the race resumes. president obama kicks off a bus tour across two swing states, while mitt romney says the president's health care law amounts to a tax. >> they concluded it was a tax. the american people know that president obama has broken the pledge he made. he said he wouldn't raise taxes on middle income americans. celebrating the fourth. the americans mark independence day with fireworks, hot dogs and a special ceremony aboard a world war ii battleship. oceanside ouster, a florida lifeguard is fired after he helps save a man from lifeguard is fired after he helps save a man from drowning. captioning funded by cbs. this is the "cbs morning news" for thursday, july 5, 2012. good morning everybody. good to be with you. i'm terrell brown. it is back to business today. president obama kicks off his

first bus tour of the campaign. the betting on america tour is a two-day swing through two critical states. meanwhile, mitt romney changed his tune regarding a key provision of the president's health care law. susan mcginnis gets us started today. good morning to you. >> terrell, good morning. the president is flying to toledo, then hopping on this bus to go through ohio and pennsylvania, two key swing states where he's after blue collar votes. that's a group he really needs. romney is staying focused on health care and trying not to look like a flipflopper. president obama is hitting the road today for a bus tour through ohio and pennsylvania. mitt romney is still on vacation. he's stealing headlines thanks to this comment on the "cbs evening news." >> obama care is a tax. like it or not, it's a tax. >> the comment directly contradicts statements made by his own campaign, including one of his top advisers. >> the governor believes that what we put in place in massachusetts was a penalty and he disagrees with the court's

ruling that the mandate was a tax. >> romney's new position puts him more in line with the majority of the republican party. >> it's now a tax since the court said it was a tax. >> the gop fear that romney will be criticized for appearing to flipflop on the subject much today's "wall street journal," the paper's editorial board says the campaign looks confused in addition to being politically dumb. the supreme court's decision has energized the republican base but the president considers it a victory, upholding his defining piece of legislation. >> for him to have passed health care was a big deal. >> now, the president will get to hear from the public. his first stop on the bus tour is maumee, ohio for a town hall meeting. look for the president to shift focus this week from health care to other topics, including immigration reform. >> america's success demands comprehensive immigration reform. >> and you can expect to hear a lot about mitt romney's business record as head of bain capital.

>> both sides are hoping a big number out tomorrow will help them. that is the june employment report from the labor department and terrell, the jobless rate is expected to remain stuck at 8.2%. >> looking forward. susan mcginnis in washington this morning. thank you so much. more of jan crawford's interview with mitt romney a little later on "cbs this morning." the president spent independence day at the white house hosting the military. first the president a continued a naturalization ceremony for active service members from 17 countries sworn in as citizens. ater military families were invited to a barbecue and fireworks on the south lawn. a fourth of july tragedy in iowa. three young children who drowned in a river were family members. the children were on an independence day outing with family and friends in marshall town. it's about 50 miles northeast of des moines. the children, two girls and a boy, ages 7 to 9 got separated from the others in their group. authorities searched the iowa river for three hours before they were found. power should be restored by

tomorrow to most of the customers who lost electricity because of severe storms. utility crews worked through the holiday in brutal heat. this morning, about a million customers remain without power in the mid-atlantic states. that's down from more than 3 million. 26 deaths are blamed on the storms and the following blackout. out west, good news concerning the massive wildfires. it rained in colorado yesterday. that helped calm the so-called waldo canyon fire near colorado springs. the most destructive fire in state history. firefighters hope to have it fully contained by sunday. in utah, fire crews are battling a brushfire south of salt lake city. one barn was destroyed. hundreds of homes are threatened. about 325 have been evacuated. the fire has burn about 2800 acres. in tucson, arizona, it was the wettest independence day ever. lots of water, monsoon-induced flooding took out several roads. cbs "moneywatch" time on this thursday. subprime mortgage lenders attempts to buy influence in washington, d.c. and is a mini

ipad on the horizon. ashley morrison in new york with more. good morning. >> good morning, terrell. country wide the mortgage lender that played a central role in the foreclosure crisis made hundreds of discount loans to government officials in order to buy influence according to a report by the house oversight committee. the discounts were given between january of 1996 to june of 2008. among the vips who received the loans, six current or former members of congress and executives of fannie mae. the report says countrywide may have skirted federal bribery laws. country wide was taken over by bank of america in 2008. overseas markets were cautious ahead of a decision by the european central bank. the nikkei shed a quarter percent and the hang seng gained half a percent. today we'll get the weekly unemployment data and tomorrow the government releases the june jobs report. wall street will be open for business after an off day to celebrate the fourth of july. a shortened trading day. the dow added 72 points and the

nasdaq gained 24. if you got on the road this independence day, you probably noticed you were paying less for gas. according to aaa, the nationwide average price for a gallon of regular is now $3.34. that's down 60 cents since april. but oil industry experts say prices have probably bottomed out and may start to climb in september. moody's rating service has lowered its outlook on barclays credit rating from stable to negative. the move comes after three of the british banks top officials resigned this week amid an interest rate fixing scheme. on wednesday bob diamond told parliament that british regulators told the banks not to stop the rate manipulation. and apple may be gearing up for a new ipad launch. according to a report in the "wall street journal," two companies that supply parts for the ipad have been told by apple to get ready for mass production of a new tablet computer with a smaller screen than the ipad.

apple certainly knows how to keep their fans coming back for more. >> if i wanted a smaller ipad, i would get an iphone. you're looking at me like huh? you have a blackberry. you have no idea what i'm talking about. >> i know what you're talking about. >> we got to upgrade you. ashley morrison, thank you so much. yasir arafat, traces of a radioactive agent were found on clothing reportedly worn by him and tests ordered by his wife. the leader died at the age of 75 in 2004 suffering from a mysterious illness. many in the arab world believe he was killed by the israelis. israel denies foul play. take a quick break. floating history. the world war ii battleship u.s.s iowa welcomes aboard sailors at a dedication ceremony. this is the "cbs morning news." comes aboard sailors at a dedication ceremony. this is the "cbs morning news."

♪ oh, the rocket's red glare, bomb's bursting in air. by the way, stars and stripes forever too fired off more than 40,000 rockets and shells at the fourth of july fireworks spectacular in new york city. big thrill for the huge crowds gathered along the hudson river. take a look at this fireworks mishap in san diego. a technical glitch caused all of the fireworks to go off at once. i'm sure somebody is thinking, that's a really great idea. not quite. an estimated half million that gathered to watch the show. they got one. problem is, it only last aid few seconds. no fireworks for u.s. military forces celebrating the fourth in afghanistan. but there was patriotic band music and a speech by the top commander, general john allen. it being the 236th birthday, there was plenty of cake decked out in red, white and blue. this is the 11th independence day since the war began.

southern california war veterans of another era spent their fourth of july aboard the worl war two battleship u.s.s iowa. now fully restored, it opened as a museum this weekend. many of those who once served on her got a preview. teresa garcia, reports. >> ♪ hundreds of veterans celebrated independence day on the deck of the u.s.s iowa. many boarding for the first time in decades. the former battleship has now been transformed into a floating museum in california. william dailey served on the ship when it was first commissioned in 1943. >> i'm proud of her. >> the world war ii era battleship has been out of service since the 1990s. the state of iowa donated $3 million to help refurbish it. >> many have worked tirelessly to ensure the u.s.s iowa will forever be preserved. >> walking the historical ship

again brought back fond memories. >> i used to slip out through the anchor chain and get on the anchor and i'd hide out if i didn't have any work do. >> the u.s.s iowa is nicknamed the battleship of presidents. its passengers included fdr, ronald reagan and the first president bush. >> the ship's only bathtub was installed specifically for president roosevelt in 1943 to accommodate his handicap as he traveled across the atlantic. >> i pledge allegiance -- >> his great granddaughter led the pledge of allegiance at the ceremony. >> one of the best ways to understand history is to have an experience, to feel and touch and see it. >> the ship opens on saturday. to the public. teresa garcia, cbs news, san pedro, california. up next, your thursday morning weather and in sports, a full day of action on the fourth including a fitting winner an the president's race in nationals park. winner an the president's race in nationals park. beneful baked delights... - [ barks ]

are crispy, oven-baked dog snacks with soft savory centers, on the fourth including a fitting winner an the president's race in nationals park. noon the fourth including a fitting winner an the president's race in nationals park. the fourth including a fitting winner an the president's race in nationals park. this mom has been doing it for years. she's got bounty. in this lab demo, one sheet of new bounty leaves this surface cleaner than two sheets of the leading ordinary brand. bounty. let the spills begin. mid grade dark roast forest fresh full tank brain freeze cake donettes rolling hot dogs bag of ice anti-freeze wash and dry diesel self-serve fix a flat jumper cables 5% cashback signup for 5% cashback at gas stations through september. it pays to discover. mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943.

i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. here's a look at the weather in some areas around the country. sunny in new york, 92. showers in miami, 90. partly sunny, 100 in chicago. sunny in dallas, 97. partly cloudy skies in los angeles, 73. let's check your national forecast. temperatures still high for most of the country. the northeast and the west coast will be mostly dry. thunderstorms, some severe, are likely in western nebraska and the western dakotas. in the rocky mountain states, isolated storms there could deliver flood producing downpours.

isolated thunderstorms are also likely from alabama to louisiana and in parts of the upper midwest. in sports this morning, what could be better than a fourth of july at the ballpark. in detroit, prince fielder got the tigers going against the twins. a single that drove in two runs. cabrera went three for three with two home runs and three rbi and justin verlander making his case for starting the allstar game, his fifth complete game. tigers 5, twins 1. on the south side of chicago, rival kevin youkilis making white sox fans happy again last night. a diving stop to nail adrian beltran and then an rbi hit to left in the tenth inning. sox with a walk-off win 5-4. in washington, not only did thomas jefferson win the fourth of july president's race waving the flag all the way, but the nationals and red, white and blue beat the visiting giants behind back-to-back homers behind zimmerman and morris. another two-run shot.

final nats 9, giants 4. after eight seasons with the phoenix suns trying to beat kobe bryant and the lakers, free agent steve nash is joining him. the point guard signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the lakers. nash was second in the nba in assists last season and averaged almost 13 points a game. at wimbledon, top seed and defending champ djokovic will face number 3 seed roger federer in the men's semifinals. quarterfinal action, federer made it 56 minutes. beat 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 and djokovic easily defeated a german rival for the chance to take an federer tomorrow. the blade runner is going to the olympics. he is 25-year-old oscar pistorius, a double amputee who runs on carbon fiber, prosthetic blades. he won a place on the south africa relay team yesterday. also makes him eligible for the individual 400 meters. the first double amputee to compete in an olympic track event.

finally, the wiener and champion, ha, ha, ha, is still joey jaws chestnut: at the annual fourth of july contest in new york's coney island amusement park, the 28-year-old californian downed 68 -- i cannot watch this. 68 dogs in buns in ten minutes for a sixth straight victory. chestnut and $10,000 in a mustard yellow belt. when we come back, beach bummer. a lifeguard in florida is fired after he tried to save a drowning swimmer. save a drowning swimmer. last season was the gulf's best tourism season in years. in florida we had more suntans... in alabama we had more beautiful blooms... in mississippi we had more good times... in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records on the gulf. this year we are out to do even better... and now is a great time to start. our beatches are even more relaxing... the fishing's great. so pick your favorite spot on the gulf... and come on down. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home.

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see that film? people call me about this every day. my dishwasher must be broken. you know, it's not always the machine. it may be the detergent. add finish power up to boost your detergent and you'll see a huge difference. watch what it can do. look at that sparkle! now that's clean! cloudiness! spots! tough stains! even dishwasher build-up! gone! just like that! so don't give up. add finish power up. wow! see the difference! it's a must have! here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. d.c., sunny, 98. atlanta thunderstorms, 96. st. louis, sunny, 106. thunderstorms in denver, 91 degrees. sunny in seattle, 75. an investigation is under way in a chicago suburb to

determine what caused the train derailment in the middle of a town. more than 30 cars of a union pacific train carrying coal from wyoming to wisconsin went off the rails taking a bridge down with them. no one was hurt but the city and railroad face a major cleanup job and also reconstruction. south florida, there's been a wave of protest over what happened to a young lifeguard who helped save a drowning man this week. he was fired. our cbs station, wfor tv in miami has the story. >> this is the lifeguard stand where tomas lopez worked until monday that's when he was fired after he saved a man. >> they told me a man was drowning. i didn't see them. i started running towards the direction. >> here's the problem. the person in trouble was beyond this sign that says swim at your own risk. lopez ran from his guard tower past the sign and down the beach to help. the concern? what if there was an emergency in his patrol area while gone. the sentinel reported the company that employs him, we have liability issues and can't go out of the protected

area. what he did was his own decision. he knew the company rules and did what he thought he need today do. >> i think it's ridiculous, honestly, that a sign is what separates someone from being safe and not safe. honestly, the job is not more important than someone's life. >> i think he did right. >> lopez is getting support from people on the beach. >> a human being was dying. you need to do what you need to do. >> we were sitting on the tower and we hear the news that he got fired. we radio our manager, or supervisor to come cover the water for us. we resigned. >> three of lopez's co-workers quit afterwards. two others say they were fired. >> they asked us if we would follow the company's policy of not going outside of the zone to rescue someone. and i said, there's no way i am going to let someone drown. i'm going to save them. >> what did they say? >> i'm fired. >> tomas tells us he plans to go back to school and finishing up there. the others plan to finish school or going to the red cross to get recertified so they can be a lifeguard somewhere else. >> in hallandale beach, florida,

cbs news. it was an emotional fourth of july for a group of veterans. about a dozen u.s. servicemen wounded in the wars in iraq and afghanistan were invited to visit the 9/11 memorial at ground zero yesterday. many were triple or quadruple amputees. >> it's symbolic. most people have their wars where they go back and see normandy or something like that. this is kind of where it all began for us. >> definitely emotional to be here, especially on the fourth of july. being independence day and all. it's hard to kind of be in here. >> the visit was to help raise money for two charities that build custom homes for wounded veterans. the servicemen later watched the fireworks on the "uss intrepid." a well-deserved front row seat. coming up later after your local news on "cbs this morning," the link between sleep apnea and depression. i'm terrell brown. this is the "cbs morning news." ning news." ,, 3q

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ysol. learn more at lysol.com/schools. 4 minutes before 5:00 on the 5th of july. marty is at first warning weather. >> it's warm and human. -- and humid. we're at 80 right now on tv hill. by lunch 92 going to a high of the upper 90s. 93 out of the the glare of the -- out of the glare of the sun this evening. don, take it away. wall street is back in business as the government gets set to reveal the latest unemployment figures. >> the maryland public commission addresses the state's roll for last friday's storms. >> already in the news this morning, the tens of thousands who remain without power as we

approach almost a week since the storm. we'll have the latest update from bge. >> huge crowds packed the inner harbor to celebrate the birth of our nation. how e iffective was the -- effective was the police presence. >> more news, first warning weather and your first traffic report of the morning in a couple of minutes. 3q take the gamble out of stain removal. only resolve all-stains has two formula chambers, to remove all types of stains. using shout or oxiclean? that's just playing the odds. don't chance it, resolve it. see a resolve difference or it's free.

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