(CNN) --   Global activist and U2 frontman Bono attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York to push world leaders to join his ONE campaign in fighting disease, poverty, and hunger. He talked to CNN's John Roberts on "American Morning" about recent successes and what's next.



Bono said politicians who love signing checks but not cashing hurt plans to help the world's poor.



ROBERTS: All this talk has been about the economy collapsing, $700 billion bailout. Congress is absolutely absorbed with that. Did that in any way affect what you were trying to do this week? Are people more focused on this economy than in helping out developing nations?



BONO: We got good news this week. I know normally I'm on your program with bad news -- the whingeing rock star -- but it's great. There's a disease, malaria -- it's 3,000 African kids die every day of mosquito bites. Sounds mad, but it's true. And people have committed and it looks like the funds are on the table so that that disease will be no more by 2015. That makes people like me punch the air and everyone who wears a ONE T-shirt and all our white band campaigners on college campuses all over the country -- it was a great day for them yesterday so we're celebrating that. I know it's extraordinary, that while you're having this meltdown on the markets, that people could even concentrate on this stuff, but I'm really grateful that they did. We had both [presidential] candidates make very powerful statements about the necessity for nonmilitary tools, for instance, in foreign policy. This is an America that both candidates want to show to the rest of the world -- the greatness of America.



ROBERTS: So you're hearing what you want to hear from these candidates?



BONO: Yeah. And you couldn't imagine a few years ago that you would have candidates so close to an election talking about this stuff, so yeah.  Watch Bono say how he uses his star status on politicians »



ROBERTS: You were talking to Christine Romans outside the studio, who just did that piece for us a few minutes ago on what else could you do with $700 billion. What could you do with $700 billion?



BONO: We wouldn't be asking for that kind of money. These are serious matters, people have lost their jobs. But I think the bill for the whole world -- so America would be like a third of it -- for $25 billion you could absolutely change the world. You could put kids in school, most kids in school. You could eradicate diseases like malaria, as we're saying. We could change the water supplies. But what's important is that people who want to change the world, want to see their country, they see it as a patriotic act to show the world innovation of America, technology of America, pharmacology of America.



ROBERTS: For $25 billion, you could put every kid who's out of school in the world into school? That seems like a lot of people for $25 billion. Pretty good return on your investment.



BONO: It's a great return on investment. You heard me on your program before talking about debt cancellation. Strangely Americans don't know that because of debt cancellation there are already an extra 29 million African children in school. That's incredible. Because people got out on the streets on the (RED) campaign and stuff like that, there's now 2.5 million Africans on AIDS drugs, which are expensive. So your country is turning for me in the right direction on these issues.



ROBERTS: So you're hearing some of what you want to hear, particularly on the malaria issues. But the European Union had promised to increase aid by $50 billion between 2005 and 2010. It looks like they're going to fall $40 billion short.



BONO: They are, but they're still ahead of America. That's the bad news. You don't want to get me into the ring.
What can change the world, according to the activist? What did he say about campaigning? How much money does he say the world can be changed with? Who says he is punching the air? How much of an investment did Bono say can change the world? What is his most inspiring work? How much of an investment will change the world? What did Bono say he was doing after the plan won funding?
$25 billion grateful that they $25 billion U2 frontman Bono $25 billion ONE campaign in fighting disease, poverty, and hunger. $25 billion help the world's poor.
question: What can change the world, according to the activist?, answer: $25 billion | question: What did he say about campaigning?, answer: grateful that they | question: How much money does he say the world can be changed with?, answer: $25 billion | question: Who says he is punching the air?, answer: U2 frontman Bono | question: How much of an investment did Bono say can change the world?, answer: $25 billion | question: What is his most inspiring work?, answer: ONE campaign in fighting disease, poverty, and hunger. | question: How much of an investment will change the world?, answer: $25 billion | question: What did Bono say he was doing after the plan won funding?, answer: help the world's poor.