For August 1, 2010, CBS
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Page 1 26 of 1000 DOCUMENTS CBS News Transcripts August 1, 2010 Sunday SHOW: CBS EVENING NEWS, SUNDAY EDITION 6:00 PM EST For August 1, 2010, CBS BYLINE: Russ Mitchell, Don Teague, Sharyl Attkisson, Seth Doane, Elaine Quijano GUESTS: Richard Haass SECTION: NEWS; International LENGTH: 2451 words HIGHLIGHT: On day 104 of the Gulf oil spill, news that a key step to seal the well could begin Tuesday as evidence mounts that B.P. used too many chemical dispersants to clean up the Gulf. President Obama may not be welcome on the campaign trail this fall as Democratic candidates fight to win their seats. Worries of drug violence in Mexico could spill over the border to the U.S. as National Guard`s troops get set to beef up border security. RUSS MITCHELL, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: Tonight on day 104 of the Gulf oil spill, news that a key step to seal the well could begin Tuesday as evidence mounts that B.P. used too many chemical dispersants to clean up the Gulf. I`m Russ Mitchell. Also tonight, campaign concerns. Why President Obama may not be welcome on the campaign trail this fall as Democratic candidates fight to win their seats. Border patrol, worries of drug violence in Mexico could spill over the border to the U.S. as National Guard`s troops get set to beef up border security. And just married, an inside account of the wedding yesterday of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky. And good evening. It is shaping up to be a very important week in the Gulf oil spill. On Tuesday, engineers are ex- pected to launch a so-called static kill, making it easier to plug up the gusher. But there are new concerns tonight about the chemicals used by B.P. to break up the oil. Don Teague has the latest now from Grand Isle, Louisiana. Don, good evening. DON TEAGUE, CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Russ. There are lingering questions about the safety of using so much chemical dispersant to break up the oil in the Gulf even as life on some beaches is getting back to normal. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TEAGUE (voice-over): In Pensacola, Florida, crowded beaches for the first time in months, a welcome sight for busi- ness owners who say the worst of the oil spill depression may have passed. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we have more tourists. I noticed a lot of people from out of town being here. TEAGUE: The reality for most Gulf beaches is that oil from the B.P. blowout hasn`t reached shore and probably won`t. The massive effort to skim, burn and break down the oil with chemical dispersants proving effective. ED OVERTON, PROFESSOR: Oil, particularly fresh oil globs to itself and dispersants themselves, they break the oil into tiny little droplets and allow the bacteria to degrade it. Page 2 For August 1, 2010, CBS CBS News Transcripts August 1, 2010 Sunday TEAGUE: Still, there are serious concerns about the possible toxic effect of correxant, the primary dispersant used by B.P. A congressional subcommittee says documents show Coast Guard officials allowed B.P. to use much more disper- sant that previously reported, despite an order by the EPA to use it rarely. REP. EDWARD MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: There has been an unprecedented underwater scientific experi- ment going on for months, where toxic chemicals have been shot into toxic oil. TEAGUE: But B.P. officials say the company did cut back on dispersant used after the government order and has worked closely with federal agencies since. DOUG SUTTLES, COO, BP: We`ve had a formal process with the unified command on use of dispersants since the very beginning. And that was based on a set of protocols that were agreed. TEAGUE: In hard hit Louisiana where oil is still coming ashore and beaches are barricaded against even more, fishing guide Danny Ray (ph) worries about the long-term effects the dispersants will have on marine life and ultimately his livelihood. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s one of my biggest concerns. Everything that`s happened here on the bottom, only time will tell. (END VIDEOTAPE) TEAGUE: And we have reports this evening that a new wave of oil is actually coming ashore on the beaches here at Grand Isle. I can tell you everyone here will be watching that static kill procedure on Tuesday and hoping it finally kills this well for good. Russ? MITCHELL: Of course, Don Teague in Grand Isle, Louisiana, thank you very much. As election season draws near, there is a surprising announcement from President Obama to his fellow Democrats and it`s advice that some candidates are likely to follow. Sharyl Attkisson has more on that. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And if you do. SHARYL ATTKISSON, CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Obama has taken his fund-raising machine to pivotal races like this one in Nevada where he is campaigning for the Senate`s top Democrat, Harry Reid. But these days, not all Democrats are so eager to embrace the president. With his disapproval numbers now equal to his approval and midterm elections just three months away, some prefer to keep him at arm`s length. One of President Ob- ama`s biggest problems is dissatisfaction with the economy. He acknowledged in an interview with CBS`s Harry Smith, it`s not where he wants it to be. OBAMA: But I also knew this was going to be a bumpy road ahead. And I don`t expect the American people to be sa- tisfied when we`re only half of the way back. ATTKISSON: It is a stark change from two years ago. Back then, a campaign appearance by Barack Obama was consi- dered the ultimate weapon in the Democrats arsenal. Today Republicans are using the president`s face and policies to attack. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How about the architect of Obama spending? ATTKISSON: President Obama and his staff are said to be well aware that his presence might actually hurt more than it helps. "The New York Times" quotes Mr. Obama as telling vulnerable Democrats, quote, "You may not even want me to come to your district." At least 65 House seats, most held by Democrats, are at risk of changing hands. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today insisted she`s confident. REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER: We have a solid plan, messaging and mobilizing the grass roots level and management of our campaigns. And we have a 2-1 advantage moneywise. ATTKISSON: When it comes to raising money, President Obama appears as effective as ever. He`s done 29 fundraisers so far this year, generating at least $51.8 million. Page 3 For August 1, 2010, CBS CBS News Transcripts August 1, 2010 Sunday SHIRA TOEPLITZ, POLITICO.COM: You know, the president might not be the campaigner in chief anymore, but he is certainly still the fundraiser in chief. (END VIDEOTAPE) ATTKISSON: Today, a White House spokesman told us the president will do more as the election draws closer and will quote, "help as much as he can everywhere he can." Russ? MITCHELL: Sharyl Attkisson at the White House. Thank you very much. Growing concerns over the course of the Afghan war are reflected in recent dramatic covers for both "Time" and "Newsweek". Earlier today, I spoke with the author of the "Newsweek" article. He is Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. government`s coordinator for the future of Afghanistan under President George W. Bush. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MITCHELL: Richard, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. You said in "Newsweek" magazine recently that it`s time to dramatically scale back in Afghanistan. Why? RICHARD HAASS, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Well first of all, I`m not sure it is really worth it in the sense that Afghanistan is no longer the unique center of global terrorism like it was at the time of 9/11. Secondly, I certainly don`t think this level of effort is going to succeed. You`ve got a sanctuary in Pakistan. You`ve got a weak central government in Afghanistan. I would narrow the mission, not leave, going after terrorists, using cruise missiles, using drones, using special forces, using covert operations people but not try to remake the society. That is a bridge too far. MITCHELL: It is August 1st. The president has vowed that by July of next year, troops will begin to leave Afghanistan. Is that realistic? HAASS: Well, it`s realistic, but there is leaving and there`s leaving. Are we talking about 1,000 leaving, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000? What really matters is the scale and pace of the withdrawal. What sort of role do we give the residual forces who stay behind? So to say that we are going to begin to leave which is all the president is committed to doesn`t really answer the question. MITCHELL: Is negotiating with the Taliban an option in your mind? HAASS: I think it is. I would certainly try. Why don`t we see if the Taliban might not invite back al Qaeda like they did last time? Maybe they have learned some of their lessons. Maybe they would respect certain red lines, I don`t know. But that`s certainly something we ought to explore and we ought to do it ourselves. We ought not to do this through Pakis- tan or through the Afghan central government. This is something the United States should do directly. MITCHELL: What are the dangers of the U.S.