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Congress Takes Up Jobs Bill

Aired October 12, 2011 - 04:00:00   ET


CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Today`s forecast: widespread global headlines, zero chance of commercials, at least for the next 10 minutes. From the CNN Newsroom to your classrooms, this is CNN Student News.

First up today, the U.S. Congress is considering taking action on President Obama`s jobs bill. It was schedule to come up for a procedural vote, which is kind of like a test vote last night.

But here`s the thing about it: no one expects it to pass.


AZUZ (voice-over): Everyone in Washington wants to find ways to create jobs in America, even though they don`t agree on how to do that. President Obama says his bill is the solution, and he`s been pushing to get it passed.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let`s put construction workers on the job. Let`s put teachers in the classroom. Let`s give small businesses a tax break. Let`s help our veterans. Pass this bill. Let`s meet our responsibilities.


AZUZ: The economy is expected to be a big focus of next year`s presidential election. Some people think the debate over this specific bill is actually more about politics than about really trying to get something done.


SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL: What this week has shown, beyond any doubt, is that Democrats would rather talk about partisan legislation they won`t pass, than on actually passing legislation we know would create jobs.


AZUZ: U.S. officials say they`ve broken up an alleged murder plot targeting Saudi Arabia`s ambassador to the United States. Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are allies. And according to authorities, this plan was organized by people inside Iran`s government.


AZUZ (voice-over): Justice officials say two men, both with ties to Iran, began plotting to kill the Saudi ambassador back in the spring. A spokesman for Iran`s government said the alleged plot is a complete lie. This is a developing story, so if you want the latest details on it, you could go to our home page -- that`s


AZUZ: The Dallas Mavericks are the reigning champs in the National Basketball Association, but defense of that title for them? Going to have to wait a bit, because the NBA has canceled its first two weeks of its season.

This is part of that lockout that started in July we`ve been telling you about. Owners and players can`t make a deal on the rules for player salaries and how to split up the money that the league makes. And this isn`t just a sports story, it`s a business one as well. Mark McKay looks at the financial ripple effects of this lockout.


MARK MCKAY, CNN REPORTER: Philips Arena is home to the NBA`s Atlanta Hawks, but these doors won`t be opening for basketball any time soon. The league`s decision to cancel some regular season games made sure of that. But that decision just doesn`t impact team owners and players. It also affects surrounding businesses that count on those games being played.

SCOT HUMPHREYS, GM, DANTANNA`S: There`s definitely going to be a decrease in business on what would have been home games. We usually get a nice pop two hours before the game. Then depending on how they do, some after-game business.

AARON BUGGS, ASSISTANT GM, STATS RESTAURANT: We always try to make sure we have a good showing of conventioneers to come to the restaurant. But as far as filling the void from Philips Arena, there`s pretty much nothing that we can do. I mean, our hands are pretty much tied when it comes to that.

MCKAY (voice-over): The NBA just completed one of its most successful seasons in years. Attendance, merchandise sales and television ratings were all up, but that momentum could be lost if the current lockout continues for an extended period.

CHRIS MANNIX, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SENIOR WRITER: These two sides should be sitting in a room in New York City for the next, you know, week, two weeks, however long it takes to get done. But right now, they seem content to not negotiate, not meet, and to sort of let this thing play out and see who blinks first.

MCKAY (voice-over): The cost for this waiting game will be expensive. NBA commissioner David Stern said the league lost $200 million by canceling the preseason. If a significant amount of regular seasons games are lost as well, the league will find itself having to satisfy broadcast partners who paid billions to televise those games.

KURT BADENHAUSEN, FORBES SENIOR EDITOR: The NBA is going to have to make good with their TV partners. They`re not going to continue to pay for no games. And, you know, it has effect on the TV partners because they use NBA games, which are strong ratings drivers for a, say, a TNT. They`re strong ratings drivers, and that helps boost ratings for other programming.


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today`s Shoutout goes out to Mr. Schoettler`s students at Millennial Tech Middle School in San Diego, California.

What happened on this day in history? Your options? Revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, Ponce de Leon discovered Florida, armistice ended World War I or Columbus landed in the Bahamas. You`ve got three seconds, go.

On October 12th, 1492, Christopher Columbus reached the Bahamas. That`s your answer, and that`s your Shoutout.


AZUZ: And that`s the reason why today is National Day in Spain. Earlier this week we talked about how Spain paid for Columbus` journey. The United States celebrates Columbus Day on the second Monday in October. But Spain`s national holiday is right on the anniversary of when the explorer reached the New World, and countries all over Latin America celebrate as well.


AZUZ (voice-over): The day, October 12th, is called Dia de la Raza. There are ceremonies, parades and festivals commemorating this day. There`s also been some controversy around Dia de la Raza. Some people argue that when Europeans began settling the Americas, it led to the deaths of many native people who were already there. And critics don`t think it should be celebrated.


AZUZ: October is National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month, and earlier this week, we heard some juniors and seniors` advice about how to stop bullying. Anderson Cooper talked recently with a group of students who saw bullying and then stepped in to take action against it. He wanted to know what motivated them to take on the issue.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: It does seem like a lot of the -- a lot of schools now have anti-bullying efforts, and a lot of the focus is now on people like yourself, people who are willing to intervene, getting other kids to be willing to stand up and say, you know what, look, I witnessed this. This is not -- this is not right. You can`t continue to do this.

Why do you think intervene in situations?

SHARON, STUDENT, THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL: Because I see them, like the way they are like after everything happens, like how they`re so sad and crying and everything, and just feel bad for them I guess.

COOPER: But it`s interesting, because only a small percentage of kids in the school, I think like 19 to 21 percent -- only a small percentage of kids actually intervene. Why -- I mean, why do you think you`ve intervened?

JACOB, STUDENT, THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL: Well, there were a few kids actually in class who was acting in an aggressive manner towards him, verbal abuse, most of the time. And it was making him upset. He didn`t -- he didn`t tell anyone about it, but I could see it.

COOPER: So you saw that it was having an effect on him?

JACOB: Oh, yes. But that -- without a doubt.

COOPER: Andrew, how about for you?

ANDREW, STUDENT, THE WHEATLEY SCHOOL: Yes, I`ve seen situations where kids were just being picked on, and the kid actually said stop, just stop whatever you`re doing, and they just kept on going and going.

COOPER: Have you ever been bullied?

ANDREW: Yes, when I was younger, in elementary school.

COOPER: So you know -- you -- do you think the fact that you`ve been bullied when you were younger, you kind of know what it feels like and makes you more prone to intervene?

ANDREW: Yes, I mean, it definitely gets me angry when I see someone being picked on. And it -- I kind of want to like stop it.

COOPER: What makes you angry about it?

ANDREW: Just that the kid didn`t do anything to deserve the bullying. So I just wanted to stop it, because I didn`t want to see something escalate.

COOPER: It`s interesting. The sociologist terms kind of the social dynamics in schools, "social combat," which I`d never heard the term before, and I think it`s kind of an interesting term. But I mean, is that overstating it? Or, I mean, (inaudible).


ANDREW: Not at all.

COOPER: Not at all?



COOPER: I think -- you`re like it`s totally social combat. How so?

JACOB: In school, I`m -- it`s pretty much a race to the top of the -- of the social ladder. By getting to the top, you have not only self- confidence (ph) but you view yourself as one of the important people of your school. And that is -- that`s the reason why bullying occurs.



AZUZ (voice-over): All right. This is our blog. We`re taking you to, and this is where you can talk to us about the issue of bullying. What do you think can be done to help students cope with bullying, to help students respond when they are bullied? Talk to us at Remember, it`s only your first names we`ll accept.


AZUZ: And before we go, the first lady gets to do a lot of cool stuff.


AZUZ (voice-over): And that might include breaking a world record. First lady Michelle Obama joined hundreds of kids yesterday in an attempt to set the record for doing jumping jacks.

And they can`t do this alone. They need more than 20,000 people around the world to jump in on the idea in a 24-hour period. That`s how they can make the record. The first lady is all about fighting childhood obesity with physical activity.


AZUZ: So this was a great "jumping" off point and the chance to "exercise" the right of free assembly. We`ll "jump" into more headlines tomorrow. For CNN Student News, I`m Carl Azuz.


MICHELLE OBAMA: All right. Keep it up, let`s go, let`s go.