making news many america on this monday morning. >> the nation honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. the president makes this day with a visit to arlington national cemetery. sara pailing rolls into washington on a motorcycle. is it a presidential campaign kickoff? and coming home, the shuttle "endeavour" coheads back to ear. good morning, i'm daniel seeberg. >> and i'm stephanie sy. >> it's the unofficial start of

summer. much more importantly, it's the day our nation stops to honor those that have died in our nation's wars. the president lays a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns today. >> one soldier said it was all about letting those who fought and died know they have not been forgotten. zbrmpblts before he heads to arlington this esident is namesh president is names his pick for the joint chiefs of staff. he is expected to name general martin dempsey. if confirmed bynate, senate, dempsey will replace admiral mike mullen works is retiring in the fall. yesterday, the president brought consolation and plejs of help to the people of joplin, missouri. it was one week since the massive tornado tore through killing more than 100 residents.

>> reporter: block after block after block. this is what the president saw on his drive in. a disorienting scene of shattered trees. and homes. the whole country is with them. >> this is just not your tragedy. this is a national tragedy. that means there will be a national response. >> reporter: later on in the community memorial, the president reminded of that. >> there are heros all around us. all the time. they walk by us on the sidewalk. they sit next to us in class. >> reporter: while the president saw the skelton of st. john's hospital, those ghostly curtains blowing. he didn't see this. the new hospital. jill howard started running when she saw her hero. >> hi dear, how are you?

>> reporter: the doctor who helped her. she finally felt safe when she found him. >> your what h what happened? >> reporter: it was a black eye from flying debris. this doctor now living in a shelter, but treating patients. >> they survived. they're alive. that's the main thing. >> you have shown the world what it means to love thy neighbor. >> reporter: the doctors, patients, showing the resilience of this town. and that buildings are not the only thing that make a community. you get such a sense of community here at st. john's hospital. so many tearful embragss. this place was built so quickly. matt gutman, abc news, joplin, missouri. republican presidential

candidate tim pawlenty begin this is day if iowa. if elected, he said he would support the current gop overhaul of medicare. michelle batchman spends the day in inspect. . she's not officially announced whether she'll run. at potential kantd making wave this is week. sarah palin kicked off a tour in the nation's capital. more from david kerley. >> reporter: she said sunday would be the rollout of the bus tapped bus tour. there was no bus, just a bike. make that a harley. dressed head to toe in leather, sarah palin started her tour arriving, uninvited, to this motorcycle rally. >> it's a desire on our part to get across america and remind

others about our foundation. how important sit to respect and protect our constitution. >> reporter: republican officials in pennsylvania and new hampshire have been left in the dark. that has left political professionals to wonder if palin is serious about running for president. >> these are the boxes you have to check. she's not checked any of them. still, she has a hard core base of supporters, that seem willing to follow her anywhere she goes. >> reporter: about 40% of republican voters say they're not happy with the current field. rudy giuliani is going to a fund raider in new hampshire. george pataki may be jumping in. as for sarah palin, the bus will be in washington, d.c., later this morning. where it goes from there, though, they wouldn't say.

david kerley, abc news, washington. the shas shuttle "endeavour" has said its final good-bye to the international space station. this is the final voi kraj. it's pilot bid commander mark kelly, the husband of gabrielle giffor giffords, the congresswoman that was shot in january. general david petraeus and lieutenant general david rodriguez apologized for an air tri stik that landed not where it was supposed to. switches geing gears. looking at the nation's weather. not quite as severe from kansas city to texas. up to a foot of mountain snow in the rockies. rain from seattle to redding,

california. the heat continues in the northeast. >> 95 in baltimore. 9 on in new york. 85 in omaha. 87 in detroit. mostly 60s from seattle to salt lake city. coming up, american airlines is set to leave its mark on the upcoming nba finals. that's in our business news straight ahead. and a memorial day tradition at the brick yard. the 100th runs of the race. so close, yet so far away.

u.s. markets are closed today for the memorial day holiday. overseas markets were fairly quite. tokyo's nikkei average was down a fraction today. hong kong's hang seng gained a small amount. in london, the ftse is also closed. when wall street opens tomorrow, the dow will be at 12,441. lock heheed martin says it a target of a significant hack attack this month. no critical data was stolen. the company, the largest military contractor, says it has already taken stoeps control the breach. the airlines have hiked their fares seven times this year. it doesn't appear that they'll

go down anytime soon. ticket vaels up 1.5%. you'll be hearing about one of those airlines a lot in the upcoming nba finals. the heat play in the american airlines areen nap the mav vicks play in the american airlines center. and hollywood could be heading to a new memorial day record. thanks to "the hangover part two." it opened to twice the sales of the original film. second was another sequel, "kung fu panda two." coming up, the father of the soldier accused in the wikileaks case speaks out. and an update on the casey anthony case. tearful testimony from the suspect's mother over the weekend. we'll be right back. my whole body hurt. it was an ongoing, deep pain.

i didn't understand it. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves.

i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means, i can feel better and do more of what matters. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. then i found lyrica. ♪ [ dog treats drop though mail slot ] everybody likes to get a bons. get more free at the petsmart .big brands bonus sale. and save up to 40% n select petmate® proucts. at petsmart. happiness in store.™

parts of the midwest are littered with downed trees after another wave of rough weather. a powerful line of storms ripped through indiana and michigan. yesterday afternoon, with gusty winds, hail, heavy rain. thousands were left without power. now for a look at morning road conditions, wet on i-95 from the twin cities to des moines. snow and ice on parts of i-15. also slick on i-80, 84, and 90 in the rockies. wet on i-5 into california. if you're possible rport delays possible in minneapolis, salt lake city, and denver. casey anthony's trial is set to resume on tuesday, following a weekend of very emotional testimony. her mother took the stand on saturday and described how she spent a month asking if she could see her granddaughter,

caylee, who was already dead. here's abc's ashleigh banfield. >> reporter: another emotional roller coaster for casey anthony's family. her mother was called to the stand and was asked to identify her granddaughter's toy. >> that was caylee's. caylee's sand box. ture-perfect playhouse was flashed in court. to show the care and attention the anthonys lavished on their granddaughter. >> the landscaping around the house, did you do that? >> george and i did that. >> reporter: casey broke down in the recess that followed. her lawyers trying to console her. but the pictures and memories would prove, once again, too much for cindy anthony. >> yes. >> i can't look at my granddaughter without getting upset. i'm trying very hard not to cry. >> reporter: cindy anthony listed out the lies and excuses

her daughter told her, as to why she couldn't see or speak to little caylee for over a month. >> there was a car accident. she was called if to work. she said she was in jacksonville. >> reporter: casey has now admitted the child was dead all along. >> after june 15, 2008, did you see your granddaughter, caylee, again. >> no, ma'am, i did not. >> anthony lazzaro. >> reporter: casey's ex-boyfriend took the stand as well, for the fourth time. and read text messages she sent him. >> i'm so sorry i didn't tell you what happened. we obviously need to talk. if they don't find her, guess who gets blamed and spends eternity in jail. >> reporter: but a lifetime in jail could be a welcome alternative to a death penalty she's now facing. ashleigh banfield, abc news. we're getting reports of an

attack outside a military base in afghanistan. they blew up something outside the base and a gunfight followed. the afghans say there are casualties. now to the army private accused of leaking top secret s. since bradley mannings' arrest, his father has struggled to understand why he did this. for the first time he speaks out. he said he still hasn't had a chance to speak to his son about the charges. >> if he said, dad, it's true. i did it, what would you say back? >> i would say you f'ing stupid idiot. why would you do something like that? probably more words after that. i would be openly embarrassed about the way i have been holding up, thinking he's innocent. >> bradley manning is jailed at ft. leavenworth. if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. time for our indy 500 highlights.

here's adnan virk at espn news. >> good morning. it was the 100th anniversary of the indianapolis 500. the conclusion of this race did not disappoint. danica patrick gearing up for this one. will power's rear tire not fastened securely. he finished 14th, the best showing for penske racing. not a nice image. e.j. viso. slamming into the wall. take a look. he gets spun, hits the grass, goes crashing into the wall. so much for his chances. 13 laps to go. it's bertrand baguette. passing danica patrick for the lead. a recipe for success for baguette. four laps to go, 23-year-old rookie, j.r. hildebrand making a charge. passing dario franchitti for second. baguette coming down pit road.

he's on pit road. last turn, final lap, hildebrand coming around the turn, victory all but assured. oh, no. he crashes into the wall. and dan wheldon is able to beat him to the finish line. hildebrand was leading by almost four seconds. instead, it's a stunning conclusion as hildebrand ends up only finishing in second place. two seconds behind wheldon, who has won the indy before. he was a runner up the last two years. this time he wins in stunning fashion. and celebrating with a nice bottle of milk. that does it for your sports update. make sure for all the highlights, check us out on the highlight express. a lot of people feel like a zombie if they don't get their morning coffee. folks in seattle, well, it's home to starbucks coffee, so they shouldn't have a problem, right? >> tell that to the zombies on this train. it's a zombie flash mob. they were headed to crypticon.

a week long convention of zom beast and other ghoulish sorts. >> let's hope they get their coffee. up next, the stories we'll be following later today. and the mess the storms left behind last week. the cleanup is only just getting going. [ male announcer ] if you've been to the hospital with heart-related chest pain or a heart attack known as acs, you may not want to face the fact that you're at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke. plavix helps protect people with acs against heart attack or stroke: people like you. it's one of the most researched prescription medicines. goes beyond what they do alone by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking and forming dangerous clots. plavix. protection against heart attack or stroke in people with acs. [ female announcer ] plavix is not for everyone. certain genetic factors and some medicines such as prilosec reduce the effect of plavix leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke.

your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment. don't stop taking plavix without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. people with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, which can potentially be life threatening, n planning surgeryor when planning surgery. tell your doctor all medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than two weeks after starting plavix. reported sometimes less than two weeks you know what i want? lipstick that makes house calls. i want someone to bring the make-up counter to me. i want to be the first to discover the latest. and get a little advice from my avon representative whenever i ask. this is beauty that delivers from avon. see how avon can deliver extra income for you.

go to avon.com or call 800 for avon to become a representative. introducing honey bunches of oats, raisin medley. there's nothing like it! the only cereal with 1, 2, 3 kinds of raisins and crunchy multigrain flakes. you gotta try new honey bunches of oats raisin medley. they're itchy, dry and uncomfortable. i can't wait to take 'em out, throw 'em away and never see them again. [ male announcer ] know the feeling? get the contacts you've got to see to believe. acuvue® oasys brand contact lenses. feel how hydraclear® plus keeps your eyes exceptionally comfortable all day long. it feels like it disappeared on my eye. [ male announcer ] discover why it's the brand eye doctors trust most for comfort. and if you're not 100 percent satisfied, you get your money back. guaranteed. are they on? 'cause they don't feel like they are. [ male announcer ] acuvue® oasys brand. see what could be. now a look ahead at the stories we'll be watching this

monday. president obama marks memorial day by laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns. before that, martin dempsey is expected to be named by president obama as the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. he's spent years leading troops in iraq. he only took up his current job as army chief of staff last month. the top u.s. generals are apologizing for an air strike that killed at least nine civilians. the u.s. military stays air strike was aimed at unsinsurgen who took shelter in a home filled with women and children. the middle of the u.s. is still recovering from the twisters last week. the cleanup and search continues in joplin, missouri. the death toll in joplin is at 139.

several dozen are still missing. the space shuttle "endeavour" has said good-bye to the international space station. "endeavour" is due to land on earth on wednesday. after that, it heads to a long-earned retirement in a museum in california. officials are trying to make sure that radio particles are not released into the air and water after a storm. coming up, what the behind the relationship of lebron james and dwyane wade. more coming up. for some of you, your local news is next. >> for everyone else, "america this morning" continues after this. ♪

and, uh, wow! i really need to shop for a better rate. any thoughts? well, i can do two things. first, we'll show you our progressive direct rates and rates from our competitors. people who switch save an average of over $500 a year. very cool! oh, and the second thing? it's origami. you just blew my mind. making it easy to shop and save. now, that's progressive. call or click today. but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, soit can be absorbed ith or without food. citracal.

took some wild risks when i was young. but i was still taking a risk with my cholesterol. anyone with high cholesterol may be at increased risk of heart attack. diet and exercise weren't enough for me. i stopped kidding myself. i've been eating healthier, exercising more, and now i'm also taking lipitor. if you've been kidding yourself about high cholesterol, stop. along with diet, lipitor has been shown to lower bad cholesterol 39 to 60 percent. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. lets go... haha. if you have high cholesterol, you may be at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. don't kid yourself. talk to your doctor about your risk and about lipitor.

next on abc7 news -- a deadly night in oakland. a late night shooting that killed a man and woman and critically injured at least one more person. what witnesses say they did that should have brought the police to the scene much sooner. if your memorial day plans include bart, expect delays. why you could be slowed as much as 40 minutes today. mike will have the forecast. >> sorry, eric. it will be dry this memorial day, but it looks like more rain is on the way even as finally this morning, those annual pearls of wisdom offered at college commencement. >> every year, we get tons of them.

now it's time for the greatest hits. ♪ >> cadets, what class is this? >> all: the class of 2011. >> okay, i just wanted to make sure. >> the jig is up. the clock has run out. the future with a capital "f" now rests with you in all those goofy hats. move forward. move ever forward and tweet out a picture of the results. >> try putting your iphones down every once in awhile and look at people's faces. people's faces will tell you amazing things. like if their angry, or nauseus, or asleep. >> you will fail at some point in your life.

you will embarrass yourself. you will suck at something. there's though doubt about it. that's not a traditional message. i'm telling you, embrace it. >> before you drop out, take a deep breath, maybe you picked the wrong job. try again. try until you find something hat stirs your passion. >> humility, patience, and faith, and always a few tears from me. >> you want to get something done in the world, never forget, ultimately, you have to get out of facebook and into somebody's face. >> it is time to leave. oprah has spoken. >> and that's what's making news in america. we leave you this morning with scenes from arlington national cemetery. >> stay with us for "good morning america." have a great memorial day.