i didn't expect people to take advantage. 1 billion gone. with senator mccain coming out strongly saying he not only opposes the increase, but opposes the original funding of it, are the dealers concerned when they have new cars on the lot they won't have the cash for cash for clunker customers -- that's a mouthful -- to trade in the clunkers? >> they are worried about that, not having the money in place, but they're worried about getting paid for the cars they old under the program. this is one car traded in. one thing they haven't thought about, when they get the cars in, they have to find a company to compact them, turn it into scrap metal and dispose of them. that's part of the deal, to get these cars off the road. it's a mess for them to deal with, that plus this dealership having to tell people we're out of the new cars that you're looking for today. >> jamie: where does things stand on getting the additional funding? are the car dealerships

planning to do anything to lobby their way to getting more bucks? >> right now, according to this dealership and we heard from them all over the country they're trying to deal with the current mess. that is, trying to get paid for the cars they have sold. the website they go to, to get their reimbursement crashed several times so they're worried about getting their money. they were told they'd be paid back in ten days. looking at that and looking to get rid of the cars here. we'll find out next week it's supposed to go before the senate. you mentioned senator mccain saying he'll stop it because the lawmakers like him say the program should never have been put in place in the first place to subsidize the purchase of new cars. >> interesting he raises the issue we think of cash for clunker program money going to the clunker owner, but in i sense the dealer -- in essence the dealership and auto makers are benefitting. they got so much money. stay on it if you can. we appreciate it. >> we will. thank you. >> eric: it's not just

republicans like senator john mccain who have been worried about throwing more money at the program. look at what clair mccaskill of missouri said on twitter. "i will consider using existing stimulus money that's already been appropriated to finish up cash for clunkers program. no new money." earlier she wrote -- "we put a billion dollar in cash for clunker program, that's 250,000 cars. we weren't sure how long it would last. but a billion of your money is a lot." the senate is expected to take up the issue later this week. plan that you get money if you trade in an old car and the gas mileage must be 18 miles per gallon or less. now to healthcare changes as congress goes to summer vacation. the debate heads back to main

street. a recent poll shows a growing number of americans are worried that the democratic plan will meet increase -- mean increase cost and restrictions on healthcare. senator jim demint suggesting the real battle democrats may face is with voters back home. >> you will see americans take to the streets and go to town hall. i think they'll let the congress and senators know they need to keep their hands off the healthcare. >> eric: bring in joe sestak in. welcome to fox news. >> good to be here. >> eric: same to you. you know the health plan that the obama administration put forth is losing support and continues to lose support. what do you do? >> we have to do what politicians should be doing, come on fox tv and say what the facts are.

since the '90s, american lost health insurance and our healthcare has gone up 200%. doing nothing is not an option. the plan says we have your healthcare plan, you keep it. what we are going to do is say no more co-pay for preventive care when you go in. and we're going to cap at $5,000 the amount of out-of-pocket expenses. we'll say the large insurance companies where i'm sitting in philadelphia, 42% of the population of pennsylvania sits, one company, only one has 70% of all the private healthcare plan. so we're going to have a public healthcare plan option. you don't have to join it if you don't want to. but it will be there. because you don't pay $23 million to ceo, you can get the competition in one area

that has 75% private healthcare -- >> eric: but a lot of people are concerned about health rationing. there are concerns if they cut costs, you know what that means? they'll say no, there is a government bureaucrat in washington that decided you can't do that. people are scared. >> they should be, because 14,000 americans every day who have healthcare are losing their healthcare plan. so, we had a large town hall yesterday, called for working families. working family summit. we had 300 people come. we did have 25 who voiced their anger, just like you just mentioned about what is the government doing? after i explained it, people left -- >> eric: wait, wait. you said people left. there have been members of congress who were yelled at the town meetings and some

that were canceled. the "wall street journal" poll shows majority, 42% thinks the plan is a bad idea. you will have members of congress like yourself talking to people, trying to explain it and there is a lot of concern out there. >> that is what we should be doing. there is consternation and anger. anger because in the last eight years, nothing has been done. 17 million americans in the last eight years lost private healthcare plan. they're angry and they want to understand what has to be done. this is the time to stand up, take their anger and explain calmly, explain by fact this isn't about public bureaucrat. if you don't want to be in the public healthcare plan, you don't have to be. but the premium went up in philadelphia 81% between 2001 and 2007. we're going to say it will go down if you join up. stay in your private

healthcare plan, because now we're going to let small businesses, for example, that pay 18% more than a large company does for their health plan come in to this healthcare insurance exchange and pick any private healthcare plan. >> eric: wait a minute, congressman. a lot of people are concerned that if you work for a governme company and if you have a government plan, you get your healthcare cut. a lot of companies want to save money and you get no choice. >> that's not how it is. if you read the bill, and i have, the only government thing that happens is three. number one, it says that you have to have a minimum level of benefits that a woman when she reaches 40 will have to have for example a mammogram every year provided by the healthcare company. why? it isn't just for her health, because 98% of the women we ketchikaner is with ma er catch

survive. it's for us. we don't want them to get cancer. and also, you don't have to pay a co-pay for it. third, it's a private healthcare option -- public. you don't have to join it. it's to make the insurance companies, that is almost an monopoly in philadelphia, because one has 70%, says maybe you don't want to pay the ceo $23 million a year to compete. this is not about government bureaucrat. this is about the pennsylvanians losing health insurance. >> eric: you have a lot of co convincing of a lot of people to go in the recess. we're out of time. the speaker is given a card with the points and that's what your job will be. >> i've never seen it -- never looked at the card. >> eric: you never look at the card? >> i never use it for talking points. i never has seen it. here is why i'm on tv and

fox, which i love, to explain why it's necessary. i got in it because my daughter-in-law had a brain tumor. i'm in for health reform that's good for pennsylvanians. thank you for the time. >> eric: the government plan for veterans of which you are the highest ranking military member of congress, being commander of aircraft battle group. >> i do co-pay and premiums also. >> eric: thank you. jamie? >> jamie: in other news, it's being called a major assault on free speech. president hugo chavez closing down dozens of broadcasters in his war against the country's private media. hundreds of protesters gathered outside a radio station in caracas. they're angry at the unprecedented move by the government. 34 radio stations ordered to shut their doors, the broadcasters say it's to silence those opposesing chavez socialist benefit.

>> eric: the swiss foreign ministry trying to find out what happened to three american hikers who have been arrested in iran. they were hiking to mountainous area in northern kurdistan region. but they were surrounded by the military and arrested and the three are identified as sean gabriel maxwell, shane bower and sarah shore. a fourth friend stayed behind in the hotel there. were four in all but one stayed behind after he fell ill. the department of state is now asking swissland to try to intervene on behalf of the captured tourists. the swiss represented u.s. interest in iran for the past 30 years. >> jamie: right now, there is a close to the mystery surrounding a missing gulf war pilot. the u.s. navy identified the

remains of captain scott spiker. we know that captain spiker's plane was shot down by enemy fire on january 17, 1991. this is confirmed. his mission was part of the first man strike of operation desert storm. the pentagon believes he was the first combat casualty of the war. joining me is jennifer griffin. jennifer, you broke the story this morning. how did you first hear that captain speichter had been found? >> i got a call at 6:00 a.m. this morning from a contact and that's when i heard that they had been spending the last week in anbar province unearthing the desert ground and they found bone fragmefragments. they were flown back to the air base and last night they made a confirmation and they had taken the fragments and done some dna testing. that's how they figured out

it was captain speicher. this is an amazing journey. the last 18 years the family has been on a roller coaster. you remember captain speicher was first listed killed in action, then it was changed to missing in action. and it's been up and down with sightings and possible evidence that he had been captured and there were the initials in the iraqi prison cell that led to some belief he had survived the crash. this has been very difficult, a long journey for his family. >> jamie: i remember when the initials were found. i was doing a story on training and that is part of the training to try to leave evidence behind where you've been. interesting that the military never stopped their search for him. how does a family found out now that they have positively identified the remains? >> in fact, the chief of naval operations, admiral gary russfed who called them last night and told them that

this has occurred. what is interesting is the positive confirmation -- they brought back the jawbone when they found the remains at the site at anbar province. again, marines taken out there by iraqi who tipped them to the site. the jawbone matched the dental records of cap pain speicher. so they used a radiographical technique and visual looking at the x-rays of the dental records, they could tell this is being done at the armed forces institute of pathology in rockville, maryland. when they made the confirmation, that's when the admiral called the family and told them they found, finally after 18 years found captain speicher. >> jamie: jennifer, before i go, will they learn anything else from what they found? >> it's my understanding they're still doing dna testing. they now have the family dna. trying to match it, to be doubly sure, but they feel confident based on the dental records they have captain speicher. >> jamie: jennifer griffin

broke it early this morning. thank you. >> eric: now to the continuing fox investigation of voter fraud. a growing controversy. we broke it. about the black panthers who blocked a polling place in philadelphia on election day. you may remember the story. three members of the new black panther party were accused by the bush administration justice department of voter intimidation. of threats, of using racial slurs. they said one branded a deadly weapon, a baton you can see there. the obama justice department won but then dropped the case. against one of the panthers. now there are calls on capitol hill for congressional investigation over why the case was dropped. joining us is voting expert hans von kekowski from heritage foundation. good to see you. what is so troubling about the fact that the administration dropped the case? >> most observers and experts say it's the worst case of voter intimidation that the justice department has seen in decades. they won the case and rather

than take a judgment, they dismissed it. so far, they really have given no explanation, credible explanation of why they did that. >> eric: the justice department says they believe justice is done, one of the defendants, shabaz, under the order cannot brandish a weapon within 100 feet of a polling place in philadelphia. is that justice? >> no, it's not. he can't do that anyway. they dismissed the case against one of the other defendants you caught on tape just in time for him to be reappointed as a poll watcher after he had threatened and intimidated voters in a prior election. he was a poll watcher in the may primary in philadelphia. >> eric: say it again. you're saying one of the other defendants, i think you're talking about a gentleman named jerry jackson is a poll watcher? >> four days after the justice department dismissed the case against him, he was once again credentialed as a poll watcher by the democratic party for the may

19 primary in philadelphia. it's really outrageous. >> eric: so the new black panther member, member of the new black panther party, is also a democratic poll watcher? >> not only a democratic poll watcher, he is a credential democratic official in the 14th ward in philadelphia. >> eric: some could conclude there could be political considerations here. justice department may deny that. what do you think? >> they've been caught in one lie after another in the case. they said no political appointee made the decisions, but t the "washington times" discovered a political appointee was consulted and made the final decision on the case. that was a flat-out lie before. >> eric: when you say "political appointee," what do you mean by that? >> the associate attorney general was nominated by the president and confirmed by

the senate. he's not a career attorney. another key factor here is that the department so far is refusing to allow the career attorney who investigated and litigated the case to brief members of congress. why are they doing that? they don't want the real facts to come out in the case? >> eric: there have been calls frank wolf, among others, want investigation. he's a republican from virginia. final point, some of the career attorneys who have done this for years at the justice department, where do they stand on the fact that this case was dropped? >> i have heard that they are outranged that -- outraged it was dropped. they don't understand why. they have a good case and they could have gotten injunction against these people and could have gone further and got criminal indictments and the justice department hasn't done it either. >> eric: that could be a warning or possibility in the future, but as it stands now, it doesn't seem likely. we'll stay on the case as it continues.

hans, heritage foundation, expert on voting. thank you for joining us. >> jamie: there is a new and dangerous worry in the war on terror. see why homeland security put out a new warning to every police department in the country this week. and what they're looking for. >> eric: we'll see what happened when the weather became too much for a stage and scaffolding. this occurred at an outdoor rock concert. we have that coming up. oa! honey honey honey honey honey! okay... i mean... you can't... this isn't a stove, alright? i mean... what if i just walked into the kitchen and started making a salad? - that'd be weird. - right? i mean, look, there's a technique. - okay... - ( strikes match )

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>> eric: mass manic at country music festival in alberta, canada, when an outdoor stage collapsed on top of dozen of concert goers. one person was killed. nearly 15 others were injured when the strong winds blew

through the stage and scaffolding in the big valley jamboree concert that happened last night. four of the concert goers who were hurt are now in critical condition. witnesses say country singer billy curington was on stage at the time. that's when the storm came rolling in and everyone was told to run for cover. >> the next thing i know there is concrete and something on top of my back. i can't see a thing. i'm yelling for my sister. i thought my life was ending because it's dark and black. a tiny hole i crawled through. >> eric: police have not released identification of the person killed there. it draws about 20,000 people a day to the jamboree and was supposed to wrap up today.

>> a federal program to weatherize the homes of low-income family is becoming a cause for concern in some states. it's a huge help for some homeowners struggling with high energy bills in the summer and winter but critics fear with a huge boost in stimulus cash, ten-fold and more now in some states, the government has potentially opened the door for massive fraud and waste. here is a fair and balanced look at the program. >> for venita, having her home weatherize is a god-send. >> it will help me out. >> qualifying under the federal assistant program, it meant weather strips and line around her house. the money she saves on energy means she won't choose between paying her electric bill and buying her medication. >> i take 22 pills a day plus insulin. that is quite expensive. >> the energy department to

help the low income families got a 10% increase under the stimulus program. >> it creates tens of thousands of jobs and saves energy in each of the homes, it puts money in the pocket of the homeowner. it makes the home healthier to live in. >> the drastic increase in funding brought heightened concern over accountability, in the approval of low-income applicants and the contractors who do the weatherizing. >> there is a lot of layers here to oversee. i suspect that we will see a lot of waste and fraud and sheer mismanagement and inefficiency. >> even state officials who support the program express concern over the potential for waste and fraud. in pennsylvania in recent years, they've had problems verifying the eligibility of homeowners and some homes were weatherized twice. pennsylvania's auditor general says the increase in funds could magnify problems.

>> we're getting four times as much money as previously, it requires much more internal management. we're not comfortable that that is in place. >> other officials tell fox new measures to track the fund will be in place when needed. >> we have systems in place. it's just expanding the system. >> tracking the money is the further thing from juanita's mind. >> i feel good and thankful. >> in addition to receiving the infusion of stimulus money, it was expanded to cover familiar his making up to twice the federal poverty level. 44,000 for family of four. my na thanks to producer meredith orbin for her assistance on the piece. >> eric: now on alert following last week's terror bust in north carolina. several suspects are americans.

who police say were on a mission of jihad. they may not be alone. coming up, american-born terrorists who may want to wage jihad on fellow citizens. >> jamie: president obama pledged to use part of the stimulus package to repair the country's bridges. maybe one where you live. why are so many being deflected? we'll show you where the government is spending your tax money instead. sqñg

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>> eric: a couple of develop stories we're following. twis diplomats work -- swiss diplomats working with the u.s. to find out what happened to three americans held in iran. the guards detained the tourists in their 20s and 30s after they allegedly crossed the border from hiking from northern iraq. switzerland says they're in communication with the foreign embassy to get information on how they're doing.

a heart-breaking military mystery for two decades and now solved. the navy saying the remains of pilot michael scott speicher have been found in iraq. he was the first american lost in the 1991 persian gulf war. his jet was shot down over the iraqi desert on the first night of the war. israeli police saying a deadly shooting inside club for gay teens say the gunman may have been targeting a specific individual. they were concerned it was a hate crime targeting gay youth. two were kill and 11 other people were hurt in the attack that occurred in tel aviv. police are now searching for the shooter. >> jamie: there is a new worry in the war on terror. federal authorities are warning local law enforcement agencies they need to be on the look-out for home grown extremists. this comes after daniel patrick boyd arrested last week in north carolina. here he is. they say he was the ring leader of aspiring american

bred terrorists, organizing right here on u.s. soil. the department of homeland security says these individuals are especially dangerous because they can travel abroad undetected to learn terrorism techniques and come back and live kwitly among us and recruit others. joining us to talk about the new warner is frank zaffney, former deputy assistant secretary of defense. frank, it's always good to have you here. thank you for joining us today. >> thank you. >> jamie: a new warning, a lot of us think about the war on terror that is going on overseas. i think a lot of americans maybe don't always remember that we're fighting a war on terror here on home grown soil. how significant is this new warning given to the local police authorities? >> it's quite significant, obviously. the thing that is worrying is it doesn't seem as though they have connected the dots to the wealth spring of the

direction for the terrorism. this jihadism, a term they use. that is what authoritative islam calls sharia. it obliges those here to the strain of islam to engage in violent jihad wherever practicable. when we see the daniel patrick boyds, for example, who embraced this program going abroad, training, it should be one of those sort of early warning indicators you're likely to have a problem. similarly, when you look at the somali residents of america, that have come here. we now have a second generation. some of whom the f.b.i. is tracing having gone to somali for train i training to apparen practice jihad there and maybe practice it here. a particularly worrying problem is in the nation capital region, jamie, we have islamic saudi academy.

this past week, a federal judge decided the valedictorian of a class that graduated from there recently should be serving life in prison for his jihadist activities. specifically, his effort to kill the president of the united states. this week, monday afternoon, the board of supervisors in fairfax county is going to consider expanding the islamic saudi economy within minutes of the nation's seat of government to equip it to accommodate 1200 students who will be exposed to this kind of sharia prophetlization and program. >> jamie: frank, that is getting a look at it. boyd did not act alone, according to authorities. six other people were taken in custody for suspected terrorist activity, that's in north carolina of all places. oregon, also the same week as that issued warning. here are the other six.

north carolina, oregon, and other examples around the country of people using the internet making the trips undetected and coming back. what do you know of the training they're getting? we understand when they come to the u.s. they lie in wait. authorities say they don't act right away. what intelligence gathering is going on. what is it based on what we know about the training they're getting? >> two points. i think it varies. some are getting sophisticated training in the camps overseas. some are recruited to jihadism and sharia to the prison systems are at least within in prison only getting indoctrination of what it requires of them. delay are often coming out of the prison, going in camps, 35 of them going around the united states operated by a group. where they're trained we know from the training video

incorporated in a film called "home grown jihad" in small arms fire, plastic explosionive, car jacking, fire bombings, you name it. it runs the gamut. but whether it's sophisticated training, whether it's paintballing, these are folks who are doing what they believe god is wanting them to do, to bring about the planting of government, seditious activity with their form of islamic thee yocractheocracy. that is at the core. i do a syndicated program called secure freedom radio. gabrielle, a wonderful woman, act for america's leader, talking with me about it this week. she made a good point, the american people are best, our best defense against the development, we need their eyes and'res watching for those either practicing this violent craft or are perhaps laying in wait to do so.

law enforcement needs to be on the alert but they can't do it alone. >> jamie: they need, to and with all the troops fighting war on terror to keep us safe, and overseas doing it to be safe here, the least we can do is keep our eyes open and report anything that looks suspicious. thank you, frank. good to talk to you. have a great day. >> thank you for having me. you, too. >> eric: fascinating. it sounded like a good plan. put americans to work by repairing our nation's crumbling bridges. why do they say billions of the tax dollars are being spent repaving good roads? while ignoring real hazards? we'll find out next. >> eric: and mission accomplished. after more than two weeks in space, crew of shuttle endeavor back on earth. we hear from the astronauts and find out why it could be the final trip to space for nasa's shuttle program. my name is chef michael. and my dog bailey and i love to hang out in the kitchen... so she can watch me cook. you just love the aromas of beef tenderloin...

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coming up in washington, all eyes on capitol hill as push for massive healthcare reform package continues. the house made important progress hours before breaking for the august recess. we'll talk with democratic congressman john yarmuth about what it will mean to you the consumer. this week, the senate has days to try to get something done. we'll talk live with republican senator lamar alexander about the odds of that happening. at 12, too young to be branded sex offender for the rest of your life? we have that coming up in about 20 minutes and much

more. >> jamie: one of president obama's big selling point for the massive $787 billion stimulus package was that some of the money was going to go to fixing bridges in dire need of repair. across the country, thousands of bridges are in decay. jeopardizing the safety of millions of drivers who ride on them every day. but they aren't getting much help. the states are instead spending billions of the stimulus money on bridges that are already in good shape. or they're just repaving roads. why would they ignore the hazard that endanger us? let's ask mantel williams, communication director for the transportation association. good to see you. >> good morning. >> first question, when i look at the numbers, it turns out in 24 states in my research, half on the bridges worked on with stimulus money were found not to be deficient, by the federal government own report. in 15 states, two-third of

the bridges releasing stimulus c tax are not sufficient. what is going on here? >> a couple of things. number one, our needs are so great. the transportation infrastructure has been neglected for decades. so, where you have an infusion of $17 billion, it's great. but the needs are so much more great. the needs are around $65 billion. so this stimulus package was not meant to solve all of our transportation problems. it was to be a shot in the arm. >> jamie: but what is -- excuse me for one second. let me just ask you who what is more shovel-ready than a bridge in a state of disrepair and potential collapse? >> you make a good point. the stimulus act requires that there are specific requirements that the projects be shovel-ready. for instance, that they be completed by 2012 in three years. in some cases, some of the

large projects, public transportation projects and bridge and road projects, they take a little bit longer to get going. that's something we're trying to resolve in the new transportation bill. if we want 21st century transportation bill, we need to moderate this sooner than later -- >> jamie: in the meantime, all the money is going to the states. they have to spend it. i talked earlier about transparency and oversight, which is an issue when so much cash come a state's way. if you take for example if you live in harling springs road in burling county, bridge in west virginia, 2700 cars cross it every day but it's in such a state of being unsafe now only one car can travel across it at a time. it's not on a list to be repaired. why? >> a good question to ask.

>> the main point was to get money out quickly and create jobs. it doesn't always mean going to places that need it most. there are bridges that need repair, and roads and public transportation. off situation to try to get money out there quickly to create jobs but it may not necessarily be addressing some of the key needs. >> jamie: sounds like the jobs will come, whether they'll be on the right projects. we report, the viewers can decide. if off bridge in disrepair when the representatives come home might be a time to ask them whether it's on the list. thank you. good to talk to you. have a great day. >> thank you. >> eric: a bank teller stops a robber from cleaning out the bank. think he'd get a promotion. little something extra at the end of the week in his envelope, or employee of the month award. guess what? he was fired. that story straight ahead. >> jamie: fired? well, he made his reputation grilling the republican white house. but now with a democrat in

charge, dan rather is calling for the president's help. what does he want and why would the former cbs anchor man think it's proper for the administration to assist the news media? liz trotta on dan's idea. xí?? he ran off with his secretary! she's 23 years old! - oh, come on. - enough! you get half. and you get half. ( chirp ) team three, boathouse? ( chirp ) oh yeah. his and hers. - ( crowd gasps ) - ( chirp ) van gogh? ( chirp ) even steven. - ( chirp ) mansion? - ( chirp ) good to go. ( grunts ) timber! ( chirp ) boss? what do we do with the shih-tzu? - ( chirp ) joint custody. - dog: phew... announcer: get work done now. communicate in less than a second with nextel direct connect. only on the now network. deaf, hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com.

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>> eric: this is a fox news alert. john mccain on sarah palin. mccain weighing in on palin's decision to step down as governor of alaska. palin was mccain's vice presidential running mate last year, as you know. governor, officially stepped down from the alaska state house last week. here is what senator mccain said about her this morning. >> everybody makes the decisions as to what is best for themselves and their families. and sarah, i think, made clearly the best decision. i think she will continue to

contribute. i think she will continue to be a force. and i just continue to kind of be saddened by the fact that there is still such vicious attacks on her and her family. i've never seen anything like it. >> eric: you heard him say she'll continue to be a force in the republican party but he stopped short saying he would support her for president 2012 saying it's too early for a decision like that. >> the astronauts from the shuttle endeavor are no doubt enjoying downtime this sunday morning, now that they are safely back at home. the shuttle commander calling the 16-day trip to the international space station a fantastic mission. they loved it. chris seitz of kriv has this report.

>> after more than two weeks working in the space -- >> there is no place like home. >> the shuttle endeavor crew -- >> what we've done is be able to live our dream -- >> is back from the international space station. >> it's one of the most fantastic human achievements. >> reporter: they were greeted by hundreds at ellington field. >> i'm a huge nerd and really in space stuff. >> reporter: no doubt, proud to see the completion of a vital japanese laboratory. >> we went to the international space station. it's a marvel. >> reporter: but the future of that marvel, along with the rest of the space program is up in the air. >> what i want is direction for a while. >> a new panel appointed by the president to review nasa's direction says the budget needs a boost. >> the economy is down. >> reporter: the space agency current plan is finish the i.s.s. and retire the shuttle

program by late next year. before new spaceships will be ready by 2015. the panel warns it won't happen on schedule. >> our commitment is for full funding of nasa. we're in tough times. but what we want to show is nasa generates jobs. >> reporter: jobs arizona space student nicole sharp would love to land. >> hopefully one day i'll be on the stage. >> reporter: the endeavour mission commander hopes they'll make it back to the moon and even mars. >> all astronauts love the idea eventually getting out of orbiting the earth forever and going back to the moon and other things. that's what we hope to see in the future. >> jamie: amazing pictures. thanks to the fox affiliate in houston kriv. >> eric: did you hear about this one? a daring bank teller, single handedly stops a robbery attempt. you expect him to at least get a good job and pat on the back, right? that's not the case. now the teller is reward --

how the teller was rewarded for springing to action. >> jamie: former cbs news anchor dan rather thinks corporate and political influence on news rooms damaged the industry. and now he's calling on the president to step in. how would that help the media's objectivity? what exactly rather is recommending next.

>> jamie: a bank teller in seattle who stopped a robbery, he didn't get a reward. he got fired.

the robber walks in the key bank branch and demands teller jim nicholson fill a bag with money. instead, nicholson grabbed a bag, lunged across the counter at the robber who turned and walked away. but nicholson kept after him and tackled him two blocks away. two days later they fired nicholson for violating the security policies and say he should have handed over the cash. it has local residents shaking their heads. >> maybe he shouldn't be the guy out front when the bank robbers coming in. all he was doing is helping. >> as for nicholson, he said he knew he was violating the company policy and hoped for a reprimand instead of termination. he says he has no hard feelings against the bank. go across the street and get hired by someone else. good luck. >> eric: he made his name as anchorman who confronted the

republican white house. but now dan rather is calling for the president's help. he wants president obama to create a white house commission on public media. is that mixing politics and media? liz trotta joins us. what is dan rather talking about? >> this may be his best imitation so far of a news m man. he won't go gentle into the night. he has to lecture about what journalism is and whine about the cbs lawsuit. but to go to aspen, colorado, with all the similar thinking, liberal friends and does a tear act. his eyes whel up with tears. one of the oldest rather tricks in the book. talks about integrity and journalism. have we forgot man he tried

to do with george bush and phony documents? the mind boggles. >> eric: he talks about corporate and political influence he believes is in the media and he wants the white house somehow try and -- >> it's a contradiction. help me, obama. is he looking for a job? maybe that's what he wants is a job. it should be -- for example, he goes on and on about foreign correspondents. after the tears weld up in his eyes he says i can't stand to leave the geis out there fighting, dying, bleeding, getting torn up. sorry, not on tonight's newscast. it's beyond me why anyone would fall for this crap. he couldn't wait to take apart another war. he has anti-war credentials, 15 carats. i should say 24 carats.

>> eric: for a second, talk about the broader issue. he wants to save journalism jobs and he's trying to -- >> he doesn't have a calling card to save journalism d. you realize the gravity of what he did? he was investigated at cbs where he tries to ram phony documents through to bring down president bush about the national guard service. he fought until the end on this. >> eric: he has a lawsuit going on. a win in that. what could do you think dan rather should do? >> he should stop imitating a news man, as i said in the beginning. he should shut up, as a matter of fact. if he's a news man, he has no business talking to the president about policy. i love how he tries to wear two hats here. it's aggravating and distressful when you think of him talking about integrity,

quality journalism of integrity. >> eric: besides the incidents, he had a stellar career, dressing up and going to afghanistan and serving in dallas after president wendywendhe kennedy's assassination and years on cbs. >> eric: the best comment i -- >> the best comment i remember made about dan rather written years ago by the television critic of the "washington post" and rather had gone to do a stint in afghanistan. in full afghan costume, et cetera and shales wrote, "after all is said and done, a $50 haircut is still a $50 haircut." that tells you about dan rather who made a fortune on television news and goes on to pull the wool over everybody's eyes on the bush story, then goes on to sue

cbs and then goes on to a job, by the way, where he is working in television and still thinks that he can advise the president of the united states. >> eric: free country. he can say what he wants. last week you pointed out that the "new york times" made six or seven mistakes in an article of walter cronkite. the public editor says how did this happen? seven errors. seven by the "new york times" of the facts that got mangled, the "new york times" admits, and call it an especially embarrassing correction. liz trotta, kudos to you. >> aren't you nice? >> eric: you got 'em. >> thank you, dear. >> eric: thank you. >> jamie: thank you, liz. that will do it for us today. america's news headquarters with shannon bream continues from washington. i'm jamie colby. great to have you with us today. >> eric: i'm eric sh