Obama Action Call; Pennsylvania Arson
WHITFIELD: All right, 34 minutes after the hour and here's what's happening right, now. In Ohio, Toledo, you're looking at the air boats right there, just some of what's being used to rescue trapped fishermen on an ice floe outside of Toledo. We understand anywhere between 100 and 500 ice fishermen were out there enjoying a weekend when this ice floe just simply broke away. Rescue efforts have been underway now for quite a few hours. We understand a number of people have been rescued. One reported injury according to our affiliate, WTOL. But the rescue effort has been underway via helicopter, as well as there on the ice and in the water. More information as we get it. Meantime, also in the nation's capitol, the Senate held a Saturday session to debate the economic stimulus bill after reaching a compromise with some moderate Republicans, yesterday. Senate Democrats think they have enough support to pass the bill next week. And there has been another suspicious fire in the Coatesville, Pennsylvania area. It destroyed a mobile home. Investigators say it is the 23rd arson in the Coatesville area since January 1. And one of baseball's biggest stars has been hit with a steroids allegation. "Sports Illustrated" reports that New York Yankees' slugger Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids back in 2003. No comment so far from Rodriguez except to talk to the union. Coming up one hour from now, one of the reporters who actually broke the story from "Sports Illustrated" will be joining us live right here, in the NEWSROOM. President Obama is at Camp David this weekend, but he's keeping a close eye on developments in Washington as senators debate his economic stimulus package. CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House. Elaine, what is President Obama doing to encourage the senators to pass this bill quickly?</s>ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, he's going to be hitting the road actually Monday and Tuesday to try to basically campaign, if you will, for a quick Congressional passage of this economic stimulus bill. He'll holding town hall meetings, one in Elkhart, Indiana on Monday and the next one on Tuesday in Fort Myers, Florida. In between there, he's also going to try and drive home his message with a presidential news conference, the first of his presidency, that'll take place on Monday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. But in his weekly address today, President Obama basically tried to press his case with lawmakers, talking about the urgent need for them to act. And he pushed back, though, as well, against Republican criticism that there is too much wasteful spending contained in the legislation.</s>BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: You can't rely on a losing formula that offers only tax cuts as the answer to all our problems while ignoring our fundamental economic challenges -- the crushing cost of health care, or the inadequate state of so many schools, our addiction to foreign oil or our crumbling roads, bridges and levees.</s>QUIJANO: Meantime, Republicans continue to argue that more tax cuts are exactly what is needed. They argue that individuals, not the government, know best how to spend money. Here is the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele.</s>MICHAEL STEELE, RNC CHAIRMAN: American families are doing their best to balance their own budgets and pay their mortgages. The fastest way to help those families is by letting them keep more of the money they earn. Individual empowerment, that's how you stimulate the economy.</s>QUIJANO: Now, of course, all of this is happening against the backdrop of more bad economic news. It was just yesterday we learned that the U.S. unemployment rate is now a whopping 7.6 percent. President Obama said that any further congressional delay really is inexcusable and would be irresponsible. Of course, he wants a bill on his desk ready for him to sign, Fredricka, about a week from now -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine Quijano at the White House. Thanks so much. A group of 20 mayors went to the White House this week to drum up support for the stimulus plan and our T.J. Holmes talked with three of them this morning.</s>MAYOR SHIRLEY FRANKLIN (D), ATLANTA: What I have seen in the House version is a bill that I think we that need to support, and it seems as if on the Senate side, that they have come close to the same decision, so investment in infrastructure, energy and education, and also looking at the tax benefits that would affect millions of Americans.</s>TJ HOLMES, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: And Mayor Cicilline, do you agree with that in that, you know, it's getting better, if you will? But, do you have, certainly, a different perspective than a senator would have or someone in the House would have in that you need something and you need it right now? You just want them to get something done?</s>MAYOR DAVID CICILLINE (D), PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND: Well, we want them to do it right. But, of course, I think all the mayors would say the same thing, that the first priority is to create jobs, to get Americans back to work again, and to stimulate the economy, to make investments in infrastructure that not only gets people back to work, but lay the foundation for future economic growth. That's what I think the president's plan does. I think what we know, as mayors, we see this very personally. We know the names of individuals who have lost their jobs, we see them in our cities. We know the names of people who have lost their homes. So it's much more personal to mayors, we see it and live with it every single day. And so we're in Washington saying, support the president's plan, get Americans back to work again. Make the right investments in infrastructure to rebuild our economy so we can compete in the global economy in the 21st century.</s>HOLMES: Well, Mayor, Plusquellic, Mayor Villaraigosa out in L.A., he had a comment saying that the bickering needed to stop. Do you see this in what we have been watching up in Washington, D.C., as bickering? Do you see this as, I guess, a lot of -- no Republican support here? What is your problem with the debate you have seen so far, and what problems might you see with this particular bill?</s>MAYOR DONALD PLUSQUELLIC (D), AKRON, OHIO: Well, I think you learn early on as a public official that there's never a perfect plan. I don't care what size community, what the issue is, you can debate, talk, discuss on and on and on, argue, but there never will be a perfect plan. If we wait for that, tens of thousands, maybe millions, of more people will be out of work before we take action.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, our T.J. Holmes there, talking to the mayors of Atlanta, Providence, Rhode Island, and Akron, Ohio. All right, well the economy is expected to be a big part of President Barack Obama's first primetime news conference, as well. That comes your way Monday night 8:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN. Well, you heard a lot about the stimulus plan, but are you still very clear about what is and what isn't in this bill and what it all means for you? Give us your questions at weekends@cnn.com. We'll pull some of them and pose them to our panel of experts next hour. We're calling that show in the 4:00 Eastern hour "Show Me the Money," a special hour dead kated to understanding the stimulus plan. That's roughly 20 minutes from now.