PBS NewsHour; February 8, 2010 7:00pm-8:00pm EST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Ifill: GOOD EVENING. I'M GWEN IFILL. PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLS FOR A HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: BIPARTISAN SOLUTION OR PARTY POLITICS?

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE LOOK AT THE LATEST JOCKEYING OVER POLICY AND POWER AFTER SOME CONSERVATIVES RALLIED AROUND SARAH PALIN AT THIS WEEKEND'S TEA PARTY CONVENTION.

>> Ifill: THEN, NEARLY ONE MONTH AFTER THE QUAKE HIT, A REPORT FROM HAITI ON THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.

>> Brown: AND RAY SUAREZ GETS TWO VIEWS ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO REBUILD HAITI'S GOVERNMENT.

>> Ifill: MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE: BETTY ANN BOWSER LOOKS AT ONE WAY TO CUT HEALTH CARE COSTS.

>> IN MICHIGAN THEY HAD A TWO-THIRD REDUCTION IN WITHIN A YEAR, SAVED 600 LIVES AN 2 $AM DOLLARS.

>> Brown: AND MORE THAN JUST A FOOTBALL GAME, AS NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES A SUPER BOWL VICTORY. WE PLAY FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST OURSELVES, WE PLAY FOR OUR CITY.

>> Ifill: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S PBS NEWSHOUR. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR IS PROVIDED BY:

>> WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS ENERGY. THE ENERGY TO GET THE ECONOMY HUMMING AGAIN. THE ENERGY TO TACKLE CHALLENGES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE. WHAT IF THAT ENERGY CAME FROM AN ENERGY COMPANY? EVERY DAY, CHEVRON INVESTS $62 MILLION IN PEOPLE, IN IDEAS-- SEEKING, TEACHING, BUILDING. FUELING GROWTH AROUND THE WORLD TO MOVE US ALL AHEAD. THIS IS THE POWER OF HUMAN ENERGY. CHEVRON. PACIFIC LIFE. THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, WORKING TO SOLVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD. 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.

>> Ifill: FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE WAS IN FERMENT TODAY. THAT FOLLOWED PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LATEST APPEAL FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, AND SARAH PALIN'S LATEST TURN ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.

>> IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DRAW A LINK BETWEEN THE WINTER STORM THAT PARALYZED THE NATION'S CAPITOL THIS WEEKEND AND THE CHALLENGES FACING HIS PARTY.

>> WE MAY BE MOVING FORWARD AGAINST THE PREVAILING WINDS, SOMETIMES MAYBE AGAINST A BLIZZARD. BUT WE'RE GOING TO LIVE UP TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD.

>> Reporter: THE POLITICAL BLIZZARD THE PRESIDENT TOLD LOYAL DEMOCRATS MEETING AT A WASHINGTON HOTEL ON SATURDAY WAS BEING ENGINEERED BY REPUBLICANS. THE SOLUTION, HEING SUGGESTED THE VERY NEXT DAY, WAS TO INVITE GOP LEADERS TO THE WHITE HOUSE LATER THIS MONTH TO JUMP-START A BIPARTISAN HEALTH CARE DEBATE. HE SAID THE TELEVISED MEETING PATTERNED IN PART AFTER A REPUBLICAN SESSION HE ATTENDED IN BALTIMORE WOULD SOLICIT IDEAS. GOP LEADERS SAID THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE PRESIDENT'S INVITATION BUT ANY DEBATE, THEY SUGGESTED, MUST BEGIN FROM SCRATCH. THE BEST WAY TO START ON REAL BIPARTISAN REFORM WOULD BE TO SCRAP THOSE BILLS, HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER JOHN BOEHNER SAID IN A STATEMENT.

>> THANK YOU DNC.

>> Reporter: IT WAS A BIG WEEKEND FOR POLITICAL POSITIONING AS THE PRESIDENT WAS RALLYING HIS TROOPS AND CHALLENGING REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON, A COLLECTION OF CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS WERE STIRRING THE POLITICAL POT IN NASHVILLE.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SARAH PALIN.

>> Reporter: THE STAR OF THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL TEA PARTY CONVENTION WAS 2008 VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE SARAH PALIN WHO SAID DEMOCRATS HAVE FAILED TO KEEP PROMISES.

>> HOW IS THAT HEALTHY CHANGEY STUFF WORKING OUT FOR YOU.

>> Reporter: PALIN ALSO TOLD FOX NEWS SHE HAS NOT RULED OUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012.

>> I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ABSURD TO NOT CONSIDER WHAT IT IS THAT I CAN POTENTIALLY DO TO HELP OUR COUNTRY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE EVER SEEKING A TITLE, THOUGH. IT MAY BE JUST DOING A DARN GOOD JOB.

>> Reporter: DELEGATES PAID $600 EACH TO ATTEND THE TEA PARTY MEETING. THE GOAL, ORGANIZERS SAID, IS TO RAISE MONEY AND HELP ELECT CONSERVATIVES TO CONGRESS IN 2010 AND TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2012.

>> THE TEA PARTY IS LESS DEFINED AS A GRASS ROOTS YUN RISING, A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT. IT IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY IT IS NOT THE GREEN PARTY. IT IS NOT THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY T IS FAR YOUNGER, AND FAR LESS WELL ORGANIZED THAN EITHER OF THOSE. THIS IS JUST A VERY LOOSELY AFFILIATED GROUP OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER AROUND THE IDEA THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS INTRUDED TOO FAR INTO THEIR LIVES.

>> Reporter: I'M HAPPY ABOUT TAXES, DEFICIT SPENDING AND BIG GOVERNMENT, TEA PARTY ORGANIZERS THAT HELPED CANDIDATES IN MASSACHUSETTS, FLORIDA, NEVADA AND OTHER STATES. BUT FOR NOW, PALIN IS THE CLOSEST THING THE MOVEMENT HAS TO BEING A NATIONAL POLITICAL STANDARD-BEARER.

>> I THINK SHE SPEAKS LIKE WE DO. SHE THINKS LIKE WE DO. SHE IS A DOWN TO EARTH PERSON.

>> Reporter: THE MOVEMENT'S LEADERS MADE CLEAR THEY ARE TAKING AIM AT BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

>> BOTH MAJOR PARTY, THE Ds AND THE Rs HAVE BOTH KIND OF LOCKED THEIR WAY IN SOME RESPECT WHEN THE GOP STRAYS FROM THE PLANKS AND THE PLATFORMS, A PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT LIKE THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT IS INVITED IN TO KIND OF HOLD THESE POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE AGAIN AND REMIND THEM OF THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS.

>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT'S OLIVE BRANCH STRATEGY BEGINS TOMORROW WHEN LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH PARTYS ARRIVED AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED MEETING ON THE ECONOMY. HERE TO HELP US SORT THROUGH THIS WEEKEND'S POLITICAL NEWS IS AMY WALTER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE "HOTLINE," "NATIONAL JOURNAL'S" DAILY BRIEFING ON POLITICS. LET'S TAKE THESE TWO THINGS SEPARATELY STARTING WITH THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THIS TELEVISED HEALTH CARE WHAT, NEGOTIATION? WHAT THIS CALLED.

>> I THINK IT IS A SUMMIT, VERY FOND OF THE WORD SUMMIT AT THE WHITE HOUSE THESE DAYS. AND YOU KNOW, LET'S SEE WHAT THIS TURNS OUT TO BE. OBVIOUSLY YOU SEE ALREADY REPUBLICANS SAYING WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO START MIDWAY. WE HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH. KNOWING FULL WELL THAT YOU CANNOT START FROM SCRATCH AND EXPECT TO GET ANYTHING DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE PRESIDENT TOO IN AN INTERESTING POSITION HERE AND THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING, NOW FOR A FEW WEEKS, THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE THE MIDTERM ELECTION A CHOICE ELECTION BETWEEN WHAT DEMOCRATS ARE PROPOSINGnd WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE PROPOSING AS OPPOSED TO A REFERENDUM ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> Ifill: SO THESE MEETING WHETHER IT BE TOMORROW'S MEETING, OR THIS BIG THING ON FEBRUARY 25th, I GUESS, ARE THEY REALLY ABOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM OR ARE THEY ABOUT LEAVING THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER.

>> I THINK IT IS THE LATTER. I THINK POLITICAL POSTURING AS YOU PUT IN YOUR PIECE IS PROBABLY THE BETTER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS. DEMOCRATS HOPING THAT VOTERS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE BALLOT IN 2010 AND SEE NOT A DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT FAILED TO DELIVER, BUT REPUBLICANS WHO STOOD IN THEIR WAY. THAT IS A VERY TOUGH ARGUMENT TO MAKE WHEN YOU CONTROL EVERYTHING IN WASHINGTON AND BY BIG MARGINS.

>> Ifill: BUT ON THE HEALTH CARE AT LEAST THERE IS SOME MIDDLE GROUND WHERE THEY COULD CONCEIVABLY GET SOMETHING DONE, ISN'T THERE.

>> THEORETICALLY BUT HOW MUCH TROUBLE HAVE DEMOCRATS HAD WITH THEIR OWN PARTY. I MEAN THAT HAS BEEN THE BIG PART OF IT TOO, WAS SO MUCH OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE NOT SIMPLY WITH REPUBLICANS BUT WITH DEMOCRATS. I THINK WHAT IS INTERESTING THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA IS DOING TOO IS SORT OF SETTING UP CONGRESS AS THE BAD GUY HERE, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY GOOD FOR HIS PARTY IN 20150.$C NOW FOR THE PRESIDENT TO BE ABLE TO SAY LET'S RIDE ABOVE-- RISE ABOVE THIS, LET'S GET AWAY FROM THE PARTISANSHIP AND SNIPING, WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED, IT'S GOING TO STILL BE NOT VERY PRETTY WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE. AND CONGRESS ALREADY SUFFERING FROM VERY LOW APPROVAL RATINGS. IT COULD MAKE THINGS EVEN WORSE FOR THAT PARTY, AND HIS OWN PARTY GOING INTO 2010.

>> Ifil ISN'T HE ALSO SPEAKING TO HIS OWN PARTY SAYING I HAVEN'T COMPLETELY ABANDONED HEALTH CARE.

>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT. THAT, HE IS SAYING DON'T WORRY, I'M TO THE GOING TO GIVE UP ON THIS. DEMOCRATS IN 2010 TERRIFIED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION WITHOUT ANY TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF MAJOR LEGISLATION PASSING IN THE MIDDLE OF A RECESSION. THEY SPENT ALL THIS TIME AND ENERGY ON A HEALTH-CARE BILL THAT WENT NOWHERE. THEY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN. NOW IN THE END-- IN THE END DO WE SEE THAT THE PRESIDENT REACHES OUT, REPUBLICANS SAY WE WANT ALL THESE CHANGES, THE PRESIDENT SAYS TAS'S NOT ACCEPTABLE, THEY SAY WELL, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO US, ULTIMATELY SOMETHING PASSES, THAT'S JUST A VERY MINOR FIX. DEMOCRATS ABLE TO AT LEAST SAY WE PASSED SOMETHING. IT WASN'T A TOTAL LOSS. BUT THE IDEA OF A SWEEPING CHANGE IN HEALTH CARE SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY.

>> Ifill: LET'S TALK TO SOMETHING ELSE AND FIGURE OUT IF IT IS SWEEPING AS WELL. THE POLITICAL FLIP SIDE, THE TEA PARTY CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND, WAS THIS THE BEGINNING OF MAKING THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT AN ACTUAL, REAL, COHESIVE MOVEMENT.

>> I THINK THERE IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION MADE BETWEEN A MOOD AND A MOVEMENT. THERE IS A MOOD OUT THERE THAT GOES BEYOND THIS TEA PARTY CONVENTION THAT SORT OF PERMEATED BOTH PARTIES AND INDEPENDENTS, AS WELL, WHICH IS FRUSTRATION WITH THE STATUS QUO. FRUSTRATION WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL. AND WHAT THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT HAD DONE IS BEEN ABLE TO SORT OF CAPTURE THAT, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN THE HOPES OF CHANNELING IT TO ELECTING THEIR OWN CANDIDATES OR DEPOSING CURRENT INCUMBENTS. WE HAVEN'T SEEN QUITE YET IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. THEY SAID THEY WILL PUT A PACT TOGETHER, RAISE SOMETHING LIKE $10 MILLION TO TARGET CONDITION DATAS. WE KNOW THAT ACTIVISTS SAY THAT THEY ARE GETTING INVOLVED IN CERTAIN RACES. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK FUNDAMENTALLY AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING AS THESE SO-CALLED TEA PARTY CAN DANTS YOU POINTED TO, SCOTT BROWN IN MASSACHUSETTS OR IN FLORIDA, MARCO RUBIO RUNNING AGAINST CHARLIE CRIST, THE GOVERNOR FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR SENATE, THOSE ARE ALL ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATES. SCOTT BROWN WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE FOR YEARS, MARCO RUBIO WAS AT ONE TIME THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. SO THESE ARE NOT, THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME SOMEHOW OUT OF THE ETHER. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATES WHO ARE PICKING UP ON THE MOOD AND REWORKING THEIR IDENTITY TO BE AN OUTSIDER.

>> Ifill: AND SARAH PALIN WAS TO THE ONLY THE GOVERNOR OF A BIG STATE, AS SHE LIKES TO POINT OUT BUT ALSO THE PARTY'S VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE WHICH DOESN'T MAKE HER AN OUTSIDER.

>> RIT.

>> Ifill: BUT DOES SHE GET TO BE THE LEADER OF THE MOVEMENT ANYWAY.

>> AND THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN 2010. WHAT WE ARE SEEING ARE CANDIDATES WHO ARE RECOGNIZING THE MOOD AND THOSE CANDIDATES WHO AREN'T. SO IF YOU RECOGNIZE THE MOOD EARLY AND GRAB THAT CHANGE MANTLE, THAT OUTSIDER MANTLE EVEN IF YOU WERE AN INSIDER, YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE YOURSELF LOOK LIKE AN OUTSIDER. GOVERNOR RICK PERRY IN TEXAS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE. HE HAS BEEN THE LONGEST SERVING GOVERNOR IN TEXAS HISTORY. HE IS RUNNING AS THE OUTSIDER IN HIS RE-ELECTION RACE BECAUSE HIS OPPONENT IN THE PRIMARY IS A SITTING UNITED STATES SENATOR. AND IT IS MAKING WASHINGTON THE BAD GUY AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW-- .

>> Ifill: THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING WASHINGTON THE BAD GUY WHICH IS PRETTY EASY TO DO. BUT DOES THIS MEAN THAT SAR-- DOES IT MATTER, EVEN, WHETHER SARAH PALIN IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OR NOT OR IS IT JUST THE PLATFORM EVERYBODY WANTS TO CLIMB ON TO RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, FOR HER SAKE, IT DOES MATTER THAT SHE LEAVES THAT IMPRESSION OUT THERE THAT SHE IS LOOKING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT.

>> Ifill: BECAUSE.

>> BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO NEXT, WHETHER SHE RUNS OR NOT, SHE HAS A PRETTY GOOD GIG GOING. I MEAN SHE IS STILL BRINGING IN LOTS OF ATTENTION TO HERSELF. SHE HAS HER OWN ANALYSIS NOW, I GUESS, SLOT ON FOX NEWS. SHE IS ABLE TO BRING IN A LOT IN SPEAKING FEES. SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IF SHE IS SEEN AS SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN RUNNING AGAIN. PEOPLE WANT TO SEE WHAT SHE DOES AND WANT TO SEE WHAT SHE SAYS. NOW WHETHER OR NOT SHE IS ABLE TO TRANSLATE THIS SUPPORT SHE'S GETTING INTO TANGIBLE SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO 2012, IE, IS SHE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE CAUCUSES, IS SHE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RAISE MONEY, IS SHE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT SORT OF GRASS ROOTS STUFF THAT YOU NEED TO DO, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER QUESTION AIZ.

>> Ifill: AMY WALTER AS ALWAYS YOU CLEAR THINGS UP, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> AN STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, HAITI AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, CHECKING FOR SAFETY IN THE OPERATING ROOM AND CELEBRATING A BIG WIN IN THE BIG EASY.

>> BUT FIRST THE OTHER YOU NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN IN OUR NEWSROOM.

>> Sreenivasan: VETERAN CONGRESSMAN JOHN MURTHA DIED TODAY AT A HOSPITAL IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. HE HAD COMPLICATIONS FROM GALL BLADDER SURGERY. THE PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRAT WAS A MARINE CORPS OFFICER IN VIETNAM, AND WAS KNOWN AS A DEMOCRATIC HAWK. BUT IN NOVEMBER OF 2005, HE DEMANDED PRESIDENT BUSH WITHDRAW U.S. TROOPS FROM IRAQ.

>> THIS IS A FLAWED POLICY, WRAPPED IN AN ILLUSION! AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC KNOWS IT. AND LASHING OUT AT CRITICS DOESN'T HELP A BIT. YOU'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE POLICY. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HELP THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE NEED TO CHANGE DIRECTION.

>> Sreenivasan: MURTHA HAD BEEN IN THE HOUSE SINCE 1974, AND WAS SCRUTINIZED A NUMBER OF TIMES OVER ETHICAL QUESTIONS. HE WAS 77 YEARS OLD. THE NATION'S CAPITAL AND THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WERE STILL SNOWBOUND TODAY IN THE WAKE OF THE WEEKEND BLIZZARD. THE SNOW CLOSED DOWN GOVERNMENT, SCHOOLS, AND ROADS, AND FORECASTERS PREDICTED EVEN MORE SNOW SOON. ACROSS THE REGION PEOPLE LABORED TO DIG OUT N SOMEPLACES UP TO THREE FEET OF SNOW. NEARLY 100,000 POWER CUSTOMERS WERE STILL IN THE DARK. AND UTILITY COMPANIES WARNED IT COULD BE DAYS BEFORE ELECTRICITY IS FULLY RESTORED. IN WASHINGTON ALONE FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT EMPLOY NEARLY 230,000 PEOPLE WERE CLOSED AS MANY ROADS REMAINED DIFFICULT IF NOT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

>> THE DISTRICT DIDN'T REALLY HANDLE THIS VERY WELL. I MEN THEY DIDN'T CLEAN ANY OF THE STREETS. HAVEN'T SEEN ANY TRUCKS ON MY STREET.

>> I'M FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE SO THIS IS NOTHING. BUT OCTOBER VEYSLY THE DAMAGE, SO THE CITY HAS TO GET ITSELF BACK ON ITS FEET.

>> Reporter: WASHINGTON D.C. MAYOR ADD RECENT FENTY SAID THE CITY WAS TRYING TO DO JUST THAT AND LIKE OFFICIALS ACROSS MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA, HE URGED PATIENCE.

>> EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HAD SUN A THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS NOT A LOT OF PACES THE SNOW COULD GO. AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL THOSE ISSUESMENT BUT MAKING NO EXCUSE TO TRYING TO GET THE CITY OPEN AND RUNNING, AS QUICKLY AND FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

>> Reporter: JUST HOW QUICKLY THAT HAPPENS WAS CRITICAL FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AS SCHOOLS REMAINED CLOSED AT LEAST THROUGH TUESDAY. BUT MAJOR AIRPORTS RESUMED FLIGHTS ON A LIMITED BASIS. AMTRAK ALSO RESTORED TRAIN SERVICE WITH DELAYS. AND WASHINGTON SUBWAY SYSTEM WAS OPERATED IN A LIMITED CAPACITY, ABOVEGROUND SERVICE FOR THE METRO WAS SUSPENDED. IN THE MEANTIME, A NEW WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT WITH AS MUCH AS A FOOT OR MORE OF NEW SNOW EXPECTED TO BEGIN FALLING TOMORROW. WASHINGTON HAS HAD NEARLY 45 INCHES OF SNOW THIS WINTER, JUST NINE SHORT OF THE RECORD SET IN 1899. AND PHILADELPHIA MAY BREAK ITS RECORD THIS WEEK GOING BACK TO 1884. IN CONTRAST, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SNOW IN VANCOUVER, CANADA, WHERE THE WINTER OLYMPICS ARE SET TO OPEN ON FRIDAY. WORKERS HAVE BEEN USING HELICOPTERS AND TRUCKS TO HAUL SNOW TO THE SITES OF SKIING AND SNOWBOARD COMPETITIONS. AN AVALANCHE KILLED AT LEAST 17 INDIAN SOLDIERS TODAY AT A TRAINING CENTER IN THE PART OF KASHMIR CONTROLLED BY INDIA. 17 OTHER SOLDIERS WERE CRITICALLY WOUNDED. THEY'D BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF SKI TRAINING EXERCISES ON THE HIMALAYAN SLOPES WHEN THE MASS OF SNOW AND ICE SWEPT THEM AWAY. MORE THAN 50 OFFICERS WERE RESCUED SIX HOURS AFTER THE AVALANCHE. IN UKRAINE, THE OPPOSITION LEADER CLAIMED A NARROW VICTORY IN SUNDAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. VIKTOR YANUKOVICH TOOK A PRO- RUSSIAN STANCE AGAINST THE PRO- WESTERN GOVERNMENT. HIS OPPONENT, PRIME MINISTER YULIA TYMOSHENKO, CHARGED ELECTION FRAUD, AND THREATENED TO CALL OUT SUPPORTERS. IN 2004, THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE RESULTS WERE THROWN OUT AFTER YANUKOVICH INITIALLY WON. BUT INTERNATIONAL MONITORS SAID THIS YEAR'S ELECTION WAS AN "IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY" OF DEMOCRACY. IRAN MAY HAVE MOVED CLOSER TO BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE A NUCLEAR WARHEAD. THE COUNTRY'S TOP NUCLEAR ENVOY SAID TODAY IRAN WILL BEGIN ENRICHING URANIUM TO HIGHER LEVELS. HE INSISTED IT'S ONLY TO PROVIDE FUEL FOR RESEARCH, NOT FOR WEAPONS. IN RESPONSE, THE U.S. AND FRANCE SAID IT'S TIME TO PURSUE NEW SANCTIONS. DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SPOKE IN PARIS.

>> IF IRAN CONTINUES AND DEVELOPS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, IT ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL PROVOKE NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THIS IS A HUGE DANGER. THE KEY IS PERSUADING THE IRANIAN LEADERS THAT THEIR LONG-TERM BEST INTERESTS ARE BEST SERVED BY NOT HAVING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

>> Sreenivasan: ON ANOTHER FRONT, THE U.S. AND THE EUROPEAN UNION ALSO URGED IRAN TODAY TO LIVE UP TO ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS. THERE IS FEAR OF ANOTHER GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN LATER THIS WEEK, MARKING THE FOUNDING OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC. THE DEATH TOLL FROM AN EXPLOSION AT A CONNECTICUT POWER PLANT SITE SHOULD STAND AT FIVE. THAT WAS THE WORD TODAY FROM STATE AUTHORITIES ON THE SCENE IN MIDDLETOWN. THE BLAST ERUPTED AS WORKERS WERE TESTING NATURAL GAS LINES, BUT THE EXACT CAUSE REMAINED UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE POWER PLANT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WALL STREET TOOK ANOTHER HIT TODAY OVER NEW FEARS ABOUT RISING DEBT IN EUROPE. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST 103 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 9908, ITS FIRST CLOSE BELOW 10,000 SINCE NOVEMBER. THE NASDAQ FELL 15 POINTS TO FINISH AT 2126. THE FORMER BOSS AT MERRILL-LYNCH WILL BE THE NEW CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT C.I.T. GROUP. JOHN THAIN ORGANIZED THE SALE OF MERRILL LYNCH TO BANK OF AMERICA IN LATE 2008. LATER, HE WAS FORCED OUT OVER BONUS PAYMENTS TO EMPLOYEES AND LAVISH RENOVATIONS TO HIS OFFICE. C.I.T. IS A MAJOR LENDER TO SMALL- AND MID-SIZED COMPANIES. IT RECENTLY EMERGED FROM BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATION. MICHAEL JACKSON'S PERSONAL PHYSICIAN WAS CHARGED TODAY WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER. DR. CONRAD MURRAY IS A CARDIOLOGIST. HE WAS WITH JACKSON WHEN THE POP STAR DIED LAST JUNE. PROSECUTORS SAID MURRAY ACTED IMPROPERLY BY GIVING JACKSON POWERFUL SEDATIVES TO HELP HIM SLEEP.

>> THE DOCTOR PLED NOT GUILTY AT A COURT APPEARANCE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAIN STORIES. I'LL BE BACK AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM WITH A PREVIEW OF WHAT YOU'LL FIND TONIGHT ON THE NEWSHOUR'S WEB SITE. BUT FOR NOW, BACK TO JEFF.

>> Brown: NEARLY FOUR WEEKS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK, AID GROUPS HAVE LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO VACCINATE MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE AGAINST MEASLES, DIPHTHERIA, AND TETANUS. BUT MANY QUAKE VICTIMS STILL AREN'T RECEIVING ENOUGH FOOD AND OTHER AID. EMMA MURPHY OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS UPDATES THE STORY FROM PORT-AU-PRINCE.

>> RISK THEIR LIVES THEY SKAFF AGE ON RUBBLE FILLED TRUCKS. IT IS THE STEEL FROM DESTROYED BUILDINGS A TREASURE TO BE FOUGHT OVER. WE TWO MEN DO BATTLE, ROCK AND KNIFE IN HAND. THEY HAVE LOST SO MUCH. THEY CAN'T BARE TO LOSE ANY MORE. FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVED WHAT A LIFE IS LEFT TO NEED, 2 MILLION DISPLACED IN MAKESHIFT CAMPS. ALREADY SOME OF THE INJURED ARE BACK IN THEIR SHACKS AS EVERYONE TRIES TO ADJUST TO THEIR NEW EXISTENCE. AID IS GETTING THROUGH BUT IT'S SLOW. THIS WOMAN SHOWS US THE BAG OF RICE SHE HAS TO FEED THREE FAMILIES. IT'S ONLY JUST ARRIVED. IN THE SAME CAMP OTHERS HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING. THEY ARE HUNGRY AND DESPERATE FOR HELP. THIS WOMAN'S GRANDCHILD IS NOW ANEMIC AND VERY WEAK. THERE IS FOOD ON THE STREET BUT IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MOST SO THEY CUE FOR HOURS FOR HAND OUTS.

>> NO ONE IS MORE FRUSTRATED THAN OURSELVES THAT WE FACE SUCH MASSIVE CHALLENGES IN GETTING FOOD OUT. BUT WE ARE MOVING THAT FOOD NOW. WE ARE LOOKING TO GET UP TO 160,000 PEOPLE A DAY AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO THAT NOW.

>> THESE ARE THE ELDERLY PEOPLE ITV REPORTED AFTER THE EARTH QA QUAKE. THEY ARE SETTLED IN AID TENTS BUT WHAT A WAY TO SPEND YOUR LATTER YEARS, FRIGHTENED, DISPLACED, DISORIENTATED. THE MANY ARE TRYING TO JOSTLE FOR POSITION AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE FOR A PASSPORT OUT. THE STREET SIGNS SAY ALL, WRITTEN FOR ENGLISH FOR THE WESTERN WORLD TO UNDERSTAND.

>> AND RAY SUAREZ CONTINUES OUR HAITI COVERAGE WITH A LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS REBUILDING EFFORTS.

>> Suarez: FOR THAT WE GET TWO FEW, WE HAVE AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IN St. LOUIS. BORN AND RAISED IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, HE IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE POLICY CENTER AT THE RAND CORPORATION, A CAREER DIPLOMAT UNTIL 20023, HE SERVED AS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO HAITI IN THE MID 1990s. PROFESSOR, THERE IS A GROUP OF ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE WHO CALL THEMSELVES THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI. ARE THEY IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY. AND WHAT SHOULD THEY BE DOING IN THE NEAR TERM?

>> WELL, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF HAITI IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY. BUT CERTAINLY THERE NEEDS TO BE HAITIANS IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY. IT'S VERY CLEAR FROM WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE THAT THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT IS UNABLE TO FUNCTION FOR UNDERSTANDABLE REASONS. THE STRUCTURES OF THE HAITIAN STATE WERE DESTROYED. BUT EVEN BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE HAITI WAS KNOWN AS A FRAGILE AND LESS ADMITTED FAILED CITY. THE DESTRUCTION OF JANUARY 12th, 2010, WAS CERTAINLY CAUSED BY NATURE, BUT THE SCALE OF THE DESTRUCTION SPEAKS TO GENERATIONS, IF NOT CENTURIES OF INEFFECTUAL GOVERNMENT. SO THEREFORE MORE THAN EVER HAITI NOW NEEDS A WORKING GOVERNMENT.

>> Suarez: AMBASSADOR, HOW DO YOU DO THAT, MIX THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE. I MEAN THERE IS AN ELECTED SET OF OFFICE HOLDERS THERE, WITH THE NEED TO COORDINATE MASSIVE AID INFLOWS AND THE NEED TO GETGOING RIGHT AWAY.

>> WELL, I THINK YOU HAVE TO SEPARATE THE HUMANITARIAN PHASE FROM THE RECONSTRUCTION PHASE, AT LEAST INTELLECTUALLY. THE HUMANITARIAN IS SOMETHING FOREIGNERS WILL DO FOR HAITIANS. HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CONVERGED ON HAITI AND ARE PROVIDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF FOOD, MEDICINE, SHELTER AND WATER. BUT THE RECONSTRUCTION PHASE IS ONE THAT HAS TO BE DONE WITH A MUCH STRONGER HAITIAN PARTICIPATION. THERE HAS BEEN A NATION-BUILDING OPERATION UNDER WAY IN HAITI SINCE 2004. AND SO THERE IS A PREEXISTING SET oPUQ#ORMS THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING IMPLEMENTED. AND THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL STRUCTURE, A U.N. PEACEKEEPING COURSE, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL WHOSE'S THE MOST SENIOR INTERNATIONAL OFFICIAL ON THE ISLAND. AND NOW WE HAVE A MUCH GREATER AMERICAN ROLE, PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT. THIS ALL HAS TO BE ACCORD NIGHTED AND-- ALL HAS TO BE COORDINATED AND THE FOCUS OF THE EFFORT HAS TO BE NOT JUST IN BRICK AND MORTAR AN CONSTRUCTION BUT IN INSTITUTIONAL RECONSTRUCTION SO THAT IN THE END WE HAVE A STRONGER HAITIAN GOVERNMENT. SO IN THE END THE REAL RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS A PROJECT IN STATE BUILDING.

>> Suarez: WHEN I WAS IN HAITI RECENTLY, AMBA AMBAC-- AMBASSADOR, THE PRESIDENT TOLD ME THAT THOSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WHO HAD FLED TO THE COUNTRYSIDE, MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF THEY STAYED THERE. ANOTHER MINISTER MENTIONED PLACES IN THE CAPITOL THAT SHOULD NOT BE REBUILT TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM COMING BACK. BUT IS THERE ANY LOCAL HAITIAN AUTHORITY THAT CAN MAKE EITHER OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN?

>> WELL, THERE'S A U.N. PEACEKEEPING FORCE OF ABOUT 10,000 TROOPS AND THAT'S BEING INCREASED. THERE ARE A COUPLE THOUSAND U.N. POLICEMEN. THERE ARE ABOUT 8 OR 9,000 HAITIAN POLICEMEN WHO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TRAINED AND ARE ACTUALLY DOING RATHER WELL BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES. BUT TO THE EXTENT THEY CAN WORK WITH HAITIAN AUTHORITIES TO, FOR INSTANCE, SEGREGATE AREAS OF THE CITY WHICH SHOULDN'T BE REPOPULATED UNTIL THEY CAN BE REBUILT, GUIDE PEOPLE TO THE PROPER AREAS TO SET UP TRANSIENT CAMPS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THEY SHOULD DO SO. I DO THINK THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ROLE NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED. THE SECRETARY-GENERAL'S REPRESENTATIVE NEEDS TO BE GIVEN A GREATER AUTHORITY THAN HE HAS HAD IN THE PAST. BUT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T BUILD A HAITIAN STATE BY STARTING OFF IGNORING THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT. THERE HAS TO BE SOME EFFORT TO ENGAGE IT, TO SUPPORT IT, AND PROGRESSIVELY TO PUT RESOURCES THROUGH IT RATHER THAN DIRECTLY USING AMERICAN OR FOREIGN NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.

>> Suarez: PROFESSOR, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO YOU PUT ENOUGH HAITIAN AUTHORITY AND A HAITIAN FACE ON THE IDENTITY OF A RECONSTRUCTION AND AT THE SAME TIME GIVE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THE CHANCE TO GET IN THERE AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

>> WELL, I HAVE ARGUED FOR A JOINT TRUST. NOW I REALIZE THAT THE WORD TRUST HAS A BAD HISTORY. BUT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP AMONG THE UNITED NATIONS, HAITIANS, AND WHAT I WOULD CALL A HAITI RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY. SO THIS WOULD REALLY BE A JOINT EFFORT BECAUSE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE HAITIANS THEMSELVES. BECAUSE INSIDE HAITI THE RESOURCES ARE SIMPLY NOT THERE. SO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ALONG WITH HAITIANS WILL HAVE TO COOPERATE IF HAITI IS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED.

>> Suarez: WELL, PROFESSOR IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WORKING IN THE RECENT PAST, THAT THE WORLD CAN LOOK TO AS SORT OF A TOOL KIT, A MODEL FOR WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING FOR HAITI?

>> WELL, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN INDONESIA COULD BE A GUIDE. THERE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AREA. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT WAS NOT LEFT STANDING ON THE SIDELINE. NOW I REALIZE THAT IN INDONESIA THE CENTRAL STATE WAS NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE TSUNAMI. SO IT WAS LEFT STANDING. BUT NEVERTHELESS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CLOSEST EXAMPLES OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION THAT MIGHT BE APPLICABLE TO THE HAITIAN MILIEU.

>> Suarez: HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO YOU, A HAITIAN RECONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY?

>> I THINK THAT-- I THINK SOME IMAGINATION SHOULD BE USED TO CONSTRUCT AN INTERNATIONAL HAITIAN PARTNERSHIP UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. I WOULD POINT OUT, THOUGH, THAT WHILE HAITI IS PROBABLY SUFFERED THE MOST MASSIVE NATURAL DISASTER IN RECENT MEMORY ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, THERE ARE OTHER STATES THAT THE U.N. AND THE NATURAL COMMUNITY HAVE HELPED PULL BACK FROM FAILURE THAT WERE IN EVEN WORSE SHAPE THAN HAITI, CIBER YA, SIERRA LEONE, BOTH HAD DECADES-LONG CIVIL WARS. THEY ARE EVEN POORE-- POORER THAN HAITI, HAD EVEN LESS COMPETENT GOVERNMENTS THAN HAITI AND THEY HAVE BOTH BEEN PULLED BACK FROM THE BRINK AND BOTH HAVE FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENTS AT THE MOMENT. SO THERE IS A HISTORY AND A SET OF TECHNIQUES THAT CAN HELP IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION. AND I THINK THAT THE EXTRA RESOURCES THAT HAITI IS NOW GOING TO HAVE, AND THE FACT THAT THE HAITIAN SYSTEM HAS BEEN SO SHOCKED, SO DEVASTATED MAY MAKE IT EASIER TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THESE REFORMS THAN HAD BEEN THE CASE PREVIOUSLY.

>> Suarez: PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FIVE, TEN AND TWENTYY YEARS. PROFESSOR, QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO, DOES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAVE ENOUGH OF AN ATTENTION SPAN WITH HAITI TO BE INVOLVED FOR THAT LONG?

>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, RAY. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. I THINK, I'VE WRITTEN ELSEWHERE THAT THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI WHICH SHOULD NOT BE ONLY TO PORT-AU-PRINCE, BY THE WAY. RURAL HAITI NEEDS AS MUCH RECONSTRUCTION AS PORT-AU-PRINCE. THAT EFFORT WILL TAKE AT LEAST A GENERATION OR 20 YEARS. I'M NOT SURE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL BE WILLING TO STAY THE COURSE. I HOPE THAT IT DOES.

>> Suarez: PROFESSOR, MR. AMBASSADOR, THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ifill: NEXT, A SIMPLE FIX FOR CUTTING HEALTH CARE COSTS AND SAVING LIVES. NEWSHOUR HEALTH CORRESPONDENT BETTY ANN BOWSER EXPLAINS.

>> HE NO KNOWN DRUG ALLERGIES,.

>> Reporter: A 50-YEAR-OLD MAN IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO EMERGENCY SURGERY AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL IF BOSTON FOR A DANGEROUS INFECTION IN AN ARTERY IN HIS LEG.

>> BIG BREATHS, IN AND OUT. THAT'S GREAT.

>> Reporter: HE'S SURROUNDED BY TECHNOLOGY AND HIGHLY SKILLED DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO SPENT YEARS TRAINING FOR THEIR PROFESSION.

>> DOING GREAT.

>> Reporter: BUT THEY'RE ABOUT TO EMPLOY SOMETHING BREATHTAKINGLY SIMPLE TO MAKE SURE MR. WOLF HAS A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME. IT'S A CHECKLIST OF 19 POINTS INCLUDING MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IN THE OR INTRODUCES THEMSELVES.

>> ED, SURGEON.

>> NEIL --

>> SURGERY RESIDENT.

>> MY NAME IS ANEE,.

>> I'M THE ATTENDING ANESTHESIOLOGIST.

>> THIS GENTLEMAN WE'RE PERFORMING AN EXCISION OF AN INFECTED FEMORAL BYPASS GRAFT TODAY. WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ANY NECESSARY EQUIPMENT, LOOKS GOOD. IRRIGATION, A LOT OF ANTI-BIOTIC IRGRATION. WE HAVE AN ULTRASOUND IN CASE WE NEED IT.

>> Reporter: WATCHING ALL OF THIS WAS BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND GENERAL SURGEON AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S DR. GAWANDAY.

>> I NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS THOUGHT I WOULD BE WRITING A BOOK ABOUT CHECKLISTS.

>> Reporter: BUT THAT IS WHAT HIS NEW BOOK, THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO, HOW TO GET THINGS RIGHT, IS ABOUT. IT GREW OUT OF WORK HE DID FOR THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHICH ASKED HIM TO HELP THEM FIND A WAY TO REDUCE DEATHS IN SURGERY.

>> THAT WAS WHEN WE CAME ACROSS THE IDEA. WE KNEW WE HAD TECHNOLOGY AND INCREDIBLE LEVELS OF TRAINING. PEOPLE WORKING UNBELIEVABLY HARD. BUT WE HAVE MORE THAN 100,000 DEATHS JUST IN THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWING SURGERY. HALF ARE AVOIDABLE FROM OUR STUDIES. WHAT COULD WE DO. WE HAVE FOUND THIS IDEA, THIS EXTRA TOOL THAT OTHERS WERE USING IN AVIATION, IN SKYSCRAPER CONSTRUCTION. AND THOUGHT WELL, LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.

>> Reporter: AFTER MONTHS OF RESEARCH, IN 2008, HE AND HIS TEAM CREATED THE SURGICAL SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR THE WHO.

>> WE HAVE A PAUSE BEFORE THE ANESTHESIA IS GIVEN, AND ANOTHER PAUSE BEFORE THE INCISION, AND THEN A PAUSE BEFORE THE PATIENT LEAVES THE ROOM. WE TIMED IT TO KEP IT LESS THAN 2 MINUTES IN A ROUTINE OPERATION. AND WE HAD, IN ORDER TO KEEP IT SHORT IT MEANT THERE WERE SOME VERY SIMPLE CHECKS. SOME DUMB STUFF, MAKE SURE AN ANT BITEIC WAS GIVEN, MAKE SURE BLOOD WAS AVAILABLE AND SOME INTERESTING THINGS WHICH WERE MUCH MORE ABOUT HAVING A TEAM PREPARE FOR HANDLING THE COMPLEXITIES.

>> Reporter: IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT SOME OF THE DUMB STUFF DOESN'T ALWAYS GET DONE PRIOR TO SURGERY. AND GAWANDA SAYS THAT IS ONE REASON THERE ARE SO MANY PREVENTABLE COMPLICATIONS.

>> WHEN WE DEPLOYED IT IN 8 HOSPITALS AROUND THE WORLD, AND THEY RANGE FROM SEATTLE, LONDON, TORONTO, TO POOR SETTINGS, RURAL TANZ ANIA, EACH HOSPITAL HAD A REDUCTION IN COMPLICATIONS. THE AVERAGE REDUCTION WAS MORE THAN A THIRD. AND WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN DEATHS AS WELL.

>> Reporter: AND IT DIDN'T MATTER IF THE HOSPITAL WAS RICH OR POOR. HE ARGUES THE SIMPLE CHECKLIST IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IN TODAY'S HIGH-TECH COMPLEX MEDICAL WORLD THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THE HUMAN MIND TO REMEMBER.

>> FAIRLY STANDARD TO USE A PROSTHETIC FOR THIS PORTION OF THE PROCEDURE AND SAVE VEINS FOR LATER.

>> YOU CAN TAKE TWO LESSONS OUT OF THIS. ONE IS YOU CAN SAY ISN'T IT TERRIBLE HOW THINGS GO WRONG. BUT I THINK THE DEEPER LESSON IS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE WORLD IN MEDICINE AND BEYOND HAS BEGUN TO ECLIPSE OUR ABILITIES NO MATTER HOW WELL TRAINED WE ARE. WE TEACH MEDICAL STUDENTS HERE'S ALL THE STUFF IN THIS TEXTBOOK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IN YOUR BRAIN. WE DON'T TEACH THEM, GUESS WHAT, THERE IS GOING TO COME A MOMENT WHERE IT'S NOT IN YOUR BRAIN. AND SOMEONE'S LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS STUDIES SHOW 60% OF PNEUMONIAS IN AMERICA GET INCOMPLETE OR INAPPROPRIATE CARE. AND THAT IS THE SAME FOR 40% OF ALL CASES OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.

>> I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE BAD DOCTORS OR BAD NURSES. WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT DRUGS. BUT MAKING ALL OF THE STEPS COME TOGETHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT NOTHING FALLS BETWEEN THE CRACKS, WE'RE NOT GREAT AT THAT.

>> Reporter: WE INTERVIEWED HIM IN AN OPERATING ROOM AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN WHERE WE WERE REQUIRED TO WEAR SCRUBS AND HAIR COVERING.

>> WHEN I GOT THROUGH READING THIS BOOK, I CAME AWAY WITH AN OVERWHELMING FEELING THAT HOSPITALS ARE REALLY SCARY PLACE ITS.

>> YEAH. THEY ARE SCARY PLACES. WE ARE DEPLOYING 6,000 DRUGS AND 4,000 MEDICAL AND SURGICAL PROCEDURES. AND THOSE NUMBERS GROW YEAR-TO-YEAR. I STARTED USING THE SURGERY CHECKLIST APPROACH OF THINGS IN MY OPERATIONS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. WE ARE AT HARVARD. DID I THINK WE NEEDED THIS? NO. AND I FOUND I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THROUGH A WEEK WITHOUT THE CHECKLIST CATCHING THINGS THAT MADE US BETTER. AN ANTI-BIOTIC THAT WASN'T GIVEN, BLOOD THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE. I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE PATIENT WHERE I'M CERTAIN IT SAVED MY PATIENT'S LIFE. IT WAS AN OPERATION TO REMOVE A TUMOR THAT WAS IN HIS A DRENAL GLAND, STUCK UP AGAINST HIS VENA KAVA, THE MAIN BLOOD VESSEL GOING BACK TO THE HEART. AND I MADE THE WRONG MOVE TRYING TO GET IT OUT AND I TORE INTO THE VENA KAVA. IT IS A DISASTROUS THING TO HAPPEN, PROBABLY THE WORST CASE I HAVE HAD. LOST HIS ENTIRE BLOOD VOLUME IN ABOUT 60 SECONDS.

>> Reporter: BUT HE SAID BECAUSE THEY HAD GONE THROUGH THE CHECKLIST THERE WAS PLENTY OF BLOOD IN THE ORAND EQUIPMENT TO DELIVER IT QUICKLY SO THE PATIENT SURVIVED. AND IN PATIENT WOLF'S CASE, THE CHECKLIST HELPED THE OPERATING ROOM STAFF REALIZE THERE WERE TWO PIECES OF CRITICAL EQUIPMENT THE SURGEON NEEDED AND WERE NOT ON HAND. SO THEY GOT THEM BEFORE SURGERY BEGAN. THE DOCTOR SAYS THE CHECKLIST NOT ONLY SAVES LIVES IN THE OR, IT HAS ALSO LOWERED COMPLICATIONS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS.

>> IN MICHIGAN WHEN THE, EVERY HOSPITAL THERE ADOPTED A CLEANLINESS CHECKLIST TO KEEP INFECTED LINES FROM HAPPENING, THEY HAD A TWO-THIRDS REDUCTION IN INFECTIONS WITHIN A YEAR. THEY SAVED MORE THAN 1500 LIVES, AND MORE THAN 200 MILLION DOLLARS. SPREADING THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MULTIPLIES THAT BY 50 FOLD.

>> Reporter: IN A NATION WHERE HEALTH-CARE COSTS ARE GOING UP FASTER THAN INFLATION, HE SAYS THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. CURRENTLY THE CHECKLIST IS EMPLOYED IN LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF U.S. HOSPITALS.

>> IS YOUR BELLY GETTING MORE BLOATED.

>> YES.

>> Reporter: AND HE SAYS THERE HAS BEEN SOME RESISTENCE TO IT FROM THOSE IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

>> OUR SURVEYS SHOW ABOUT 20% OF SURGEONS THINK IT'S A WASTE OF TIME. THAT IT CAN GET IN THE WAY. THEY HAVE HAD THEIR WAYS OF DOING THINGS THAT HAVE WORKED PERFECTLY WELL. WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE SHOULD WORK ON IMPROVING THINGS. BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST INTERESTING, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TRIED IT, 80% FIND IN OUR SURVEYS THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GLAD TO HAVE IT. THEY WOULDN'T GO BACK TO DOING IT ANY OTHER WAY.

>> Reporter: WITH THE FATE OF HEALTH-CARE REFORM LEGISLATION UP IN THE AIR, THE DOCTOR THINKS IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUSH FOR WIDER USE OF THE CHECKLIST. BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COST MUCH TO IMPLEMENT, AND BECAUSE HE SAYS IT WORKS.

>> Brown: LAST NIGHT'S SUPER BOWL DREW THE LARGEST AUDIENCE IN TELEVISION HISTORY, 106 MILLION PEOPLE. AND WHY NOT? IT WAS EXCITING FOOTBALL, AND A GREAT STORY LINE FOR A CITY STILL STRUGGLING TO GET BACK ON ITS FEET.

>> Reporter: IT WAS MORE THAN A WEEK BEFORE MARDI GRAS BUT NEW ORLEANS PARTY MOOD THE WEE HOURS LAST NIGHT AFTER THE CITY'S BELOVED SAINTS BEAT THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 31-17. IT WAS THE FRANCHISE'S FIRST SUPER BOWL TITLE SINCE ITS FOUNDING 43 YEARS AGO. AND THE CITY'S FIRST MAJOR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP EVER. QUARTERBACK DREW BREES WAS THE GAME'S MOST VAL YOU BELIEVE PLAYER.

>> WE PLAYED FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST OURSELVES. WE PLAYED FOR OUR CITY.

>> Reporter: DOWN 10-0, THE SAINTS STAGED A NO-HOLDS BAR COMEBACK INCLUDING A SURPRISE ONSIDE KICK THAT GAVE THEM MOMENTUM TO START THE SECOND HALF. THEY SEALED THE WIN LATE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WHEN THERE WAS AN INTERCEPTION RETURNED 74 YARDS FOR THE FINAL SCORE. AS THE CELEBRATION ERUPTED ON NEW ORLEANS FAMED BOURBON STREET, COMPARISONS WITH THE CITY'S OWN COMEBACK WERE INEVITABLE.

>> WE LOVE THIS CITY. TAKE IT.

>> Reporter: IT'S BEEN FOUR AND A HALF YEARS SINCE HURRICANE KATRINA DEVASTATED HUGE SWATHES OF THE CITY. THE STORM TORE PARTS OF THE ROOF OFF THE SUPERDOME WHERE THE SAINTS PLAYED THEIR HOME GAMES AND FLOOD VICTIMS CAMPED THERE FOR DAYS. SINCE THEN HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON HAS DIRECTED NEW ORLEANSS TO A DIVISION TITLE IN 2006 AND NOW THE LOMBARDI TROPHY, THE SYMBOL OF THE NFL CHAMPIONSHIP. THE SAINTS RETURNED HOME THIS AFTERNOON TO A CHEERING AIRPORT CROWD, TOMORROW THE CITY TURNS OUT FOR A VICTORY PARADE. AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE CITY AND ITS SAINTS, GARLAND ROBINETTE, HOST OF THE "THINK TANK," A CALL-IN, TALK SHOW ON WWL RADIO IN NEW ORLEANS. AND BRIANLLEE-WALSH, A WRITER AND COLUMNIST FOR neworleans.com. HE'S BEEN COVERING THE SAINTS FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. WELL, GARLAND ROBINETTE, YOU AND YOUR LISS HE OWNERS WERE PART OF THE SELL BRAIG. YOU CAN GIVE US A TASTE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE THERE NOW.

>> I WASN'T AROUND FOR THE CELEBRATION AFTER THE END OF WORLD WAR II BUT I THINK THIS ONE WAS BIGGER.

>> Reporter: TELL US, WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE STREETS?

>> IT'S A REVIVAL THAT IS REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE, RIGHT BEFORE WE CAME ON THE AIR HERE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SAINTS HAD LANDED. AND THEY HAD COME OUT OF THE AIRPORT. AND THEY ARE WAITING FOR A CROWD ESTIMATED TO BE OVER 100,000. GIVES YOU AN IDEA HOW INTENSE THE FEELINGS ARE HERE.

>> Reporter: WELL, GARLAND, EXPLAIN THAT FOR THOSE ON THE OUTSIDE. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SAINTS FOR THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN ALL THAT'S HAPPENED?

>> YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU ANOTHER ANSWER. BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT IN TIME ONE MAN'S OPINION, THEY HAVE AWAKENED US TO OUR OWN RECOVERY. WE'RE DOING GREAT IN THE DIGITAL INDUSTRY, WE'RE DOING GREAT IN ATTRACTING YOUNG PEOPLE HERE LIKE WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE. COST-OF-LIVING HERE IS BETTER THAN MOST OF THE PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES. SO INNOVATORS AND INVENTORS WANT TO COME HERE. AND OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM WHICH IS ALMOST BEEN ALWAYS BEEN THE LAUGHINGSTOCK NOW IS THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE BETTER PROTOTYPES IN THE COUNTRY. AND WE HEAR IT, BUT I DON'T97 THINK WE ASSIMILATED IT.g43tc3÷ BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHEN THE SAINTS WON, WE SAW THE !epAND YELLOWS IN THIS CITYS THAT ARE OFTEN APART, COME TOGETHER. AND I THINK IT MADE US REALIZE THAT OUR RECOVERY IS JUST ABOUT DONE, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE THINGS WE THOUGHT WE COULDN'T CURE, WE CAN. SO I THINK THEY KIND OF ACCIDENTALLY AWAKENED US TO OUR OWN RECOVERY.

>> Reporter: AND BRIAN ALLEY-WALSH, YOU HAVE COVERED THEM FOR A LONG TIME. THIS IS A TEAM THAT WAS FAMOUSLY NOT VERY GOOD, RIGHT. THEY WERE THE AIN'TS, NOT THE SAINTS.

>> YEAH, BUT NO LONGER. I MEAN LIKE GARLAND SAID, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS FRANCHISE TO HAVE DONE, TO REAWAKEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE REGION, THE GULF COAST REGION IS JUST, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY THAT 4 HOURS AFTER WINNING THE GAME LAST NIGHT, IT STILL HASN'T SURGE IN FOR ME. AND I'M IN THE FT. LAUDERDALE AREA S SO FAR AWAY, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO NEW ORLEANS. I TALK WITH MY WIFE AND SHE SAID LIKE GARLAND EXPLAINED, IT'S JUST INED-- INCREDIBLE IT IS MARDI GRA TEN TIMES OVER BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A LOCAL STORY.

>> Reporter: TELL US HOW THEY DID IT, ALL THOSE HIGH-RISK MOVES I REFERRED TO IN OUR SET UP. HOW DID THEY PULL IT OFF?

>> YOU MEAN WHO DA,-- DAT WHO THAT PULL IT OFF, I TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE FOLLOWED THIS TEAM THROUGH THE SEASON AND GARLAND WOULD KNOW THIS, IS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU FELT SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT MID SEASON. AND THEY HAVE HAD THAT FEELING BEFORE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, NOT OFTEN. BUT AS THIS THING ESCALATED AND IT TOOK OFF AS THE SEASON PROGRESSED, YOU COULD SEE THAT THIS THING WAS GOING TO END UP BEING SOMETHING SPECIAL. IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THEY WALKED OFF WITH THE CROWN LAST NIGHT. AND THE WAY THEY DID IT IS HOW THEY HAVE BEEN WINNING ALL SEASON LONG, OPPORTUNISTIC FENCE-- DEFENSE, A GREAT QUARTERBACK WHO STAYS.ED AN JUST WHO DAT NATION AN A LOT OF PEOPLE PULLING IN THEIR FAVOR. AND THIS ISN'T JUST A REGIONAL VICTORY HERE. THIS IS A COUNTRYWIDE VICTORY AND THERE IS WHO DAT FANS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> Reporter: YOU HAVE FELT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THESE LOSING SEASONS. I REMEMBER AS A FOOTBALL FAN WATCHING WHEN FANS THERE WOULD PUT BAGS OVER THEIR HEADS AT THE SUPERDOME. BUT HAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TEAM BEEN SO CLOSE THROUGHOUT EVEN THROUGH THE LOSING YEARS?

>> WELL, IT HAS BUT IT HAS REACHED FULL THROW THEEN THIS SEASON. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT A GREAT PUBLIC RELATIONS SITUATION THAT THE TEAM HAS CREATED. AND IT IS GENUINE. THIS IS NOT A PHONEY FEELING WHEN YOU HEAR DREW BREES, AND NOT JUST DREW BREES, IT'S FROM THE TOP PLAYER, THE TOP ECHELON DOWN TO THE 53rd PLAYER ON THIS ROSTER. THESE PEOPLE, THESE PLAYERS GENUINELY WANT TO WIN FOR THE CITY AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT IT CAN MEAN TO THE RECOVERY OF THIS AREA. SO IT'S NOTHING PHONY ABOUT THIS WHEN THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE DOING THIS FOR WHO DAT NATION AND ALL THAT STUFF. THEY REALLY GENUINELY MEAN IT.

>> Reporter: YOU KNOW, GARLAND, I WAS READING AN INTERESTING QUOTE FROM DREW BREES. HE SAYS HE'S OFTEN ASKED WHETHER IT FEELS LIKE A BURDEN TO HAVE THE WEIGHT OF THE CITY ON HIS SHOULDER. AND HE SAID NO, BUT WE LOOK AT IT AS A RESPONSIBILITY. WHAT DO YOU THINK HE MEANS? YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS TEAM FOR A WHILE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> I AM NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS, BUT I KNOW WHO THE MAN IS THAT SPOKE IT. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUAL. YOU HAVE SPORTS HEROES ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. BUT THIS GUY AND HIS WIFE, AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE TEAM, BRIAN CAN TELL YOU THIS, THEY DO THINGS IN THE VALUE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY DO THINGS HELPING CHILDREN AND PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP WITHOUT A CAMERA THERE. WITHOUT THE MEDIA KNOWING ABOUT IT. THEY ARE NOT DOING THIS TO HAVE GOOD PR FOR THE SAINTS, THEY ARE DOING IT BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HELL THEY CAME FROM, BUT THEY ARE SO UNUSUAL THAT THAT'S WHY WE BONDED SO MUCH WITH EM THIS. THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. DREW BREES AND COACH PAYTON ARE WAY PAST-- WAY PAST THE PEAL AS SO WHAT WE USUALLY THINK A GOOD PERSON IN A COMMUNITY IS.

>> Reporter: BRIAN, YOU KNOW THESE GUYS, YOU THINK IT'S FOR REAL, THEY'VE REALLY INCORPORATED INTO THE CITY AND TAKEN IT ON THEMSELVES.

>> THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TELL SOMEONE WHEN THEY ARE NOT SINCERE. AND TO SAY IT, INTERVIEW IN, INTERVIEW OUT, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES THAT DREW HAS SPOKEN TO ME AND OTHERS IN OUR MEDIA GROUP FROM THE OFF SEASON UNTIL NOW. AND IT'S THE SAME MESSAGE. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN READ INTO SOMEBODY AND DREW IS GENUINELY SINCERE WHEN HE SAYS THAT THERE IS A REASON WHY HE'S IN NEW ORLEANS. THERE'S A REASON WHY HE SIGNED WITH THE SAINTS BACK IN MARCH OF '06 WHEN HE HAD A CHANCE TO GO TO THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. YOU KNOW, HE FELT THAT THERE WAS A CALLING. AND LOOK, I WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY LET'S KIND OF LOOK AT THIS. BUT THIS GUY IS THE POSTER BOY FOR RECOVERY IN NEW ORLEANS. HE AND HIS WIFE. AND AGAIN, LIKE GARLAND SAID, THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THIS ORGANIZATION. IT'S UP AND DOWN THE LINE-UP WHERE THEY TRULY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU DON'T FIND THAT IN A LOT OF SPORTS FRANCHISES. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE SAINTS ORGANIZATION AND OF COURSE EVERYONE LOVES A WINNER. BUT THESE FOLKS WERE DOING IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WEREN'T WINNING THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND I THIS I THAT SPEAKS TO THE KIND OF TRUE CHARACTERS, CHARACTER PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE ORGANIZATION.

>> Reporter: WELL, GAR LAN, JUST IN OUR LAST MINUTE, YOU STARTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE THE EYES OF THE NATION LOOK BACK AT YOUR CITY. WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW. HOW ARE THINGS GOING? WHAT IS GOING WELL WHACK IS STILL UNFULFILLED?

>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME THAT. I WILL TAKE A LITTLE OBLIQUE OFF THE QUESTION. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DELIVER A MESSAGE TO THE COUNTRY. WE KNOW YOU HAVE PROBLEMS OUT THERE, A LOT OF YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED. YOU ARE FEARFUL. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BRING. NOBODY COULD HAVE BEEN IN A WORSE POSITION THAN WE. AND WE HAVE PROVEN TO YOU, WE ARE THE LITMUS TEST THAT WHATEVER YOUR PROBLEMS ARE, IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY. IT WILL COME OUT MUCH BETTER IN THE LONG RUN. WE ARE THERE. WE ARE, I THINK, JUST ABOUT RECOVERED. WE STILL NEED WORK. BUT WE ARE PROOF THAT NO MATTER HOW BAD YOUR SITUATION IS, IT IS GOING TO GET BETTER. NEW ORLEANS HAS DONE IT. THE SAINTS HAVE DONE IT. YOU ARE LOOKING AT A MIRACLE THAT IS ALSO ATTAINABLE BY YOU.

>> Reporter: ALL RIGHT, THAT'S A GOOD MESSAGE TO END ON. AND YOU HAVE A PARADE TOMORROW, GUYS. ENJOY IT GARLAND ROBINETTE, BRIAN ALLEE-WALSH, THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ifill: FINALLY TONIGHT, A LOOK AT ANOTHER MAJOR AMERICAN CITY, DETROIT, AND HOW THE LESSONS OF THAT CITY'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO ARE BEING APPLIED TODAY. CITY OFFICIALS ARE DEVELOPING PLANS FOR NEW METHODS OF GETTING PEOPLE AROUND, INCLUDING USING FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY TO BUILD HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINES. "BLUEPRINT AMERICA," THE PBS SERIES ON THE NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE, HAS BEEN REPORTING FROM DETROIT. HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM THEIR LATEST DOCUMENTARY. THE CORRESPONDENT IS MILES O'BRIEN.

>> THERE WAS AIME WHEN AMERICAN INVESTMENT IN INTRA-- INFRASTRUCTURE AND A WILLINGNESS TO PLAN LONG-TERM POWERED THE GROWTH OF THE MOST DYNAMIC INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY ON EARTH. AND NO PLACE BENEFITTED MORE THAN DETROIT.

>> IN THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES, MINNESOTA, UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF IRON-ORE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS HAVE INCREDIBLE SUPPLIES OF COAL. AND IF YOU COULD BRING THE IRON AND THE COAL TOGETHER, YOU HAD THE POTENTIAL FOR THE GREATEST INDUSTRIAL CONCENTRATION IN THE WORLD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STEEL MADE POSSIBLE WAS THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND I THINK REALLY IT WAS JUST ONE MAN, HENRY FORD WHO TURNED THE POTENTIAL OF THAT PARTICULAR CITY INTO THE REALITY, INTO THE MOTOR CITY.

>> IN 1913 THE AUTO INDUSTRY WAS STILL NEW. IT WAS ONLY LITERALLY 13 YEARS OLD. AN PEOPLE WERE JUST POURING INTO DETROIT TO GET A JOB, A $5 A DAY JOB, OR IF YOU WERE A SMART ENGINEER, ANYWHERE IN NORTH AMERICA, YOU WANTED TO COME TO DETROIT AND WORK IN THIS NEW INDUSTRY. DETROIT WAS THE SILICON VALLEY OF AMERICA.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT WERE COMPETING FOR THE TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS. SO YOU HAD CARS THAT RAN ON DIESEL FUEL. OBVIOUSLY CARTHAT RAN ON GASOLINE. THERE WAS EVEN A CAR COMPANY HERE CALLED DETROIT ELECTRIC CAR WHICH WAS PREDICATED ON THE IDEA THAT CARS WOULD RUN ON ELECTRICITY. FOLKS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS THE RIGHT FORMULA, WHAT WAS THE POWER PLANT THAT WOULD WIN THE DAY AND ALLOW THEM TO MAKE FORTUNES.

>> PEOPLE POURED INTO THE AT THIS THROUGH THIS STATION HERE. CARS WERE POURING OUT. THE WHOLE CITY WAS LIKE A BIG MACHINE.

>> THE CITY WAS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO THESE MASSIVE AND VARIOUS RAILROAD LINES.

>> WHERE RAIL LINE LAS RAN, INDUSTRY SPRANG UP. SMALLER BUSINESSES AND MORE JOBS QUICKLY FOLLOWED.

>> EACH DOCK IS AN INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE AND YOU CAN SEE THE LINES THAT THEY FOLLOW ARE ACTUALLY THE RAILROAD LINES. AND THEN THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS OF WORKERS FILLED IN CLOSE TO THE LINE.

>> IN JUST TEN YEARS DETROIT'S POPULATION DOUBLED. WOODWARD AVENUE WAS A BUSTLING THOROUGHFARE WITH STREETCARS MAKING STOPS EVERY FEW MINUTES ALL UP AND DOWN THE LINE IT WHERE TROLLEYS RAN ON DETROIT'S MAIN CORRIDORS, COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS EMERGED. AND DOZENS OF STREETCAR LINES RAN EAST AND WEST THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AT MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION, SERVICE WAS STEPPED UP TO PICK UP NEW WAVES OF MIGRANTS. NO ONE KNEW IT AT THE TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, THE TRAINS WERE POURING IN HERE WITH PEOPLE AND THEIR JOB WAS ESSENTIALLY TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE TRAIN.

>> BLUE

>> Ifill: "BLUEPRINT AMERICA: BEYOND THE MOTOR CITY" AIRS ON MOST PBS STATIONS TONIGHT.

>> Brown: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY. THE POLITICAL FERRMENT INCREASED AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLS FOR REPUBLICANS TO JOIN HIM IN A TELEVISED HEALTH CARE SUMMIT. VETERAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN JOHN MURTHA DIED AT A HOSPITAL IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. THE NATION'S CAPITOL AND MID-ATLANTIC REGION STRUGGLE TO DIG OUT AFTER A WEEKEND BLIZZARD AND WALL STREET TANKED AGAIN. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST MORE THAN 100 POINTS TO CLOSE BELOW 10,000 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE LAST NOVEMBER. THE. THE NEWSHOUR IS ALWAYS ONLINE. HARI SREENIVASAN, IN OUR NEWSROOM, PREVIEWS WHAT'S THERE. HARI?

>> Sreenivasan: FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YESTERDAY'S ELECTIONS IN UKRAINE FROM DAVID STERN OF GLOBAL POST, AN INTERNATIONAL NEWS WEB SITE, IN KIEV. WE HAVE DISPATCHES FROM THE SUPER BOWL CELEBRATIONS IN NEW ORLEANS, ALONG WITH PHOTOS ON OUR FLICKR PAGE. PLUS, FROM "BLUEPRINT AMERICA," WATCH EARLIER REPORTS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND BROWSE WEB- ONLY VIDEO. YOU'LL FIND THAT LINK IN THE PUBLIC MEDIA RESOURCES BOX ON OUR HOME PAGE. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org. GWEN? AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. I'M GWEN IFILL.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING WITH, AMONG MUCH ELSE, JIM LEHRER'S INTERVIEW WITH FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR IS PROVIDED BY: PACIFIC LIFE CAN HELP PROVIDE A DEPENDABLE INCOME YOU CAN ENJOY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BECAUSE RETIREMENT COULD BE A VERY LONG RIDE. YOUR FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL CAN TELL YOU PORE ABOUT PACIFIC LIFE. PACIFIC LIFE, THE POWER TO HELP YOU SUCCEED.

>> THIS IS THE ENGINE THAT CONNECT AS BUN DANT GRAIN FROM THE AMERICAN HEARTLAND TO AARON'S BEST SELLING WHOLE WHEAT WHILE KEEPING 60 BILLION POUNDS OF CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE EVERY YEAR. B NSF THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS US CHEVRON. BANK OF AMERICA. AND BY GRANT THORNTON. AND THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. SUPPORTING EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ACROSS ALL FIELDS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. 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 O PROVIDING SERVICE TO ITS AUTO INSURANCE CUSTOMERS FOR OVER 70 YEARS. MORE INFORMATION ON AUTO INSURANCE AT GEICO.COM OR 1-800-947-AUTO ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT.