PBS NewsHour; December 6, 2010 6:00pm-7:00pm PST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Ifill: GOOD EVENING. I'M GWEN IFILL. A COMPROMISE WAS WITHIN REACH TONIGHT ON A DEAL TO EXTEND TAX CUTS FOR HIGH EARNERS AND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR THOSE SEEKING WORK.ASTA

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT THE STATE OF PLAY AND THE DEBATE WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ABOUT MAKING A DEAL.

>> Ifill: THEN WE GO INSIDE A RARE TELEVISED COURT HEARING ON CALIFORNIA'S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN.

>> Brown: MARGARET WARNER UPDATES THE NEW TALKS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, AS TEHRANMA CLAIMS TO HAVE MASTERED ANOTHER KEY STEP IN PROCESSING URANIUM.

>> Ifill: RAY SUAREZ SITS DOWN WITH FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO TALK ABOUT HIS LATEST BOOK, TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATEP AND THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OR THE WILL TO ACTUALLY PREVAIL MILITARILY OVER THE TALIBAN. THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN ALMOST HOPELESS CASE. ♪ THE LORD IS HERE

>> Brown: AND WE LISTEN TO THE SOUND, THE STYLE, AND THE SPIRIT OF A GOSPEL MUSIC CONTEST. W

>> MOST GENRES GOT THEIR STARTTH IN GOSPEL MUSIC. YOU TAKE SOME OF THE GREATEST R AND B CELEBRITIES. THE FIRST THING THEY'LL TELL YOU IS WE STARTED IN A GOSPEL CHOIR.

>> Ifill: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S NEWSHOUR. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.IC AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> Ifill: PRESIDENT OBAMA SPENT THE DAY ON THE ROAD, AND BACK AT THE WHITE HOUSE, LOBBYING FOR A TAX CUT DEAL THAT MAY BE WINNING REPUBLICAN SUPPORT, BUT HAS ANGERED MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY.

>> Ifill: AS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS NEARED AGREEMENT ON EXTENDING TAX CUTS FOR THES MIDDLE CLASS AND THE WEALTHY,OR PRESIDENT OBAMA TODAY URGED COMPROMISE. HE SPOKE IN WINSTON SALEM NORTH CAROLINA.

>> WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION EVEN IF IT'S NOT 100%LU OF WHAT I WANT OR WHAT THEAT REPUBLICANS WANT. NOW THERE'S NO REASON THAT ORDINARY AMERICANS SHOULD SEE THEIR TAXES GO UP NEXT YEAR.

>> Ifill: BUT THE PRESIDENT IS HOPING TO EXACT SOMETHING IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS CONCESSION OND TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY, WHICH HE WANTS PLEDGE TO ROLLTH BACK COMPLETELY. WITH THE NATIONAL JOBLESS RATE NEARING 10%, HE WANTS LAWMAKERS TO EXTEND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AS WELL.E IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY, SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCHTE McCONNELL ALL BUT CLAIMEDAN VICTORY.

>> I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEARAD NOW TAXES ARE NOT GOING UP ONIT ANYBODY IN THE MIDDLE OF THISGO RECESSION. WE'RE DISCUSSING HOW LONG WE T SHOULD MAINTAIN CURRENT TAX RATES, AND THERE ARE OTHERD ISSUES THAT MANY PEOPLE FEEL ARE IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS.

>> Ifill: DEMOCRATIC SENATORS SPENT THEIR WEEKEND MAKING THE CASE AGAINST COMPROMISE, FAILING AT TWO EFFORTS TOCO EXEMPT THE HIGHEST EARNERS FROM THE REDUCED TAX BURDEN.

>> OUR FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> Ifill: CHUCK SCHUMER PROPOSED ONE PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ONLY THOSEll EARNING UP TO A MILLIONH DOLLARS A YEAR TO QUALIFY.

>> I THINK THIS IS CORRECT SUBSTANTIVELY. I THINK IT'S HIGH GROUND POLITICALLY. I THINK IN THE PAST DEMOCRATS HAVE SORT OF, WHEN WE'VE HAD THESE KINDS OF CASES, WE'VE SORT OF THROWN UP OUR HANDS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO.

>> Ifill: SEEKING TO A.L. LAIT THE CONCERNS OF THE PARTY'Sl: MOST LIBERAL WING VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND PRESIDENTAR OBAMA MET WITH PARTY LEADERSIN THIS WEEKEND AND AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON.IT THEIR MESSAGE, THIS MAY BE THE BEST DEAL THEY CAN GET. UTAH SENATOR ORRIN HATCH WAS AMONG THE REPUBLICANS SUGGESTING THIS WEEKEND THAT THE DEAL MAY BE LOS TO DONE.OR HE APPEARED ON CNN.

>> WE'RE WILLING, IT SEEMS TO ME, WE'RE WILLING TO KICK THIS OVER FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE, LIKE A PERMANENT BUT WE CAN'T. WE DON'T HAVE THE VOTES. KICK IT OVER. LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION EVEN IF IT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, EVEN IFCN IT ISN'T BACKED UP BY REAL FINANCES. WE'VE GOT TO DO IT. SO LET'S DO IT. BUT THAT OUGHT TO BE IT.

>> Ifill: FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKEl: APPEARING ON "60 MINUTES" WARNED ANY YEAR-END BUDGET ACTION SHOULD NOT UPSET THE FRAGILE ECONOMY.

>> WE NEED TO PAY CLOSEUD ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE RECOVERING NOW.AY WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ACTIONSCT THIS YEAR THAT WILL AFFECT THIS YEAR'S SPENDING AND THISH YEAR'S TAXES IN A WAY THATCT WILL HURT THE RECOVERY. THAT'S IMPORTANT.

>> Ifill: THE TIMING ON ANYOR TAX CUT AGREEMENT AND VOTE REMAINS UP IN THE AIR. THE OUTLINE OF THE DEAL DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS ARE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER TONIGHT ALSO INCLUDES A TEMPORARY 2% PAYROLL TAX CUT; AN EXPANSION IN THEID AMOUNT OF EXPENSES BUSINESSESPA CAN WRITE OFF; AND A COMPROMISE ON THE ESTATE TAX. BUT AS THE SEARCH FOR BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT TAKES A BACK SEAT TOAT THE FIGHT FOR INTRAPARTYFO AGREEMENT, SOME DEMOCRATS ARE ASKING, WHAT PRICE COMPROMISE? IT'S TURNING INTO A BITTER DIVIDE WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. HERE TO DISCUSS IT ARE JANE HAMSHER, FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER OF THE LIBERAL BLOG FIREDOGLAKE.COM.E AND JIM KESSLER, VICE PRESIDENT FOR POLICY AT THIRD WAY, A CENTRIST DEMOCRATIC THINK TANK.C I ALWAYS HAVE A TROUBLE SAYING THE NAME OF THAT WEBSITE. IN DEMOCRATS LIKE YOU SAY THISME DEAL IS A CAVE-IN. OTHERS SAY THIS IS THE BESTEM YOU CAN GET. WHY?

>> WELL, OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO ME-- ALTHOUGH ALL THE DETAILS HAVEN'T COME OUTLA TONIGHT-- ARE THE 2% PAYROLL TAX CUTS THAT IS ESSENTIALLY BEING PROPOSED. THAT'S BEEN A REPUBLICAN IDEA THEY'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR A LONG TIME IN ORDER TO STARVEN THE BEAST OF THE SOCIALHI SECURITY TRUST FUND. IT MEANS THAT MONEY WILLATE NOT BE COMING IN TO THE TRUST FUND BUT BENEFITS WILL STILL BE PAID OUT. UP UNTIL NOW THE TRUST FUND B HAS BEEN SOLVENT. IT'S BEEN ABLE TO PAY OUT ITSBE OWN BENEFITS.NT BUT IN THIS PLAN THEY'RE BASICALLY TRYING TO REDUCE THE SOLVENCY OF THE TRUST FUND BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET A BENEFIT CUT TO THE COMMISSION. THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL THEY TRY.IO

>> Ifill: YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT AND HIS... THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT HIM ON THIS ARE CAVING IN TO REPUBLICANWH IDEALS NOT DEMOCRATIC ONES?NG

>> YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE IDEA FOR THE DEFICIT COMMISSION WAS THE CAT FOOD COMMISSION.

>> Ifill: I WONDER WHAT YOUFO MEAN BY THAT.OM

>> HE'S THE ONE WHO ISSUED THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. THEY CONSIDERED ONE OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES TO BE ABLE TO FIX SOCIAL SECURITY.OF BUT AS NANCY ALTMAN WHO IS ONE OF THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISORS ONNC SOCIAL SECURITY SAYS IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THIS IDEA IS COMING FROM THE DEMOCRATS. ANYBODY WHO GETS SOCIAL SECURITY OR EVER HOPES TO GET SOCIAL SECURITY SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE REPUBLICANSOR ARE FINALLY GETTING A FOOTHOLDD INTO IT LIKE THIS.CO

>> Ifill: WHY SHOULDN'TE LIBERALS BE UPSET THAT THE PRESIDENT IS GIVING AWAY TOO MUCH OF THE STORE?

>> LOOK, I COME FROM A CENTRIST ORGANIZATION. I DON'T LOVE THE PLAN EITHER.R I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE TAX CUTS FOR THOSE OVER $250,000 I THINK IT'S DUBIOUS ECONOMIC VALUE. AT A TIME WE CAN'T REALLY AFFORD IT. IT WILL HAVE TO BE PAID BACK BY FUTURE GENERATIONS. B

>> Ifill: DO YOU HEAR A "BUT" COMING?

>> TO CHINESE HOLDERS OF OUR DEBT. YEAH. LOOK, THERE'S A NEW REALITY OUT THERE THAT I DON'T LOVE BUT IT'S THE REALITY. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'REAT GOING TO HAVE TO FINDAT BIPARTISAN COMPROMISES TO THESE THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS THE BEST PLAN THE PRESIDENT COULDS. GET OR THE BEST PLAN THAT DEMOCRATS COULD GET BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE P ELECTION THERE'S A WHOLE NEWDE BALLGAME GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AND AS MUCH AS WE DON'T LOVE THIS PLAN, MY GUESS IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO LIKE IT. THEY WANT TO SEE THE TWO PARTIES WORK TOGETHER EVEN IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEITHER OF THEM REALLY LIKE.ET I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER THING. PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AGREED ON 85% OF THE TAX CUT PLANS GOING IN ON THIS.TS THE WHOLE DEBATE HAS BEEN ABOUT THE OTHER 15%, AN IMPORTANT 15% BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT DEBATE HAS BEEN ON.TH

>> Ifill: IF THERE'S ONLY 15%% THAT YOU DISAGREE ON, WHY NOT I EMBRACE THE PLAN AND SAY THESA WHITE HOUSE IS SAYING WE'RE GET DLG 40 BILLION IN TAX CUTS. H WE'RE GETTING A HUGE TEMPORARYTA INVESTMENT INCENTIVE. WHY NOT JUST EMBRACE THAT AND GO?

>> BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT TO DO BETTER THAN WHAT YOU CANT GET.SE I JUST THINK THAT THIS EXTRA $700 BILLION IN TAX BREAKS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY WEALTHY, I JUST DON'T THINK IT HAS A REAL VALUE FOR OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. I DISAGREE WITH REPUBLICANS WHO SAY THAT IT DOES.HT WE CAN'T AFFORD I. WE HAVE A HUGE DEFICIT. BUT THIS IS THE BEST THAT WEW CAN GET. THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO PASS.

>> Ifill: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE WHITE HOUSE DOAS OTHER THAN THE BEST IT CAN GET, BEYOND I GUESS IS THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR?GE

>> I THINK THIS IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTED. I THINK IT'S PRETTY INDISPUTABLE THAT THIS IS WHAT HE HAS SERIOUSLY TRIED TO HOPE FOR, TRIED TO WORK FOR.

>> Ifill: THIS WAS NOT THE COMPROMISE. THIS WAS THE GOAL?

>> I DON'T THINK THIS WAS ATO COMPROMISE. I THINK FOR AMERICA HIS ORGANIZATION NEVER WENT OUT ON THE TAX CUTS. CHUCK SCHUMER WAS TRYING TO GET A COMPROMISE THROUGH AT A MILLION DOLLARS RATHER THAN $250,000. THE PRESIDENT FOUGHT AGAINST THAT. HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE THE25 PRESIDENT WHO IS RUNNING AGAINST HAVING RAISED TAXES IN 2012. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THAT'S WHAT HE TELLS AMERICA THAT HE. WANTS. YOU'VE GOT THIS PROBLEM, THISER DISSONANCE BETWEEN WHAT HE'S SAYING AND WHAT HE APPEARS TO WANT. PEOPLE ARE VERY CONFUSED AND VERY FRUSTRATED. I WOULD LIKE HIM TO BE HONEST AND MAKE TARRING UMENT WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHY HE THINKS THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

>> Ifill: IS THIS BAD FEELING LEFT OVER FROM OTHER DEBATES WHICH LIBERALS LOST WITH THES WHITE HOUSE LIKE THE PUBLICBA OPTION DEBATE WITH THE HEALTHO CARE.

>> THIS IS DIFFERENT. TKE I DIDN'T THINK PEOPLE WOULDO GET UPSET ABOUT THIS BUT THEYRE ARE AND PARTICULARLY HERE IN D.C., YOU HAD MANY OF THE PRESIDENT'S STRONGEST SUPPORTERS WERE FEDERALOF EMPLOYEES WHO WERE WILLING TO TAKE A FREEZE ON THEIR WAGESEM FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.

>> Ifill: WHICH THE PRESIDENT DID CALL FOR.

>> NOW THEY'RE SEEING THAT WAGE INCREASE GO TO PAY FOR MILLIONAIRES FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. IT'S GOING OUT THE DOOR FOR THAT. WE'RE SEEING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SOCIAL TRUST FUND. I MEAN THESE ARE THE THINGSTI THAT REALLY REALLY BOTHER PEOPLE. THEY'RE WILLING TO MAKE SACRIFICE BUT NOT FORHE MILLIONAIRES.

>> I DON'T THINK THIS IS A DESTRUCTION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND AT ALL.ES I THINK IT'S A COMPLETELYL DIFFERENT DEBATE. LOOK, HERE'S THE PROBLEM THE DEMOCRATS HAVE.FE GOING INTO THIS DEBATE, IE COUNTED SIX DIFFERENT TAX CUT COMPROMISE PROPOSALS THAT DEMOCRATS PROPOSED THAT ALL WERE BEING DEBATED. REPUBLICANS HAD ONE. IF YOU GO INTO A POSITION WHERE YOU'VE GOT ONE NEGOTIATING POSITION AND THE OTHER SIDE HAS SIX, THAT ONE I IS GOING TO WIN.ND NOW YOU COULD ARGUE THE PRESIDENT SHOULD HAVE GATHERED EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND UNIFIED H DEMOCRATS AROUND ONE THING. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR 22 YEARS. IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WE DO VERY WELL.AR I DO THINK IT'S SIMILAR TO THE PUBLIC OPTION WHICH WAS YOU COULD SEE DOWN THE LINE WHEN THE PUBLIC OPTION WAS BEING DEBATED THAT THERE WASWA ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE THE PUBLIC OPTION COULD GET INTO THAT BILL. THERE WAS NEVER THE VOTES. THERE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE THE VOTES. W HERE THERE WAS NEVER A REAL CHANCE THAT JUST 250 ANDL LEAVING THE REST OF THE TAX CUTS BEHIND WAS GOING TO BE THE FINAL SOLUTION. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT A PLACEAS WHERE WE WANTED TO GO.UT WE HAD TO HAVE ONE POSITION.

>> Ifill: NEVER HAPPENED. IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A SLIPPERY SLOPE INVOLVING OTHER T DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES LIKEPP DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, THERI DREAM IMMIGRATION REFORM ACT, THE START TREATY, WHERE YOU SEE THE PRESIDENT OR THE WHITE HOUSE OR PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH HIM IN CONGRESS BARGAINING AWAY DEMOCRATIC POSITIONS?TH

>> YES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAREER-FREE TRADE AGREEMENT THAT WAST ANNOUNCEDED ON FRIDAY THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THE PRESIDENT'S PULLED PROMISES ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, THAT HE WAS GOING TO REPEAL THE PROVISIONS OF NAFTA AND CAFTA THAT WERE VERY BAD FOR LABOR AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND WERE BAD FORE JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES. YET ON FRIDAY THEY ANNOUNCEDFO ANOTHER TRADE DEAL WITH KOREA BASICALLY THE ONE NEGOTIATED BY GEORGE BUSH THAT GIVES THE KOREAN... THAT GIVES THEMAT EVERYTHING THEY WANT IN EXCHANGE FOR MILITARY PRENCE BASICALLY IN SOUTH KOREA.TH PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT THESEE THINGS.

>> Ifill: WHAT DO YOU SAY.

>> THE KOREA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IS A GREAT DEAL FOR THE UNITED STATES.EE IF YOU WANT TO SEE WATCH THERE PROTESTS IN KOREA HOW UPSET THEY ARE ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY THINK AMERICA GOT THE BEST DEAL. I THINK THAT... I DON'T LOVEES THIS TAX DEAL AT ALL. BUT I'M A BIT MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS DIVIDED GOVERNMENT CONGRESS COMING UP THAN A LOT OF FOLKS ARE. I DO THINK WE HAVE A DECENT CHANCE WITH DON'T ASK DON'T TELL. I DO THINK WE HAVE A DECENT CHANCE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM EVEN WITH THE REPUBLICANK HOUSE. I THINK THERE WILL BE PROGRESS MADE ON SOME OF THE TRADE AGREEMENTS....

>> Ifill: NOT IN THE LAME DUCK NECESSARILY.

>> NOT IN THE LAME DUCK. I THINK THERE'S A GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPROMISE AND PROGRESS THAN WE THINK.SS ONE FINAL THING. THE PRESIDENT GOT 90% OF WHAT HE WANTED AND SO DID DEMOCRATS ON THE HEALTH CARE BILL. THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ANY PRESIDENCY SINCE 1965 UNDER MEDICARE. LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATS AS CAVING. THAT'S A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.

>> Ifill: LET'S TALK ABOUT 2012 BRIEFLY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE. TURNED TO. THE PRESIDENT HAS WEAKENED HIMSELF AMONG HIS BASE AND WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME IN 2012.ND DOES THIS FIGHT RESONATE OR DOES IT GO AWAY BETWEEN NOW AND 2012? R

>> IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL BE STICKING IN PEOPLE'S CRAWS. THIS WAS THE BIG ISSUE THEY CARED ABOUT. I WILL ARGUE ON THE SOUTHICH KOREA FREE TRADE DEAL THAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOST 45,000 FACTORIES SINCE NAFTA PASSED. 5.5 MILLION JOBS. THE TEA PARTY IS OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSED TO FREEIS TRADE DEALS. THE REASON THEY WERE RIOTING IN KOREA IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO ACCEPT THE JURISDICTION OF FOREIGN COURTS ANY MORE THAN AMERICANS DO.GO THE PRESIDENT CAMPAIGNED TO STOP ALL OF THAT. DURING THIS 2010 ELECTION, THAT WAS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE ISSUES THAT DEMOCRATS WON ON IS 210 ADS THAT WERE PRODUCED AGAINST THESE THINGS.IS

>> Ifill: IS IT GOING TO RESONATE IN 2012? A.NG

>> FIRST I JUST WANT TO SAY WE LOST THE JOBS TO CHINA. WE DON'T HAVE A TRAY AGREEMENT T WITH AGREEMENT.

>> Ifill: WE'LL HAVE THE TRADE DEBATE ANOTHER TIME. ANSWER THE QUESTION.

>> IRONICALLY THE 2012 DEBATE WILL BE ABOUT THE BUSH TAX CUTS, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. THAT'S WHAT THE 2008 DEBATE WAS ABOUT.T'

>> Ifill: THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Brown: STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, THE ARGUMENTS IN A GAY MARRIAGE CASE IN CALIFORNIA;ST NEGOTIATIONS OVER IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM; FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER'S WHITE HOUSE DIARY; AND THE SWEET SOUND OF GOSPEL MUSICC BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY.AM HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN IN OUR NEWSROOM.

>> Sreenivasan: TWO SUICIDE BOMBERS IN PAKISTAN KILLED 50 PEOPLE TODAY AT A MEETING OF ANTI-TALIBAN TRIBESMEN. MORE THAN 100 OTHERS WERE WOUNDED. THE ATTACKERS STRUCK A GATHERING IN THE MOHMAND TRIBAL REGION IN THE NORTHWEST, CLOSE TO THE BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN., LOCAL OFFICIALS SAID THE BOMBER. DRESSED AS TRIBAL POLICE AND MANAGED TO GET PAST SECURITY.CA IT WAS THE THIRD ATTACK THISLI YEAR ON A TRIBAL MILITIAHI MEETING. WIKILEAKS TOOK ANOTHER HIT TODA. WHEN SWISS OFFICIALS CUT OFF A NEW BANK ACCOUNT SET UP FOR FUNDRAISING. AND THE COMPANY'S SERVERS IN SWEDEN CAME UNDER COMPUTER ATTACKS. WIKILEAKS HAS FACED GROWING PRESSURE SINCE IT RELEASED THOUSANDS OF STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS.EN AT THE SAME TIME, SUPPORTERS HAVE SET UP MORE THAN 500 WEBTH SITES THAT MIRROR WIKILEAKS' CONTENT.DE THE WORST WILDFIRE IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY WAS ALL BUT OUT TODAY, BUT A FIRESTORM OF CRITICISM WAS BUILDING. O 42 PEOPLE DIED IN THE BLAZE IN THE CARMEL FOREST, INCLUDING THE NATION'S TOP POLICEWOMAN AND A BUS LOAD OF PRISON GUARDS. A TEENAGER SMOKING A WATER PIPE WAS BLAMED FOR STARTING THE FIRE.TE THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DREW HEAVY CRITICISM AFTER CREWS QUICKLY RAN OUT OF FIREFIGHTING CHEMICALS, AND HAD NO PLANES AT THEIR DISPOSAL. F A FRENCH COURT HAS CONVICTEDNO CONTINENTAL AIRLINES AND ONE OF ITS MECHANICS OF MANSLAUGHTER IN THE CONCORDE CRASH TEN YEARS AGO.EN 113 PEOPLE DIED WHEN THE AIR FRANCE JETLINER EXPLODED INON FLAMES DURING TAKE OFF FROM A PARIS AIRPORT. THE COURT TRACED THE CAUSE TO TITANIUM DEBRIS FROM AN EARLIER CONTINENTAL FLIGHT. CONTINENTAL WAS ORDERED TO PAY $2.7 MILLION IN DAMAGES. THE AIRLINER AND THE MECHANIC SAID THEY'LL APPEAL. A WALL STREET MOSTLY MARKED TIMEPE TODAY, WAITING TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF CONGRESS ON TAX CUTS. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST NEARLY 20 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 11,362.N THE NASDAQ ROSE THREE POINTS TO CLOSE NEAR 2595. PRO FOOTBALL GREAT DON MEREDITH DIED SUNDAY, IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, AFTER A BRAIN HEMORRHAGE. IN THE 1960's, MEREDITH A QUARTERBACKED THE DALLAS COWBOYS TO N.F.L. TITLE GAMES AGAINST GREEN BAY. LATER, HE HELPED START "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" WITH KEITH JACKSON AND HOWARD COSELL, ANDR, WON WIDE POPULARITY. DON MEREDITH WAS 72 YEARS OLD. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JEFF.RE

>> Brown: AND WE TURN TO THE LATEST TWIST IN THE DEBATE OVER GAY MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA.IS IN 2008, VOTERS PASSED A BALLOT MEASURE, CALLED PROPOSITION 8, B BANNING GAY MARRIAGE, BUT IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, A FEDERAL I DISTRICT JUDGE STRUCK DOWN THE MEASURE, RULING THAT IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO TREAT SAME- SEX COUPLES DIFFERENTLY. THAT RULING WAS THEN CHALLENGED, AND TODAY A FEDERAL APPEALS PANEL OF THREE JUDGES HEARD ARGUMENTS IN A SESSION THAT WAS, MOST UNUSUALLY, BROADCAST LIVE. THE FIRST ISSUE TODAY: DO OPPONENTS OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE HAVE AUTHORITY OR STANDING TO APPEAL THE AUGUST RULING?TO GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND OTHER STATE OFFICIALS HAD DECLINED TO BRING AN APPEAL. CHARLES COOPER, THE ATTORNEYRI FOR PROTECT MARRIAGE, THE GROUP BEHIND PROPOSITION 8, CITED PAST CASES THAT ALLOW OUTSIDE GROUPS TO BRING ACA CASE.

>> THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT ALLOWED THESE PROPONENTS TO INTERVENE IN THE STRAUSS CASE AND TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTIONALITY UNDER THE A STATE'S CONSTITUTION, JUST T LIKE FORSYTHE. TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF PROPOSITION 8. WHEN NO ONE ELSE WOULD DO SO.EN ALL OF THE STATE DEFENDANTS REFUSED TO DEFEND THAT STATUTE.

>> Brown: THE PANEL APPEARED DUBIOUS ABOUT WHETHER THE BANNED SUPPORTERS WERE QUALIFIED TO APPEAL BUT ALSO SEEMED WORRIED ABOUT ALLOWINGRS THE GOVERNOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL TO EFFECTIVELY KILL PROP 8 BY REFUSING TO DEFEND T IT.

>> IF THE STATE DOESN'T DEFEND IT, IT'S JUST TOSSING IN THE TOWEL. THE GOVERNOR IS NOT ALLOWED TO VETO THIS MEASURE, BUT HE CAN IN EFFECT VETO IT.

>> Brown: ARGUING ON BEHALF OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE PROPONENTS,LF ATTORNEY DAVID BOIS SAID THE SUPREME COURT HAS REPEATEDLY HELD THAT ONLY INJURED PARTIES HAVE AUTHORITY TO SEEK APPEAL.

>> YOUR HONOR, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT BECAUSE IT IS SO CLEAR THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE AN ABILITY TO INVOKE THE JURISDICTION OF THIS COURT, THE APPELLANTS HERE MUST HAVE A PERSONAL, CONCRETE PARTICULARIZED INJURY AND THEYA DON'T.

>> Brown: THE SECOND PORTION OF THE HEARING WENT TO THENJ CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE, WHETHER THE VOTER-APPROVED BAN VIOLATED THE FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS OF CALIFORNIA'S GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE CASE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS MADE BY FORMER SOLICITOR GENERAL TED OLSON, DAVID BOIS'S ONE-TIME ADVERSARY WHEN THEY ARGUED BUSH V GORE IN THE 2000 ELECTION.

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTAL FACT THAT CALIFORNIA HAS ENGRAVED DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEX AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION INTO ITS FUNDAMENTAL GOVERNING CHARTER.

>> Brown: HE ARGUED THAT PROP 8 WAS AIMED AT THE ESSENCE OF WHAT HE CALLED TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE.

>> THE KEY REASON THAT MARRIAGE HAS EXISTED AT ALL IN ANY SOCIETY AND AT ANY TIME IS ITS SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN NATURALLY PRODUCE CHILDREN.RO WHEN A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN BECOMES ASH SEXUAL ONE, SOCIETY IMMEDIATELY HAS A VITAL INTEREST IN THAT FOR TWO REASONS: ONE, SOCIETY NEEDS THE CREATION OF NEW LIFE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, BUT SECONDLY, SOCIETY... ITS VITAL INTERESTS ARE ACTUALLY THREATENED BY THE POSSIBILITY THAT AN UNINTENTIONAL AND UNWANTED PREGNANCY WILL MEAN THAT THE CHILD IS BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK AND IS RAISED BY IN ALL LIKELIHOOD ITS MOTHERD ALONE. THAT DIRECTLY IMPLICATES SOCIETY'S VITAL INTEREST.

>> Brown: BUT JUDGE STEVEN REINHART, A LIBERAL APPOINTEDn: BY PRESIDENT CARTER, QUESTIONED THAT REASONING.

>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR PROHIBITINGQU DIVORCE... (LAUGHING) ... BUT HOW DOES IT RELATE TO HAVING TWO MALES OR TWO FEMALES MARRY EACH OTHER AND RAISE CHILDREN AS THEY CAN IN CALIFORNIA.

>> Brown: WILSON TOLD THE JUDGES THAT THE VERY NOTION OF PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM GAY MARRIAGES WAS DISCRIMINATORY.>

>> PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THINKING THAT GAY MARRIAGE IS OKAY. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THAT? IT MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT GAY PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING MARRIED THAT WOULD BE DISTURBING TO CALIFORNIARR VOTERS. YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT RISKUN AWAY FROM THEM.YO

>> Brown: JUDGE RANDY SMITH WHO WAS APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, ASKED HOW PROP 8 PROTECTED THE IDEA OF MARRIAGE IF GAY COUPLES ALREADY HAD MANY OF THE OTHER PROTECTIONS IN CIVIL UNIONS INAD CALIFORNIA.

>> IF IN FACT THE HOMOSEXUALFO COUPLES HAVE ALL OF THE RIGHTS THAT THE HETEROSEXUAL COUPLESIG HAVE, WE'RE LEFT WITH A WORD: MARRIAGE. WHAT IS THE RATIONAL BASIS FOR THAT?

>> YOUR HONOR, YOU ARE LEFT WITH A WORD BUT A WORD THAT IS R ESSENTIALLY THE INSTITUTION. IF YOU REDEFINE THE INSTITUTION, IF YOU REDEFINE THE WORD, YOU CHANGE THEEF INSTITUTION.

>> THE COURT WILL STAND ADJOURNED.

>> Brown: THE PANEL IS EXPECTED TO RULE ON THE CASE SOON.TH THAT DECISION WILL THEN LIKELY BE APPEALED TO THE FULL NINTH CIRCUIT AND IS EVENTUALLYAL EXPECTED TO MAKE ITS WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT. THE SUPREME COURT.

>> Ifill: NOW TO IRAN, WHICH RESUMED INTERNATIONAL TALKS TODAY OVER ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. BUT IT CAME ON THE HEELS OF ANA COMBATIVE ANNOUNCEMENT. MARGARET WARNER HAS THE STORY.

>> THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS RECEIVED A REPORT CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF MATERIAL TO BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

>> Warner: THE MATERIAL WAS H LIGHTLY PROCESSED URANIUM ORE AS THE NEW MOVIE FAIR GAME DEPICTS IN 2002 THE BUSHA ADMINISTRATION SENT FORMER AMBASSADOR JOE WILSON PLAYED BY SEAN PEN TO AFRICA TO FIND J OUT IF IRAQ HAD PURCHASED THE SUBSTANCE TO BUILD A NUCLEAR WEAPON.HE IT TURNED OUT IRAQ HAD NOPO YELLOW CAKE AND NO NUKES. BUT THE TERM SURFACED AGAIN YESTERDAY IN IRAN. THE HEAD OF THE COUNTRY'S ATOMIC ENERGY ORGANIZATION SAID IRAN HAS NOW PRODUCED ITS OWN YELLOW CAKE FROM DOMESTICALLY MINED URANIUM.

>> THIS MEANS THAT IRAN HAS BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE ENTIRE FUEL CYCLE STARTINGLF FROM THE EXPLORATION AND THEN MINING AND THEN TURNING IT INTO YELLOW CAKE AND THEN INTO CONVERTING IT INTO UF-6 AND THEN ENRICHING IT AND TURNING IT INTO FUEL PLATES OR FUEL PELLETS.

>> Warner: IRAN SAYS THE YELLOW CAKE CAME FROM THEET URANIUM MINE IN THE SOUTH, WAS SENT TO A CONVERSION FACILITY FOR PROCESSING, AND WILL GO TO THE ENRICHMENT PLANT. THERE THOUSANDS OF CENTRIFUGES COULD TURN THE ORE INTO WEAPONS-GRADE MATERIAL. OBAMA NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESMAN NOTING THAT U.N. SANCTIONS NOW BAN IRANNO FROM IMPORTING THE MATERIAL SAID THE ANNOUNCEMENT CALLS INTO FURTHER QUESTION IRAN'S INTENTIONS.AI PAUL BARAN AND IS A NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION EXPERT IN WASHINGTON. HE SAYS IRAN'S NEW NEW-FOUND CAPACITY TO MAKE HOMEMADE YELLOW CAKE IS USEFUL ONLY FOR A COVERT PURPOSE, NOT FOR GENERATING ENERGY.

>> THE MINE IS NOT CAPABLE OF FUELING A NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM IN IRAN. IT IS SMALL ENOUGH TO BE USEFUL IN A PARALLEL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MAKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THE SMALL AMOUNT OF URANIUM THAT IS MINED AT THE MINE, IT'S NOT UNDER I.E.A.E.INSPECTIONS SO THEORETICALLY IRAN COULD TAKE THAT MATERIAL AND THEN FEED IT INTO SOME PARALLEL PROGRAM.

>> Warner: INDEED THE ANNOUNCEMENT SOUNDED A DEFIANT NOTE AS IRAN, THE U.S., AND FIVE OTHER POWERS RESUMED TALKS IN GENEVA TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A YEAR. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SOUNDED HER OWN NOTE FRIDAY AT A SECURITY CONFERENCE IN BAHRAIN WHICH IRAN ALSO ATTENDED. WE DO NOT OBJECT TO THE PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR POWER FOR GENERATING ENERGY. EVERY COUNTRY IS ENTITLED TO THAT, SHE SAID. WHAT WE OBJECT TO IS A PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS THAT CAN BE USED TO THREATEN AND INTIMIDATE THEIR NEIGHBORS AND BEYOND. THE WORLD POWERS REPORTEDLY PLAN TO REVIVE A PROPOSAL THAT IRAN SEND MOST OF ITS LOW- ENRICHED URANIUM OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO BE SWAPPED FOR URANIUM ENRICHED TO LEVELS SUITABLE FOR CIVILIAN ENERGY OR MEDICAL USE BUT NOT WEAPONS MAKING. IN RETURN, THE U.N. WOULD EASE SANCTIONS. DIPLOMATS AT THE GENEVA TALKS TODAY SAID TODAY'S MEETING BEGAN WITH THE SIX POWERS DETAILING WHY THEY WANT TEHRAN TO STOP ENRICHING ITS OWN URANIUM. THE MEETING COMES AFTER A WEEK OF DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENTS. LAST WEEK IN TEHRAN, BOMB ATTACKS KILLED ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS AND WOUNDED ANOTHER. AHMADINEJAD APPEARED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A COMPUTER WORM HAD INFECTED CENTRIFUGES AT THE PLANT. THEY INCLUDED CABLES REPORTING THAT ARAB NATIONS HAVE URGED U.S. MILITARY ACTION TO KNOCK OUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR SITES. IN ONE SAUDI KING ABDULLAH SAID WASHINGTON SHOULD CUT OFF THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE. IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD DISMISSED THE CABLES AS AN ORCHESTRATED AMERICAN EFFORT TO STIR TROUBLE.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE AN INTELLIGENCE AND SCHROJ CAL WAR AND HAS NO LEGAL VALUE. DEFINITELY IT WON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL IMPACT IN THE WAY THAT THEY WANT. SUCH A GAME WILL HAVE NO EFFECT IN RELATIONS.

>> Warner: IT REMAINED UNCLEAR AS TO WHY IRAN AGREED TO RETURN TO THE GENEVA TALKS. AT A HOUSE HEARING LAST WEEK UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM BURNS SAID TEHRAN IS FEELING THE BITE OF U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS.

>> IRAN MAY BE LOSING AS MUCH AS 50 TO 60 BILLION DOLLARS OVERALL IN POTENTIAL ENERGY INVESTMENTS ALONG WITH THE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AND KNOW HOW THAT COMES WITH THEM.

>> Warner: BUT AHMADINEJAD TOLD SUPPORTERS LAST WEEK THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT MAKE ONE IOTA OF CONCESSIONS.

>> WE WISH THEY HAD NOT DEMANDED TALKS NOW AND WOULD HAVE WAITED FOR A COUPLE OF MORE MONTHS SO THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THEY CANNOT DO A DAMNED THING AGAINST THE IRANIAN NATION.

>> Warner: THE GENEVA TALKS ARE SCHEDULED TO LAST TWO DAYS. FOR MORE, WE TURN TO SUZANNE MALONEY, A FORMER U.S. FOR MORE, WE TURN TO SUZANNE MALONEY, A FORMER U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL WHO DEALT WITH IRAN ISSUES. SHE'S NOW A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE SABAN CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST POLICY AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION. SO WITH ALL THIS DEFIANT LANGUAGE, WHAT IS IT THAT DROVE IRAN TO RETURN TO THESE TALKS AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR?

>> THE RESULT OF THE U.N. SANCTIONS AND A NUMBER OF UNILATERAL MEASURES UNDERTAKEN BY THE U.S., THE EUROPEANS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS. BUT THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I THINK REALLY BROUGHT THE IRANIANS BACK IS THEIR HOPE TO USE THIS KIND OF A DIALOGUE TO SPLINTER THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION, TO UNDERCUT SANCTIONS, AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE WORLD BEYOND IRAN.

>> Warner: YOU DO THINK THAT IN PART THIS IS BEING USED BY THEM TO BUY TIME, BUT THEY ARE ALSO FEELING THE HEAT?

>> THEY'RE CERTAINLY FEELING THE HEAT. WE KNOW THAT THE STANDARDS OF DOING BUSINESS TODAY IN IRAN ARE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT, MUCH LESS CONVENIENT, MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THEY USED TO BE, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T UNDERTAKE THE NORMAL BANKING PROCEDURES THAT THEY TYPICALLY WOULD. OBVIOUSLY THE IRANIANS DON'T APPEAR TO BE IN A MOOD TO CONCEDE. THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MAKING ANY REAL CONCESSIONS. IT'S NOT EVEN CLEAR THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM AT ALL. I THINK THEY'RE LESS INTERESTED IN SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS, MORE INTERESTED IN TRYING TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN GET OUT OF THIS PROCESS.

>> Warner: WHAT DO YOU THINK AND WHAT DO YOU ASSESS FROM OBSERVING AND LISTENING TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING OVER THERE HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON THEIR MINDSET GOING INTO THIS?WH

>> YOU KNOW, MY SUSPICION IS THAT IT'S A KIND OF BINARY IMPACT. ON THE ONE HAND IT'S GOT TO PLAY TO MR. PARANOIA AND INCREASE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEVEL OF HOSTILITY THATHABEN THEY FACE IN THE REGION AND ABOUT THE SUCCESS THAT THE U.S. HAS HAD IN SORT OF PULLING TOGETHER A REGIONAL AND AN INTERNATIONAL COALITION TO OPPOSE IRAN TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE CONCERNS POSED BY IRAN.O BUT I SUSPECT ON ANOTHER LEVEL THE IRANIANS WERE ALSO FEELING SOMEWHAT INFLATED BY HAVING ACCESS TO ALL THIS INFORMATION. THIS IS THE KIND OF DREAM COME TRUE FOR THE FOLKS WHO SPENTME YEARS PIECING TOGETHERO SHREDDED DOCUMENTS FROM THEPI EMBASSY BACK IN 1979. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE I CALCULATIONS, ALL THE DISCUSSIONS, THE DELIBERATIONS OF U.S. POLICY MAKERS AND OF OTHER STATES. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN USE AGAINST SOME OF THEIR NEIGHBORS. SO I IMAGINE THAT IT'S PLAY TOIR GO SOME OF THAT ARROGANCE THAT WE'VE SEEN.

>> Warner: FOR THEM TO HEAR, FOR INSTANCE, HOW EMPHATICALLY A LOT OF THE ARAB STATES HAVE BEEN URGING THE U.S. TO STRIKE SITES INSIDE IRAN, DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES THEM FEEL A BIT EXPOSED? VULNERABLE? OR DEFIANT?

>> DEFIANT IN PART BECAUSE THE ARABS SAY SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT WHEN THEY COME TO TEHRAN. IF YOU HAD A WIKILEAKS DUMP OF C THE TEHRAN CABLES IT WOULD READ VERY DIFFERENTLY. THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THE ARABSOU SAY ONE THING TO WASHINGTON AND SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THEM. IF THEY CAN PLAY ON THE CONSTRAINTS THAT THE ARAB STATES HAVE IN MAKING THAT KIND OF A POSITION PUBLIC INKI ORDER TO ASSERT THEMSELVES. I THINK IN FACT PROBABLY THE LARGER FACTOR AT THIS STAGE IS THE KILLING OF THE NUCLEAR SCIENTIST LAST WEEK. THAT PLAYED VERY SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE STATEMENT THAT THEY MADE TODAY AT THE TALKS AND APPEARS TO HAVE PUT THEM IN A MORE COMBATIVE MOOD THAT THEY WERE IN EVEN BEFORE THIS.

>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THEHA BEST WE COULD HOPE FOR, ONET COULD HOPE FOR TO COME OUT OF THESE TWO DAYS OF TALKS?

>> I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TRIED TO KEEP EXPECTATIONS LOW. WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO GAINEP FROM THIS IS A PROCESS. ANY KIND OF A MECHANISM FORIN CONTINUING DIALOGUE ON THES NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND IDEALLYG SOMETHING THAT BUILDS TOWARDS SOME CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES INCLUDING SOME REVISED VERSION OF THE FUELSU SLOTS THAT WOULD REMOVE MOST OF TEHRAN'S L.E.U., FROM THEST COUNTRY.

>> Warner: LOEWEN RICHED., URANIUM. BUT THE IDEA THAT THE U.S. AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO INSIST ON WHICH IS TO DOUTI ANY DEAL YOU HAVE TO FRIESEN RICHING URANIUM. IS THAT STILL IN THE CARDS AT ALL POSSIBLE? U

>> WELL THAT'S HANGING IN THEHA BACK DROP I THINK TO ALL THEAT CALCULATIONS OF BOTH SIDES. WHETHER OR NOT THE U.S. IS PREPARED TO CONCEDE ANYTHING ON THE DEMAND EXPRESSED FOR U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS THAT IRAN SUSPEND URANIUM ENRICHMENT, IRANIANS HAVE SAID THEY WILL NEVER DO SO.EN THEY HAVE ALMOST 5,000 CENTRIFUGES RUNNING AT THIS A STAGE. IT'S AN UNCERTAINTY. AT THIS STAGE THE U.S. HASAG LEANED FORWARD BUT IT HAS STUCK TO THAT DEMAND. I THINK THE POLITICAL PRESSURE HERE IN WASHINGTON WILL ENSURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO.

>> Warner: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Brown: NEXT, A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF A PRESIDENCY. IN HIS FOUR YEARS IN OFFICE, JIMMY CARTER KEPT A DAILY DIARY OF HIS LIFE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WHEN HE LEFT, HE'D COMPILED MORE THAN 20 VOLUMES, SOME 5,000 PAGES. HE'S EDITED THOSE DOWN FOR HIS NEWEST BOOK, "WHITE HOUSE DIARY." D LAST WEEK RAY SUAREZ TALKED TO PRESIDENT CARTER AT A FORUM SPONSORED BY THE SMITHSONIAN RESIDENT ASSOCIATES PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON.EED ID HERE ARE EXCERPTS. A

>> THE EXISTENCE OF THE BOOK AT ALL IS KIND OF INTERESTING TO ME.NG I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR CONTEMPORANEOUS MUSINGS AT THE END OF THE DAY INSTEAD OF BEING LOCKED AWAY UNTIL FUTURE HISTORIANS COULD GET AT IT CAME OUT DURING YOUR LIFETIME.

>> WELL, THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO I STARTED READING OVER SOME OF THE DIARY NOTES FOR OTHER PURPOSES. I REALIZED THAT SO MANY OF THENO THINGS THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT WERE VERY SERIOUS ON THE RA DESK IN THE OVAL OFFICE NOW FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO ADDRESS: THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUES, ENERGY, HUMAN RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENT, THE KOREAS, CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ AND SO FORTH. I WOULD SAY THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 25 YEARSIN AGO AND NOW IS THE POLARIZATION OF THE PARTIES. I HAD TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE. ONE OF MY CLOSEST WORKINGSE ALLYS IN THE SENATE WAS HOWARD M BAKER WHO WAS THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE REPUBLICANS.O IN THE HOUSE IT WAS BOB MICHELNO WHO WAS A MINORITY LEADER OF THE... IN THE HOUSE. SO THEY COOPERATED WITH ME THOROUGHLY. THAT'S COMPLETELY ABSENT NOW WHERE THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN IN MY OPINION COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST 18TH OR SO MONTHS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND QUITE OFTEN HE CAN'T GET A SINGLE VOTE INMA THE HOUSE OR SENATE FOR AET MAJOR GOAL. I HAD GOOD SUPPORT. THAT'S CHANGED.AJ

>> Suarez: DOMINATING THESE PAGES ARE THE ROAD TO CAMP DAVID.

>> YES.

>> Suarez: SOME EVENINGS WHEN YOU'RE JOTTING THESE NOTES DOWN, YOU'RE PRETTY STEAMED.

>> I KNOW. K WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT WITHIN A WEEK I WAS ALREADY WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PIECE IN THE MIDDLE EAST BECAUSE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS I WOULD SAY M THE NUMBER ONE FOREIGN POLICY PRAYER THAT I'VE HAD ANDRE COMMITMENT THAT I'VE HAD IS TO BRING PEACE TO ISRAEL. AND ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS. THERE HAD BEEN FOUR WARS IN THE PREVIOUS 25 YEARS AGAINST ISRAEL, ALL LED BY EGYPT, THE ONLY ARAB COUNTRY WITH ENOUGH HELP TO REALLY CHALLENGE ISRAEL. I WANTED TO BRING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT. THAT WAS MY PREEMINENT GOAL. THE SECONDARY GOAL WHICH I AS AND SADAT WORKED ON WAS TO BRING JUSTICE TO THE PALESTINIANS.D THOSE WERE THE TWO ISSUES THAT WERE FACED AT CAMP DADE.IA WE LEFT CAMP DAVID BELIEVING WE HAD COMPLETELY RESOLVED BOTH ISSUES.D THE TREATY WAS SIGNED NOW 31-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO AND NOT A SINGLE WORD HAS EVER BEEN VIOLATED IN THOSE YEARS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT. UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH THE COMMIT MANYS MADE CONCERNING PALESTINIAN TERRITORY HAS NOT BEEN CARRIED OUT. THAT'S STILL THE MAJOR ISSUE.AS I THINK ONE OF THE MOSTRI DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING ISSUES THAT THE WORLD FACES TODAY.

>> Suarez: ONE OF THE MORE STRIKING ENTRIES COMES ON NOVEMBER 4, 1979. "I SPENT HOURS ON THE PHONE TALKING TO POLITICAL LEADERS AROUND THE NATION, BUT EARLY IN THE MORNING WAS QUITE DISTURBED TO LEARN THATEA IRANIAN STUDENTS WITH THE SUBSEQUENT ENCOURAGEMENT OF KHOMEINI HAS TAKEN OVER OUR EMBASSY AND CAPTURED 50 OR 60KE OF OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT THE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE HOST GOVERNMENT IT'S ALMOST O IMPOSSIBLE TO DO ANYTHING IF'S ONE'S PEOPLE ARE TAKEN." ON NOVEMBER 4, YOU THEN GO ON TO OTHER BUSINESS.EN OF THE DAY.

>> SURE. HAD TO.

>> Suarez: THESE EIGHT LINES ENDED UP CASTING A SHADOW THAT WOULD LAST THE REST OF YOUR PRESIDENCY.

>> OF COURSE IT LASTED, AS MOST PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER, 444 DAYS. THE LAST THREE DAYS I WAS PRESIDENT I NEVER WENT TO SLEEP. I NEVER WENT TO BED. I SPENT ALL THAT TIME NEGOTIATING THE RELEASE OF THE HOSTAGES. AT 10:00 ON INAUGURATION MORNING ALL THE HOSTAGES WERE 1 IN AN AIRPLANE READY TO TAKE OFF AND KHOMEINI HELD THEMO UNTIL 5 MINUTES AFTER I WAS NO A LONGER PRESIDENT.HO THEN THEY TOOK OFF. THAT WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE. EVERY HOSTAGE CAME HOME SAFELY.

>> Suarez: AS 1979 BECAME 1980FE THIS BEGAN TO EAT HEAVILY INTO THE POLITICAL YEAR OF 1980, THE YEAR FOR WHICH YOU HADTO BEEN PLANNING TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION, FIGHTING OFF PRIMARY OPPONENTS FROM YOUR OWN PARTY.

>> ONE, YES. (AUD YEN LAUGHING).

>> Suarez: WELL TWO FOR A WHILE. AND WAS THERE A POINT WHERE YOU REALIZED THEY'RE STILL THERE AND NOW THIS IS REALLY STARTING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THIS ENTERPRISE? I WANT TO STAY PRESIDENT.

>> THAT WAS THE BURNING ISSUE IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S MIND IS THESE HOSTAGES ARE STILL THERE.ER PRESIDENT CARTER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET THEM FREE.SI THAT WAS "THE" MAJOR ISSUE. THE SECOND MAJOR ISSUE WAS ONE YOU ALMOST MENTIONED BEFORE.E THAT IS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OF MY TERM, SENATOR KENNEDY WAS RUNNING AGAINST ME. VERY EFFECTIVELY. AND THEN THE OTHER THING WAS THAT IRAQ INVADED IRAN. SO ALL THE OIL SUPPLIES FROM IRAN AND IRAQ WERE LOST. S SO THE PRICE OF OIL MORE THAN DOUBLED IN JUST 12 MONTHS. THOSE THREE THINGS COMBINED TO CAUSE MY DEFEAT. BUT I'VE HAD A GOOD LIFE SINCE THEN. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) ( APPLAUSE )

>> Suarez: ONE ISSUE THAT YOU ) HAD TO TACKLE WAS ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

>> YES.

>> Suarez: NOT ALWAYS IN WAYS THAT MADE EVERYBODY HAPPY. YOU DIDN'T TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR.PY YOU TOLD THEM WHAT YOU WANTED TO TELL THEM.

>> I MADE MY BEST SPEECH I THINK OF ALL WAS WHEN I WENT TO CAMP DAVID AND WROTE A SPEECH AND TOLD THE AMERICANS THAT WE WERE OVERCONSUMING, WE HAD TOO MUCH OF AN EMPHASIS ON MATERIAL WEALTH AND BENEFITS M AND NOT ENOUGH ON THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF THE... THINGS LIKE PEACE AND SO FORTH. IT WAS THE MOST POPULAR SPEECH I EVER MADE FOR A COUPLE DAYS. THEN MY POLITICAL OPPONENTSIT BEGAN TO REFER TO IT AS A MALL ACE SPEECH PRIMARILY SENATOR KENNEDY AND RONALD REAGAN.ON EVENTUALLY IT BECAME AN UNPOPULAR SPEECH BUT IT HADEC TRUTHS IN IT BECAUSE AMERICA NOW HAS... IS ADDICTED TOCA OVERCONSUMPTION OF NOT ONLY FOSSIL FUELS BUT ALSO AN AVERSION TO EFFICIENCY.TO

>> Suarez: YOU WERE PRESIDENT WHEN THE SOVIET UNION INVADED>> AFGHANISTAN.

>> CHRISTMAS DAY, '79. P

>> Suarez: NOW WE'RE THERE.

>> YES.

>> Suarez: AND HAVE JUST MOVED THE DATE FOR BEGINNING TO WITHDRAW FROM 2011 TO 2014. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF OUR PROSPECTS THERE AND IS THIS BOUND TO BE A PLACE WHERE GREAT POWERS COME... BECAUSE THEY UNDERESTIMATE HOW HARD IT IS TO GET ANYTHING DONE THERE.

>> ANYBODY THAT EVER INVADED AFGHANISTAN HAS COME OUT THE LOSER. I HAVE SERIOUS DOUBTS THAT WE'LL PREVAIL IN AFGHANISTAN, THAT IS, TO MEET THE PRESENTTA GOALS WE'VE SET FOR OURSELVES. W MY BELIEF IS THAT WE'LL CONSTANTLY REDUCE OUR EXPECTATIONS OR OUR GOALS LOWER AND LOWER AND LOWER UNTIL WE CAN FINALLY GET OUT WITHOUT SERIOUS EMBARRASSMENT. BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OR THE WILL TOVE ACTUALLY PREVAIL MILITARILY T OVER THE TALIBAN. THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE AN ALMOST HOPELESS CASE. T MY HOPE AND MY PRAYER IS THAT WE WILL PREVAIL. IF WE CAN ESTABLISH A PERMANENT POLICE FORCE AND THAT SORT OF THING THAT CAN KEEP ORDER AND PROTECT THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT THAT EXISTS A IN KABUL, BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS ABOUT THIS.

>> Suarez: DO YOU LOOK AT THIS GUY WHO EMERGES FROM THESE PAGES AND SAY, YEAH, I STILLGU KNOW THAT GUY. I STILL AM THAT GUY.

>> WELL THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

>> I SAVED IT FOR LAST.

>> I UNDERSTAND. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) I DON'T THINK I'VE CHANGED IN ANY MATERIAL WAY EXCEPT I'VE LEARNED A LOT SINCE I LEFT THECH WHITE HOUSE. THE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED MOSTLY IS THE GROWING CHASM BETWEEN RICH PEOPLE AND POOR H PEOPLE. THE RICHER PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE GETTING RICHER AND RICHER. THE POOR PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE GETTING POORER AND POORER. THAT IS THE CASE IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY ON EARTH. IT'S ALSO THE ISSUE BETWEEN RICH COUNTRIES AND POOR COUNTRIES. THE RICH COUNTRIES ARE GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR ARE GETTING POORER.NT AS WE GROW FURTHER AND FURTHER APART ECONOMICALLY WE GROW FURTHER AND FURTHER APART IN UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER AND HAVING MUTUAL RESPECT. I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGEUT THAT WE STILL HAVEN'T FACED ADEQUATELY IN THIS COUNTRY OR AROUND THE WORLD.HI SO THAT IS WHAT I'VE LEARNED, ONE OF THE THINGS, DID MAJORS THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE I LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Suarez: THE BOOK IS "WHITEHI HOUSE DIARY."ar PLEASE THANK THE 39th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, JIMMY CARTER. ( APPLAUSE )

>> Ifill: THAT CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK IN

>> Ifill: THAT CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK IN FRONT OF LIVE AUDIENCE AT THE LINCOLN THEATER IN WASHINGTON, D.C.CE

>> Brown: FINALLY TONIGHT, THE SOUND AND THE SPIRIT OF GOSPEL IN AN UNLIKELY ARENA.IN IT WAS A MIX OF SPIRITUAL AND SPECTACLE. ♪ CHURCH REVIVAL AND AMERICAN IDOL STYLE COMPETITIONS.

>> Y'ALL DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.

>> Brown: 14 FLYERS FROM CHURCHES AROUND THE NATION RECENTLY COMPETED IN THE "HOW SWEET THE SOUND FINALE" A CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL MUSIC STARTED BY VERIZON AND HELD IN THE VERIZON CENTER IN WASHINGTON D.C., A VENUE USUALLY HOSTING MAJOR SPORTS AND POP MUSIC EVENTS BUT ON THIS NIGHT FILLED WITH CLOSEOP TO 11,000 GOSPEL FANS. ♪ OUTSIDE THE MAIN HALL, A YOUTH CHOIR DISPLAYED ITS TALENTS AS PEOPLE ARRIVED. AND CONCERT GOERS, YOUNG AND OLD, TOOK PART IN SOME GOSPELTO KARAOKE. ♪ ON STAGE A WIDE ARRAY OF MODERN GOSPEL STYLES FROM THE TRADITIONALLY GOWNED NEW SUNNY O MOUNT MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN ST. LOUIS TO THEOU HIGHLY CHOREOGRAPHED BURNING BUSH INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES MASS CHOIR FROM DETROIT.RN ♪ HE IS MINE AND I AM HIS ALL OF IT ACCORDING TO GOSPEL RECORDING STAR MARVIN SAPP, AIMED AT ONE THING.

>> THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST. IT'S A MESSAGE THAT ENCOURAGES AND UPLIFTS PEOPLE AND GIVES G THEM STRENGTH TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD PAST LIFE'STR CIRCUMSTANCES. IT'S A POSITIVE MESSAGE.MO IN A DIFFICULT TIME.

>> Brown: BUT ON THIS NIGHT SAPP WAS SERVING AS A JUDGE SOIN IF THE MESSAGE WAS THE SAME FOR EACH CHOIR, HOW WOULD HETH CHOOSE WHO IS DELIVERING IT BEST? H

>> YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TONE. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW,N INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUCCINCT BECAUSEI THEY'RE A CHOIR. YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE PERSON STANDING OUT.CC IT'S NOT A SOLO ACT. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TONE QUALITY IS GREAT AND THEY'RE SUCCINCT, IF THEY'RE DOING CHOREOGRAPHY YOU WANT IT TO BE TIGHT.

>> Brown: GOSPEL MUSIC HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE SLAVE ERA OF THE SOUTH. ITS MODERN ERA DATES TO THE 1930s IN CHICAGO AND DETROIT WITH FIGURES SUCH AS THOMAS DORSEY KNOWN AS THE FATHER OFT GOSPEL.RE LATER MAHALIEL JACKSON WHO SOLD MILLIONS OF RECORDS AND ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL FAME. TODAY GOSPEL IS A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS. WITH STARS SUCH AS YOLANDA ADAMS AND KIRK FRANKLIN WHO MAINTAINS THE RELIGIOUS WORDSIR AND THEMES EVEN AS HE INCORPORATES CONTEMPORARY STYLES LIKE HIP HOP INTO HIS MUSIC. ♪ ANOTHER OF TODAY'S LEADING♪ LIGHTS, CECE WINANS WHO SERVES AS A HOST OF THE HOW SWEET THE SOUND COMPETITION SAYS THAT MANY POP STARS GOT THEIR STARTS JUST AS SHE DID IN THE CHURCH CHOIR.

>> MOST GENRES GOT THEIR START T IN REALLY THEIR BEGINNING FROM GOSPEL MUSIC. SO YOU HEAR THE GOSPEL ROOTS AND THE FLAVORS, YOU PICK SOME OF THE GREATEST R AND B CELEBRITIES AND THE FIRST A THING THEY'LL TELL YOU IS WE STARTED IN A GOSPEL CHOIR.U YOU EVEN GO TO SOME OF THE A ROCK STARS, WELL, YOU KNOW I LOVE GOSPEL MUSIC. SO A LOT OF THAT FLAVOR COMES FROM GOSPEL MUSIC.HA WE HAVE GOSPEL ARTISTS IN HIP HOP. WE HAVE GOSPEL ARTISTS IN, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT. ♪

>> Brown: HOW SWEET THE SOUND THOUGH WAS NOT ABOUT STARS BUT AMATEURS WHO COME TOGETHER ATT NIGHT AFTER WORK TO REHEARSE AND THEN SING AT SUNDAY SERVICES. ONE SUCH GROUP WAS THE GREATER MOUNT CALVARY MEN OF VALOR OF WASHINGTON D.C., WHO WE VISITED SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE COMPETITION AS THEY WORKEDHO TO POLISH THE HYMN "AVAILABLE TO YOU."

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TOT BRING AT THE VERY BEGINNING, OKAY?HA REHEARSE SINGING, NOT CONGREGATIONAL.

>> Brown: ELDER CORNELIUS YOUNG A CLASSICALLY TRAINED CHORALE LEADER AND A MINISTER OF MUSIC AT CHURCH PUT THIS GROUP TOGETHER JUST A YEAR AGO.

>> MY JOB, MY RESPONSIBILITYIS IS FIRST OF ALL TO TEACH THE DYNAMICS AND TO TEACH THE TECHNICAL SIDE.CH THAT'S ONE PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY. THE OTHER PART OF IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT YOU'RE SINGING BECAUSE WHEN ALL THE CHIPS FALL, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY ARE UP AND MINISTERING THE GOSPEL, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE TECHNIQUE BUTST YOU'RE CONNECTED TO THE SONG IN A WAY THAT IF YOU'RENG EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO IT, T THE SOUND IS GOING TO JUST COME OUT AUTOMATICALLY. ♪ LORD, I'M AVAILABLE TO YOU ♪

>> Brown: THE MEN OF VALOR CHOIR, IN FACT, WAS THE ONLY ALL MALE GROUP IN THE COMPETITION. MORE THAN 50 STRONG WITH A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND AGE. 19-YEAR-OLD LEON JONES, A FRESHMAN AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, IS THE YOUNGEST.N

>> BEING A GREAT SINGER, BEING EVEN IN A CHURCH CONGREGATION IT'S DISCIPLINE. THE BIBLE SAYS, YOU KNOW, OUR SPIRIT CAN BE CONTROLLED BY US. YOU KNOW, CHURCH, BEING IN THE GOSPEL CHOIR, ANYTHING, DISCIPLINE IS A MUST.

>> Brown: THE OLDEST IN THE CHOIR AT 90 IS THIS MAN WHO GREW UP IN BARBADOS.

>> I WAS BROUGHT UP VERY POOR.R MY MOTHER HAD TO... MY FATHER... MY MOTHER... I WAS TAUGHT TO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR MY REWARDS.

>> Brown: ON THE NIGHT OF THE T COMPETITION, THE MEN HELPED EACH OTHER SECURE THEIR BOWCO TIES AND BUTTON UP THEIRH CONFIDENCE. THEY THEN JOINED THE OTHER CHOIRS WAITING TO PERFORM IN WHAT CAME TO A SPONTANEOUS MOMENT OF PRAISE. FOR MARVIN SAPP, THE MEN OF VALOR ARE A ROLE MODEL.

>> MORE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THAT IN THE URBAN COMMUNITIES SO THEY CAN SEE, EVEN THOUGH WE AS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES WE GET A BAD RAP. THE ONLY TIME THEY REALLY SEEAN US ON TELEVISION OR IN THE NEWSPAPER IS WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING NEGATIVE. MY HOPE AND PRAYER IS THAT THE NEWS OR WHOEVER IT IS CAN COME AND SEE THE POSITIVE MALE MODELS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SHARING TONIGHT.

>> Brown: IN THE END, THE MENT OF VALOR WON THE HEARTS OF THEBr HOMETOWN AUDIENCE AND WON THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD IN A... AND A CHECK FOR $5,000. A

>> THE LORD! ♪ THE LORD IS HERE

>> Brown: THE AWARD FOR BEST CHURCH CHOIR IN AMERICA AND THE GRAND PRIZE OF $25,000 WENT TO THE VOICES OF DESTINYES CHOIR AND THE GREATER ZION CHURCH FAMILY IN COMPTON, T CALIFORNIA.

>> YOU PUT TIME INTO YOUR MUSIC DEPP BECAUSE YOUR MUSIC DEPARTMENT AND EVERY CHURCH MUSIC DEPARTMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT BREAKS UP THE GROUND FOR THE WORD.

>> Brown: THE EVENING CLOSED WITH ALL THE CHOIRS. AND THIS NIGHT'S CONGREGATION RAISING THEIR VOICES TOGETHER. C

>> LET ME HEAR YOU. ♪ LIVE ON TOP OF THE WORLD

>> ONE MORE TIME ♪ LET'S GET BACK TO EDEN AND LIVE ON TOP OF THE WORLD ♪ LIVE ♪

>> Ifill: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY.

>> Ifill: PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCED THE OUTLINE OF THE COMPROMISE OF REPUBLICANS THAT EXTENDS EXISTING TAX CUTS FOR T TWO YEARS. IT ALSO EXTENDS JOBLESS BENEFITS FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED FOR ANOTHER 13 MONTHS.TS THE PRESIDENT SPOKE FROM THE EYESEN HOUR EXECUTIVE OFFICEYE BILLING NEXT TO THE WHITE HOUSE A SHORT TIME AGO.

>> WITHOUT A WILLINGNESS TO GIVE ON BOTH SIDES, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS STALEMATE WON'T CONTINUE WELL INTO NEXT YEAR. THIS WOULD BE A CHILLING PROSPECT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WHOSE TAXES ARE CURRENTLYCT SCHEDULED TO GO UP ON JANUARY 1 BECAUSE OF ARRANGEMENTS THATAN WERE MADE BACK IN 2001 AND 2003 UNDER THE BUSH TAX CUTS. I AM NOT WILLING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE INAT MY OWN PARTY AND IN THE OTHER PARTY WHO WOULD RATHER PROLONG THIS BATTLE, EVEN IF WE CAN'T REACH A COMPROMISE. BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO LET WORKING FAMILIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY BECOME COLLATERAL DAMAGE FOR POLITICAL WARFARE HERE IN WASHINGTON. I'M NOT WILLING TO LET OUR ECONOMY SLIP BACKWARDS JUST AS WE'RE PULLING OURSELVES OUT OF THIS DEVASTATING RECESSION. I'M NOT WILLING TO SEE TWOV MILLION AMERICANS WHO STAND TO LOSE THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH BE PUT IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIRAT HOME OR THEIR CAR OR SUFFER SOME ADDITIONAL ECONOMICO CATASTROPHE.SO SO SYMPATHETIC AS I AM TOOP THOSE WHO PREFER A FIGHT OVER COMPROMISE, AS MUCH AS THE POLITICAL WISDOM MAY DICTATE FIGHTING OVER SOLVING PROBLEMS, IT WOULD BE THE WRONG THING TO DO.

>> Ifill: THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A 2% CUT IN SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES ON WORKERS. THE PRESIDENT MET EARLIER IN THE AFTERNOON WITH DEMOCRATS T TRYING TO OVERCOME RESISTANCE TO THE PROPOSAL.RTR AND TO HARI SREENIVASAN IN OUR NEWS ROOM FOR WHAT'S ON THE NEWSHOUR ONLINE.

>> Sreenivasan: THE GOSPEL MUSIC STORY CONTINUES ON ART BEAT, WHERE YOU CAN WATCH PERFORMANCES BY THE MEN OF VALOR AND THE WINNING CHOIR, VOICES OF DESTINY. THERE'S MORE FROM RAY'S INTERVIEW WITH FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER.D ON THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL CHECKLIST, POLITICAL EDITORM DAVID CHALIAN TALKS TO GWEN ABOUT THE TAX CUT DEBATE. PLUS, THE NEWSHOUR IS TAKING PART IN A SPECIAL TOWN HALL TOMORROW ON EDUCATION ANDOW INNOVATION. O GWEN AND I WILL MODERATE THE EVENT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE ANNN INTERVIEW WITH EDUCATIONAN SECRETARY ARNE DUNCAN.IO YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE ON THETA RUNDOWN STARTING AT 8:45 A.M. EASTERN TOMORROW MORNING. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org.

>> Ifill: AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. ON TUESDAY, WE'LL TALK TO RAY SUAREZ ABOUT HIS NEXT ASSIGNMENT: REPORTING ON GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUES IN CUBA. I'M GWEN IFILL.>>EW R

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE, AND AGAIN. HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT.SE MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

>> I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE UNIVERSE...

>> LOOKS LIKE.

>> FEELS LIKE.

>> FROM DEEP SPACE.

>> TO A MICROBE.

>> I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD BY PURSUING MY PASSION FOR SCIENCE.

>> IT REALLY IS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE.

>> I WANT TO DESIGN...

>> A BETTER SOLAR CELL.

>> I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY POSSIBLE.

>> I WANT TO BE THE FIRST TO CURE CANCER.

>> PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY THINGS WORK.

>> I WANT TO BE THAT PERSON THAT FINDS OUT WHY. INNOVATIVE YOUNG MINDS TAKING ON TOMORROW'S TOUGH CHALLENGES. CHEVRON. INVESTING IN RENEWABLE, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES. BNSF RAILWAY. AND BY THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION. SUPPORTING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL LITERACY IN THE 21st CENTURY. ND AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.A AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. F THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org