tonight on "nightline," supreme shocker, historic decision that will impact the lives of every american. today the supreme court upholds president obama's controversial health care law. what it means for you. the few, the proud, the poison? catastrophe in the north carolina base home to hundreds of,000s of family and a veil of secrecy that led aaron broke vich save for justice. and from the magic, sets is of "fifty shades of grey," why it's shaping up to red hot summer of love.

. this is "nightline" june 28, 2012. good evening. i'm terry moran. what a day at the supreme court. epic decision, this is it. as the justices voted 5-4 to epihold president obama's controversial health care plan. this stunning ruling sent shock waves, mandate that requires americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty or tax. under the law, millions of americans unable to afford for obtain insurance will also be extended coverage. i was outside the court here in d.c. to bring you this up close and personal look at the historic ruling. >> early this morning, the mood at the supreme court was festive. almost whacky. but the most piece of

legislation this century, people relieved to have a decision. >> we need solutions that will give us the health care we need and deserve. >> then, just after 10, word of the ruling began trickling out. tea party activists were ecstatic because the first word was that the individual mandate t hart of the law, had been struck down. >> we have breaking news here on the fox news channel, the individual mandate has been ruled unconstitutional. >> two and a half blocks away, first term tea party congressman paul celebrated with his staff. that celebration only lasted for a few minutes. >> we're getting conflicting information. >> the crowd in front of court was just as confused. crying, cheering, booing, chanting. >> we love obama care. >> what i'm seeing just gives me a sick feeling in my stomach. today is a tragic day for this

republican. i'm absolutely sick to my stomach. >> the feeling was shared by congressman goeser. >> this really is kind of a shocking thing because i don't think either side would have thought this would have occurred. >> the shocker of this ruling, chief justice john roberts joined in the court's liberal justice is and saved the president's health care plan by in effect rewriting it. >> being in the courtroom was so interesting, because when the chief started reading his opinion, it looked as though he was going to strike down the whole law in fact he's striking it down, then he went, but, did this amazing pivot. everybody rubber necked because something was happening. >> what he did was legal slative hand, while the government cannot force americans to buy health insurance, thus striking down that so-called individual man dalt t government can tax you more if you don't buy it. because the constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid or pass upon its

wisdom or fairness, he wrote. the minority was scathing in its dissent, reading from the bench. the values that should have determined our course today are caution, minimalism and the understanding that federal government is one of limited powers in the name of restraint, it overreaches. >> the tea party and the opponents of this law must be crushed today by this? >> i think chief justice roberts officially said to the tea party, you need to go back and read the constitution. >> what was more remarkable was roberts tone, his attempt tolessen the po lit sags some had seen in recent year. >> members are vested with the thrt to interpret the law. neither the expertise to make policy judgments. sit not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices. >> this is the chief justice saying i'm as uncomfortable with the far right wing of the court and the language and the tone at

the far right wing notice court. i'm uncomfortable with that as with the left wing. the thing to watch is whether the split what i want to call the tea party faction of the court and the republican sort of wing of the court, i think that split is going to be the split to watch. >> highest court of the land has now spoken. we will continue to implement this law and work together to improve on it where we can. what we won't do, what the country can't afford to do, is refight the political battles of two years ago. >> 17 blocks down the road, it seems spectators at the court weren't listening to the president's heel the division this law unleash odden the country. >> where are your getting your information? but as today's decision pointed out, this is where political arguments should take place, outside the court, not inside. >> so the debate continues on the campaign trail now.

for that let's go to george stephanopoulos. the court has spoken affirming the obama health care plan. how does that impact the president going forward in this campaign skm. >> number one, it's a big bullet dodged. imagine if it went the other way today, the supreme court struck down the president signature legislation. you already know the argument mitt romney and the president's opponents would have made. his first three and a half years were a waist. he didn't fix the economy. he didn't get his number one piece of legislation. that has gone away. he avoided that sense op failure. >> did the court help itself here? >> i think so. stfs a narrow ruling that avoided the charge of judicial activism. pretty clearly you think justice roberts doesn't think it's a good idea. it harkened back to his confirmation hears now what seven years ago where he says the job of a justice is simply to be an umpire, set the rules,

make sure everybody plays by the rules notch i think he took a step in that direction and could end up by taking the court a little bit out of the political fray. help the court. >> thanks very much, george. and just ahead, they signed up to fight for our country. only to find themselves in and their families exposed to a dangerous inside the crew said for justice. chances are, you're not made of money, so don't overpay for motorcycle insurance. geico,

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"nightline" continues from washington. with terry moran. when you sign up for the military, you know you're putting your life on the line, but who would have thought that for hundreds of thousands of

marines t lives of their wives and children would be in jeopardy too. it was a north carolina military base with a toxic secret, one that a few determined men and famous environmentalist are now fighting to bring to life. here is cynthia mcfadden with tonight's "nightline" investigation. >> reporter: federal government act immediately. >> testimony to the environmental catastrophe. >> agent orange. >> all sorts of horrible imagines. >> names legacy of environmental disasters. hollywood made a movie. >> my name is erin and i brought some information today. >> erin brockovich, you're sick, you're kids are sick because of their lice. >> the real erin brockovich now travels the country.

working for a law firm to mobilize people to fight against pa lieu tants in their own backyard. her latest target may surprise you, the u.s. marine corp., the issue maybe the largest water contamination in the american history. it happened here of all places, camp le june in north carolina, the largest training base of marines in the world. >> for 30-year stretch until the mid 1980s the marines la june ranked water raced with cancer causing chemicals like benzene. hundreds of thousands were exposed. many died and others are still getting sick today. jerry is a career marine who raised his family at lejeu next e. >> there are people who can be helped and need help. that's my priority. >> mike joined him in this crew

said. >> this is where people were worked. i was a drill instructor. i trained over 2,000 marines. >> mike's father was stationed when his mother got pregnant. today he's an insurance adjuster in florida. for both men, the tragedy is personal. >> jamie died in 1985. when jamie was diagnosed, i went into shock. >> he lost his beloved daughter jamie to leukemia when she was just nine years old. >> she said i love you ch i said i know ch i whispered in her ear, i said it's time to stop fighting. >> and mike himself became sick. >> in april, 2007, i was diagnosed with male breast cancer, which is extremely rare. >> left both men with the same burning question, why. jerry's first clue came 15 years ago from the local news. >> residents exposed to

contaminated drinking water. >> it's been his life's work ever since. >> the reporter on the television said the con tan innocents that have been point are drinking water are linked to childhood cancer and birth defect. primarily leukemia. i dropped my plate of spaghetti right there. that started this journey for the truth. >> all previous sampling in and around -- >> documentary film makers spent four years chronicling their search for answers in a filmed called semiferfy. the marine corp. moto. the marine corp. dragged its feet in notifying those who lived here about the contamination and the possible health consequences. >> it's their responsibility to let these people know they may have been expoedsed. >> yes, sir. >> 100% of people who could be exposed. that would be very difficult. >> so jerry and mike decided it

was up for them to do what the marine corp. couldn't or wouldn't, get the word out. >> get these people notified and they need to turn on the television and news and tell what happened. >> you might think the military would be eager to help the vets and thard families who lived at the base and are now sick. you would be wrong. the battle for health care has been going on for years as have the lawsuits. >> this is that my treasure box that i have of him. >> marry fresh water. >> this is the suit he was wearing the day he died in my arms at 2 minutes past 12, knew year's eve. this is what i have left of my son. have you ever had a son born without a cranium? he would be 30 years old on the 30th of this month, the pain is no less. >> that heart break is not the

end of her story. she told us when we visited with her recently at her home in rural north carolina. >> you have two different kinds of cancers. >> yes. i have acute myeloid and acute lymphoma. >> did doctors said that was abnormal? >> it wasn't her red tear. it's con tam innocent such as benzene. >> which you were expoedsed to at the base? >> i am angry because you can't let that destroy you. that won't bring my babies back and it won't cure me. >> she lifed as a young military officers wife. she knows it was not just she who was suffering. >> we were at a party at one of my friend's house, there were five of us in different stages of every one of us lost our baby to a birth defect. >> the marine corp. was willing to talk to us on camera. the secretary of the navy or the head of veterans affairs.

we did get an e-mail from a marine corp. representative who assured us that the marines, general james amos, quote, considering the issue to be very important. we continue our commitment to find and notify those who used the water during the time period in question. >> i'm appalled. i'm going to help in any way that i can. >> recently here in washington, jerry enlisted a little star power, erin brockovich who has two children of her own in uniform. >> it's scary to see the tens of thousands of people are going to be afflicted by this. >> a bill has now been introduced in congress, called the jamie enminer act to provide health care to those from the base who are sick. >> may god bless jamie and may god bless you for bestroiing this honor upon us.

>> did you win this? >> if we get the truth out, if we get people to understand what we know. >> while it may be too late for jayny, for marry's babies and so many others, it may save some new families. for "nightline" i'm cynthia mcfadden. >> a fight for the truth. thanks to cynthia for that. next up we'll shift gears. ladies are lining up to see the dancing beef cakes and magic guys. why this is shaping up to be a sizzling hot summer. and corrects for wheel slip.cs we imagined a vehicle that can increase emergency braking power when you need it most. and we imagined it looking like nothing else on the road today. then...we built it. the 2012 glk. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer

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1967 was the summer of 2012

and 2012 is the summer of lust. astonishing popular "fifty shades of grey" to hot new movie about a ripped stripper, this year male eye candy is booming business. >> reporter: move over mr. darcy, this summer the new chick flick isn't a romantic comedy, it has women swooning. the new movie magic mike it's about abs, toned. hollywood is betting that its all about the beef cake this summer, selling even celebrating sex appeal like never before. >> hollywood has always known that women have desire and lust. they just haven't known how to sell it up in a way that women would openly enjoy. >> advance ticket sells are annihilating the competition. women have historically been doing the stripping in

hollywood. think demny moore. >> the full monty made audiences laugh not lush. >> thanks to the success of bedroom block busters like "fifty shades of grey" and this add campaign. in response, ladies are reaching for their pocketbook. women didn't want to look like sleazy people. >> hollywood men in los angeles inspired magic mike, despite the economy, top dancers are make up to $1,000 a night in tips alone. what does this mean? the air of traditional pride and praj dismay be over. don't worry, mr. darcy, the ladies will still love you if you'll just take your shirt off. for "nightline," gloer ra in las vegas. >> thanks to you for watching abc news and we hope you