what herman cain said about a proposed fence if he was president. take a listen. >> when i'm in charge of the fence, we're going to have a fence. it's going to be 20 feet high. it's going to have barbed wire on the top. it's going to be electrified. and there's going to be a sign on the other side that says, it will kill you. >> as you mentioned, he said he was kidding on the sunday talk shows. he took those comments back and walked back a little bit, but he'll be in the spotlight over the comments today because he'll

be in neighbors arizona today, meeting with sheriff joe arpaio there, who is known as a hardliner when it comes to border security. it wasn't just border security that cain was in the spotlight about this weekend. he was talking about his 9-9-9 plan, and heed admitted that for some maybe taxes would go up. >> some people will pay more. but most people will pay less is my argument. >> who will pay more? >> who will pay more? the people who spend more money on new goods. >> well, a lot of people spend more nomoney on new goods. the 9-9-9 plan is coming under a lot of scrutiny now. >> and you have new fund-raising numbers for the third quarter just in. >> yeah. we have all of the candidates 'numbers right now. and right at the top, rick perry had the best quarter, $17 million. and he did that in just about seven or eight weeks.

you can see mitt romney right close to him, and ron paul in third place. cain has been rising in the polls but hasn't raised as much money. he is in the lower tier when it comes to that. >> paul steinhauser in vegas. thanks. tomorrow night, live on cnn, the republican candidates gathering in las vegas to debate the issues. and hopefully sway the voters. that's the western republican presidential debate, 8:00 eastern, right here on cnn. occupy wall street is a month old now, and more protesters have been occupying the back seats of police cars. that was saturday night in times square. new york police arrested nearly 100 people over the weekend. professor and civil rights activist cornel west was among the 19 people arrested in d.c. they wouldn't leave the steps much the supreme court. no arrests at the protests in cincinnati park, but a wedding did break out. the couple including the protesters in their wedding pictures. and the movement is getting some northern exposure.

one woman and her three dogs are occupying the tundra in a remote part of western alaska. the movement has spread overseas too. zain is in london. >> the majority of protesters were out there in europe and here in london, pretty much peacingful. but in rome, police were armed with water cannon and a small group of anarchists throwing molotov cocktails and knives, and that is what happened when they clashed. the newspaper headlines here, "the guardian" says, from wall street to st. paul's. it says those attending sunday mass found themselves picking a path through the makeshift camp of around 100 tents erected at the foot of the cathedral steps after saturday's global day of action inspired by the u.s. occupy wall street movement.

and "the south china morning post." the headline, don't throw baby out with bath water. it's an opinion piece that says, young protesters in central, that's the area, have their hearts in the right place, but they need to better understand the unique social problems that confront hong kong instead of blamely aping their occupy wall street friends. and "the australian," wall street occupiers are an insult to the workers. what we are witnessing is not the birth of something new, but rather the death of something old, the death of a principled left that believed in progress and development, and the ability of the little man to change his world for the better. kyra, no reports on whether anyone got married in any of the cities. there was no wedding that randomly broke out. but i'm tracking it. >> what about divorces? zain, it's nice to have you back. >> that has a higher probability.

>> ok. see you tomorrow. we're going in depth on herman cain next. supporters praise him for being the real deal. coming up, we'll talk to a time magazine reporter who says the hermanator just might be too real to win. plus, you might want to go out and load up on ginger, curry and tea after you hear this story. a 100-year-old man says that that's what keeps him going. and he finished a marathon. 100 years old, 26.2 miles. with b vitamins, the first and only one to help support a healthy metabolism. three smart new ways to sweeten. same great taste. new splenda® essentials™.

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a 2006 law that drains 5 billion a year from post-office revenue while the postal service is forced to overpay billions more into federal accounts. congress created this problem, and congress can fix it. in boston, a massive fire covers nearly an entire city

block. 13 people injured, including two firefighters in & a police officer. police arrested a man on suspicion of arson. after weeks of waiting, a cargo plane picked up a u.s.por vehicle -- who suffered a stroke. and fairy tale ending. 52-year-old dewey wazela won his pro boxing debut in los angeles. he talked to him last friday. he was recently exonerated from prison after serving 26 years for a murder he didn't commit. pretty darn excited for dewey's win. all right. now in depth on herman cain. he is now buds with donald trump. he won another straw poll this time in south carolina. and cnn's poll of polls shows he's breathing down mitt romney's neck and ahead of rick perry.

why aren't they squashing him like michele bachmann and rick santorum? here's one thought. >> if herman figures out how to do it all right and explain a 9% sales tax so people decide they want it, he has a good chance to be the nominee. >> "time" magazine asks what, does it mean that the gop faithful are flocking to herman cain? michael crowley wrote the article. and michael, you actually call him america's unlikeliest new star. also you hear that former campaign ads say that -- or campaign aides say that he's not serious. could he be seeing another sarah palin scenario here, kind of an outsider who is building up their celebrity value to cell books, et cetera? >> you can never really know what's in someone's heart. there's a lot of evidence to suggest that herman cain got into this looking to raise his profile. he's had a talk show for a decade. the guy is a great sort of showman. he has a book out. he has written a couple of books. i think there's a lot of evidence that he was out there

to raise his profile. there may be in a way in which he is suddenly saying, oh, my gosh this is taking on a life of its own. but he's not -- his aides have complained he is not campaigning seriously in iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina this year. up until now, i think -- let me put this way. the burden is on him right now to prove he can be a serious candidate with a real organization. >> talk about, you know, this momentum of getting attention. let's listen to his most receipt headline making comment, shall we say, and the clarification that he made on "meet the press." >> when i'm in charge of defense, we're going to have a fence. it's going to be 20 feet high. have barbed wire on the top. it's going to be electrified. and there's going to be a sign on the other side that says, it will kill you. >> that's a joke, david. it's a joke. >> it's a joke? >> that's a joke. >> that's not a serious plan? >> no, it's not. >> you got a big laugh out of it. that's not what you would do? >> that's a joke.

i have also said america needs to get a sense of humor. >> here's my question. he says he was questioning. america needs a sense of humor is. he that naive, or does he know what he's doing? he is no stranger to politics, michael. >> that's right. and the crowd cheered. or at least a bunch of people in the crowd cheered. there are a lot of people who might not like that statement, and there are a lot of republicans who are absolutely apoplectic about immigration and might not mind that. but he is not a political professional, so he says some things that are a little blunt. he said that the occupy wall street protesters should blame themselves if they don't have a job and they're not rich. but some of those comments, i think, speak to a bluntness and a candor he has that people respond positively to. so does it make him an electable presidential candidate? i think probably not. does it means he stays in the headlines and there's a core base of conservatives who sort of love his really unapologetic blunt talk? i think so. i think he may have a little bit of staying power. >> all right. staying power.

how about long-term effects? if and when he fizzles out, will he have changed the gop mindset and maybe bridged the gap between the establishment and the voters? will he have a lasting effect? >> to the contrary, i would argue that the support for him is in large measure kind of an expression of anger at the establishment. that these base conservative voters who say, we don't want mitt romney shoved down our throats. we don't want rick perry spoon fed to us. we kind of want this guy who is saying what we're really thinking, saying politically incorrect things, kind of outrageous. so i think if anything, it drives a wider wedge between the tea party voters and the republican establishment. and there's going to be a lot of work to do to bring those voters into the fold of what i expect to be a more moderate nominee like a romney or a perry, although you never know. >> check out "time" magazine. michael crowley's article. thank you for being here. >> thank you so much. stay with cnn all day as we

take an in depth on herman cain. coming up, more on what his 9-9-9 plan means for your tax bill. and coming up, the 100-year-old man who ran 24.2 miles right into the record books. ♪ and the neighbors' kids run and hide ♪ deep inside you, there's a person who refuses to be kept deep inside you. ♪ but you're not ♪ you're the one be true to yourself. what's healthier than that? it's real milk full of calcium and vitamin d. and tastes simply delicious. for those of us with lactose intolerance... lactaid® milk. the original 100% lactose-free milk.

let's get straight to your showbiz headlines. happy birthday, mr. president. bono, usher, lady gaga just a few performers on hand to honor the 10th anniversary of the william j. clinton foundation and his belated 65th birthday. lady gaga told clinton, i'm having my first marilyn monroe moment, after singing "happy birthday" during her opening

number. more questions about weather j. lo and bradley cooper are dating after a star sighting saturday in los angeles. a photo in "people" magazine shows coop wear a woman who looks a lot like the "american idol" judge. representatives for the stars couldn't be reached for comment. and the big winner at the box office, "real steel," a film whose stars look like rockem, sockem robots. "footloose" wasn't far behind at $16.1 million. you might want to stock up on ginger, curry and tea after you hear this story. a 100-year-old man says that's what keeps him going. and guess what? he finished a marathon. zain verjee, drinking her tea, eating her curry. actually, you and i have always loved curry. i wonder if we'll make it to 100. >> yeah. and martinis, but that has not helped run any kind of marathon. and this guy, kyra, 100 years old, ran 26.2 miles. he actually started running a

marathon -- this is like his eighth time, when he was 89 years old. so there is still hope for us. there he is. wearing this bright yellow turban. he is originally from india. lived in england, and then now lives in toronto. they call him the turbanned tornado. and there he goes. he ran and he ended up last. but it's ok. when he crossed the finish line, he was absolutely thrilled. you know, he lost his wife and son many years ago, and apparently after that happened, he decided to run ma arethons. and i guess it was just like a personal thing for him. you can see people cheering this major accomplishment. he also had this t-shirt, kyra, that says sikhs in the city. which i thought -- which i like. you know, he finished six hours behind the person who won the marathon. and do you know who that person was who won, kyra? >> no. >> what country am i from? >> kenya. >> yeah. so a kenyan guy took the title

for the marathon. his name is kenneth morunga. but the spotlight is not on him, it's on this ginger curry tea drinking guy. >> you just wanted a shoutout to your country there. thanks, zain. all right. the new york stock exchange. stocks are coming off a pretty nice rally last week. >> hey, kyra. yeah. i don't know if we're going to see a repeat of last week. there was a nice rally with the major averages jumping between 4% and 7%. a couple of factors at play today. disappointing manufacturing data coming out of new york. and some concern about the banks after we got earnings results from wells fargo and citigroup. but of course the focus does remain on europe, kyra. we had those finance ministers meeting in paris over the weekend. now they pledged to get a plan together by next sunday to fix europe's debt problems, and in general the market is seeing this as something positive. but then we heard from the

german finance minister today saying that on october 23, that summit will not present a definitive solution to europe's debt problem. so a bit of a drop in optimism this morning. and concerns about u.s. bank earnings after citi says the economic environment is challenging. >> so what's the news we might see an impact on our cell phone bill thanks to the fcc? >> right. well, i don't know if you have experienced this, kyra, where you open your bill and you have got this look of horror on your face when you see how expensive it is. that's because many of us use too much data or incur roaming charges without knowing it. we get these huge, horrifying bills, and the fcc aims to stop that. they have reached a deal with some cell phone companies basically where you will get an alert by text or voicemail that you are close to your limit on voice, data, or texting and also an alert before you are hit with international roaming charges. some carriers already provide these, but all of them have to

do this. it will be free and automatic unless you opt out. >> that would be good news. well, coming up, he's winning fans and grabbing a lot of headlines. but does herman cain have real staying power in the gop race? and honoring a civil rights icon. >> one day, we'll all be able to say free at last, free at last, thank god almighty we are all free at last. >> the memorial for martin luther king is a dream come true for a lot of people, including members of his own family. my name is jill strange,

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checking top stories now, a horrific crash at las vegas motor speedway has taken the life of a beloved indycar

driver. 33-year-old dan wheldon was killed in this 15-car wreck. testimony in the trial of michael jackson's doctor has been put on hold. the delay in dr. conrad murray's trial is due to the death of the father of the prosecution's last witness. and president obama begins a three-day bus tour to north carolina and virginia today. the president is pushing congress to pass each element of his jobs package. herman cain does it again, winning south carolina's tea party straw poll over the weekend. he's got momentum for sure. but as we've seen with sarah palin, michele bachmann, rick perry, that can fizzle. is herman cain the candidate in for a long haul? our cnn.com contributor lz granderson is joining us, and will cain from new york. i just interviewed michael crowley from "time" magazine, and he writes that cain may be too real to win.

what do you think? is he too real or too funny to win? lz? >> probably a little bit of both. you know, if you're going to be electable in a general election, you have to be someone who appeals to people who are not just looking for someone to be a straight talker, but also someone who is along the lines of being what are seen as a moderate or someone willing to work together and compromise. and i think too much of his straight talk is drawing too much of a line strictly on one side of that fence. i think in a general election, that doesn't make him appealing. >> will? >> i kind of reject the choices, kyra. i don't think he's too real or too funny. the same quality that makes you say he might be too real, the one that makes him say something like we should put an electrified fence on the border, is also the one that gives you 9-9-9, such a bold, clear plan. i don't think that's what's inhibiting herman cain. what is prohibiting him from being the nominee is he is too unprepared. he seems lacking in foreign policy knowledge. he gives vague answers.

he doesn't seem to know what the neoconservative movement is, and that might be an inside baseball washington, d.c., type thing, but george w. bush kind of helped that into the general public. i think herman cain might be a little too unprepared to be president. >> so staying power or fizzling out. lz, does he leave his mark on the gop? >> absolutely. i think without question, moving forward, you have to start having an intelligent conversation about diversity within the gop, and recognizable leadership within the gop. if herman cain has done nothing during this primary, it's that he has brought forth the conversation that it's not just democrats who are looking to present diverse candidates to the general population. i think that is a very, very good thing. >> will? >> yeah, and i love lz's feedback on this, kyra. but it's not just showing that the gop is cool with black people, but that black people can be cool with the gop as well. as is stands right now, 80% to 90% of the black population votes democrat.

now, there are many historical reasons why that might be, and many of them are legitimate. but it doesn't reflect a strong diversity of opinion within the black community. and what's concerning to me is the 10% of black people that do come out as conservative are branded often as clowns or uncle toms. cornel west saying he needs to get off the crack pipe. i hope that herman cain can change this perspective. >> i don't think he will. i don't think that herman cain changes that. >> will he attract black voters? what do you think? >> i'm sorry. i didn't hear the question. >> time for just one more response. i was just curious if you thought that he will -- final thought of will he repel more blacks to support the gop or bring more in? >> he's not bringing more blacks in.

not herman cain. what my point was is that he brings the conversation forward. how herman cain has brought the conversation forward is not going to draw more blacks in. there is a reason why people have been calling him an uncle tom, and it's not just because he say conservative. it's because of the rhetoric he has been using in talking about the black community and the pattern of black voters. so i think that herman cain's presence introduces the conversation, but herman cain himself is not leading any black people to the gop party. >> lz, will, thanks, guys. >> thanks. well, the issue of gay rights keeps coming up at these debates. it's on the agenda tomorrow night as well. tj homes got a unique perspective at another vegas event. >> good morning to you, kyra. and it was billed by the organizers here and it's just wrapping up. they say it is the first of its kind gathering in this country. it is a gathering of gay and lesbian active duty members of the military. but they wonder if years to

come, if a meeting like this is going to be possible again depending on who's in the white house. >> welcome to our second panel of the day. we're going to discuss the freedom to marry. >> reporter: this is a summit that could not have taken place a year ago. it couldn't have taken place just a few months ago. that's because don't ask, don't tell was still in place. >> it is life changing to me. >> reporter: september 20 was a big day for most of the folks you see here. >> i feel like for the first time i get to be me. unconditionally. and that's odd to be 27 years old and it's the first time that it's ever happened. >> it's an amazing feeling. it's a great time in history to be part of the military. >> reporter: you couldn't do this before. >> no. and not keep my job, you know, to do something like this now and be able to tell the stories i think is what's so important right now. >> our goal is to build a visible, proud gay community in the military that people feel comfortable being able to come

out or just being who they are. >> reporter: and you think you fight might not be done depending on who's in the white house and who's in those who houses of congress, that maybe don't ask, don't tell could come back. >> i think one of the things we'll see in the upcoming presidential campaign are people really going to threaten to bring back don't ask, don't tell. and i think that's something that, you know, is scary for me personally. am i going to again be threatened to lose my career in the future, and that's something that, you know, i don't want to think about. i don't want to have to worry about losing my career in the future, and i hope i don't have to. >> reporter: and this is a gathering of that members of gay and lesbian military. that membership has grown to 4,500. all of the soldiers i talked to, many of them doing their first-ever interview in which they are talking about being a gay member of the military. each of them, kyra, said, you

know what? if the commander in chief tells me that don't ask, don't tell is back in place, then i'll follow and do exactly what my commander in chief tells me to do, to a t to a man, and every woman, they said the same thing. wouldn't be upset. they would do what their commander in chief tells them, because you know they take that oath very seriously, and they do follow orders. >> tj holmes out of vegas. thanks. tomorrow night live on cnn, the republican candidates for president will gather in las vegas for the big debate. that's the western republican presidential debate at 8:00 eastern right here on cnn. thousands of people attended the dedication ceremony to the memorial for martin luther king. >> this man, this one man, not only freed the people but liberated a nation. >> just ahead, a cnn contributor shares his memory of the civil rights icon. nal service, nal service, 5-year price lock guarantees and consistently fast speeds. ♪

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i'll tell you what, it was a beautiful day to honor one of greatest civil rights leader of our time. shannon trevis was just one of the thousands of people that gathered on the national mall in washington to dedicate a memorial for dr. martin luther king jr. >> i have a dream. that one day -- >> words that transformed a nation. and now 43 years after he was assassinated in memphis, a memorial is dedicated to martin luther king jr. >> an earthquake and a hurricane may have delayed this day, but this is a day that would not be denied. >> reporter: president obama among those heralding dr. king's legacy. >> that is why we honor this man, because he had faith in us. and that is why he belongs on this mall, because he saw what we might become. >> reporter: king's children spoke to their father's message.

>> i know we're here to celebrate the life of my father and commemorate my father, but we need to try to live like him, to love like him, and to care like him. >> one day, we'll all be able to say, free at last, free at last, thank god almighty, we are all free at last! >> reporter: speakers reflected on king's influence. >> this man, this one man, not only free of people but liberated a nation. >> faith that fed us when we were hungry. faith that clothed us when we were naked. faith that brought us from the back of the bus to the white house. >> reporter: the 1,600-ton monument more than a decade in the making. a symbol standing as a dedication to a man whose mission was a as steadfast as this monument. 48 years after dr. martin luther

king's march on washington, the president talked about how this was a fitting return to the mall to honor the man and this moment. it's also fitting that the president, the first african-american president of the united states, would be here for this ceremony. also one other thing of note, the statue, the memorial for dr. martin luther king on the national mall, is the first to honor an african-american. shannon travis, washington. so now we all have a memorial. but for cnn contributor bob greene, he has a memory. what so many of us wish we had, a moment. and he writes about it in his op-ed for cnn.com. bob, how remarkable that you are actually able to say excuse me, sir. are you martin luther king? tell me about that moment. >> kyra, we were on school vacation, a buddy of mine named gary herwall, in 1965. and we were in miami beach, and we decided to look at the hotels. and we went into a place -- i believe it was called the beau riffage. and at a shopping arcade on the

bottom level, there was an african-american man in a dark business suit, by himself. and as you know, back then you didn't see that much in miami beach. and gary and i looked at each other, and gary is the one who got up the nerve to say it. we walked up to him, and gary said, excuse me, sir. are you martin luther king? and dr. king turned to us, and in that remarkable unmistakable voice, said, yes, i am. and gary said, i just want to tell you how much we admire you. and we started talking. and, you know, this was three years before he died. and the content of the conversation i don't really recall. what i recall is us standing there and thinking, we are talking to dr. martin luther king. and it turned out that he was down there for a reason. >> well, what has stuck in your mind, though, is how much dr. king had accomplished by the age of 36. it was so remarkable.

>> right. i -- for years, i have wondered what he was doing there by himself. and i finally was reading a biography called "bearing the cross" by david garr oh. and the answer was in there. apparently, dr. king was despondent, fatigued, from the selma march, from the discord within the civil rights movement, and his best friends had been worried about how tired and depressed really he was, and suggested he get away. and he had gone down to miami and then was going to nassau. but as you say, for all he had accomplished, as we stood with him there that evening, the nobel peace prize already, "time" magazine man of the year already, the i have a dream speech, one of the greatest speeches in the history of this country, already. on that night, he was only 36 care years old. >> wow. it's pretty cool that you've got that memory, bob. thanks so much. you can go to

cnn.com/opinion to read bob's piece. coming up, in a tough economy, many couples are putting off something much bigger than a big screen tv or a new car. they are cutting back on having kids. also ahead, run a marathon, get married, in that order. it's not your usual prewedding tradition, but it worked out for one rhode island couple.

checking stories across country, the maryland man jailed in aruba in connection robyn gardner's disappear is back in court today. his attorneys say they do not

have enough evidence to hold him and they will ask for his release. a color-coded system in california which groups students together based on test scores have been dropped after upset parents and students are calling it segregation. under the system, students received id cards and notebooks colored white, gold, or black depending on how high or low the they tested on state tests. and unusual finish for a rhode island couple running a marathon this weekend. after the 26-mile race, they got married. the bride wore a white tennis skirt and veil. the groom, shorts and tuxedo shirt. well, it seems that more women are choosing not to have children because of the bad economy. our senior medical correspond is here to talk about how significant this trend is. >> if the kple is doing well, people have kids.

if the economy is not doing well, people have fewer kids. this graph really shows that. the correlation is very clear. if you look, back in 2002, we started to do better. the economy was doing better, and you can see that graph growing and growing with the number of children. the top of that graph is 2007. that's when the economy was really doing quite well, and then once things started to go downhill since 2007, the birthrate goes right down. so now we are now at a low birthrate, really comparable to where we were around 2002. >> as you and i know, parenting is very expensive. so have you been able to put the numbers to together to actually say how much it would cost to have one child now? >> yes. and now that you had two, sort of instantly, you should double these numbers. it costs between $8,000 and $20,000 a year to raise a child. that depends of course, you know, on how much money you're spending on them, i guess. it depends on fancy clothes

versus not fancy, private school versus public school. and birth to 18, that's between $206,000 and $477,000. and what's so interesting about this, again, the correlation. for example, we were saying birthrates are going down. but look at north dakota, which is a state where things have actually been going relatively birthrates are not going down. so you can really see it. >> wow. so there comes the question, as a woman, you know, your biological clock is ticking. you only have a certain amount of time to have a child. there are other options now, but at the same time, if you're struggling in a bad economy you want to save money, it is like, how do you deal with that decision? >> it is a tough decision because if you decide, well, we are only going to have one child and the economy gets better, it is possible it is too late or only by doing fertility treatments, which can get expensive, especially if you don't have good health insurance. you may think i'll put this off and do it later, so later could be more expensive.

keep that in mind. >> thank you, elizabeth. the st. louis cardinals are heading to the world series. we have highlights of the national lead game clenching in seven minutes.

here's a look at stories making news later today. at 11:15 eastern michelle obama and jill biden recognize a plan for returning military vets. at 1:00 atlanta's city council will determine if the occupy

wall street protestors should be kicked out of the park. and we are finding lots of developments in the next hour of cnn newsroom. we'll check in with mark freston preston, mark? >> hey, keira. issue number one is the economy, and no state has been hit harder than nevada where seven republican presidential candidates will stand on stage tomorrow to offer their cures for the economy. more at the top of the hour. and i'm brianna keeler where president obama kicks off another bus tour through north carolina and virginia to promote his jobs plan. i'll be live near the top of the hour. hey, keira, i'm zain in london and i'll tell you what newspapers around the world are saying about the protests happening here in london as well as across europe. thank you so much. also in the next hour, more on the death of dan wheledon, the

beloved indy car driver killed in the last season of the race. even before the race there were concerns about track safety. we'll get into that next hour. rd buy every year? over 3 million. you say you can beat any advertised price on tires? correct. anywhere? yes. like this price? yes. riously? yes what about this one? i'll beat it. this one? s we will. right, i only have one more question for you...this one? (laughing) yeah. get $100 rebate when you buy four tires. 100 bucks! only at your ford dealer. 3 million tires. 11 major brands, fiona's kind-of-nice. i don't know why you're not here. exclusive to the military. and commitment is not limited to one's military oath. the same set of values that drive our nation's military are the ones we used to build usaa bank. from free checking to credit cards to loans, our commitment to the military, veterans, and their families is without equal. ♪ visit us online to learn what makes our bank so different. usaa. we know what it means to serve.

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[ gnome ] awwwwwwww. i just feel bloody awful. she told tiffany, stephanie, jenny and becky that she was coming to a place like this! but somebody didn't book with travelocity, with 24/7 customer support to help move them to the pool daddy promised! look at me, i'm swimming! ♪ [ gnome ] somebody, get her a pony! [ female announcer ] the travelocity guarantee. if your booking's not right, we'll help make it right, right away. from the price to the room to the trip you'll never roam alone. all right. bring on the fall classic. >> we already knew the texas rangers were going to make it. we didn't have to wait long to find out it would be the st. louis cardinals. game six last night of the nlcs between the cardinals and

brewers. albert pujols does it again. they beat milwaukee 12-6 and go to the world series. it will be the 18th world series for st. louis. they have won it ten times. game one of the series wednesday night in st. louis. to the nfl, the 49ers quarterback alex smith gets the game-winning touchdown on fourth down with less than two minutes to go. after the game a pumped up coach goes to shake hands with jim schwartz, schwartz didn't like it and thought it was not cordial enough and goes and chases after him. here he comes, hey, he gives a little shove. he said he was too pumped up and shook it too hard. the league is looking into it. the vikings and bears dominated by devon hester. he had a long touchdown catch and busted this kickoff return all the way back. hester holds the all-time nfl record for kick and punt returns for touchdowns. he's so good they don't understand why anyone kicks it to him anymore. the bears win 39-10.

patriots and cowboys now. brady hits aaron hernandez with the eight-yard touchdown pass, 22 seconds left. the patriots beat the cowboys 20-16. it's the 30-second, 32nd time the cowboys were behind in the fourth quarter. and nothing retro about this, aaron rodgers, 93 yards, it was that kind of easy day for rodgers and company. he had three touchdowns. they are 6-0. the only team undefelted in the league winning easy over the rams. coming up, we'll talk about the safety things going on with indy car right now after yesterday easterable tragedy. >> stay close. we'll talk about it at the top of the hour. thank you, jeff. >> sure. now we are talking big field, fast cars and bank tracks.

now a huge loss for the sport of racing as we just mentioned with jeff michelle. dan wheldon, the two-time indy car winner, a family man and one of the most popular drivers in racing is killed after this fiery 15-car wreck at las vegas motor speedway. carlos is there, what went wrong? >> reporter: well, what went wrong was you had a lot of cars on a small track going for a lot of money. and a very high rate of speed. you have 34 cars in the field, more cars than in the indianapolis 500. the indianapolis 500 track is 2 1/2 miles, this is a mile and a half. as you can see here, it was a recipe for disaster, 11 laps into lap two, cars jumping over other cars. three cars got airborne. dan wheldon went into the restraining fence and was airlifted to a hospital where he passed away. dan wheldon dead at the age of 33. the entire racing community is shocked and stunned and in

mourning this morning. >> yeah, carlos, so many other drivers are not taking this death very well. >> reporter: and understandably so because dan wheldon was one of the most popular guys in the indy racing league. i got to know him pretty well growing up in indianapolis and talking to him for several indianapolis 500s. the most charismatic guy you would ever want to meet. 1,000-watt smile. he was truly -- he truly had the personality of a movie star. and everyone who met him considered him a friend. i know everyone would like to speak about someone that way. dan wheldon, truly one of the great guys in racing and also a great driver. a two-time idy champion winning the indianapolis 500 just last may. >> wow. carlos diaz from vegas, thank you. as we mentioned, it is a really tough time for dan wheldon's fellow drivers. also, i mean, fans, friends, jeff michelle, there were a lot

of concerns about this track even before this race started, right? >> carlos hit on it a bit. the idy 500 is a 2 1/2 mile track. this was made furnace car, not indy cars. the drivers knew the days leading up to the race it was a problem. they even suggested this is not the right course or track for the indy car race. in fact, the day before the race this was said. >> it is around 240 miles an hour. it is fine, but some of the racetrack, like these ones, i don't think they are built for open wheel. they have a very high banking, really smooth. we can get too easy, too close to each other. 53 cars altogether at 220 miles an hour for two hours, you have a high chance that something really bad can happen. >> wow, that was just the day before the race.

dollar dario frankitti said the same thing. they need to make it safer for the drivers. >> what does the indy car circuit learn from this and prevent it from happening again? >> i think some of the things the drivers were suggesting leading up to the race is slowing down the cars. down that track, 225 miles per hour-plus is very dangerous as we saw with what happened to dan wheldon. wheldon, of course, competing, pushing forward. that was another problem. it was very tight at that track. wheldon was trying to push forward as much as he could because a lot of money was on the line for him. he was battled to win $2.5 million to come through from the last -- he started last in the race and was trying to get to the front. as you can see it get tight in lap 11 this is what happens. >> i'm just looking over my shoulder to see the pictures we have, and it is all with his family. when you see pictures like that, it touches everybody.

not just a racer -- >> absolutely not. he was married three years, two young sons. one just born this year, a 7-month-old. this is why everyone is finding it so hard to handle is because this was a guy who was a guy -- the guys all became friend, the racers in the circuit, and particularly this guy was very well beloved. >> jeff, thanks. >> yeah. las vegas tomorrow night is the place to be for the republican presidential debate right here on cnn. the economy will share the spotlight in a battleground state rocked by unemployment and home foreclosures. mark preston is in vegas, what can we expect the candidates to say about the economy, mark? >> reporter: well, they are all going to say they have the solution to turn it around. they will be very critical of president obama here when they take the stage behind me at the venetian resort, but the fact of the matter is they will be critical of each other. mitt romney has a 59-point plan to turn the economy around. we have heard about herman

cain's 9-9-9 plan. rick perry just released his energy plan saying he will create jobs. guess what? ron paul, keira, is going to unveil his own plan just behind me in a few hours. let me give you a couple tidbits of what he plans to do if elected president. he wants to abolish the departments of energy, huchlt h.u.d., commerce, interior, and the transportation safety administration, which is protecting the airports. he say that is will save $1 trillion if he were to be elected president in the first year, keira. >> mark preston live out of vegas. tomorrow night live on cnn the republican candidates for president gathering to debate the issues and sway the voters. that's the western republican presidential debate at 8:00 eastern right here on cnn. well, when herman cain strolls on the stage he'll be lugging a little extra baggage. he's under fire for weekend comments calling on a deadly new fence along the u.s./mexico border. >> we need to have a fence

that's 20 feet high. it will have barbed wire on the top. it is going to be electrified. and we are going to -- >> he says he believe's cain's claim he wasn't serious. >> i'm sure he was joking but it probably means he is taking it serious to do something at the border and stop the illegal immigrations, but i'm not against the fence, but if you buy a ladder and hop over, i would like to see the people go to jail not give them a free ride back to mexico. >> cain also wants tougher open forcement of existing immigration laws. today will be the second time the men have met over the last few months. occupy wall street is a-month-old now and the movement seems to be getting stronger and wider. that was actually saturday night

in times square. new york police arrests nearly 100 protestors. now to washington civil rights activist cornell west was arrested there as he wouldn't leave the steps of the supreme court. and the movement is not just nationwide, it is global. demonstrations were held over the weekend in tell avooef, ben buenes aires and in rome. we saw things were kind of rough in rome. >> reporter: yes, most of the protests on this side of the atlantic were peaceful with thousands of people turning out, but check out this video in rome where it did get nuts out there on the streets. essentially what happened was at some point the peaceful protests turned into this because the police who were armed with basically mortar cannon and started firing it on to a small group of anarchists there

throwing mollotoc cocktails. this was this opinion peace headline, from wall street to st. pauls, those attending sunday mass found themselves picking a path through the makeshift camp of around 100 tents erected at the foot of the cathedral steps after saturday's global day of action inspired by the u.s.'s occupy wall street movement. the south china morning post has this headline, don't throw baby out with bath water. it is an opinion peace talking about protests in hong kong saying the young protesters in central, that's the area this happened, have their hearts in the right place, but they need to better understand the unique social problems that con front hong kong instead of blindly aping their occupy wall street friends. finally, "the australian," wall street occupiers are an insult to the workers. what we are witnesses is not the birth of something new as the occupiers would have us believe,

but the death of something old, the death of a principled left that believed in progress of the develop and in the ability of the little man to change his world for the better. that's the view from this side. >> zain, thank you so much. there is anger building against wall street. brianna kieler is where the president is scheduled to speak this hour. what do you expect him to say? >> reporter: we know he may acknowledge the frustration. at the same time, we also know he hasry cysted suggestions there's a lot of frustration with him and instead said many voters are frustrated with the economy. he'll be speaking here at the asheville north carolina regional airport here during this hour. he'll be talking, in particular, about one element of his jobs plan that includes infrastructure spending, some of which could go to airports. and as he makes this his first stop, the kickoff of his three-day bus tour winding

through north carolina up into virginia, he'll be highlighting different parts of his jobs plan in certain areas, obviously, money to keep teachers working to keep firefighters working, but while he'll be using this to urge congress to pass his jobs plan there is, of course, a political significance to this trip. president obama won virginia and north carolina very narrowly in 2008. of course he wants to hang on though to these states in 2012, they are considered must-wins. that'll be talking to a number of voter blocks here, keira. this is asheville, north carolina, a liberal enclave, but he'll be talking to african-americans who really helped to push him over the edge in north carolina and take his message to some republican strongholds as he tries to keep the pressure on republicans in congress, keira. >> brianna kieler live in asheville. we will follow the president and take him live when that speech starts. he's expected to talk about 10:50 eastern time. so we'll take it live as soon as he steps up to the mike.

coming up, a horrific discovery in philadelphia. >> it looks like a dungeon. these people were stored like surplus meat in the basement. >> we'll get the very latest on the investigation from philly police commissioner charles ramsey. m and vitamin d. and tastes simply delicious. for those of us with lactose intolerance... lactaid® milk. the original 100% lactose-free milk. mathis team of guinea pigs to ty boanso to save some y, d inea pig: row...row. they genatectry, wch le me rf t. guinea pig: row...row.took one, 8 months to get the guin: ..row.ow...row. they genatectry, wch le me rf t. lile cbby one to yell row!

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disappearance of robyn gardner will be possibly released today. and 52 dewey bozella won in his boxes debut. he was recently released from prison after 26 years for a murder he did not commit. he got his game and he won. well, the fbi has joined the investigation into a horrific case of abuse and much in philadelphia. chained in the basement of a philadelphia apartment, four mentally challenged adults malnourished were found in the basement of an apartment after the landlord found them. >> i am the one who found them chained. >> reporter: what were they saying to you? did they say thank you or help? >> they weren't talking anything.

>> well, three people have been arrested in this case but we need to help the philadelphia police commissioner, charles ramsey, with a lot more information here. commissioner, i'm going to get right to it. i understand that a number or possibly one or more of these victims you have not been able to identify, correct? i know we have a picture -- >> right. >> okay. let's start with herbert. that's all we know, he's from the virginia area. tell us what you need help with with regard to this victim. >> well, we need identification. he's only able to give us his first name, herbert. he says he's from the virginia area, specifically where we do not know. that's a pretty good photograph and we are hoping that someone somewhere will recognize him and call our northeast detective division at 215-686-3154. >> commissioner, is this the only picture we have? are there other victims you need

help identifying as well because i understand that there were four mentally challenged adults that were being held captive, basically, in this basement for their social security checks, correct? >> that is correct. we've got identification on the other three. he's the only one that right now we aren't able to identify. >> got it. we'll bring his picture up again in just a second, but i also want to take a look at the three suspects. thomas gregory, linda ann weston and eddie wright, what do we know about them and hopefully somebody may recognize one of these individuals that could help you find out more about herbert, one of the victims. but tell me about these three and why the fbi is now looking into this case. is it bigger than we think? >> well, it could be bigger than we think. the fbi is looking into it because we know that they were in at least two different states at different periods of time. texas and florida as well as pennsylvania. so we need the fbi's assistance

to track down a lot of leads that are really going to take us even beyond those three states. one of the things we were able to recover in a search of one of the offenders, linda weston, we have about 50 different ids of people. social security information, power of attorney information, those kinds of things which we now have to track down each and every one of these people to get their status. we believe that she's been involved in this for a period of time. we don't know how many victims, however, are part of this investigation. >> commissioner, how did these suspects get their hand on these mentally disabled adults, and get all their personal information? how did they operate? >> well, that's all part of the investigation. we aren't sure -- each case might be slightly different. one of the victims says that he

met miss weston through an online dating service. so we are trying to track down a variety of leads in this case. certainly the fbi is joining in on the investigation now. and i believe this is something that's going to unfold over time and we'll get more and more information. >> well, it is just horrific. i think we all agree there's a special place in hell for people like that. finally, commissioner, i want to clarify this gentleman that actually found these individuals in the basement, we have seen reports he's a janitor or a landlord, could you just tell us who he is, what did he do and how exactly did he find out about these folks suffering like this? >> well, he's the -- he's the owner of the property there. and he was there checking on his property. he had gotten some information of people coming and going out of the basement. no one is supposed to be in the basement. when he went there he saw trash, heard dogs barking, there was a

subbasement here containing the boiler room. and he we want downstairs, it was dark, the room -- the door leading to the boiler room was changed. he took the chain off. when he got inside he saw a couple dogs but also used his flashlights because the lights were turned off as well and noticed four individuals. this is only a 10 by 10-foot room. one of the individuals was chained to the actual boiler. he called police right away and we got there and discovered everything going on. >> real quickly before we go, the picture once again of herbert, if you have any information and know who this man is, gosh, commissioner, you think of everyone or everything he went through and he's still smiling. charles ramsey, thank you for your time. >> thank you. well, coming up we'll talk more about this scene, pope benedict xvi normally would walk up the aisle at st. peters, but yesterday he needed a little help getting to the altar. and a one-time desperate

housewife gets her day in court after suing the show's creator for $20 million. we'll tell you about the fight that led to the lawsuit in today's showbiz headlines next. . good honey, you turn into such a little whiner when you're sick. no i don't. [ bawk! ] honey, i'm sick. i can't reach the remote. that sounds nothing like me. [ beep ] honey, i'm sick. i can't reach the remote. that kind of does. [ male announcer ] get low prices every day on everything to prepare for cold and flu season. we're so confident in our low prices, we back 'em with our ad match guarantee. save money. live better. walmart.

well, if you're a fanof abc's "desperate housewives" you know cat fights are in the show, but the latest battle is happening between one of the show's former stars and its creator. a.j. hammer is here to sort it all out. a.j.? >> hey, keira. nicolette sheridan's $20 million wrongful lawsuit from being dropped from abc's "desperate housewives" is going to trial today. the trial has been going on for

a few years now. she sued the producer back in april of 2010 claiming she was slapped across the face during a blow-up on the set in 2008. after she claimed to the bosses about it, she was then booted off the show. you remember edie brit's character. abc did an internal investigation and found no merit to the claim she was struck, but an l.a. judge determined there was sufficient evidence to hear the unfair dismissal case. you know a lot of people in hollywood and beyond will be following this real life desperate housewives drama closely. >> i understand there was drama on "sesame street" as well. >> yeah. i don't understand what happened here. fans of "sesame street" got an unexpected education in the letter x, as in x-rated over the weekend. the youtube page of the beloved children's page was offering

viewers very adult content on sunday apparently hackers reprogrammed the site with explicit sex videos. anyone visiting the site for the much-loved muppets saw hardcore pornography instead. the became was taken off later on sunday. visitors were told it was shut down because of repeated or severe violences of the community guide lives. now sesame workshop, the organization behind "sesame street" issued an apology on sunday. they told us, our channel was compromised and we are presently working with youtube/google to restore our original content. at last check the channel was unavailable on youtube. i heard the story and it made me sad. of all the things to mess with -- >> the look on big bird's face tells it all. president clinton celebrated in hollywood this week for his birthday with big names. >> yes, a giant gathering for president clinton's 65th and the tenth anniversary of his foundation. the event was officially called a decade of difference, a

concert celebrating ten years of the william j. clinton foundation. barbara streisand was there, jane fonda, ashton kutcher, ellen degeneres, edge and bono from u2, even lindsay lohan was there, but the highlight was lady gaga serenading clinton with this body redo of requested bat romance. she said she enjoyed her first real marilyn moments after singing to the president. clinton took to to the best of my knowledge the stage later in the evening and here's what he had to say. >> she always kind of goes up to the edge and said she was going to have a more lynn moment. i thought, my god, i get lady gaga and i will have a heart attack celebrating my 65th birthday. >> perfect. so looks like it was a big party and everybody had a good time, including the president, which he should, his 65th birthday. wow, what a crowd showed up that. i would have loved to have gone

with you, keira. >> well, next time. this clarifies that i was getting dised by you last friday. now i know you would take me as a date. i'm honored. next time i'm in. thank you, a.j. >> if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, a.j. has it on "showbiz tonight" on hln. well, some people are a little worried about pope benedict xvi. this is why. he usually walks the 100 yards or so up to the aisle at st. peters's basilica, but yesterday he was wheeled up on a mobile platform. zain is here, he used to be healthy for 84 years old, what was the deal yesterday? >> reporter: well, a lot of people at the mass there at the basilica were surprised. they did not expect this, but, yeah, he's 84 years old. now one of his spokes people at the vatican said this, they said, look, this really was not done for any medical reason. it was just to reduce his fatigue. so as you can see he's being

wheeled down like this and he was holding on to one side of it and holding also the staff in the other hand. he had the aides pushing the platform. by the way, this was actually the same platform that the former pope, john paul ii, used when he got older. a lot of people are speculating saying what's going to happen to the pope, but don't forget that pope john paul ii started using this platform and lived on and continued for something like five more years. don't worry too much. we are not writing off the pope just because of that gesture, but because he is the pope every single little nuance is analyzed heavily in that kind of lend. so the vatican is saying don't worry. >> got it. it is tough to be the pope. thank you, zain. gop candidate herman cain likes to joke saying americans need to learn how to have a sense of humor. coming up, the political buzz panel weighs in on exactly what we are talking about. ahh, one.

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checking top stories now. a horrific crash at las vegas motor speedway has taken the life of a beloved idy car driver. 33-year-old dan wheldon was killed in this 15-car wreck. testimony in the trial of michael jackson's doctor has been put on hold. the delay in dr. conrad murray's trial is due to the death of the father of the prosecution's last witness. and president obama begins a three-day bus tour pushing congress to patch each element of his jobs package. let's goat to co rena now with the new details on a set of rules for the fcc that could impact hundreds of millions of cell phone users. hey there. >> reporter: hi, keira. these alerts will tell you when you are near the data limit or when you are about to incur

roaming charges. the key is you'll know before you hit the limit and before you get the shocking bill. of course, the goal of this is to get rid of what the fcc calls bill shock, and that's when you go over your limit without knowing it and then get that shocking bill. those alerts will start late next year. >> but don't carriers sort of provide something similar to this? >> they do, but the thing is a lot of people don't sign up for it or don't check online. so now these alerts will be free and automatic. you will be getting them unless you choose to opt out. and the fcc figures that about 30 million americans have experienced bill shock. that's roughly a tenth of the u.s. population, so a big squad of the population. and if many have experienced this, that could mean an extra $100 in their bill. the data users are hitting their limits and getting the big whopping bill at the end of the

month. >> karina, thanks. a medical emergency is scary no matter where you are, so just imagine what it would be like to have a stroke and be stranded at the south pole. this american journalist was rescued finally after two months. reynolds wolf has the story for us. >> this place is remote. she is stationed here at ed moneyson scott research station. if she would get help, she would go to mcmurdo station in antarctica. then to christchurch in new zealand. a long haul from one spot to another. it is just a very long way she's got to go to get the treatment she need. the problem is the weather is not cooperating whatsoever. we are not talking about it specifically in terms of a snowstorm, but the i credibly cool temperatures. some say it is too cold to fly because temperatures must be warmer than 50 degrees below

zero fahrenheit. the temperatures have been falling to 70 below. this is just mind boggling. talk about freezing conditions, it is cold when we get to the freezing point, but this is well beyond that. when it drops to a certain point that fuel, which you have to have if you are going to fly, fuel changes from a liquid to a jelly-like form. when that happens it is going to to be bad news and certainly it looks like she'll be staying on the ground. one thing that's interesting, you have spent time there and were there for a month or so? >> yeah, the reason i was there for a month was because there were situations we were geared up, powered up and ready to go and it was too cold to fly. we were in the plane ready to go, fired up and then in some cases it took two or three days to finally be able to get to where we needed to go. >> absolutely. when people go there, it is almost like the space station. you are possibly going to be isolated for quite a while. if you have a medical emergency, chances are you have to fend for yourself. that's the situation for the time being. we are hoping for warmers, but

still, even if we go to 40 degrees below zero, it is near the threshhold. certainly keeping our fingers crossed and hoping good thoughts for her, but certainly it is a rough time there at the very least. >> a long, uncomfortable ride. you are crammed into a c-130 and can barely move. i can feel her pain when i hear that story. >> with all the technology in the modern day, we are still at the mercy of the elements. that's certainly the situation here. >> reynolds, thanks. president obama on the road talking jobs in two key states. our buzz panel weighs in on what he needs to say to sell his plan. [ horn honks ]

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checking stories across the country n washington thousands of people gathered for the official dedication of the martin luther king jr. national memorial sunday. president obama joined other civil right activists in calling for americans to keep pushing for dr. king's dream of social and economic justice. in california a color-coated

coded system to group students together based on test scores has been dropped after justify upset parents called it cig regag. they received notebooks in different colors depending on how high or low they tested on state exams. and an unusual finish for a rhode island couple running a marathon this weekend. after the 26-mile race they got hitched. the bride wore a white tennis skirt and veil. the groom, shorts and a tuxedo t-shirt. in the political buzz, we'll look at the best political topics from the day. three questions, 30 seconds on the clock, we have maria, will cain and talk show radio host dana losch. herman cain makes a lot of jokes saying tiger woods should run for president, there should be an electrified border fence and

his campaign eds that kit said he's not a serious candidate. when do we take him serious? >> that sort of answers the question. i think maybe when talking about pizza may be the only time to take him seriously. i thought my theory on herman cain is that this whole thing has been a joke and that his surge has taken him by surprise. here's somebody who does not have a serious plan, doesn't have any serious organization and has not raised any serious money, but low and behold he's one of the front-runners in the gop primary. i think at the end of the day the joke is going to be on him. >> will? >> you know, i have to respond to maria there. i can't say what i was going to say in that you shouldn't be so dismisive of her main cain. it is completely inappropriate to call him a joke. in addition to the things you just said, he also ran godfather's pizza, ceo of godfather's pizza, this is an extremely impressive person. some of the qualities of herman

cain, his authenticity that allow him to say impressive things, like if you are not unemployed blame yourself and also allow him to say we should have an electrified border fence. it is his achilles heen and asset at the same time. >> dana is this your turn. >> any black conservative that runs a campaign is a joke. i would like them to take him more seriously. that being said, i echo what will just said. herman cain is a very successful businessman and a lot of people aren't successful at business, especially in washington, d.c. herman cain is. his remarks on tiger woods, didn't everybody think he was cool at one point before it came out he was this kind of giant man of not good manners? >> boy, that was delicate, dana. i expected something a lot more harsh. >> it was. it is still early. >> second question, guys, president obama hits the road pushing his jobs bill in north

carolina and virginia, two states that were key in his 2008 election. so what does he have to say to keep those states blue in 2012. will? >> i'll be interested to hear maria's answer on this, because i don't know. i really don't know and don't think they know very well. you can't very well say you are hope in chains because you are status quo. you can't top the economy or your solutions to the economy because you have tried them for four years. that i thinkry stuck. it is not an appealing message to blame republicans for everything. i don't know how to maintain ohio, pennsylvania and florida. it is a tough message to sell going into 2012. >> maria? >> here it is, will. you talk about jobs, jobs, jobs. because certainly the republicans are not talking about it. you talk about your jobs plan. you talk about paying for it by making sure that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. by the way, more than two-thirds of americans agree with that. the majority of independents,

democrats and republicans agree with millionaires and billionaires pay more to create jobs in this country. that's what he has to focus on and compare that to the republican jobs plan which every independent analysis says won't create a job in the single future. >> dana? >> if jobs are so important than why did democrats kill the jobs bill in the senate run by harry reid? the party couldn't come together over it. as far as north carolina and virginia, virginia is an interesting state to watch. this was the state that david axelrod called the bellweather state for obama back in the '08 elections and went red. the president has a 9 5 1% disapproval rating right now. i think the president needs to get on the democrats to get something passed in the senate, maybe say something about keystone that would create so many jobs just by tomorrow. >> 20 seconds each on this one.

herman cain'sed 9-9-9 plan is getting a ton of attention. >> americans are working for solutions to complicated problems, herman cain will keep them coming. how to fight terrorism, by 5-5-5 plan. america will see five airplanes, five soldiers and five of those dogs that caught osama bin laden. how to fix health care? the 3-3-3 plan. you get three pills, three days off and three chicken noodle soups. >> he's neck and neck with romney now, does romney need a catchy fashion line, and if so, what should it be, dana? >> well, i think newt gingrich inadvertently came one a good one the other day when he said that romney republican is the new rockefeller republican. so perhaps he could kind of work that in there. they both start with r's and sound catchy and are pretty true to the word. >> i actually came up with something really good, keira, but it is too racy to share on

national television. i'm going to come up -- >> now i'm curious. >> i know. i'll tweet it to you all, but i think it should be something like, mitt romney, pick me, i'll say anything that you want me to say in order to get elected because that's exactly how he has run. >> will? >> oh, here it is. mitt romney needs to look into the crowd and the camera, look at people like dana, and then look to his left and his right on the stage and go, come on, guys, you know it's me. >> thanks, guys. we'll see what he says tomorrow night live on cnn with the republican candidates gathering in las vegas to date the issues and try to sway the voters. that's the republican presidential debate at 8:00 here on cnn. the president just landed in north carolina. we'll expect him to speak on the jobs bill any moment now. we'll bring that to you live as soon as it happens.

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live pictures now to asheville, north carolina, where the president of the united states has just landed. he's getting ready to step out onto the tarmac to give his speech. he's pushing his jobs plan working his way across the country to do that. and it is interesting, according to the local paper there in asheville, an overwhelming number of people have showed up to see the president, to get a glimpse of the president. i guess they have been lining up since saturday in line waiting to be in a good spot to see him. the president of the yet now touching down in asheville, north carolina, getting ready to give a speech. we'll take it live as soon as it happens. well, the biggest story in sports today, the death of indy

car racer dan wheldon in a fiery 15-car crash atl las vegas moto speedway. don, you follow motor sports, put this crash in perspective, is it one of the worst ever? >> i think it is the worst i have ever seen, keira, and people that are older than me are saying it is the worst open-wheel accident they have seen. those pictures are absolutely horrendous. you have 15 cars involved, some of them are airborne, some on fire. and hitting a wall and fence in speeds in excess of 220 miles an hour. it is just incredible. and to be honest, i think we can say it is perhaps a miracle that only one person died there because that really was absolutely dreadful. >> so we are talking four deaths now in 15 years, right? what does that say about the industry, indy car series, does it need to improve anything specifically? >> well, it is interesting, isn't it, everybody that drives

in any form of motor sport knows that it is dangerous. and the ultimate risk is that you could die doing the job you love, but if you compare it to formula one, which is a series i follow a lot, it is a worldwide racing series, an open-wheel series, they had a real problem in the '60s and '70s. if you racing formula one in those days, over a period of five years, there was a 2-1 chance for you to die doing it. one of the drivers stood up to make a change saying this is not acceptable. they have not had a death since 1993. in that time indy car has lost four drivers. i think there may be quite a few voices in the community now saying, look, we have made some changes but perhaps we have not made enough changes. and to lose any driver in a situation like that really is one driver too many. >> yeah, wheldon was quite a family man. a lot of racing analysts say he

was known as one of the good guys. you know, he never said anything controversial, got himself into any trouble, he was all about the racing and his family. >> yeah. he was really popular. very successful, too. he won the indy 500 twice, including this year. it's perhaps doubly tragic that one of the things he was working on this year, keira, because he didn't have a regular drive this year, so he wasn't racing in every event, was that he was spending a lot of time working on a safer car, a car that should be improved and that should help other drivers if they are involved in accidents next year. he could help save the lives of drivers in the future. it is just a shame that those safety regulations weren't made in time to save his own life. >> isn't that the truth. don, thanks. now live to asheville, north carolina. the president just stepped up to the podium there. he is expected to start speaking. here we go, right now, talking

jobs. >> it is good to be back in asheville, north carolina! i love asheville. in fact, i think i should be on the tourism promotion bureau of asheville. you know, every time i meet somebody i say, have you guys gone down to asheville? that's a nice place to be. so it is wonderful to be back and one of my favorite parts of the country. our family has great memories of staying here, and it is always nice to get out of washington. and breathe some of the mountain air. i want to recognize a couple of

people who are here, first of all, one of the outstanding senators in the united states senate, your senator, kay hagan is in the house. kay's daughter just got married this weekend, so congratulations to kay's daughter. we are so thrilled by that. and we also have your lovely and intelligent mayor of asheville, terry belleman is in the house. the last time i was here terry said she could play basketball, so we went out. it turned out she was a cheerleader and not a basketball player. but she's doing an outstanding job overall. thank you, both, for coming. as you may have noticed, i came

here on a plane. it is a pretty nice plane. but i'm leaving on a bus. the bus is pretty hard to miss, and over the next few days we are going to take this bus through north carolina and virginia, and i'm going to get a chance to hear from folks about how they're doing, what direction they want to take the country in, and i'll be doing a little bit of talking, but mostly i'm going to do a whole lot of listening because there doesn't seem to be much listening going on in washington these days. people don't seem to be paying much attention to the folks who sent them there in the first place. and that's a shame. because once you escape the partisanship and the political point scoring in washington, once you start really listening to the american people, it's

pretty clear what our country and your leaders should be spending their time on. >> jobs! >> we should be talking about jobs. >> president obama pushing his jobs plan right now just landing in asheville, north carolina, after that he's heading on to virginia. we are following it. we'll take a quick break. more from the "cnn newsroom" straight ahead.

all right. a quick look at stories making headline this is morning. jill biden and michelle obama are recognizing plans to help returning military vets. and we'll learn whether those protestors will be kicked out of the park there in atlantic city. coming up in the newsroom with suzanne at the top of the hour, all the single ladies are taking pride in their lack of a wedding ring. and an extreme sport from the 100-year-old chicago marathon runner to the world swimmer trying to set a world record. elizabeth cohen has more tips on how to be more physically fit with age. and this woman, anita hill, has a new mission. she is joining us live to talk about it.

live from studio7 i'm suzanne malveaux. president obama is hoping to tap into america's frustration over jobs today. he's also going to be jabbing republicans who killed his bill to create new ones. he's speaking in fletcher, north carolina, that's where he is starting a three-day bus tour. now the presint