today the nation's leading infectious disease expert says the u.s. is not turning the corner. an average of 35,000 new cases a day. that's progress from the summer peek of 70,000. but still stubbornly high as the season will soon change to colder temperatures and people are forced inside. and dr. fauci is repeating his confidence that the vaccine could be ready by the end of the year and adding that returning to prepandemic terms may not happen until the end of 2021. >> i believe that we will have a vaccine available by the end of this year, beginning of next year. prr but by the time you mobilize the distribution of vaccinations and you get the majority or more of the population vaccinated and protected, that's not likely to

happen until the midor end of 2021. >> the man leading the national charge of heading the vaccine also points to december as a more likely timeline. >> you have been very careful, as i've seen in your other interviews too, steer clear of politics. you said this process will not be interfered with politically and said it's possible but unlikely this vaccine will be available before election day, because that's what the president has said. is that still your position? >> if we can make them advance prior to the election day, we will. if we can after the election day we will. it's totally irrelevant. it's more laikely it happens in november and even more likely in december. >> let's bring in senior medical correspondent to join us. you heard him say the race for the vaccine has nothing, quote,

to do with politics. and i wonder what your thoughts are on that as we have certainly seen a lot of politatization around this. >> i've actually spoken topeople in volved in the effort to get a vaccine in the market. i will say from what they say and i'm hearing is that the people directly working on this are feeling like sicientists ar not involved. that is not speeding things up. the the question becomes once this gets to the point where a decision needs to be made by high-ranking fda official said, will they cower to the pressure of the president. that's the question. not so much what's happening now but will they do what the president wants, which is clearly to get a vaccine out before election day? >> how has the fda responded

previously in the face of pressure from the president to do certain things? >> right. so, we do have this history where we look at hydroxychloroquine, which a got an emergency use authorization based on basically no data. we look at convalescent plasma, there are some who think it did deserve an authorization. but there are certainly questions especially the timing, right before the republicans started their convention. there is question whether they will kowtow at the president, even if science is not on the mark. they say science rules the day but there are reasons to kbegz that. >> you have new reporting, recent development that one vaccine maker put a pause because a volunteer came down with an unexplained illness. >> when this pause came down

earlier this week, there was tef definitely messaging that said this is common. this happens. don't worry about it. and i think it's interesting because when i actually talk to people who run vaccine trials for a living, who have done this for decades and decades, they say this is not so common. they use the word uncommon, unusual. and here's why. when you have a trial of 30,000 people, somebody is going to get sick, somebody is going to have a heart attack. but to get to the point where there's an illness that you're so concerned is associate woud the vaccine that you pause the trial is unusual. one doctor put it at 5 to 10%, closer to 5% and it's happened twice. it happened in july. they decided the person who developed multiple sclerosis and

then there wasn't a pause. we're told from the head of the nih, there was a spinal cord problem. but that's still in effect. >> there should be answers soon, we hope. thank you. most people not wearing masks and not staying far away from each other. they did not seem bothered by that. >> i have within with me. it's my prerogative. >> but why not wear one to stay safe? >> i have a hard time understanding people when they talk. so, that's why i don't wear it. >> reporter: but you can hear me right now? >> i can hear you. >> reporter: why aren't you wearing a mask? >> because there's no covid. a fake pandemic created to destroy the united states of america.

>> a little mask, a little mask, this prootects you from the world's deadliest and scariest virus that ruined our economy? and we have to wear this? >> i am young and a lot of people here are not young, they're much older, but they understand they're taking a risk. >> reporter: why are you not wearing a mask? >> because i had my temperature taken already and i'm not sick. >> you're not worried about all masks?people in here not wearing >> i'm not worried about it. >> i don't have any worries about it. we're in an outdoor area. i'm not concerned with it. >> i'm not afraid. the good lord takes care of me. if i die, i die. we got to get this country moving. >> let's discuss this with the doctor, who is an associate professor of medicine.

i mean i really enjoyed actually hearing from people and it sort of saddens me as well, hearing them at the rally. one person saying she had her temperature checked, so she's not worried and another saying there's enough breeze. we need to know what people are thinking because these are the folks putting practices in place or not. so, fact check what you heard there. >> that was pretty startling to me to hear because it seems like there's still so much misinformation out there and the problem is we're very dependent, not only on ourselves but our neighbors and how careful they're being. just because you don't have a fever and don't feel sick doesn't mean you don't potentially have coronavirus. you may be an asymptomatic case. the cdc estimates 40% of people never get symptoms. the other thing is the fact that when you're in an outdoor space,

yes, it's much better than indoor but breezes or not, if you're in close proximity with other people, particularly if they're not wearing mask said, you're again at risk for contracting the virus. so, i don't know what to say about the notion that this is all a myth and covid doesn't exist. i will agree with one statement, which is we do have to get things moving, but the best way is to control the spread to the virus, and in my opinion, masks are a huge part of that. >> oo cay. and i want to ask you. you know, can you react to the one gentleman holding up the mask and laughing about it as a tiny thing that can protect from such a big pandemic. i think of a bunch of small things that protect from all kinds of diseases. but what do you say to that guy? >> well, as we look at the countries that have been able to get better control of the virus

and similar viruses in the past, those are countries that have made mask wearing part of their culture, particularly during the time of illness. many of the asian country, for example. so, masks absolutely have been proven to prevent the transmission of viruses, including coronavirus. we've seen that in our own country. it may not seem like a big step but it's one of the most effective things you can do to protect yourself. >> protective goggles, condoms. there's all kinds of small devices protecting from serious diseases. i want to turn to the fo forecast by the cdc that says 217,000 deaths can occur by october 3. >> we're at close to 190,000 right now. if the numbers continue to progresses, we may even go up to

400,000 more cases by the end of the year. what has to happen is continued vigilance and as we go into the winter months, it becomes even more important to avoid the large social gatherings. we don't think we're go having to a vaccine for at looeeast another month. these measures are even more important right now. dr. fauci said we are at sort of a plateau around 36,000. that is a dangerously high plateau. that's not the number we want to see going into the colder months. so, unless we're more careful, we are going to see the numbers continue to increase. >> thanks for joining us. we really appreciate it. >> thank you. next, schools in des moines, iowa, defying the governor's

order. i'll be speaking to a board member about why they're doing it that way. as the nation remembers 9/11, we'll discuss what happened to that feeling of solidarity we felt as a nation, 19 years ago today. [ bell rings] - [narrator] did you just reward yourself

for spending a perfectly reasonable amount of time on the couch with tacos from grubhub? grubhub's gonna reward you for that with a $5 off perk. (doorbell rings) - [crowd] grubhub! (fireworks exploding)

when their growing family meant growing expenses, our agents helped make saving on insurance easy usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. usaa

[ heavy breathing ] breathe more freely with congpowerful claritin-d.you? claritin-d improves nasal airflow two times more than the leading allergy spray at hour one. [ deep inhale ] claritin-d. get more airflow. there have been more than 40,000 positive cases of covid-19 at colleges across the state. reopening schools for in-person learning has become a point of contengsz.

they're defying a judge's order to resume in-person classes. rob barren is a des moines public school board member. rob, thank you so much for being with us. and tell us why you made this decision. >> well, first thing i'll tell you is this wasn't an easy decision. what we all want, my board, superintendent, our teaching staff, we all want to get back to normal. but normal is a tough road to get to these days. we looked at the rising positivity rates in colt county, where we are. we thought about the number of students coming in and out of our buildings, with 5,000 staff. and weighed the factors. and it was our judgment, performed by local conditions, that starting virtually was the right thing for our community. >> we've talked to doctors in

your state who say this is the right decision. they've said, based on what different counties are experiencing, perhaps there could be a tailored approach but when you're looking at spikes, this is something school boards should be able to decide with safety on their side. that being said, your district could lose funding over this. are you concerned? >> very concerned. one of the hammers the stated has put out over us is requiring us to repeat days at the end of the year. one day of instruction is a little over a million dollars a day. every day they hold out we may have to return, is a sniff knigt amount of money for us to afford. now, i don't think we'll necessarily be in that position. our goal overall, whether the state was involved or not, is to

get back to in-person learning. we're trying to do it in the safest possible way that doesn't put our staff, our kids and all our families at further risk. >> when do you see it realistic to look at a more nuanced hybrid model when you talk about experiencing spikes and the numbers aren't low enough as if you're having kids in class in iowa. i was a campaign reporter. you can't have kids outside. so, what do you do? >> that's the challenging part. a lot of parents want their kids back in school and we understand that. but if we're going to be contributing to the further spread of a virus that has really serious short-term implications and we think long-term implications on the

folks that get it, we have to be really cautious about that. i'm also cognizant that i'm a volunteer school board member. the decision i'm making to send folks, especially staff, back in the buildings is not the walk i'm going to walk. they're the ones who are going to come back in and i need put them in the safest possible place. it's incredibly challenging and unfortunately the governor's actions, so far, have not made it any easier to navigate. >> what about sports? we mention a lot of students and parents are upset, especially when they feel some sports are safer than others. what do you say to them? >> i would say they're right. some sports are safer. there's a difference between cross country and football. the question overall is really different than the question of opening up buildings that are serving hundreds or thousands of

students as is the case in my district. we had been practicing and doing some competitions before the school year started that states will restrict us from doing that. it was our take that most of all, we don't want to take opportunities away from our kids. and we're only going to do it when we feel like it is their safety, a matter of their safety. and our coaches and leaders who were running the practices and events as safely as they could and we're monitoring those. des moines and iowa have a summer sports season as well. so, we've been down this drill with baseball and softball over the summer. we felt like we could manage this. >> thank you so much for having this conversation with us. >> thank you for the opportunity. still ahead, the cdc releasing a new study showing people who have tested positive

for the coronavirus are much more likely to have eaten indoors at a restaurant. plus, we're live where the officers charged with the killing of george floyd were in court today and the ♪ water? why?! ahhhh! incoming! ahhhahh! i'm saved! water tastes like, water. so we fixed it. mio

leading armies to battle?,

was that your great-aunt, keeping armies alive? drafting the plans. taking the pictures. was it your family members? who flew. who fixed. who fought. who rose to the occasion. when the world needed them most. (♪) find and honor your ancestors who servered in world war ii. their stories live on at ancestry. hi jen! hi. so you're the scientist here. does my aveeno® daily moisturizer really make my dry skin healthier in one day? it's true jen. really?! this prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. impressive! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.

it's totally not the same without you. we miss your "let's do this" look, the sound of your laugh cry screams, and how you make every day here the best day ever. we can't wait to get you back so we've added temp checks, face coverings, social distancing and extra sanitizing

to get the good times going again. we're finally back... and can't wait until you are too. buy now and get two days free at the parks. restrictions apply. ongoing ceremonies to honor those who died on 9/11.

pictures from pennsylvania, where united airlines flight 93 crashed in an empty field. president trump speaking there earlier today and then a short time ago, presidential nominee, joe biden and his wife, jill biden, arriving to pay their respects. it has been 19 years since that fateful day and may be hard to recall just how bitterly divided america was before those attacks. they came before the hotly contested election between george bush and al gore, an election that had to be settled by the supreme court. and americans pulled together in a way that hadn't been seen in decades. cnn chief political correspondent, dana bash. both of you covered 9/11. and you covered leaders in 9/11 and saw how they responded to it. i want to talk broadly about, i guess, the toll of 9/11. nearly 3,000 people died,

gloria, in the attacks. almost 7,000 u.s. service members killed, so many, and today you have more than 190,000 americans who have died since march because of the pandemic and there isn't -- this isn't something that has brought the country together in mourning. we're more divided than ever. >> right. and when i look back t was this great national traumatic event that we all saw. we saw the smoke. >>ing out from the towers, we saw the planes crash or we saw the aftermath of that. we could watch it unfold and there was no question that this was an attack on america committed by terrorists. and it united the country that

how do we take them down? and i know dana remembers this, the members of congress joining together on the steps of the capitol and singing. i think that it is because it was everyone could see it and feel it and hear it. the pandemic, you cannot see and you cannot feel and it is not in front of you, on television, every day, the way, as much as we talk about it, the way those pictures were. and there is not a clear enemy here. it's not the terrorists. who is this? and see the country's already polarized and the reaction to it is polarized and donald trump is reacting one way and joe biden is reacting another one, just as they reacted differently to 9/11, by the way. i think it's different environment, different times and different pictures. >> what do you think?

>> absolutely. the i was there on the capital grounds in front of the capital when members of the republican and democratic party came together and it was impromptu. they just started singing. it is hard to imagine something like that right now. i was at the capitol when we urevacuated because there was smoke you could see from the windows of the pentagon. gloria's kmaktly right. so many people unfortunately know somebody or know somebody who knows somebody that's died from the coronavirus. but it isn't that instant moment of terror and fear that quickly leads to resolve that we feel now. and look, george w. bush, as you ids in the intro to the segment, was a very divisive figure. i remember driving by the vice

president's house many, many times. the people standing there with signs saying get out of joe lieberman's house, but he didn't handle it as a republican president. george bush hand tled it as an american president. going to not just ground zero with the bull horn, but going to mosques and saying this isn't about the muslims. it's about people who take that religion and twist it for doing ill. it's hard to imagine those things right now and it is unfortunate. >> that actually brings up, dana, an excellent example to me where, following 9/11 and there was violence and discrimination against muslim americans and people who people would mistake for being muslim. and in the wake of the virus,

there's been many incidents against the asians and asian americans and, it's not something that has been tamped down by the president, instead he's bolstered it, calling the china virus and kung-flu. >> right, donald trump likes to find someone to blame, always, because he takes responsibility for nothing. and what george bush did was say here is what we need to do. we need unite and as dana was pointing out, he tried to unite the country and say we're all in this together. i think the difference here is you have a president looking for someone else to take responsibility, rather than saying we need to listen on the science. this is the path we need to take from day one. and we know from bob woodward's book that he knew more than he was telling us. it's two completely different approaches to leadership and

governing, between two different republicans, george w bush and donald trump. >> and they've accused each other of politicizing the availability of a vaccine. 62% believe political pressure will cause the fda to rush a coronavirus vaccine. they've seen the impact in past incidents. how might that effect the president's appeal? >> well, it is going to effect the president's appeal but much more, i think, importantly, it's potentially going to effect getting a handle on the virus because let's just hope that there is a legitimate vaccine that the -- one of the drug makers will find, that the fda scientists genuinely find is effective and safe. we hope that moment will come some day soon. selling that to the american

public and making it so they feel comfortable taking it is going to pea a challenge and it's because we have had five years now of a very, very loud mega phone, donald trump, chipping away at institutions. it's not just during the pandemic. this is his whole calling card. and so, when the president is saying it's okay to mistrust institutions. and by the way, that's an okay thing to say. we're journalists. our job is to question institutions, right? but when you take it and paint such a broad brush t makes it so when this country and americans need to trust their institutions, it's a challenge and so when we get to that point, hopefully we will find a way and i think the fact that angtdany fuchy believes the year. and there are going to be a lot of people looking at him.

>> thank you so much. and what she's seeing on the front lines of the pandemic. and all four officers charged in the killing of george floyd in court today. and the family. - [narrator] did you just reward yourself

for spending a perfectly reasonable amount of time on the couch with tacos from grubhub? grubhub's gonna reward you for that with a $5 off perk. (doorbell rings) - [crowd] grubhub! (fireworks exploding)

okay, give it a try. between wisdom and curiosity, there's a bridge. between ideas and inspiration, trauma and treatment. gained a couple of more pounds. that's good for the babies. between the moments that make us who we are, and keeping them safe, private and secure, there's webex. ♪ ♪ beautiful. today's discussion will be around sliced meat. moms want healthy... and affordable. land o' frost premium!!! no added hormones either. it's the only protein i've really melted with.

land o' frost premium. fresh look. same great taste.

all four former min yneapol police officers were in court today. they want them tried together but they've already started pointing the finger at each other. i understand you just heard from the floyd family attorney. tell us about this. >> reporter: the moments seeing the four officers altogether for

the first time in the same room and just seeing their interactions. they weren't speaking to each other and watching their faces as they described the moments of george floyd's death. this pretrial hearing was an opportunity to present several motions by both sides. i have to say the main take away was quite an embarrassing day for county prosecutors in the area. the judge ruling on a motion to remove the county prosecutor and some of his staff from this case that stemmed from an incident where they're alleged to have met with a witness. calling it sloppy, removing them from the case. so it's up to state prosecutors. there are a number of issues still pending. fl example, they're weighing whether to change the venue. trying to determine whether they can get a fair trial in the

grarria wiarea with all of this publicity. the judge denying the motion but it's still raising eyebrows. some defense councils wanted to insert information from past incidents where george floyd had encounters with law enforcement and said george floyd made a habit of ingesting drugs when he had encounters with police. take a listen. >> the only overdose that killed george floyd was a overdose of excessive force and racism by the minnesota, minneapolis police department. >> reporter: now, again, the judge denying entering evidence about past incidents, saying in his own words what relevancy does that have to this case? this trial continues.

i wanted you to take a quick look behind me. several hundred that gather and several dozen calling for racial justice, calling for an end to police brutality and across the nation. it's something likely to continue. the next trial date and milestone is set for march 8th. >> thank you so much for bringing that to us. and coming up the government issues its first government-related citation for failing to protect workers. plus, as students go back to class, nurses say they're getting mixed messages. ♪ gillette proglide and proglide gel. five blades and a pivoting flexball designed to get virtually every hair on the first stroke, while washing away dirt and oil. so you're ready for the day with a clean shave and a clean face. ♪

♪ who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. so help heal your skin from within,

and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help.

to save you up to 60%. these are all great. and when you get a big deal... ♪ ...you feel like a big deal. ♪ priceline. every trip is a big deal.

as schools resume in-person learning, there is one group with a unique perspective and that is school nurses. it gives them greater insight into what works and what does not. here is the president of the new hampshire nurse's association. we're curious what you're seeingtop. what is it like in schools? >> thank you for inviting us. new hampshire is just starting to open up schools. we have some that have been open a couple of weeks and others that just started this week and we have three different plans of operation throughout the state baize every district had to develop their own plan and half the population is in person and the other half, they'll be in

person on zoom, so that the class sizes are down that way and they have a mixture of what they're calling a hybrid. we have some that are all remote. all are starting at home. we have others with a blend of the two. those that wanted to stay home, can and be on remote, and the rest have come back in person. so, we've got three different -- which one is right, we're not going to know until we have data and have been in school for a while to know which model would be working best. perhaps they'll all work equally. that's to be determined. >> you're still waiting to kind of see how these different things work and you need time. i know that you've said you've got mixed messages when it. >>s to masks. can you tell us about that? >> sure. the state of new hampshire has not mandated masks. we have very few communities nat have. i can say most school districts have mandated them.

we are an extension of the community. we are a portion of the community and when we mandate masks at school but they leave school, they're under the jurisdiction of their parents and the, any other laws that may be present, they no longer have to twhar masks. and that mixed message is, it's hard to speak to because with schools, going to the lengths they've gone, to make it safe for school for kids so they can be in school too, then have the protections undone by the community, really says that the mixed messaging isn't necessarily on the school nurse's part or the school's part. er for it's on the community as a whole. so, who are they listening to? the state that hasn't mandated masks? are they just deciding on their own that masks aren't beneficial? what we would like is that

everyone be listening to the same guidance we as school nurses strongly state that we should have everybody masked at all times, not just in the school community. >> paula, thank you so much for talking to us. you and school nurlss all over your state and the country are taking incredible risks to keep kids safe. and you're taking those risks with your own health. so, we appreciate you discussing them with us. and for more coronavirus deadlines around the country, let's check in with our cnn correspondents. >> a new study from the cdc suggests adults with covid-19 are twice as likely to say they dined at a restaurant in the two weeks prior to feeling sick. researchers looked at more than 300 adults, and there were no major differences between those who tested positive to negative

when it came to shopper or a salon. they say low-risk ways to enjoy your favorite restaurant are to order takeout or delivery. is lower risk than indoor. >> reporter: i'm dianne gallagher in atlanta. u.s. labor has cited smithfield after they recommend that the maximum fine which is about $13,500. the president of the union that represents those workers, the ufcw, they called this a slap on the wrist, pointing out that just under 1300 employees at that plant contracted covid-19 and four of them died. smithfield said that the citation is meritless and it plans to contest it. >> reporter: i'm jessica

snidener washington. and josh bellamy is facing a slew of fraud charges after the justice department said he used coronavirus relief funds for his own personal use. bellamy allegedly took more than $100,000 from a loan from the paycheck protection program to buy luxury goods from places like dior and gucci. they say he's a good man that should be given the benefit of the doubt. the justice department has charged more than 50 people for taking money from the ppp program in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. >> thank to you my colleagues. and dr. fauci urging people to hunker down because things may not get back to normal until the end of next year. the end of 2021. we have that ahead. but first a sneak peek at champions for change here on cnn. >> all next week, on cnn. every step moves us forward.

bringing us together. >> we have neighbors helping neighbors. >> sparking action and innovation. >> my mission is to build homes that are earthquake and hurricane proof. >> it is not just giving back, he's also educated minute process. follow along with those walking the walk. change makers, leading the charge. >> it is hard to make a difference if you don't disrupt the status quo. >> and inspiring others. >> it is a door opening for a new life. >> everybody here is a champion. >> it is amazing to see people's lives change. >> you are our hero. >> champions for change, all next week on cnn.

advanced non-small cell lung cancer can take away so much. but today there's a combination of two immunotherapies you can take first. one that could mean... a chance to live longer. opdivo plus yervoy is for adults newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread and that tests positive for pd-l1 and does not have an abnormal egfr or alk gene. it's the first and only approved chemo-free combination of two immunotherapies that works together in different ways

to harness the power of the immune system. opdivo plus yervoy equals a chance for more days. more nights. more beautiful weekends. more ugly sweaters. more big hugs. more small outings. opdivo and yervoy can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work. this may happen during or after treatment has ended and can become serious and lead to death. some of these problems may happen more often when opdivo is used with yervoy. see your doctor right away if you have a new or worse cough; chest pain; shortness of breath; diarrhea; severe stomach pain; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; fainting; extreme tiredness; weight changes; constipation; excessive thirst; changes in urine or eyesight; rash; itching; confusion; memory problems; muscle pain or weakness; joint pain; flushing; fever; or tingling in hands and feet. these are not all the possible side effects. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including immune system problems, or if you've had an organ transplant or lung, breathing, or liver problems. here's to a chance for more together time. a chance to live longer. ask your doctor about opdivo plus yervoy.

thank you to all involved in our clinical trials. for spending a perfectly reasonable amount of time on the couch with tacos from grubhub? grubhub's gonna reward you for that with a $5 off perk. (doorbell rings) - [crowd] grubhub! (fireworks exploding)

today on homefront, our digital tnd television column where we try to bridge the civilian military divide and bring you stories of military families. we're addressing the president that trump posed so john kelly in 2017 while standing alongside his son's grave at arlington national cemetery. what is in it for them, he asked about service members. it is a crude question and it misses the point. according to marine corp veteran

kate wyatt who lost her husband when he died in afghanistan in 2010, this is a big one. >> to serve something higher than yourself is why most veterans from my view, from my experience, why they join. >> veterans and gold star family members told us that they and loved ones service because they love their country, because they're loyal to their brothers and sisters in arms and for a number of other reasons. but br my husband who is army special forces deployed he has a ritual familiar to many service members, he sits down and writes letter. one for his adult daughter and one for each boy and one for his grandmother and his family in texas and one for me. and he sit as los alone and i w by him he was crying as he was writing. now he returned home safely,

thank god. i came across those letters in the bottom of a desk drawer last week still sealed. do not open unless i'm gone written on them. and they were on my mind a couple of days later when the article in the atlantic came out when details how american marines were called losers and suckers. in his book "tribe", sebastian younger writes about the challenging return from war and he said this, he said what would you risk dying for? and for whom is perhaps the most profound question a person can ask themselves. the vast majority of people in modern society are able to pass their whole lives without ever having to answer that question. which is both an enormous blessing and a significant loss. i could tell you from my personal view that it is a blessing and a loss to not have to answer that question. and for the commander-in-chief,

the leader who ultimately decides how and where our nation service members are deployed, to never truly seek an answer to that question, it is also a shame. you could find this column today on cnn.com/homefront and send your questions and comments and story ideas to homefront at cnn.com. our special coverage continues right now with brooke baldwin. thank you so much. hi there, i'm brooke baldwin and tha thank you for being with me. today we come together to remember the worst modern day tragedy. it was 19 years ago when the world watched in horror as the united states was attacked by terrorists. nearly 3,000 lives lost, thousands more injured and a world changed forever. shortly president trump will be awarding the medal of honor to army sergeant major thomas patrick payne as part of an elite unit in iraq.