it's tuesday, september 8th. this morning, full plate. a day before addressing congress to revive the health care fight, president obama talks to the nation's students. but some parents are upset. and even a former first lady is weighing in. today, is the back to work, without one of the nation's busiest bridges. and she is wowing crowds and competitors. the 17-year-old who might be competitors. the 17-year-old who might be america's next tennis superstar. captions paid for by abc, inc. good morning. and thanks for being with us.

two, closely-watched speeches in two days. 48 hours that could define the rest of the obama presidency. >> the first, a speech to encourage young students. but controversy has followed. abc's john hendren breaks it down from washington. >> reporter: good morning, jeremy and vinita. president obama has been accused of pushing a socialist agenda on children. but that message, now available on the white house website, is work hard and stay in school. critics have called it a controversial presidential address. >> is the president pushing a hidden agenda on to america's youth? >> reporter: some schools are refusing to let children see it. and some parents say they're worried. >> he might push his agenda. health care, things like that. >> reporter: but in an advanced copy of the president's speech today, it shows it is innocuous and typical advice. >> telling them to stay in school and work hard. >> reporter: much like this 1991

address, by republican president george h.w. bush. >> write me a letter in ways you can help us achieve our goals. >> reporter: former president jim greer was a critic of the speech, until he read it. >> the speech is a speech that any president should give. and my kids will be listening to it. >> reporter: at wakefield high, there's little controversy. >> what a dream the president of the united states would be in your school to welcome you back. >> reporter: tomorrow night, the tone changes. the president is expected to make a forcible argument to congress for his health care reform plan. the stakes could hardly be higher. >> the stakes are huge. i think his presidency will be judged on whether he can succeed where many other presidents have failed. >> reporter: tomorrow night's address is likely to be more controversial. the president is expected to press congress to pass universal health care with an optional public health plan that many republicans oppose. jeremy and vinita? >> abc's john hendren. and of course, abc news will

bring you live coverage of the president's speech and the republican response, tomorrow night, starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. the president is getting some support for today's education speech from an unlikely source. former school librarian and former first lady laura bush. >> i think there is a place for the president of the united states to talk to schoolchildren and encourage schoolchildren. i think there's a lot of people that should do the same. that is to encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dreams they have. >> mrs. bush said parents have the right too keep their kids out of school if they don't want them to hear president obama's school. president obama will include a message object swine flu in his back-to-school speech today. he are remind students to stay at home if they don't feel well. three school-aged children have died since friday. one each in alaska, louisiana

and tennessee. thousands of college students have also contracted it. but most cases have been mild. we're following a developing story from afghanistan. a suicide blast outside a nato base in kabul. a plume of smoke rose over the scene at kabul's international airport. nato's base is located right there. the taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack which killed two people and wounded several others. in britain, three muslim men have been convicted in a plot to bring down airliners using liquid explosives. the case brought about those restrictive rules to bringing liquids on planes. four other alleged conspirators were acquitted. here at home, joe kennedy says he is not running for his late uncle ted's senate seat. joe kennedy served six terms in congress. he is the oldest son of robert kennedy. his withdraw is likely to open

the door for several massachusetts democrats. and the supreme court's newest justice, sonia sotomayor, is welcomed to the bench in a special ceremony today. sotomayor and the other justices will get to work tomorrow, hearing a case on campaign finance limits. this morning's commute is going to be a messy one in san francisco. road crews were unable to fix a crocked support on the bay bridge. as brian rooney reports, officials say they should finish the repair by tomorrow. >> reporter: the san francisco bay bridge has been under reconstruction for years. workers were just connecting a temporary span, so they could start tearing down an old section of bridge, when inspectors found the crack, way up there over the road. now, the clock is ticking down to what could become a chaotic, post labor day rush hour for the bay area. >> once you find something like that, you have to repair it before you can put traffic back on a structure. >> reporter: the crack is on a part called an i-bar.

plain as day, it's broken. two braces weighing 18,000 pounds that could take the load of the broken part, had to be manufactured over the weekend in arizona, and flown by charter jet to san francisco. >> they've been working through the night. >> reporter: closing it is serious. seven bridges serve the san francisco bay area. but without the bay bridge, right there in the middle, it's a long drive and a rush hour nightmare for many thousands of people. one bridge expert says the bay bridge should not reopen. >> if a crack has opened two inches, that means the bridge is under a trot of stress. certainly this i-bar was under a lot of stress. at this point, the bridge is not safe. >> reporter: but they do plan to open it, even as they proceed to replace it with a modern span. by some estimate there's as many as 4,000 people on the bridge at any moment during rush hour. the bay area desperately needs this bridge to reopen. brian rooney, abc news, san francisco, california.

in southern california, firefighters struggling to get a handle on the massive station fire in the angeles national forest had to deal with another flare-up yesterday. and they had to cancel a plan to burn a line to protect communities on the southern end of the blaze. it is 56% contained at the cost of almost $60 million. forecasters are keeping an eye on the new storm in the atlantic ocean. tropical storm fred is churning off the west coast of africa. fred is expected to strengthen a bit. but it is not forecast to be a threat to the u.s. it is the sixth named storm of the atlantic hurricane season. and now, for this morning's weather from around the nation. scattered showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds from minnesota, nebraska and kansas. periods of heavy rain from the carolinas up to richmond and d.c. scattered showers from kentucky to michigan. and isolated thunderstorms in florida. >> a high of 89 today in miami. 73 for baltimore.

78 here in new york. upper 70s for chicago, detroit and fargo. 85 in st. louis. 97 in dallas. phoenix is seasonable at 101. while sacramento climbs to 88. 77 in boise and orlando. and 70 for seattle. and coming up, more electric cars coming to car lots near you. plus, tracking those great white sharks off cape cod. why biologists are so excited by the visit from the deep. and a crash caught on tape, as this paraglider drops into a crowd of families. these days, wouldn't it be great if saving money happened as automatically as everything else? at bank of america, it practically does. use the bankamericard power rewards visa credit card and earn rewards like cash back with every purchase. cash you can put into savings. or even use to help pay down your credit card balance. it's one of the many ways we make saving money

in tough times a whole lot easier. it's one of the many ways we make saving money activia light!ht yogurt like no other./ delicious, fat free, and above all... the only one that ha bifidus regularis and is clinically roven to help regulate, your digestive system. ha bifidus regularis activia light. ♪ activiaaa! new aveeno nourish plus. active naturals wheat formulas proven to target and help repair damage in just three washes. - building shiny, strong... - hair with life. announcer: new aveeno nourish plus. - building shiny, strong... - hair with life. 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... and, ooh, rotisserie chicken. yes, you do. [ barks ] yeah. you're so special, you deserve a very special dog food. [ woman ] introducing chef michael's canine creations. the deliciously different way to serve up your love at mealtime.

chef-inspired. dog-desired. chef michael's canine creations. shopping online can help save. doing it with bank of america can help save a lot more. up to 20% cash back from over 300 online retailers with our add it up program. just sign up and use your bank of america debit or credit card when you shop online. it's one of the many ways we make saving money in tough times a whole lot easier.

overseas, stocks mostly higher this morning. tokyo's nikkei average rose 0.7% today. hong kong's hang seng is up big. in london, the ftse opened higher. now, wall street goes back to work today after the holiday weekend. the dow looking to bounce back after falling 103 points last week to close at 9441. and last week, the nasdaq fell 10 points to close at 2018. kraft food is gearing up for a takeover battle from cadbury. 2 food giant said it won't back down after cadbury rejected its initial buy outbid. cat bury soared on monday. a takeover could help kraft expand its global reach. but the offer could spark a bidding war among kraft's rivals. the competition to sell all electric cars is getting

crowded. "the wall street journal" reports honda will join the mix in the next few years. the automaker is expected to take a cautious approach to the any technology. gm, toyota and nissan have plans to sell electric vehicles in the next few years. toyota's prius hybrid has the company hiring for the first time in over a year. they are adding eight contract workers in japan. toyota says the new hires reflect gradually recovering auto sales. mcdonald's has lost an eight-year trademark battle with a tiny restaurant in malaysia. the burger change was trying to keep the restaurant from using the name mccurry. but malaysia's ports ruled that the indian restaurant was not trying to pass itself off as mcdonald's. and comedian jerry lewis raised more than $60 million for muscular dystrophy this weekend. it was his 40th annual labor day

telecon. the total in contributions was $5 million less than last year. but lewis called it an amazing accomplishment. you co-get the latest business news anytime on our website, abcnews.com. coming up on this tuesday, 9 murders over 20 years. now, police believe they have found a serial killer. and the weekend shark sightings that kept swimmers on shore may help experts learn much more about these much-feared animals. since arthur's been eating purina one, he has blossomed... into an incredibly strong, healthy cat. his coat is incredibly shiny and soft and very thick. everybody thinks he's the most handsome cat they've ever seen. [ woman announcing ] purina one for indoor cats... unlocks the brilliance of nature... with a natural fiber blend that helps minimize hairballs... and maintain a healthy weight. [ laurie ] he's a character. he brings so much laughter into this household. and he's the best-lookin' cat there is. [ announcer ] it's amazing what one can do.

but those days came and went, and the cigarettes remained. but today's a new day. and a few simple steps can make a real difference in your next quit... things like starting with a plan to quit smoking... getting support... and talking to your doctor about how prescription treatments can help you. talk to your doctor about prescription treatment options. and make this time, your time.

the reason that i picked alli was because its approved by the fda, it was safe. it will block 25% of the fat that you eat and keep it from being absorbed. that's got to be better for you than something that is absorbed into the system. alli is not only just a pill but it is a total program. it's a way of teaching yourself to eat more healthy. it does force a lifestyle change. (announcer) join the millions of people who are losing weight with alli. welcome back. these are the latest headlines from abc news. president obama delivers that controversial back-to-school speech to students today, after seeing an advanced text, some critics now have no problem with it. with three, new deaths of school-aged children because of swine flu, the president will remind students to wash their hands and stay home from school

if they're sick. and the crews of "discovery" and the space station have said their good-byes. the shuttle detaches today for a thursday flight home, carrying several tons of trash. a milwaukee man who is accused of being a serial killer is now in custody. police and prosecutors say a man named walter ellis is linked to the murders of nine women between 2006 and 200 7. it's believed that eight women of the cases were prostitutes. and the ninth was a runaway. ellis is only charged with two counts of homicide right now. but authorities say more charges will be filed this week. an illinois grandmother accused of helping to hide her 6-year-old grandson inside her home for nearly two years, faces new charges this morning. diane dobbs was arrested for harassing a witness, just hours after she showed "good morning america" where ricky was hidden. dobbs says she and the boy's mother did nothing wrong. >> i did put him in here. but that is not where ricky

lived. we had to do what we had to do. and that was to make sure that our grandson stayed safe. >> dobbs and her daughter hid ricky after his father was awarded custody. they claim he molested the boy. some surprise visitors visiting cape cod kept swimmers out of the water on the holiday weekend. several beaches were closed after great white sharks moved into the area. but experts moved in to gain more insight in the baffling creatures. here's david muir. >> reporter: red flags at the cape cod shoreline today, warning swimmers to stay clear, after five great white sharks were spotted off the cape. it was an annoyance for swimmers. but excitement for scientists. >> we know it's here every summer. but it's hard after for us to find it. nothing is like working with a shark in your backyard. >> reporter: the shark was seen not far from the spot where hollywood once scared us with

"jaws." . today, gregory scomo and his team got a real-life look. and for the first time ever in the atlantic, tagging two of the sharks, with a device that will track their whereabouts. >> once it comes off, it reports back to us, the data it's collected during its deployment. we can re-create the patterns of the shark, in where it was in the water column and where it traveled. at that point we can figure out what is going on. >> reporter: so little is known about the elusive great white. why these waters? why now? scientists suspect they may have an appetite for the thousands seals. shark attacks on people are rare. the last deadly one off the coast of massachusetts was in 1936. still i vacationers were cautious. some forced to cut their summer short, did so gladly, fascinated by the elusive sharks who share the sea. >> respect the ocean. respect the still nature that's out there. and try to appreciate what we

can about the beach while we're here. >> reporter: those devices the sharks have been tagged with are on a timer. they'll release from the sharks and rise to the ocean surface sometime in january, we're told. revealing their journey long after their summer stop at the cape. david muir, abc news, new york. >> i think there's been two fatal attacks off the coast of massachusetts ever. but still, scary enough to keep you out of the water. >> can't imagine seeing them in the water. >> yeah. the u.s. open is heating up in new york. but it seems no one is hotter than one 17-year-old from georgia, who has already beaten some of the best in the world. and a pilot with good intentions crashes into a crowd, injuring several children. you'. only new dove deep moisture has nutriummoisture, a breakthrough formula with natural moisturizers... that can nourish deep down.

it's the most effective natural nourishment ever. new dove deep moisture with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. ♪ bicycle, what are we waiting for?

the flowers are blooming. the air is sweet. and zyrtec® starts... relieving my allergies... 2 hours faster than claritin®. my worst symptoms feel better, indoors and outdoors. with zyrtec®, the fastest... 24-hour allergy medicine, i promise not to wait as long to go for our ride. zyrtec® works fast, so i can love the air™. i switched to a complete multivitamin with more. only one a day women's 50+ advantage... has gingko for memory and concentration... plus support for bone and reast health. just what i need. one a day women's. a southwest airlines jet made an emergency landing in tampa. a smoke indicator light forced the landing. but the airline said there was no smoke or fire onboard. fire crews later confirmed smoke

in the cabin. all 229 people onboard got off safely. six people are recovering after a freak accident in utah. a man and his son were dropping prizes during a labor day event, when they fell into a group of people. it was traveling about 30 miles an hour when it hit the crowd. a pair of sisters ages 4 and 5 had to be flown to a salt lake city hospital. but they should, we're told, be okay. the man and his son in the pair raglider were not among the injured. at the u.s. open, serena williams is the highest-ranked woman left, as the singles competition enters the quarterfinals today. she has yet to be challenged in any of our four matches so far. if williams wins the final, it will be her 12th grand slam tournament title. while williams plays tonight, 17-year-old melanie oudin has the night off. her unlikely run to the final

has come against all odds. here's john berman. >> reporter: she's not old enough to vote. she's not tall snuff to stand out in a crowd. but over the last week, 5'6", 17-year-old melanie oudin has been good enough to electrify the tennis world. the teenager from marietta, georgia, advanced to the quarterfinals, with our fourth, stunning victory in a row. she beat russian, nadia petrova, after beating champion, maria sharapova. being down doesn't seem to phase her. >> i don't mean to lose the first set. and people might think that. but i don't mean to. i'm trying hard. i just haven't been able to figure it out until like the second set. >> reporter: another thing that doesn't seem to phase her, the russian tennis juggernaut. she's beaten four so far at the open, shredding their best

players. what do you have against the russians? >> i didn't mean to have that draw. >> reporter: so, what's her trick? >> her passion to be out there and play. it's great. if we could bottle it, her attitude and her competitiveness, point in and point out, we'd all be doing pretty well in u.s. tennis. >> reporter: on her sneaker, one word, believe. she might sound like your average high school kid. >> i think it's awesome that people want to know who i am. >> reporter: but you can tell by the reaction from her twin sister, this was no average day. giant-killing isn't easy. but melanie oudin might be right. it is awesome. john berman, abc news, new york. >> what an astronomical rise. and she was saying now, the sports deals and the offers are really rolling in. she went from somebody who was able to walk through the u.s. open without anyone recognizing her, to now requiring security from all the paparazzi. >> she had a photo shoot in times square that turned into a free. for-all, because everybody knows

who she is and want to be around her. she says, i now compete with the best in the world. for some of you, your local news is up next. >> for everyone else, "america this morning" continues after >> for everyone else, "america this morning" continues after this. wheo tore through holly, colorado, air life denver took to the air... their night-vision goggles keeping them safe on a perilous flight... and powering those precision goggles--- is the only battery air life trusts: duracell. trusted everywhere. look for new duracell ultra advanced now with even more power to protect. look for new duracell ultra advanced activia light!ht yogurt like no other./ delicious, fat free, and above all... the only one that ha bifidus regularis and is clinically roven to help regulate, your digestive system. ha bifidus regularis activia light. ♪ activiaaa! a heart attack at 53. i had felt fine. but turns out...

my cholesterol and other risk factors... increased my chance of a heart attack. i should've done something. now, i trust my heart to lipitor. when diet and exercise are not enough, adding lipitor may help. unlike some other cholesterol .lowering medications,, lipitor is fda approved .to reduce the risk..., of heart attack, stroke, and certain kinds ! of heart surgeries... in patients with several common risk factors... or heart disease. lipitor has been extensively studied... with over 16 years of research. 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. i was caught off-guard. but maybe you can learn !from my story. have a heart to heart with your doctor... about your risk. and about lipitor.

why the words "stay in school" are so controversial on this day back to school. a pastor admits he praise for the president to die. wait until you hear the story. no go for joe. joe kennedy turns down his chance to be the next senator kennedy. good morning, maryland. thank you for joining us. many of you heading back to work or school. >> we'll give you all the news here, weather and traffic, everything you need. here's meteorologist justin berk. >> looks like labor day came just in time. where he will would you want to be on a cool wet day than in school? this will remind us that fall

is either here or knocking on the door. wet weather to the south. while most of it is south and west. plan for showers, not a complete washout, we'll have one of those this week. but right now, 66 in baltimore. 64 easton. we'll only go up to 72. i think we'll undercut the two-degree guarantee from last night because of the wet weather and cool easterly wind. complete forecast coming up in a bit. 4:59. let's check the roads with kim. >> thank you. as we return to work and school we'll check the beltway. you can see traffic starting to build along the outer loop but no problems or delays. no even construction projects overnight at the beltway. however, we have a watermain break in the mount washington section of baltimore county. it will be between falls road and clarkview and hollands lane. crews will start repairing it today. there's still water in the roadway north of lake avenue, be advised of that. jfx at northern parkway, traffic looks good in both