the federal government has more than 2 million employees in total. almost 450,000 of them work in the washington, d.c. areas, but as a percentage of the workforce, colorado springs leads the nation. the city is home to three military installations. there are 55,000 federal workers who comprise 18.8% of the workforce. thanks for being part of my program this weeks. i will see you next week. good morning, we want to update you on a pair of military raids carried out in africa, one in somalia, the other in libya. barbara starr has details. i want what can you tell us about that? what we know is of course president obama was monitoring both operations very carefully in somalia.

the mission was led by members of s.e.a.l. team 6. they are the covert navy unit that went into southern somalia, into an al shabab tronghold, but came under heavy fire and had to abort the mission before being able to determine whether they killed their target. this was a high-risk effort. the s.e.a.l.s came ashore off actually a commercial vessel. they got into small boats and came ashore. they were trying to stay as under the radar as they could, not be noticed, but apparently they were. that's when the firefighter erupted. it remains to be seen how much the s.e.a.l.s were able to accomplish. they got out. we are told no s.e.a.l.s wounded in the mission. >> there was also another mission in libya. what are the chances they two were coordinated? i want i think at the moment it

is most likely they were not specifically coordinated. the target in libya was a key al qaeda operative that the u.s. had been looking for for years, but what it goes to, candy, is the ability of u.s. special forces in both cases, what is so clear is the missions were being planned and worked on for potential years, months. they had operatives in both areas. they were conducting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance. they had a plan how they would get into the targets and get out. that takes a lot of work. that doesn't just happen overnight, so this really underscores, even in the middle of a furlough in washington, u.s. special forces are out there, planning and going after those terrorist targets when and where they find them. >> barbara starr, thank you. i want to go to nic robertson. he is in london and has details about the capture of a top al qaeda operative in libya. hey, nick.

hey, al libbi, his wife looking out the window, sees him pulling up in his car, then three other vehicles, and within seconds, essentially men overpower her husband before he could even reach into the glover box to grab his pistol. the window of his vehicle was smashed, and he was taken away, removed from libya, will be taken we understand to the united states. his role as a senior al qaeda figure with expertise in computing and planning operations, believed to have planned the 1998 attacks on the u.s. embasses in kenya and assistance nia, but he may also have information about cells and

camps in libya, as well as the north of africa, where we know thee trying to improve their footing there. >> joining me is jeremy batch. he's not the managing director for beacon global strategies. what are the chances -- at least the nod that it's okay from what there is of a government in libya? >> very hard to full off a completely unilateral military operation downtown in another country's capital city. they'll say this operation is clearly lawful, because we have an indictment, we have criminal prosecution papers really to go, he'll be brought back to the united states. my bet is he's probably be interrogated on a u.s. navy ship as we speak, interrogated for intelligence for some time, and like ramsey yousef, the first

bomber, taken in pakistan, he'll be brought back to the southern district of the united states for prosecution. >> tell me a bit about this area of the world now where so much seems to be going on now northern and eastern africa. i i this it's clearly the central front in the war against terrorism for us. for many years, candy, our focus was on pakistan. the remove of osama bin laden anden al qaeda leaders really moved the fight to yemen. we still have a concern about that, but many elements have been taken out as well. now we turn our attention to east africa, al shabab, which may be a safe haven, and just quickly, can you tell me the level of dang you are that al shabab poses to the u.s.

mainland? >> well, they haven't sought directly to attack the mainland yet, but remember, they conduct an operation against our embassies or predecessor elements in 1998, 15 years ago. they will come after the united states if we don't go after them. >> thank you for your insights. thank you also to barbara starr and nic robertson. stay tuned for updates as they development "reliable sources" begins right now. this week, wherever there was a camera pointed in bark you could find a member of congress pointing fingers. a media field day. and a national embarrassment, as we see this government pavinly shut down. it's washington's blame game. >> we have to stop playing these foolish games that keep coming to us. >> this isn't some damned game.

>> the game, the story has consumed newscasts, dominated headlines, how does the public separate information from spin from the politicians? and the journalist who quote them, how are they supposed to hold their subjects accountable? i joined wither roll lewis, and lynn sweet you have all this game going on, but politics, personality, the debt ceiling on the horizon. how do you figure out from all these sources, who is credible and who is just a windbag? >> i think part of what i try to do my focus isn't just

necessarily -- unless it is -- from somebody from illinois, in which kay i will gift special attention to it. >> it's like at a restaurant. >> and a lot of criticism about how caught up the media have been in the horse race, and sometimes the more outspoken the more coverage you get. here's a quote from representative steve king -- it's a temporary inconvenience for a lot of people, but if obama care is ever implemented, we will never recover from that as a nation. we can never be a free people against. "the boston globe" reported on john sill ver son, a

representative from texas, a republican, he referred to this as the most unpopular piece of legislation ever passed. it's not just the republicans. take a lynn to what senator torque harkin sit frtom harkin. >> we're in a dangerous situation. >> ever bit as dangerous as the breakup before the civil wars. should it have been? >> because those story focused on what was happening in the senate. >> was he correct, this is the most serious moment since the breakup of the union before the civil wars? i want i know it's dan's special here, but my point is, frank, when you -- a lot of this does depend on your story of the day. i have no criticism with my

colleagues who are covering what is being said in the chambers and reporting it, especially on the colts that seem a bit outside common sense. i wanter roll lewis, words count, and thus just one example. tied to, of course, is the affordable care act stays or goes, trimmed or delayed, what have you, the media have chosen to take a number of takes on this bun. but look what jimmy kimmel found? >> what do you agree with? obama care or the affordable carable? >> more towards affordable care act. >> just the name says it all. >> do you know that they are the same thing? >> no, they're not. thanks for making me look stupid. okay. you did good.

>> the words we choose matter. s. >> because it is tied to obama care, they have one perception that's purely political. >> if it becomes a tool of 4reg9ive business, which he is suggesting, that is big, big news, because it doesn't happen all that often. those who cover the market say it might be a step -- >> butter roll, the question is on this hyperbole, what immediate -- what really is

dangerous and present, and what is so over the top that it's just adding to the noise and the heat without clarifying anything. >> no question about it. you've got to use your best judgment. there are a number of legislators who are opposed to all of this stuff, who are calling the affordable care act a bill. well, you either don't report it or you point out there's a law. there are those routinely calling it unconstitutional. very disconcerting, that cannot and should -- it's really malpractice to let it go rebutted. you have to say it went all the way to the supreme court, it is law, it's constitutional. if you're going to go around reporting things without comment. someone says the american flag is pink and purple, you have to stop people and maybe even take

an additional step that congressman is routinely going around saying things that are not true or very wide of the mark. independents dan, you wrote a tough piece shutdown coverage fails america. you wrote -- the political media's avert quorum bind with the obsess with process let them to actively obscure the truth in that you are coverage. if you didn't already know what this was all about, reading the news would not help you understand. explain. >> it's about as serious a problem that congress can have. so it's imperative to tell the public how we got here. not just what's happening every day. >> you don't think the press has been doing that? >> the coverage has been

incredibly focused on both the process, what just happened light now, and also on prognostication. there's been very little of reminding people of the very basics, this is a manufactured crisis. every story should almost lead with the fact that this is day x of a manufactured crisis of an unprecedented extreme act by a party that's trying to subvert them. >> you write those stories. what's your response? >> i think dan's crusade is important, because i think reporters should make the call, and in this case, how this shutdown happened was because republicans wanted to inject, you know, derailing obama care as the price for keeping obama care funding, soen today, i agree with you. i don't think it has to be the lead in every story, but this is an art. i have to mcit all in, frank, and to give the story in context.

you do have to, especially in print, explain why you're here, but i do think you need to push ahead. >> part of the thing that confusions the country is there's so much politics and so much noise separate from the policy itself. i just want to suggest one then. er roll you raise the question about some of the information here. if people want to know, f., what obama carry means for them? seriously go to webmd. they'll tell you exactly what's happening in your state. want the politics? lynn, you're doing it and reporters do it every day. >> no, it's both. i think you're trying -- it's not as if any outlet has just one story twoeted. at the sun times we have multiple stories about how this health care law is rolling out. this is a big consumer service just to let people know what's happening. >>er roll, if you're keeping a scorecard on media coverage,

whatever you looking for? >> i want to look for the outright fabricated clearly talking points, false statements, you can report them, but you have to call them out. here in new york, we show the khaleded sign in front of the statue of liberty. a picture speaks 1,000 words. after the break, when you hear a politician stay on message, does it ever remind you of this? >> stay on targets. >> we're too close. >> stay on targets. >> . stay on targets or go down in flames? some members stay on message, some don't. ♪ norfolk southern what's your function? ♪

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having the right partner at my side. it's so much better that way. [ male announcer ] have the right partner at your side. consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. go long. in a world of political spin, sticking to the talking points, where do they come from? what happens if you go your own way? one member did it. fittingly enough with a tweet, we fought got fight, time for a clean c.r. so how do talking points get made? the republican from virginia is

here with me. good to see you, sir. >> good morning. i obtained an e-mail that went out to your republican colleagues, saying dear colleague, as discussed this morning in conference we are in the middle of a communication -- our key points are harry reid and the senate are slamming the door, house republicans continue our efforts to keep the government running. americans don't want a government shutdown. what do you do when you get those talking appointments? >> i remember to it as being in the herd. it aligns with my core value and my business experience, that's final. but if i think we need to go in a different direction, i owe it to the good folks that i represent, to speak my mind. . when you left the heard, and you led with that tweet. within very short order, you were approached by?

i send out a report every two weeks, but we also use twitter, for example, to communicate, i guess, breaking news, if you will. >> i spoke to frank lunt. he was a communication consultant, in the famous '95 shutdown. he said republicans are communicated horribly now, because now they're talking about process, now something that people can relate to. then he said our talking point then was ending wasteful washington spending, and it's still accountable. now he says we're talking about how the president won't negotiate.apart.

in my by just identifying those values that hold us all together as americans. i'm a strong fiscal conservative, for example. just that simple acknowledgement there's common ground on a shared concern, i think this is essential. we need to remember civility is not weakness, elevate the facts and make the case that way. >> what role did your bolting from the party on the clean cr through your tweet have in all this attention you're getting? do you think it's because you're the odd man out in a sense here?

i really believe i owe the good men and women i serve i owe the district clarity. i felt deeply that continuing path here that we're on of continuing the shutdown, i didn't think it was going to advance our shared objectives. >> i posted on my facebook page this conversation that we were going to be having on this show today, taking a look at the role of the media in all this stuff. i was astounded by the kinds of -- they're still around. that's a good thing. one of them wrote the following. or does it moonly reinforce what each already believes. >> frank, it's the echo chamber.

>> here's what's happening. we've an exponentialing in in the amount of information or notice coming at the american people because of the electronic devices in our coat pocket and ladies ease purses, but we have not increased actual communication here. i'm often asked, who is winning? what i want to make sure is are we working through the real facts? gets to the substance of the matter. >> appreciate it. >> thank you. up next, what to do with all that espn? a talk show host on whether and how he should fact check his guests. more pills? seriously?

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it's not easy covering government shutdowns or congressional negotiations. for journalists it gets even tougher when politicians come to the cameras and microphones armed with the talking points we've been talking about. >> the american people have rejected obama care. >> we just want to help the american people get by and

through one of the most insidious laws created by man. >> lost their minds, trying to do the same thing over and over again. >> why won't speaker boehner allow for that vote? what is he afraid of. >> we're challenged by the -- so how hard should reporters push back. and for talk show hosts on every day, what does their job description say about all of this? nothing, actually. earn yes i spoke with michael mer conish, who offered his take. >> i am thrilled to have this confers with you. i want to know what it's like to be a talk show host. what's your responsibility as you sit there, when you have guests in the middle of all of this, walking in with tried and true messages that have gone through their pollster and media meisters?

>> i think i have a responsibility to provide some entertainment value, but hopefully that doesn't mean stretching the facts. hopefully that doesn't mean getting steamrolled by people who show up on my program and have talking points. my goal is to be informative and use that information in a enter taining manner. it seems like everybody's got an agenda, and they're either hardened on the left or hardened on the right. >> they have an agenda, and they also have turns of phrase sometimes that are over the top. i heard one conservative republican talk about obama care as one of the most insidious laws ever passed. i've heard those in the administration talk about how obama care will save money. aren't both those things -- i mean, what do you do with them? >> what you do, i think, is strip them down and ferret out the truth. i have bet my career on the fact, i hope, that people are tired of the polarization, that they feel like they've been left

out in the cold, because they turn on television -- not cnn, but they go on television or turn on conventional talk radio, and everything is so polarized. if you landed here from mars, you would think that everyone is diametrically on one side or the other, but when i'm leading my real life, doing grocery shopping, or going back to school night, pumping gas, i engage for people whose issues are a mixed bag. so as i'm seated behind a microphone, i'm trying not to lose sight of the fact that that's the core contingency i'm trying to reach. >> michael, what, though, do you do? you're live on the air, you hear a guest utter a stream of facts, do you interrupt them? do you challenge them? how do you challenge if you yourself don't have the specific facts to which they were referring? >> i think the honest answer is it depends on who the guest is. i've got in that position with the president of the united

states. i find it very hard to hold his feed to the fire if that means i have to interrupt the commander in chief. just this week i had secretary sebelius on on the very week of the launch of exchanges. i felt a little bit of that. i don't feel that way if i'm dealing with members of consequence or the senate just to carrying some ideological baggage, but i guess my honest answer is it's very difficult, the higher get in government, at least for me, to be the interrupting sword. >> so how do you prepare? what packets of facts do you walk? what's your agenda when you go into one of these interviews, on either side, left or right? i want i think you have touched on it now. the key to handling a guest who is idea logically drich is do your preparation on the front end. also to think about if that guest adds any redeeming value. the best guest i had this week on the roll-out of the exchanges was neither an r or a d, itfuls

mary ago necessary carey from keizer health news. she's been a guest on my program. i love having her. it's just no b.s., i ask a question, she fires an answer. a lot of this subject matter is so darn confusing that when i get someone like that, i make sure that i highlight the rolodex. >> how do you decide what's a good guest? you have both the substance, and you gave a great example, but you've also got the politics. after all, this goism is now partially shut down? >> well, you have to have a pulse. there are a lot of people out there terrific with the written word, but it doesn't translate into radio or television. sometimes you get a person who is so darn over the top, but the facts jut don't seem to jibe. i had an interesting thing happen to me this week. jesse ventura was on my program, because he just released a brand-new book about the kennedy

assassination. well, i wasn't buying it, but i frankly wasn't equipped to respond to all of his different points that he maintains a conspiracy arises from. i found myself simply saying, governor ventura, you raced a whole host of questions for which yourself don't have mr. mer conish. well, coming up, a new television network with a big mission, funded in part by your tax dollars. the documentary tells the story of tolo-tv in afghanistan. ♪ norfolk southern what's your function? ♪

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in "the network" the film

maker takes us behind the scenes of afghanistan's first independently operated television network. >> these people have seen enough of blood, enough of war, enough of bombs, enough of weapons. they want to be entertained. they want to be hopeful. at least a little for their country. that's what we are doing. we entertain them. >> the film traces the evolution from an entrepreneurial start-up for a modern network bringing viewers a mix of cooking and entertainment, to news and commentary. the rise of the network reflects the broad of theme of a country trying to find its votes following years of sin stability. eva, great to see you. why did you make this documentary? i i thought it would be good to make a somewhat positive, in --

there's been so much negative media about the country, and i thought it was timely, and the takeaway is the positive story is the success of the media. >> the success of the media, what do you mean by that? >> it's the largest media company. looks like he had no media experience, in how to make radio, how to tell stories. when you look at some of the failures in the country, in terms of the occupation, setting up businesses, the military, security, i think that the media is, you know, the big success story in terms of achievement over the last 12 years in the country. >> one of the most successful shows on there is a show called "eagle 4." it's a cop show, sort of like "law & order" afghanistan-style, very popular, but more going for it than just that. what's the basic takeaway, and how is it working in the

country? >> it actually wasn't the most successful -- they only did one series. it was the largest show they have ever done, working in conjunction with the police to try to make people respect and trust the police more, so that was part of the, you guess the idea behind that series was to teach people to trust the police. that definitely worked. the statistics that the government provided, in terms of how much people started trusting the police after the show aired were quite staggeringly quite high, but it wasn't renewed. i'm not sure it was a huge success. >> it certainly cost a lot of money and grabbed a big audience, at least when it was on. in the movie, one of the executives is have australia, she grabs a couple cameramen and others out in the field, they got into a big dispute because somebody got caught in traffic, right out of the network

television, but this person sort of lectures them, because they stornld out, your job is to focus on a solution, not whose fault it is. find solution. almost as if she was talking to the whole country in that scene. wap deliberate in. >> they tend to take on a parenting role, and teach kids how to do things. but it also shows, you know, how young everyone is. the median age in afghanistan is currently 17. it's a young country. so when you go to tolo-tv, most are in their early 20s. it's shocking to see young afghans running news department who are 24, 25, you don't see that anywhere else in the world. >> very briefly, if we may, is tolo-tv working? changing attitudes in the

country? what happens when u.s. forces leave? >> absolutely it is. i'll give you an example. sesame street was brought in for the first time a couple years ago. it plays in tens of countries around the world, but in afghanistan, it's probably the only country where adults and i just love that. effect -- in terms of teaching people. will it stay in will it succeed? i think tolo is one of the few sustaining companies in afghanistan. they have a large advertising department, proper entrepreneurs running it. will it stay the same size? only time will tell. i think things will change potentially. >> thank you, eve. thanks get. ahead on "reliable sources" meet the next generation of news, in person. my journalism students from the george washington university on covering the shutdown and how they're getting the news. i hope jeff bezos is watching

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i would not say i'm into it. but let's see where this goes. [ buzzer ] do you like to travel? i'm all about "free" travel, babe. that's what i do. [ buzzer ] balance transfers -- you up for that? well -- unh. too soon? [ female announcer ] fortunately, there's an easier way, with creditcards.com. compare hundreds of cards from every major bank and find the one that's right for you. creditcards.com. it's simple. search, compare, and apply. [ ice rattles ] as director of the george washington university school of media and public affairs, i'm lucky to work with aspiring young journalists see the changes from the ground up.

we thought this was an a-plus moment for them to weigh in on news coverage and more. you want to be journalists. you're in washington, you're in washington at a time when the government is shut down, the biggest story we've had in a long, long time. where are you getting your news from? >> twitter. i mean, you know, following reporters, or the actual media outlet. >> before i get out of bed every morning, i'm always on twitter. twitter, facebook, cnn i follow, "new york times," "the washington post," bakley everyone. >> i turn to "the washington post" a lot and i watch "the rundown" on cbs this morning on their website. >> i first go to twitter. then when i'm out -- i always got to gym and watching "morning joe" and "the daily rundown." mine is almost exclusively online, podcasts. >> once the alarm hits, i take the smartphone, check twitter,

still in bet. >> i'm old school. i wake up to npr. >> when i wake up i check my facebook, check my e-mails, and it takes me into places like buzzfeed, and then from there, facebook also bring me to, like, "the washington post" and cnn. go to bloomberg, and then also read morning newsletters. >> how many of you get your news from the jon stewart and jimmy kimmels, and stephen colbert's of the world? >> but i mean, it's funny, you know, it's easy to watch while you're doing other things. >> i don't think most people go there as there -- as their main sort of news. i think it's mostly people who have an understanding itches what's the first and foremost responsibility of the news media? >> if the first responsibility of the government is to govern,

and they're not, what's the -- >> watch dog. >> okay. that's easy to say. what does that mean? then if it involves holding people consolidatable, then that's how you do it. but it's printing the facts and letting them make the decision. how do you cover these people? >> we should be giving senators and congressman who are saying falsehood of a line on the -- on the news, so there are senators who said, you know, the affordable care act is unconstitutional. it is. the supreme court ruled that it is constitutional. and that's fine. so, like, just -- you can't just say these things because that's how you feel. if someone is going to blatantly

say that's incorrect on the news, as an elected official, they should lose their access to the media. >> shouldn't interview them again? >> no. >> even if they're the ones orchestrating the whole thing. >> i would let them proselytize, wouldn't use c-span coverage of them talkinging a in in in ing opposition, this is their valid point. >> would you cover ted cruz? how could you not cover ted cruz? >> you have someone putting their stamp on for 21 hours and rambles and goes on star wars, you made your point. >> is it because you disagree with him? as far as he's concerned, he's mr. smith goes to washington. >> i completely disagree with that, actually. i think you have to call the people out. you have to do it in a civize cd way. that way the public can really decide for themselves are they really looking out in our best

interested or just doing their own thing for political gains? >> media has the ultimate agenda setti inting power. i feel like not pointing the finger at people but putting them in the spotlight and making them responsible for them to give explanations. and just putting them on the spotlight could be a solution. >> what should the agenda setting priority be in this one? what should the media's agenda be? >> why the government failed to govern. >> if you're at your local paper you have to localize it. you have to talk to the people in your community about how it is affecting them. >> we talked about how the media hasn't really been able to localize the information to make it relatable to people, but i feel as though social media in a sense has been able to fill that void by allowing people who are affected by this, whether it be the camera or something more serious to localize their concerns and really say how it is affecting them personally.

and then this -- when people talk about it and it gets retweeted or shared, then that's when we really get to hear it directly from the people who are affected. >> there you have it, afuture of news and a shred of hope. ahead on "reliable sources," a tool for news and information that is about to be worth billions. i thought about what it means after the break. my customers can shop around-- see who does good work and compare costs. it doesn't usually work that way with health care. but with unitedhealthcare, i get information on quality rated doctors, treatment options and estimates for how much i'll pay. that helps me, and my guys, make better decisions. i don't like guesses with my business, and definitely not with our health. innovations that work for you. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. life with crohn's disease ois a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps come back?

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in case you missed it, there has been a drumbeat during the show. not shutdown, not obama care, not mainstream media. we have talked about all that, but what's been invoked throughout the hour is twitter. twitter and the reporters. they're tweeting, reacting. it's changed journalism. twitter and the congressmen. he breaks news with it. talks to his constituents through it. attracts mainstream media because of it. the students. they sleep with it, start the day with it, it is their gateway to information, and the odd party or two. for sure, it has become part of the culture. it is about to become big business. twitter announced a $1 billion ipo, their filing says they have 215 million active users.

they'll trade under the symbol twtr, no hash tag. there is word they're going to hire a head of news, even though they don't originate a shred of news and don't plan to. you heard about the bridge to nowhere. twitter is the bridge to everywhere. but is twitter a reliable source? as with all else in social media, you have to consider the source. every news org has a twitter feed, so does just about every politician and probably many of your friends. for sure, it is accelerated and amplified the debate. but my scientist friends say it is more of a connector than a thought leader. my colleague at the school of media and public affairs nicky usher writes, social media campaigns on both sides confirm existing beliefs, rallying the troops, but this kind of content is rarely, if ever, going to make any kind of attitude change. but we need an attitude change. an altitude change, in politics and media.

that could be a tweet. with characters to spare. that's it for this edition of "reliable sources." i'm frank sesno. if you missed part of our show, find us online or itunes. search for reliable sources in the itunes store and join the conversation on twitter, tweet us @cnnreliable or use the hash tag #reliable. join us 11:00 a.m. eastern. "state of the union" with candy crowley begins right now. if you want a friend in washington, get a dog. today they call him speaker cruz. it's not meant as a compliment. >> so many democrats have invoked my name as the root of all evil. >> a marquee name in the tea party takes on incoming from the other parties. our exclusive with texas republican senator ted cruz. then -- >> take that vote. stop this farce. >> all we're asking for is to do