PBS NewsHour; May 3, 2013 3:00pm-4:01pm PDT

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Woodruff: GOOD NEWS ON THE JOBS FRONT TODAY AS THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED TO 7.5% AND 165,000 NEW JOBS WERE CREATED. GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, WE ANALYZE THE BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED NUMBERS AND WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY.

>> Woodruff: THE C.D.C. REPORTS MORE PEOPLE IN THE U.S. DIE FROM SUICIDE THAN CAR ACCIDENTS. RAY SUAREZ LOOKS AT THIS WORRISOME RISE IN RATES, PARTICULARLY AMONG BABY BOOMERS.

>> Brown: PAUL SOLMAN REPORTS ON THE PLIGHT OF OLDER WORKERS STRUGGLING TO FIND EMPLOYMENT EVEN AS THE JOB NUMBERS IMPROVE.

>> I HAVE 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS "WE WANT YOU TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF SKILLS BUT WE ONLY WANT YOU TO HAVE NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE."

>> Woodruff: THE ANALYSIS OF MARK SHIELDS AND MICHAEL GERSON, SITTING IN FOR DAVID BROOKS.

>> Brown: AND WE CLOSE WITH A BOOK CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR MICHAEL POLLAN ABOUT THE LOSS OF GOOD OLD-FASHIONED HOME COOKIN'.

>> PEOPLE HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT COOKING. WE ALL HAVE MEMORIES OF BEING IN THE KITCHEN WHEN OUR MOM WAS PREPARING A MEAL OR OUR GRANDMOTHER SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE READY TO LET IT GO. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE OBSESSING ABOUT IT. THE MYSTERY IS WHY DON'T WE DO IT.

>> Woodruff: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S NEWSHOUR.

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: ♪ ♪ MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 YEARS. BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS US.

>> MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, THE PEOPLE OF B.P. MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE GULF. AND EVERYDAY SINCE, WE'VE WORKED HARD TO KEEP IT. TODAY, THE BEACHES AND GULF ARE OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY. WE SHARED WHAT WE'VE LEARNED SO THAT WE CAN ALL PRODUCE ENERGY MORE SAFELY. B.P. IS ALSO COMMITTED TO AMERICA. WE SUPPORT NEARLY 250,000 JOBS AND INVEST MORE HERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE. WE'RE WORKING TO FUEL AMERICA FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. OUR COMMITMENT HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER.

>> SUPPORT ALSO COMES FROM CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, A FOUNDATION CREATED TO DO WHAT ANDREW CARNEGIE CALLED "REAL AND PERMANENT GOOD." CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PHILANTHROPY AT carnegie.org.

>> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AN 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.

>> Brown: SOLID JOB GROWTH IN APRIL AND POSITIVE REVISIONS TO PREVIOUS MONTHS. TODAY'S LABOR DEPARTMENT FIGURES EASED WORRIES ABOUT THE U.S. ECONOMY. IN ALL, THE ECONOMY ADDED 165,000 JOBS LAST MONTH PRIMARILY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR-- RETAIL, RESTAURANT AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRIES. THE STRONGER-THAN-EXPECTED HIRING HELPED REDUCE THE NATION'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE A MODEST 0.10% TO 7.5%, THE LOWEST LEVEL SINCE DECEMBER, 2008. A FURTHER KEY ELEMENT OF TODAY'S GOOD NEWS: DRAMATIC REVISIONS UPWARD IN THE NUMBER OF NEW JOBS CREATED IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH BY A TOTAL OF 114,000. WITH THE REVISIONS, FEBRUARY PAYROLLS INCREASED TO 332,000 JOBS WHILE MARCH GAINS STOOD AT 138,000. WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS CHAIR ALAN KRUEGER SAID THE HIRING NUMBERS REFLECT AN IMPROVING JOB MARKET IN SPITE OF FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS FROM THE SEQUESTER, WHICH HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CRITICIZE.

>> TODAY'S REPORT AND OTHER DATA COMING IN SHOWS THE RESILIENCE OF THE U.S. ECONOMY. THE ECONOMY IS HEALING FROM THE SCARS OF THE GREAT RECESSION, BUT THERE'S A WAYS TO GO. WE'RE NOT BACK TO FULL HEALTH. AND WE COULD PUT MORE PEOPLE BACK TO WORK MORE QUICKLY IF WE HAD MORE SENSIBLE FISCAL POLICY COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON.

>> Brown: FOR ITS PART, WALL STREET CELEBRATED TODAY'S NEWS WITH THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CROSSING-- AT LEAST FOR AWHILE-- THE 15,000 MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. BY DAY'S END, THE DOW HAD GAINED 142 POINTS TO CLOSE JUST UNDER 14,974, AN ALL-TIME HIGH. THE NASDAQ ROSE 38 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 3,378. FOR THE WEEK, THE DOW GAINED NEARLY 2%; THE NASDAQ ROSE 3%. FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT TODAY'S NUMBERS, WE'RE JOINED ONCE AGAIN BY LISA LYNCH, DEAN OF THE HELLER SCHOOL FOR SOCIAL POLICY AND MANAGEMENT AT BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY. SHE'S A FORMER CHIEF ECONOMIST AT THE LABOR DEPARTMENT. WELCOME BACK. SO, A GENERAL REACTION FIRST TO TODAY'S NUMBERS? WHAT DO YOU SEE?

>> WELL, IT WAS A GOOD REPORT, CERTAINLY BETTER THAN WHAT MANY HAD EXPECTED AND A MARKED IMPROVEMENT FROM THE REPORT WE SAW LAST MONTH. WE, AS YOU SUMMARIZED IN THE REPORT LEADING UP TO THIS, WE SAW THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLING, BUT FOR ALL GOOD REASONS BECAUSE WE ADDED MORE JOBS IN THE ECONOMY AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE DROPPING OUT OF THE LABOR MARKET. WE SAW THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF WORK FOR SIX MONTHS OR MORE DROPPING DOWN TO 37.4%. IT WAS OVER 40% A YEAR AGO. IT'S STILL HIGH BUT THAT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT. WE SAW WAGES UP 1.9%, KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION. THAT'S GOOD NEWS. AND WITH THOSE MONTHLY REVISIONS TO THE PRIOR TWO MONTHS, WE'RE NOW AVERAGING ON A THREE-MONTH MOVING AVERAGE BASIS OVER 200,000 NET NEW JOBS IN THE ECONOMY. SO THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF, PEOPLE COMING INTO THE LABOR MARKET.

>> Brown: I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE REVISIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY LARGE REVISIONS AND I THINK IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. HOW AND WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN?

>> SO, THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS GOES OUT AND CONTACTS A SAMPLE OF EMPLOYERS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ASKS THEM WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS AND THEN THEY ALSO REALIZE THAT WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IMPROVING YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE NEW FIRMS BEING CREATED THAT THEY WON'T HAVE IN THEIR DATA SET. SO THEY MODEL OR THEY IMPUTE A VALUE OF NEW JOBS FOR THOSE NEW EMPLOYERS. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT EMPLOYERS GET BACK TO THEM-- SOME WITH A DELAY-- AND THEY MAKE REVISIONS TO THE NUMBERS FOR THE PRIOR MONTH THEY'LL -- THEY RELEASE A PRELIMINARY NUMBER AND THEY DEAL TWO REVISIONS OF THAT NUMBER IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR THEY'LL GO BACK AND THEY'LL HAVE DATA FOR ALL EMPLOYMENT, NOT JUST A SAMPLE, AND THEY'LL MAKE A FINAL ROUND OF REVISIONS.

>> Brown: DOES ALL THAT RAISE THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH WE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION OR TRUST ANY ONE PARTICULAR MONTHLY NUMBER?

>> WELL, THAT'S WHY EVERY ECONOMIST YOU'VE EVER TALKED TO HAS ALWAYS SAID IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THREE MONTHS MOVING AVERAGES AND NEVER PUT ANY -- TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON ANY ONE EMPLOYMENT REPORT.

>> Brown: OKAY, THAT'S GOOD ADVICE. WE'LL ALWAYS TAKE THAT. POTENTIAL DOWN SIDE IN THESE NUMBERS. A LOT OF JOBS WERE OF THE LOW OR MODERATE PAYING AND PART-TIME WORK AS WELL.

>> SO WE SAW AN INCREASE OF OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING IN PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT WHO WANTED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. WE ALSO SAW THE LENGTH OF THE WORK WEEK DECREASING AND, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THAT A LOT OF THE JOBS THAT WERE ADDED WERE IN SECTORS LIKE TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT, THE RETAIL SECTOR, RESTAURANTS AND BARS THAT ARE TYPICALLY LOWER PAYING AND LESS LIKELY TO HAVE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

>> Pelley: CAN YOU SEE ANY DISCERNIBLE EVIDENCE OF IMPACT FROM THE SEQUESTER AT THIS POINT? WHAT CAN BE SAID?

>> TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE FINGERPRINTS OF THE SEQUESTER IN TODAY'S REPORT AND I THINK IT'S HARD TO SORT OF SAY WITH ANY KIND OF CERTAINTY THAT YOU SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT. THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE WERE IN PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT BUT WHO WANTED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT, THAT MIGHT REFLECT SOMETHING OF THE FURLOUGHS, BUT MANY OF THE FURLOUGHS THAT THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE PUTTING IN PLACE, WHAT REALLY COME INTO PLAY UNTIL NEXT MONTH'S REPORT. I THINK WHAT'S HARDER TO PULL OUT FROM THIS BUT IS REAL IN THE ECONOMY IS THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT ISN'T MAKING AS MANY PURCHASES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY. SO THAT MEANS WHEN WE SEE NO GROWTH IN EMPLOYMENT AND MANUFACTURING PART OF THAT IS LINKED TO THE FACT THAT WITH THE SEQUESTER THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT BUYING AS MANY OF THOSE PRODUCTS.

>> Brown: LET ME ASK YOU IN OUR LAST MINUTE TO PUT YOUR COLLEGE DEAN HAT ON WHICH YOU PROBABLY NEVER TAKE OFF ANYWAY, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Brown: BUT STUDENTS ARE ABOUT TO GRADUATE OR LOOK FOR SUMMER JOBS. WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THEM?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, THE BAD NEWS HERE IS THAT FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN A ROW THEY'RE WALKING OUT INTO A JOB MARKET THAT IS STILL PRETTY GRIM. THE YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR 16 TO 24-YEAR-OLDS IS OVER 16%. I MEAN, IT WAS WORSE IN 2010 WHEN IT WAS CLOSE TO 20%. BUT WHAT I TELL OUR STUDENTS IS THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE JOB MARKET AS THEIR FIFTH COURSE THAT THEY TAKE EVERY SEMESTER. THEY HAVE TO INCREASE THE NETWORKING THAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY NEED TO BE GEOGRAPHICALLY FLEXIBLE, THEY HAVE TO TAKE EVERY INFORMATIONAL SESSION THEY CAN, NOT MISS AN OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER FOR THEM TO FIND A JOB BUT THERE ARE JOBS OUT THERE.

>> Brown: LISA LYNCH, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, JEFF.

>> Woodruff: STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, THE TROUBLING SPIKE IN SUICIDES, OLDER WORKERS STRUGGLING TO GET A JOB. SHIELDS AND GERSON ON THE WEEK'S NEWS. BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S KWAME HOLMAN.

>> Reporter: A FAST-MOVING AND FAST-GROWING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE REACHED THE PACIFIC OCEAN TODAY. AND, SO FAR, FIREFIGHTERS HAVE IT ONLY 10% CONTAINED. THE GUSTING WINDS AND HOT, DRY WEATHER OF YESTERDAY GAVE WAY TO COOLER BREEZES TODAY, BUT THE "SPRINGS" FIRE STILL FORCED THOUSANDS OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

>> THE FIRE WAS REALLY CLOSE TO US, SO WE DECIDED TO WATER OUR HOUSE DOWN. AND THEN, IT GOT DARK OUT AND WE COULDN'T BREATHE BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE, SO WE JUST LEFT.

>> WE JUST LOST EVERYTHING. THE SPA, OUR CAT, EVERYTHING IS GONE.

>> Reporter: OVERNIGHT, THE BLAZE GREW TO MORE THAN 15 SQUARE MILES AS UNSEASONABLE SANTA ANA WINDS BLEW TOWARD THE COAST AT 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR WITH GUSTS UP TO 45.

>> OUR FIELD MOISTURES ARE ALREADY UP TO THE FIELD LEVELS THEY SHOULD BE IN JULY. WE'RE HAVING SANTA ANA EVENTS IN MAY, WHICH IS... AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS... IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN MY CAREER. I THINK WE ME MAY LOOKING AT A VERY SIGNIFICANT FIRE SEASON.

>> Reporter: THE BRUSH-FUELED FIRE FIRST ERUPTED EARLY YESTERDAY NEAR CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF LOS ANGELES. AND SMALLER FIRES RAGED EAST OF L.A., IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THE SKIES AROUND THE CITY LAST NIGHT WERE LIT UP WITH A MOLTEN GLOW.

>> IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE HOW MANY FIRE... FIRE TRUCKS GOING UP AND DOWN, AND THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY.

>> Reporter: AFTER DAMAGING HOMES, R.V.s AND CLOSING A UNIVERSITY, THE FIRE TODAY TRACKED SOUTH TO THE PACIFIC, CROSSING THE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AND MOVING TOWARD A NAVAL BASE.

>> READY FOR WATER!

>> Reporter: NEARLY A THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS WERE BATTLING THE BLAZE ON THE GROUND TODAY, AND TANKERS DUMPED WATER AND RETARDANT FROM THE AIR. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS ORDERED CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TO CHECK THE VALIDITY OF ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISAS IN THE WAKE OF THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS. THE ORDER CAME IN AN INTERNAL MEMO OBTAINED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. THE CHECKS ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND MARK THE FIRST U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITY CHANGE RELATED TO THE BOMBINGS. A STUDENT FROM KAZAKHSTAN ACCUSED OF HIDING EVIDENCE FOR ONE OF THE BOMBING SUSPECTS WAS ALLOWED BACK INTO THE U.S. WITHOUT A VALID VISA IN JANUARY. THE SURVIVING SUSPECT IN THE BOSTON BOMBINGS TOLD OFFICIALS THE ORIGINAL DATE FOR THE ATTACK WAS THE 4th OF JULY. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SPOKE ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY AS THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. THEY SAID DZHOKHAR TSARNAEV SAID HE AND HIS BROTHER FINISHED THE PRESSURE COOKER BOMBS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED SO SWITCHED THEIR TARGET TO THE BOSTON MARATHON. IN PAKISTAN TODAY, GUNMEN KILLED THE LEAD PROSECUTOR INVESTIGATING THE ASSASSINATION OF THE COUNTRY'S FORMER PRIME MINISTER, BENAZIR BHUTTO. CHAUDHRY ZULFIKAR ALI WAS SHOT AT LEAST 13 TIMES IN ISLAMABAD AS HE WAS DRIVING TO COURT. HIS CAR WAS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS. THE GUNMEN FLED IN A TAXI AND ON MOTORCYCLE. ALI WAS PROSECUTING MILITANTS JAILED IN CONNECTION WITH BENAZIR BHUTTO'S 2007 DEATH IN A GUN ATTACK AND SUICIDE BOMBING. PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE AN URGENT APPEAL FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM DURING A VISIT TO MEXICO CITY TODAY. AT LEAST SIX MILLION MEXICANS ARE BELIEVED TO BE LIVING IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY. TODAY, THE PRESIDENT TOLD A CROWD OF COLLEGE STUDENTS HE'S CONVINCED THAT, WORKING WITH CONGRESS, THEY CAN OVERHAUL THE U.S. IMMIGRATION SYSTEM THIS YEAR.

>> THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WE HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW DOESN'T REFLECT OUR VALUES. IT SEPARATES FAMILIES WHEN WE SHOULD BE REUNITING THEM. IT'S LET MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS. IT DEPRIVES US OF THE TALENTS OF SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW IMMIGRANTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE ENGINE OF OUR ECONOMY, STARTING SOME OF OUR GREATEST COMPANIES AND PIONEERING NEW INDUSTRIES.

>> Reporter: PRESIDENT OBAMA ALSO CONCEDED THE ROOT OF MUCH OF MEXICO'S VIOLENCE IS THE DEMAND FOR ILLEGAL DRUGS IN THE U.S. THE PRESIDENT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MOST GUNS USED TO COMMIT CRIME IN MEXICO COME FROM THE U.S. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.

>> Woodruff: THERE'S BEEN A STUNNING INCREASE IN THE SUICIDE RATE AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AMERICANS. THE FINDING IS PART OF A NEW STUDY BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION THAT SPELLS OUT HOW MUCH SUICIDE IS A GROWING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN IN THE U.S. RAY SUAREZ HAS MORE.

>> Suarez: THE ANALYSIS LOOKED AT DATA COMPILED OVER A LITTLE MORE THAN A DECADE, A PERIOD ENDING IN 2010 THAT INCLUDED THE FINANCIAL PRICES AND THE GREAT RECESSION. IN 2010 THERE WERE MORE SUICIDES IN THE U.S.-- 38,000 PLUS-- THAN THERE WERE FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. MOST DISTURBING, THAT SPIKE AMONG THE MIDDLE AGED. A 28% RISE OVERALL. THE 40% JUMP AMONG WHITE AMERICANS AND AMONG MEN IN THEIR 50s SUICIDES INCREASED BY MORE THAN 48%. GUNS REMAINED THE LEADING METHOD USED IN ALL SUICIDES FOLLOWED BY POISONING, OVERDOSES AND SUFFOCATION. SOME PERSPECTIVE ON ALL THIS FROM DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.D.C. DR. FRIEDEN, THE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY REPORT IS A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT. CAN YOU TEASE IT WHAT STRESSORS MIGHT EXPLAIN THIS TREMENDOUS SPIKE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TAKING THEIR OWN LIVES?

>> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS CAUSING IT BUT THE TREND HAS BEEN CONSISTENT AND IF ANYTHING ARE NUMBERS WOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE GRAVITY OF THE PROBLEM. AND, OF COURSE, EVEN ONE DEATH FROM SUICIDE IS A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AND MANY OF THEM ARE PREVENTABLE. WE KNOW THAT IN TIMES OF FINANCIAL STRESS THERE'S GENERALLY AN INCREASE IN SUICIDES. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS A GENERATION THAT GREW UP AT A TIME WHEN THEY EXPECTED MORE THAN SOME HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR LIVES. AND ALSO THAT THEY'RE STRESSED WITH WHAT THEIR KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH AND WHAT THEIR PARENTS ARE GOING THROUGH. SO IN SOME WAY IT IS SANDWICH GENERATION. AND FURTHER MORE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE PRESCRIPTION OPIATES THAT CAN BE SO DEADLY AND THAT ARE A BIG PART OF AN INCREASE LIKE THIS.

>> Suarez: DOES SO DOES THIS TREND HAPPEN TO COINCIDE WITH HIGHER USE AND ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION?

>> WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 500% IN DEATHS FROM PRESCRIPTION OPIATES. SOME OF THOSE ARE UNINTENTIONAL OVERDOSES AND SOME OF THOSE ARE SUICIDES. AS MORE PRESCRIPTION OPIATES HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED, MORE OF THEM HAVE BEEN ABUSED AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE DIED EITHER INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY FROM PRESCRIPTION OPIATES.

>> Suarez: AND WHAT ABOUT ABUSE OF NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS? ILLEGAL OR ILLICIT DRUGS. HAVE WE SEEN -- DO WE KNOW WHETHER THOSE DEATHS ARE INTENTIONAL FROM THINGS LIKE COCAINE, HEROIN, METHAMPHETAMINE

>> ONE THING THAT'S QUITE STRIKING IS THAT TODAY THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO DIE FROM PRESCRIPTION OPIATES THAN FROM HEROIN AND COCAINE COMBINED. SO A MAJOR PROBLEM. AND ONE THING THAT ALSO ISN'T ALWAYS RECOGNIZED IS THAT ALCOHOL IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO DEPRESSION AND TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. THAT BINGE DRINKING AND PROBLEM DRINK CANNING REALLY EXACERBATE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS SO FOR PEOPLE TO CUT DOWN, NEVER MORE THAN FOUR FOR MEN, NEVER MORE THAN THREE FOR WOMEN AT ONE SITTING, MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. THERE'S A LOT THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SUICIDE BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A CHALLENGING PROBLEM AND FOR THE FAMILIES DEALING WITH SUICIDE OF A FAMILY MEMBER IT'S DEVASTATING.

>> Suarez: A BIG PART OF THE C.D.C. BRIEF, DOCTOR, IS PREVENTION. AND I'M WONDERING HOW YOU CRAFT A RESPONSE TO THESE NUMBERS WHEN YOU SEE IN CERTAIN GROUPS THAT THE PROBLEM IS ACUTE: AMONG MORE ELDERLY WOMEN, AMONG WHITE MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE. YOU SEE A NUMBER THAT POPS OUT LIKE THAT. WHAT DO YOU DO IN RETURN?

>> WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WORKS, WHAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. NOW WE PUT THINGS INTO TWO BROAD CATEGORIES. THE FIRST IS SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, BEING INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S BOOK CLUBS OR WALKING CLUBS OR WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR TEENS OR SPORTS. BEING INVOLVED WITH OTHERS. IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND THE SECOND ARE CARING FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THREE PARTICULAR AREAS: TREATMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND AVOIDING EXCESS ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. FOR EACH OF THOSE THING THERE IS'S SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO TO HELP OTHERS IN TERMS OF THEIR MENTAL STATUS.

>> Suarez: CAN PEOPLE IN THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS BE WARNED BY THESE NUMBERS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ENTERING A STAGE WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS? WHERE THEY MAY HAVE THE MEANSTOR ACCESS TO THE KIND OF THINGS THEY MIGHT USE TO END THEIR LIVES?

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT DOCTORS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE AWARE AND ARE ATTENDIVE TO CLUES AND HINTS. STUDY AFTER STUDY SHOWS MANY PEOPLE WHO COMMIT SUICIDE HAD SEEN A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL IN THE PROCEEDING MONTH AND OFTEN THERE WAS A WARNING SIGN SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR DOCTORS AND OTHERS TO ASK ABOUT DEPRESSION, TO ASK ABOUT THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE AND TO REFER PEOPLE OR PROVIDE TREATMENT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE TREATMENT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> Suarez: DR. FRIEDEN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, BUT AT THE SAME TIMES THIS THE SORT OF THING THAT SOMEONE DOES OFTEN IN A WAY TO MASK THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES. FOR A CLINICIAN, AREN'T THESE THINGS KIND OF HEART TO ROOT OUT? AREN'T THESE THINGS KIND OF HARD TO WATCH FOR? THESE PRECURSORS TO AN ATTEMPT OF SUICIDE?

>> ACTUALLY, THERE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT DOCTORS CAN DO AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN DO TO OPEN THE DIALOGUE. OFTEN PATIENTS WANT TO TALK. ASKING ABOUT DEPRESSION, ASKING ABOUT FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS, ASKING FRANKLY IF PATIENTS HAVE HAD THOUGHTS OF HURTING THEMSELVES. IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT ASKING THAT DOESN'T INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT PATIENTS WILL HURT THEMSELVES BUT IT GREATLY INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT DOCTORS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP THE PATIENT.

>> Suarez: AND WE CAN DO THAT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T SEEM INTRUSIVE OR, LET'S SAY, IS APPROPRIATE FOR A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL CAN DO?

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT MEDICAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES JUST AS NATURALLY AS WE ADDRESS PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE SAY SOMEONE HAS A BROKEN LEG BUT THEY ARE DEPRESSED. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT CREATE ATTITUDES THAT OFTEN LEAD US TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT THOSE CONDITIONS. BUT MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM ARE HEALTH PROBLEMS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS NEED TO ADDRESS THEM.

>> Suarez: DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

>> Woodruff: THERE IS A NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS IN DISTRESS. THAT NUMBER IS 1-800-273-TALK. AND ONLINE, WE HAVE MORE ON THE C.D.C.'S REPORT, INCLUDING CHARTS THAT BREAK DOWN THE NUMBERS.

>> Brown: AND NOW, BACK TO THE JOBS PICTURE. DESPITE THE GOOD NEWS IN TODAY'S EMPLOYMENT REPORT, NEARLY TWO MILLION AMERICANS 55 AND OLDER ARE STILL OUT OF WORK. ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT PAUL SOLMAN LOOKS AT THE CONTINUING STRUGGLES OF THE LONG-TERM JOBLESS IN THEIR 50s. IT'S THE LATEST IN AN OCCASIONAL SERIES ON OLDER WORKERS AND PART OF HIS ONGOING REPORTING, "MAKING SENSE OF FINANCIAL NEWS."

>> I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT I'M SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT UNEMPLOYMENT IS LIKE.

>> Reporter: JOE CARBONE RUNS THE WORKPLACE, A JOB TRAINING CENTER IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

>> I WAS UNEMPLOYED ONCE FOR EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS. I USED TO DRIVE 20 MILES TO DO A LITTLE GROCERY SHOPPING SO I WOULDN'T MEET ANYBODY WHO WOULD LOOK AT ME AND ASK, "DID YOU GET A JOB YET?" I KNOW WHAT IT CAN DO.

>> Reporter: GIVEN THE EMPATHY THAT CARBONE AND HIS STAFF CONVEY, IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THE UNEMPLOYED FLOCK HERE FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

>> I'VE BEEN ON THE INTERNET DAILY, ALL DAY, EIGHT HOURS A DAY. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING.

>> Reporter: THESE FOLKS HAVE ALL BEEN UNEMPLOYED LONG-TERM, AND, AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, MOST ARE 55 AND OLDER. THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF TALK ABOUT THE IMPROVING JOBS PICTURE OF LATE, AND ESPECIALLY TODAY WHEN THE OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPED TO 7.5%, THE LOWEST SINCE 2008. OUR OWN MORE INCLUSIVE MEASURE OF THE UN- AND UNDER-EMPLOYED IS DOWN TO 16%, THE LOWEST SINCE WE STARTED TRACKING IT IN 2010. BUT THE REALITY IS BRUTAL FOR THE MORE THAN FOUR MILLION AMERICANS WHO REMAIN OUT OF WORK SIX MONTHS OR MORE. FOR THOSE 55 AND OLDER, IT TAKES ABOUT A YEAR ON AVERAGE TO FIND WORK, LONGER THAN FOR ANY OTHER AGE GROUP.

>> THEY'RE CARRYING A DOUBLE WHAMMY, NOT JUST THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT, BUT THEY'RE 50 AND OLDER. IT MAKES THINGS THAT ARE BAD, EVEN WORSE.

>> Reporter: SO, HOW MUCH OF A FACTOR IS AGE IN EXPLAINING THE STUNNING LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS? WE ASSEMBLED A GROUP TO ASK THEM BLUNTLY, IS YOUR AGE THE REASON THEY CANT FIND WORK?

>> BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT. BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT.

>> Reporter: 59-YEAR-OLD FACILITIES MANAGER FRANK RENDE LOST HIS JOB AT FOUR YEARS AGO.

>> WE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE HIGHEST SALARY RANGE. WE WERE THE FIRST TO GO, WE'RE GOING TO BE THE LAST TO COME BACK

>> Reporter: SOFTWARE DEVELOPER GEOFFREY WEGLARZ, 55, HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR TWO YEARS.

>> I'VE APPLIED FOR 481 JOBS.

>> Reporter: BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE PANNED OUT?

>> NONE OF THEM HAVE PANNED OUT, NO. THEY THINK THAT ANYBODY OVER A CERTAIN AGE IS GOING TO BE USED UP.

>> Reporter: LONG-TIME ADMIN ASSISTANT DEBORA DUCKSWORTH, ON THE HUNT SINCE '09, SAYS, PARADOXICALLY, EXPERIENCE IS NOW A NEGATIVE.

>> I HAVE 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS "WE WANT YOU TO HAVE 'X' AMOUNT OF SKILLS, BUT WE ONLY WANT YOU TO HAVE NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE."

>> Reporter: AND ALL THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THERE IS SCREEN YOU OUT?

>> EXACTLY. AND NOW, I'M THINKING, I'M GOING TO BE 60 IN OCTOBER, IS ANYONE EVER GOING TO HIRE ME?

>> WE ACTUALLY DID A SURVEY A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE WE ASKED H.R. TYPES HOW THEY VIEWED OLDER WORKERS.

>> Reporter: ECONOMIST ALICIA MUNNELL SAYS THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS WERE SKEPTICAL OF WORKERS LIKE THOSE IN BRIDGEPORT.

>> THEY SAID THEY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN NEW THINGS, ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL STAMINA AND BASICALLY HOW LONG ARE THEY GOING TO STAY. AND SO, IT'S WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THEIR ASSESSMENT OF OLDER WORKERS, YOU REALLY WOULDN'T GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO HIRE ONE.

>> Reporter: AND THERE'S ANOTHER REASON AN EMPLOYER MIGHT BE LOATH TO HIRE AN OLDER WORKER: IF THINGS DON'T WORK OUT, WILL THEY BE SUED? MARY CORBIN THINKS AGE IS THE REASON SHE WAS LET GO A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

>> NO ONE UNDER 50 WAS LAID OFF, AND IT WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. IN THE PACKAGE THAT THEY GAVE EVERYONE, THEY EMPHASIZED, FOR SIGNING THE PACKAGE, YOU WILL NOT COME BACK AND SUE US FOR AGE DISCRIMINATION.

>> Reporter: AND YOU COULDN'T AFFORD TO NOT TAKE THE SEVERANCE?

>> RIGHT. I DID FINALLY SIGN THE PACKAGE BECAUSE I NEEDED THAT INCOME TO TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY.

>> Reporter: BUT, ACCORDING TO ALICIA MUNNELL, EMPLOYERS MAY SIMPLY THINK THEY'RE PROTECTING THEMSELVES.

>> WE HAVE THESE AGE DISCRIMINATION LAWS THAT MAY HAVE A PERVERSE EFFECT IN THE SENSE THAT YOU GET... YOU'RE REALLY LOCKED IN ONCE YOU HIRE AN OLDER WORKER. YOU CANT FIRE ONE, SO WHY HIRE ONE TO BEGIN WITH?

>> Reporter: EVENT PLANNER PATTY FORD HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET ABOUT A YEAR. SHE'S 57, BUT...

>> MY RESUME ONLY HAS TEN TO 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON THERE.

>> Reporter: WHY?

>> BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT I WAS ADVISED TO DO, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW OLD YOU ARE.

>> Reporter: GEOFFREY WEGLARZ DOES THE SAME THING.

>> I CUT IT OFF AT A CERTAIN POINT. EARLIER IN MY CAREER, I WAS AN ACTOR, SO, MY CAREER IN BUSINESS, IN TECHNOLOGY, STARTS 15 YEARS LATER THAN THEY WOULD ASSUME JUST OUT OF COLLEGE.

>> Reporter: ARE YOU ARE YOU PASSING FOR SOMEONE YOUNGER?

>> I WOULD YES. THERE WAS ONE TIME WHEN I WAS COMING IN FOR A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW. AND THE H.R. RECRUITER SAW ME, ASSUMED WHO I WAS, AND HIS FACE... I COULD JUST SEE HIS FACE ALMOST FALL WHEN HE SAW ME AND HOW OLD I WAS. AFTER THAT, I PRETTY MUCH GOT PUSHED THROUGH TWO OF THE PEOPLE I WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK TO, THE OTHER THREE GOT BUSY AND I COULDN'T SEE THEM, AND MY

>> Reporter: SO, AS YOU'RE SAYING THAT, EVERYBODY HERE IS NODDING. YOU'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH THAT?

>> YOU CAN JUST SENSE, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE LOSING YOUR AUDIENCE.

>> IT'S LIKE, I'M GOING TO GIVE HER MAYBE A HALF AN HOUR OF MY TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STRESSING BECAUSE THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT TIME AT ALL.

>> Reporter: RECRUITER NICK CORCODILOS RUNS A WEB SITE FOR JOB SEEKERS AND ALSO WRITES THE WEEKLY "ASK THE HEADHUNTER" COLUMN FOR OUR "MAKING SENSE" SITE. LOOK, HE SAYS, AN EMPLOYER CAN HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT OLDER CANDIDATES.

>> THE EMPLOYER'S JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO CAN ACTUALLY GET THE JOB DONE. SO, THERE ARE SOME OLDER WORKERS-- PROBABLY A LOT-- WHO SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS OR THE WHEREWITHAL TO DO A CERTAIN KIND OF JOB. THERE, IT'S UP TO THE WORKER TO GO OUT AND BRING THEMSELVES UP TO SPEED AND DO IT IN AN AGGRESSIVE WAY, DO IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> Reporter: MOREOVER, FROM THE FIRM'S PERSPECTIVE, SAYS ALICIA MUNNELL, YOU PROBABLY GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WITH A YOUNGER HIRE.

>> PEOPLE'S SALARIES GO UP EVERY YEAR FOR COST OF LIVING AND SOME PROMOTIONS AND PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH. AND THEY GET MORE EXPENSIVE ON THE HEALTHCARE FRONT JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE AILMENTS. MOST OF THE STUDIES SHOW THAT PEOPLE'S ABILITIES PEAK AROUND AGE 40 AND THEN SORT OF DECLINE GENTLY THEREAFTER. SO, YOU HAVE THIS MISMATCH OF SORT OF RISE IN COMPENSATION, STEADY AT BEST PRODUCTIVITY, AND IT MAKES OLDER PEOPLE LOOK LIKE NOT SUCH A GOOD DEAL.

>> Reporter: THAT MAY BE WHY SO MANY OLDER WORKERS ARE GIVEN LOWER PAY IF AND WHEN THEY ARE REHIRED. BANK EXECUTIVE MIKE LEAHY WAS UNEMPLOYED FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE HE FINALLY FOUND WORK AS A BRANCH MANAGER AT A SMALL BANK, TAKING A 15% PAY CUT.

>> THAT WAS NOT UNEXPECTED. I WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR AN OPPORTUNITY IN A JOB THAT I'D DONE BEFORE BECAUSE I REALLY WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS I... I REALLY WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> Reporter: DO YOU THINK THAT ONCE YOU'RE OUT OF WORK FOR SIX MONTHS, A YEAR-- IN YOUR CASE, TWO YEARS-- THAT YOU'RE DAMAGED GOODS?

>> I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE NOT WORKING NOW AND YOU'RE OF A CERTAIN AGE IS THE ISSUE.

>> Reporter: LEAHY GOT THE JOB THROUGH THE WORKPLACE PROGRAM PLATFORM 2 EMPLOYMENT, WHICH MATCHES LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED WITH FIRMS THAT HAVE OPENINGS.

>> I WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I AM THRILLED TO BE GOING TO WORK. I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO LOSE THAT FOR SOME TIME. I MAY NOT LOSE THAT FOR THE REST OF MY WORKING CAREER, BECAUSE I KNOW NOW HOW FRAGILE THIS IS.

>> Reporter: "FRAGILE," A GOOD WORD TO DESCRIBE ANY JOB THESE DAYS AND THE FINANCES OF THOSE WHO FOR A LONG TIME HAVEN'T HAD ONE, LIKE GEOFFREY WEGLARZ.

>> I'VE GONE THROUGH MY SAVINGS, I'VE GONE THROUGH MY 401(k).

>> Reporter: COMPLETELY?

>> COMPLETELY. MY UNEMPLOYMENT LAST CHECK IS NEXT WEEK. I HAVE ABOUT $2,000 TO MY NAME, AND, AFTER THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

>> Reporter: AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT UP?

>> I HAVE NO FALLBACK POSITION. I'M BEHIND ON MY MORTGAGE, I'M ON FOOD STAMPS, AND I'M ON FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR BOTH ELECTRICITY AND FOR GAS.

>> Reporter: AND WITHOUT THAT, YOU'D BE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY AND GAS?

>> YES.

>> Reporter: WITHOUT FOOD STAMPS, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT?

>> AFTER THE UNEMPLOYMENT RUNS OUT, PROBABLY.

>> Reporter: WHEN THE WORKPLACES JOE CARBONE HEARS STORIES LIKE THIS, HE WONDERS WHY MORE ISN'T BEING DONE TO HELP.

>> WE'VE GOT SPECIAL PROGRAMS HERE FOR VETERANS, AND WE SHOULD. FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND WE SHOULD. YOU KNOW, FOR DISLOCATED WORKERS, AND WE SHOULD. WE SEE A NEW POPULATION THAT ARE UNEMPLOYABLE BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT OCCURRING DURING THE WORST RECESSION SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND WE'RE JUST IGNORING THEM. IGNORING THEM! I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THAT DOES TO ME. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY SO MUCH, BUT I CANT IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD EVER LEAVE ANY OF OUR CITIZENS, ANY OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO BE PART OF A PROCESS THAT'S DECLARING THEM HOPELESS. AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> Reporter: A GRIM ASSESSMENT FOR THE MILLIONS OF LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED STILL LOOKING FOR WORK IN A GROWING ECONOMY.

>> Brown: ONLINE, GEOFFREY WEGLARZ, THE MAN WE HEARD WHO'S GONE THROUGH HIS SAVINGS AND 401(k), LAYS OUT THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING A JOBLESS SINGLE DAD. PLUS, PAUL SOLMAN HAS HIS TAKE ON TODAY'S EMPLOYMENT REPORT. YOU'LL FIND THAT ON OUR "MAKING SENSE" PAGE.

>> Woodruff: AND NOW TO THE ANALYSIS OF SHIELDS AND GERSON; THAT'S SYNDICATED COLUMNIST MARK SHIELDS AND "WASHINGTON POST" COLUMNIST MICHAEL GERSON. DAVID BROOKS IS OFF TONIGHT. SO, GENTLEMEN. WE HAD GOOD JOBS NUMBERS TODAY BUT YOU LISTEN TO THAT REPORT JUST NOW FROM PAUL SOLOMON AND IT MAKES YOU ANGRY, DOESN'T IT?

>> IT DOES. YOU LOOK AT GEOFFREY WEGLARZ WHO HAS HAD 481 JOB APPLICATIONS AND NO JOB. I MEAN, THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT -- UNEMPLOYED IN THIS COUNTRY, MORE THAN FOUR MILLION OUT OF WORK FOR SIX MONTHS. JUDY, THERE'S BEEN A STUDY DONE OF EMPLOYERS LOOKING AT RESUMES AND IF YOUR RESUME COMES IN AND IT'S THE SAME AND MICHAEL HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR A MONTH AND I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING FOR SEVEN MONTHS, 11 MONTH MISS AND WE HAVE IDENTICAL RESUME IT IS EMPLOYER WILL GO TO THE PERSON WHO'S WORKED MOST RECENTLY. THERE'S ALMOST A STIGMA THAT ATTACHES. IT BECOME ASTERBLY VICIOUS CYCLE. WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF WORK YOU REMAIN OUT OF WORK AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS CITED AS YOU'RE EXPECTED -- YOUNGER WORKERS ARE MORE FLEXIBLE IN SALARY, THEY'RE MORE FLEXIBLE SUPPOSEDLY ON TRAINING OR EMPLOYERS WILLING TO INVEST THE TIME AND THE MONEY AND TRAINING. I MEAN, IT'S A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DILEMMA AND THAT'S A TERRIBLE WASTE OF HUMAN CAPITAL. I THOUGHT JOE WAS JUST ELEGANT ON THE SUBJECT OF YOU CANNOT LOSE FELLOW AMERICANS LIKE THAT -- YOU CANNOT LEAVE FELLOW AMERICANS LIKE THAT BEHIND.

>> Woodruff: WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT OUR COUNTRY?

>> IT SAYS THAT WHENEVER WE SEE THE STOCK MARKET AT HIGH LEVELS --

>> Pelley:.

>> Woodruff: EXACTLY.

>> AND WE SEE THE OVERALL JOB NUMBERS WE NEED TO LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER. THIS IS A CASE WHERE WE HAVE A BIFURCATION WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE STOCK MARKET DID PRETTY WELL TODAY. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT SITUATIONS THIS A -- NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE IN THE JOB MARKET. A WORK FORCE PARTICIPATION IS VERY LOW. LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT IS VERY HIGH. WE HAVE WHAT'S BEEN CALLED THE PLOW HORSE ECONOMY. IT'S GOING FORWARD BUT VERY SLOWLY. IT'S NOT CREATING JOBS IN THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO BE CREATED. WE ARE NOW STILL IN THE LONGEST PERIOD OF BELOW 3% GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION. NOT NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE IN THE JOB MARKET EVEN IF IT'S A GOOD TIME TO BE IN THE STOCK MARKET.

>> Woodruff: WHAT SHOULD BE BEING DONE RIGHT NOW THAT ISN'T BEING DONE? OR IS THERE THIS JUST SOMETHING WE STAND BY AND WATCH HELPLESSLY?

>> WELL, THIS IS THE ARGUMENT ABOUT DOING -- WHAT ABOUT THE DEFICIT AND WHAT ABOUT SPENDING AND THE ARGUMENT THAT I WOULD MAKE IS THAT IT'S NOT IN ANY WAY AFFECTING THE LONG-TERM WELL-BEING OF THE COUNTRY ECONOMICALLY TO SPEND MONEY TO GET PEOPLE TRAINED, TO GET THEM JOBS, TO EMPLOY THEM. I MEAN, THAT IS IN THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY AND FOR LONG-TERM SOLVENCY OF THE GREATER GOOD. AND I JUST -- I THINK THERE'S NOT, THERE REALLY ISN'T A MASTER PLAN OR A MAJOR PLAN RIGHT NOW.

>> Woodruff: IT'S NOT EVEN BEING TALKED ABOUT.

>> IT POINTS TO A DISCONNECT IN OUR POLITICS WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT JOBS. WE DON'T A LOT OF POLITICIANS TALKING ABOUT JOB CREATION. NOW REPUBLICANS BRING SOMETHING, A LITTLE EMPHASIS TO THAT ISSUE AND DEMOCRATS, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE BOTH ARE NECESSARY, JOB TRAINING, PREPARING PEOPLE, GIVING THEM THE SOCIAL CAPITAL THAT'S NECESSARY TO COMPETE IN THE ECONOMY BUT ALSO MACROPOLICIES THAT INCREASE THE LEVEL OF GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY WHICH BOTH OF THEM SEEM TO BE NECESSARY IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE HEADLINES I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION.

>> Woodruff: THE DISCUSSION IS AROUND CUTTING, DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE DEBT. BUT IT DOES GET YOU TO THE DEBT VERSUS --

>> NOT TO BE A COMPLETE DOWNER AFTER PAUL'S PIECE AND THE PRECEDING PIECE ON SUICIDE. THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS. WE HAD 38 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OF PRIVATE SECTOR GROWTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS DOWN BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AT 7.5 AND TO QUOTE MARK RUSSELL'S ADVICE YOU SEE THE GLASS AS HALF FULL, GET A SMALLER GLASS. THERE IS GOOD NEWS. NOW, THE BAD NEWS IS WE'VE JUST HEARD IT, THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT AND IT'S SOBERING. IT WOULD TAKE 16 MORE MONTHS OF GROWTH THAT WE HAVE NOW TO GET BACK TO WHAT WE WERE AND THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS EMPLOYED IN DECEMBER OF 2007. THAT WOULD BE SEPTEMBER OF 2014. THAT'S ALMOST SEVEN YEARS.

>> JUST TO GET BACK.

>> JUST TO GET BACK TO THAT LEVEL. AND THAT'S NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COMING TO THE WORK FORCE SINCE THEN AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, DECEMBER, 2007, WERE NOT THE GOOD OLD DAYS. I MEAN, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF VERY SLOW ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- IT IS SOBERING.

>> Woodruff: WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN WASHINGTON-- AT LEAST WHAT SOME PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT-- THE PRESIDENT HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE AND THE MOST MEMORABLE LINE WAS HE WAS ASKED DOES HE INDUSTRIAL THE JUICE TO GET WHAT HE NEEDS DONE IN CONGRESS AND HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A POSITION WHERE HE WAS DENYING THAT HE WAS POLITICALLY DEAD.

>> WELL, WE TEND TO EXAGGERATE THESE MOMENTS. AFTER HIS REELECTION IT WAS GOING TO BE A NEW PROGRESSIVE ERA. THEY WERE GOING TO DO THESE MAJOR PROJECTS. NOW HE'S IN A LOW POINT AFTER THE SEQUESTER BATTLE AND AFTER THE DEFEAT OF GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION AND IT LOOKS BAD AND I THINK IT WAS A BAD PRESS CONFERENCE FOR HIM. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT IN A GOOD POSITION WHEN YOU'RE DENYING THAT YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED YOUR POLITICAL DEMISE. THAT'S NOT A STRONG POSITION TO BE IN. I THEY DISTURBS SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESIDENT WAS THE WAY HE'S REACTING TO THIS RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, A PRESIDENT IS JUDGED BY HIS ACHIEVEMENTS, NOT THE REASONS HE DIDN'T ACHIEVE, OKAY? AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REASONS YOU'RE NOT ACHIEVING IT'S VERY DEFENSIVE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE. HE TALKED ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS AND WHY HE'S NOT MAKING PROGRESS AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE LOOKED AT THAT AND THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT YOU RESPOND OR OTHER AMERICAN LEADERS HAVE RESPONDED IN LOW POINTS THAT COME IN EVERY PRESIDENCY.

>> Woodruff: WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD?

>> I'D ADD THIS, JUDY: THE EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH. BARACK OBAMA, THE FIRST AND ONLY AMERICAN PRESIDENT SINCE-- SINCE-- DWIGHT EISENHOWER SIX DECADES AGO TO GET MORE THAN 51% OF THE VOTE IN SUCCESSIVE ELECTIONS. THAT'S A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT. EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH AND MICHAEL IS RIGHT, THE SEQUESTER AND HE GUN CONTROL VOTES WERE A STINGING DEFEAT FOR THE PRESIDENT AND DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR HIS SUPPORTERS. I THOUGHT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS A DISASTER. I THOUGHT IT WAS A DISASTER BECAUSE HE BROUGHT TO IT NO ENERGY, NO ZEST FOR BATTLE. WE JUDGE PRESIDENTS ON RESULTS. WE'VE JUDGED PRESIDENTS ON WHETHER, IN FACT, THEY ENFORCE THEIR WILL UPON THE CONGRESS. AND -- BUT IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT RESULTS. WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN HOW THEY DO IT BUT WHAT THEY DO. GEORGE BUSH GOT THINGS DONE IN THE CONGRESS BY ENLISTING A TOTALLY UNITED REPUBLICAN PARTY AND PICKING UP A COUPLE OF OUTLIAR DEMOCRATS TO PASS HIS LEGISLATION. BIK ANGERED HIS OWN PARTY BY TRIANGULATING. BY REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE, ANGERING HIS OWN PARTY. RIGHT NOW, BARACK OBAMA HAS TO CONFRONT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN CONGRESS IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S A CONGRESSIONAL PARTY. IT'S NOT INTERESTED IN NATIONAL ELECTIONS. THEY HAVE LOST THE REPUBLICANS -- FIVE OF THE LAST SIX ELECTIONS THEY'VE LOST THE POPULAR VOTE. THEY ARE NOT COMPETITIVE AT THIS POINT. SO THEY ARE A CONGRESSIONAL PARTY JUST AS BETWEEN 1968 AND 1992 THE DEMOCRATS WERE CONGRESSIONAL PARTY. THEY GOT WIPED OUT IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS --.

>> Woodruff: YOU'RE SAYING HE CAN'T COUNT ON THEM TO WORK WITH HIM.

>> HE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PICK OFF SOME OF THEM. WHETHER YOU DO SOME WITH SEDUCTION, YOU DO OTHERS WITH COERCION.

>> Woodruff: AND YOU HAD THAT COMMENT MICHAEL GERSON THIS WEEK FROM PAT TOOMEY, THE SENATOR FROM PENNSYLVANIA SAYING THE REASON MANY IN HIS PARTY DIDN'T GO ALONG WITH THE GUN CONTROL COMPROMISE WAS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE PRESIDENT.

>> I WOULD ADD TO THAT. I THINK THAT'S TRUE. I THINK YOU HAVE A CONNECTION BETWEEN OBSTRUCTIONISM -- STRUCTURAL THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH POLARIZATION IN AMERICAN POLITICS AND PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP ON THESE ISSUES. I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS ARE CONSISTENT WITH ONE ANOTHER. BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE REAL RISKS FOR JUST REPUBLICANS OPPOSING THINGS.

>> I AGREE.

>> THE REASON THAT MARK TALKED ABOUT. REPUBLICANS RIGHT NOW HAVE SOME POSITIVE GOALS THEY HAVE TO DO TO RETURN TO COMPETITIVENESS AS A NATIONAL PARTY. THEY HAVE TO APPEAL TO NEW DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS. THEY HAVE TO APPEAL TO BLUE-COLLAR ASPIRING VOTERS. THEY HAVE TO MODIFY THEIR TONE ON SOME SOCIAL ISSUES IN ORDER TO COMPETE. AND IF YOU'RE JUST OPPOSING THE PRESIDENT YOU'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS ON THESE OTHER ISSUES. THIS IS WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD FOR REPUBLICANS ON IMMIGRATION. IF THE SENATE COMES OUT WITH A BILL AND PASSES IT WITH 60 OR 70 VOTE, WHICH IS POSSIBLE, NOT CERTAIN BUT POSSIBLE, THE HOUSE WILL THEN FACE THIS CHOICE. THEY'LL BE STANDING ON A PERES SIS. DO WE BLOCK IMMIGRATION REFORM IN AMERICA OR DO WE COME UP WITH ENOUGH REPUBLICANS WITH ENOUGH DEMOCRATS TO PASS THIS THING? AND IT WILL BE A DEFINING MOMENT FOR REPUBLICANS WHETHER THEY REALLY WANT TO PURSUE THAT OBSTRUCTION STRATEGY.

>> Pelley: I AGREE. BUT I'D JUST REMIND -- DEMOCRATS BETWEEN '68 AND '92, THEY LOST 49 STATES IN 1972 IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THEY LOST 49 STATES IN 1984. THEY LOST 44 IN 1980 BUT THEY KEPT THEIR CONGRESSIONAL MAJORITY. THEY WERE IN CONTROL OF THE HOUSE ALL THAT TIME.

>> Woodruff: WHILE THEY WERE LOSING NATIONALLY. IS

>> SO THEY BECAME A CONGRESSIONAL PARTY. THEY WEREN'T OPPOSED TO THEIR NATIONAL TICKET BUT THE NATIONAL TICKET DIDN'T WIN. THEY WERE STILL THE CHAIRMAN OF THEIR COMMITTEE AND THAT'S WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE RIGHT NOW. WHAT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT-- AND MICHAEL IS RIGHT IN THE SCENARIO ABOUT IMMIGRATION-- BUT IF I'M SITTING THERE AS A HOUSE REPUBLICAN AND TED CRUZ OF TEXAS AND RAND PAUL OF KENTUCKY AND MIKE LEE OF UTAH HAVE GENERATED A LOT OF GRASS-ROOTS OPPOSITION TO IMMIGRATION AND I'VE'M WORRIED ABOUT A PRIMARY CHALLENGE AS A HOUSE REPUBLICAN IN MY DISTRICT ON THIS ISSUE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO ALONG. I DON'T CARE IF IT PASSES THE SENATE BY 65 VOTES.

>> Woodruff: WHERE DOES THIS GO FROM HERE? ON GUN CONTROL REPUBLICANS WERE NOT PREPARED TO GO ALONG IN THE LAST WEEK. GUN CONTROL ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN OUT THERE AT THE GRASS-ROOTS LEVEL GIVING SENATORS -- KELLY AYOTTE, THE REPUBLICAN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, GIVING HER A HARD TIME, QUESTIONING HER VOTE. COULD REPUBLICANS BE MOVED TO CHANGE THEIR POSITION ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE OF --

>> WELL, I THINK THAT -- I THINK THERE'S BEEN A BACKLASH BUT A RELATIVELY MINOR ONE ON THEUN ISSUE. PARTICULARLY IN YOU'RE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU DON'T FEEL MUCH PRESSURE. NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A MORE DIVIDED STATE. BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE FOR REPUBLICANS JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT MOST PEOPLE-- INCLUDING PEOPLE LIKE RYAN AND RUBIO AND OTHERS-- UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL PROBLEM.

>> RYAN DOES. RUBIO IS A LITTLE BIT IN BOTH CAMPS.

>> WELL, BECAUSE I THINK HE WANTS TO LEV RAEJ ROLE.

>> OKAY.

>> BUT I DO THINK THEY REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN OPTION. IF WE -- IF REPUBLICANS FAIL THIS TEST, THEY MAY CEASE TO BE A NATIONAL PARTY FOR A LONG TIME. AND I THINK THAT POLITICAL REALITY COULD FILTER IN. AND I HOPE SO.

>> ON GUN CONTROL, JUDY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE'S BEEN AN ADVERSE REACTION TO HAVING VOTED AGAINST THE N.R.A. WHETHER IT'S KELLY AYOTTE, WHETHER IT'S KAY HAGUEEN IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO'S IN A TOUGH RACE WHO CAST A DIFFICULT VOTE AND HER NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP. JEFF FLAKE IN ARIZONA, HIS NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN. THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED IN ALASKA WITH MURKOWSKI. NOW, THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT TO THE DO IF YOU'RE ON THE GUN SAFETY SIDE, YOU'VE GOT TO GO INTO THOSE STATES AND WORK FOR KAY HAGEN. YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU'VE TAKEN THE TOUGH VOTE, WE'LL BE IN THIS FOR THE LONG RUN, NOT JUST ONE WEEK OF TOWN MEETINGS.

>> Woodruff: I HEAR YOU BOTH. I HOPED TO END ON A REALLY UP NOTE BUT IT WASN'T TO BE. NEXT TIME. MARK SHIELDS, MICHAEL GERSON, THANK YOU BOTH.

>> Brown: FINALLY TONIGHT, WHAT ARE YOU HAVING FOR DINNER? WHERE DID IT COME FROM? AND, MOST RELEVANT TO OUR TOPIC TODAY: DID YOU PREPARE IT, COOK IT, YOURSELF? MICHAEL POLLAN HAS BEEN EXPLORING ALL THINGS FOOD IN A SERIES OF BOOKS. HIS LATEST IS "COOKED: A NATURAL HISTORY OF TRANSFORMATION." I SAT DOWN WITH HIM RECENTLY. WELCOME TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU, GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> Brown: YOU ARE MAKING A BIG CLAIM IN THIS BOOK THAT COOKING HAS NOT ONLY A HISTORY BUT TELLS US ABOUT WHO WE ARE BUT IT EVEN HAS A KIND OF ETHICAL SIDE TO IT.

>> IT DOES, ACTUALLY. WELL, TO PARAPHRASE WENDELL BERRY, COOKING IS AN AGRICULTURAL ACT. YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DECIDE TO COOK, WHETHER YOU DECIDE TO COOK HASEN ENORMOUS BEARING ALL THE WAY ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN. BACK TO THE LAND. THE REASON WE STILL HAVIZED OUR AGRICULTURE TO THE EXTENT WE DID IS BECAUSE WE HAD INDUSTRIALIZED OUR EATING. THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY BASICALLY REVOLUTIONIZED FARMING ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHAT WE GROW AND HOW WE GROW IT. AND THIS NEW RENAISSANCE GOING ON OF SMALL FARMS THAT YOU SEE AT THE FARMER'S MARKETS IS REALLY SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE COOKING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S FOR SALE AT THE FARMER'S MARKET? RAW INGREDIENTS BY AND LARGE.

>> Brown: NEW RENAISSANCE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE AVAILABILITY OF SO MUCH THAT ALLOWS US TO GET AWAY WITHOUT DEALING WITH THAT.

>> WELL, WE HAVE -- THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT OUR FOOD ECONOMY HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES SO THAT HALF OF THE MONEY SPENT ON FOOD IN AMERICA IS GOING TO FOOD THAT'S COOKED OUTSIDE YOUR HOME. BEING PREPARED BY FOOD SERVICE, RESTAURANTS, HOME MEAL REPLACEMENTS IN THE SUPERMARKET FREEZER CASES AND THE RATES OF COOK HAVING PLUMMETED IN AMERICA. THEY'VE FALLEN BY HALF FROM 1965.

>> Brown: BUT THE OBVIOUS QUESTION-- AND YOU WRESTLE WITH IT IN IF BOOK-- IS WHY BOTHER? IF I CAN HAVE ACCESS TO SO MUCH EVEN GOOD HEALTHY FOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO PREPARE IT MYSELF NEVER MIND THE JUNK FOOD THAT'S THERE, WHY BOTHER COOKING?

>> IT'S A QUESTION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE CONFLICTED BY IT. IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN OUTSOURCE EASILY AND FAIRLY CHEAPLY. BUT I WOULD QUIBBLE WITH YOU THAT YOU CAN GET HEALTHY FOOD OUTSOURCED. IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT YOUR DIET IS WHO IS COOKING IT. IF YOU'RE LETTING A CORPORATION COOK IT, THE ODDS ARE YOU'RE NOT GETTING HEALTHY FOOD. THEY JUST DON'T COOK VERY WELL. THEY USE LOTS OF SALT, FAT AND SUGAR, THEY BUY THE CHEAPEST POSSIBLE RAW INGREDIENTS THEN THEY HAVE TO DRESS IT UP WITH ADDITIVES BECAUSE THE FOOD WAS COOK SOD LONG AGO AND SO FAR AWAY. SO -- AND THEY COOK DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DO IN THAT THEY MAKE -- THEY SPECIALIZE IN THOSE LABOR-INTENSIVE FOODS MADE WITH CHEAP RAW INGREDIENTS. THE FRENCH FRY IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE. THEY CAN MAKE FRENCH FRYS SO EFFICIENTLY THAT YOU CAN HAVE THEM TWICE A DAY NO PROBLEM. AND A LOT OF AMERICANS DO. TRY MAKING FRENCH FRIES AT HOME. IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND IT'S A BIG MESS. YOU WON'T DO IT MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH, WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD EAT FRENCH FRIES.

>> ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING PHENOMENON OF OUR TIME, I THINK-- AND YOU DO WRITE ABOUT IT-- YOU CALL IT THE COOKING PARADOX, THAT WE WATCH SO MUCH -- THAT COOKS, CHEFS, HAVE CELEBRITIES. THAT PROLIFERATION OF ALL THESE PROGRAMS ABOUT COOKING, THAT WE END UP WATCHING MORE THAN WE COOK OURSELVES.

>> YEAH. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN TODAY COOKS ONLY 27 MINUTES A DAY, PUTS THAT MUCH TIME THE INTO PREPARING FOOD, FOUR MINUTES FOR CLEANUP. YOUR AVERAGE FOOT NETWORK SHOW IS 30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR.

>> Brown: WHY DO YOU THINK THIS HAPPENS?

>> WELL, TO ME IT WAS AN IMPORTANT CLUE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COOKING BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY THINGS IN OUR LIVES WE'VE OUTSOURCED AND WE HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK. SEWING OUR CLOTHING, CHANGING THE OIL IN YOUR CAR. WE'RE HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO OUTSOURCE THAT AND, OKAY, THAT'S FINE. COOKING IS DIFFERENT. I THINK PEOPLE HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT COOKING. WE ALL HAVE MEMORIES OF BEING IN THE KITCHEN WHEN OUR MOM WAS PREPARING A MEAL OR OUR GRANDMOTHER AND WATCHING THOSE ALCHEMYS UNFOLD AND THAT WONDERFUL SMELL AND THE FEELING OF LOVE AS SHE PRESENTED THE THING SHE WORKED HARD ON. SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE READY TO LET IT GO. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE OBSESSING ABOUT IT. THE MYSTERY IS WHY DON'T WE DO IT. AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL DAUNTED. ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THOSE COOKING SHOWS IS THEY DON'T ACTUALLY MOTIVATE YOU TO COOK. THEY MAKE IT LOOK TOO HARD!

>> I THINK MY FAVORITE LINE LINE IN THE BOOK IS ABOUT THOSE SHOWS WHERE YOU SAY "I DON'T NEED TO POINT OUT THAT THE FOOD YOU WATCH ON TELEVISION IS NOT FOOD YOU GET TO EAT." THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

>> PEOPLE NEED TO BE REMINDED.

>> IT LOOKS SCARY, THERE'S KNIVES FLYING AND FOUNTAINS AND FLAME AND A TIME CLOCK AND THAT'S NOT WHAT COOKING IS ABOUT.

>> Brown: NOW THE BOOK-- AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO ALL THE-- YOU DIVIDE IT INTO THE CLASS CLASSICAL CATEGORIES OF FIRE, BARBECUE, AIR, BAKING, AND EARTH, VARIOUS FORMS OF FERMENTATION. AND YOU MAKE YOURSELF A COOK TO BE TOURIST --

>> STUDENT, APPRENTICE. SO WHAT I DID WAS A FOUND A MASTER OF EACH -- I DIVIDED COOKING INTO THESE FOUR BIG IMPORTANT TRANSFORMATIONS. THESE THE COMMON DENOMINATORS OF ANYTHING YOU WOULD MAKE. AND THEN I LOOKED FOR MASTERS IN EACH ONE AND APPRENTICED MYSELF AND LEARNED AT THEIR FEED AND THE BOOK IS REALLY THE STORY OF MY EDUCATION. YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO CALL IT REPORTING BUT IT WAS REALLY JUST FUN AND I'VE NEVER HAD MORE FUN WORKING ON A BOOK.

>> Brown: BUT WERE YOU COMING AT IT -- I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED AS -- YOU'RE PRESENTING YOURSELF AS A NON-COOK.

>> NAIVE.

>> Brown: A NAIVE COOK.

>> WELL, I DID COOK BEFORE. I DIDN'T JUST LEARN HOW THE COOK. BUT I DIDN'T COOK WITH MUCH CARE OR THOUGHT OR CURE KOSTY. AND I COOK WITH A LOT MORE CONVICTION NOW THAN I EVER DID BEFORE AND A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGE. I UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE AT STAKE, I UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY BEHIND WHAT I'M DOING AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY I'M A MORE COMFORTABLE COOK NOW AS A RESULT. THIS IS A LABOR OF BEING IN CONFIDENCE IN THE KITCHEN.

>> Brown: WHAT LESSONS DID YOU TAKE THAT YOU CAN HELP OTHERS THINK ABOUT THIS FROM THE MASTERS?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE INTERNALLY CONFLICTED WHEN WE GO IN THE KITCHEN. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING ELSE WE COULD BE DOING. WE COULD BE TAKING A RUN. WE COULD BE WATCHING T.V. WE COULD BE READING AND WE HAVE -- WE SET UP THIS CONFLICT BECAUSE IT IS OPTIONAL NOW. IT'S NO LONGER OBLIGATORY TO COOK. AND FOR ME WHAT I LEARNED IS SOMETHING FROM ONE OF MY TEACHERS WHO TAUGHT ME THE ARTS OF COOKING IN WATER AND SHE SAID THE KEY TO COOKING IS PATIENCE, PRACTICE, AND PRESENCE, BEING THERE. AND THAT WHEN YOU CHOP AN ONION, JUST CHOP AN ONION. DON'T FIGHT IT. IT'S ZEN.

>> Brown: IT IS ZEN, YES.

>> AS I LEARNED TO DO THAT I FOUND IT'S INCREDIBLY THERAPEUTIC TO COOK. WE MAKE TIME FOR THINGS THAT WE VALUE. WE GET TO THE GYM BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO OUR SANITY AND OUR HEALTH. MY PREMISE HERE IS THAT COOKING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO YOUR SANITY AND YOUR HEALTH AND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT YOUR DIET IS THAT ACTIVITY. WHETHER IT'S COOKED OR NOT. SO LEARNING HOW TO BE IN THE KITCHEN AND NOT FIGHT IT AND REALIZING WHAT A PLEASURE IT IS. I MEAN, THIS BOOK REALLY WAS MY FALLING IN LOVE WITH COOKING. AS A WAY TO SPEND TIME. AND THAT WAS THE REVELATION TO ME. JUST HOW SATISFYING. IT'S ITS OWN GRATIFICATION.

>> Suarez: ALL RIGHT. WHEN YOU CHOP AN ONION, JUST CHOP AN ONION. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES ONLINE AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL GO TO THAT LATER. FOR NOW, THE NEW BOOK IS "COOKED. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF TRANSFORMATION." MICHAEL POLLAN, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, JEFF.

>> Woodruff: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY. THE U.S. ECONOMY SHOWED POSITIVE SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT IN APRIL, WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPPING TO 7.5%. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS ORDERED CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TO CHECK THE VALIDITY OF ALL INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISAS IN THE WAKE OF THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBINGS. AND WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FORCED NEW EVACUATIONS, AND ONE FIRE GREW TO MORE THAN 15 SQUARE MILES IN SIZE.

>> Brown: AND ONLINE, WE ASK "ARE YOU A WORK POTATO?," AND OFFER SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH. KWAME HOLMAN HAS MORE.

>> Reporter: TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN OFFICE WORKERS EXPERIENCE PAIN ON THE JOB. THE CULPRIT IS TOO MUCH SITTING, HUNCHING AND CLICKING. ON OUR HEALTH PAGE, A DOCTOR EXPLAINS WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. "TWENTY LITTLE POEMS TO SAVE AMERICA" IS THE TITLE OF AN ESSAY BY POET TONY HOAGLAND FOR "HARPER'S MAGAZINE." JEFF TALKS WITH HOAGLAND ABOUT CHANGING HOW POETRY IS TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS. AND ON THE RUNDOWN, MICHAEL POLLAN READS FROM HIS BOOK ON HOW HE LEARNED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL KOREAN KIMCHI. AND ON "NEED TO KNOW" TONIGHT ON PBS, THE NEW ECONOMY DEMANDS NEW SKILLS FROM AMERICAN WORKERS AND NEW WAYS OF LEARNING THOSE SKILLS. WE HAVE A LINK TO THEIR STORY ON OUR HOMEPAGE. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE, newshour.pbs.org. JUDY?

>> Woodruff: AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. ON MONDAY, WE'LL LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT CORPORATIONS SHOULD PUBLICLY DISCLOSE ALL THEIR POLITICAL DONATIONS. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. "WASHINGTON WEEK" CAN BE SEEN LATER THIS EVENING ON MOST PBS STATIONS. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE MONDAY EVENING. HAVE A NICE WEEKEND. THANKS FOR JOINING US. GOOD NIGHT.

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>> BNSF RAILWAY.

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>> THIS IS BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA. FUNDING OF THIS PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FREEMAN FOUNDATION OF NEW YORK, STOWE, VERMONT, AND HONOLULU, NEWMAN'S OWN FOUNDATION, GIVING ALL PROFITS TO CHARITY AND PURSUING THE COMMON GOOD FOR OVER 30 YEARS, UNION BANK, AND FIDELITY INVESTMENTS.AND UNITED HEALTHCARE.

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>> AND NOW "BBC WORLD NEWS." BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA, REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON. ASSASSINATED IN PAKISTAN. A HIGH-PROFILE PROSECUTORS AMBUSHED AND KILLED BY A HAIL OF BULLETS. THE U.S. JOBS REPORT GIVES AN UNEXPECTED GOOD NEWS, SENDING THE MARKETS SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS.