the most. cnn, johannesburg, south africa. i'm heidi collins, thanks for watching everybody. "cnn newsroom" continues now with don lemon. >> it is wednesday, august 5th. here are some of the top stories right here in the "cnn newsroom." cheers and tears. two american journalists return home after a 4 1/2 months as prisoners in north korea. plus, this -- >> your drinking ability a bust. the economy b minus, foreign policy b minus, health care b. he's grading the president. the obama's presidency approaches the 200-day milestone. cnn i-reporters help grade the president. a remarkable feat in the operation room. doctors pull off a 14-way domino kidney transplant. good morning, everyone.

i'm don lemon, tony harris is off today and you are in the "cnn newsroom." and we start out this hour with a joyous homecoming and if you haven't seen these pictures, sit down and take a look at them because laura ling and euna lee overcome with emotion when they arrived in the los angeles area two hours ago. they returned home for a tearful family reunion. we have extensive coverage for you ahead. thelma gutierrez is at the bob hope airport in california and jill doherty is in washington for us. thelma, let's start with you. we have said emotional and you can't say that enough and you can't see these pictures enough. >> yeah, absolutely, don. i mean, wev all had reunions, but how often do you see the former president of the united states and vice president in a

room with people who have not seen each other for 140 days. this thing was so well produced, it was so dramatic to watch the pictures unfold before our eyes. we're standing in the hangar which, don o, is the size of a football field. a huge thing, a private hanger and to see the sun come up and plane come in and then to see euna lee and laura ling get off that plane and to watch the family members have a reunion with them. very emotional scene. one thing that struck me was watching the husband and said they hadn't spent much time apart and he really missed her and as he walked up to the plane, he was ringing his hands in anticipation of being able to hug her and then also doug ling,

the father of laura and lisa. he said he thought this would be the happiest day of his life and as he approached his daughter and teld her, you could see the smile on his face and tears in his eyes and very, very touching. but, don, i think the shot that really spoke to all of us, especially those of us that are parents, was watching that 4-year-old little hannah who is euna lee's daughter run to her mother and hold her. she had not seen her mother in so many months and to watch the interaction between the two of them really was something. >> thelma, i thought it was also very interesting to point out. sometimes it's just the little thing. one of the husbands said he didn't realize how much he missed his wife until some new pillows arrived and she wasn't there to share the pillows with him. >> that's exactly right. you know, don, this woman had gone off, both of these journalists have gone off to

cover a story about women who are trafficked from north korea. so they go off to cover this story, they say good-bye to their family members and think that they're going to see them in a couple of weeks and then this happened. so, march they get arrested and june they find out that they're sentenced to 12 years and you're absolutely right, ian clayton had said that he knew that something was terribly wrong when all of a sudden they ordered these pillows and the pillows show up at the home and his wife wasn't there to share that moment with him and to watch them reunite, really, just a very touching scene. >> thelma, thank you very much. emotion asigh, some criticism happening here. john bolton telling the french press agency it comes close to negotiating with terrorists. let's go now to jill doherty in washington for more on this, jill. it was a little bit surprising by some that mr. bolton would come out and say this, especially after it all ended up

it, appears, as a good thing with these two journalists coming home. >> i think what mr. bolton is talking about is the criticism that some others are leveling, as well. that is, do you use this, this president going to rescue or take away those journalists back home for other situations that we have unfolding. now, should, in other words, bill clinton or somebody else high level go to iran and take the three americans who are being held there who happen to walk over the border, we understand. similar situation. and the question is, is that the type of diplomacy that you want. now, the administration would say that's not diplomacy at all. that's humanitarianism, it's strictly personal and bill clinton going as an individual, north koreans wanted him and has

nulth nothing to do with all the overall relationship others look at him and say it does rub off on the relationship. is that how you conduct it. could you encourage other countries to say we know how to get high-level diplomacy and get a president over here. let's grab some americans. there are legitimate questions coming out. not to diminish what we just saw which is very emotional and really very interesting, too, how this all unfolded, but it is a legitimate question. >> you have to look at the playners volved here because it adds another degree of interest. a former president a would-be president, a former vice president, as well, and then the current president involved in this. and also hearing from people, the white house clearly knew about this, even though they didn't weigh in until after the journalists were freed. >> oh, absolutely. there was a briefing late last night by senior administration official os who describe how this happened. and the way they describe it is back in july and mid-july, the

north koreans talked to the women who were being held and they said, essentially, look, if we can get a high-level diplo t diplomat, namely bill clinton to come here, we are willing to free you and let you have amnesty and go home. we understand what happened at that point is the women were allowed telephone calls periodically with their families. they conveyed that message and it was eventually conveyed to the white house and national security council and they looked into it. they wanted to make sure, is this really legitimate and through various channels they determined that it was, presented it to bill clinton, former president said i'm willing, but it has to be strictly humanitarian, no negotiations about the overall relationship and that the north koreans had to agree to that. so, it's a fascinating back story on all this happened. >> jill doherty, thank you very much and our thanks to thelma gutierrez. let's get to now the peepinal volved in this.

really called paranoid and unpredictable. laura ling described the moments she and euna lee knew they were going home. >> we were told we were going to a meeting. we were taken to a location and when we walked through the doors we saw standing before us president bill clinton. >> that happening just moments ago. former vice president al gore is co-founder of current tv where ling and lee both work. he was instrumental in getting bill clinton to travel to north korea. listen in. >> we want to welcome laura and euna home and we want to thank president bill clinton for undertaking this mission and performing it so skillfully.

and all the members of his team who played key roles in this. also, to president obama, laura mentioned this, but president obama and countless members of his administration have been deeply involved in this humanitarian effort to secretary clinton and the members of the state department, several of whom are here. they have really put their hearts in this. it speaks well of our country. >> former vice president al gore and later in the "cnn newsroom" the political intrigue of former president clinton's mission to north korea. i'll talk live with national security reporter glen kessler who has very interesting information to tell us on the back story that is coming up in just a little bit. let's turn to news now about the economy. two reports out point to continued problems in the job market.

paycheck processor adt said the economy shed 371,000 jobs in july. 371,000. that's more than economists had predicted. a separate report says employers announced more than 97,000 job cuts last month. that is 31% than in june. report by outplacement firm challenger, gray & christmas say layoff announcements totaled more than 994,000 this year. president obama takes an economic road trip to the hard-hit area of indiana. the president is scheduled to speak within the hour. he is delivering grant money and a message, the stimulus is working. our senior white house correspondent ed henry is traveling with the president today. ed, he'll talk about the economy, but i expect health care will come up and possibly the two journalist story, that may come up, as well. >> no doubt. he could comment at some point. you heard him at the white house do that before this trip. when our buses rolled in and the

cars rolled in for this event getting here before the president, there were a lot of people on both sides of the debate shouting on both sides. some protesters and some supporters for the president and the economy will announce $2.4 billion in money for the next generation of electric vehicles, including the rvs, the recreation vehicles you see behind me. this is the rv capital of the world. it's been decimated in recent months because of the fact that people don't have money for vacation, yet alone to spend tens of thousands of dollars on an rv right now. 20% 20% in this general area in e elkhart, indiana. that is why he is coming back, to mark his first 200 days in office and the unemployment numbers are getting better here. there is some good news. i spoke with an rv owner and they say unemployment is now just over 16% and they think the

stimulus money is making a difference. but, as you know, they have republicans back in washington insisting, look, maybe the stimulus money being sprinkled around. >> right here in et "newsroom." it is kedge wld for 11:55 eastern and 8:55 pacific. president obama marks his 200th day in office this week and now is your chance to grade the job he's done so far by logging on to cnn.com/reportcard. you can see the results from cnn's national report card. tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. eastern only here on cnn. talk now about a horrific story. gunned down at the gym. police say a man opened fire on an aerobics class at an l.a. fitness near pittsburgh last night. he turned off the lights and fired 50 rounds killing three women and injuring at least ten

others before killing himself. a source tells us a man was a member of the gym identified as 45-year-old george sodini. witnesses described what they saw. >> everybody started running from the gym bleeding and lady was shot in the leg and shot in the shoulder. >> law enforcement source tells cnn that the gunman had a gym bag with a note in it in which he described his hatred of women. it has never been done before, doctors in washington just successfully completed the largest domino kidney transplant ever, involving seven donors and seven recipients. we're expected to hear more from the doctors at any moment now. there you see them live on those pictures. senior medical correspondent elizabeth cohen is standing by to help us with that story. u.s. senators could decide later today to keep the cash for clunkers program, but, personal finance editor gerri willis says you may want to keep that clunker. her top tips straight ahead.

first, here is the latest on the dow. check it out. you can see the dow is down almost 74 points. details, more details coming up right here in "the newsroom."

we'll start you off with an i-report out of louisville. a whole bunch of dramatic pictures coming in and flooding yesterday and 6 1/2 inches of rain in little over two and a half hours. a lot of waist-deep waters and hard time getting through towns and even churchill downs they had to evacuate some of the thorough breads there to get them away from these rising waters. receding today. where the front is now is where we expect to see the potential for more flooding rains today,

although we don't think it will be quite as deep. but right around this front where we highlight right across the deep south and then right along the front range of the rockies, that's where we might see a little bit of action today. asfer as we're seeing it today, south of memphis. check it out. this is weakening and certainly some gusty winds and lightning and torrential rainfall heading into parts of northern louisiana. that's what's going on at the moment. also, heating up in phoenix, again, excessive heat warnings for you folks and temperatures five to ten degrees above average. look for a high of about 115 in spots, 113 in phoenix and 107 in vagus and 102 expected in dallas and 98 in houston. 90 in atlanta. if you're doing some travel, san francisco has a ground stop for the next few minutes and 30-minute delays in atlanta and detroit seeing 30-minute delays, as well. that is a quick check on weather.

well, it looks like the cash for clunkers auto rebate program will live on. the senate plans to vote late today or tomorrow on a measure that would put another $2 billion in the clunker kitty. democratic leadership says it has the votes to pass it. senate republicans say they won't be a road block for the popular program. the house has already approved more money for it. some dealers are betting on a cash for clunkers extension and kept right on wheeling and dealing throughout the weekend and even throughout this week but others got nervous and put the brakes on the government rebate. >> so, we're going to make a business decision for all our dealerships to stop the program

as of tonight and until we hear further word, we'll go forward. no, i'm not happy about it at all. >> cash for clunkers originally had $1 billion to spend, but the program was so popular, the cash ran out within days. so a lot of you have been asking this question and you haven't gotten involved in the cash for clunkers program, if your car doesn't meet the government definition of clunker, how can you keep it on the road longer? your personal finance editor jerry willsis here. you have been turned down, not you, the understood you, the viewer, possibly, turned down for cash for clunkers. maybe you have, i'm not sure. what are some good investments to make in your current car so that you can keep it on the road a little bit longer? >> a lot of people want to participate and they can't because they don't meet the guidelines. if that's the case, you want to maintain things that could cause your old car to lose control and possibly have an accident like

your tire, battery, brakes. make sure the tire thread isn't worn and check it every month and the number they're supposed to hit is inside that car door. check the pressure when it's cooler out. if you have too much pressure, they will wear in the center. when it comes to the battery, have it checked. a battery can die with absolutely no warning and check for all the rubber bits on your car, including windshield wiper blades because they always go out at the worst time. >> yes, you're stuck with the leaves and everything on there. aren't there other ways to improve your car's efficiency, even though it is sold? >> well, if you use conventional motor oil you can switch to synthetic oil, don. it will cost about 5 bucks more, but with synthetic oil you can go longer between oil changes. every 7,500 miles instead of every 5,000 miles. if you don't know the last time your oil was checked, use your

senses. if you it looks dirty or smells burnt, you should think about replacing it. >> air is free for your tires and some things you don't have to buy. >> it doesn't always cost money. if you take your car in for a oil change you may be persuaded to buy a more expensive part. some example include changing out your air filter, it will give you better fuel efficiency but it won't jeopardize the life of your car. have your tires rotated but commonly recommended and people pay up for it. not cheap, it could run 50 bucks a tire. watch out what you're getting upsold on because it could really hurt you. >> especially now the dealerships, if you take it there, business was not like it was before. they're going to sell you, it's business. besides your car just dying on the side of the road or kicking the bucket, how do you know your clunker finally at the end of the road? >> well, you know, you don't

sell just because you're recently forced to make some kind of major repair. that doesn't make sense. you want to get a sense of what major repairs are around the corner. you can simply talk to other owners or a mechanic that you know and you trust. in the meantime, figure out what vehicle you would like to buy and figure out the cost of monthly payments and try to store away some of that each and every month. if you have any questions, send them to us at gerri@cnn.com and we'd love to hear from you. >> common sense, sleep on it. no rash decisions, right, gerri? >> that's right. >> thank you, gerri willis. >> my pleasure. all right. signs of economic recovery are really starting to emerge, at least that's what some say. does that mean the recession is ending? if so, does president barack obama get the credit? that is a topic of discussion for chief business correspondent ali velshi is on his radio show right now, today, there he is.

ali joins us now from new york. >> don, we never get to talk any more. good to see you, my friend. >> you don't bring me flowers any more. >> too many calls. >> people want to say, who gets the credit, but, really, are we out of the recession is this really a turn around? >> right. before you start giving credit, let's figure out where we are. i asked two questions today to my viewers. are we out of this recession or is this recession ending? if it is ending, if you believe it is ending, who gets credit for it? we're still confused about the first one. people are saying maybe, maybe not. maybe we're coming out of it. somebody said. >> come to las vegas and see for yourself, it's not ending. for those who think it is ending, some people are saying, i have one here, i give obama and his administration 100% credit for looking carefully at the economic issues and doing something to help fix the problems. i have others who say this administration can only take a little bit of the credit

because, really, what happened under the last administration towards the end in october, all that, more than $1 trillion that got thrown at the economy that brought us out of the abyss that we were in and back into a "normal recession." and now we're seeing the ends of the normal recession. >> all right, so, we're saying who would get credit if the current administration doesn't get credit, then who's going to get it? former administration or the administration of the future? >> well, you know, some people say, well, you have to blame the last administration for putting us into this mess. economic cycles are economic cycles. government can help them be worse or shallow oer, but in the end, the money that was put in by t.a.r.p. and the federal reserve last year probably got us back on track. the economic cycle burned its way through. now, here's the important thing. this administration, if they have done the right things, might get credit for a very robust recovery, but that might be something we see several months from now or a year from

now if we start to see jobs turning around. of course f we don't and we see higher taxes and things like that, don, no one is getting credit for anything. >> you brought up a good point because you hear all the numbers people saying we're in a turn around possibly, it happened in july, whatever. but to the average american, unless you have a job and you have some money in your pockt and a prospect of a future, you're not feeling it right now. >> that's right. same way going into a recession. you feel a recession when it hits you generally. when you hear of other people losing jobs or getting jobs. look, we know that jobs are what we call a lagging indicator, right? the stock market is doing fairly well and home prices are starting to stabilize and home sales are going up and these jobs, we're going to be losing jobs for several more months and that really hits people at home. if you don't have an income, it doesn't matter people say the recession is over. we need to start building that confidence and that's the role that this administration can play. making people think that the future is going to look better than it looks right now.

maybe they can get some credit for that. >> ali velshi on tv and radio at the same time. he is multi-tasking today. >> if you want to call. can i give out my number? >> go ahead, though. >> 877-266-4189. this is such a great conversation. so anybody who wants to join us for it, please join us. don, good to see you. >> have a great day, ali. president barack obama marks his 200th day in office this week. you can see how the economy has faired during the last seven months by logging on to cnnmoney.com.

it is report card time once again for president barack obama as he closes in on his 200th day in office. producer tyson wheatley from cnn.com i-report desk joins us with the grades. giving the commander in chief, they have their red pens out. >> they do. hey, don. tomorrow marks president obama's 200th day in office. we asked our reporters to grade the president in the following key areas. economy, foreign policy, health care and leadership of the nation. let's go ahead and take a look at what you said. >> on the one hand i think he's

doing a grit job overall but he has had some slip ups. foreign policy wise i would like to see him come down much harder on iran during the protesting. in terms of the economy, i don't have any money right now, it's hard for me to find work. millions of other americans are in the same boat or a much worse boat. in that regard, he has to do more. he is not finished yet. >> we all know that president obama did not cause the recession. matter of fablth, from the first day he came into office he was expected to stop the freefall of the decline of the economy, a fright train, if you will. not an easy thing to do. to be very honest, i'm not sure any other president that came into office would have done things much differently and would have gotten a better result. >> the obama administration hasn't been able to effectively explain how changing our current health system will actually help save us money. secondly, still provide the best medical care that everyone

expects. >> the part that i don't like is that he's still giving bankers too much of a leeway with our economy and the economy does not belong to bankers, it belongs to us all. >> he has spoken too quickly, he could have thrown our nation in direct conflict with iran and we already have enough problems with afghanistan, iraq, north korea. >> and, of course, we invite you to weigh in on this, as well. you can do so by going to i-report.com and uploading your video and be sure to tune in tomorrow night, 8:00 p.m. eastern for the national report card. obama's second 100 days. that is going to be live on cnn. >> absolutely, tyson. thank you. we can't say it enough because we want our viewers to tune in. president barack obama marks his 200th day in office this week. now is your chance to grade the job he's done thus far by logging on to

cnn.com/reportcard. you can see the results tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. every week we hawn arcnn hero here and this week it is civilian contractor brad bl, sser. when he went to iraq to boost morale. he knew nothing of the one in seven iraqi children living with a disability. now, as u.s. troops withdraw from the region he is staying there to offer hope to thousands of desperate children and their families. >> disabled children, they're really the forgotten ones in this war. they're in the backrooms, often not seen in society. i came to iraq as a civilian contractor. there were a lot of children that either dragged themselves on the ground or had to be carried. there was so many kids out there with a need and so many people willing to reach out and touch the lives of these kids.

in 30 days we had 31pede atric wheelchairs that had hit the ground. my name is brad blauser. people donate on my website and the wheelchairs are brought over and i distribute them to the different military units and help fit these children into the wheelchair. the experience for me in the first distribution was awesome. to see the smile come across their face and look over at the mothers and fathers. >> it is all about humanity. it makes us happy to see such a thing. >> there's no paycheck. it's not really safe here, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity knowing that you've done something for someone that nobody else has done before. i made the difference in the life of these families. definitely the sacrifice has

been worth it. >> congratulations to brad blauser and for more stories on cnn heroes logon to cnn.com/heroes. okay seven people needing kidney transplants and seven others willing to donate. a news conference happening right now and elizabeth cohen standing by for us and she is tracking this historic transplant. 20 minutes later, she'll bring one into the world in seattle. later today, she'll help an accident victim in kansas. how can one nurse be in all these places? through the nurses she taught in this place. johnson & johnson knows, behind every nurse who touches a life... there's a nurse educator... who first touched them. ♪ you're a nurse ♪ you make a difference

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calling the vote on june 12th, whom many people dispute an unprecedented epic. there are yet a number of countries who have yet to congratulate the president. here's what president ahmadinejad had to say to them. we do not have that bite. to paraphrase, the president said we don't need your congratulations. among the countries who didn't send a congradlatory note the uk, germany, france, i think we have that sound bite now. let's go ahead and take it. >> translator: nobody in iran is waiting for anyone's congratulations. the people of iran do not care about their frowning and neither do they care about their smiles and congratulations. >> there you see some of the defiance from president mahmoud

ahmadinejad that we've become accustomed to over the past four years. a lot of empty seats in the parliament, dozens of them. these are hardliners and other reformist lawmakers who have criticized mahmoud ahmadinejad. also no shows, opposition leaders among them mousavi and a couple of former presidents, don. >> speaking of those reformists, let's talk about what happened on the streets in iran. we know what happened during that disputed presidential election and even now reza hearing that some protesters lining up and the seeds in the government, cracking down on these protesters and tell us what is going on there now with them. >> they're backing in today. not in large numbers. and there you see video coming into the iran desk, according to sources. hundreds of people try to gather outside of parliament, but that's where they were met with a huge security presence and thousands of riot police in large part managed to disperse

them and talking to sources for the past hour and at this point, the streets are clear, so it appears as if the crackdown was, in large part, successful. but the opposition movement showed today that the d spite the crackdown, they're going to be continuing to come back. it's an indication of one of the many challenges this president faces. he has his opposition movement to worry about. domestically he has an economy that's on the verge of shambles soaring unemployment. this is a president that's under pressure in facing challenges on multiple fronts, don. >> reza, we will follow this story for quite some time. we appreciate your update. thank you very much. seven people needing kidney transplants and seven others willing to donate. a news conference happening right now. welcome to the now network. right now

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two frees american journalists are back with their families this hour. take a look. euna lee and laura ling to return for a tearful reunion with loved ones. they spent 4 1/2 months in north korean custody. for lee, seeing her 4-year-old daughter, hannah, caused her to weep with joy and she didn't speak to reporters, but laura ling did speak to reporters. >> to our loved ones, friends, colleagues and to the complete strangers with the kindest of hearts who showed us so much love and sent us so many positive thoughts and energy, we thank you. we could feel your love all the way in north korea. it is what kept us going in the

darkest of hours. it is what sustained our faith that we would come home. the past 140 days have been the most difficult heart wrenching time of our lives. we are very grateful that we were granted amnesty by the government of north korea and we are so happy to be home. and we are just so anxious right now to be able to spend some quiet, private time getting reacquainted with our families. >> and even with all the emotion. this was very carefully played out. you know, the theater and the intrigue that came with the bill clinton submission to north korea. i want to bring in glen kessler, reporter for "the washington post." before we talk to you, i want to read president bill clinton's response. bill clinton didn't say anything

in front of the cameras he says, i'm very happy that after this long ordeal euna lee and laura ling are home and reunited with their loved ones. when their families, vice president gore and the white house asked that i undertake this humanitarian mission i agreed. i share a deep sense of relief with laura and euna and their families that they are safely home. just after that statement was released the president had this to say, take a listen. >> the reunion that we've all seen on television, i think, is a source of happiness not only for the families, but for the entire country. i want to thank president bill clinton, i had a chance to talk to him for the extraordinary humanitarian effort that resulted in the release of the two journalists. i want to thank the vice president al gore who worked tirelessly in order to achieve a positive outcome.

>> this had to be very carefully handled. you have a current president, a former president, a current secretary of state and a former vice president all in on this. it was obvious from the president's remarks that he knew about it, but some are considering this may be diplomacy at arm's length instead of direct talks from the president of the united states. >> right. that's exactly right. what you have here is a private humanitarian mission that was fully coordinate would the white house and the state department. they had back channel conversations to the north koreans to ensure that bill clinton got a plane and flew there he could come back with the journalists. >> who started this? >> well, it started with the american administration, the obama administration reaching out in various ways throughout cutouts, you know, back channel conversations trying to figure out a way to get those

journalists home. and, you know, you could see, you know, the public statements of, for instance, the secretary of state changed over the last few weeks from being very strong and condemning the whole trial process of the journalists to coming out and saying, well, they made a mistake, we apologize. sending signals publicly that were reinforced through the back channel conflicts. >> there are people who are saying john bolton said this is negotiating with terrorists and there are people who are saying who knows what the u.s. gave up by allowing president clinton to go over and meet with kim jong-il. what did the u.s. give up besides giving a little credibility as we spoke about to kim jo in, g-il? >> they gave some credibility to a dictator who, after all, did allow at least 2 million of his people to starve to death. and rules over a very horrific regime. but at the same time, this is a country that is, you know, it has just a few months ago

detonated a nuclear device. talks to stem their nuclear program have been stymied and stalled and the obama administration has been looking for ways to engage and discuss these issues with them. and at the same time, maintain tough sanctions. so, by interjecting this humanitarian mission and giving some face to kim jong-il in the form of meeting with the former president, that may have diplomatic benefits down the road. it may not, it may not work out and in the end all you got was two journalists being freed, which was good enough. >> the good thing is that they are home now. what kind of diplomacy this was, what we gave up and what we accomplished, that will all be debated for the days and weeks to come and possibly years. thank you very much, george kessler, national security reporter for "washington post." we appreciate it. we're waiting to hear from president barack obama, he is at an rv plant in indiana this morning and we'll bring you his comments live right here on cnn.

okay. our senior medical correspondent, elizabeth cohen, is here with me now to talk about a groundbreaking kidney transplant just successfully performed in washington. elizabeth, 14 people, 7 donors, 7 recipients taking part in a

so-called domino transplant. maybe it's just me. i never heard of it. but it certainly is intriguing. >> yes, it certainly has happened, but this one is certainly a huge number of people. you have seven people, that's the people right down here. these seven people all needed a kidney transplant. and they were seven of the 80,000 people waiting for someone to die so that they could get their kidneys. 80,000 people on that list. these 7 people were going to have to wait five years and they couldn't wait that long. so, now, most of these people went and found what's called a living donor, a husband, a wife, a cousin, a friend, whoever is willing to give up one of their kidneys while they're still alive. but then they hit another roadblock, none of them matched their donors. so, for example, some of them might have a husband or a wife willing to donate, but they didn't match. so, these people were really in a pickle. >> okay. so, what did they do? >> well, they did sort of this domino kind of thing. i like to think of it as a matching game. what they did is they put all of these people together and found

they didn't match the person they came in with, but they matched someone else. so, let's take a look. larry and elizabeth are a great example. they are a husband and a wife. elizabeth needed a kidney, but she did not match larry, but she did match jordan. now, jordan's interesting. jordan is what is called an altruistic donor. he didn't have a dog in this fight. he didn't have anyone who needed a kidney transplant. he just wanted to give a kidney to somebody. so, he stepped in and said, i'm going to give my kidney to elizabeth. then what happened that freed up larry's kidney. he said, i was going to give to it elizabeth. i'll give it to somebody else. so larry ended up donatesing to dachia, and you multiply it out and so on and so on, and that's how 14 people were matched. >> it snowballed. he's an altruistic donator? >> two, one was a student. one was a pastoral counselor. i don't know anybody who needs a

kidney, but i will give it to anybody who needs it. >> that is true altruism there. most of them were african-american, is that a coincident that i noticed that? >> you know what, don, it's not a coincidence there. african-americans have a much harder time getting kidneys. and there are a couple of reasons why. one of them just for biological reasons, african-americans seem to have very strong and active immune systems that makes them more likely to reject the kidney. and then as they go on dialysis as people do when they need a kidney, it makes them even more likely to reject the kidney. so, that's just a couple of reasons why african-americans simply have a tougher time getting a kidney. >> boy, oh, boy, it's a happy day, for the recipients. does anyone have concerns about this kind of arrangement? there are always people on the other side of it here. >> well, there are people that definitely have worries, don. and the reason why these donors, they were perfectly healthy. they walked into the hospital perfectly healthy, and they underwent surgery not for

themselves but to help someone else. and so these people had to undergo the risks of the surgery, and also the risk of living -- and you see some people hugging each other right there. that's a donor and a recipient. the donor had to undergo a risky surgery and also have to live the rest of their life with just one kidney. so, it's very important that these hospitals screen people to make sure they're not coerced into giving a kidney that they really want to do it. >> all right, elizabeth, thank you very much. we're going to get to indiana and the president speaking now, talking about the economy. let's listen in to president barack obama. >> everybody have a seat. thank you so much. well, it is wonderful to be here. thank you so much for the wonderful welcome. herman, thanks for the great introduction. it is great to be back in indiana. this is as close as i've gotten to home in a while.

and i flew out here with somebody who, i think the people in indiana have known for a long time, have trusted for a long time, because he's fighting for working families in indiana each and every day, and that is our great senator, evan bayh. please give evan a big round of applause. and it's nice to get out of washington and spend some time with people who actually sent me to washington. you know, too often -- too often there are those in washington who focus on the ups and downs of politics, but my concern is the ups and downs in the lives of the american people, the families feeling the pain of this recession, the folks i've met across this country who've lost jobs and savings and health

insurance but haven't lost hope. the men and women who still believe in the capacity, the ability, of this nation to meet the challenges of our times. these are challenges you know all too well here in lakaruso, and in elkhart county. because you've been hit with a perfect storm of economic troubles. over the last few decades, you've borne the brunt of a steadily weakening of the american manufacturing in the face of global competition. you felt the impact of the struggles of the american auto industry and the repercussions that have hit the midwest especially hard, and you're living every day with the consequences of this recession and the financial meltdown, and you felt it in the form of lost jobs and lost savings. so, as a result, the elkhart has experienced the second greatest increase in the rate of unemployment in the country.

up ten points in a year. it's an astonishing statistic. and there have been times when nearly 1 in 5 people in this area have been looking for work. you've seen factories close and your sons and daughters move away in searches of jobs and opportunity. so, this is more than an economic crisis. this goes to the heart and soul of a community. it tests the strength of families and the spirit of good people, hardworking folks who have given their all to a company and now don't know where to turn. there's some who see what's taking place here and suggests it's all somehow inevitable and that the only way for america to get ahead is for places like elkhart to be left behind. you hear that argument sometime in washington. but i know and you know that the truth is exactly the opposite. i'm here because i believe our ability to recover and to prosper as a nation depends on

what happens in communities just like this one. the battle for america's future will be fought and won in places like elkhart and detroit and goshen and pittsburgh, south bend, youngstown, in cities and towns across indiana and across the midwest and across the country that have been the backbone of america. it will be won by making places like elkhart what they once were and can be again, and that is centers of innovation and entrepreneurship and ingenuity and opportunity. the whirring engines of america. we can't afford to run the race at half strength or half speed. if we hope to lead this century like we did the last century, we

have to create the conditions and opportunities for places like elkhart to succeed. we have to harness the potential, the innovative and creative spirit, that's waiting to be awakened all across america. that's how we'll rebuild this economy stronger than before, strong enough to compete in the global economy, strong enough to avoid the cycles of boom and bust that have wreaked so much havoc on our economy, strong enough to support the jobs of the 21st century, and strong enough to unleash prosperity for everybody, not just some. but before we can rebuild our economy for tomorrow, we have to rescue it today. now, that's why we passed a recovery act less than one month after i took office. and we did so without any of the earmarks or pork-barrel spending that's so common in washington. and let me just talk about the so-called stimulus package or the recovery act, because there's been a lot of

misinformation out there about the recovery act. let me tell you what it is and what it's not. the plan was divided into three parts. one-third of the money has gone to tax relief for families and small businesses. one-third of the money is cutting people's taxes, for americans struggling to pay rising bills with shrinking wages, we kept a campaign promise to put a middle-class tax cut in the pockets of 95% of working families. a tax cut -- a tax cut that began showing up in paychecks of 4.8 million indiana households about three months ago. we also cut taxes for small businesses on the investments that they make, and more than 425 small businesses in indiana have received sba loans through the recovery package. so, that's one-third of the money was tax cuts.

another third of the money in the recovery act has been for emergency relief that is helping folks who have borne the brunt of this recession. for americans who were laid off, we expanded unemployment benefits, and that's already made a difference for 12 million americans, including 220,000 folks right here in indiana. we're making health insurance 65% cheaper for families relying on c.o.b.r.a. while looking for work. some of you know, people who lost their jobs were worried about losing their health care, couldn't afford c.o.b.r.a. we were able to reduce their costs by 65% so they could keep their health care while they were working -- looking for jobs. and for states facing historic budget shortfalls, we provided assistance that has saved the jobs of tens of thousands of teachers and public -- and police officers and other public

servants so that you wouldn't see the recession get even wo e worse. so, that's the second half. first half, tax relief. second half, support for individuals, small businesses, and states that had fallen on hard times. the last third of the recovery act -- and that's what we're going to talk about here today -- is for investments that are not only putting people back to work in the short term, but laying a new foundation for growth in prosperity in the long run. these are the jobs building the future of america. upgrading our roads and our bridges, renovating schools and hospitals. the elkhart area has seen the benefits. dozens were employed to resurface the runway at elkhart airport, a four-mile stretch of highway is being upgraded on u.s. 33. the hart center health center has received recovery dollars to expand services and hire additional staff. and as part of the recovery plan we're making a historic

commitment to innovation. the recovery act creates jobs, doubling our capacity to generate renewable energy. building a new smart grid that carry electricity from coast to coast, laying down broadband lines and high-speed rail lines and providing the largest boost in basic research in history to ensure that america leads in the breakthrough discoveries of the new century, just as we led in the last, because that's what we do best in america. we turn ideas into inventions, and inventions into industries. and history should be our guide. the united states led the world's economies in the 20th century because we led the world in innovation. today, the competition is keener, the challenge is tougher, and that's why innovation is more important than ever. that's the key to good new jobs in the 21st century. that's how we will ensure a high

quality of life for this generation and future generations. with these investments, we're planting the seeds of progress for our country and good-paying, private-sector jobs for the american people. so, that's why i'm here today. to announce $2.4 billion in highly competitive grants to develop the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks, powered by the next generation of battery technologies, all made right here in the us of a. right here in america. made in america. you know, for too long -- for too long we failed to invest in

this kind of innovative work. even as countries like china and japan were racing ahead. that's why this announcement's so important. this represents the largest investment in this kind of technology in american history. see, i'm committed to a strategy that ensures america leads in the design and the deployment of the next generation of clean-energy vehicles. this is not just an investment to produce vehicles today. this is an investment in our capacity to develop new technologies tomorrow. this is about creating the infrastructure of innovation. indiana is the second largest recipient of grant funding, and it's a perfect example of what this will mean. you've got purdue university, notre dame, indiana university, and ivy tech, and they're all going to be receiving grant funding to develop degree and training programs for electric vehicles.

that's -- that's number one. we've got enterdel, a small business in indianapolis, that will develop batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. you've got allison transmission in indianapolis, delphi in kokomo, remi in pendleton and magna located in muncie, all who will help develop electric-drive components for commercial and passenger vehicles. and right here in elkhart county, navistar, which was taken over to monaco coach manufacturing facilities will receive a $39 million grant to build 400 advanced battery-electric trucks with a range of 100 miles. right there.

you know, just -- just a few months ago folks thought that these factories might be closed for good. but now they're coming back to life. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. thank the american people. the company estimates that this investment will help create or save hundreds of jobs in the area, and already folks like herman are being rehired. so, overall the companies believe these investments in battery technology will save or create thousands of hoosier jobs. and i want to point out, these thousands of jobs wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the leaders in congress who supported the recovery act. leaders like evan bayh and joe donnelly, who's here today, and andre carson and brad elsworth and peter lacocic.

and these grants will create tens of thousands of jobs all across america. in fact, today, vice president biden is announcing grant winners in michigan. members of my cabinet are fanning out across the country announcing recipients elsewhere. we're providing the incentives to those businesses, large and small, that stand ready to help us lead a new clean-energy economy by developing new technologies for new kinds of vehicles. see, i don't want to just reduce our dependence on foreign oil and then end up being dependent on their foreign innovations. i don't want to have to import a hybrid car. i want to be able to build a hybrid car here. i don't want to have to import a hybrid truck, i want to build a hybrid truck here. i don't want to have to import a windmill from someplace else. i want to build a windmill right here in indiana. i want the cars of the future and the technologies that power

them to be developed and deployed right here, in america. and that's just the beginning. in no area will innovation be more important than in the development of new ways to produce, use, and save energy. so, we're not only doubling our capacity to generate renewable energy and building a stronger and smarter electric grid, we've helped reach an agreement to raise fuel economy standards. and for the first time in history, we passed a bill to create a system of clean-energy incentives which will help make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy in america, while helping to end our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet for future generations. the bill passed the house. we're now working to pass legislation through the senate, because we know the real innovation depends not on government but on the generous potential of the american people. if the american people get a clear set of rules, if they know what's needed, what challenges

we've got to meet, they'll figure out how to do it. in fact, that's why our budget makes the research and experimentation tax credit permanent, the r&d tax credit. this is a tax credit that helps companies afford what are sometimes very high costs in developing new ideas and new technologies and new products. and that means new jobs. this tax credit returns $2 to the economy for every $1 we spend. and for a long time we were just trying to renew it once every year, and companies didn't know whether or not they were going to be able to get it for the next year. that's changed. we've now made it permanent. i'd also propose reducing to zero the capital gains tax for investments in small or startup businesses, because small businesses are innovative businesses. small businesses produce 13 times more patents per employee than large companies. of course, in order to lead in the global economy and ensure

that our businesses can grow and innovate, we also have to pass health insurance reform that brings down costs. it's reform that brings down cost and provides more security for folks who have insurance and affordable options for those who don't. i promise you, we will pass reform by the end of this year, because the american people need it. the american people need some relief. now, i -- we're going to have to make it happen. in fact, the recovery plan began the process of reform by modernizing our health care infrastructure. we took some long overdue steps of computerizing america's health records, which can reduce all the waste and errors that

cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives while protecting patients' privacy. it's important also to know that these records hold the potential of offering patients the chance to be more active participants in the prevention and treatment of illnesses. you won't have to fill out the same form a dozen times. you won't have to rely on your memory when talking to your doctor about medical history. all those things make people healthier, but they also reduce your costs, lower your premiums, give you more security in your health care. now, in addition to energy and in addition to health care, we also know that the nation that out-educates us today will outcompete us tomorrow. so, we're making a historic commitment to strengthening and improving education, from cradle to career. right now our schools continue to trail many of our competitors, and that's why i've challenged states to dramatically improving achievement by raising standards and modernizing science labs,

upgrading curriculum, to improve math and science and improving technology in the classroom. i've set this goal, by the next goal, by 2020, america will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. we used to be number one. we will be number one again when it comes to college graduates. now, to reach this goal, we've provided tax credits and grants to make college education more affordable. and we've made a historic commitment to community colleges, which are the unsung heroes in america's education system. america can and must have the best-educated, highest-skilled workforce in the world, because if we're building new cars here in america, if we're building a new clean energy grid in america, then we're also going to need to build engineers in america and scientists in america and skilled technicians

right here in america. so, all these pieces end up fitting together. energy and innovation, health care and education, these are the pillars of the new foundation that we have to build. this is how we won't just rescue the economy, but we're going to rebuild it, stronger than bef e before. now, there are a lot of people out there who are looking to defend the status quo. there are those who want to seek political advantage. they want to oppose these efforts. some of them caused the problems that we got now in the first place, and then suddenly they're blaming other folks for it. they don't want to be constructive. they don't want to be constructive. they just want to get into the usual political fights back and forth. and sometimes that's fed by all the cable chatter on the media. but you and i know the truth.

we know that even in the hardest times, against the toughest odds, we have never surrendered. we don't give up. we don't surrender our fates to chance. we have always endured. we have worked hard, and we have fought for our future. our parents had to fight for their future. our grandparents had to fight for their future. that's the tradition of america. this country wasn't built just by griping and complaining. it was built by hard work and taking risks. and that's what we have to do today. so, i know these are tough times. if you haven't lost a job, you know somebody who has. maybe a family member, a neighbor, a friend. you know that as difficult as the financial struggle can be, the sense of loss when you lose your job, it's about more than just a paycheck.

you know, we as americans, we define ourselves by the work we do. it's a source of pride. the sense that you're contributing, that you're supporting your family, that you're doing the right thing, that you're responsible. now, the truth is, it can be easy to lose hope, especially when you see a lot of folks out there who failed to meet their responsibilities, from wall street to washington. it can be easy to grow cynical when you see politicians say one thing and then do another or say one thing and then do nothing. when you've seen decades of broken promises and broken politics. but this is a rare moment in which we're called upon to rise above the failures of the past. this is a chance to restore that spirit of optimism and opportunity which has always been central to our success. we've got to set our sights higher, not lower. we've got to imagine a future in which new american cars are

powered by new american innovation, a future in which cities that led the global economy before are leading it again, a brighter future for elkhart, a brighter future for indiana and for the united states of america. that's what we're fighting for. that's what this plant's about. that's what you're about. that's what -- that's what we're going to achieve in the weeks and months to come. so, thank you very much, everybody, god bless you. god bless the united states of america. thank you. >> president barack obama on the word in wakarusa, indiana, really selling his economic recovery plan. talking about energy, innovation, health care. he said and education would be the keys for the recovery of the economy. he also talked about how health care's improved. talking about c.o.b.r.a., when folks are between jobs. and really talking about, he gave some -- talked about his critics as well, saying people that were opposed to this idea of his health care plan, they

wanted to have the same old arguments. he said the same old arguments that you hear out on the cable channels. but president barack obama out on the road today, trying to get the country behind his stimulus plan saying it is working. and the president taking a message there saying grant money to an area hit hard by the recession is what he's going to get. i think he said it was $2.4 billion in grants that would help out wakarusa, indiana. he just wrapped up that speech. mr. obama said that money was going to go to a new generation and electric cars and things like that. and a big chunk will go to indiana and michigan, and he said places like that are key -- are key -- to the economic recovery. take a listen. >> the battle for america's future will be fought and won in places like elkhart and detroit and goshen and pittsburgh, south bend, youngstown, in cities and towns across indiana and across the midwest and across the country that have been the backbone of america. it will be won by making places like elkhart what they once were

and can be again, and that's centers of innovation and entrepreneurship and ingenuity and opportunity. >> that's the president speaking moments ago. he also told the audience health care reform is essential to rebuilding our economy. another big story that we're covering here today on cnn, the release of two journalists, two american journalists, who had been captured inside iran. and just moments ago, the sister of laura ling, laura lings was one of the young women there, one of the journalists held captive, laura ling's husband and sister spoke out, lisa ling, spoke outside the family's home in los angeles. listen to this. >> they were fortunate that they were served meals on a regular basis. but she's anxious just to eat fresh food. and i know that there will be a sushi dinner at some point really soon. >> based on your experience, do you think your sister used good judgment in going in to north korea? >> you know, i haven't really talked specifics about, you know, what actually happened

that day. we know, as we've said, that --. she will confirm that when they left u.s. soil, they never intended to cross the border, you know, as journalists, when you're in the field, you know, you never know what is going to arise and things can be unpredictable. and whatever happened that day, i mean, she'll tell you when she's ready to talk about it. but based on the limited knowledge that i have, i don't think they used poor judgment. >> why not? >> because i -- i'm going to let her tell the story. because i think there's -- there's probably more that we don't know about. >> do you know, was the release set up before bill got there? i mean, it all happened so fast? >> we don't know if it was actually orchestrated or not. we had a sense that the governments had agreed to send president clinton, for which we were grateful.

but in terms of whether the release was predetermined, we don't know. [ inaudible question ] >> you know, we were with laura, and one of the things, we are so proud of her. she just did an amazing job. and she said that, you know, it was her sense of her feeling that a visit from president clinton would be successful in securing their release. and, you know, what we did is obviously informed vice president gore and also the state department of the nature of that call and, you know, we're very, very grateful that, you know, they talked about it and others, you know, very happy that he went and was able to secure their -- their -- their release. >> the experience was so harrowing. are you guys just very proud of her as well, i mean, to go

through something like this, your feeling, looking at your sister, that she survived it? >> proud would be an understatement. the little bits that she was able to recount about her experience of the last 4 1/2 months has been challenging for us to hear. and through it all, she has really maintained a sense of strength and the way she was able to communicate to us by the phone of what she thought they needed to have happen was so incredible. i mean, my -- again, she's my little sister, but she's a very, very strong girl, a very determined person, and i'm just a very, very proud big sister. >> lisa, i know that you would never give up hope, you never gave up hope. were there moments that you thought that -- [ inaudible ] >> you know, i actually have

always maintained faith that she would come home at some point. i didn't know when it was going to happen. i didn't expect it, actually, this soon, but we are nonetheless just absolutely thrilled. >> all right, that is lisa ling there standing outside the family's california home and also iaian clayton who is laura ling's husband, lisa ling's brother-in-law. pardon me, before i went there, i said they were held inside iran, but i meant north korea. again, they are home safe. and there are lots of questions of why former president clinton was the person to get them out. but we'll talk about it all on cnn. but certainly it is good they are home. you heard the president talking moments ago in indiana, about the economy, about health care. we have some new poll numbers about president obama's health care plan, and our senior political analyst, mr. bill schneider, will join us to talk about that.

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well, despite weeks of street protests, iran's mahmoud ahmadinejad has been sworn in as the country's president. now there are reports of hundreds more protesters flooding the streets with riot police at the ready there. our international correspondent, reza sayah, is at the iran desk

with the very latest developments out of tehran, really all of iran. reza? >> yeah, don, whether you like him or not, iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad will serve a second term. it became official this morning in tehran with a swearing-in ceremony before lawmakers in parliament. we can go to video of that ceremony, taking place, 9:00 a.m. local time. there you see president mahmoud ahmadinejad next to the head of the judiciary. the president taking an oath and then calling the disputed june 12th vote an unprecedented epic. a lot of empty seats during this ceremony. this just in to the iran desk. according to state tv in iran, out of 70 members of the reformist faction of majilis, only 14 lawmakers showed you. opposition leaders also missing. among the missing, mir hossein mousavi and mehdi karroubi, two former presidents also no-shows. the president in his speech made an attempt to put the june 12th vote behind him and tried to

unite the nation. here's what he said -- >> translator: who has voted for whom? this is not the question. today we need a national will, a national resolve. we need to join forces. >> despite that call for unity, it is unlikely, based on what we've seen from the opposition movement, that they will heed his call. also very interesting, a number of countries have yet to deliver congralatory messages to the president. among them the u.s. and the uk, france and germany. today in his speech, he said we don't need your congratulations, don. >> we know about this contentious election and what happened right after. what about now on the streets of iran, reza? >> right now according to our sources, it is quiet. there were some demonstrations near the area of the parliament, but not in the large numbers we've seen in the past. hundreds of them, protesters, coming out according to sources and witnesses. and there you see video coming in to the iran desk, but they were outnumbered today,

according to sources, by thousands of members of the basij, the voluntary militia and security forces, who in large part were successful, according to witnesses, in dispersing them. but make no mistake, this is an opposition movement that has been determined and persistent. expect them to make a comeback in the streets. it's one of the many challenges this president faces, don. >> all right, reza sayah, managing our international -- manning our international desk today. we appreciate it. thank you very much. let's turn now to domestic issues. because a new poll today, it shows americans divided over health care reform. our senior political analyst, mr. bill schneider, has been going over those numbers for us. he joins us from washington today. bill, where does the public stand in this health care debate? you heard the president talk about it just moments ago. >> well, you said it, divided. that's where they stood last month, and they're still divided. take a look at when we asked people, do you support or do you favor or oppose the president's health care plan. 50% favor. 45% oppose. it's a very close margin. more or less what it was last month.

and still pretty closely matched. the statistical tie. but members of congress who are, of course, out in their constituencies don't just pay attention to numbers. they pay attention to intensity of opinion. and there the opponents have a little bit of an advantage. what we found is that 33% of those who oppose the plan say they feel strongly about it. only 23% of the supporters say they feel strongly. so, intensity may favor the opposition. >> yeah. more passion on the opposition. >> right. >> with the opposition. so, then, who is the crucial audience in this debate, bill? >> you know, don, i call them the satisfied majority. in our poll, we asked people, are you satisfied with the health care you're now receiving? and a very strong majority of americans, 83%, said, yeah, i'm satisfied with my health care. and almost three-quarters said they're satisfied with their health insurance. well, we combined those two questions and looked at how many people are actually satisfied with both. i call them the satisfied majority. 71% of americans say they're satisfied. now, that's the target audience.

because if those people oppose the health care plan, they would be sunk. now, what we're finding is that 50% of those satisfied majority do oppose the health care plan. 44% support it. so, it's getting a lot of support. those people are still persuadable even though they're happy with what they've got. >> yeah, you know, a lot of people they want it. they're not engaged or don't know, you know, what's in this health care reform specifically. but do you know if americans expect to benefit from health care reform? what are they saying about that? >> well, we asked them. do you think this plan will benefit you and your family, will it benefit others, or will it help really nobody at all. here's the answer -- only 30%, just fewer than a third of americans, say it's going to help me and my family. a larger number, 44%, say it's going to help others, but probably not my family. only 20% say it's not going to help anybody at all. now, those figures explain the opposition to the held care plan, because a lot of americans are saying what's in it for me, and only 30% say it's going to help me. but it also helps explain the

support for the plan. family that ite lile lily namel a lot of americans but not me. it's important and it will help people without insurance, people who can't meet the costs, but the crucial question for them is, okay, it will help other people, but who's going to pay for it. >> yeah, always a question, who is going to pay for it. we appreciate it. the president's agenda, the economy and health care. now is your time to grade him for the second 100 days. you can go to cnn.com/heal cnn.com/healthcare. you can watch "national report card" 8:00 p.m. eastern on cnn. a trip to the gym turns into a nightmare. we'll have the very latest on the pennsylvania killing spree. it's very important for me to uh check my blood sugar before i go on stage. being on when i'm feeling low can be like a rollercoaster. it does at times feel like my body is telling me to do one thing... and, my mind, my heart is telling me to do something else. managing my highs and lows is super important.

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this next story really makes you realize and appreciate the importance of family and loved ones. an emotion-filled homecoming after 4 1/2 months in the hands of the north korean regime. jurmists laura ling and euna lee returned to the united states. lee collapsed in tears when she saw her 4-year-old daughter hannah at the los angeles-area airport. and the women's release secured hours earlier with talks between former president bill clinton and north korean leader kim jong-il. ling describes the moment when she and lee realized they were about to go home. listen -- >> 30 hours ago euna lee and i were prisoners in north korea.

we feared that at any moment we could be sent to a hard labor camp. and then suddenly we were told that we were going to a meeting. we were taken to a location, and when we walked in through the doors, we saw standing before us president bill clinton. >> well, the white house says, president barack obama called former president bill clinton after his plane landed to congratulate him on a job well done. mr. obama spoke to reporters as he was leaving the white house this morning. >> i think you've all seen on television i think is a source of happiness, not only for the

families but for the entire country. i want to thank president bill clinton. i had a chance to talk to him, for the extraordinary humanitarian effort that resulted in the release of the two journalists. i want to thank vice president al gore, who worked tirelessly in order to, you know, achieve a positive outcome. >> all right, so, how did this all go down? there he was. at the table with kim jong-il and back on the world stage. again, bill clinton did not speak when he arrived with the freed american journalists today, but offered this written statement. here's what he said, i'm very happy at after this long ordeal, laura ling and euna lee are now home and reunited with their loved ones. it was a convoluted and unlikely set of events that brought the former president to pyongyang. here's cnn's tom foreman to explain. >> reporter: officially it was all unofficial. but when a former president and spouse of the current secretary

of state comes calling, the official overtones are unmistakable, and that is why kim jong-il was smiling. according to jack pritchard, a former special u.s. envoy to the region and now head of the korea economic institute. >> as you know for the last year, kim jong-il has been plagued by health problems. there's been speculations that he's not going to survive very long. >> reporter: so, a visit like this makes him look strong. >> it makes him look strong. he looks healthy. he looks happy in that picture. it puts to rest a lot of the speculation, both internal and externally, about his health, and his command of authority in north korea. >> reporter: so, how was the deal done? first, through sweden. the united states has no formal relations with north korea, but sweden does. the swedish ambassador in pyongyang, max foyer, has been there since 2005. and he saw the captives repeatedly, keeping backdoor communications flowing there and

at the united nations in new york. by all accounts, the state department worked tirelessly through those channels. the white house has not disclosed details. >> this obviously is a very sensitive topic. >> reporter: but foreign affairs analysts believe the private talks drove public positions, the second key. for example, secretary clinton initially suggested the charges against the pair were baseless. >> and secretary clinton indicated this was somewhat of a sham trial, and she disparaged the north koreans' legal system. the north koreans were furious over that. >> reporter: then suddenly last month, a much more conciliatory tone. >> the two journalists and their families have expressed great remorse for this incident. and i think everyone is very sorry that it happened. >> reporter: the third key, when the obama administration responded to north korea's latest missile test by pressing for sharper international sanctions, pritchard says kim

jong-il needed to turn down the heat. >> and this is a way, in a very face-saving way, for them to recalibrate their relationship with the united states. >> reporter: and the final key, bill clinton himself. kim jong-il had wanted then president clinton to visit north korea back in 2000. it did not happen, but analysts say he never gave up on the idea. and in the end, that's what sealed the deal, a visit from about the biggest unofficial official america could send. >> all right, tom foreman. tom, thank you for that. and that wasn't the end of it. because the u.s. ambassador to the u.n. under george w. bush was offering on some blesterring criticism of the white house and the clinton mission. john bolton writes in "the washington post," it seems the obama administration not only chose to negotiate with terrorists, but send a former president to do so. others disagree with that. >> we think that there are some real opportunities here. we've seen the north koreans make a gesture.

they were the ones who wanted this deal to come about. they wanted president clinton to give them high visibility for their own purposes. and the obama administration wanted to make sure that it had enough separation between the person they were sending over and the administration, so that its critics could not claim that for negotiating the release of these two people we had compromised our very strong position of no negotiating with the north koreans under the circumstances. >> and that was william cohen, of course, who served as defense secretary under president bill clint clinton. do you think bolton's remarks are on the mark? do you think his words are over the top? let us know if you agree or disagree and let us know why. logon to the "cnn newsroom" blog, the address is c cnn.com/newsroom. and you click on tony or don and you'll get the same stories. all the stories are there. click on all of our pictures. everyone. a shooting spree at a

workout gym. we'll have the latest on the suspect for you. ♪ which one's m a cool convertible or an suv? ♪ ♪ too bad i didn't know my credit was whack ♪ ♪ 'cause now i'm driving off the lot in a used sub-compact. ♪ ♪ f-r-e-e, that spells free credit report dot com, baby. ♪ ♪ saw their ads on my tv ♪ thought about going but was too lazy ♪ ♪ now instead of looking fly and rollin' phat ♪ ♪ my legs are sticking to the vinyl ♪ ♪ and my posse's getting laughed at. ♪ ♪ f-r-e-e, that spells free- credit report dot com, baby. ♪ (announcer) you can make a bigger difference in the world.

you can make a positive change in your career. you can make a greater contribution to the greater good. and you can start today, by earning your degree online... at walden university. where advanced degrees advance the quality of life. this is a truly horrific story, but we're going to take you inside of it to try to help you understand and piece

together what went on. a man opens fire inside an aerobics class and leaves behind clues painting the picture of an angry, lonely man. police say the gunman killed three women and injured ten others before killing himself. witnesses describe this horrible scene. >> i was right beside the room where it all took place. i seen everybody running. i took off my headphones at that moment, and i kept hearing shot after shot repeatedly. and that's when i realized there was a gun going off. >> everybody started running in the gym, bleeding. and we hit the door. and that lady was shot in the leg. a lady was shot in the shoulder. we started picking her up and dragging her out. >> cnn's national correspondent, susan candiotti, has been following this story very closely. she's investigating here on the possible motive. and there is some new information that we're learning about the suspect. what -- why did he do this, susan? >> reporter: well, that's -- that's the question, isn't it? we're trying to find out right now what made this man tick. now, so far police are not

officially even using his name, but a law enforcement source tells me his name is george sodini, 48 years old. he's belonged to the gym for some time. we don't know exactly how long. but we have also discovered that he's been keeping a blog on the internet. and the date on it goes back to november of 2008. but we're not quite sure whether he's been posting things steadily on there or whether he dumped them all in a day and a half ago, right before this alleged -- this attack occurred. we know from the blog he said he has never been married, that he's had trouble with women. in fact, he denigrates them in his language on this blog. he talks about appearing normal on the outside, but acknowledges being very troubled on the inside. and he also, in this blog, appears to have been planning this attack over the course of several months. in fact, may even have postponed it at one time. so, we have an excerpt from that

for you, don, to read from it. and this is -- this was posted on monday of this week as he was getting ready apparently to carry this out, and he says, quote, i need to work out every detail. there is only one shot. last time i tried this, in january, i chickened out. let's see how this new approach works. maybe soon, i will see god and jesus. also, he writes, any of the practice papers left on my coffee table i used or the notes in my gym bag can be published freely. i will not be embarrassed because, well, i will be dead. those are his words. now, we do know he left a note in the gym bag. police have said that. they won't describe what is in it. but in it a law enforcement source says he talked of his hatred of women. >> he tried before but chickened out. clearly someone who is disturbed if this writing did indeed come from him. thank you very much for that. we'll get back to susan and

an update on that story and others. meanwhile, a massive cleanup is taking place in louisville, kentucky, after flash flooding swamped that city. take a look at those pictures, a close look. those are cars underwater and buildings are flooded as well. thousands are without power there. and a half a foot of rain fell in just a couple of hours. >> i woke up, and my mom's yelling that it's flooding, so my dad and my sisters are crying and stuff. my basement is two feet from the ceiling, the floods got up to two feet from the ceiling. >> a half a foot of rain in just a couple of hours, where does all that water go? where's it now? our meteorologist, chad myers, standing by to update us on that and all the rest of a weather. where does all that water go, is it gone? >> it's gone now. the urban flooding is gone. but the water gets into the creeks and streams and rivers and they are rising right now. but the flash flooding that we're concerned about is gone.

there will be raining on the south side of florida, the east side of tampa bay seeing showers. there could be severe weather across this area as well. the severe weather it appears will be in an area from about the nation's capital back down to almost texas, and then another area right along the rocky mountains. so, those will be the two areas that i would look for today for the potential for severe weather. one more thing i want to talk about is how the cool air that has been in the northeast all summer long is essentially gone. boston, you're 89. d.c., 90. the same story in washington, d.c. there is a cooler air mass up through here, up through the middle part of the country, but it's hot again in dallas, back up over 100 degrees again. and that has been the plague, the scourge, of this summer. hot in the middle and then cool across parts of the northeast. i want to take you to felicia, it's cia, like felicia. do you know diego?

you don't have a 4-year-old. go, diego, go. here is felicia. there is honolulu. this is 115-mile-per-hour storm. 115, that's our current wind speed. i don't expect it will hold together. but if it does make it anywhere here the hawaiian islands, obviously this is going to be a story. it doesn't even appear we'll get close for five days, and the forecast is by the time it gets near hilo, south of there, the winds will be back down to 50. that will make big waves, but not the damage that a category 2, 3, or something else hurricane will make. >> i have a diego kite even though i don't have a 4-year-old. who is his little buddy, the girl? >> it's felicia. >> it's felicia, but there's somebody else. >> i don't know. >> ask a 4-year-old. >> i'll get on the phone with grant. hold on. >> we appreciate that and the singing. you know, all week, our

chief medical correspondent, dr. sanjay gupta, has been taking your questions about health care reform. and today's question is one you have seen a lot here. it's about dental insurance. mike from connecticut says, i've heard departmental insurance will not be covered under the new health insurance exchange. seems like we have to wait nor a tooth to become life threatening before it's considered health care. why ask my mouth not considered part of my health? >> well, i'll tell you, this is one of the most commonly asked questions we get when talking about health care reform. specifically asking about dental coverage. and there's a stat that i think is worth keeping in mind. for every one person without health care insurance, there's about two without dental insurance. over 100 million people that don't have any dental insurance whatsoever. the answer to your question, mike, is sort of yes and no. depending on whether you're a kid or an adult. take a look there. for children under the age of 21, 21 years old and under, it's going to cover oral health care overall. the basic plan does. for adults, really not. unless you have premium care. you buy extra and you can get

included -- you can get adult health care plan. you have to use commissioner approved providers. and we don't know how much it's going to cost overall to actually get that premium plan. now, a couple things to keep in mind. medicare, the way it stands now, doesn't have dental coverage. medicaid does on a state-by-state basis, so it depends on which state in which you live. but what we found when we really dug down deep on this, that even though it's provided in some states, only about 37% of children, just more than a third of children, actually access the dental care. in part because they can't find dentists who will accept their insurance. so, as a lot of this moves forward, as you are paying attention to health reform, pay attention to this issue as well. if the insurance is provided, can you provide -- can you find providers who will actually accept that insurance? you know, one thing i should point out is we don't talk about dental care probably enough. if you talk about inflammation in your mouth and it's chronic, it's sort of like living with a chronic low-grade infection in your body. and inflammation we now know is

linked to lots of things, heart disease, diabetes,al kind of blood vessel diseases. so, this is something you really need to pay attention to, and people need to try and get dental care, especially starting at a very young age. we'll have much more on this in the days to come. back to you for now. ( car door closes ) ooooch! hot seat!

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it seems kind of odd to be talking about christmas in august, but in london christmas comes early. one of its famed stores has already opened its holiday shop hoping to chash in on summer tourists. here's cnn's jim boulden. >> reporter: from a $3 ornament to a $4,000 tree. consumers can start their christmas shopping at harrod's already. the store has 2,000 product lines in its christmas shop. >> this year it will be interesting to see the trade and see how many people do come into the store early, because we all in a recession, there is a credit crunch on, and it may be that people want to plan their christmas in stages. they don't want to just wait until november and december and then have a huge hit on their finances. >> reporter: and it's not just harrods. here in the uk and in the u.s., christmas catalogs have already started to arrive. if you type "christmas" in to

sears.com now, you get more than 4,000 items. sears and also toys "r" us launched a christmas-in-july campaign, partly in response to june u.s. department store sales, which were down 9% from the previous june. so, will consumers waddle into shops in bigger numbers in europe, and will it be a happy holiday for real tailotailers? >> i think it could be better. because i think retail sales have held up better than expected, i must say. i think the fact is that consumers have more disposal income because their mortgage repayments, which are so important here, have gone down. so, i think they may well have a sort of splurge in the run-up to christmas. >> reporter: these shoppers say -- >> i just got a new job, and so i didn't have any money before, and now i will have money to buy presents for my parents. >> everyone's going to get a lot fewer presents. >> the recession will affect my christmas. and how