cnn all platform journalist jim spellman caught up with the group in san antonio. >> are you ready for a tea party? >> i see the things that the obama administration, the democratic congress are doing, it's really threatening the future of this country. >> i believe he's trouncing the constitution. >> question everything our government is doing. >> there's something happening. we don't know quite what it is, but it's happening, and people who ordinarily wouldn't turn out into the streets to protest are turning out into the streets to protest. >> we're the sleeping giant that has been awakened. >> coming to you on a silver platter. barack hussein obama. he ain't my president, people. >> how dare they give tens of trillions of dollars to banks. >> it feels very grassroots to me, and i love that quality. >> some are feeling that they're losing control of the government, that the government is taking over control, that we're headed to socialism and i don't want this to be a communist socialist nation. that's what our troops died for. so we would not be enslaved by the nazis or communists.

jim spellman who's been embedded with the tea party express. you saw a stuffing match ensued that was quickly broken up. but very, very aggressive. they're on their way to washington, they say they have roused the silent majority of people who are opposed to government intervention, they want government out of their lives, it was well beyond health care, it was generally opposed to more taxization, bailouts and talk about freedom, they had anthems that they had composed, anti-obama anthems, a very aggressive meeting in opposition to the president's health care reforms and other steps that this government has taken, that this group sees as intrusive into the lives of americans. >> thank you ali velshi. let's talk a little bit more about what's going on in our strategy session. joining us now our cnn political contributor, the democratic strategist james carville and our republican strategist terry holt. let me get your reaction, james, to what larry sabideau tweeted earlier, referring to the president's speech, this was a tough partisan speech,

let's go to our cnn all-platform journalist jim spellman. he's live on the phone from aurora, colorado, which is just outside of denver. jim, set the scene for us. what's going on there right now? >> sure, rick. the fbi is serving two search warrants at two separate residents associated with zazi. he was in queens, new york, last week, stayed at one of the apartments searched during those big searches in queens. i spoke with him briefly as he left his home and not 45 minutes later, the fbi was sweeping in with dogs, men in hazmat suits looking for evidence. meanwhile, at a separate residence, a similar seen going on. right now, we don't know where zazi is, the fbi is not talking. but a lot of action going on. >> forget zazi, what i'm concerned about is these hazardous material suits that they're using to go into this area. that would lead one to believe that maybe there's something there that's dangerous. we heard earlier this week on monday that they were looking for explosives in new york. is this where they might be looking for those now,

jim spellman put his barbecued ribs down long enough to hop with us on the phone, he's in memphis nowod morning to you sir. this is anti-big government, anti-big spending but has it taken on a different tone with so many issues, given health care reform and also what the president addressed to the nation's children coming up. are they talking about those as well? the address to the children is doing something interesting, bringing out a lot more moms. we saw a little more men earlier on, and yesterday i spoke to maybe 25 mothers that were out there that said they were either pulling their kids out of class or lobbying their principals hard to opt out of the president's address this week. we spoke to a teacher in little rock yesterday, little rock, arkansas, who in her class, they're going to be doing the presentation from the president, and she said that during the q&a, she's going there to fight back and inject her politics after the president's speech. so it could be a real dust-up, but a lot of people here really worked up that about, t.j. >> that's interesting to hear, that this m

our valedictorian went on to spellman. we had that allow the korean and other students come back and work for us at the health center. the point i am making is that our kids can learn internships in major hospitals. what we did is we enrich the environment. we gave them an experience shall learning. that is, it is not just chalk and talk burning. sometime our young folks did not respond to that. you walk into the learning process, work through what it means to develop and be a professional, because the suit and tie guys like myself or are sometimes look at we did not know what is going on and we did not have much to offer them because for them many of the times it is just surviving, getting from home to school. they are under tremendous peer pressure. we provided an opportunity to see to work with professionals in the health-care area, and to see that there are a whole range of things that were possible for them. >> in terms of funding, we have seen programs like that in philadelphia that have taken a nosedive over the pas

. >> jim spellman traveled with the tea party express as it made its way across the country. the. >> the bulk of the people who are there for low taxes, less government control, and there really is an element that's got these outlandish conspiracy theories about death camps and it's not just a couple of people on the edges. >> all right, i want you to see more proof now and this is really just an unbelievable coincidence that i want you to see. you see that picture in the ad that they took out? okay, pay attention to that picture right there on the right. that's the ad that they took out saying we didn't cover the event. all right, now, keep an eye on that picture right there, you see the canadian flag? that's on their ad, see the canadian flag right there at the bottom? let me show you this, see the thing on the left now? that's our tower cam shot of the event. that we used repeatedly throughout those shows. funny how you can say that we didn't cover an event by using that picture, that picture that looks an awful lot like our tower cam shot, doesn't it? and you used it in y

cnn all platform jim spellman caught up with the group in an san antonio for us. >> are you ready for a tea party? >> yeah! >> i see the things in the obama administration and the democratic caucus is doing that is really threatening the future of the country. >> i believe he is trounsing the constitution. >> i question everything the government is doing. >> there's something happening, we don't know quite what it is, but it is happening. people wouldn't normally turn out to the streets to protest are turning out to the streets to protest. >> there's a sleeping giant that has been awakened. >> huge do you want a silver platter? barack hussein obama! he ain't my president, people! >> how dare they give tens of thousands of trillion dollars to the banks. >> he is aggressive to me and i love that quality. >> the government is taking over control and we are headed toward socialism. >> i don't think want this to be a communist socialist nation. that's what our troops have died for. >> i have the right for the government not to control my health care. >> enand i have the right to disagree w

in three of the cnn journalists who were there, who reported the day's event, kate balduan, jim spellman, lisa dayherjan. >> you opened it up and at first i laughed. it was just wrong. and then i looked for an asterisk, honestly, to see it say, oh, wait, we were all over it. i mean, we were reporting it. i was there starting at 9:00 a.m. my live shot started at 10:00 a.m., throughout the day. my last live shot was after the rally was over and people had left and i did a follow-up piece the next day. we can talk about whatever we want to talk about, but the simple fact is, the ad was wrong, and as you mentioned campbell, so prominently placed, such a massive ad, it's just disappointing and frustrating from our perspective as journalists when we're reporting a story to see that misleading print be out there. >> and kate, you were actually standing right next to a fox crew for most of the day, weren't you? >> absolutely. we were on the podium, we were in the crowd, and for part of the day, right next to the fox crew. so i'm sure if whoever was behind us would have spoken to their crew on th

programs when we have a teacher shortage. -- teachers from spellman and morehouse. >> the issue around turnaround also require steps conditions folks working a underneath be addressed, but also in order for these schools to be successful you have to deal with the issues that may impact on the ability to keep these folks in the same space for a certain amount of time so they can make a difference. the constant turnover that may occur, if it is a cyclical budget arrangement where you are a district operating strictly on seniority, you will lose the people you are trying to maintain in that organization. it is a difficult issue but it needs to be addressed. >> i am curious if he saw a different flow of teachers after you took over? >> i did. you have to look at sustainability. i believe it plays a major role. most teachers want to work in a building where they feel supported. i think that is one of the problems. and some of them are not equipped when they come. they don't understand the process of how to operate in a classroom, making sure everything they are utilizing is at their fingert

one last one, from our own jim spellman who followed and covered 30 rallies, 30 rallies along the teaof weeks. here it is. >> platform journalist jim spellman travelled with the tea party express as it made it's way across the country. >> the bulk of the people are there for less taxes and less government control. but there really is an element that's got these outlandish conspiracy theories about death camps and comparing president obama to hitler. it's not just a couple of people on the edges. >> all right, i want you to see more proof now, and this is really just an unbelievable coincidence that i want you to see. see that picture in the ad that they took out? okay, pay attention to that picture right there on the right. that's the ad that they took out saying we didn't cover the event. all right, now, keep an eye on that picture right there, you see the canadian flag? that's on their ad, see that canadian flag on the bomb. now see that picture on the left? that's our power cam shot of our event that we showed repeatedly throughout those shows. you can't say that we didn't cover an

cnn all platform journalist jim spellman spent weeks covering the tea party demonstrators as a whole. a handful of people seemed to outwardly have racial issues with the president, but the more you could talk to people, you could sense it was part of a larger distrust. >> reporter: for their part, tea party leaders disavowed any racist views. >> i saw very little racism or anger and those were on the fringes and were marginalized. >> reporter: they want attention focused on the role and reach of government into people's lives, but say that controversial protesters have the right to speak their mind. >> part of america is that there are people that are bigoted and you're never going to convince them not to be. you don't have to embrace them, but in this country, you can't shut them up. >> reporter: clarence page sees the obama presidency as a chance for people to lash out. >> they're not just mad at obama, they're mad at reverend sharpton and jackson. >> reporter: page says the racial vehemence that's emerged was only the beginning. >> it's only the beginning of the process that we're

cnn all-platform journalist jim spellman spent weeks covering the tea party demonstrators as a whole. >> only a handful of people seemed to outwardly have racial issues with the president, but the more you talk to people, you could sense that it was part of a larger distrust. >> reporter: for their part, tea party leaders disavowed any racist views. >> i saw very little overt racism or anger, and those were on the fringes and were marginalized. >> reporter: they want attention focused on the role and reach of government into people's lives, but say that controversial protesters have the right to speak their mind. >> part of america is that there are people who are bigoted. and, you know, you're never going to convince them not to be. you don't have to embrace them, but in this country, you can't shut them up, either. >> "chicago tribune" columnist clarence page sees the obama presidency as a chance for some to lash out. >> people are not just mad at obama, they're mad at jesse jackson, they're mad at reverend wright, they're mad at al sharpton, they're mad at people who have nothing t

we shouldn't be turning away thousands of teachers from spellman and morehouse and yale that want to be going to teacher of arica program when we have teacher shortage. >> did you have something tt you want to add? i could see you sort of move. well, jut very quickly. i think issue around turnaround also requires as has been mentioned the conditions that fos are working unrneath to be addssed. but also in order for the schools to be successful, you've got to deal with the issues that may impact on the ability to keep these folks in the same space for a period of time. so that they can make a difference. i mean, the constant turnover that may occur, for whatever the reason. if it is a cyclical budget kind of arrangement and you are a system or a district that is operating strictly on stretching yorty, you are going to lose the very people you're trying to maintain in that organization. is a very difficult issue but it needs to be addressed. >> after you took over? >> and i did. and basically you have to look at sustainability. i truly bieve teachers for a major role. most teachers wan

. >> reporter: now, at the end, you saw a bit of a tussle, jim spellman from cnn who's been travelingre was a big turnout of pro-health care reform demonstrators at this event and there was a shoving event at the end. but there were some angry posters and directed signs. anti-obama anthems. one speaker said this is the first step not towards socialism, but towards communism. another sign says impeach the muslim ma muslim markist. largely, it was a very anti-obama, anti-democratic administration group. john? >> all right. ali velshi on the road. how many more days on the road, ali? >> reporter: that's it. today's the last day. we go down to d.c. later on today, where we'll cover this rally tomorrow. >> all right. good job. love to see you out there on the road. ali just loves riding on buses. >> he's a people person, that ali. >> he could have been a rock star living on the bus. he could have been. he's that type of guy. >> i don't know about that. no offense to you, ali, but -- i won't say anymore. >> it's a rock star bus. >> hope he doesn't treat it that way. ali, thanks for joining

i want to start off here talking about jim spellman's tea party, the youth -- the critical moment here" had this to say about president obama which is honeymoon seemingly over and his white house on defensive. mr. obama faces what friends and foes alike call a make-or-break moment in his young administration because he has elevated health care to such a singular priority advisers said he must force through a credible plan or risk crippling his presidency. donna, is this an accurate assessment? are the stakes that high right now? >> well, this is a very important moment for the president. he's in the home stretch of his first year in office, and expectations remain very high because so many americans would like to see an improvement in the economy. that is an important concern for all of us, and i think because of that the health care debate, the debate soon hopefully on climate change and other important issues including the spending bills, they will all take on what i call a greater proportion. as the american people really also concerned about the amount of the deficit, the huge defi