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ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES
Historic Health Care Reform; The Stupak Switch; Health Care Battle Not Over; Pres. Obama's Plunge in the Poll; Solar-Powered School
Aired March 22, 2010 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Tonight the sound of fury and the fight over health care reform. What it means to you and what it means to the people who were elected and will be asking for your vote in November, and whether this epic battle was fought in a way to be proud of or not.
Who was behind the lies told about the bill on both sides? We're "Keeping them Honest" tonight.
And later, the man who nearly stopped the bill over abortion then changed his mind. He got pummeled for both positions. We'll ask Congressman Bart Stupak why he voted the way he did. Some very "Raw Politics" in that.
Also later tonight, with health care he achieved what no president ever has. The question is will voters reward or punish President Obama?
And what about Nancy Pelosi and the rest of Congress? Republicans say this is will be an albatross around the neck of Democrats. We'll talk "Strategy" with Republicans and Democrats. All sides tonight on 360.
First up, though, history and what it means for you, your family and the country because whether you support the bill or not, we can agree with this. There has not been a moment like this since before many of us were born.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE SPEAKER: On this vote, the yeas are 220 and the nays are 211. The bill is passed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, that's the moment in the House late last night when they passed the Senate version of health care reform and a package of fixes to it. President Obama is going to sign the bill tomorrow. He'll also push for the senate fixes and then head out to sell Americans on it, because as you know, plenty of Americans do not support this or don't know much about it. Last night though for the president was a very sweet moment. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tonight's vote is not a victory for any one party, but it's a victory for them, it's a victory for the American people. And it's a victory for common sense.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, again, the president will sign the bill tomorrow and then try to sell it at least until November.
In a moment we're going to have a "Keeping them Honest" report with some of the lies that have been told about this bill.
But first of all, I just want to head over to the wall and let's go over a little bit about what is in the bill and how it's supposed to be paid for.
First of all, let's talk about happens first. Starting six month from now from tomorrow, insurance companies have to cover kids regardless of illness.
Also in six months young people up to age 26 get to stay on their parents' plans. Now, currently the cutoff varies by state.
Also, there'll be no more annual or lifetime cap for anyone with expensive long-term illnesses like cancer.
Also, seniors will get a $250 rebate for prescription drugs to help them get across that doughnut hole in their existing coverage, again, all these -- these things kick in after six months.
So do subsidies to help the small companies buy insurance for employees.
Then, let's move forward into 2011, fees on drug makers start kicking in to pay for covering more people.
Then you move the clock ahead to 2013, and the taxes come into play, most of them on people making more than $200,000 a year or couples making more than a quarter million. There's also a new tax on interest and dividends and a sales tax on medical devices which Republican critics say will discourage innovation.
Then also 2014, the whole enchilada; no one can be turned down for coverage or dropped because they are sick. Now, also, everyone in that year has to purchase coverage or face fines. They start off small and they rise up to 2.5 percent of incomes. Exchanges will be set up to try to boost competition.
Also in 2014, families will get tax breaks to afford coverage and Medicaid will be expanded as well for lower income families.
Now, Republicans are going to fight all of this, of course, and Republican attorney generals in at least 11 states right now are planning legal challenges. We're going to speak with Utah's attorney general in a moment.
But first, "Keeping them Honest": there has been a lot of really mean and a lot of nasty stuff said, we all know, in the last couple of days; and frankly a lot of lies told.
And I don't know if you saw this, but right up to the vote, some protesters on Capitol Hill shouted racial slurs at an African-American Congressman, a bigoted slur to gay Congressmen and one Congressman was even spat on.
There were Congressman waving signs, egging on the crowds, and one member shouted "baby killer" on the floor of the House and on both sides, people called one another "liars." Now, that's been a constant throughout the year since this whole thing began. But are both sides equally guilty of expressing the truth?
Ed Henry tonight is "Keeping them Honest."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The noise was deafening, passions running high.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: Have you read the bill? Have you read the Reconciliation bill? Have you read the managers' amendment? Hell no you haven't.
HENRY: But were the charges on both sides true? "Keeping them Honest", in a word, no. The most questionable claim nearly brought down the final house bill. Republican charges the plan would force taxpayers to pay for abortions.
BOEHNER: Can you go home to tell your constituents with confidence that this bill respects the sanctity of all human life and that it -- it won't allow for taxpayer funding of abortions for the first time in 30 years. No, you cannot.
HENRY: Actually, White House officials say they can point to something that knocks this down, Section 1303(B)(1)(B) of the bill which says, quote, "Abortions for which public funding is prohibited."
The second questionable claim this weekend came from a familiar face, conservative icon Sarah Palin. Over the weekend she twitted "Shocking new questions, whether military health care plans are protected under Obamacare. How will underpaid troops afford their own purchase?"
Actually the bill stipulates that most military medical care is not affected by the new law. But a drafting error left some doubts. The language was tweaked to fix it, so Palin's charge like her false claim about death panels has now evaporated.
And then, there was the old stand-by. REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: The overwhelming number of people in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District want nothing to do with this government takeover of health care.
HENRY: Government takeover of health care, the legislation actually builds on the current system which is why the president's senior adviser David Axelrod told me it's a recycled false claim.
DAVID AXELROD, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: I think that some of the arguments you heard yesterday were -- were really tinny if not bewildering because they didn't bear any resemblance to the program that was being voted on.
HENRY: But the president also made at least one statement that's highly questionable as he cited the Congressional Budget Office's projection that the bill will reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion 20 years from now.
OBAMA: This is paid for and will not add a dime to the deficit; it will reduce the deficit.
HENRY: But in fact the CBO noted quote, "The imprecision of that calculation reflects the even greater degree of uncertainty in long- term predictions."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So, Ed, what's going on in the White House, because we know some key players showed up there tonight for a meeting in the Oval Office?
HENRY: It's interesting; a lot of intrigues tonight, because last night the White House is being clear they didn't want to celebrate. There was only one little bit of celebration filled by top aides. The president invited some staffers up to the Truman Balcony which overlooks the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial. They sort of toasted this victory but then made clear they are going back to work.
And at this meeting in the Oval Office tonight, there are some key senators like the Majority Leader Harry Reid who came over. And I'm told they were plotting strategy of how they want the next few days to go out and go over in terms of dealing with these procedural hurdles in the Senate with that fix-it bill.
And while publicly they keep saying they are confident and they are going to get it done. I am picking up a little bit of nervousness inside the White House that maybe some of these hurdles are going to be difficult and they are worried there could be some stumbles on this fix-it bill.
So this meeting was important to try to lay out the strategy to deal with that -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, going late into the night. Ed Henry thanks.
It's safe to say the live chat is up and running right now at AC360; not just running but it's buzzing. Check it out.
Coming up next: exclusive, former President Clinton weighs in on the health care bill's passage.
And Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak who stood at the center of the most controversial part of the bill and who -- depending on who you believe was called a "baby killer" on the floor of the House or not. We'll talk to him about that. And what he believes.
Also Utah's Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who plans to challenge the constitutionality of requiring all Americans to carry insurance and he's not the only one.
And later, what this means to President Obama, the Democrats and the GOP? Our panel weighs in, left, right and center: Ed Rollins and Paul Begala who fought so hard during the Clinton administration to pass health care reform, Dana Bash and Joe Johns.
We'll be right back.
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COOPER: "Raw Politics" now; raw and ugly. You saw a bit of it in Ed Henry's report. Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak got an earful of it firsthand. He was the holdout saying he'd likely vote no, until he got an executive order from President Obama reaffirming that the bill does not provide federal funding for abortion.
When he switched his vote to a yes and stood up to explain why, here is what happened. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. BART STUPAK (D), MICHIGAN: The motion to recommit does not promote life. It is the Democrats who have stood up -- it is the Democrats who have stood up to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Suspend. Those who are shouting out are out of order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "It's a baby killer."
STUPAK: Mr. Speaker --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: You can hear the words "baby killer" being yelled. It was the Texas Republican Randy Neugebauer who said it. He owned up to it today issuing a statement that said, what he really said was, "It's a baby killer" referring to the deal, not to Congressman Stupak, personally.
Congressman Stupak joins us now. Congressman, I know you accepted the representative's apology to you for his outburst yesterday. The Democratic Majority Whip though Jim Clyburn said that's not enough; that the Congressman needs to apologize not just to you, but to the whole House. Do you agree?
STUPAK: I agree. If it's not directed at me, then he must have directed the address to the Member of the House. And we have to maintain proper decorum in the House of Representatives, set the examples and keep our cool under intense pressure and debate. So I think that Congressman Neugebauer owes an apology to the House of Representatives.
COOPER: Do you believe he was -- was calling you a "baby killer" or do you believe, I mean he says, he said, "It's a baby killer."
STUPAK: Well, when I talked to Randy today I told him, I thought he directed that at me, I was the only one speaking. I was speaking about pro-life and how the Democrats stood up for the principle of life. And we got that executive order to reaffirm that principle in this new legislation. So I was pleased to vote for this legislation --
COOPER: So you didn't hear him say "it's" you just heard "baby killer."
STUPAK: No, no, I just heard "baby killer." Right.
COOPER: What is that like? I mean, what went through your mind? When you hear that?
STUPAK: Just another cheap shot. I have been through a lot in the last few months and weeks and from both sides --
COOPER: But on the floor of the House, though, it's -- I mean, that's a whole other level.
STUPAK: Well, I mean, heck, they attacked President Obama, I mean, Anderson this is getting out of control. I wish the Republican leadership would talk to their members and tell them there's a proper decorum and let's be respectful. We set examples.
Then you wonder why when we walk back and forth to vote we had all the problems with racial slurs and everything else being throwing at members when you see it on the House floor they must have been cool, it must be ok then. I mean, I wish the Republican leadership would pull their membership in and then say, look, there's a proper decorum, if you can't handle it, don't be on the House floor.
COOPER: I want to talk about this executive order. Would you have accepted an executive order if the president had offered that idea at the very beginning of the process?
STUPAK: Well, we negotiated out this executive order. It took a couple of days to get it done. No, we had to exhaust different avenues and I tried different proposals and different processes.
The problem is every time we could agree to something in the House, you need 60 votes in the Senate, and we really could only get 45 votes in the Senate.
COOPER: So who suggested this, I mean, the idea of the executive order? When did it gets suggested, how did it come about?
STUPAK: Well, I think it was in the conversation Rahm Emanuel and I had a couple of weeks ago -- we're looking at the sense of the Congress, the joint concurrent resolutions -- all kinds of procedural ways, but every time we would run into a roadblock being in the Senate, we could not get the 60 votes.
I even talked to a number of Republican senators who are pro-life and they said, if we do a resolution, just limit it to this point, will you support us? And they said no.
So --
COOPER: You do have some legal experts and a lot of folks, critics of yours saying today that they are confused by your thinking on this. They say look, executive orders cannot overrule the law. That it takes Congressional actions --
STUPAK: Right.
COOPER: -- so does this bill which you now voted for contain federal funding for abortion in your opinion?
STUPAK: The bill, but the executive order clarifies it. The executive order has the full force and effect of the law. You know it's interesting --
COOPER: But it's not a law.
STUPAK: -- but these same critics, these same critics, when George W. Bush put the executive order out for Stem Cell Research, remember. Limit the stem cell research, these same critics said it was wonderful. It was welcome news, we applauded it.
And now President Obama does an executive order and suddenly, it's no good; it is.
Remember --
COOPER: But you're saying it trumps the law?
STUPAK: I am saying, it's the -- here's how the administration is going to implement this law, and President Obama has said as he implements this law, there will not be public funding for abortion. It is very clear, the restrictions of Hyde applies to the new law and the insurance exchange right there on page two, very clear.
Executive orders are used all the time. What's the most famous one, Anderson Cooper, was Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Executive Order number 95. That's probably the most famous one -- that we know of and they are in effect. Then George -- they are ok for George Bush, when we're talking about sanctity of life, but because it's President Obama it's not ok?
That's hypocrisy, I'm afraid to say it, but that just drips with hypocrisy. COOPER: Congressman Stupak, I appreciate you being on the show. Thank you.
STUPAK: You bet, thank you.
COOPER: Now, the Republican opposition unified on Capitol Hill, growing in Republican state houses around the country. At least 11 state attorneys general right now are seeking to challenge in federal court the portion of the law requiring everyone to buy insurance.
Tonight, one such attorney general, Utah's Mark Shurtleff, he joins us now. So what is the main case that you are going to make as to why this is improper?
MARK SHURTLEFF, ATTORNEY GENERAL, UTAH: Well, that is the individual mandate it is unconstitutional. It goes way beyond Congress' power. I mean, it -- Anderson, in the entire history of this country, there has never been an occasion where the federal government as a condition of citizenship requires you buy a service or -- and then to pay a penalty if you don't do that.
We believe that's not authority that is granted in the Constitution and therefore under the 10th Amendment, the states need to step up and protect individual and states rights.
COOPER: As you well know and probably better than me, because you are an attorney and I'm not, a lot of the legal experts we've heard from point to the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution which basically -- gives the federal government the power to regulate Interstate Commerce. And the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled in support of the federal government and with a very broad definition of what Interstate Commerce is.
SHURTLEFF: Well no doubt about it. The federal courts over 100 years have extended and expanded that reach of the federal government. However in '95 and 2000 with a couple of cases the courts -- the Supreme Court has now said that the -- that power is not unlimited. That you have to be able to establish number one, that whatever you are trying to regulate is Interstate Commerce at its core. And number two, that it's not traditionally regulated by the states. And in both cases we believe that the choice about whether to insure yourself or whether to even pay for or access insurance or access health care system is an individual choice.
It's not Interstate Commerce and where it has been, it has been regulated by the state.
So we believe that -- that under Lopez and Morris and some of these cases that are of more recent note, that we do have a chance to have the courts rule that this is unconstitutional.
COOPER: But the federal government tells people, you know, you have to wear seat belts and that incurs with it certain costs for the car manufacturers and for people who you know, who have to now have a seat belt. SHURTLEFF: Well, you still have a choice and actually for the most part, those are regulations that are state regulations, as are the requirement to have insurance on your automobile, but you're still going to choose whether to drive or not.
In this case, whether you access the health care system at all, whether you're self-insured and you can pay for your own, it doesn't matter. They said, you will have the pay for it. And again, that's unprecedented, and so we believe that in our responsibility to the 10th Amendment we need to step up and challenge that and have the courts rule on it.
COOPER: How long a process are you talking about and how expensive is this?
SHURTLEFF: I don't think it will be very -- real expensive and that's why we have multi-state actions. And by the way, we do multi- state actions all the time. Republican and Democratic attorneys general joining together, even against -- I have sued my own Republican administration when we feel like they violate the state's rights.
We hope to add some attorneys general, we think there will be some Democratic AGs joining us, because this really isn't about politics. Many parts of this bill are laudable, we're not talking about policy, simply the process, Anderson. And if you're going to do something, you need to do it in a Constitutional lawful manner and we don't believe they have one when it comes to the individual mandate.
COOPER: "The New York Times" reported a little while ago, that and I quote, that "states where the Constitutional Amendment has been introduced are also places where the health care industry has spent heavily on political contributions." That basically, essentially saying that you and other attorneys generals have gotten thousands of dollars in contributions from the industry.
A, is that the case and do you think, if so, that poses any kind of conflict?
SHURTLEFF: Well, I can't speak for all the AGs, that isn't the big part of my contributions. In fact, I've sued health care providers, pharmaceutical companies. In this case, the discussion is not political; it's about making sure the process is followed.
And who --
COOPER: You're really saying this is not political?
SHURTLEFF: No.
COOPER: I mean there are not a lot of Democratic attorney generals or governors signing on to this though.
SHURTLEFF: No, did I and other Republican AGs, sue a Republican administrations when we felt like they were encroaching on state's rights, absolutely. And in this case there will be extreme political pressure frankly, brought on Democratic AGs. And there will be some courageous ones who will step up and say this isn't about politics. It's about our duty as Republican attorneys generals of the states to protect states rights and individual rights and we're doing it that reason and that reason alone.
COOPER: Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, I appreciate you being on the program. I like to talk to you again.
SHURTLEFF: Thanks Anderson.
COOPER: Thank you very much sir.
SHURTLEFF: You bet.
Just ahead a "CNN Exclusive," President Bill Clinton who famously failed to get universal health care passed weighs in.
Also tonight, will voters like what they're getting or not when they vote this fall? What impact is this going to have on this upcoming election? We have new polling and we'll talk to our -- well, our whole political team here about what lies ahead for President Obama and Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats.
And also later, why did he do it? That's what everyone wants to know. Tonight: the answer from Tiger Woods.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PAUL RYAN (R), WISCONSIN: This bill is a fiscal Frankenstein. It's a government takeover. It's not Democratic.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: I consider this to be the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century, because I do believe that this is the one fundamental right that this country had been wrestling with now for almost 100 years. I think tonight, we took a giant step toward the establishment of a more perfect union.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Very different views and two very different takes on last night's historic vote on health care. Sixteen years ago, President Bill Clinton, of course, lost his battle to pass comprehensive health care reform.
Here's what is Mr. Clinton said today from Haiti in a "CNN Exclusive."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The fundamental difference between now and then besides the fact that all of the indicators have gotten worse so people will understand how much more important it is -- is that they filibustered it to death in the Senate, and they could not do it this time. And so, the president who hung in there when people were telling him to pack it in and all of the others that were able to work it out and they were able to legislate and compromise and brought it through to a solution. I am thrilled. It's a great thing for America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, history was made last night, but the health care battle is certainly is not over. Let's talk more. Let's "Dig Deeper" with our panel: Joe Johns joins me now along with the political contributor and Democratic strategist; Paul Begala. That's not Paul Begala, that's Ed Rollins, and you're a Congressional correspondent --
ED ROLLINS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Paul never looked so good.
PAUL BEGALA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Rollins has more hair now.
COOPER: And Dana Bash, Paul Begala, Ed Rollins; the whole gang is here.
So Paul, let's start off with you, I mean, you just heard from your former -- former boss, former President Clinton. He tried to get the health care reform passed back in the early 90s, didn't get it through. I was thinking about you last night, what was your reaction?
BEGALA: I was moved. I really was, Anderson. I thought that, I've shed blood for that but we failed, and it was an important failure and it was the biggest failure in my professional life.
So to see the Speaker of the House gavel this thing through -- when everybody thought it was dead just a few months ago -- to see this president lift it back up and resurrect from the dead, I mean, I was completely thrilled.
And -- something President Clinton told me and in fact he said it this weekend, we were talking about this. He reminded that 500 years ago Machiavelli said one of the hardest things to do in the world is to bring about a new order of things because the people who will lose will be disadvantaged from the reform. They know very well what they're going to lose and they will be zealous in opposing.
But those who have gain only have a promise of gain, and they have not lived under that gain, and so they're only going to be lukewarm in the support. And that's why it's so hard to reform things in this life and 500 years later Machiavelli was still right. But I was thrilled.
COOPER: You really want to be quoting Machiavelli?
BEGALA: Well, actually, it was worth reading, the guy -- it's a very powerful observation about human nature.
COOPER: No it is but I mean, it's Machiavelli, it's sort of Machiavellian of you -- hence the expression.
Ed Rollins, where do the Republicans go from here? I mean, they are vowing -- you've just heard the attorney general in Utah saying that they were going to fight on Constitutional grounds. And others are saying they're going to trying to repeal it? What happens then?
ROLLINS: Well, the fight -- the fight is just beginning, I mean, obviously, victory comes to those with staying power and the President and the Speaker and the Majority Leader all deserve great credit for hanging in there and getting this thing done.
But Republicans and independents think this is so important to the long-term financial future of this country, but they'll continue the fight it on every front. They'll fight it in the Senate, they'll fight it --
COOPER: But I mean, the repeal thing is -- they're not going to be able to --
ROLLINS: Well, it's -- repeal is not the issue. I think the issue is every year there will be some modification of this bill. And I think if there's more Republicans, there'll be modifications that will be more severe to this bill. And I think we don't know where this bill is going to go in the end. We -- I assume it's going to pass in the Senate, but it's a long-term place to get this thing into -- in every household.
COOPER: Joe, what do you make of these Constitutional battles as you heard from the attorney general?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's real simple I mean, when you look at this thing, there's a question people look at this thing and say, really? I am going to actually have to pay a penalty if I don't get insurance? What about that? Is that Constitutional?
The other half of that is very simply if you talk to lawyers a lot of people will say on the Democratic side, hey, states can order people to buy automobile insurance, therefore the government ought to be able to order you to buy health insurance.
The question and the bottom line is does the Congress have enough power to do this? Well, hey, Congress has vast power, so, they probably are going to, you know.
COOPER: So as the attorney general pointed out, most courts have ruled for generations now --
JOHNS: Right.
COOPER: -- that they do.
Dana, I mean, you've just heard from Congressman Stupak, he thought that the guy didn't say "It's a baby killer" he thought he was just being called the "baby killer." Have you -- I mean, what has the mood been like today on Capitol Hill, because it was really ugly this weekend. I mean, the people roaming the halls --
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh yes.
COOPER: -- yelling at Barney Frank, yelling, you know at Congressman Lewis.
BASH: And it's true, and I witnessed -- exactly I witnessed the protesters really, I mean they were everywhere you turned. Outside of the Capitol, it was a beautiful weekend and they knew that the Congressmen were going to come back and forth to the Capitol in the basements where they could be and of course, we had some very unfortunate incidents.
COOPER: But we should also just point out the pictures we're showing these are just regular protesters, these are not the folks who were in the hall --
BASH: Exactly.
COOPER: -- who were yelling the epithets, so these pictures really not the one we should be showing when talking about that. I don't want to give you an impression it was these people, but clearly, there were a lot of protests going on outside and inside.
BASH: Exactly and you heard Congressman Stupak say that he believes -- and he's not the only one -- I should say that there are Democrats and Republicans who we've talked to today both sides of the aisle who said that kind of action inside the chamber is just unacceptable.
But with regard to the mood on the health care bill and what happened last night, it's really fascinating, Anderson. You could almost feel it in the geography of the Capitol.
If you were on the House side, you can feel the relief. You can feel almost the shock that they actually got this done after everything that they have been through. As you move across the Capitol to the Senate side, you can feel the tension building, because it is not over. And they know on the Senate side, that they have a lot more work to be done.
COOPER: Yes. I want to talk about these fixes, what comes next, with all of you coming up shortly. We're going to have a lot more with our guests throughout the hour.
You heard the cheers. You saw the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi taking the victory lap, but as Dana just said, it is not over by a long shot. We're going to look at what Republicans plan to do to knock the bill down and why they may have a very good chance coming up.
Also, Tiger Woods speaking out on, well, what he did, and what he says about it now. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Making history on health care, but at what cost to the president and his party and for all of us.
We'll have more from the panel in a moment but first, let's get a look at some other important stories. Christine Romans joins us with the "360 News and Business Bulletin" -- Christine.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUISNESS CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, you mentioned it earlier, former President Bill Clinton is in Haiti. Today he toured a tent city in Port-au-Prince with former President George W. Bush. The two men are leading the U.S. fund-raising efforts for Haiti following January's earthquake. Mr. Bush says he hopes their visit reminds Americans that the country still needs help.
In a battle watched by many, Google today said it will no longer censor searches for china. It moved its search engine from the mainland and redirected users to its Hong Kong based service. Google has for months accused the government of cyber attacks and trying to limit free speech. China fired back today accusing Google of violating written promises.
Tiger Woods has given his first television interviews since the sex scandal surrounding him surfaced. Woods tells the Golf Channel, Anderson, his actions were disgusting and that he was living a lie. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I tried to stop, but I couldn't stop. And it was just -- it was horrific.
KELLY TILGHMAN, GOLF CHANNEL: For a man who is so disciplined physically and psychologically, why couldn't you say no?
WOODS: I don't know.
Now I know, but at the time -- as part of what I learned in treatment, being there for 45 days, you learn a lot. You strip away the denial and the rationalization and you come to the truth. And the truth is very painful at times, and to stare at yourself and look at the person you've become, you become disgusted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: And in Iceland, flames amid the frozen landscape; under this glacier in southern Iceland, a volcano long dormant is stirring to life.
There we go. These images are breathtaking. The danger is real. Hundreds have been evacuated in the event that an eruption triggers massive floods.
You know, Anderson, since the Vikings in the 9th century, they have called it the "land of fire and ice" but I call it a glacier in southern Iceland, because this is how it is spelled, Anderson. I don't know if you can pronounce this.
COOPER: Wow. You did not want to attempt that, did you?
ROMANS: No, I am giving away our secrets, but that is why I say it is a glacier, in southern Iceland. It is Eyjafjallajokull. I had to go on Facebook and asked people. I said, "Is anybody from Iceland? Could somebody tell me how to pronounce this?" And my friends --
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Like Iceland hasn't have enough trouble lately. Their entire economy is collapsing, their banks upside down and now this.
ROMANS: Enter a volcano.
COOPER: Yes. All right.
Christine, time for our "Beat 360" winners: our daily challenge to viewers to come up with a caption better than the one we can come up with for a photo that we put on the blog everyday.
Tonight's picture: Vice President Joe Biden speaking to the media about recovery tax cuts today in Washington.
Staff winner tonight is Joey. His caption: "Do you know what this is, Boehner? It is the world's smallest violin."
Viewer winner is V Wolsk from New York. We're not sure that the V stands for. V's caption: "Vice President Biden demonstrates the pinching technique he used to convince the last few Democrats to say yes to the health care bill."
V congratulations. Your "Beat 360" T-shirt is on the way.
ROMANS: Joe Biden says, "I have no fingernails left after this experience for the last year."
COOPER: Ahead on 360, we're "Keeping Them Honest." Why some of the health care promises that Democrats have made, they probably won't be kept. We're going to tell you why and what is ahead and what is at stake.
Plus, President Obama has dropped in the polls. His approval rating is at an all-time low. This poll was taken just before the vote, we should point out. What it all means for the battle still ahead for the Democrats.
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COOPER: When President Obama spoke after the House passed the Senate health care bill, here is how he described the history that had just been made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So this isn't radical reform, but it is major reform. This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Tomorrow President Obama will sign that health care bill into law, but that will not end the battle, of course. Dana Bash tonight is "Keeping Them Honest."
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BASH (voice-over): Jubilation on the House floor. And the celebration continued today at this photo-op -- signing the Senate health care bill to send to the president.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: We are making history and progress for the American people.
BASH: But "Keeping Them Honest" it is not over yet. Until the Senate passes a bill of fixes, some of the promises Democrats have been making will not happen. Take this one for example --
REP. JOHN TIERNEY (D), MASSACHUSETS: It will close the so-called "doughnut hole" in the current coverage.
BASH: The so-called "doughnut hole", a Medicare loophole that makes seniors pay more out-of-pocket for prescription drug coverage. Democrats say over and over, they closed it.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: This bill will immediately begin closing the "doughnut hole" for prescription medications for seniors.
BASH: But the Senate health care bill headed to the White House does don't that. It only narrows the gap by $500. It is actually the yet-to-be passed fixes bill that closes the "doughnut hole" by 2020. And the Senate's road to passing that bill through the process known as reconciliation is not easy.
Marty Paone is a parliamentary expert. He was a top Democratic aide for 30 years.
MARTY PAONE, FORMER DEMOCRATIC SENATE SECRETARY: In order to qualify for its use, the provision has to affect either federal revenues or outlays. So you have to have something that's related to the budget of the federal government.
BASH: So Republicans are scrubbing the bill for violations and can raise unlimited objections. GOP senators can also slow things down by offering unlimited amendments
(on camera): Amendment after amendment after amendment, and if any of those amendments pass?
PAONE: Then it goes back to the House. So, you can see that is a nightmare scenario.
BASH (voice-over): A nightmare scenario, because that would once again delay the final passage of health care.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Dana joins us now along with the rest of our panel: Paul Begala, Ed Rollins and Joe Johns. Dana, we heard from Ed Henry that President Obama has been meeting this evening in the White House in the Oval Office with top Senate Democrats. How concerned are they about getting this package of fixes through?
BASH: Well, they think that they're going to get some package through, but the question is what changes will there be and in talking to Democrats tonight who know about some of the problems, they say that they actually do potentially have some problems.
This kind of legislation through reconciliation usually takes months to really work out, because it is so complicated and it is so difficult to make sure that you have everything right. Republicans know that, and they have been working very hard to figure out exactly what kind of so-called points of order to raise. Anything that they raise and the parliamentarian says you are right, that is a change and that means it would have to go back to the House.
Senate Democrats think that the House would eventually pass it, but it just would take longer.
COOPER: So, Paul, politically, what happens now? I mean, how does this play out for Republicans and for Democrats?
BEGALA: Well, look, the important thing is the big bill has passed. The president will sign it. That's the house. The house has been built, right? The structure is there.
We're now going to argue over the furniture. I know you're probably a big bean-bag chair man. Other people maybe like a La-Z-Boy guy like me. But that's important, but it's not as critical.
The Republicans have, and I think Paone was right in that piece, they have every right. They'll offer unlimited amendments, and the Democrats have to bat 1,000. They have to beat every single Republican amendment. And some of them probably will be very politically difficult to challenge, but if they don't, then we're back to the House and we're back at it again.
COOPER: We're going to have more with our panel with Ed and Joe Johns in just a minute. You can join the live chat. Let us know what you think at AC360.com.
A plunge in the polls for the president: President Obama's approval rating lower than ever, this was right before the vote, though. We're going to see whether he has the leverage to sell this health care plan to Americans right now.
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COOPER: Heading into last night's House vote, President Obama's job approval rating had fallen to a low of 46 percent, according to the latest CNN/Opinion Research poll. It was down from 49 percent in February.
His marks on health care were even lower. Just 40 percent approved of the way he's handling the issue. Fifty-eight percent said they disapproved, which means that Mr. Obama has got his work, certainly, cut out for him as he tries to sell the health care reform that Congress has passed.
Let's go again to our panel: Joe Johns, Ed Rollins, Paul Begala and Dana Bash.
Paul, very quickly, clearly, these polls are not something that the White House likes to see. These were taken right before the vote. How seriously should the Democrats be taking these things?
BEGALA: Well, pretty seriously, but I bet you a fair number of that 58 percent who disapproved of his performance on health care are liberals who either wanted him to pass it sooner or wanted it to be more liberal. Those folks will come home. If he does a good job of selling this, he should be able to turn that around quickly.
COOPER: Ed, how does this play out. You know as much about politics as anybody running campaigns. How does this play out in the next election?
ROLLINS: Well, it's going to play. It's going to be a factor. You know, I don't think the repeal alone is the issue. I think you've got 30 or 40 Democrats that are very vulnerable. I think you go make the case on this, the stimulus, what have you. And the premise is that these Democrats are going to spend our children and our grandchildren's futures into oblivion, and I think that's the issue. I think that they don't care what we say.
In the case of the polls, the bottom line is the president has been out for two or three weeks, trying to sell this, and every time he's been out there, his polls have dropped over the last two weeks. So I think it's going to be a very hard sell to go out when he doesn't have anything, really, to give them.
COOPER: In terms of the -- appealing to independents, I mean, is this socialism argument something you think that has resonance? Or is the most -- the biggest one that will have resonance that the Democrats are just spending, spending, spending?
ROLLINS: Well, I think -- I think particularly young people that are independent, that, you know, their future is really being put in jeopardy. The spending is enormous. They're not going to like the mandate. They're not going to like the fact that they have to have something no matter what you say, Joe. I mean, the bottom line is you don't have to have insurance in a car if you don't want to drive.
These people have got to go out and spend some money, and they're not going to like that. They don't think their -- the people in Congress listened to them. And the last couple of weeks of watching this, it may be a great day for the Democrats, but for the country watching it, it wasn't a very great day.
COOPER: And Joe, if people don't see an impact of this by the mid-term elections, I mean, that's -- doesn't play out well for the Democrats? JOHNS: Absolutely. You've got to think that there are already some Democrats in the House of Representatives who walked the plank last night. And the fact of the matter is, people are going to be looking closely at those Democrats in Republican-leaning districts this fall.
There's also going to be a question about the flip-floppers, the people who were against it before they were for it. Those people are going to come under a lot of pressure. And it's going to be up to somebody to help them. The question is whether the president will be able to do that. It doesn't look like it right now.
COOPER: And Dana, it's probably going to be among the most fascinating mid-term elections that we have seen for a long time. What do you hear on Capitol Hill and what members of Congress are telling you. Some of them have got to be extremely worried about, you know, coming back?
BASH: Absolutely. There's no question. And that is why some of the last Democrats to decide were those who are freshmen, among the new members elected from conservative districts, maybe traditionally- Republican districts. And they just weren't sure what to do based -- it was sort of the difference between, maybe, what they campaigned on and what has turned out to be, at this point in time, a political negative for them back home.
What they are hoping, these vulnerable Democrats that I talked to, they are hoping that the White House and the party really does begin to, as they say, sell this, instead of defend it. But I talked to so many of them who really do worry that the narrative is set, and it could be very hard to turn that because it is has been so long that the Democrats have been kind of on the defensive on this.
COOPER: Yes. Ed, do you think the Republicans have played this right? I mean, basically --
OLLINS: Listen, we've been unified. This is the first time we've been unified in a long time. I mean, even during the George W. Bush era. So I think we have played it as well as we could play it. I think the leadership has kept a real disciplined in both the House and the Senate.
Once again, there's 50, 60 members that are in trouble, (INAUDIBLE). There's 8 or 10 senators that are going to have real races. That's where the battlegrounds are going to be. The extra votes Nancy Pelosi gets in her district aren't going to help some guy in a vulnerable district.
COOPER: Paul, do you -- how do you think the Republicans have played it? I mean, do you --- you clearly disagree with them, but do you think they have played it -- their hand well?
BEGALA: Well, I think -- I think generally yes, they played a weak hand well. But this weekend those protesters calling John Lewis -- a living saint from the civil rights movement -- calling him the "N" word, those extremists, those fringe people, they could become the face of the Republican movement here, and that's very dangerous for them.
I think moderates look at those people, and they are repulsed. And I think then the base looks at the fact that they lost. They lost to the hated Barack Obama, and they're going to be mad at the Republicans, too.
So I think you're going to see Republicans declining in the next poll, because both their base is angry at them for losing, because they hate a loser over there, and the moderate voters are going to be appalled at the kind of language used to --
ROLLINS: I just need to say, no offense, Paul -- Republicans are as outraged to those comments towards John Lewis and others.
COOPER: Right. This is a handful of people in a large crowd.
ROLLINS: And they don't represent us, and they deserve to be denounced. And they're bigots, and there's no place for them in American politics.
But I will say this. Our side having lost in a very close race, are very intense, and we are ready to go to battle, the next battle in the Senate, and the next battle in November.
COOPER: And Paul, you think it would have been worse, though, for Democrats, had this not passed? These midterm elections would be worse, had this not passed?
BEGALA: Not even close. They would have lost the House if they had failed here. They'll lose seats. History and the economy dictate that the Democrats will lose some seats. But I think this will prevent them from losing the House.
COOPER: All right. We've got to leave it there. Good discussion. Paula Begala thanks very much. Ed Rollins, Joe Johns, Dana Bash.
Still ahead, a green education: how a school in Connecticut is not only teaching about solar power but living it by reducing energy consumption one classroom at a time.
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COOPER: Tonight we want to take you to a school in Connecticut where not only are the students smart, so is their building. As you're going to see, it's energy-neutral.
Now the benefits are far reaching. And it is a lesson we all need to hear. Here is tonight's "One Simple Thing" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: It may look like a typical high school classroom but it's not. Everything is powered by solar energy. In fact the whole building is solar powered.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a Science and Global Studies building. It's three classrooms; it's about 4,000 square feet.
COOPER: The Watkinson School located in Hartford, Connecticut and built in 1881 was looking for another building that could go up quickly but could also inspire their students. That's where building design company, Project Frog, stepped in.
Frog supplied the license for the design of the building but local companies produced the parts and construction workers simply snapped them together.
It only took 7 months to complete. The building could be modified to be made larger or smaller. Watkinson is the first building in New England to be energy neutral.
MARK MILLER, FOUNDER & CEO, PROJECT FROG: This building over the course of the year will have -- will consume no more energy than it is able to produce within its footprint.
COOPER: The key to the school's energy efficiency are the solar panels located on the roof of the building.
MILLER: This building preheats in the morning by where the sun comes up. We orient the building properly. We use proper insulation. We use natural sunlight to bounce off of surfaces. The sun's come up a little bit here.
As you can see, our lights are off. And anywhere in this classroom a student can learn.
COOPER: The temperature of the building is also uniquely energy efficient.
MILLER: What we have here is the key pumps. We're using the energy in the power that is in the earth that already exists to help regulate the temperatures and controls of this building.
COOPER: No impact on the energy grid but a major impression on the students.
JONATHAN DUMEER, 6TH GRADE STUDENT: When we're here, science is much easier to learn because, say, we're studying about solar energy. In a normal building, it's harder to study solar energy, like without a solar panel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the end of the year, the students are going to be working on a sustainability for Haiti project. They're going to be evaluating and finding organizations and initiatives to bring economic, social and environmental sustainability to Haiti.
COOPER: Reducing energy consumption one simple thing, one classroom at a time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: One simple thing.
That does it for 360. Thanks for watching. I'll see you tomorrow night.
"LARRY KING" starts now.
