it's wednesday, september 9th. this morning, joint session. before tonight's rare speech to congress, the president talks first to abc news about his new plan to persuade the public. >> it will add a lot of clarity about what i think is the best way to move forward. breaking news. a reporter rescued. a daring, early-morning commando mission to rescue journalists held hostage. and apple's announcement. the maker of the ipod and iphone unveils its latest invention the maker of the ipod and iphone unveils its latest invention today. captions paid for by abc, inc.

good morning. thanks for joining us on this wednesday. six months of bare-knuckle negotiations on health care reform tonight come down to this. tonight, president obama aims to close the deal. >> but first, he gave an exclusive preview to abc news. john hendren has the latest from washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, vinita. president obama is putting his prestige on the line. he'll be talking to congress. but the real goal of his address will be persuading the american public. tonight, president obama makes a high-stakes pitch for health care reform. in an exclusive interview with abc's robin roberts, the president outlined his rare, joint address to congress. >> the intent of the speech is to "a," make sure that the american people are clear exactly what it is we're proposing. "b", to make sure that democrats and republicans understand that i'm open to new ideas. >> reporter: but among most republicans on capitol hill, the

verdict is already in. >> i have deep concerns about most of the provisions in this bill. and i think we need to get back to -- back to the drawing board. >> reporter: congress is back and crafting rival versions of health reform. abc news has obtained an outline of the health care bill drafted by senate finance chairman, max baucus. it would require individuals to have insurance by 2013 or pay a fine. levee $6 billion in new taxes on insurers. and tax so-called cadillac insurance plans. that plan zuz not include an optional government health plan. but the leaders of both houses they they want won. >> i'm in favor of a public option. >> i believe that a public option will essential to our passing a bill in the house of representatives. >> reporter: the public plan is an option the president supports, too. but many analysts say that getting rid of that plan may be the price he ends up paying for passing health care reform. jeremy and vinita?

john hendren in washington for us this morning. thanks, john. and abc news will bring you live coverage of the president's speech to congress and the republican response starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. president obama delivers tonight's address in the wake of a bruising controversy over his back-to-school speech. some schools and parents refused to let students watch it, for fear it would be too political. but millions of students did hear the president's straightforward appeal to work hard in school. >> we need every, single one of you to develop your talents and your schools and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. if you don't do that, if you quit on school, you're not just quitting on yourself. you're quitting on your country. >> and another controversy has erupted since the speech. one texas school that did not show mr. obama's address is now preparing to take fifth graders out of school to hear former

president bush speak. right now, breaking news from afghanistan. a "new york times" reporter is safe this morning after being rescued from his taliban captors in a commando raid. >> an interpreter working with the reporter was killed in the clash during the rescue attempt. our nick schifrin joins us from kabul. good morning, nick. >> reporter: he was investigating a nato bombing late last week in northern afghanistan that killed civilians. he was at the scene of the bombing the morning after the attack, interviewing local villagers. the taliban kidnapped him and his translator. this morning, nato decided to raid the compound where ferrell was being held. afghan and british soldiers raided that compound. farrell was freed. but the translator was killed in the firefight, as well as the wife and son of one of the taliban commanders. there are reports that one soldier was killed, as well.

farrell was the second "new york times" journalist captured in afghanistan this last year. they were on the border to pakistan. it's no secret, it's increasingly dangerous for journalists to travel in these parts of the world. particularly because the taliban has moved into areas that where it was peaceful. since nato has begun to use northern afghanistan as a supply route for its 100,000 troops here, today, the kunduz governor says one-third of his territory is controlled by the taliban. also from afghanistan, more americans killed in action. in the first eight days of this month, eight u.s. troops have been killed, including four in a single attack yesterday. and four americans were killed in iraq yesterday, marking it the deadliest day there for the u.s. in more than two months now. well, the storm named fred was upgraded overnight to a

category 1 hurricane. fred is centered a few hundred miles from the cape verde islands on the west coast of africa. it is expected to pick up steam. but forecasters say it will remain over the open water and not affect land. airports are getting new test kits this week to check passengers for powder explosives. agents will be able to test items that raise questions during x-ray screenings. cosmetic powder, medications and infant formula shouldn't be a problem. until now, tsa agents had to call in an explosives specialist if they saw something that concerned them. on capitol hill, a senate honor for the late ted kennedy. henry reed led in a moment of silence. kennedy's desk was draped in a black cloth. and a bouquet of white roses sat on top. also on capitol hill, chief justice john roberts welcomed sonia sotomayor to the supreme court. they descended the supreme court steps, as is the tradition for

new justices. the entire court hears an important campaign finance law today. forensic experts say a bone fragment found next door to the home of kidnapping suspects of phillip garrido, is probably human. garrido moved there for a time before moving next door, where he allegedly held jaycee dugard captive for 18 years. a spokesman says it is not unusual to recover native american remains in that area. also in california, bay area commuters again have the use of their most heavily-traveled bridge. the bay bridge was closed after a crack was found. but opened yesterday, ahead of schedule. and also in los angeles, a 22-ton fire engine fell right through the street? a sink hole. the rig's crew was responding to a water main break. and the water had created a void right under the truck. thankfully no one was injured. and they say the $650,000 truck can be salvaged. now, for this morning's weather from around the nation. stormy in the mid-atlantic.

with pockets of heavy rain and coastal flooding in new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware and maryland. showers and thunderstorms from the ohio and tennessee valleys to the southeast. and heavy downpours in the southern plains, including texas. >> a hot 96 in dallas. 88 in new orleans. and 89 in miami. 72 here in new york. highs in the 80s for st. louis, indianapolis and detroit. and it will be hotter in parts of the west. 102 in phoenix. and 93 in sacramento. and coming up, silicon valley unveiling. apple is just hours from interdeucing its latest invention to the world. and more great white sharks spotted off cape cod. so, what is attracting these giants from the deep? come on. [ kissing ] come on. good girl. mollie's never looked better. i really was amazed to see the change in her coat. people stop us when we're walking, and they'll say, "did you shine up her spots?" [ woman announcing ] just another way purina one...

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a report out this morning raises some red flags about the government's bailout of the auto industry. a congressional watchdog group says taxpayers could lose a significant part of the $80 billion in aid given to general motors and chrysler. the panel also suggests steps to avoid a conflict of interest, since the government owns large stakes in the ato makers. americans slashed their debt by a record amount in july. borrowing plunged more than $21 billion, due to concern about job losses and the economic recovery. economists expect americans will continue to spend less and trim their dead. but that could actually slow down the recovery because consumer spending accounts for 70% of economic activity. overseas stock markets are mostly lower this morning.

tokyo's nikkei average fell 0.8% today. hong kong's hang seng is lower. in london, the ftse opened in the red. wall street starts the day with the dow at 9497, after climbing 56 points yesterday. the nasdaq gained 19 points to close at 2037. gadget lovers will get their first glimpse of apple's latest creations today. the company is hosting a music-themed event in san francisco. apple is widely expected to unveil new ipods. the most popular rumor out there is that the ipod touch and nano will now have a built-in camera. apple follows will be watching to see if ceo steve jobs returns to the stage after his six-month medical leave. gas prices have now fallen four weeks in a row. the national average ticked down 3 cents last week, to $2.59 a gallon. gas prices are down nearly 30% from a year ago. that big drop in gas prices also means a drop in prices at the supermarket. foodmakers are passing along

their savings as they benefit from lower ingredients and fuel costs. stores are also cutting prices to stay competitive. that means dairy, meat, fruits, vegetables and bread are cheap their year. air travelers are seeing slight improvement in performance when they fly. the transportation department says 77.6% of flights arrived on time in july. that's up 2% from the same time last year. among the larger carriers, southwest airlines had the fewest delays. american had the most. and you can read more about these stories online at our website, abcnews.com. coming up next on this wednesday, they are the medicines in high demand this flu season. now, the government has new guidelines about who should use them. and finding deep discounts on groceries. as long as you don't mind some slightly damaged goods. i wish i knew then what i know now.

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from abc news. "new york times" reporter steven farrell was freed from his taliban kapters in afghanistan this morning. his interpreter was killed in the commando raid that freed him. president obama makes a do-o or-die speech to a joint session of congress. robin roberts has an exclusive preview coming up on "good morning america." and hurricane fred is now a category 2 storm, gaining strength off the african coast with winds topping 105 miles per hour. the forecasters say it will not threaten land. thousands of cases of green onions are being recalled because they may be contaminated with salmonella. two california shippers imported them from mexico and distributed them across the country. government detectors detected salmonella in a routine test. budget-minded shoppers are flocking to so-called salvage grocery stores to save a few dollars. these markets have showed up in

a half a dozen states. clayton sandell looks at the bargains. >> reporter: it doesn't look like grocery stores you're used to. but inside, you won't find the prices you're used to. >> we have people from all walks of life come in here for the sole purpose of saving money. >> reporter: martin palumbo runs this salvage grocery store near denver. he takes in damaged, dented or discontinued products that grocery stores won't sell. he offers them at huge discounts. there's deals on organic vegetables, dog biscuits, even bug spray. >> i'm going to save money on my whole wheat pasta. and the cheese. that was 75% less. >> reporter: salvaged grocers say the food in crushed boxes and dented cans is safe. >> if it isn't something i wouldn't eat myself, i wouldn't put it on my shelf. >> reporter: health experts say buyer beware. >> it might not be quite as fresh. might not be quite as ideal.

>> reporter: customers say if you know what to avoid, the price is right. clayton sandell, arvada, colorado. the centers for disease control has issued new guidelines for treating swine flu. health officials say antiviral drugs like tamiflu and rue len is a, should not be used for getting sick. those should be reserved for people who are sick. the swine flu vaccine is another matter altogether. abc news new senior health and medical editor, richard besser, says everyone should get it whenever it is finally available. >> there's uncertainty in terms of when will the peak be? it could be early. it could be as early as november. and it could be later. even if the peak is as early as november, it's very likely this outbreak will continue through the winter into the spring. and that vaccination that you get, if you get it in october, november, or even january, will protect you in the spring. >> the swine flu is always affecting college students around the country.

and in many places, around the south. as the shuttle "discovery" heads back to earth for a scheduled landing tomorrow, a panel of space experts is raising doubts about nasa's plan to go back to the moon. five years ago, then-president bush proposed returning astronauts to the moon by 2020. but experts say at $3 billion a year, over nasa's current $18 billion budget, it's simply too expensive. nasa releases new photos from the hobble space telescope today. in may, nasa astronauts refurbished the twice. hubble has produced the most spectacular images of space ever seen. and "good morning america" will have an exclusive preview. a veteran hollywood insider who kept tabs on celebrities for half a century has died. armey archer was known for his column in "variety." he won praise over the years for

checking the accuracy of his clips before printing anything. coming up on "america this morning," deadly flash flooding that caught many drivers offguard. and one truly american way to spend the afterlife, in your and one truly american way to spend the afterlife, in your car. norrtama. in i'm semi retired and i'm here to tell a story. my parents all smoked. my grandparents smoked. i've been a long-time smoker. you know, discouragement is a big thing in quitting smoking. i'm a guy who had given up quitting. what caused me to be interested was, chantix is not a nicotine product and that intrigued me. the doctor said while you're taking it you can continue to smoke during the first week. (announcer) chantix is proven to reduce the urge to smoke.

in studies, 44% of chantix users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment, compared to 18% on sugar pill. today i see myself as a jolly old man, (laughing) who doesn't have to smoke. ...who doesn't have to sneak out to take a couple puffs of a cigarette anymore. (announcer) herb quit smoking with chantix and support. talk to your doctor about chantix and a support plan that's right for you. some people have had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice agitation, hostility, depression or changes in behavior, thinking or mood that are not typical for you, or if you develop suicidal thoughts or actions, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. talk to your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which can get worse while taking chantix. some people can have allergic or serious skin reactions to chantix, some of which can be life threatening.

if you notice swelling of face, mouth, throat or a rash stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away. tell your doctor which medicines you are taking as they may work differently when you quit smoking. chantix dosing may be different if you have kidney problems. the most common side effect is nausea. patients also reported trouble sleeping and vivid, unusual or strange dreams. until you know how chantix may affect you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. chantix should not be taken with other quit smoking products. the urges weren't like they used to be, and that help me quit. (announcer) talk to your doctor to find out if prescription chantix is right for you. some new video from overnight. torrential rain is causing deadly flash floods in turkey. at least eight people were killed. and dozens of drivers were left

stranded in their cars, as the rushing waters rose over three feet on the streets of istanbul. more rain is expected tomorrow. ten more great white sharks have been spotted off cape cod. and scientists managed to tag three for of them yesterday, bringing the total number tagged to five. the great whites have been cruising the shallow waters for seals. marine experts say getting so many sharks tagged for tracking is a scientific breakthrough. 17-year-old american tennis sensation, melanie oudin plays her the first semifinal of her career at the u.s. open. for more of last night's action, here's will selva. >> rafael nadal. his opponent, in monfils. he needs all the energy he can muster against monfils. he goes up 4-2, the second set. near court now, up 5-3.

beautiful dropshot. n nadal takes the fourth set. nadal in the near court. he puts monfils away with the forehand winner. nadal wins. up next for him, fernando gonzalez. to the diamonds, derek jeter needs four hits to pass lou gehrig. it wasn't his night. look at the fastballs. swinging on the low and away pitch. he was 0 for 4, with 3 ks. bottom nine, tied up at 2-2, nick swisher just untied it. walkoff home run. good night. thanks for coming. yankees win 3-2. the a.l. wildcard leading red sox, opening a brief two-game set, against david hernandez and the o's. boston has lost four of the last six games. dustin pedroia. first multihome run game for him. sox lead 2-0. bottom seven. big papi, big fly.

ortiz ties frank thomas in the most home run base d.h., 269. that will do it for this espn news update. now, back to "america this morning." well, they always say enjoy it now because you can't take it with you. but a south carolina man did just that. >> he took it with him, all right. 90-year-old loni holloway, spending eternity with what he loved most. his wife and his car. he was buried in the front seat of his classic 1973 catalina. he also took some of his collection of guns with him. >> holloway made not bizarre decision. family members say he left his house to his dog. stains surrender to the power of all. our powerful stainlifters fight stains and leave clothes whiter and brighter.

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my fame is sean. >> why can't the united states have universal health coverage? >> out of the mouths of babies and into the classroom, the president speaks about your health. you'll hear from the man that tells us we have it all wrong. that the white men that beat a black man last month are not who they think they are. that story coming up. and the decision baltimore county council members made with regards to speed cameras and their decision to protect your children. good wednesday morning. thank you for joining us. i'm megan pringle. >> i'm jamie costello. look at the date. what is it? >> 9-9-o9. >> what does that mean?

meteorologist justin berk. >> we have a lot to talk about. a strengthening hurricane in the atlantic, a strengthening storm on the coast, doesn't have a name but will have a bigger impact on us. you can see this storm system wrapped up and throwing moisture back in the form of showers. doesn't look that impressive now but this storm is going to get a push not away but back inland. probably going to go onshore somewhere near atlantic city tomorrow morning and bring the stuff back at us, increasing winds and rain. deteriorating conditions. today just spotty showers, most of it back west of frederick. plan for the chance of rain becoming more widespread this afternoon and our two-degree guarantee only 73 degrees but more wind and more rain on the way. 4:59. let's check the roads with kim. thank you. good morning. the beltway is moving along very nicely on the west side at liberty road. you have a smooth ride between 795 and the route 70 interchange, we're working a crash on