one day i was in prayer and i open up my bible and i went to the book of nehemiah. in the book of nehemiah jerusalem, our walls looked like you know, they were totally destroyed. i had kind of follow that an studied it and sure enough, there was a plan, a way for us to start to deal with this in a logical way that made sense to me and that is kind of what i used to get us started. then recovery dollars -- millions and millions. i think it was $134 billion for the entire gulf coast. louisiana i think got about 34 to $36 billion. all the recovery dollars, the federal government and the state -- guess what? it never got to us until 2.5, almost three years after the storm. we almost went bankrupt. i had to lay off half of my workforce. half of the city workers, about three or 4000. so i don't want to bring you to far down but there were challenges to everything that we had to deal with. so we had to improvise. i share all of that. here's the kicker ladies and gentlemen and the point i'm trying to make in this book. i don't know if our country is better prepared today fo

one family member is nehemiah lewis. he was 25 when he was shot to death last summer, righty i'm standing now. they have assembled 200 backpacks with school supplies by there calculations there were 95 victims last year and 80 so far this year. these women say it's time to take a stand and reaching out to children is their first step. >> some can't afford to buy backpacks for their kids. i felt the need to give them out. show them we care. we-reach out to the little sisters anding brothers they have. don't fall your brother or stir sister's footsteps. be led by something positive. >> reporter: following the giveaway, this groop group plans to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of those who died last year. a separate villagele well by held for one of the latest victims. jose esparza was numbered -- gunned don't last sunday that vigil is going to be starting within an hour or so of now and this vigil will be happening an hour later. so tonight at 11:00, we'll have details on both of these events for you. reporting live in o

nehemiah, jerusalem, they were just totally destroyed. and i kind of followed that and studied it and, sure enough there was a plan, a way for us to start to deal with this, in a logical way that made sense to me and that's kind of what i used to get us started. then recovery dollars, billions and billions. i think $134 billion for the entire gulf coast, louisiana, i think, got 34 to $36 billion. all those recovery dollars were starting to flow. the federal government said, guess what, never got to us until two and a half, almost three years after the storm. we almost went bankrupt. had to lay off half my work force. half of the city workers, 3,000 or 4,000 of them. i don't want to bring you too far down but there was challenges with everything, and we lad h -- had to improvise. and i shaved that. and here's the kicker. i don't know if our country is better prepared today for another disaster. the federal law that governs how we deal with a disaster is called a stafford act. written many, many years ago, and it really hasn't been updated

that is the campaign's nehemiah. there is no -- theme. there is no question about it. >> how many times have we heard this argument made over the years? how long has it been since it's really been effective? i would submit to you it's been a very long time. you may be able to ask people in a poll if the rich can pay more and say yes. should taxes be raised in a weak economy they will say. no it depends on how you frame the argument. i think the republicans frame the argument effectively in 2010. my sense about it is that this argument that the president is making may rally his base behind him but i don't think it's going to win over the independents who as you have pointed out are the key to the whole thing. >> bill: thanks very much. the head of the congressional black caucus says african-americans are getting hosed and should be marching on the white house. wow. then how should american parents process transgender guy chaz bono. dr. keith ablow raising??? >> bill: impact segment tonight, congressman emanuel cleaver from missouri t