PBS NewsHour; July 18, 2012 6:00pm-7:00pm PDT

>> Ifill: JEFFREY BROWN EXAMINES A DIFFERENT BOY SCOUTS' PLEDGE: TO STICK WITH THEIR BAN ON GAY LEADERS AND SCOUTS.

>> Woodruff: FROM OUR SERIES ON "COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE," HARI SREENIVASAN HAS THE STORY OF A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE KNOWN AS THE "SALMON PEOPLE," WHOSE WAY OF LIFE IS UNDER SIEGE.

>> THREATENED BY THE LOSS OF TRADITIONAL RESOURCES, THE SWINOMISH ARE PARTNERING WITH SCIENTISTS TO DETERMINE WHAT CHANGES FUTURE GENERATIONS FACE.

>> Ifill: AND WE PREVIEW A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A LARGE CITY PUBLIC HOSPITAL STRUGGLING TO CARE FOR ITS UNINSURED PATIENTS.

>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE A VIDEO GAME WHERE YOU HAVE TO PLACE PATIENTS, MOVE PATIENTS, KEEP THE FLOW GOING AND IF YOU DON'T, IT STACKS UP, IT JUST KEEPS SPINNING MORE AND MORE OUT OF CONTROL.

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

>> Woodruff: SYRIAN REBELS DEALT A STUNNING BLOW TO THE ASSAD GOVERNMENT TODAY-- A BOMBING THAT WIPED OUT PART OF THE COUNTRY'S POWER ELITE. THE ATTACK IN DAMASCUS RAISED NEW FEARS IN WASHINGTON AND OTHER CAPITALS. THE BOMB EXPLODED IN A MEETING OF SYRIAN CABINET AND TOP SECURITY OFFICERS-- THE MOST SERIOUS ASSAULT YET ON THE CORE OF THE REGIME. AMONG THE DEAD, THE DEFENSE MINISTER, DAWOUD RAHJA AND PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD'S BROTHER-IN-LAW, ASEF SHAWKAT, WHO WAS THE WIDELY-FEARED DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER. ONE OTHER SENIOR OFFICIAL WAS KILLED, TOO. STATE TELEVISION CONFIRMED THE KILLINGS AND BLAMED UNSPECIFIED TERRORISTS.

>> ( translated ): THE TWO FIELD MARSHALS TODAY, THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER, ARE NOT THE FIRST OF OUR MARTYRS, ALTHOUGH WE HOPE THAT THEY ARE THE LAST MARTYRS.

>> Woodruff: THE OPPOSITION FREE SYRIAN ARMY CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. A MEMBER OF THE SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL, THE POLITICAL ARM OF THE RESISTANCE, SAID IT SHOWED THE EXPANDED SCOPE OF THE REBELLION, AFTER 17 MONTHS OF WHAT IS NOW A CIVIL WAR.

>> IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE SYRIAN REGIME: THAT THE HANDS OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE AND THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY CAN REACH ANYONE INSIDE DAMASCUS AND EVEN BASHAR ASSAD ITSELF. HE IS NOT SAFE ANYMORE.

>> Woodruff: THE SYRIAN PRESIDENT'S WHEREABOUTS WERE UNKNOWN. BUT FALLOUT FROM THE BOMBING WAS FELT FAR BEYOND DAMASCUS. IN EGYPT, THE HEAD OF THE ARAB LEAGUE SAID THE CONSEQUENCES WERE NOT YET CLEAR.

>> ( translated ): WHAT HAPPENED IN SYRIA TODAY WILL HAVE A HUGE EFFECT ON THE SITUATION IN SYRIA AND AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT KNOW THE REPERCUSSIONS. THE FEAR IS THAT THE VIOLENCE ESCALATES. WE LOOK FOR A PEACEFUL TRANSITION INTO A FREE DEMOCRATIC SYRIA.

>> Woodruff: FOR NOW, PEACE SEEMS FAR AWAY. INSTEAD, THE FIGHTING THAT HAS ENGULFED MUCH OF THE COUNTRY HAS NOW EXPLODED IN DAMASCUS. THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY CALLS ITS OFFENSIVE THERE "DAMASCUS VOLCANO." IN THE PAST FOUR DAYS, SYRIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN REPORTING AND SHOWING PITCHED BATTLES IN SECTORS OF THE CITY; TANKS IN THE STREETS; EVEN HELICOPTER AIR STRIKES ON NEIGHBORHOODS. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'VE BEEN SEVERAL MORE HIGH-LEVEL DEFECTIONS BY SENIOR SYRIAN MILITARY OFFICERS AND DIPLOMATS. EVEN SO, THE STABILITY OF THE REGIME REMAINS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. IN WASHINGTON TODAY, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON PANETTA REGISTERED GROWING U.S. CONCERN OVER THE SITUATION.

>> AS I INDICATED, IT'S OBVIOUS THE VIOLENCE THERE HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE AND HAS INCREASED. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT IS RAPIDLY SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL.

>> Woodruff: IN PARTICULAR, PANETTA POINTED TO SYRIAN STOCKPILES OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS. ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT IN "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL," THE REGIME HAS BEGUN TO MOVE NERVE AGENTS AND OTHER WEAPONS FROM SECURE FACILITIES.

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MADE VERY CLEAR TO THEM, THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SAFEGUARD THEIR CHEMICAL SITES AND THAT WE WILL HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN WITH REGARDS TO THOSE SITES.

>> Woodruff: IN THE MEANTIME, THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL DELAYED A VOTE ON EXTENDING THE OBSERVER MISSION TO SYRIA AND POSSIBLY, APPROVING NEW SANCTIONS AT THE REQUEST OF THE SPECIAL ENVOY, KOFI ANNAN. AND WHILE THE WORLD PONDERED WHAT MAY COME NEXT, CRIES OF "GOD IS GREAT" ECHOED IN THE STREETS OF SYRIA AS WORD SPREAD OF THE BOMBING IN DAMASCUS. LATE TODAY, THE WHITE HOUSE SAID PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLED RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION IN SYRIA. IT SAID THE LEADERS AGREED ON THE NEED FOR A POLITICAL TRANSITION, IN ORDER TO END THE VIOLENCE. FOR MORE ON ALL OF THIS WE GET TWO VIEWS. STEVEN HEYDEMANN IS THE SENIOR ADVISER FOR MIDDLE EAST INITIATIVES AT THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE. HE'S WORKED WITH THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION ON THE CHALLENGES AHEAD ONCE THE ASSAD REGIME FALLS. AND FREDERIC WEHREY IS A SENIOR ASSOCIATE IN THE MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM AT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE. WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: STEVEN HIDEMAN, LET ME START WITH YOU. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THESE LATEST ATTACKS OF THE DEATH OF THE DEFENSE MINISTER AND THESE OTHER TOP OFFICIALS.

>> THIS WAS NOT A GOOD DAY FOR THE ASSAD REGIME AND IT COMES ON THE HEELS OF A WEEK THAT IS NOT GOOD. THESE ATTACKS WERE OF FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. I THINK THEY UNDERSCORED THE INCREASING VULNERABILITY OF THE REGIME TO THE ARMED OPPOSITION. I THINK THEY SENT A SIGNAL TO MANY OF THE REGIME SUPPORTERS THAT THE MOMENTUM ON THE GROUND IS SHIFTING IN FAVOR OF THE OPPOSITION, AND THAT THE REGIME IS NOW ON THE DEFENSIVE. AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEY CONSEQUENCES OF THIS BOMBING IS GOING TO MAKE IT MUCH MUCH HARDER FOR THE REGIME TO HOLD ITS INNER CIRCLE TOGETHER AND TO SUSTAIN THE LOYALTY OF SUPPORTERS ON WHOM IT'S SURVIVAL HAS DEPENDENT.

>> Woodruff: WHAT MAKES YOU BELIEVE IT HAS COME TO SUCH A SERIOUS POINT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ATTACK.

>> THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED AND INJURED TODAY WERE THE CORE MEMBERS OF A CRISES-RESPONSE TEAM THAT THE PRESIDENT OF SYRIA ASSEMBLED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS UPRISING TO DEVELOP KEY STRATEGIES, KEY OPERATIONAL PLANNING TO RESPOND TO THE UPRISING, AND THEY HOPE TO DEFEAT IT. AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS ONE BOMBING IS THE DECAPITATION OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SECURITY APPARATUS OF THE REGIME. IT'S A CRITICAL BLOW TO THEIR CAPACITY. AND IT SIGNALS AGAIN THIS EXTRAORDINARY VULNERABILITY OF THE CENTER CIRCLE OF THE REGIME.

>> Woodruff: ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S NO TURNING BACK. THIS IS THE END OF THE REGIME.

>> I THINK WE HAVE CROSSED A TIPPING POINT TODAY. I DON'T THINK THE ATTACK IS THE ONLY INDICATOR THAT TELLS US WE'VE CROSSED THAT POINT. I THINK WE SEE IT IN SOME OTHER INDICATORS AS WELL. BUT THIS WAS BY FAR THE MOST VISIBLE. IN ADDITION, WE'VE SEEN ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN DAMASCUS. YOU HAVE HELICOPTER GUN SHIPS HOVERING RIGHT OVER THE CENTER OF THE CITY AND THAT TELLS THEM THAT THE REGIME IS NOW ON THE DEFENSIVE.

>> Woodruff: FREDERIC WEHREY DO YOU THINK THIS IS A TIPPING POINT.

>> TOTALLY NOT. THERE ARE SOME TOTALS OF THE DEFECTIONS WE'VE SEEN, THE INCREASING CAPABILITIES OF THE REBELS ALONG WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOW ON THIS ATTACK. I THINK WE'VE CROSSED A THRESHOLD. THE REGIME STILL HAS A NUMBER OF CARS TO PLAY. IT HAS CAPABLE UNITS, THE REPUBLICAN GUARD WHICH CONTROLS DAMASCUS, THESE GAMES OF PARAMILITARIES. I THINK WHAT COULD RESULT IS THIS COULD REALLY ENTRENCHED ON THE ALLY SUPPORTERS. THEY COULD DIG IN AND UNLEASH GREATER VIOLENCE.

>> Woodruff: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT. BECAUSE THEY HAVE MUCH MORE STRERNGHTS MILITARY STRENGTH THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR.

>> IT'S THE MOST CAPABLE UNIT THE REPUBLICAN GUARD IS BASED IN DAMASCUS. THIS IS THE UNIT THAT GUARDS THE REGIME AND THE OPPOSITION IS GOING TO HAVE A VERY TOUGH TIME TACKLING THIS UNIT. WE DON'T ANTICIPATE A LOT OF DEFECTIONS FROM THIS UNIT AS WE'VE SEEN FROM OTHER UNITS. SO THINGS COULD GET VERY BLOODY FOR A WHILE.

>> Woodruff: STEVEN HAYDEMANN WHAT ABOUT THAT. THE UNITS AROUND THE PRESIDENT.

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT IF THE REGIME FEELS IT'S BEEN BACKED INTO A CORNER, IF SOME OF ITS SUPPORTERS WHO BELIEVE THEY WERE IN AN EXISTENTIAL HAVINGAL FOR SURVIVAL LOOK AT CURRENT TRENDS AND FEEL THEY REALLY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MOUNT INCREASINGLY OFFENSIVE ACTIONS AGAINST THE UPRISING IN AN EFFORT TO EITHER SHIFT MOMENTUM OR SIMPLY TO SAVE THEMSELVES THAT THIS COULD BE THE START OF A WAVE OF AGGRESSION, A WAVE OF ATTACK ON THE PART OF THE REGIME IN WHICH IT'S SEEKING TO REASSERT ITS AUTHORITY. WE ASSERT ITS ABILITY TO COUNTERACT THIS OPPOSITION, AND SO I TEND TO AGREE THAT WE COULD SEE SOME QUITE EXTRAORDINARY VIOLENCE IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

>> Woodruff: YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT. AGAIN I THINK THE REGIME HAS TAKEN A LOOK AROUND THE REGION AND THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A SOFT LANDING FOR THE INNER CIRCLE AND THE GLOVES ARE GOING TO COME OFF. WE'RE SEEING REPORTS OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS BEING MOVED. SO THINGS COULD GET VERY VIOLENT.

>> Woodruff: IN THIS REPORT TODAY PRESIDENT OBAMA SPOKE WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN THAT THEY TALK ABOUT A PEACEFUL TRANSITION. WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU.

>> I THINK THAT THE RUSSIAN AND U.S. POSITION IS CONVERGING AND IT'S A QUESTION OF TIME BEFORE AS SAWED LOSES ALL OF HIS ALLIES IN AN ISOLATED REGIME.

>> Woodruff: WHAT SORT OF SIGNAL TO THAT SOUNDS TO THE PRESIDENT ASSAD.

>> I THINK THERE ARE MORE SIGNALS HE TAKES MORE SERIOUSLY THAN COMMENTS COMING OUT OF MOSCOW. WE'VE HEARD MIXED SIGNALS OUT OF THE RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP. ON ONE HAND THEY'VE CONTINUED TO ARGUE AGAINST ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL SANCTIONS AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY'VE BEEN SAYING SOME THING THAT SIGNAL TO ASSAD HIMSELF THAT THEIR SUPPORT IS NOT UNCONDITIONAL AND NOT UNLIMITED AND THAT HE NEEDS TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHETHER THEIR ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES. AN EXIT STRATEGY OR A STRATEGY OF NEGOTIATION. AND I AGREE THAT WE DID SEE A CONVERGENCE IN THIS STATEMENT FROM THE WHITEHOUSE TODAY THAT BOTH THE RUSSIANS AND THE U.S. DO NOT WANT REGIME COLLAPSE, THEY WANT A NEGOTIATED TRANSITION.

>> Woodruff: FREDERIC WEHREY, DO YOU SEE ANYTHING AT THIS POINT, AND FROM ANY DIRECTION, THAT WOULD PERMIT THE ASSAD REGIME TO STRENGTHEN AND TO HOLD ON AND TO GAIN GROUND BACK AGAINST THE OPPOSITION?

>> I DON'T SEE IT. I MEAN I THINK WE'VE REACHED SUCH A PSYCHOLOGICAL TIPPING POINT HERE WITH THE LOYALISTS AND THOSE THAT WERE SITTING ON THE FENCE WITH THE FIGHTING TAKEN TO DAMASCUS, THAT IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF TIME. THE OPPOSITION IS CERTAINLY DIVIDED, IT'S WEAK, IT LACKS LOGISTICS, IT LACKS A COMMAND STRUCTURE. BUT IT'S GOING TO MUDDLE ON AND I REALLY THINK THE QUESTION OF THE DEFECTIONS TAKING THEIR IMPACT.

>> Woodruff: AT THE SAME TIME, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO SAY WHEN THIS REGIME.

>> IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY. I REMEMBER WITH TRIPOLI IN LIBYA THERE WAS FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI WHEN THE REGIMES REGROUP. THESE REGIMES HAVE A WAY OF LASTING ESPECIALLY BACKED INTO A CORNER.

>> IF I COULD, IT'S ALSO OF TO RECOGNIZE THOUGH THE COLLAPSE OF THESE REGIMES IS NOT LINEAR. THEY CAN APPEAR TO BE VERY SOLID AND THE SYRIAN REGIME DOES HAVE A VERY POWERFUL CAPABILITY AT ITS DISPOSAL. ONCE IT BEGINS TO UNRAVEL IT COULD HAPPEN AT A PACE THAT SURPRISES EVEN THOSE THAT EXPECTED IT TO HANG ON. WE MAY HAVE SEEN THAT ACCELERATION BEGIN TO HAPPEN TODAY.

>> Woodruff: STEVEN HAYDEMANN, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT THAT HAPPENS IN SIX MONTHS WHAT HAPPENS IN SYRIA ONCE THE REGIME DOES GO. THE TRANSITION PERIOD. TELL US WHAT YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.

>> ONE OF THE KEY OBSTACLES THEY CONFRONTED RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING WAS ITS INABILITY TO PROVIDE A CLEAR VISION FOR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN SYRIA ONCE THE ASSAD REGEM COLLAPSED. AND THE U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE WAS APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF CREDIBLE OPPOSITION FIGURES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR A PROCESS OF TRANSITION PLANNING THAT WOULD LAY OUT A DETAILED STRATEGY, IDENTIFY CHALLENGES AND TRY TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THOSE CHALLENGES SO THAT ANY NEW TRANSITIONAL AUTHORITY THAT CAME INTO POWER WOULD HAVE SOME RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT TRANSITION. AND THE BETTER THE IDEAS ARE, THE MORE THOUGHT THAT'S GONE INTO THEM, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT SOME OF THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES TO BE AVOIDED. AND SO WE'VE SPENT SIX MONTHS NOW MEETING ALMOST EVERY MONTH WHERE THE GROUP OF ABOUT 45 OPPOSITION FIGURES WHO THEMSELVES HAVE LAID THE GROUND WORK FOR THIS TRANSITION.

>> Woodruff: YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS.

>> THIS IS A PROCESS WE HAVE KEPT VERY QUIET. WE NOW HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WE EXPECT TO RELEASE IN ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS, AND SO IT'S APPROPRIATE NOW TO BEGIN MAKING THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROJECT KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC.

>> Woodruff: I DO WANT TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ON-LINE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU TO STEVE HAYDEMANN AND TO FREDERIC WEHREY, WE THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Ifill: STILL TO COME ON THE "NEWSHOUR": GETTING READY FOR THE OLYMPICS; EXCLUDING GAYS FROM THE BOY SCOUTS; RISING TEMPERATURES THREATEN PACIFIC SALMON AND SPENDING A DAY IN A HOSPITAL'S WAITING ROOM. BUT FIRST, WITH THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S KWAME HOLMAN.

>> Holman: A BOMB EXPLODED TODAY ON A BUS CARRYING ISRAELI YOUTH IN BULGARIA. AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE WERE KILLED, AND MORE THAN 30 OTHERS WERE WOUNDED. THE ISRAELIS HAD JUST ARRIVED IN THE BLACK SEA RESORT OF BURGAS ABOUT 250 MILES EAST OF SOFIA, THE BULGARIAN CAPITAL. THE EXPLOSION ERUPTED IN A PARKING LOT AT THE CITY AIRPORT. NO ONE CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK, BUT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT BLAMED IRAN. IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN, A TALIBAN BOMB ATTACK DESTROYED 22 NATO TRUCKS EARLY TODAY. THEY CARRIED FUEL AND OTHER SUPPLIES MEANT FOR U.S. AND COALITION FORCES.

>> THREE OF ITS SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN OTHER ATTACKS AND MILITANTS KILLED A DOZEN AFGHAN SOLDIERS IN THE EAST AND SOUTH. NEW DATA ON THE U.S. ECONOMY CONFIRMS GROWTH AND HIRING HAVE SLOWED THIS SUMMER IN MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. THE FEDERAL RESERVE REPORTED THE REGIONAL FINDINGS TODAY, IN ITS SO-CALLED "BEIGE BOOK." AND AT A HOUSE HEARING, FED CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE WARNED OF A NEW RECESSION, IF CONGRESS FAILS TO GET A DEFICIT DEAL. THAT FAILURE WOULD TRIGGER AUTOMATIC TAX HIKES AND SPENDING CUTS IN JANUARY.

>> LESS SPENDING BY THE GOVERNMENT MEANS LAYOFFS IN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIES, FOR EXAMPLE, SO IT'LL SLOW THE ECONOMY AND ACTUALLY MEAN THAT TAX REVENUES WILL BE LESS THAN EXPECTED AND THE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF DEFICIT REDUCTION WILL BE SMALLER THAN REALLY WAS ANTICIPATED.

>> Holman: ON A POSITIVE NOTE, THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TODAY NEW HOUSING STARTS IN JUNE ROSE NEARLY 7% TO THE HIGHEST RATE SINCE 2008. THE HOUSING NEWS HELPED WALL STREET RALLY. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 103 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 12,908. THE NASDAQ ROSE 32 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2,942. MORE THAN TWO MILLION CREDIT CARDHOLDERS COULD SOON RECEIVE REFUNDS FROM CAPITAL ONE BANK. THE FIRM AGREED TODAY TO PAY $210 MILLION TO SETTLE CHARGES IT TRICKED CUSTOMERS INTO BUYING PAYMENT PROTECTION AND CREDIT MONITORING SERVICES. THE SETTLEMENT MARKED THE FIRST ENFORCEMENT ACTION BY THE NEW CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU. NINE U.S. ENLISTED MEN HAVE BEEN GIVEN ADMINISTRATIVE PUNISHMENTS FOR THEIR PART IN A SECRET SERVICE PROSTITUTION SCANDAL. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED TODAY THEY WILL NOT FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES. THE SEVEN SOLDIERS AND TWO U.S. MARINES SUPPORTED A SECRET SERVICE TEAM, WORKING ON A PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO COLOMBIA. EIGHT SECRET SERVICE MEMBERS LOST THEIR JOBS FOR MISCONDUCT INVOLVING PROSTITUTES. AGRICULTURE SECRETARY TOM VILSACK APPEALED TO CONGRESS TODAY TO HELP FARMERS FACING THE WORST DROUGHT IN DECADES. VILSACK ACKNOWLEDGED THE ADMINISTRATION'S ABILITY TO RESPOND IS LIMITED. HE SAID IT'S URGENT THAT LAWMAKERS QUICKLY APPROVE A NEW, FIVE-YEAR FARM BILL OR, AT LEAST, APPROVE ADDITIONAL DISASTER AID.

>> IF I HAD A RAIN PRAYER OR A RAIN DANCE I COULD DO, I WOULD DO IT. BUT HONESTLY RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON WORKING WITH CONGRESS. THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HELP THESE PRODUCERS BY CREATING GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN PROGRAMS, PROVIDING US SOME DIRECTION IN TERMS OF WHETHER DISASTER SYSTEMS CAN BE REVIVED. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE FOCUSED ON.

>> Holman: THE ADMINISTRATION ALREADY HAS ISSUED DISASTER DECLARATIONS FOR ONE-THIRD OF ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY. THAT MAKES FARMERS IN THOSE AREAS ELIGIBLE FOR LOW-INTEREST LOANS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAUGHT ENTERING THE U.S. ILLEGALLY HAS DROPPED TO THE LOWEST LEVEL IN FOUR DECADES. IT FELL TO JUST UNDER 517,000 IN 2010. THE U.S. BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS SAID TODAY THAT'S LESS THAN A THIRD THE TOTAL FROM BACK IN 2000. AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER ARRESTED ON CRIMINAL IMMIGRATION OFFENSES HAS INCREASED SHARPLY. AIDS-RELATED DEATHS ARE DROPPING AS MORE PEOPLE GAIN ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING MEDICATION. THE U.N. AIDS PROGRAM REPORTED ON THE PROGRESS TODAY. IT SAID IN 2011, WORLDWIDE, 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE DIED FROM ILLNESSES CONNECTED TO AIDS. THAT WAS A DECLINE OF 26% FROM THE PEAK NUMBER OF DEATHS-- 2.3 MILLION-- IN 2005. THE REPORT SAID EIGHT MILLION INFECTED PEOPLE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES RECEIVED CRUCIAL DRUGS LAST YEAR, UP 20% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO GWEN.

>> Ifill: A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK BEFORE THE TORCH IS LIT AT THE LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES, AND ORGANIZERS ARE STILL GRAPPLING WITH A SERIES OF PROBLEMS. THEY RANGE FROM A DECISION TODAY TO TRIM OPENING NIGHT CEREMONIES THAT WOULD HAVE LASTED PAST MIDNIGHT TO MUCH MORE SERIOUS CONCERNS, LIKE A SHORTAGE OF PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS. THE BRITISH HOME OFFICE WRESTLED TODAY WITH WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE SECURITY ISSUE. KEIR SIMMONS OF "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS" BEGINS OUR COVERAGE WITH THIS REPORT.

>> Reporter: ALREADY THE GOVERNMENT IS DRAFTING IN 3,500 EXTRA MILITARY. THEY WERE CONTINUING TO SET UP CAMP IN EAST LONDON TODAY. THEY MAY NEED PLENTY OF SPACE. ANOTHER 2,500 COULD BE CALLED UPON. SUCH IS THE FAILURE OF G.4.S. TO PROVIDE SECURITY STAFF. THE COMPANY IS TRAINING MORE PEOPLE. BUT THE OPENING CEREMONY IS NOW DESPERATELY CLOSE. TONIGHT, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS THE ISSUE THEY ARE FACING IN HERE TONIGHT COMES DOWN TO THIS. DO THEY TRUST G.4.S. IF IT SAYS IT NOW HAS ENOUGH STAFF AND GET BLAMED IF THAT TURNS OUT TO BE WRONG AGAIN? OR DO THEY CALL IN EVEN MORE SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND GET CRITICIZED IF THEY AREN'T NEEDED. AND THEY NEED TO MAKE THE DECISION IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. I.T.V. NEWS HAS LEARNED THAT THE HOME SECRETARY OVERRULED A PLAN TO CUT TRAINING LIKE THIS IN ORDER TO GET MORE SECURITY GUARDS. ONE PROPOSAL WAS EVEN TO TEACH G.4.S. EMPLOYEES ON SITE WHILST THEY WERE ALREADY WORKING. THE IDEA THAT THIS WAS EVEN SUGGESTED, HAS SOME DEEPLY WORRIED.

>> THE CONCERN YESTERDAY WAS WHETHER G.4.S. WOULD HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THE DAY. THE CONCERN TODAY IS THAT THOSE WHO TURN UP PERHAPS HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED AS WELL AS THEY SHOULD BE TO PICK UP THOSE PIECES OF INFORMATION AND THOSE TELL-TALE SIGNS WHICH MEAN THAT THEY SHOULD STOP PEOPLE.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS VISITING TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN. SOME OF THE MILITARY WORKING AT THE OLYMPICS WILL HAVE BEEN SERVING HERE JUST WEEKS EARLIER.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THE OLYMPICS, WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR ANY CONTINGENCY. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE A SAFE AND SECURE OLYMPICS. I SALUTE AND APPLAUD WHAT THE MILITARY HAVE DONE TO STEP IN AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. IF THERE ARE FURTHER STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE OF COURSE... OF COURSE WE WILL TAKE THEM.

>> Reporter: ALL THE SAME IN COVENTRY AND AT VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY. POLICE WERE AGAIN NEEDED BECAUSE TOO FEW G.4.S. STAFF HAVE TURNED UP.

>> Ifill: FOR MORE ABOUT LONDON'S ISSUES AND HOW THE OLYMPICS HAVE BOTH HELPED AND BEDEVILED OTHER CITIES, WE TURN TO TWO PEOPLE WATCHING THIS CLOSELY. STEPHEN WILSON IS THE EUROPEAN SPORTS EDITOR FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IN LONDON. HE'S COVERING HIS 13th OLYMPICS GAMES. AND KEVIN WAMSLEY IS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR OLYMPIC STUDIES AT WESTERN UNIVERSITY IN ONTARIO, CANADA. STEVE, AFTER COVERING 13 GAMES IN WASHINGTON THIS LATEST LITTLE ROCKY OPENING FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS, IS IT AS DIFFICULT TO PULL TOGETHER AS IT SEEMS IT IS?

>> WELL, IT REALLY IS. I MEAN THE BRITS HAVE BEEN PREPARING SEVEN YEARS FOR THIS EVENT, WHAT THEY NORMALLY CALL THE BIGGEST PEACE TIME OPERATION IN BRITISH HISTORY TO PREPARE. WE ARE IN A ROCKY PHASE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WEEKS BUT IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR OLYMPIC CITY TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS.

>> Ifill: ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS TONIGHT THAT THE SECURITY QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN RAISED IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE TENOR THAT THE NATURE AT THESE OLYMPICS.

>> I THINK THE FACE OF THE SECURITY OF THE OLYMPIC HAS CHANGED FOR SURE. EVEN HERE ON THE OLYMPIC SIGHT, WE'RE SEEING SOLDIERS IN MILITARY GEAR JUST HANDLING THE NORMAL ROUTINE. AND THAT'S PLANNED. HOWEVER, FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S ACTUALLY PROVIDED A BIT OF REASSURANCE. THE SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONAL AND THEY SEEM HAPPY TO BE HERE. THERE ARE MORE SERIOUS ISSUES TO DEAL WITH IN TELLERS OF GETTING ALL THE SECURITY NUMBERS UP TO SCRATCH, MAKING SURE ALL THE VENUES ARE PROTECTED AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.

>> Ifill: KEVIN WAMSLEY, YOU'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS FOR A WHILE. HOW UNUSUAL IS IT FOR LONDON TO SEEM TO BE HAVING THESE SNAFUS, DOES THIS HAPPEN EVERYWHERE?

>> WELL THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE THE BIGGEST CULTURAL EVENT IN THE WORLD TODAY AND PROBABLY WITH THE GREATEST MEDIA COVERAGE OF ANY EVENT IN THE WORLD SINCE THE 1980'S. AND IT REALLY IS A BIG DEAL AND IT REALLY PUTS A STRAIN ON A NATION, ON A CITY SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN THE FINAL DAYS LEADING UP TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES THAT THERE ARE MANY CONTINGENCIES TO DEAL WITH. WE SAW IT IN SYDNEY, ATHENS AND BEIJING SO IT'S REALLY NOT A SURPRISE.

>> Ifill: KEVIN LET ME STAY WITH YOU FOR A MINUTE. IN TERMS OF SECURITY IT SEEMS THINGS HAVE GOTTEN MORE DIFFICULT NOW SINCE POST 9/11 AS THE CITIES PLAN FOR THESE MASSIVE EVENTS.

>> YES IT REALLY IS COMPLICATED CERTAINLY COMMUNICATIONS HAVE CHANGED AND THE VENUES ARE DIFFERENT. CERTAINLY EVERY GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION PRESENTS ITS COMPLICATIONS, ITS PROBLEMS, ITS CHALLENGES. BRITAIN HAS TO PROTECT ITSELF BY AIR, BY WATER, THROUGH THE INTERNET, ON SITE. THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES THAT RUN THE COST OF SECURITY INTO THE BILLIONS AND CERTAINLY THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR THESE GAMES IS ASTOUNDING.

>> Ifill: STEVE, HOW MUCH DOES THIS ISSUE EXTEND BEYOND JUST SECURITY. I'VE SEEN STORIES ABOUT TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AS WELL.

>> YES. THERE'S BEEN A TRIP OF SOME NEGATIVE NEWS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND WEEKS WHICH AGAIN IS NOT UNUSUAL BUT IT'S ADDING UP AND IT'S CASTING A BIT OF A PALL OVER THE GAMES. THE WEATHER FOR EXAMPLE IS STILL NOT WHAT WE HAD HOPED TO BE. IT'S BEEN RAINING AGAIN A BIT TODAY. HOPEFULLY THE FORECAST FOR NEXT WEEK IS GETTING BETTER. BUT JUST TODAY WE'VE HAD A SLEW OF ITEMS WHICH ADD UP INTO THE NEGATIVE COLUMN. WE HAD THREE AUSTRALIAN BAD MINUTE CONTINUE PLAYERS WHO CAME DOWN WITH TO DO POISONING AT THE ATHLETES VOYAGE AND AT THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE HERE BEHIND ME ATHLETES WENT WITHOUT WATER IN SOME PARTS OF THE VILLAGE FOR A FEW HOURS TODAY. AND WE ALSO HAD THE DIRECTOR OF THE OPENING CEREMONY HAS HAD TO CUT BACK SOME OF THE CEREMONY TO MAKE SURE IT FINISHES ON TIME SOMETHING WHICH I DON'T THINK HE WAS HOPING TO DO. SO EVERY DAY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MORE OF THESE ISSUES COMING UP. AND TRANSPORTATION OF COURSE AS YOU MENTIONED WILL BE A KEY, KEY FACTOR. WE STARTED FEELING THAT NOW WITH SOME OF THE BUSES TAKING THE ATHLETES TWO AND FRO. NEXT WEEK WHEN THEY ARE ALL HERE AND ALL THE MEDIA IS HERE AND THE PEOPLE START TO MOVE AROUND, IT WILL REALLY BECOME A BIG CHALLENGE.

>> Ifill: KEVIN WHILE THERE'S A TEMPTATION TO LOOK AT ALL OF THESE DETAILS, ADD THEM UP AND THINK TO YOURSELF OH MY GOODNESS, A BAD THING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. ON THE OTHER OLYMPICS YOU STUDIED, HAVE YOU SEEN THAT SORT OF BUILD UP JUST BEFORE OR IS THIS UNUSUAL I ANY WAY?

>> IT'S NOT UNUSUAL AT ALL. IN FACT, PEOPLE NEED SOMETHING TO WRITE B IT'S SUCH A MEDIA EVENT. THEY CAN HOPE THE JOURNALISTS ARE BORED AND THEY'RE ONLY WRITING ABOUT THE ATHLETES OR THE VENUES AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BIG POLITICAL CRISES TO DEAL WITH. BIG SECURITY ISSUES LEADING UP TO THE GAMES. THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY ATTACK, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME WARNINGS, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE BURGEONING DEATH, FACILITIES NOT BEING READY IN PREVIOUS OLYMPIC GAMES. ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE MEDIA TO BE FOCUSING ON IN WHAT IT CAN TO CREATE STORIES AND EXASSIGNMENT BEFORE THE OLYMPICS GAMES AND THAT CITES EXCITEMENT WHICH IS PART OF THE PACKAGE.

>> Ifill: A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOES ON E OLYMPICS AND THE CITIES AND COUNTRIES BENEFIT LONG TERM. DOES IT PAY OFF? THAT'S FOR YOU KEVIN WAMSLEY.

>> WELL GENERALLY IT PAYS OFF IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. IT CAN BE A GOOD WAY TO BRING CITIZENS OF THE NATION TOGETHER, IT CAN BE A GREAT PART OF CONSTRUCTING NATIONAL IDENTITY MUCH. IT'S A FEEL GOOD EVENT. THEY CAN FEEL PROUD IN TERMS OF HOSTING THE GAME BUT FINANCIALLY THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. HISTORICALLY LET'S ONLY BEEN ONE OLYMPIC GAMES THAT'S TURNED TO PROFIT AND THAT'S LOS ANGELES IN 1984. ALL OTHER OLYMPIC GAMES HAVE COME AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO THE PUBLIC PURSE AND TO THE CORPORATIONS WHO SPONSOR THE OWE LEVEL PICK GAMES.

>> Ifill: STEVE WILSON ARE TICKETS BEEN TOLD AND DO THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT SECURITY AFFECT THAT AT ALL.

>> I DON'T THINK IT AFFECTS TICKET SALES. ORGANIZERS HAVE HOPED TO SELL OUT THESE GAMES AND THEY'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THAT HOWEVER THEY ADMITTED YESTERDAY IN FACT THAT THEY HAVEN'T. IN FACT, HALF A MILLION TICKETS FOR THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SELL THEM. AND THERE'S STILL SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND TICKETS YET ON THE MARKET FOR FOOTBALL, FOR SOCCER AND FOR OTHER EVENTS. SO IT'S NOT A SELL OUT YET BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT MORE PACKING THAN YOU DID IN BEIJING WHERE EMPTY SEATS WERE FAIRLY COMMON AND DID NOT GIVE A GOOD IMAGE OF THOSE GAMES.

>> Ifill: YOU DON'T THINK THAT THE LACK OF SELL OUT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH REPORT OF SECURITY. THERE ARE NO FEARS WHICH ARE SPARKING THAT.

>> NO, NO SENSE THAT'S THE CASE. IT'S JUST A HARD SELL TO GET THE SOCCER TICKETS SOLD. IT'S BEEN HELD IN SIX DIFFERENT VENUES ACROSS THE UK. AND THE FANS HERE IN THE UK, THEY PREFER PRIMARILY SOCCER AND WORLD CUP AND EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. IT'S A HARD SELL TO GET THE TICKETS HERE.

>> Ifill: AND DRIP DRIP DRIP THE RAIN KEEPS YOU FALLING IN LONDON. STEVE WILSON AND KEVIN WAMSLEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Woodruff: NEXT, THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. AT THE CENTER OF CRITICISM ONCE AGAIN OVER THE GROUP'S POLICY TOWARDS GAYS AND LESBIANS. JEFFREY BROWN HAS THE STORY.

>> Brown: FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS, STARTING IN 1910, BOY SCOUTS HAVE BEEN CAMPING, WORKING ON MERIT BADGES, LEARNING LIFE SKILLS. SINCE THE LATE 1990s, THE ORGANIZATION-- TODAY NUMBERING SOME 2.7 MILLION SCOUTS AND MORE THAN A MILLION ADULT VOLUNTEERS -- HAS FACED PRESSURE TO CHANGE ITS LONG-STANDING POLICY OF EXCLUDING SCOUTS AND LEADERS WHO ARE OPENLY GAY. IN 2000, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHELD THE SCOUTS' RIGHT TO MAINTAIN THAT STANCE, CITING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION. AND ON TUESDAY, AFTER A CONFIDENTIAL TWO-YEAR REVIEW, A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE BOY SCOUTS REAFFIRMED THE POLICY. IN A STATEMENT, CHIEF SCOUT EXECUTIVE BOB MAZZUCA SAID: GAY RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMNED THE DECISION. AND ONLINE CAMPAIGNS ARE TRYING TO REVERSE THE POLICY. ONE PETITION-- ON THE WEBSITE change.org-- WAS ORGANIZED BY OHIO MOTHER JENNIFER TYRRELL. SHE WAS REMOVED AS A CUB SCOUTS DEN MOTHER BECAUSE SHE IS LESBIAN. MORE THAN 300,000 PEOPLE SIGNED HER PETITION. AND TODAY, TYRRELL DELIVERED THE SIGNATURES TO THE BOY SCOUTS NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS IN IRVING, TEXAS. MOLLY HENNESSEY-FISKE OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES IS FOLLOWING THE DECISION AND THE REACTION TO IT. SHE JOINS US FROM HOUSTON. MOLLY, TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT THE BOY SCOUTS EXPLANATION FOR WHY THEY ARE REAFFIRMING THIS POLICIMENT POLICY -- POLICY, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING.

>> IT'S INTERESTING THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE YESTERDAY. REAFFIRMED THE POLICY, IT REITERATED WHAT HAD ALREADY BEEN SAID AND IT CAME AT A TIME AS YOU MENTIONED WHEN THEY'RE HAVING THESE PROTESTS AND HIGH PROFILE APPEARANCES BY JENNIFER TURRELL AND OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN OUTED AS GAY SCOUT LEADERS OR GAY SCOUTS. SO THE REAFFIRMATION WERE SEEN BY OBSERVERS WHO I TALKED TO YESTERDAY AS JUST SORT OF REAFFIRMING OF THE CHARACTER OF THE SCOUTS AS A MORE CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATION. SOME OF THE OBSERVERS WHO I TALKED TO WHO WERE, HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SCOUTING, HAD FOLLOWED SCOUTING FOR DECADES SAID THIS JUST INDICATED HOW INTERTWINED THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, HAD COME WITH SOME RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPONSOR A LOT OF TROOPS. THAT THIS WAS SORT OF BOTH A MORAL DECISION BUT ALSO A BUSINESS DECISION AS WELL.

>> Brown: TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS AKIN TO A DON'T ASK/DON'T TELL POLICY, RIGHT. PEOPLE ARE NOT ASKED IF THEY ARE GAY.

>> WELL, I HAD POSED THAT QUESTION TO THE BOY SCOUTS SPOKESMAN HERE IN TEXAS YESTERDAY. I ASKED DO YOU ASK PEOPLE WHEN THEY JOIN WHEN THEY APPLY TO BECOME LEADERS OR WHEN CHILDREN ARE JOINING WHETHER THEY ARE GAY OR NOT AND HE TOLD ME ABSOLUTELY NOT. I ALSO TALKED TO A LONG TIME SCOUT VOLUNTEER WHO IS AN EAGLE SCOUT, WHO HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT THE BOY SCOUTS AND HE ENDED A TWO WAY DON'T ASK/DON'T TELL POLICY AND SAID THERE ARE SOME PARTICULAR TROOPS THAT ARE MORE PROGRESSIVE OR MORE PERMISSIVE THAT DON'T ASK ARE SUPPORTIVE OF MEMBERS. AS THE BOY SCOUTS SPOKESMAN SAID TO ME, ONCE SOMEONE COMES OUT AS GAY, SAYS THAT THEY'RE GAY, THEN IT BECOMES AN ISSUE FOR THE BOY SCOUTS.

>> Brown: NOW WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE DIVISIONS OR DISCUSSIONS OR DEBATES WITHIN THE SCOUTS THEMSELVES? I SAW FOR EXAMPLE THAT THE TWO VERY PROMINENT BUSINESS CEO'S WHO SIT ON THE BOARD, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD HAVE COME OUT RECENTLY AGAINST THE POLICY. SO IS THERE A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN DIVISION?

>> WELL, THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE DISSENTERS WITHIN THE BOY SCOUTS, ONE EAGLE SCOUT ZACK IN IOWA WHO FORMED A GROUP OF EAGLE SCOUTS AND OTHER SCOUTS WHO ARE PUSHING FOR INCLUSION, MORE INCLUSION WITHIN THE SCOUTS. THEY WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY. THEY SAID EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T REVERSING A LONGSTANDING POLICY, THEY SAID THEY FELT THE FORMATION OF A COMMITTEE AND THE FACT THAT THE BOY SCOUTS FELT THE NEED TO COME OUT AND ADDRESS THIS PUBLICLY WAS SIGNIFICANT AND THEY HAD POINTED TO THESE TWO BOARD MEMBERS, THE SENIORS OF ERNST & YOUNG WHO MADE STATEMENTS HOPING THEY WOULD CHANGE THE POLICY SAYING THAT WAS ENCOURAGING AS WELL. THEY HOPED THERE CAN BE SOME SORT OF CHANGE FROM WITHIN NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME FROM THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE AS YOU NOTED, THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IN 2000 UPHELD THE BOY SCOUTS POLICY SAYING IT WAS OKAY FOR THEM TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION.

>> Brown: SPEAKING FROM THE OUTSIDE, WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE, WHAT LEVEL OF PRESSURE HAS BEEN COMING AT THE BOY SCOUTS TO CHANGE THIS?

>> WELL, AS YOU MENTIONED, JENNIFER TURRELL AND SUPPORTERS HAD MET PRIVATELY WITH THE BOY SCOUTS HERE IN TEXAS EARLIER TODAY. THAT WAS A PRIVATE MEETING, IT WASN'T A BIG PUBLIC STATEMENT, AND THE OBSERVERS I TALKED TO YESTERDAY, LEGAL EXPERTS AND THE GENTLEMAN I MENTIONED WHO HAS A LONG EXPERIENCE OF SCOUTING SAY THEY DON'T EXPECT ANY KIND OF CHANGE TO COME SOON FROM WITHIN. THERE WAS A RESOLUTION THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED AT THE BOY SCOUTS ANNUAL MEETING BACK IN MAY THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO A CHANGE IN THE POLICY. BUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY PRETTY MUCH KILLED THAT.

>> AND YOU SAID YOUR SOURCES TE PEOPLE YOU TALKED TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE POLICY LARGELY TO CHURCHES, TO RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, TO CONSERVATIVE GROUPS THAT SUPPORT THE POLICY AND SUPPORT THE BOY SCOUTS.

>> YES. THEY HAD CITED TWO CHURCHES IN PARTICULAR, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE MORMON CHURCH, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS WHICH HAS A PART OF THE BOY SCOUTS WEB PAGE AND ALSO ENCOURAGES INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOY SCOUTS AS PART OF THEIR YOUTH PROGRAM BECAUSE THE BOY SCOUT TROOPS ARE SPONSORED IN MANY CASES BY CHURCHES, THIS BECOMES KIND OF A BUSINESS CONCERN FOR THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. AND THEY THESE OBSERVERS WERE TELLING ME YESTERDAY AS LONG AS THOSE CHURCHES ARE AS INVOLVED IN THE BOY SCOUTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE YOU SAID OUT OF 2.7 MILLION MEMBERS, ABOUT 400,000 ARE MORMON ALONE AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE OTHER CHURCH MEMBERS. AS LONG AS THERE IS THAT RELATIONSHIP, THEN THE BOY SCOUTS ARE GOING TO HOLD FIRM TO THIS POLICY. LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF SCOUTING WHO ARE ENCOURAGED AND THINK THAT THERE CAN BE CHANGE FROM WITHIN BUT THEY DON'T EXPECT IT SOON. I THINK WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS MORE LOCAL CONTROL AND THAT CHANGE MIGHT COME FROM THE LOCAL LEVEL ON UP FROM THE ORGANIZATION.

>> Brown: MOLLY HENNESSEY FISKE FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIME. THANKS SO MUCH. YOU CAN WEIGH IN AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE BOY SCOUTS DECISION THAT'S ON ONE RUN DOWN NEWS BLOCK.

>> Ifill: NOW, HOW NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES OUT WEST ARE ADJUSTING TO DECLINING NUMBERS OF A TRADITIONAL FOOD STAPLE: SALMON, AND THE ROLE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN ALL THIS. OUR STORY WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH EARTHFIX, A PROJECT OF KCTS SEATTLE THAT FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING IN THE NORTHWEST. AND IT'S PART OF OUR "COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE" SERIES. HARI SREENIVASAN REPORTS.

>> Sreenivasan: THE COASTAL TRIBES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CALL THEMSELVES SALMON PEOPLE.

>> SALMON TO THE SWINOMISH TRIBE IS LIKE THE BUFFALO TO THE TRIBES IN THE MIDWEST. IT IS THE FOOD THAT THE CREATOR HAS BLESSED US WITH.

>> Sreenivasan: EVERY YEAR THEY HOLD CEREMONIES TO BLESS FISHERMEN AND HONOR THE RETURNING SALMON. BUT OVER THE LAST CENTURY, THE NUMBER OF SALMON MAKING THEIR WAY HOME HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE PACIFIC KING SALMON IS NOW AN ENDANGERED SPECIES. BRIAN CLADOOSBY IS CHAIRMAN OF THE SWINOMISH INDIAN TRIBAL COMMUNITY, WHICH SITS AT THE MOUTH OF THE SKAGIT RIVER. HIS PEOPLE HAVE FISHED THE SHORES OF PUGET SOUND SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.

>> THERE WAS SALMON IN THAT SLOUGH HERE PRETTY MUCH 365 DAYS A YEAR. EVERY MONTH THERE WAS A DIFFERENT SALMON THAT WAS OCCUPYING THOSE WATER.

>> Sreenivasan: THE FISH STILL WERE PLENTIFUL IN 1855 WHEN CLADOOSBY'S GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER PUT HIS "X" ON A TREATY TRADING AWAY MOST OF THEIR LAND IN EXCHANGE FOR SECURING THE RIGHTS FOR ALL SWINOMISH PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO FISH, HUNT AND HARVEST SHELLFISH IN THEIR HISTORIC GROUNDS. IN THE 150 YEARS SINCE, OVERFISHING, LOSS OF HABITAT AND HYDRO-ELECTRIC DAMS HAVE DEPLETED SALMON POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHWEST. LOW RETURNS MEAN THAT NATIVE FISHERMEN ARE NOW ONLY ALLOWED A SHORT WINDOW TO FISH.

>> THIS YEAR WE GOT THREE DAYS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR TO FISH CHINOOK.

>> Sreenivasan: AND NOW THERE IS ANOTHER THREAT: RISING TEMPERATURES MAY PUSH NORTHWEST SALMON TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION. SALMON DEPEND ON THE GLACIER-FED STREAMS OF THE NORTHWEST TO SURVIVE. BUT SINCE 1920 THE AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE IN THE REGION HAS RISEN BY ONE AND A HALF DEGREES. ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, THAT SLIGHT RISE IN TEMPERATURE CAUSED THE SOUTH CASCADES GLACIERS TO SHRINK TO HALF WHAT THEY WERE A CENTURY AGO. HYDROLOGIST ALAN HAMLET WHO WORKS WITH THE GROUP SAYS THE LOSS OF THOSE GLACIERS HAS MANY CONSEQUENCES.

>> WHEN WE LOSE THE SNOWPACK IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND THE GLACIERS, THOSE ARE A KIND OF WATER TOWER, A WAY OF STORING WATER UNDER NATURAL CONDITIONS, AND WHEN WE LOSE THAT WATER TOWER, THEN THE FLOWS IN THE SUMMER GO DOWN.

>> Sreenivasan: THIS MEANS HIGHER WATERS IN THE WINTERTIME, LOWER STREAMS IN SUMMER, A COMBINATION THAT HE SAYS SPELLS DISASTER FOR SALMON AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR LIFE. HEAVY WINTER FLOODS CAN WASH AWAY SALMON EGGS AND SMALL YOUNG FISH. AND LOW SUMMERTIME CURRENTS MEAN WARMER WATER. ADULT SALMON DIE IF WATER TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE 70 DEGREES. HAMLET AND OTHER RESEARCHERS PROJECT THAT BY 2080, NEARLY HALF OF STREAMS THEY MONITOR WILL AVERAGE WEEKLY TEMPERATURES HIGHER THAN 70.

>> ALL OF THESE FISH ARE VERY VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, PARTICULARLY FROM WATER TEMPERATURE, BUT ALSO FROM CHANGES IN FLOW, AND IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

>> Sreenivasan: ESTUARIES, LIKE THIS ONE, ACT AS NURSERIES FOR JUVENILE SALMON-- A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM PREDATORS AND FEED ON EELGRASS BEFORE HEADING OUT INTO THE OCEAN. HAMLET SAYS THESE HABITATS MAY DISAPPEAR AS WELL.

>> WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL SEA LEVEL RISE, PERHAPS A METER OF SEA LEVEL RISE THAT WILL INUNDATE THIS AREA.

>> Sreenivasan: AFTER WATCHING OTHER TRIBAL COMMUNITIES LOSE THEIR HOMELANDS AND TRADITIONAL FOOD SOURCES, CLADOOSBY FEARS THAT HIS TRIBE WILL BE NEXT.

>> I'M NOT A SCIENTIST. I DON'T KNOW WHY CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING, IF IT'S JUST A CYCLE IN THE EARTH, IT'S A GENERATIONAL THING, OR IF THERE'S TOO MUCH POLLUTION ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE. SO WHEN WE'RE SEEING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN OUR AREAS WE THINK WE BETTER GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE.

>> Sreenivasan: TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE, THEY BECAME THE FIRST TRIBE IN THE COUNTRY TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ADAPTATION ASSESSMENT THEIR AIM: TO MELD THEIR DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF THE NATURAL WORLD WITH TOP SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. BILLY FRANK JR. WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHWEST INDIAN FISHERIES COMMISSION SAYS THE NATIVE PEOPLE RECOGNIZE WHEN THE CLIMATE IS OUT OF SYNC.

>> WE KNOW ALL ABOUT THE OCEAN, WE KNOW THE CURRENTS AND WE KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON OUT HERE. WE LEARN FROM THE ANIMALS, WE LEARN FROM THE BIRDS, WE LEARN FROM OUR SURROUNDINGS, YOU KNOW?

>> Sreenivasan: RAY HARRIS, A FISHERMAN WITH THE CHEMAINUS FIRST NATION ON VANCOUVER ISLAND AGREES.

>> TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS LIKE ON THE GROUND STUFF, IT'S NOT A THEORY. SO THAT'S... THAT'S REALLY THE DIFFERENCE. IT'S ACTUALLY TRUE, ON, FROM OBSERVING AND TESTING AND CATCHING AND EATING, WE KNOW HOW THE STATE OF THE RESOURCE IS. ITS NOT THAT WE TAKE A PIECE OF IT AND SEND IT BACK EAST TO GET TESTED IN SOME TEST TUBE. WE PUT IT ON THE TABLE AND FEED OUR PEOPLE.

>> Reporter: THE SKAGIT CLIMATE CHANGE CONSORTIUM IS COMBINING NATIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE WITH THEIR RESEARCH ON CLIMATE PATTERNS. THEY'VE CREATED MODELS TO PAINT A PICTURE OF HOW SWINOMISH HOMELANDS WILL LOOK IN THE FUTURE. SO FAR THE MODEL SHOWS THAT 15% OF THE RESERVATION IS AT RISK OF FLOODING FROM RISING SEAS, INCLUDING KEY ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS SUCH AS THE TRIBES SHELLFISH BEDS. BIOLOGIST LARRY WASSERMAN HAS WORKED WITH TRIBES FOR DECADES. HE HOPES THE SKAGIT CONSORTIUM WILL BE A MODEL FOR POLICYMAKERS ON THE LOCAL LEVEL WHO WANT TO PREPARE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE BUT DON'T KNOW HOW.

>> THE ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE WILL AFFECT THE TRIBES NATURAL RESOURCES AND OTHER FOLKS RESPONSES TO CLIMATE IS THEIR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR BACKYARD. AND MUCH OF THE SCIENCE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IS BEING DONE AT A REGIONAL SCALE OR A GLOBAL SCALE. AND SO IT DOESN'T BECOME USABLE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO START.

>> Sreenivasan: WHILE STUDIES SHOW THAT NATIVE PEOPLE FACE A GREATER RISK FROM SHIFTS IN THE CLIMATE, HAMLET THINKS THEY ARE ALSO UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO COPE.

>> THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT THE TRIBES ARE MAYBE POSITIONED TO TAKE THAT LONG SUSTAINABILITY VIEWPOINT. WE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, HEAR ABOUT THE TRIBES PLANNING FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS AHEAD, THAT'S ABOUT THE RIGHT TIME SCALE FOR SEA LEVEL RISE PLANNING.

>> Reporter: CLADOOSBY BELIEVES THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY ARE READY TO TACKLE THAT LONG TERM CHALLENGE.

>> WE ARE SLOWLY STARTING TO GET BACK ONE GENERATION AT A TIME THAT KNOWLEDGE OF TREATING THE ENVIRONMENT AS A BROTHER OR A SISTER AND THAT ALL LIVING AND NONLIVING THINGS LIVE TOGETHER HERE ON THIS EARTH. AND WHEN YOU IMPACT ONE, YOU IMPACT THE OTHER. SO WE'RE SLOWLY STARTING TO SEE THE YOUNGER GENERATION BECOME AWARE OF MOTHER NATURE.

>> Sreenivasan: BIILLY FRANK SAYS, THERE IS NOT REALLY A CHOICE.

>> CHANGE, MAKE IT HAPPEN, DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? AND LET'S DO IT, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, YOU KNOW? SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A CHANGE.

>> Sreenivasan: A CHANGE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THE NEXT SEVEN GENERATIONS.

>> Ifill: PREPARING FOR THAT CHANGE WAS THE SUBJECT OF A CONVERSATION HARI HAD WITH MEMBERS OF COASTAL TRIBES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AT THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN. WE'LL HAVE THAT TOMORROW NIGHT. ON OUR "COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE PAGE," FIND INTERACTIVE GRAPHICS ON THE LIFECYCLE OF SALMON AND A TIME LAPSE ANIMATION SHOWING A RETREATING GLACIER DEVASTATING THE HABITAT.

>> Woodruff: FINALLY TONIGHT, A NEW DOCUMENTARY ABOUT PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND THE UNINSURED AND AGAIN TO JEFF, WHO RECORDED THIS CONVERSATION RECENTLY.

>> THE DAILY LIFE OF A LARGE UNDER RESOURCED URBAN PUBLIC HOSPITAL. A NEW DOCUMENTARY OFFERS NO EXPERTS AND NO STATISTICS, JUST A RARE FLY ON THE WALL LOOK INSIDE OVERWHELMED AND AN OVERWHELMING SYSTEM WITH IMPACT ON PATIENTS AND STAFF. THE WAITING ROOM, AND THERE IS INDEED A LOT OF WAITING GOING ON WAS SET IN HIGHLAND HOSPITAL IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. THEY HAVE BEEN SCREENING AT FILM FESTIVALS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HAS ALREADY WON SEVERAL AWARDS. WE'LL GO TO NATIONAL THEATRE RELEASE IN THE FALL, WILL AIR ON PBS INDEPENDENT LENS NEXT YEAR. ITS DIRECTOR PETE NICKS JOINS ME NOW. THIS IS YOUR LIFE WORK AT THE HOSPITAL. WHAT DID IT BECOME? WHAT WERE YOU ASKING?

>> WELL, I WAS REALLY INSPIRED TO MAKE THE FILM TO A LARGE DEGREE BECAUSE OF THESE STORIES THAT SHE WOULD COME HOME WITH. SHE HAD JUST FINISHED GRADUATE SCHOOL AND SHE WENT TO WORK ON THE HIGHLAND HOSPITAL, I HAD JUST FINISHED SCHOOL. THERE WERE STORIES ABOUT THE RESILIENCE OF NOT JUST THE PATIENT POPULATION BUT THE CARE GIVERS THAT WERE ALSO CHARGED WITH CARING FOR THIS COMMUNITY OF LARGELY UNINSURED PATIENTS. AND ALSO THEIR STRUGGLE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. SO I WANTED TO TRY TO CAPTURE THAT IN SOME WAY IN A FILM AND SHARE IT WITH THE COUNTRY.

>> I GUESS FROM TELEVISION HIT SHOWS WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THE TRAUMAS THAT COME IN. AND THERE IS THAT IN THIS FILM. BUT THISIS MORE ABOUT PEOPLE COMING FOR DAILY CARE, DAILY NEEDS PEOPLE WHO ARE UNINSURED AND DON'T HAVE DOCTORS OF THEIR OWN.

>> WHEN I BEGAN THE FILM, WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS MAINLY TELL A STORY OF A COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTION. LARGELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE CONVERSATION AROUND HEALTHCARE REFORM. THE DOCUMENTARIES TAKE A LONG TIME TO MAKE AND IN INTERVENING YEARS I THINK THE NOISE AND THE CONVERSATION DEBATE ON HEALTHCARE CRISES IN THIS COUNTRY REALLY STARTED TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. AND THE FILM AT THAT POINT, I BEGAN TO LOOK AT THE WAITING ROOM AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WERE COMING, LARGELY FOR LOWER ACUITY ISSUES AND WE WERE TRYING TO SHOW THE STORY IN THE WAITING ROOM THAT WAS TORN BETWEEN THESE TWO ROLES OF EMERGENCY CARE AND PRIMARY CARE FOR A LARGE COMMUNITY.

>> I WANT TO SHOW A LITTLE CLIP. IT'S ACTUALLY TWO SHORT SCENES RIGHT ONE OUT IN THE WAITING ROOM AND ONE BEHIND THE SCENES. WE SEE BOTH PATIENTS AND DOCTORS. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

>> SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. X-RAYS -- THEY GOT TO DO WHAT THEY GOT TO DO. THEY GOT TO BE MOVING. GOT TO BE. TAKE THIS THING AWAY FROM ME.

>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY BEDS. WE HAVE ONE -- BED --

>> SO THIS GUY IS ABLE TO GO. YES, THIS GUY JUST NEEDS A SCAN OF HIS AORTA -- MAKE SURE YOU CALL AAA AND THEN HE CAN GO.

>> THREE POINT AT THE HALLWAY AND YOUR DKA IS GOING TO SET IN.

>> I'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE I WILL DISCHARGE FOR YOU SOON. I GOT A PATIENT TO DISCHARGE WITH SHOULDER PAIN. I NEED TO REASSESS REAL QUICK.

>> SO TELL ME, THE MAN WE'RE SEEING IN THE WAITING ROOM ACTUALLY HAD A GUNSHOT WOUND, RIGHT. THAT HE WAS TRYING TO GET TAKEN CARE OF. AND WHEN THE DOCTORS ARE THE PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY ARE PUTTING PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT. I THINK THE WAITING ROOM SEES A WHOLE RANGE OF PEOPLE, FROM PEOPLE WHO COME IN WITH A VERY ACUTE URGENT NEEDS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN FOR, YOU KNOW, MAINS OR JUST BASIC THINGS. WITH THIS CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY HAPPENS TO BE VIOLENCE IN COMMUNITIES LIKE OAKLAND, THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOT ON A DAILY BASIS. WHEN WE WERE THERE, THIS WAS A VERY REGULAR OCCURRENCE. AND HERE'S A GUY WHO WAS SHOT SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE WHO IS COMING BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WOUND IS BOTHERING HIM. AND HE HAS TO WAIT BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL'S DEALING WITH A TRIPLE SHOOTING. AND SO THE IRONY OF THAT SITUATION, YOU KNOW, WAS THE LOST ON US IN THE EDIT ROOM IN SOME OF THE JUXTA POSITIONS WE TRIED TO MAKE A STATEMENT WITH, TO SHOW THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS PLACED UNDER TREMENDOUS STRAIN THAT'S BEYOND THEIR CONTROL.

>> YOU SEE THESE DOCTORS WHO ARE JUST ALMOST JUGGLING ROOMS AND BEDS.

>> AND THAT'S THE SORT OF BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE DOCUMENTARY. WHAT YOU TRY TO DO IS TAKE THE AUDIENCE INTO PLACES WHERE THEY ORDINARILY CAN'T GO. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT I WAS REALLY AMAZED WITH EARLY ON WAS HOW CLEVER THE STAFF HAS TO BE TO TRY TO MANAGE THE FLOW OF PATIENTS AND IF THEY DON'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, THINGS START TO BACK UP. IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S ALMOST LIKE A VIDEO GAME, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU HAVE TO PLACE PATIENTS, MOVE PATIENTS, KEEP THE FLOW GOING, AND IF YOU DON'T, IF IT STACKS UP AND THE WAITING ROOM BACKS UP AND PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AND IT KEEPS SPINNING MORE OUT OF CONTROL.

>> I SAW ONE REVIEW SAYING THAT ADVOCATES ON ALL SIDES OF THE HEALTHCARE DEBATE COULD SORT OF VIEW THIS AND SORT OF FEED THEIR OWN VIEWS INTO IT. YOU SAID YOU STARTED WITH SORT OF BEFORE ALL THAT HEATED UP BUT NOW YOU DO SEE IT PLAYING. IT'S GOING TO GET OUT INTO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. IT'S GOING TO GET ON PBS AS WE SAID. SO IT'S GOING TO BECOME PART OF THAT I GUESS, PART OF THAT DEBATE.

>> IT IS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FELT WAS VITAL, AND YOU KNOW AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME AS WE'RE DEBATING HEALTHCARE CRISES ON A VERY HIGH LEVEL WHEN POLICIES ARE BEING MADE THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FOR POSSIBLY GENERATIONS, THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES PARTICULARLY IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS LIKE THIS ONE AND HOSPITALS AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE NOT BEING HEARD, AND WERE NOT BEING REPRESENTED IN THAT CONVERSATION. WE FELT IT WAS OF TO BRING THEM INTO THAT CONVERSATION AND BE, TO DO IT IN WAY THAT WAS AS NON-POLITICAL AS POSSIBLE. NOW, EVERY FILMMAKER BRINGS SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AGENDA TO THE TABLE. WE ALL HAVE OUR PERSONAL BELIEFS AND CERTAINLY I DO. BUT PRIMARY THAT IS THAT WE NEED A BETTER MORE EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND THAT HERE'S THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. WE WANTED TO DO IT IN WAY THAT JUST ALLOWED THEIR VOICES TO COME THROUGH NATURALLY WITH US AS FILM MAKERS MAKING A SHARP STATEMENT ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, TO LET THE AUDIENCE MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS WHAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS EXPERIENCE OF THIS ONE COMMUNITY WAS.

>> OKAY. THE FILM IS CALLED "THE WAITING ROOM. "THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ifill: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY: A BOMBING STRUCK AT THE HEART OF SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT, KILLING THE COUNTRY'S DEFENSE MINISTER AND TWO OTHER TOP OFFICIALS. REBELS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. A BOMB BLAST IN BULGARIA KILLED AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE AND WOUNDED MORE THAN 30 ON A BUS CARRYING ISRAELI YOUTH. AND THE U.N. AIDS PROGRAM REPORTED AIDS-RELATED DEATHS WERE DOWN AGAIN LAST YEAR. THEY'VE FALLEN MORE THAN 25% SINCE 2005. OUR HEALTH UNIT LAUNCHES A SERIES OF STORIES ABOUT THE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, AHEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK. KWAME HOLMAN EXPLAINS.

>> Holman: FIRST UP, THE PLIGHT OF CHILDREN ORPHANED BY THE DISEASE. WE COMPARE WHAT HAPPENED TO TWO FAMILIES-- ONE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND ONE IN ZIMBABWE. GET AN EARLY LOOK AT GWEN'S CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF U.N. AIDS ABOUT THE PROGRESS MADE AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD IN FIGHTING THE DISEASE. WE'VE POSTED THE INTERVIEW ONLINE AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE IT ON AIR TOMORROW. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE: newshour.pbs.org.

>> Woodruff: AND AGAIN, TO OUR HONOR ROLL OF AMERICAN SERVICE PERSONNEL KILLED IN THE AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT. WE ADD THEM AS THEIR DEATHS ARE MADE OFFICIAL AND PHOTOGRAPHS BECOME AVAILABLE. HERE, IN SILENCE, ARE TEN MORE.

>> Woodruff: AND THAT'S THE "NEWSHOUR" FOR TONIGHT. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Ifill: AND I'M GWEN IFILL. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: 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

>> THIS IS N.B.R.

>> Susie: GOOD EVENING, I'M SUSIE GHARIB. TOM IS OFF TONIGHT. A HIT AND A MISS FOR IBM, BIG BLUE'S EARNINGS TOP FORECASTS, WHILE REVENUES FALL SHORT. TECH ANALYST DAVID GARRITY JOINS US TO TALK IBM, AND PREVIEW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT. AND BEN BERNANKE SAYS HE STILL HAS TOOLS TO BOOST THE ECONOMY, WE LOOK AT JUST WHAT'S IN THE FED'S TOOL KIT. THAT AND MORE TONIGHT ON "N.B.R.!" "NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT" IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Captioning sponsored by WPBT