craig boswell hashat story. >> reporter: the president leaves washington for camp david and then on to his first week-long vacation you but he takes a very long to-do list including the battle over health care reform. >> our focus is to continuing the process that is going on now and the focus that democrats and republicans work together to get a bill through the senate and house and ultimately to the president's death. >> congress has been on recess since early august but there was talks between three key senators last night, three democrats and three republicans trying to find common ground. lawmakers have been getting a earful about the government run part of the plan and the overall cost of health care reform. >> but at the end of the day, i don't think republicans and democrats will support legislation which is government run, which is over a trillion dollars which we can't pay for with a rising debt. >> most republicans say the government run option will drive private insurers out of business while many democrats suggest it will benefit patients. >> the public option is not the o

craig boswell has more from washington. >> during an address to the vfw in phoenix. he promise vets they would fulfill health care responsibilities to members of the military. and president warned against what he calls misinformation. >> one thing that reform won't change is veterans health care. no one is going to take away your benefits. that's plain and simple. >> emotion surrounding the overhaul of the health care system erupted in shot shouting matches outside of the convention center. that yelling mirroring the heated exchanges seen at town halls set off by the health care reform. >> when it comes to health care people are drawing a line. and saying enough is enough. >> this weekend officials opened the door to abandon the option. and looked at options to compete with private insurers. different message than the president. saying the public option is a mist. >> during a townhall in philadelphia this morning. spector is fighting for the government run plan. >> i am not willing to write off the public option. because there are some people that are discouraging ab

craig boswell explains. >> stocks open higher as investors get surprising unemployment numbers. labor department reports fewer workers laid off last month. jobless rate fell from 9 1/2 percent to 9.4 percent. >> i am very concerned. any one job that is lost, is one that we are not happy with and we will continue to work to see that wevy reverse this. >> employers cut 247,000 jobs in july. less than expected. and first drop since april of 2008. some lawmakers say it is an indication the economy may be turning the corner. >> i am optimistic that more americans will be heading back to work, as more stimulus projects get underway. >> but the bureau of labor statistics said while the jobless rate is encouraging, overall numbers are sobering, since the beginning of the recession in december of 2007. 6 1/2 million people have lost jobs. >> i would say that we are not in recovery yet. this is the path that we have to go to get to recovery. >> the white houseed the jobs report is evidence that the country is pulling back from the recession. but. >> we are in for a number of months of con

in washington, craig boswell, fox news. >>> following big stories tonight out of us war zone. voters in afghanistan casting their ballots despite threats from the taliban. it's the country's second election. terror warnings did keep turnout around 40 to 50%, far lower than the number of voters in 2004. hamid karzai is expected to win. >>> in iraq, officials are asking the u.s. military for help investigating a wave of deadly bombings. the death toll up to 101. more than 500 people were hurt in the coordinated attacks yesterday. iraqi military spokesman says 11 of the nation's police and army commanders have been detained on suspicion of negligence. >>> a prince george county fire chief is recovering from serious injuries following a three-car crash overnight on the beltway. kenneth mcswain had to undergo hours of surgery today. the impact of crthase awh s so viebt crews ad to extra -- violate, crew -- violent crews had to extricate him from the s.u.v. he is expected to survive. >>> severe weather in the area. gary will be back next with a check of the radar.  cash

in washington, craig boswell, fox 45 news. >> and to see more from president obama's townhall meeting today, go to foxbaltimore.com, and click on "raw news". >> health care has many people fired up for sure. but health care seems to be a tipping point for taxpayers. to show the u.s. congress how ineffective it has been lately on many fronts, without of control spending fueling the fire. here is former maryland governor ehrlich to take in political pulse. >> right now, the federal government's reputation with the american public is not very good. so even if you buy-in to, which i do by the way, the premise that we really need some reform here. it makes sense. there are people that are uncovered and getting too expensive. >> and not on americans. >> you are not buying into a comprehensive federally driven approach. that is counter intuitive to the president. to the cul can which your on capitol hill. they do not get t they are stunned by the american people not believing what they are saying. >> more with ehrlich on health care reform on the "late edition" at 11:00 tonight. >> senator c

in washington, craig boswell, fox news. >>> and developing right now in a war zone in afghanistan, the u.s. military says six american service members were killed. 32 american troops have died in afghanistan this month. that is a record pace. 44 died in july which was the deadliest month of the year. >>> at home, a news pioneer is being remembered for changing journalism and television. don hewitt who created 60 minutes died at home today. he had pancreatic cancer. he produced the show for 36 years until he retired in 2004. he produced the first televised debates in 1960. >>> first funding hold up, now this. a lawsuit over virginia's hot lanes. will the push to ease your commute ever hit the road? and cops could be closing in. new developments in the death of michael jackson. >>> plus, the victim of a brutal beat down in his own city? there's something big happening at pizza hut. - woooh, nice! - that's a lot of food! now get big meals like oustuffed pizza rolls, pizza mia, the p'zone... and our personal panormous pizza startingt just $5. the big eat tiny price menu. on at pizza hut. -

craig boswell in washington d.c. with the latest. >>reporter: the public viewing became a personal experience for thousands of people as they quietly filed past senator ted kennedy's flag-draped casket. >> oh, my god. it is like i lost my father. i think the world of him. >> my daughter loved him and -- and he helped us out with certain issues and he is a great man. >>reporter: members of the kennedy family including daughter kara greeted those who waited in line. many waited for hours. >> they have been here since 3:00 in the morning and they are coming from so far away. and it is just beautiful. >>reporter: family members also knelt and prayed as the honor guard stood at attention. kennedy served in the army from 1951 to 53. long-time friends said his military ties were there. >> one thing he was steadfast about, caring for the men and women of the armed forces and their families. >>reporter: massachusetts senator john kerry a friend for 25 years spoke briefly with the family before making his way to the casket. the motorcade will

fox's craig boswell has more. >> reporter: kathleen sebelius backtracks on statements from the past weekend, today speaking out in support of the government option. >> i said what i have said all along which is that cost and competition are critical components of health care reform. i believe, continue to believe, have always believed that the public option is the best way to provide that. >> reporter: kathleen sebelius insists she didn't misspeak this past weekend when she said the public option was not essential to reform. the white house also said today it has not changed. >> we have the goal of fostering choice and competition in a private health insurance market. the president prefers the public option as a way of doing that. >> reporter: supporters of the government-run option say it will increase competition. and opponents say it will drive private insurers out of business. >> you can fix the problem without having a trillion dollar government takeover of our health care reform system. >> reporter: and the opposition is starting town hall meetings across the country. hence they could

fox's craig boswell is live on capitol hill with a preview of what should be the last day of debate. craig? >> reporter: good morning to you, holly. the senate is expected to confirm president obama's first pick for the high court making sonia sotomayor the first hispanic justice. the senate is now an hour into the final day of ull hour into the debate. republicans controlled the first hour. democrats will get the second hour. three-quarters of republican senators oppose her nominati citing concerns what they call judicial activism and some of her past statements on race. but there are a handful of g.o.p. senators who say they will vote in favor, eight of them. democrats who control the senate say her 17-year record on the bench make her the most qualified nominee in recent history. she is of puerto rican descent, was raised in a new york city housing project, achieved an ivy league education. sonia sotomor will be the third female justice and 111th person to sit on the high court. holly, that vote is expected around 3:00 this ternoon. if she is confirmed, she could be sworn in as ear