PBS NewsHour; September 5, 2011 7:00pm-8:00pm EDT

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Woodruff: ON THIS LABOR DAY, PRESIDENT OBAMA IN MICHIGAN CALLED ON CONGRESS TO CREATE NEW JOBS, WHILE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS WOD VOTERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE GET THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM TODAY'S EVENTS, THE UNOFFICIAL START OF THE 2012 CAMPAIGN. PLUS, NEWSHOUR POLITICAL EDITOR DAVID CHALIAN ASSESSES WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THE WEEK AHEAD.

>> Woodruff: THEN, RAY SUAREZ EXAMINES THE STATE OF LABOR UNIONS ON THIS DAY HONORING AMERICANS AT WORK.

>> A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WORKERS AND UNIONS ARE FACING COME FROM A SUSTAINED ATTACK ON WORKERS FROM BUSINESS AND FROM PUBLIC POLICY.

>> IN A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE THERE'S VERY LITTLE POWER TO RAISE WORKERS' WAGES BECAUSE THE COMPANIES CAN'T PASS IT ON TO THE CONSUMERS.

>> Brown: VETERAN FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT EDWARD GIRARDET OFFERS PERSONAL REFLECTIONS AND STORIES FROM HIS NEW BOOK ON THREE DECADES OF WAR REPORTING IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> Woodruff: AND WE CLOSE WITH POWERFUL REMEMBRANCES OF 9/11, FROM THE PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JUST BLOCKS FROM GROUND ZERO.

>> THE WINDOWS FACEDED THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SO I ACTUALLY DID SEE THE FIRST PLANE HIT THE FIRST BUILDING. THAT'S AN IMAGE THAT IS PRETTY MUCH FOREVER INGRAINED.

>> Woodruff: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S NEWSHOUR. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> OIL COMPANIES HAVE CHANGED MY COUNTRY.

>> OIL COMPANIES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO BUILD THE ECONOMY.

>> CREATE JOBS, KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY, AND IMPROVE SCHOOLS.

>> ...AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> IN ANGOLA CHEVRON HELPS TRAIN ENGINEERS, TEACHERS AND FARMERS, LAUNCH CHILD'S PROGRAMS. IT'S NOT JUST GOOD BUSINESS.

>> I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT MY COUNTRY'S FUTURE.

>> IT'S MY COUNTRY'S FUTURE.

>> AND BY BNSF RAILWAY.

>> AND BY THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION. DEDICATED TO THE IDEA THAT ALL PEOPLE DESERVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN GOT GOING IN EARNEST THIS LABOR DAY. PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKED UP HIS JOBS PLAN, AND REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS WENT AFTER HIM-- AND, INCREASINGLY, EACH OTHER-- IN RESPONSE. THE PRESIDENT USED A LABOR DAY EVENT IN DETROIT TO PREVIEW THE JOBS SPEECH HE'LL GIVE THURSDAY NIGHT. AND TO CHALLENGE REPUBLICANS.

>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT SOME STRAIGHT SHOOTERS IN CONGRESS. WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WILL PUT COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY. WE'LL GIVE THEM A PLAN AND THEN WE'LL SAY DO YOU WANT TO CREATE JOBS AND THEN PUT OUR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS BACK TO WORK REBUILDING AMERICA. DO YOU WANT TO HELP OUR COMPANY SUCCEED? OPEN UP NEW MARKETS FOR THEM TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. DO YOU WANT... YOU SAY YOU'RE THE PARTY OF TAX CUTS, WELL THEN PROVE YOU'LL FIGHT JUST AS HARD FOR TAX CUTS FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES AS YOU DO FOR OIL COMPANIES AND THE MOST AFFLUENT AMERICANS. SHOW US WHAT YOU'VE GOT.

>> Woodruff: WITH MR. OBAMA TRYING TO BOOST HIS RE-ELECTION PROSPECTS, THE LABOR UNION CROWD GREETED HIM WITH A KIND OF CHANT HE HOPES TO HEAR MORE OF.

>> FOUR MORE YEARS. FOUR MORE YEARS.

>> Woodruff: BUT THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE ON HIS STEWARDSHIP OF THE ECONOMY. ESPECIALLY AFTER LAST FRIDAY'S DISAPPOINTING REPORT THAT SHOWED NO NET JOB GROWTH IN AUGUST. AND THE FIELD OF HIS WOULD-BE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS HAS RAMPED UP THE CRITICISM. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY SEIZED ON THE JOBS DATA AS HE ADDRESSED HIS FIRST TEA PARTY RALLY YESTERDAY.

>> LOOK, A SHUTOUT IS OKAY IN BASEBALL. IT'S NOT GOOD WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS. WE HAVE ZERO CONFIDENCE, ZERO FAITH IN A PRESIDENT WHO CREATED ZERO JOBS. IT'S TIME FOR SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO CREATE JOBS AND GET OUR ECONOMY GOING. THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW. THAT'S IN MY WHEEL HOUSE. I'LL GET AMERICA WORKING AGAIN.

>> RICK PERRY.

>> Woodruff: THE NEW REPUBLICAN FRONTRUNNER TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY SPOKE THIS MORNING AT A TOWN HALL IN CONWAY, SOUTH CAROLINA, HOSTED BY CONGRESSMAN TIM SCOTT.

>> IF THIS PRESIDENT WANTS TO HAVE A JOBS SPEECH THIS WEEK, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO. HE NEEDS TO STAND UP AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO REPEAL OBAMA- CARE. ( APPLAUSE ) WE'RE GOING TO REPEAL DODD FRANK. ( APPLAUSE ) AND WE'RE GOING TO STOP THE EPA FROM GOING FORWARD WITH ANY OF THE REGULATIONS THEY'VE GOT.

>> Woodruff: BUT PERRY AND ROMNEY ARE ALSO DRAWING A BEAD ON EACH OTHER. AHEAD OF WEDNESDAY'S CANDIDATE DEBATE IN CALIFORNIA, PERRY IS GOING AFTER ROMNEY'S RECORD OF JOB CREATION WHILE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.

>> THERE IS NO ONE GOING TO BE SITTING ON THAT STAGE WHO HAS THE RECORD OF JOB CREATION THAT I HAVE. THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME THAT ARE GOING TO GET UP AND SAY, WELL, I'VE CREATED JOBS. THAT'S TRUE. YOU KNOW, THERE IS ONE IN PARTICULAR PARTICULAR THAT'S CREATED JOBS ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT WHILE HE WAS THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS HE DIDN'T CREATE VERY MANY JOBS.

>> Woodruff: ROMNEY IN TURN IS TRYING TO PAINT PERRY, A THREE- TERM GOVERNOR, AS A CAREER POLITICIAN.

>> I HAVEN'T SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE IN POLITICS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, OF THE PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY WHO HAVE LESS YEARS IN POLITICS THAN ME. I SPENT FOUR YEARS AS A GOVERNOR. I JOKE THAT I DIDN'T INHALE. I'M STILL A CITIZEN.

>> Woodruff: THE PARTY'S 2008 VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE, SARAH PALIN, IS KEEPING HER OWN PROSPECTS ALIVE. SHE TOLD A TEA PARTY GATHERING IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, TO STAY OPEN MINDED ON THE G.O.P. FIELD.

>> SO I SAY LET'S INVITE THOSE CANDIDATES IN WHO ARE BOLD ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE TOUGH CHALLENGES CAUSED BY AN OUT OF TOUCH, OUT OF CONTROL CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT AND THOSE WHO ARE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO ADMIT THEY NEED YOU AND THEY'VE SEEN THE LIGHT. THEY WHO ARE WILLING TO CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE RESULTING FROM WASHINGTON'S FAILED POLICIES AND INCOMPETENT LEADERSHIP. NAMELY CRONY CAPITALISM BECAUSE THAT IS "THE" THAT GROWS OUR ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.

>> Woodruff: A HANDFUL OF G.O.P. HOPEFULS COURTED TEA PARTY SUPPORTERS THIS AFTERNOON AT A SOUTH CAROLINA FORUM HOSTED BY SENATOR JIM DeMINT, A FAVORITE OF THE MOVEMENT. MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN MICHELE BACHMANN SAID SHE WOULD MAKE REPEAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE LAW A PRIORITY.

>> WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN TELL ANY AMERICAN THAT THEY CAN... THAT THEY MUST AS A CONDITION OF CITIZENSHIP PURCHASE A PRODUCT OR SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S AGAINST THEIR WILL, EFFECTIVELY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WILL BE DICTATING THAT PRICE. AND THEY WILL BE BECOME A DICTATOR OVER OUR LIVES.

>> Woodruff: TEXAS CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL WARNED AGAINST THE GROWING SIZE AND SCOPE OF GOVERNMENT.

>> FREEDOM IS NOT THE ISSUE ANYMORE. IT'S TYRANNY. IT'S BIG GOVERNMENT. WE'RE TRYING TO STRUGGLE TO HANG ON TO THIS. BUT I THINK WE'RE IN A DESPERATE STATE OF AFFAIRS BECAUSE IT'S SLIPPING BY AND WITH THE ECONOMY IN SHAMBLES LIKE WE HAVE TODAY, I THINK WE'RE IN MUCH BIGGER TROUBLE THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE.

>> Woodruff: THE REPUBLICANS NOW HEAD INTO A HEAVY SCHEDULE OF DEBATES. WHILE THE PRESIDENT TAKES HIS JOBS PLAN ON THE ROAD STARTING FRIDAY. FOR MORE WE TURN TO NEWSHOUR POLITICAL EDITOR DAVID CHALIAN. HELLO, DAVID.

>> HELLO, JUDY.

>> Woodruff: LABOR DAY IS THE TRADITIONAL KICK-OFF OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. THEY WERE GOING AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA, THE REPUBLICANS WERE. BUT THEY WERE ALSO STARTING TO DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES FROM EACH OTHER. WE HEARD A LITTLE OF THAT BUT THERE WAS MORE OF IT.

>> THAT'S KEY. YOU CAN TELL THAT THE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS, THE STRATEGISTS ADVISING THESE CANDIDATES, KNOW THAT AS THE CALENDAR FLIPS TO SEPTEMBER-- AND HERE WE ARE ON LABOR DAY-- THEY'RE JUST A FEW MONTHS AWAY FROM THE EARLY VOTERS IN IOWA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, SOUTH CAROLINA FROM REALLY HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHO THEY WANT TO PUT FORWARD TO TAKE ON THE PRESIDENT IN FALL. HE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR THEM CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT EVERYDAY, IT IS NOT JUST SUFFICIENT FOR THEM TO DO THAT. THAT'S WHY YOU HEARD IN THE PIECE GOVERNOR PERRY TAKING ON GOVERNOR ROMNEY'S JOBS RECORD IN MASSACHUSETTS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, MICHELE BACHMANN IS IS NOT JUST CRITICIZING PRESIDENT OBAMA ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. OF COURSE THAT IS ONE OF GOVERNOR ROMNEY'S KEY WEAKNESSES INSIDE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FIGHT. AND SO YOU SEE HOW THEY START DEVELOPING THESE DIFFERENT APPEALS INSIDE THE REPUBLICAN ELECTORATE TO DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT IS GOVERNOR ROMNEY'S BEEN ATTACKING GOVERNOR PERRY'S IMMIGRATION RECORD IN TEXAS. I THINK YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS DIFFERENTIATION TAKING PLACE BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG CONVERSATION GOING ON INSIDE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY RIGHT NOW WHICH IS, WHO IS BEST EQUIPPED TO BEAT THE PRESIDENT NEXT NOVEMBER? BECAUSE THEY SENSE A REAL VULNERABILITY ON THE PRESIDENT'S PART.

>> Woodruff: ONE NEW THING WE SAW THIS WEEKEND WAS THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT MITT ROMNEY HAS APPEARED BEFORE TEA PARTY GROUPS. THAT WAS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND. WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT?

>> FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FIELD OVERALL APPEALING TO THAT TEA PARTY GROUP, TO TEA PARTY GROUPS IN GENERAL. THIS LABOR DAY THE UNOFFICIAL KICK-OFF OF THE CAMPAIGN WHEN IT INTENSIFIES ALL THESE CANDIDATE KNOWS THEY GET EXTRA TELEVISION AND MEDIA COVERAGE ON LABOR DAY. THEY ALL CHOSE TO SCHEDULE OR MOST OF THEM CHOSE TO SCHEDULE THIS "GO DOWN TO SOUTH CAROLINA" AND GO TO THIS TEA PARTY GROUP AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THAT WING OF THE PARTY IS REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT. MITT ROMNEY AS YOU POINT OUT, THE TEA PARTY WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOT HIS NATURAL HOME. HE HASN'T BEEN REALLY ALIGNED WITH THEM. HE HAD ACTUALLY REJECTED AN INVITATION TO THAT EVENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY UNTIL RECENTLY BECAUSE HE SENSES THAT RICK PERRY IS DOING VERY WELL IN THIS RACE RIGHT NOW WITH A LOT OF TEA PARTY SUPPORT. HE SEES THAT AS A REAL THREAT. HE'S NO LONGER THE FRONTRUNNER IN THIS RACE, JUDY. RICK PERRY IS. MITT ROMNEY QUICKLY SCHEDULED HIS FIRST APPEARANCE WITH THE TEA PARTY GROUP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. SCHEDULED THIS JIM DeMINT EVENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY. THERE WAS A PROTEST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE YESTERDAY. SOME TEA PARTY GROUPS PULLED OUT OF THE EVENT ONCE MITT ROMNEY WOULD AGREE TO SPEAK BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK HE REALLY REPRESENTS THEIR VALUES. THIS WILL BE MITT ROMNEY'S KEY CHALLENGE. HOW DOES HE WOO ENOUGH OF THOSE TEA PARTY REPUBLICANS IN BECAUSE THEY ARE CRITICAL. LOOK AT THE PROMINENCE THEY HAD ON A DAY LIKE TODAY.

>> Woodruff: QUICKLY, DAVID, WE SAID THIS IS THE KICK-OFF. AND EVERY DAY THIS WEEK THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING. WEAVE A CALENDAR WE'RE GOING TO SHOW OUR VIEWERS. TELL US WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE

>> TOMORROW MITT ROMNEY IS GOING TO BE OUT IN NEVADA. IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA TO DELIVER HIS BIG JOBS SPEECH. HE WANTS THAT TO BE A CONTRAST TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH LATER IN THE WEEK. HE REALLY WANTS TO SHOW WHAT THE ALTERNATIVE IS AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY, THE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO BE AT THE REAGAN LIBRARY IN SIMI VALLEY CALIFORNIA FOR ANOTHER DEBATE. IT WILL BE THEIR SORT OF I THINK IT'S THEIR FOURTH DEBATE OF THE CYCLE SO FAR. IT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE WITHHE THE GOVERNOR RICK PERRY. HE'S THE FRONTRUNNER. THIS WILL BE A BIG MOMENT FOR HIM TO SEE IF HE CAN WITHSTAND THAT KIND OF SCRUTINY. ON THURSDAY OF COURSE IS IS THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS. WE GOT HINT OF THAT TODAY. ON FRIDAY AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE PIECE HE'S GOING TO START IN THE KEY BATTLE GROUND STATE OF VIRGINIA, IN RICHMOND.

>> Woodruff: ALL EYES WILL OB THE PRESIDENT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. HE DOES BEGIN THIS CAMPAIGN BACK ON HIS HEELS.

>> THERE'S NO DOUBT. HE IS IN A VULNERABLE POSITION. THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO THE ECONOMY THAT IS HANGING AROUND HIS NECK AS A BIG WEIGHT. I THOUGHT WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING WHAT WE HEARD FROM HIM TODAY, AND NO MISTAKE HE WAS IN MICHIGAN AND JOE BIDEN WAS IN OHIO TODAY. THOSE ARE KEY STATES. BUT I THOUGHT WE HEARD A PRESIDENT ITCHING FOR A FIGHT. HE WANTS TO PRESENT JOBS PLANS ON THURSDAY. BUT NOT AS BADLY AS HE WANTS TO TAKE THOSE PLANS OUT INTO THE COUNTRY AND REALLY START DRAWING A CONTRAST WITH REPUBLICANS. HE SOUNDED TO ME LIKE HE WAS WILLING TO HAVE A FIGHT WHICH HIS PARTISANS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.

>> Woodruff: WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE WATCHING IT. DAVID CHALIAN, OUR POLITICAL EDITOR. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Brown: STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, LABOR'S FUTURE ON THIS LABOR DAY. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT ON THREE DECADES OF AFGHANISTAN AT WAR AND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REMEMBERS 9/11. BUT FIRST THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> Reporter: LABOR DAY GOT RAINED OUT ALONG MUCH OF THE U.S. GULF KEEFT BY THE LATEST STORM TO MAKE LAND FALL. AT LEAST 16,000 CUSTOMERS WERE LEFT WITH NO POWER AS THE SLOW- MOVING SYSTEM MOVED INLAND TODAY WITH DOWNPOURS ALL ALONG ITS PATH. PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA NEAR NEW ORLEANS WAITED UNTIL WADED INTO FLOODED NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER TROPICAL STORM LEE DROPPED MORE THAN 14 INCHES OF RAIN ON THEM OVER THE WEEKEND.

>> I'VE NEVER SEEN WATER COME UP THAT HIGH. PEOPLE ARE WADING THROUGH UP TO THEIR KNEES.

>> FEELS LIKE KATRINA BUT NOT JUST AS BAD. KIND OF SCARY. IT'S A SHOCK.

>> Sreenivasan: PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA GOT 8-10 INCHES OF RAIN AND THE STORM ALSO SPAWNED NEARLY 20 TORNADOES.

>> I HEARD THE TELEVISION SAY TORNADO WARNING ABOUT THAT TIME. THEN WE HEARD AN UNGODLY CLAP OF LIGHTNING THAT LIT UP THE WHOLE HOUSE.

>> Sreenivasan: DROUGHT STRICKEN TEXAS BADLY NEEDED THE RAIN. INSTEAD IT GOT WINDS FROM TROPICAL STORM LEE THAT FUELED WILD FIRES.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD GONE NOW. ALL THOSE PEOPLE, THEY WERE RACING OUT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE BACK. THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES TO GET IT. YOU COULD HEAR THOSE HOUSES AS THE ROOFS COLLAPSED.

>> Sreenivasan: THAT FIRE SOUTHEAST OF AUSTIN DESTROYED ABOUT 300 HOMES. CHARRED 17,000 ACRES AND WAS STILL BURNING OUT OF CONTROL.

>> THIS FIRE IS NOT OVER. IT'S NOT CONTAINED AT THIS TIME. AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO GET BETTER... IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER.

>> Sreenivasan: THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE MOVED ON, BRINGING HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING TO PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, AND TENNESSEE. AS IT SLOGS NORTHEAST IT COULD ALSO THREATEN NEW DOWNPOURS IN AREAS STILL CLEANING UP FROM HURRICANE IRENE.

>> ARE YOU OKAY? I'M SO SORRY.

>> Sreenivasan: PRESIDENT OBAMA GOT A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE DAMAGE FROM THAT STORM IN NEW JERSEY ON SUNDAY. AND YET ANOTHER SYSTEM, HURRICANE KATIA WAS ALREADY KICKING UP HEAVY SURF IN FLORIDA, STILL 500 MILES SOUTH OF BERMUDA BUT MAY VEER OUT TO SEA. THE WORST TYPHOON TO HIT JAPAN IN SEVEN YEARS HAS KILLED 34 PEOPLE, WITH 55 OTHERS STILL MISSING. TYPHOON TALAS LASHED COASTAL AREAS WITH HIGH WINDS AND RECORD-SETTING RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND. THE STORM WASHED OUT ENTIRE ROADS, BRIDGES, AND RAILWAYS, AND NEARLY 200,000 HOMES LOST OWER. MORE HEAVY RAIN WAS FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, WHICH COULD TRIGGER MORE MUDSLIDES AND FLOODS THERE. IN EGYPT, THE FIRST WITNESSES TOOK THE STAND AGAINST OUSTED PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK. A POLICE GENERAL SURPRISED PROSECUTORS WHEN HE SAID THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL ORDERS TO SHOOT PROTESTERS DURING THE UPRISING AGAINST MUBARAK'S RULE. THEY HAD EXPECTED HIM TO NAME NAMES. OUTSIDE, ACTIVISTS AND RELATIVES OF THE SHOOTING VICTIMS THREW ROCKS AND METAL BARRICADES, TRYING TO GET INTO THE COURTHOUSE. POLICE CHARGED THE CROWD TO BLOCK THEIR ENTRY. REBELS IN LIBYA CONVERGED ON ONE OF MOAMMAR QADDAFI'S LAST STRONGHOLDS TODAY IN THEIR CONTINUING MANHUNT. THEY MASSED AT BANI WALID, ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TRIPOLI. IT IS BELIEVED SEVERAL LEADERS OF THE OUSTED REGIME ARE HIDING THERE. WE HAVE A REPORT FROM BILL NEELY OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS.

>> Reporter: THE BIG GUNS AND THE YOUNG REBELS ARE MOVING FORWARD AGAIN. BUT THIS IS A SHOW OF FORCE. THEY'RE HEADING FOR A TOWN THEY DON'T WANT TO ATTACK, THE QADDAFI STRONGHOLD OF BANI WALID WHICH IS DEFYING DEADLINES TO SURRENDER, INVITING A BATTLE. WE FOLLOWED THE REBELS ACROSS THE DESERT CLOSER TO THE TOWN, BUT THEY STOPPED WELL SHORT. THE CIRCLE AROUND IT IS TIGHTENING BUT QADDAFI'S MEN WON'T GO. TALKS WITH THEM FAILED. THE CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, A DOCTOR WHO LIVED IN BRITAIN FOR TEN YEARS.

>> QADDAFI'S MEN WANT TO FIGHT. HOW STRONG ARE THEY?

>> WE DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH, BUT WE KNOW DESTINATION. IT'S ABOUT 60 TO 100 DIE-HARDS. BUT THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERS WITH THEM.

>> Reporter: HARD-CORE, DANGEROUS PEOPLE.

>> YES, MAYBE 100 PEOPLE.

>> Reporter: AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT? A MASSACRE?

>> WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT MASSACRE OF THE CIVILIANS OF THE CITY.

>> Reporter: THE REVOLUTION MAY APPEAR TO BE WON, BUT AS LONG AS ROADS LIKE THIS AND THE TOWN AT THE END OF IT REMAIN IN QADDAFI'S HANDS, THESE REBELS WORRY THAT SOMEHOW THE REGIME COULD HOLD OUT AND EVEN RETURN. THERE IS A STALEMATE IN THREE TOWNS, AND THE REVOLUTION ISN'T OV IT'S A VICTORY CHANT, BUT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE NO VICTORY WHILE 70,000 PEOPLE REMAINED TRAPPED. MANY OF THEM FAMILIES OF THE REBELS. THEIR OVERALL COMMANDER HERE TOLD ME THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S STOPPING THEM ATTACKING. "WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF QADDAFI'S MEN," HE SAYS, JUST THAT THEY'LL USE CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS.

>> WE GAVE THEM A LOT OF CHANCES. NOW DO OR DIE. COME OUT AND FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

>> Reporter: HE IS FROM EAST SUSSEX. WORDS ARE EASY BUT MANY HERE ARE UNEASY. QADDAFIs'S MEN MASSACRED TOWNSPEOPLE IN MAY. THE HARD-CORE MIGHT REPEAT IT.

>> Sreenivasan: ALSO TODAY, CHINESE OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE QADDAFI GOVERNMENT VISITED CHINA IN JULY, TRYING TO BUY WEAPONS. THEY DENIED CHARGES BY LIBYAN REBELS THAT CHINESE STATE FIRMS OFFERED TO SELL WEAPONS TO GADHAFI'S FORCES. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VIOLATION OF U.N. SANCTIONS. SOLDIERS IN SYR CARRIED OUT RAIDS IN SEVERAL CITIES TODAY, LOOKING FOR A PROVINCIAL ATTORNEY GENERAL. ADNAN BAKKOUR APPEARED IN A YOUTUBE VIDEO LAST WEEK. HE SAID HE HAD DEFECTED AND HE DENOUNCED THE REGIME'S CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT. PROTEST LEADERS CLAIMED BAKKOUR IS NOW SAFELY OUT OF SYRIA. MEANWHILE, THE HEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS VISITED A DAMASCUS PRISON TODAY. IT WAS THE FIRST SUCH VISIT SINCE THE UPRISING BEGAN FIVE MONTHS AGO. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.

>> Woodruff: AND TO A LOOK AT THE STATE OF LABOR UNIONS IN THE COUNTRY. RAY SUAREZ HAS THAT.

>> Suarez: IT'S BEEN AN UNUSUAL YEAR FOR ORGANIZED LABOR. SHARP DEBATES OVER THE ROLE OF UNIONS AND WORKERS' BENEFITS HAVE CAPTURED NATIONAL ATTENTION AND SPARKED MAJOR FIGHTS. ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR SIDE, REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS IN SEVERAL STATES, INCLUDING WISCONSIN AND OHIO, HAVE TRIED ROLLING BACK COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS AND LONG ESTABLISHED BENEFITS. UNIONS RALLIED WITH HUGE MARCHES AND PUBLIC PROTESTS. IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UNIONS STRUCK AGAINST VERIZON FOR TWO WEEKS AND REMAIN IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER DEMANDS FROM THE COMPANY ABOUT PENSIONS, HEALTH CARE AND WORK RULES. THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD HAS BROUGHT A CASE AGAINST BOEING, ARGUING IT IS RETALIATING AGAINST WORKERS BY OPENING ANOTHER PLANT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO AVOID UNIONS. THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORK FORCE AND UNIONS IS STUCK IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. WE GET AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ORGANIZED LABOR WITH JAMES SHURK SENIOR POLICY ANALYST FOR LABOR ECONOMICS, A CONSERVATIVE RESEARCH INSTITUTION. AND PHIL LEE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE AFL-CIO AND STEVEN GREENHOUSE LONG-TIME LABOR REPORTER FOR THE "NEW YORK TIMES". TO GET THE OVERVIEW, STEVEN, LET ME START WITH YOU. WHETHER YOU'RE DOING IT BY COUNTING NOSES OR TAKING A LOOK AT THE BATTLES WON AND LOST, HOW WOULD WE ASSESS THE HEALTH OF ORGANIZED LABOR ON THIS LABOR DAY, 2011?

>> I THINK IT'S A DIFFICULT TIME FOR ORGANIZED LABOR. IT'S OUT THERE. IT'S FIGHTING. BUT IT'S ALSO IN MANY WAYS ON THE DEFENSIVE. TAKE THE VERIZON STRIKE, RAY. VERIZON IS A VERY PROFITABLE COMPANY YET IT'S ASKING ITS UNIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, MAJOR CONCESSIONS. IT WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM START PAYING A LOT MORE TOWARDS HEALTH COVERAGE. IT WANTS TO FREEZE THEIR PENSIONS. IT WANTS TO REDUCE JOB SECURITY. GUARANTEES. I THINK MANY COMPANIES HOW A DAYS WITH THE ECONOMY SO WEAK WITH UNEMPLOYMENT SO HIGH FEEL IT'S A TIME THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, WEST CONCESSIONS OUT OF UNIONS. THE LABOR MOVEMENT IS TRYING VERY HARD TO STOP THAT. IN DETROIT NOW WITH, YOU KNOW, GENERAL MOTORS, CHRYSLER FORD REBOUNDING VERY NICELY AFTER THE MAJOR CONCESSIONS THE UNIONS GAVE A FEW YEARS AGO THEY'RE TRYING TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE AND SAYING YOU COMPANIES ARE DOING SO WELL WHY DON'T YOU PAY US MORE AND PROVIDE US WITH BETTER BENEFITS.

>> Suarez: SAME QUESTION. WHAT'S YOUR GENERAL DIAGNOSIS?

>> THE UNION MOVEMENT IS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. THEIR UNIONIZATION RATES ARE LOWER THAN WHEN ROOSEVELT FIRST SIGNED THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT. THE REASON IS COMPETITION IN THE ECONOMY. WHEN DID DETROIT START GOING DOWNHILL? WHEN YOU HAD TOYOTA AND HONDA AND THE LIKE IN MANY CASES BUILDING CARS WITH AMERICAN WORKERS BUT NON-UNION AMERICAN WORKERS AND CAME INTO THE MARKET IN THE '80s. THAT WAS WHEN DETROIT BEGAN ITS SLIDE. THE SAME THING WITH VERIZON. WHY WERE THE LAND LINE WORKERS ON STRIKE IN YOU HAVE COMPETITION FROM THE CELL PHONES AND THE LAND LINE BUSINESS IS DECLINING. THE COMPANIES CAN'T PASS IT ON TO THE CONSUMERS SO YOU CAN'T RAISE WAGES.

>> Suarez: WHAT DO YOU THINK.

>> IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR FOR LABOR. THE ECONOMY IS IN THE DOLDRUMS. WE HAVE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND HAVE HAD IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DECADES OF STAGNANT WAGES AND GROWING INEQUALITY. BUT I THINK THIS IS WHY THE LARB MOVEMENT IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER. WORKERS NEED TO REALLY COME TOGETHER. I WOULD SAY A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WORKERS AND UNIONS ARE FACING COME FROM AN ATTACK, A SUSTAINED ATTACK ON WORKERS FROM BUSINESS AND FROM PUBLIC POLICY. WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH TO VALUE WORK AND VALUE THE PEOPLE WHO DO WORK. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE A STRONG COUNTRY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE A LEADING COUNTRY IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY IF WE DON'T INVEST IN OUR WORK FORCE, IF WE DON'T REALLY GIVE PEOPLE THE DINED KIND OF LIVING STANDARDS THAT THEY DESERVE. WE'RE A WEALTHY COUNTRY NOT A POOR COUNTRY. WE SHOULDN'T ACT AS THOUGH WORKERS HAVING A DECENT PENSION AND A GOOD HEALTH CARE AND HAVING A RIGHT TO FORM A UNION IS A PROBLEM IN OUR ECONOMY. THAT SHOULDN'T AND PROBLEM. THAT'S PART OF THE SOLUTION.

>> Suarez: ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLES OF THE PUSHBACK AGAINST ORGANIZED LABOR WAS SEEN EARLIER THIS YEAR IN WISCONSIN. WE SAW A LOT OF MARCHES IN THE CAPITAL. THE OCCUPATION OF THE STATE CAPITAL BUILDING. DID THAT END UP IN A WIN FOR LABOR?

>> I THINK IT ENDED UP AS A LOSS FOR LABOR BOTH IN WISCONSIN AND IN OHIO, RAY. AS YOU SAID THEY REALLY SUCCEEDED IN ROLLING BACK COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. THE UNIONS FOUGHT VERY, VERY HARD TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR WALKER IN WISCONSIN, GOVERNOR KASICH IN OHIO ARE NOT IN LOVE WITH LABOR UNIONS. I THINK THEY WERE TRYING TO DO A TWO-CUSHION SHOT. ONE, THEY THINK BY WEAKENING UNIONS THEY COULD HELP REIGN REIN IN THEIR BUDGET DEFICITS NOT JUST FOR THE STATE BUT THE LOCAL BUDGET DEFICITS. I THINK THEY WANT TO WEAKEN UNIONS BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT UNIONS ARE BEST THE BEST AND STRONGEST FRIENDS OF DEMOCRATS AND OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES. TO THE EXTENT THEY CAN WEAKEN UNIONS AND DENY THEM DUES MONEY, IT WILL MAKE IT THAT MUCH HARDER FOR THEM TO REALLY FIGHT FOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES IN ELECTIONS.

>> Suarez: WE SAW BIG CROWDS COME OUT. WE SAW IN PUBLIC OPINION POLLS A LOT OF SPOKEN SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNIONS. YET AS STEVEN GREENHOUSE OBSERVES, THEY DIDN'T WIN THE BATTLE AT THE END OF THE DAY. DID THEY.

>> WELL THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK WE MAYBE HAVE TO TAKE A LONGER VIEW OF IT THAN JUST WHETHER, YOU KNOW, SURE, A LOT OF THESE BILLS, THESE VERY RETROACTIVE BILLS PASSED THAT STRIPPED WORKERS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY I THINK YOU SAW THAT WORKERS FOUGHT BACK. THEY FOUGHT BACK WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES. A LOT OF FOLKS STANDING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM. ALL THESE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS WHO ATTACKED WORKERS AND UNIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS HAVE SEEN THEIR POPULARITY PLUMMET. MOST OF THEM ARE IN THE TOILET IN TERMS OF THEIR POPULARITY RATINGS BECAUSE OF THEIR OVERZEALOUS ATTACK ON WORKERS AND ON UNIONS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A TURNING POINT. CERTAINLY WE LOST A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE BATTLES. IN OHIO I THINK THE JURY IS STILL OUT. WE GATHERED 1.3 MILLION SIGNATURES, WORKING PEOPLE DID, TO OVERTURN, TO DO A CITIZENS VETO OF THE BILL THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT IN PLACE. WE'LL SEE WHAT THE LONG-TERM IMPACT IS AND WHETHER THESE GOVERNORS CAN REALLY STAND IN OFFICE WITH THESE KINDS OF UNWARRANTED ATTACKS ON WORKERS AND ON WORKERS' HUMAN RIGHTS.

>> JAMES SHIRK, AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UNIONS ARE NOW... THE MEMBERSHIP, BUT ONE SOLID PLACE HAD BEEN THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNION. WHAT DO YOU SEE GOING ON IN WISCONSIN AND OHIO?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NO COMPETITION IN GOVERNMENT. IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA YOU CAN'T BUY POLICE SERVICES FROM TEXAS. IT'S A FAIRLY NEW IDEA THAT OF HAVING UNIONS AND GOVERNMENT ORGANIZING AGAINST THE VOTERS AND THE TAX PAYERS. WISCONSIN WAS THE FIRST STATE IN 1959. BEFORE THAT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT HAD SAID THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. THE FOUNDER OF THE AFL-CIO THE FIRST PRESIDENT SAID HE DIDN'T THINK IT MADE ANY SENSE. WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THE TIDE STARTING TO MOVE BACK. WE'RE IN DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES. PEOPLE ARE SAYING WAIT A MINUTE. A GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO BE RUN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE VOTERS AND THE TAX PAYERS AND NOT THOSE WHO WORK IN THE GOVERNMENT. UNIONS HAVE A PLACE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT IN GOVERNMENT IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT.

>> THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. WORKERS HAVE A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT TO FORM A UNION IF THEY WANT TO. THERE'S NO WAY IN WHICH WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR THEY'RE NOT THE ENEMIES OF THE TAX PAYER. THEY'RE NOT THE ENEMIES OF THE GOVERNMENT. WHAT WORKERS ARE DOING IS SAYING THEY WANT A VOICE ON THE JOB. THEY WANT THE SAME KINDS OF PROTECTIONS THAT OTHER WORKERS HAVE, NOT TO BE TREATED ARBITRARILY. A LOT OF WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WHETHER FIREFIGHTERS OR NURSES OR TEACHERS OR POLICE OFFICERS ARE FIGHTING FOR SAFE WORKPLACES, FOR DECENT CONDITIONS. NURSES NEED TO FIGHT FOR A DECENT PATIENT LOAD SO THEY CAN GIVE GOOD SERVICE TO THEIR PATIENTS. TEACHERS NEED TO FIGHT FOR SMALL CLASS SIZES SO THEY CAN TEACH THE KIDS. THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. MOST INDUSTRIALIZED CIVILIZED SOCIETIES DO ALLOW WORKERS IN PUBLIC SECTOR TO FORM UNIONS AND TO BARGAIN. THERE'S NO POT OF GOLD AT THE END THERE THAT YOU CAN ONLY GET WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE STATE RUNS OUT OF MONEY, THE STATE RUNS OUT OF MONEY. SO THE GOVERNMENT CAN NEGOTIATE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER EMPLOYER.

>> Suarez: STEVEN, LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING AROUND THE COUNTRY IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR. IS IT HARDER TO ENLIST PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING AS A UNION WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE? WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT IS SO HIGH. IS THERE VERY LITTLE PUBLIC SYMPATHY LEFT FOR PUBLIC WORKERS WHO SAY THEY NEED A RAISE WHEN, IN FACT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOTTEN RAISES FOR ONE, TWO AND THREE YEARS.

>> RAY, I THINK THERE ARE TWO COMPETING TRENDS. I THINK MOST AMERICANS INCLUDING IN WISCONSIN AND OHIO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO BE IN UNIONS. AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH WHEN THEY'RE SEEING THEIR STATES AND CITIES ANDATE CANS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BIG BUDGET DEFICITS AND THEY SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR EMPLOYERS ARE TAKING AWAY THEIR PENSIONS AND ARE MAKING THEM PAY FAR MORE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, THEY IN WAYS START RECENTING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AND THEY SOMETIMES FEEL PUBLIC EMPLOYEES HAVE IT TOO GOOD, ARE BEING TOO TRUCULENT AT THE BARGAINING TABLE AND I THINK GOVERNORS WALKER AND KASICH HAVE REALLY PLAYED THAT. REPUBLICANS ARE NOT IN LOVE WITH UNIONS. THEY'RE VERY HAPPY TO TRY TO WREST CONCESSIONS OUT OF UNIONS AND WEAKEN THEM. AT THE SAME TIME UNIONS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL IN SOME OTHER STATES. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN MICHIGAN, IN MISSOURI IN STOPPING EFFORTS TO WEAKEN PRIVATE SECTOR UNIONS THROUGH SO-CALLED RIGHT TO WORK BILLS THAT WOULD ALLOW OR GIVE MANY UNION MEMBERS THE ABILITY TO STOP PAYING UNION DUES WHATSOEVER. THAT WOULD GREATLY WEAKEN UNIONS. I THINK ALSO ADVANCE THE GOAL OF SOME REPUBLICANS TO WEAKEN UNIONS AT LARGE.

>> Suarez: JAMES SHIRK, LOOKING FORWARD, WE ARE COMING UP ON A NEW ROUND OF UAW TALKS. STEVEN MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE DISCUSSION THAT THE AUTO COMPANIES HAVE DONE PRETTY WELL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HELD UP THE DURABLE GOODS SALES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IS THIS AN EXAMPLE OF A MUTUAL SELF-INTEREST? ARE WE SEEING A DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP EVOLVING BETWEEN CAR WORKERS AND CAR COMPANIES.

>> I CERTAINLY HOPE SO. PART OF THE REASON THEY'RE DOING SO WELL IS THEY GOT AN ENORMOUS TAX PAYOR BAILOUT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR BOTH THE COMPANY AND THE OTHER WORKERS. WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS GOOD FOR THE TAX PAYERS IS A DIFFERENT MATTER. BUT U.A.W.PRESIDENT HAS ADMITTED BASICALLY THEY CAN'T NEGOTIATE WAGES HIGHER THAN WHAT THE NON-UNION WORKERS GET OR IT WILL KILL THE CAR COMPANIES. THEY RECOGNIZE THIS. THE WAGES OF THE UNION WORKERS AND THE HOURLY WAGES ARE NOW ONLY A FEW DOLLARS HIGHER THAN THOFT OF THE NON-UNION WORKERS. THEY CAN PROBABLY WORK TOGETHER. BUT IT DOES RAISE THE QUESTION IF THE UNION CAN'T GET YOU HIGHER WAGES, WHY WOULD YOU PAY TO JOIN?

>> I THINK UNIONS DO A LOT OF THINGS ON THE JOB THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO WORKING PEOPLE. THE BASIC THING IS WHETHER EVERY WORKER HAS TO GO IN BY HIM OR HERSELF TO THE BOSS AND BEG FOR SAFETY GOGGLES, FOR BATHROOM BREAK FOR RAISE HEALTH CARE OR A PENSION OR WHETHER WORKERS HAVE THAT BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE UNITED STATES IS STILL A MEMBER OF THE NLRB. THIS IS THE RIGHT WE RECOGNIZE, TO COME TOGETHER AT THE WORKPLACE AND TO BARGAIN TOGETHER INSTEAD OF COMING AS AN INDIVIDUAL. THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO WORKERS. WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND THE QUESTION AND NOT ASK WHY SHOULD PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS HAVE A PENSION OR HEALTH CARE IF I DON'T? THE QUESTION IS NOT HOW DO I TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR WORK EZ. THE QUESTION IS WHY DOESN'T EVERYBODY IN AMERICA HAVE A PENSION AND HEALTH CARE? ISN'T THAT SOMETHING AS A WEALTHY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO. WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES ON LABOR DAY-- AND HAPPY LABOR DAY BY THE WAY-- WHAT KIND OF A COUNTRY ARE WE? WHAT ARE OUR VALUES? I THINK WE WANT TO VALUE WORKING PEOPLE AND THE MIDDLE CLASS. WE'VE SEEN TOO MANY OF THE POLICIES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES TAKE US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHERE THE RICH ARE GETTING RICHER, THE CORPORATIONS ARE MORE POWERFUL. THEY'RE USING THEIR POLITICAL POWER AS STEVE SAID TO BUST UNIONS. THEY'RE HIRING OR BUYING POLITICIANS WHO WILL DO THAT DIRTY WORK FOR THEM. THAT IS IS JUST UNTOLERABLE. WE'RE LOSING OUR OWN DEMOCRACY.

>> Suarez: THANKS FOR JOINING US, ALL THREE. HAPPY LABOR DAY.

>> NOW AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF CONFLICT....

>> Brown: EDWARD GIRARDET HAS BEEN REPORTING FROM AFGHANISTAN SINCE 1979, JUST BEFORE THE SOVIET INVASION OF THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING STORIES PRODUCED FOR THE NEWSHOUR.

>> MOST AFGHANS, THE WAR IS FAR FROM OVER.

>> Brown: ALONG THE WAY HE'S TREKED HUNDREDS OF MILES THROUGH RUGGED MOUNTAINS AND HAD INNUMERABLE ADVENTURES INCLUDING A 1989 ENCOUNTER WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS ARAB FIGHTERS. IN EARLY 2001 GIRARDET WAS WAIT TO GO INTERVIEW A KEY RESISTANCE LEADER WHEN HE MET A PAIR OF NORTH AFRICAN MEN WHO SAID THEY WERE TELEVISION JOURNALISTS ALSO THERE TO INTERVIEW THE SAME MAN. IN FACT, THE TWO WERE SUICIDE BOMBERS DISPATCHED BY AL QAEDA. THEIR ASSASSINATION OF THE POPULAR AFGHAN FIGHTER FORESHADOWED THE 9/11 ATTACK ON THE UNITED STATES JUST TWO DAYS LATER. GIRARDET'S NEW BOOK "KILLING THE CRANES" IS FILLED WITH SUCH DETAILS MIXING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE HISTORY OF A COUNTRY AT WAR FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS. EDWARD GIRARDET JOINS US NOW. WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Brown: WELCOME BACK I SHOULD SAY. "KILLING THE CRANES." THE NAME COMES FROM A STORY YOU TELL OF MEETING WITH AN AFGHAN FRIEND OF THOSE LARGE WHITE BIRDS THAT USUALLY FLY OVER THE SKY IN KABUL AND HE LOOKS UP AND REALIZES IT'S NOT THERE. HE SAYS, "HAVE WE SEEN KILLED THE CRANES?"

>> SADLY, YES. IT WAS BASICALLY SYMBOLIC MEANING THAT WHEN IN END OF MARCH THE CRANES USED TO FLY OVER KABUL, MIGRATEING FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH TO SIBERIA. HE SAID HE DIDN'T HEARD A SINGLE CRANE SINCE BEING BACK IN KABUL, THIS IS 2004. WE HAD BEEN DISCUSSING THE IMPACT OF WAR, YEARS OF WAR, ALMOST 0 YEARS OF WAR, ON AFGHANS AND HOW TRAUMATIZING IT IS.

>> Brown: WHAT IS IT ABOUT AFGHANISTAN FOR YOU? NO OTHER WORD SEEMS TO FIT THAN A KIND OF ROMANCE OF THIS COUNTRY.

>> I'M A DEAD ROMANTIC. I MEAN, I THINK THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYONE WHO GOES TO AFGHANISTAN, WHETHER AN AIDE WORKER, EVEN THE MILITARY. IF THEY HAVE A CLOSE CONTACT WITH A COUNTRY, THEY BECOME DRAWN BY IT. IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE. PEOPLE TALK TO YOU ON EQUAL TERMS. TOPOGRAPHICAL IT'S AN AMAZING COUNTRY. THE HIGH MOUNTAINS, THE DESERTS. THE FACT THAT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH EVEN DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE SOVIET WAR, FOR EXAMPLE, OF BEING ABLE TO WALK, TO TREK THROUGH AFGHANISTAN. I ALWAYS FELT, YOU KNOW, I WAS GETTING PAID TO COVER THE COUNTRY AND YET IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE AND A JOY DESPITE THE WAR.

>> Brown: COMING IN AT A MOMENT WHEN SO MUCH WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE AND THE REVERBERATIONS ARE STILL VERY MUCH WITH US.

>> COVERING AFGHANISTAN NOW, IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFERENT. DURING THE SOVIET PERIOD, I FELT THAT IT WASN'T THAT DANGEROUS. IT WAS A CALCULATED RISK. NOWADAYS IT HAS BECOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I WOULD NOT FAULT ANY JOURNALIST FOR NOT WANTING TO COVER AFGHANISTAN. IT HAS BECOME MUCH MORE DANGEROUS TODAY.

>> Brown: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ENCOUNTER WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN IN 199. IT WAS FULLY A KIND OF DEBATE WITH THIS DEMAND. YOU DIDN'T KNOW MUCH LATER WHO HE WAS.

>> I WAS ACTUALLY PREPARING FOR MacNEIL/LEHRER PIECE AND I GOT INTO A TOWN, AND I ENCOUNTERED A GROUP OF ARABS IN THE TRENCHES. THIS VERY TALL ARAB CAME TO ME AND SAID WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? THIS IS NOT YOUR JIHAD. I RESENTED HIM ASKING ME WHO I WAS AND WHAT I WAS DOING. I SAID I'M A GUEST IN THIS COUNTRY JUST AS YOU ARE. I WILL LEAVE IF MY HOST REQUIRES THAT I LEAVE JUST AS I'M SURE YOU WOULD.

>> Brown: YOU WERE BOTH FOREIGNERS.

>> WE HAD ABSURD DEBATE FOR 45 MINUTES ALTHOUGH IT BECAME RATHER INTERESTING. WE TALKED ABOUT OF THE BOOK BEING JEWISH CHRISTIAN OR BEING MUSLIM. ONE THING I DID POINT OUT WAS THAT AFGHANS DO HAVE A SENSE OF CIVILIZATION AND THEY RESPECT THEIR GUESTS. HE SAW IT DIFFERENTLY. HE SAID THEY WERE HERE FOR THE JIHAD. AFGHANISTAN DID NOT MATTER. THEY WERE GOING TO FIGHT ALL ENEMIES WHETHER SOVIETS, WHETHER AMERICANS, ISRAELIS. THAT WAS THE FIRST SENSE THAT THERE WAS A GLOBAL OBJECTIVE IN MIND FOR HIM.

>> Brown: WHEN WAS IT THAT YOU REALIZED WHO IT WAS YOU HAD BEEN DEALING WITH.

>> IT WAS YEARS LATER WHEN IN KABUL ONE OF THE COMMANDERS SAID YOU KNOW THAT TALL ARAB YOU MET BACK THEN? THAT WAS BIN LADEN. DURING THE END OF 1980s WE HAD NO CLUE WHO BIN LADEN WAS. HE WAS ONE OF MANY JIHADISTS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, EGYPT, CHECHNYA, WHO WERE FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THE AFGHANS OR FIGHTING THEIR OWN WAR ALONGSIDE THE AFGHANS. AMUSINGLY ENOUGH, THE AFGHANS KICKED OUT THE ARABS AT THE END OF THE 190s BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING TOO ARROGANT. THEY WERE OUTSIDERS. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE AFGHAN APPROACH TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER GUESTS.

>> Brown: ANOTHER STUNNING OR STRIKING EPISODE. YOU BEGIN THE BOOK WITH THE-- AND I REFERRED TO THIS MEETING FOR WAITING FOR MAUSAUD. YOU LEFT BEFORE HE SHOWED UP. AND THEN YOU FOUND THAT HE HAD BEEN ASSASSINATED. YOU KNEW HIM WELL. YOU WRITE ABOUT THAT ASSASSINATION AS A PITCHATEAL MOMENT FOR YOURSELF AND THE HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN.

>> IT CHANGED EVERYTHING, I THINK. IN EARLY 2001. HE HAD WARNEDED THE AMERICANS IN PARIS-- HE WENT TO PARIS IN APRIL 2001. HE WARNED THEM THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN ATTACK AGAINST THE WEST POSSIBLY THE UNITED STATES. HE ALSO WARNED THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY MILITARY INTERVENTION IN AFGHANISTAN BUT THAT PRESSURE SHOULD BE BROUGHT ON THE PAKISTANIS BECAUSE IN THOSE DAYS BEFORE 9/11 THE TALIBAN WAS BEING HEAVILY SUPPORTED BY THE PAKISTANIS MAINLY THE I.S.I., THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, AND BY AL QAEDA. HIS ARGUMENT WAS THAT WITHOUT SUCH SUPPORT IT WOULD COLLAPSE. IN FACT, THE TALIBAN AT THE TIME WERE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLODING.

>> Brown: TIME AFTER TIME YOU WRITE HERE OUTSIDERS HAVE GOTTEN THINGS WRONG. EVEN CATASTROPHICALLY WRONG IN AFGHANISTAN. WHY? WHY IS THAT, DO YOU THINK?

>> AFGHANS ARE A VERY PROUD PEOPLE. I THINK THEY RESENT HAVING OUTSIDERS COMING TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO. THE BRITISH DISCOVERED THAT DURING THE 19th CENTURY IN THREE WARS, TWO IN THE 19th CENTURY ONE IN THE 20th. THE SOVIETS DISCOVERED THAT. AFTER THAT, EVEN AL QAEDA DISCOVERED THAT. AND THE PAKISTANIS DISCOVERED THAT. EVERYONE IS IS TRYING TO GO IN WITH THEIR OWN AGENDAS AND NOT FOR THE AFGHANS THEMSELVES. I THINK THIS IS ALSO THE PROBLEM POST 9/11 THAT WHEN THE U.S., BRITAIN AND OTHER COALITION COUNTRIES GOT INVOLVED, WE WENT IN TELLING THE AFGHANS WHAT TO DO. WE SOUGHT TO IMPOSE OUR OWN VISION OF AFGHANISTAN. THIS IS WHAT I THINK A LOT OF ORDINARY AFGHANS HAVE RESENTED. THERE WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WELCOMING IN THE BEGINNING. PEOPLE THOUGHT FINALLY THE WAR IS OVER. BUT IN FACT WHEN THEY SAW THAT THE U.S. AND OTHERS PUT BACK THE WARLORDS, PUT BACK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAD DISCREDITED THEMSELVES DURING THE '80s AND '90s IN AFGHANISTAN, THEY REALIZED THAT THINGS WERE NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

>> Brown: WHERE ARE WE TODAY, DO YOU THINK? YOU WRITE A LOT ABOUT HOW MILITARY VICTORY HAS NEVER BEEN AND PROBABLY IS STILL NOT ACHIEVABLE.

>> I THINK THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO MILITARY SOLUTION WHATSOEVER. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE MILITARY WOULD ARGUE AGAINST THAT. BUT THE FACT IS NOTHING HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOVIET WAR, WHAT HAD THEY LEFT BEHIND? THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH AFGHANISTAN IS BY FOCUS ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SUCH AS RECOVERY AND LET AFGHANS TAKE THE LEAD. ALSO THEY WANT JUSTICE. WE CANNOT GO IN THERE AND IMPOSE JUSTICE WITH MILITARY MEANS. AND THE REALITY IS THAT DESPITE EVEN AATE LOT OF THE GOOD EFFORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, BUILDING BRIDGES OR ROADS, THIS IS NOT WHAT BRINGS PEACE. YOU HAVE TO INVOLVE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. AND YOU HAVE TO START TALKING TO EVERYONE. THIS MEANS TALKING WITH THE TALIBAN AND OTHER INSURGENTS, NOT JUST THE TALIBAN THESE DAYS. IT'S PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT. AND ORDINARY AFGHANS. UNLESS YOU BRING THEM TO THE TABLE NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.

>> Brown: EVEN AFTER 30 YEARS OF SORROW, WAR, BLOODSHED, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS COUNTRY THAT YOU CLEARLY LOVE?

>> WELL, I AM OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE AFGHANS ARE AN INCREDIBLY RESILIENT PEOPLE. THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO PULL BACK EVEN IN THE HARDEST OF TIMES. AMONGST A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, MORE THAN HALF THE POPULATION UNDER 25. THEY'RE TIRED OF WAR. AFGHANS ARE REALLY TIRED OF WAR. BUT THIS MEANS EVERYONE. IT MEANS THE PASHTUNS WHO ARE SUPPORTING A LOT OF THE TALIBAN, REAL HARD-LINERS ARE A MINORITY BUT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN I THINK UNTIL THE OCCUPATION IS BROUGHT TO AN END AND THE REAL FOCUS IS ON RECOVERY AGAIN.

>> Brown: THE BOOK IS "KILLIN THCRANES. . PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN." EDWARD GIRARDET, NICE TO TALK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Woodruff: FINALLY TONIGHT, ANOTHER 9/11 STORY, THIS ONE BEGINS A SERIES OF REPORTS ON HOW THE ATTACKS OF 9/11 HAVE AFFECTED PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT'S CHANGED IN THE DECADE SINCE THAT FATEFUL DAY? TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT THE POWERFUL MEMORIES OF A SPECIAL GROUP OF EYEWITNESSES: THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS AT NEW YORK'S P.S. 150, A SCHOOL JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO. "THE CLASS OF 9/11" WAS PRODUCED FOR THE DART SOCIETY, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS JOURNALISTS WHO COVER WARS, CONFLICT, AND OTHER TRAUMATIC EVENTS. IT IS THE WORK OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER JACQUES MENASCHE HIS SON EMANUEL WAS IN THE FIRST GRADE AT P.S. 150. HERE ARE EXTENDED EXCERPTS FROM THE DOCUMENTARY.

>> I REMEMBER THE WALK TO SCHOOL THAT MORNING. IT WAS THIS INCREDIBLY BLUE, BLUE, BLUE SKY.

>> QUINTESSENTIAL FALL EARLY SEPTEMBER DAY.

>> IT WAS LIKE A NORMAL DAY. ATE AT FIRST.

>> WE HAD THIS REALLY NICE KIND OF GEARING... GERRING AREA OUTSIDE OUR SCHOOL WHERE THE STUDENTS WOULD LINE UP. I WOULD RING A BELL TO JUST MARK THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL.

>> WE STOOD THERE AND THE KIDS FILED INTO THE BUILDING. AS THEY JUST CAME IN, THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND THEM. I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS A SILVER PLANE. IT WAS SORT OF FRAMED IN THE BLUE SKY. OF THE BUILDING. AND I THOUGHT HOW BEAUTIFUL.

>> WE HAPPENED TO BE JUST COMING UP IN THE HALLWAY. AND HANGING OUR BACKPACKS RIGHT UP AGAINST THE WINDOW. THE WINDOW FACED THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. SO I ACTUALLY DID SEE THE FIRST PLANE HIT THE FIRST BUILDING. THAT'S AN IMAGE THAT IS PRETTY MUCH FOREVER INGRAINED.

>> WE WERE HERE.

>> DO YOU REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MOMENT STANDING OUT HERE.

>> I REMEMBER HEARING IT.

>> I HEARD THE LOUDEST NOISE I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE.

>> I RAN DOWN THE STAIRS TO JAY STREET AND I LOOKED UP. AND I SAW THIS FIERY HOLE IN THE CENTER.

>> AT THAT MOMENT WE STOOD AND THOUGHT WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

>> I BROUGHT THE KIDS UPSTAIRS. AND WE STARTED OUR DAY.

>> WE KEPT TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT KIDS TALK ABOUT. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SPONGE BOB AND STUFF.

>> I REMEMBER BEING IN THE CLASSROOM BEFOREHAND, AND WE WERE JUST... IT WAS JUST A NORMAL DAY.

>> I TOOK MY DAUGHTER UPSTAIRS TO THE KINDERGARTEN CLASS BECAUSE I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IF SHE'S PLAYING OR DOING SOMETHING, SHE'LL NEVER KNOW.

>> WE WERE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY BECAUSE I JUST THOUGHT WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO?

>> SO IN THE PLAZA I WENT OUT TO TAKE A LOOK. AT THAT POINT WHEN I WAS WALKED AROUND THE CORNER THAT WAS WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT.

>> I REMEMBER PLOTTING MY COURSE ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL. WHEN I GOT TO SCHOOL I WAS COVERED, LITTERED WITH MATERIAL. AND I REMEMBER SIGNING THE KIDS OUT.

>> WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE SECOND TOWER, I THINK YOU WERE OUT THERE. YOU REMEMBER THE BALL OF FIRE THAT CAME UP GREENWICH STREET? AND THAT'S WHEN I FELT THE HEAT. I FELT THE PRESSURE. AND I THOUGHT, OH, MY GOD. THERE'S KIDS UP THERE.

>> WE WERE GOING UP TO CLASSROOMS GETTING KIDS BRINGING THEM DOWN. AND TRYING TO BE SYSTEMATIC ABOUT IT. TRYING TO RECORD, DOCUMENT WHO WAS LEAVING.

>> WHEN I CAME DOWN I MET ALISSA AT THE BOTTOM OF THOSE STEPS. I ASKED HER WHAT SHE WANTED ME TO DO. SHE WANTED ME TO TRY TO KEEP THE PARENTS CALM. IF A PARENT WANTED A CHILD FOR ME TO GET THE CHILD OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE CONTROL OF WHO IS IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING.

>> SHE SAID WHO WANTS THEIR KID? I'M MAKING A LIST.

>> I REMEMBER LEAVING THE SCHOOL LIKE ALMOST AS SOON AS WE GOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY WE WERE GOING DOWNSTAIRS.

>> I THINK I WAS SITTING ON LIKE A BENCH OR SOMETHING.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I REMEMBER MY MOM COMING, LIKE COMING IN AT THE FRONT STAIRCASE OF THE SCHOOL. SCARED. OUT OF BREATH. THAT'S WHEN I I ACTUALLY NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

>> WE WALKED DOWN THE STAIRS. IN FACT I SAID TO EMMA I DO NOT WANT YOU TO LOOK TO THE RIGHT.

>> DON'T LOOK. I WAS TELLING THEM LOOK TO THE LEFT. AS SOON AS YOU COME OUT LOOK LEFT. DON'T LOOK. DON'T LOOK.

>> TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED.

>> I REMEMBER LOOKING BACK UP AT THE BUILDING. THERE WERE PIECES FALLING OFF. IT WASN'T EXACTLY EXCITING BUT LIKE WHEN YOU'RE SIX YEARS OLD, YOU DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. SO IT DOESN'T FEEL EXACTLY SCARY.

>> YOU COULD SEE ALL THE PAPER IN THE AIR FROM THE BUILDINGS. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LIKE RUNNING AROUND WEARING THE, YOU KNOW, THE MASKS.

>> DEBRIS WAS EVERYWHERE. PEOPLE WERE SAYING COVER YOUR MOUTH.

>> I REMEMBER BEING OVER MY DAD'S SHOULDER AND LIKE LOOKING BACK AND SEEING LIKE THESE TWO BURNING BUILDINGS. AND JUST THINKING, OH, MY GOODNESS. WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> IT WAS AS IF WE WALKED THROUGH A KIND OF STONE FOREST. PEOPLE WERE ROOTED TO THE SPOT.

>> I REMEMBER STARTING TO WALK UP GREENWICH. AND THEN THE TOWER WAS GONE.

>> I JUST SAW LIKE THE TOP JUST STARTED TO LIKE CRUMBLE AND FALL.

>> AND THEN WE STARTED RUNNING.

>> AND THEN I WAS TOLD TO JUST RUN. SO I RAN.

>> WE WERE FISCALLY RUNNING UP GREENWICH WITH THE DUST CLOUD ON OUR HEELS.

>> IT WAS SUMMER. THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN. WE DIDN'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. ANYBODY... IT WAS LIKE A GIANT COMMUNAL SCREAM. AND THE KIDS ARE SAYING TO ME WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT'S HAPPENING? AND WHAT I SAID TO THEM WAS, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING. THAT WAS THE TRUTH. THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE DYING. I SAID BUT YOU ARE ALL GOING TO BE OKAY.

>> WE HAD TO EVACUATE TO PS-3. SO WE ALL CAME DOWN THROUGH THESE STEPS. AND BY THE TIME WE WERE EXITING, THE CHUNKS OF THE BUILDING WERE STARTING TO COME DOWN.

>> WHEN WE LEFT TO GO TO PS-3, I MEAN, WE WERE NOT ON A SIDEWALK 10 SECONDS AND THE SECOND TOWER FELL.

>> DID YOU HEAR THE BUILDING?

>> YOU COULD HEAR IT LIKE (MAKING A NOISE) LIKE SCRAPING AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THE CONCRETE.

>> IT'S A SOUND THAT I'LL JUST NEVER OF FORGET. I MEAN, WE WERE LITERALLY... WE HEARD IT FALLING BEHIND US.

>> NEXT THING YOU KNOW WE'RE ON THE BLOCK. THESE DUDES ARE RUSHING US. HE'S LIKE COME ON, YOU HAVE TO GO. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.

>> THE STREET SEEMS PRETTY WIDE BUT THAT DAY IT WAS SO NARROW. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE.

>> AND I HAD MY THREE OR FOUR KIDS THAT I'M TRYING TO KEEP CLOSE AND KEEP WALKING. THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMING. THE BUILDING IS FALLING. AND THIS TREMENDOUS CLOUD OF SMOKE THAT YOU SEE.

>> PEOPLE WERE SO TERRIFIED THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY... THEY WERE JUST RUNNING. ONE OF THE KIDS TRIPPED ON THE CORNER. AND I REMEMBER HAVING TO LIKE USE MY BODY AS A SHIELD SO THAT THE PEOPLE DIDN'T RUN OVER THE KIDS WHO HAD FALLEN. THEY WERE SO PANICKED.

>> JUST A MESS IS ALL I CAN SAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE ARMAGEDDON, YOU KNOW.

>> I ASKED MY MOM LIKE WHO DID THIS? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHO GOT HURT? AND EVEN AFTER IT, I WAS JUST LIKE IS EVERYONE OKAY? LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED? BECAUSE I WAS REALLY INTO LIKE WHO DIED.

>> NOBODY REALLY EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY. EVERYTHING JUST KIND OF WAS REALLY SILENT.

>> I WISH I REMEMBERED IT MORE. IT'S KIND OF AWKWARD TO HAVE LIKE ONLY CERTAIN FRAGMENTS.

>> I KNOW YOU WERE LITTLE AND YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, BUT WHEN WE WERE WATCHING CNN THAT NIGHT AND EVERYBODY WAS CRYING, YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED?

>> I THOUGHT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE BUILDING OR SOMETHING. I HAD NO IDEA. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT OUT OF MY OWN LIFE.

>> FOR HOW LONG.

>> UNTIL 8th GRADE.

>> I HAVE ANXIETY DISORDER. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT STEMS FROM SEPTEMBER 11. IT'S CHANGED MY LIFE DRASTICALLY. IT'S HARD BECAUSE I CAN'T DO A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT A LOT OF KIDS CAN DO WITHOUT BEING ON MEDICATION. BECAUSE I'M ON ZOLOFT RIGHT NOW. AND ATAVAN FOR PANIC ATTACKS. AND I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL. OR HAVE A NORMAL SCHOOL DAY WITHOUT BEING ON A MEDICATION. IT'S TOUGH.

>> I'M A VERY STRONG MINDED PERSON. I MEAN, I GET OVER STUFF EASILY. MY DAD DIED A MONTH AGO. YOU KNOW, I WASN'T AS EMOTIONALLY AFFECTED AS EVERYBODY ELSE WAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY... I'M JUST GOOD AT NOT REACTING, ALL SCARED TO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS, YOU KNOW. I SHARE IT BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE LIKE I NEED STRENGTH ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW.

>> I GUESS I DISTANCED MYSELF FROM IT. WHEN IT DOES COME UP, LIKE I DON'T NORMALLY MAKE THE CONNECTION THAT I WAS THERE AND I WAS PART OF IT. BUT IT'S MORE OF SOMETHING LIKE AWAY.

>> I'VE BEEN HAVING PANIC ATTACKS. I HAD ONE REALLY BAD ONE WHERE I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL. IT'S SO SCARY THAT SOMETIMES YOU WISH LIKE YOU COULD DIE BECAUSE ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN WHAT YOU'RE FEELING.

>> IT'S ALWAYS THERE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT THOSE KIDS. IT'S ALWAYS THERE. ♪

>> Woodruff: THAT

>> Woodruff: AGAIN, THAT WAS "THE CLASS OF 9/11," BY FILM MAKER JACQUES MENASCHE, PRODUCED FOR THE DART SOCIETY, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING JOURNALISTS WHO COVER CONFLICT HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD. YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE ENTIRE DOCUMENTARY AT newshour.pbs.org.

>> Brown: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY. PRESIDENT OBAMA USED LABOR DAY TO CHALLENGE REPUBLICANS FOR SUPPORT OF HIS EFFORTS TO CREATE JOBS. THE REMAINS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE RAINED TORRENTS ACROSS THE GULF STATES AS IT SLOGGED INLAND FROM LOUISIANA. AND TESTIMONY BEGAN IN THE TRIAL OF FORMER EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK. A POLICE GENERAL DENIED THAT OFFICERS WERE ORDERED TO SHOOT PROTESTERS DURING THE UPRISING AGAINST MUBARAK. THERE'S MUCH MORE ABOUT THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS ONLINE. HARI SREENIVASAN HAS SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S THERE. HARI?

>> Sreenivasan: WE LOOK AT THE MEMORIAL IN SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE THE CREW AND PASSENGERS OF UNITED FLIGHT 93 PERISHED AFTER FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE HIJACKERS. AND MARGARET WARNER PREVIEWS HER UPCOMING REPORTS FROM CAIRO ABOUT COVERAGE OF THE 9/11 ANNIVERSARY IN THE ARAB WORLD, AND ABOUT EGYPT'S FUTURE AFTER THE REVOLUTION. PLUS, FIND OUT HOW NASA TECHNOLOGY IS BEING PUT TO USE HERE ON EARTH. THAT'S ON OUR SCIENCE PAGE. AND A REMINDER: WE'VE LAUNCHED A NEW PROJECT AHEAD OF THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS. WE CALL IT THE "9/11 VIDEO QUILT." TOGETHER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT PBS STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE'VE COLLECTED YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S CHANGED SINCE 2001. HERE'S A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE RESPONSES WE'VE RECEIVED RECENTLY.

>> I THINK NICH CHANGED SOME THINGS. I WOULDN'T SAY EVERYTHING. I THINK WHAT STANDS OUT TO ME MOST IS THAT IT PROVIDED UNIFYING EVENT FOR A LOT OF AMERICA TO CLING ON TO, TO HOLD ON TO, AND TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.

>> WELL, I THINK BEFORE 9/11 MOST MUSLIMS WERE NOT EVEN ON THE RADAR OF MOST AMERICANS. I DON'T EVEN THINK PEOPLE WOULD EVEN KNOW. AND NOW I THINK IT'S MORE OF A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION. I REALLY DON'T THINK THE RELATIONSHIP IS AT ALL POSITIVE.

>> AFTER 9/11 IT WAS KIND OF YOU FEEL DIFFERENT. IT'S LIKE YOU'RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT. YOU KNOW? BUT THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY AFTER 9/11. BUT NOW IT'S GETTING BETTER.

>> WHEN THAT DAY HAPPENED AND I LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM AS I SAT AT THE LAW SCHOOL WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WE WATCHED THE TOWERS COME DOWN, IT COULDN'T HELP BUT AFFECT YOU AND AFFECT WHERE I WANTED TO GO. I THOUGHT AT ONE POINT THAT I WANTED TO GO INTO PUBLIC SERVICE AND WANTED TO GO INTO PUBLIC OFFICE OR TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR FOLKS. IT REALLY GAVE ME A GREATER SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO WANT TO COME TOGETHER AS A SOCIETY. SO IN THAT SENSE WHILE I KNEW I WANTED TO HELP OUT AND POTENTIALLY GET INVOLVED IN CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT, IT SORT OF EMBOLDENED THAT. Sreenivasan: THOSE VIDEOS WERE PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PUBLIC TELEVISION COLLEAGUES IN OKLAHOMA, ST. LOUIS, AND SAN DIEGO. YOU CAN SEE MORE OF THE VIDEO QUILT ON OUR WEB SITE, AND ALSO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN VIDEO FOR IT. THE QUILT WILL BE FEATURED IN THE NEWSHOUR'S SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE 9/11 ANNIVERSARY TO BE BROADCAST THAT NIGHT ON MOST PBS STATIONS. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org. JUDY?

>> Woodruff: AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. ON TUESDAY, NEWSHOUR SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT MILES O'BRIEN LOOKS AT THE DESIGN AND BUILDING OF SKYSCRAPERS IN THIS POST-9/11 WORLD. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE, AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: CHEVRON. WE MAY HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN YOU THINK. AND BY BNSF RAILWAY. AND BY THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION. SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THE 21st CENTURY. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org