>> so, reebok helped us get down here. i'm wearing their easytone shoes, so i'm getting fit and trim and ready for my cheerleading while i just walk around the fair. still toning. oprah: ok. gayle, nate, and i have had the best time here at the biggest state fair ♪ in america ♪ >> amazing, guys, so fun. oprah: yes, right here in dallas, so we want to say thanks to all of our friends at ♪ dr pepper for helping make it happen ♪ as you probably noticed, the fourth member of our posse is missing. for the past two days, ali wentworth has been deep in training with the world-famous dallas cowboy cheerleaders. >> she's brave. oprah: she's brave. >> brave. she's a brave girl.

oprah: oh, i don't know many people who would have the guts to do what ali is about to do, and that's why we love her. ali, are you ready? >> uh-huh. >> ha ha ha! oprah: ok, everybody. let's give out a big, old texas cheer for ali wentworth and the dallas cowboy cheerleaders. >> whoo! [cheering and applause] [big & rich's "loud" playing] >> ♪ oh, cha-cha-cha-cha-chow! stomp your feet clap your hands come on kick it with the band we're all about tradition we don't mind the twang we've got just one condition now we like it loud we like it honking the party won't be revving till we crank it to 11 get it rocking our boots are knocking

we're gonna say it proud we love our country and we like it loud calling all the cowboys don't be scared to make some noise think you're bad think you're strong come on, people bring it on calling all you sexy mamas all the girls next door don't say we didn't warn you, baby we love our country and we like it loud hey, hey ♪ ♪ hey, hey ♪ [cheering and applause] oprah: that is amazing. that is

amazing, girl. god bless you. >> wow, ali. oprah: that is really-- let's hear it for ali wentworth and the dallas cowboys cheerleaders. >> whoo! oprah: how do you feel? >> i'm a little exhausted. >> but, ali, you lifted up your leg. oprah: you got your leg up there. >> that's good. >> well, yeah. it's the--all you mothers out there, girls, don't try this at home. >> ha ha ha! oprah: big thanks to everyone here at the state fair of texas, big thanks to the dallas cowboys cheerleaders >> boy, you guys were great. oprah: and i just want to say to the dallas police force on your horses, on your motorcycles, on foot, you were awesome, dallas police force. we couldn't have done it without you. thank you jeff, and thank you to our dallas affiliate wfaa, mike devlin. thank you so much, wfaa. gayle, ali, and nate and i, we thank you all so much for all

this great southern hospitality. thank you, dallas. bye everybody. [captioning made possible by king world] [captioned by the national captioning institute [ kid 1 ] waa ow so of our favorite things? we love summertime fun! ...wearing our farite colors... ...and jamming to our favorite bands! ♪ ♪ but we love eating totino's the most. we live for fun... ...friends... [ both ] ...and best of all.. [ all ] ...our favorite... ...eating totino's! ♪ we're the kids in america ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ we're the kids in... ♪ if you fight to sleep in the middle of the night why go one more round ? you don't need a rematch but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors

associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars at lunesta.com discover a restful lunesta night. here would you go next if you had a hoveround power chair? the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible ith a hoveround. tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor rand founder of hoveround. when we say

you're free to see the world, we mean it. call today and get a free overound information kit that includes a video and full color brochure. dennis celorie: "it's by far the best chair i've ever owned." terri: "last year, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for "little or no money." jim plunkitt: "no cost. absolutely no cost to me." breaking news...when you call today, we'll include a free hoveround collapsible grabber with the purchase of your power chair. it reaches, it grabs, it's collapsible and it's portable. it goes wherever you go. get it free while supplies last. call the number on your screen to get your free video, brochure and your free hoveround collapsible grabber. call the number on your screen.

now back to our top story this half hour. shirley sherrod's comments on race, we now know what she said was clearly taken out of context. >> the use of race in politics is nothing new and the blame can be placed on both sides. here is dan harris with the viral politics of race. >> here i was faced with having to help a white person -- >> reporter: the shirley sherrod episode is the latest in a string of viral video controversies driven by conservative media. controversies with one central theme -- racism against white people. >> different polling places in philadelphia are checking for voting problems -- >> reporter: there's the new black panther party controversy, given wall-to-wall coverage on fox news, involving black activists in philadelphia haranguing people outside of a polling place. >> the new black panther party -- >> reporter: conservatives are accusing the obama administration of failing to pursue voter harassment charges aggressively. there's supreme court nominee sonia sotomayor saying a wise latina may have advantages over a white judge.

conservative commentators say the mainstream media all too often ignores these stories. glenn beck has called president obama -- >> a racist. >> reporter: rush limbaugh has called liberal policies a form of reparation. there have been plenty of controversies that paint conservatives as racists. senate candidate george allen calling an indian man this name -- >> macaca or whatever his name is. >> and more recently allegations of racial epithets hurled at black members of congress during the health care debate -- >> have been called the "n" word, have been spat on. >> reporter: and allegations of racist signs held aloft during tea party rallies. a presidency hailed by many as post-racial has turned out to be anything but. dan harris, abc news. well, it seems one politician is keeping his mouth shut. rod blagojevich declared yesterday he won't testify in his own corruption trial. >> this coming from the man who

said from the start that he would tell his side of the story. but why now the change of heart? barbara pinto has that story from chicago. >> reporter: for more than a year the embattled ex-governor promised to tell his story in court. >> i will fight. i will fight. i will fight. until i take my last breath. >> reporter: to anyone who would listen. but rod blagojevich told the judge it was his idea not to testify. >> the government in their case proved my innocence, they proved i did nothing illegal and that there was nothing further for us to add. >> reporter: the usually outspoken ex-governor's silence on the stand spares him a blistering cross-examination by federal prosecutors. >> i think the government got outfoxed in this case. i think they were counting on blagojevich testifying. they believed all the hype. >> reporter: jurors have already heard plenty. hours of wiretapped conversations in which prosecutors argue a foul-mouthed blagojevich solicited bribes and tried to sell barack obama's

senate seat. >> i've got this thing and it's [ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up [ bleep ] for nothing. >> reporter: the defense argued that was bravado, no money changed hands. but that might not matter. >> the crime was committed if he attempted to do it. the crime was committed if he threatened to do it. >> reporter: blagojevich had parting words for reporters. >> i learned a lot of lessons from this whole experience, and perhaps maybe the biggest lesson i've learned is that i talk too much. >> reporter: starting next week, jurors will decide if the former governor's words could cost him ten years in prison. barbara pinto, abc news, chicago. >> barbara mentioned the word outfoxed. some trial lawyers are now saying this last-minute change of heart to not testify probably forced the defense -- excuse me the prosecution, to change their strategy. they thought they'd have the ability to cross-examine him and bring up witnesses.

>> that's the game he's been talking for months. it's interesting. you wonder how that plays in the minds of the jury when someone doesn't get up and speak on his own behalf after saying for months he would. so we'll see how it plays out. c c c c c x÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@÷@>>>>

out there watching and both of us here are always looking for ways to save money. how would you like to save big without making big changes? >> one family was looking for tips to get out from under their bills and save a little bit of cash. they turned to our consumer correspondent elisabeth leamy for some help. >> reporter: robin showblock of new jersey wrote to me out of real need. her husband, gary, had been laid off because of the recession right after she quit her job to get a college degree at last. all this for a family that expanded from four people to seven a few years ago when robin's sister died and the showblocks took in her kids. >> i'm sure if you ask the kids they'll tell you there's been a lot of stress in the house. >> reporter: so i set out to reduce their stress and their bills.

first, i shopped around for cable, phone, internet, and wireless providers and found them $3,448 in savings just by switching. and if you're a new customer, wow, what a deal. you can also shop around for medical procedures. robin's doctor wants her to get a routine colonoscopy. we called ten facilities near her house and found one that was $3,980 less than the rest. >> wow, that's not necessarily good news because i don't want to get it. >> reporter: robin and her daughter jill both just graduated from college. a huge accomplishment and huge debt. but robin plans to become a teacher and didn't realize the government will forgive $17,500 worth of student loans if she works in an underprivileged school. >> there are a lot of challenges and i think a lot of rewards. >> reporter: next, i took the shoblocks to their local credit union. >> the credit union has approved you to refinance your car loan

at 7.5%. >> reporter: most people have never heard of refinancing a car loan. it will save the shoblocks $1,995. >> hi, nice to meet you. >> reporter: time to tackle the shoblocks' credit card debt. first, use their small savings, earning just 1% interest, to pay off the worst credit cards, costing as much as 30% interest. second, open a new low-interest credit card at the credit union and roll the rest of their balances onto that. their savings, a whopping $16,801 in interest. >> you'll get those cards paid off in a grand total of 11 months. >> reporter: with all the turmoil in their lives, the shoblocks' normally solid credit score took a hit. so they couldn't get approved to refinance their house at a big bank. but credit unions go beyond people's scores and look at their situations. we've approved you for refinancing the balance into an

adjustable rate mortgage at 4.75%, zero discount points, zero origination fees -- >> are you kidding? >> i kid you not, the savings is real. >> reporter: adjustable rate mortgages got a bad rap during the bubble years. but they're a wise choice if you know you're going to sell before they adjust. the shoblocks plan to downsize once all the kids go to college. the new mortgage will save them $55,203 over the next 10 years. >> i'm speechless. it's just so hard to come up with ways to thank you guys for your help. >> reporter: how much did we help? >> one, two, three -- >> wow! >> reporter: yes. $108,602 in savings. >> that is amazing. all those little things add up. things you wouldn't think of. $110,000. >> i want elisabeth leamy to make a house call to my house. >> we'll call her on the

commercial break, check it out. i out. a milestone for facebook. when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare call now to find out how an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan / insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, helps cover some of .the medical expenses... / not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. so you can join the millions of people who have already... / put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insurance. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor.

and i don't need a referral o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep p your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare. and best of all, these plans are... the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp. / when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. call the number on your screen now... / and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... and guide to understanding medicare / to help you choose the plan that's right for you. / as with all medicare supplement plans you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare get help paying for what medicare doesn't... / and save up to thousands of dollars.

/ call this toll-free number now. ÷÷oló>hó

z finally this half hour, a social networking milestone. after just six years in existence, facebook, your favorite website, has 500 million users. >> i was just updating my status with reading intro right now live on tv. that means since founder mark zuckerberg started the site, 500 million people have poked, flagged, tagged and friended each other. bill weir has more. >> reporter: it is an engine of human connection. give facebook a few vital facts about yourself and it gives you a direct line to your past present, and future. >> my daughter found her on facebook for me. and the rest is history. we're married. >> reporter: it's where old flames are kindled, medical

advice is swapped -- >> facebook saved my life. >> reporter: and the american teen lives and breathes. >> in a world without facebook, i think i would die. >> reporter: this is why the company has exploded. over the past 15 months facebook has added around eight new users every second. each of those people has around 130 friends and will share 70 different bits of life with them each month. pictures, passions, causes, home movies. so much that facebook is now a virtual sea of information that rivals google in scope. but the growing pains have been sharp. young founder mark zuckerberg has struggled to balance the privacy concerns of his users with the need to turn all of their information into money. >> so you get on facebook and you hope you have enough friends who are interested in you to have a conversation. but there's this whole other group who's really interested in you. and those are businesses who want to sell you something. they want to know what's on your mind. >> reporter: zuckerberg has

promised to keep his users happy. but when facebook customers were surveyed by the university of michigan they rated the company in the bottom 5%, with the kind of sour marks usually given to airlines or the irs. what does that say about this company right now? >> it's a challenge to serve 500 million people. and also make a business of it. >> do you think mark zuckerberg fully understands what he's created? >> mark zuckerberg is like every other ceo in his 20s. he is hanging on for dear life as his company shoots off into the stratosphere. >> reporter: and here's a little more perspective on just how young and small this company is, relative to others. the big goliath here in silicon valley, google, now a real rival for facebook, but this company still only has one-twentieth of google's staff. bill weir, abc news, palo alto, california. >> 500 million is a staggering figure. it really is amazing. six years, it's incredible. what this guy has done. >> the other staggering figure is how many friends we have on

facebookpipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipipino

! roa a storm threat in the gulf of mexico. steps are already being taken in case more wind and waves hit the oil zone. jellyfish attack. dozens of victims on the very same beach. >> for a grownup, it felt like a bee sting. you can still feel it. and our diane sawyer takes us inside facebook. >> it's really the people who make the service. >> more than 500 million people are part of his services right now. it's thursday, july 22nd. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> did you know that if you work at facebook, you not only get all of your meals if you want paid for, you get all of your laundry done. how cool is that? >> they don't want anyone distracted from the creative process.

everything you need is there at work. your food, your laundry. sweet, huh? >> great job. >> we need that here at "world news now." we'll look into that. >> we'll take anything free at this point. >> no kidding. >> good morning and thanks for being with us. i'm vinita nair. >> i'm rob nelson. it is two steps forward and one step back in the oil spill cleanup. one week ago today the containment cap finally stopped the massive flood of oil. >> the whole operation is now grinding to a halt as a new storm threatens the gulf. here's matt gutman. >> reporter: this armada could begin evacuating the spill site and work on that relief well just days from intersecting the crippled well has now been stopped. but the biggest concern, if that storm makes its way into the gulf, the 24-hour watch over the leaking new stacking cap would have to be abandoned. >> if we had to leave the well capped and unattended right now, we'd probably be looking at a gap of three to four days where

we would not have surveillance on scene. >> reporter: rather than flying blind, risking unseen ruptures in the well, allen said the cap may be opened up, allowing oil to flow again. >> if a hurricane does come by it would probably be safer to release some of the pressure by releasing some of the oil to protect that cap and to protect the wellhead. >> reporter: a decision would be made five days before the storm's possible impact. these ships can withstand 12-foot seas but tropical storms would mean 15-foot seas. this is where the storm is now. and this, where it might strike. driving a toxic brew of oil and dispersant ashore. >> if it comes in with the high surge, the oil's going to come further inland, it's going to damage more of our marsh. >> reporter: little would stand in its way. >> it might even damage some of the booms and throw them inland if they don't get them out of the water. certainly you don't want any ships out there in that 1 o& >> reporter: repairing damage from a storm can take weeks. we found this boom still

crumpled up around one of the biggest bird colonies in the gulf three weeks after hurricane alex. to prevent a disaster like this from happening again, four oil giants have pulled together $1 billion to fund a new system that would be able to contain vast amounts of o in the past two years they have spent just a fraction of t oil spill research. matt gutman, abc news, buras, bp's ceo tony hayward may be back before congress sometime soon. there are now reports he's been invited to testify about claims that his company pressured scotland to release the lockerbie bomber si co access libyan oil. the company admits it did lobby the british government in 2007 about a prisoner transfer with libya but denies it played any role in the bomber's release last year. in another blow to the oil and gas industry a federal judge has blocked drilling in the arctic. the ruling covers a huge area off the coast of alaska that the federal government leased to private companies without properly analyzing the environmental effects.

the obama administration fro all offshore drilling after the1 o ter. this ruling could stop even predrilling activities. trying to head off a growing controversy, the administration has apologized for firing a usda official and has now offered her a new job. shirley sherrod wad to resign after the airing of racial remarks she made two decades ago. once it became clear the comments had been misconstrued, the white house press secretary apoloze, e sery of agriculture. >> i wanted to make sure that she understood that i regretted the circumstances and that i accepted full responsibility. i've learned a lot of lessons from this experience in the last couple of days. and one of the lessons i learned is that these types of decisions require time. i didn't take the time. i should have. >> sherrod says she needs time to think about the new job offer before deciding whether or not to take it. the bush administration has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the firing of u.s. attorneys. the case dates back to 2006 when

the attorneys were dismissed. a two-year justice department investigation has found the firings were politically inappropriate but not illegal. thanks to the new financial regulation law the president just signed, the check really is in the mail. thousands of customers whose banks failed in 2008 are going to be getting some money back. the fdic plans to mail depositors roughly $200 million starting today. the new law creates a higher cap on what the fdic would insure, retroactive back to 2008. good news for pregnant women who need their cup of coffee. it's okay. a research review by a major doctors group has found moderate caffeine consumption probably won't increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth. until now there had been a lot of conflicting information about the risk of caffeine. moderate consumption means 12 ounces of coffee or four eight-ounce cups of tea. some beachgoers in new hampshire have found out the hard way even a dead jellyfish can still sting. more than 100 people were stung by the massive jellyfish which

had broken into pieces when lifeguards tried to remove it. nine children were treated and released at the local hospital after being hurt. >> felt like a bee sting to me. i'm sure it was worse for little children. but, you know, for a grownup it felt like a bee sting. you can still feel it. it's been going on for a couple of hours now. >> i thought maybe the salt was stinging, little cuts or something. it was starting to get pretty intense. my daughter was screaming. we were trying to figure out what was wrong with her >> the sea creature weighing more than 40 pounds was identified as a lion's mane jellyfish. the species is rarely seen so far south and in such shallow waters. >> one way to cure a j sting, you know who cf3 y for the northeast after wild weather ripped through the new york city >> strong storms battered parts of new york, new jersey and connecticut with pounding rain, 60-mile-an-hour winds,

lightning, even some reported tornados. hundreds of trees, branches and power lines snapped, leaving tens of thousands of folks without power. now here is the rest of your weather. stormy from the dakotas into the midwest and tennessee valleys. 80-mile-an-hour winds, golf ball-sized hail ah drms odin from arizona to southern boston 90 acrant and poen normal at just a mild 101. some penny pinchers in california are in a real uproar over a recent price hike and they are voicing all of these complaints in court. >> a discount chain store called 99 cents only has been slapped with two class action suits after raising their prices from 99 cents to 99.99 cents. essentially a one-cent increase. customers are accusing the company of deceptive and misleading advertising. >> they did double the price. store executives insisted they posted signs, put out ads and

did everything they could to announce the price hike. i've been in these stores and they do have a lot of stuff that's not 99 cents to begin with. they have like $4 things, $3 things. >> are you saying you're a little on the frugal side? >> a little? i'm cheap. >> you admit it openly. >> i have no problem with it. we'll be right back. assistance getting around their homes. there is a medicare benefit that may qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. stay tuned for this important medicare benefit information and free scooter guarantee. imagine... one scooter or power chair that could improve your mobility and your life. / one medicare benefit that, with private insurance / may entitle you to pay little to nothing to own it. one company that can make it all happen ... great news. / your power chair will be paid in full. the scooter store.

why should you call the scooter store today? because their mobility experts are also medicare experts. and that means the scooter store is your best shot at qualifying for a scooter that costs you little to nothing. hi i'm doug harrison. at the scooter store, 97% of our medicare customers / pay little to nothing out of pocket. how do we do it? we know what it takes to get you your power chair or scooter. / it's our strength. it's our mission. and we back it up with the scooter store guarantee. if we qualify you and medicare denies your claim for a new powerchair or scooter, i'll give it to you absolutely free. i paid into medicare all my life, and when i needed it the benefit was there for me. the scooter store made it so easy. i didn't pay a penny out of pocket for my power chair. medicare and my insurance covered it all. / the scooter store got me back out in the world again. and they're some of the nicest people you'll ever / talk to. there is a medicare benefit that may

qualify you for a new power chair or scooter at little to no cost to you. call the scooter store for free information today! / improve whoo! i'm doing another one of my sleep studies. looks like aches and pains are keeping these people up. so... advil® pm or tylenol® pm? middle of the night. awake again? blissfully asleep. with advil® pm she is spending less time lying awake with aches and pains and more time asleep®. he should switch to advil® pm. the difference is a better night's sleep. [ female announcer ] switch to swiffer sweeper, and you'll dump your old

broom. / but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ ♪ who's that lady? ♪ ♪ sexy lady ♪ ♪ who's that lady? ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer sweeper's electrostatic dry cloths attract and lock dirt, dust, and hair on contact to clean 50% more than a broom. it's a difference you can feel. / swiffer gives cleaning a whole new meaning. ♪ ♪ it is undoubtedly a social networking milestone. internet sensation facebook now has over 500 million users. and it took only six years to reach that number. >> so incredible. it all started with a man who's a 26-year-old harvard dropout. here now is diane sawyer with facebook founder mark zuckerberg. >> reporter: inside a simple building in a suburban

neighborhood, a maze of desks in a modest open office. people who work here can come in at their own schedule. they can eat all their meals here, play an occasional guitar hero, they can even send out their laundry from work. all because the 26-year-old founder wants no distractions from creativity. >> 500 million. you are the third-largest country in the world now officially. what did you do to celebrate? did you do one yes? >> the main thing we did to celebrate here is every employee of facebook took a photo of themselves with a sign they made saying thanks to the people who use the service. right? because it's really the people who make the service. >> reporter: famously, zuckerberg's little college campus networking site grew so fast he was offered $1 billion by yahoo! two years later. and he said no. >> we really just believe in what we're doing.

but it was a difficult -- >> you could believe in what you're doing and take astronomical amounts of money for it too. >> we just felt that doing that and going down that path would not help us build facebook out to what we thought it could be. >> what does it mean to you to be a billionaire right now? >> well, i'm not. the company is a private company so i don't have access to any monies like that. >> i read once that you said you did want a jet, you wanted your own plane. >> i don't think i ever said that. >> i know it's a private company, how much profit? how much income, how much profit? >> we're not going to answer that. that's the advantage of being a private company. >> want to give us a hint? >> naw. >> reporter: the business world is salivating over the possibility of a public stock offering, an ipo. >> when it makes sense. we're not running the company to do that, we're running the company to serve more people. >> reporter: but all of this has

come at a stormy and legal price for zuckerberg. from college acquaintances and friends who said he took ideas and went off on his own, including an old roommate who pushed for the right to be co-founder. what do you think you could have done differently in those days that might have prevented the splintering and accusation in friendships? >> you know, when i started the site when i was 19, i didn't know much about business. >> but you now, looking back, if you could tell that 19-year-old kid something, what would you tell him? >> i think that the things that you learn along the way are part of what makes you who you are. >> anything you would have done differently? >> i would have done a lot of things differently. i hope that instead of making the mistakes that i made, i would have made different mistakes. but i think this has been an extremely educational experience. >> some of it bruising for you? inside? >> but i think all mistakes are.

right? i mean, when you break up with a girlfriend or have a failed relationship, those things are bruising but you learn from that and that's part of what makes you who you are. >> reporter: even this week. another case. his team wase man was saying zuckerberg had given him a contract giving him 84% of the company. >> we were quite sure we did not sign a contract that says they facebook. >> reporter: another rough patch for zuckerberg, an outcry from users about facebook and privacy. >> yeah, we've made mistakes for sure. >> reporter: some pretty complicated default settings. if you don't change them, you could send your private photos and postings not just to friends but everyone. he says they worked to change that. do you think they're clear now? do you think they're clear, simple? >> i think they're a lot better. >> there's an option on every single thing. what about just changing the default setting i guess is the bottom-line question.

>> i think the right thing is to make it so that certain information by default is always private. >> so no plan to change default? >> no, i think it's set in a way that helps people share the way most pnt t the >> hereuest ra-rk zuckerberg has created a global phenomenon which has gone from 440 employees to 1,600 in just two years. do you know all their names? >> um -- no, i do not know 1,000 people's names. >> they stole our website. >> they're saying we stole -- >> have you seen the trailer for the movie? >> someone showed me part of it. >> are you going to go see the movie? >> i don't think so. >> do you like somebody else to play you? are you happy with your -- >> i don't know, i've nev seem actually, his cousin works here. >> what? >> yeah. his cousin is a designer here. we have meetings all the time. we're working on designing a product together. yeah. it's a small world. >> reporter: the world zuckerberg is making even

smaller. diane sawyer in palo alto. >> what do you think you would have done at 26 with $1 billion in your pocket? at 26 years old? >> i would have definiteen the offer. > is he ingle no, he has a girlfr he lks aboth d shes a schodnt. they both are obviously big achievers. >> doi some people with all

n idol." my favorite judge. i think he was the most real of all of them. but of course he's out of the show now, they have a gaping hole to fill. there's a rumor they may fill it with someone you have a crush on apparently. singer chris isaak may be the

one taking simon's seat on that show. >> who would you rather look at judging people? come on. >> i don't know much about chris isaak. he apparently had a show of couple of years ago. i remember that video years ago. remember the video? the black and white video with the hot girl on the beach? anyway. so apparently he's a leading candidate to take over the show now. they're also interviewing possible bret michaels, maybe harry connick jr. there have been rumors. apparently he met twice with the good folks at fox. he may be the one taking that seat. i wonder if he's mean enough. simon was -- >> i know. those are huge shoes to fill. >> i don't want to see three nice judges. i want to see someone who's going to hit them hard. i don't know if chris is that guy. there's that video. >> i can't see randy, dog, you're bad, dog. >> we'll see, though. >> foxy brown has been arrested. >> i'm shocked. >> interesting thing about this

story is that, you know, she's a rapper, she's a very well known rapper, she has a big song right now with jay-z, i can't say the ptit his >> can't say a lot of foxy's lyr the story behi said, she's a rapper and she basically was arrested for rapping. they say one of her neighbors had an order requiring foxy to keep her distance. and she allegedly violated it by verbally engaging the neighbor. what all of that means -- >> she denies it. >> she was outside, backyard, wherever she was. ir cear srsin an upcoming show with the b.b. king blues club. in new york. the neighbor got annoyed, came outside, started screaming at foxy. they say the rapper ignored the neighbor and went back inside. next thing she knows, cops are there. by order of the law she had violated the rules that this neighbor had set up saying you can't talk to me. >> i'm guessing there's a lot of noise coming out of foxy's hous g c thiikth

boiling poifothor. speaking of poi- e yofrom gibson, given you a break from lindsay lohan, a lot of that. but britney spears back in the news. take a look at this pic we've all >> i'm sed t. she was out sho california yesterday somewhere. apparently, i don't know what's going on with the extensions. a rough hair day or bed head or whatever. the roots are showing, they said kind han't they say if you look closely there's a bald spot now on her head. not like that when she shaved her head a few years ago. in the most recent picture she may be goingtle ed ll ts i love her. >> i like britney too. but my thing, you know they're going to photograph you every time you go out the door. don't go out looking that raggedy. >> she has saidat when she started putting extensions on it, it started to break the hair and snap it in half. by now she would have had normal

hair. there was so much pressure on her to have hair that she put in the extensions. >> put a hat on!s, p a h >leavney one. don't worry, tomorrow we'll be f1 o ith sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars

at lunesta.com discover a restful lunesta night.

÷÷oló>hó

here's some stories to watch today on abc news. as the tropical system grows stronger near the gulf bp has stopped drilling the relief wells that have promised to be a permanent fix to the spill. the well has been holding the last six days but there's fear progress could be undone by the pending storm. the white house has apologized and now the fired agriculture department employee is thinking over whether she'll return. shirley sherrod said she'd quit under pressure from the white house after a video of her making racial remarks began making the rounds. the comments were taken out of context and now the agricultural secretary is begging for forgiveness. and the house is expected to follow the senate and pass jobless payments for millions of americans. president obama has promised to quickly sign that bill. 2.5 million americans who had

been out of work for six months or more have seen their benefits lapse. in case you didn't notice just then, there is a new look for news right here at abc. now you can literally give the day's top stories a spin with the abc news app for the ipad. >> that new app was unveiled today and the coolest feature is the spinning three-dimensional globe. it's making vinita a little dizzy. >> we will give it a whirl in a moment. first some familiar faces are here to talk about it. >> welcome to the abc news ipad app. it's a brand-new way for you to dive deeply into the breaking news. to see the day's most popular stories changing before your eyes and be surprised by the information that really matters most to you. >> it's a completely different experience, a way for you to engage our broadcast and our team of reporters across the country and around the world. and it all begins here with a spin of the globe. >> let's say you saw something on "good morning america" that

really caught your eye and you want more. well, with a simple tap of your finger you can spin the globe and see whatever segment you want whenever you want. >> we also give you access to the vast archive of abc news so you can relive some of history's most important moments. we'll constantly update the app all day long filling it with the very best of our broadcasts plus special extended interviews, web extras, and special features you won't see on tv. >> experience news in a whole new way. >> the abc news ipad app. your world in your hands. >> you've been seeing us play with our ipad, the one we're on right now. it's really cool because we actually took the moment to load this abc app on our ipad. >> that's right. i give it the spinning globe, spin through it and it pops up on a stor, whatever you want to see. it's right there at your fingertips. that's not the only way you can look at it. >> the cool thing for me is i like that more traditional look. so they included something on

the

e oil zone. >> if we had to leave the well capped and unattended right now we'd probably be looking at a gap of three to four days where we would not have surveillance on scene. >> they are now hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. could this be the new cash crop for one of california's major cities? you may be surprised by who is opposing the legal production of marijuana. and, pushing buttons. >> you are a despicable human being. >> we'll introduce you to the man who sparked outrage this week and forced an apology from the white house. it's thursday, july 22nd. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning.

i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. >> the massive operation to stop the giant oil spill in the gulf is slowing down this morning and may be going backwards. >> after a week of hard-fought gains that finally gave gulf residents a little bit of hope, that battered region is now facing a new threat. john hendren is in buras, louisiana, with the very latest. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and vinita. with that oil spill seeming closer than ever to ending for good, today there is the prospect of more delays, and worse, more crude in the gulf of mexico. a gathering storm threatens to set back the clock on oil cleanup. at sea these ships could evacuate their posts. work on the well has stopped mere days before connecting with the damaged well and that cap that stopped millions of gallons of oil from spewing in the gulf of mexico, if the storm reaches the gulf, monitoring the leaky cap would stop. >> if we had to leave the well capped and unattended right now we would look at a gap of three to four days where we would not

have surveillance on scene. >> reporter: government unofficials are considering uncapping the well rather than risk an ufrn expected event once again setting off an underwater volcano of oil. >> it would be safer to release some of the pressure by releasing some of the oil to protect that cap. >> reporter: that could fuel a growing frustration. surgeon general regina benjamin, louisiana native, seeing early signs of depression and substance abuse that followed hurricane katrina. >> this is a little more emotional because we don't know when it's going to end or how long it's going to be, long-term effects. we just don't know. >> reporter: vanessa says her family of fishermen feels the stress. >> you don't know how many families ever broken up because they don't have the money. >> reporter: for many gulf resident, their lives frozen by the spill, the prospect of a storm of sea and oil is latest in series of unwelcome delays. rob and vinita. another storm for bp and another possible hearing for the

embattled ceo. there are reports that congress invited tony hayward to testify about claims that bp lobbied scotland to lease the lockerbie bomber so it could access libyan oil. the company admits it promoted a prisoner exchange between the uk and libya several years ago but denies it played any role in last year's release. the white house has reversed course, now apologized for firing usda official shirley sherrod. the controversy began over racial remarks she made which were taken out of context. jake tapper reports from the white house. >> reporter: agriculture secretary tom vilsack apologized to shirley sherrod. >> this is a good woman, she's been put through hell. and i asked for shirley's forgiveness and she was gracious enough to extend it to me. >> the public mea culpa happened after president obama privately xr expressed strong regrets about the whole affair. >> he talked about an injustice had happened and the facts had changed, a review of the

decision based on those facts should be undertaken. >> reporter: actually, the facts had not changed, it's just that the obama administration finally learned all of them. the story started when a conservative blog and cable tv ran this video clip of sherrod at an naacp dinner talking about a meeting with a white farmer seek her assistance. >> so, didn't give him the full force of of what i could do. >> reporter: that clip did not tell the full story. the meeting was 24 years ago when sherrod worked for a nonprofit and she ended up helping those farmers save their farm. they remain grateful today. the whole video indicates sherrod's full story was about her changing her views. >> i've come a long way. >> reporter: and realizing her calling was to help poor people of all races. >> you know, and they could be black, they could be white, they could be hispanic. >> reporter: she's watching this briefing, shirley sherrod, on cnn. is there anything you want to say to her? >> on behalf of the administration, i offer our

apologies. >> this shouldn't have happened. took too long but makes me feel better that the apology is finally coming. >> reporter: secretary vilsack suggested he offered sherrod another job but she had to discuss the offer with her family before accepting. jake tapper, abc news, the white house. coming up later, the man who sparked the controversy. "nightline's" terry moran tells us more about conservative activist andrew breitbart. a competitive cheerleading it not a official college sport on title ix. jernd equity law. the women's basketball team brought the suit after the team was eliminated and replaced with a cheerleading squad. the judge said the cheerleading may one day qualify but right now it is too underdeveloped and disorganized. closing arguments start next week in the rod blagojevich corruption trial. the defense rested yesterday without calling a single witness, including the former

governor himself who long-promised to take the stand. blagojevich said he planned to testify until advised not to do so by his attorneys. >> brainstorming and free speech is part of what the american experience is supposed to be. and talking to your advisers as a governor and seeking advice, especially from those who are lawyers, to make sure that you do your duty the right way, was what i did and what those tapes proved. i've learned a lot of experiences -- i've learned a lot of lessons from this whole experience, and perhaps maybe the biggest lesson i've learned is that i talk too much. >> blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to scheming to sell or trade president barack obama's former seat in the u.s. senate. more than 150 beachgoers are recovering after being stung by a massive jellyfish in new hampshire. officials said even though the sea creature was dead its stingers remain active for a few days. it was identified as a lion's mane jellyfish, rarely found in

waters so far south. >> your thursday forecast. severe weather in the nation's midsection with gusty wind, hail flarn flooding. the strong storms into kentucky and tennessee, downpours and flooding in parts of arizona, colorado, and new mexico. >> 89 in albuquerque. 90 in boise. 94 in salt lake city. 90s in omaha, kansas city, and dallas. 84 in detroit. 79 in the twin cities. 91 here in new york. and 93 in atlanta. colorful hair, red noses, and floppy shoes. the look thousands were going for in mexico city. >> it was the annual march of the clowns. the scariest thing i can think of. funny faces turned out in droves. clowns of all ages walked to the basilica de guadalupe to give thanks to pray for prosperity. they sang, chanted and juggled all the way there. >> millions of mexicans and tourists visit the basilica every year with pilgrimages peaking in december. >> i'm sure there are lots of kids running a way from this

pilgrimage. >> we'll be back. woman (laughing): i want to make sure my grandkids get to see these old home movies. they're so much fun. oh, look at bill! he was so funny! he was. i remember how hard it was for aunt patty when he died. there was no life insurance. no life insurance? that's terrible. funerals are so expensive. i know. that's why i bought a policy through the colonial penn program. it costs less than 35 cents a day which fit right into my budget. i didn't have to answer any health questions or take a physical and i couldn't be turned down because of my health. you know, there are several options for people my age, too. so i went to cpdirect.com and i applied online. it was easy. whether you're getting new insurance or supplementing coverage you already have call about the colonial penn program now. guaranteed acceptance life insurance is a popular plan for people aged 50 to 85. you can get quality insurance for less than 35 cents a day.

there are no health questions or medical exam. you cannot be turned down because of your health. join the 6 million people who have called about the colonial penn program. ask one of their representatives about a plan that meets your needs. you'll be glad you did. ♪

oakland, california, is one vote away from becoming the first city in the country to legalize marijuana. >> there's no surprise that some are opposed to this. but what is surprising is that some of the opposition is coming from the marijuana industry itself. don guevara has more. >> reporter: rob and vinita, many never expected pot would go corporate but that's what could happen in oakland, california. by january, marijuana could be oakland's cash crop. that's when a new ordinance is expected to take effect. the city would award just four permits to build massive indoor hydroponic pot farms. >> this will allow us probably to get a little jump in the industry. >> reporter: an industry that would require big bucks. the cost of permit fees, $211,000 every year. and growers would be required to carry $2 million in insurance coverage. many small growers feel they won't be able to compete. >> and they're going to have

these large industries come in from out of town and put them out of business. >> reporter: some growers vying for a permit say large-scale, city-regulated pot farms offer safety in a sometimes risky drug trade. >> we have a lot of social problems such as public fires, hostile takeovers, home invasions that stem from this largely unregulated cultivation. >> reporter: some feel safer is not better and fear the quality of marijuana will end up getting hurt. >> it would be the difference between a fine wine from a napa vineyard and a bottle of mad dog 2020. >> reporter: the ordinance is expected to bring in millions of dollarsslesx reo cf e ipad.

if you want to click on any of these stories, it will take you to video. it might take a second here for us to pull it up. >> a popup window first. >> it takes you to video. so anything you see on abc, a lot of the links are posted on this app. you can go there. it is for free in itunes. you can read about it on abcnews.com. we hope if you're not downloading this one you're going to facebook and becoming a friend of our show too. >> one of 18,000, we're getting up there, huh? >> it is pretty cool. the download is for free on itunes. read more about it on abcnews.com. we just launched it and as you can tell we're very proud of it. >> we'll be right back, stay with us. rlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrlrl

welcome back. the department of agriculture official fired by the obama administration has now accepted the apology and is mulling over their offer of a new job. >> we now know so much about shirley sherrod. but what about the man who began the controversy? his name is andrew breitbart. and terry moran went to find out exactly what makes him tick. >> reporter: in this year of american voter anger and discontent -- >> kill the bill! >> reporter: andrew breitbart -- >> thanks very much. >> reporter: has found his moment. >> i get to be me right now. and that -- that's the best part of this entire thing. that's -- to me is the beginning of the beginning. >> reporter: and what is beginning, he hopes, is the age of breitbart. >> hi, andrew breitbart here. i come from -- >> he's everywhere, on fox news a lot -- >> andrew breitbart, welcome

back. >> thank you. >> reporter: rallying the tea party faithful in appearances across the country. >> i want to tell you there's a beef out there in hollywood that does not allow for this to happen. >> reporter: launching the websites big government, big journalism, big hollywood. and lobbing grenades of controversy. like his most recent revelations this week of an old speech by obama agriculture department official shirley sherrod in which she confesses that she once, decades ago, was deeply reluctant to help a white farmer who needed her aid. >> so many black people have lost their farmland, and here i was helping this person save their land. >> reporter: sherrod resigned under pressure and then it turned out breitbart had released only a clip of her speech which distorted her real meaning, that she was wrong and had learned from her error. the controversy continues to breitbart's delight.

>> if you want to talk about people clapping racist behavior, that's exactly what you see in this video. >> reporter: the controversy he stirred up and the way he succeeded in panicking the obama administration resulted in a public apology from the white house to sherrod. >> and on behalf of the administration, i offer our apologies. >> reporter: pretty much everywhere he goes these days, andrew brietbart is looking for a fight. >> "new york times," are you in the room? are you in the room? >> yeah. >> you're despicable. >> reporter: if you interview breitbart, you know what you're in for. as i found out. what i want to ask you is about the president of the united states. who you consider a far leftist. >> what's wrong with saying -- >> nothing. >> there's no evidence -- hold on. >> i'm just trying -- >> reporter: in the angry bruising world of modern american politics and media, there is no angrier rhetorical bruiser than andrew breitbart. >> you are a despicable human

being. you're the lowest life form. >> reporter: and if this is breitbart's moment there are good reasons for it. breitbart signed on to work for a then-fledgling conservative website, the drudge report. which he helped build into an internet colossus. now it's breitbart who's got a genius for buzz, for getting stuff out there that he knows the media can't resist covering, like the 2009 uproar over undercover videos shot by conservative filmmaker james o'keefe in the offices of a.c.o.r.n., community activist group. they appeared to show a.c.o.r.n. officials counseling o'keefe, posing as a pimp, on how to run a brothel. >> there's a code for it. >> a code for prostitution? >> i have to have a name and a code number. >> when they came to me with their videos, they had concocted the strategy, they had done everything, they had even edited the videos. and i said to them, i want to put it on youtube, i want everybody to be able to dissect

this thing however they want. >> reporter: and everyone did. and that was the end of a.c.o.r.n. but not the end of the story. once again, breitbart had put out a heavily edited version of the tapes that omitted some key information, like the fact that an a.c.o.r.n. employee had called the police after talking to the supposed pimp. did you tell the audience that that a.c.o.r.n. employee called the police? >> i -- i'm -- i actually don't know, but i -- >> is it relevant, do you think? >> i don't think he called the police, he called his cousin. it doesn't matter. they didn't issue a police report. this is the first i'm finding out that there was anything -- other than that he called his cousin -- >> in mainstream media that's called follow-up journalism. >> right. >> reporter: but breitbart isn't about journalistic standards. or mainstream debates. he's a provocateur, a rabble-rouser, a master manipulator for the media's appetite for controversy, real or fake. and his time has come.

>> you're awesome, man! >> i'm fighting back against years and years and years of the cultural and the political left telling people to sit down and shut up. you want to follow me? fine. and there are people who are following me. >> one of the questions terry asked him is sort of a natural question that i think a lot of people are wondering after seeing that edited video. what exactly is the goal here? what was he trying to do? he went on to say with the upcoming 2010 election cycle, his hope is that his organization can have a couple of stories that they can really hang their hat on and this is a quote, stories that can make a difference. >> and everyone has an agenda no matter what side of the aisle you may be on. the danger here again to reiterate is there is something to be said for the media perspective and the other folks,

you've got to get the full story out there. a sound bite is not a story. we all have to be careful about our opinions based on 20 seconds. a month ago thi man n able to get / around his house. these people chose freedom over restrictions. independence over limitations. they chose mobility. they chosehe scooter store. and this is the team of mobility experts who made it all happen. ii great news, you've been approved for payment. dr. cruz, i'm calling on behalf ofmarie stanford. and they can make it happen for you. hi, i'm doug harrison, if you're living with limited mobility, call the scooter store today. i promise, no other company will work harder to make you mobile or do more to ensure your total satisfaction. i expected they'd help me file some paperwork with medicare and my insurance. i never expected them to be so nice or work so hard to get me a power chair at no cost to me. call today and let the scooter store work for you. / if we qualify you and medicare denies

your claim for a w scooter or power chair, i'll give it to you absolutely free. that's the scooter store guarantee. you don't qualify for medicare? / no problem. / we'll wo with your insurance company, even help with financing. if there's a way we'll find it. when they delivered mom's power chair, i expected they'd show her how to use it once or twice. that man stayed for hours! you can just tell they care. / whatever it takes, as long as it takes. that's our guarantee. why do we go to < uch great lengths? because making you mobile is our mission. we'llwork wit your doctor. we'll work with medicare and lçur private insurance. we'll even service your scooter anywhere in the country. call the sco÷"er store today. find out what great lengthsthe scooter store / will go to fo you. / improve lçur m

if you fight to sleep in the middle of the night why go one more round ? you don't need a rematch but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars

at lunesta.com discover a restful lunesta night. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> welcome back, everybody. a funny good police chase story here. apparently this 17-year-old guy, levi detwiler in amish country, in leon, new york, he was on his horse and buggy and he did not stop for a stop sign and a police chase ensued. this was an action-packed chase. did not go too quickly here. it went for a mile. police did not catch up with him. he eventually fails to make a sharp turn, turns the horse and buggy into a ditch, escapes on foot. police investigate for a week, they catch up with him, and they charge him with underage possession of alcohol, reckless endangerment, failure to stop at a stop sign, figure to yield to an emergency vehicle, and overdriving an animal.

>> do we know what was he running away from in the first place? >> i guess he knew he was underage and had some alcohol with him so he got nervous, ran the stop sign, chased, he got nervous, tried to get away, didn't quite make it. >> do you call that a police chase when they're going after a horse and buggy? >> it was a feisty stroll, i don't know what you'd call it. my boy levi did not get away. they caught him after a week in leon, new york. >> you know, people who are competitive eaters, they have weddings also. and when they are at their weddings, what do they do? well, this groom decided to challenge his new bride to a cake-eating contest. now, you might be thinking, huh, one of these guys looks kind of familiar. that's joey chestnut. he's the number one ranked competitive eater in the world. the guy who always wins the hot dog eating contest in new york. he was at this wedding and he joined in. the guy who was getting married,

hall hunt, one of the world's top competitive eaters and has earned something like $61,000 thanks to the digestive powers. this would be hilarious to me at a wedding. to see people stuff their face like that. >> my thing is i don't know watching my bride stuff her face with cake for 30 minutes would be the motivation i need for the wedding night. >> you'd be like, take a look at the future. >> yeah, really. oh, this -- there's internet video that goes viral on youtube and this one is absolutely adorable. there's this little kid who is caught in a hollowed-out watermelon and he's trying to eat his way out. this thing is going viral on youtube. take a look at this. i don't know who carved the watermelon out or what they were doing, thought it would be cute, i guess. that is our audio department. more than 200,000 views so far on youtube. everyone's watching this thing. it is kind of cute, this kid trying to escape this watermelon. >> i have to say this sentence, direct quote from the paper. this is not your typical hairy ass.c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c public apology for a former government worker. >> a good woman that has gone through a very difficult period. >> and this morning, she's considering an offer to return to the agriculture department. rod blagojevich is not testifying in his political corruption trial. >> maybe the biggest lesson i've learned is that i talk too much. and more than 500 million users now on facebook. we go inside the company that's redefined how so many of us communicate. it's thursday, july 22nd. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> and i got to admit, a year ago i joined facebook, like oh, this is no big deal. my girlfriend told me to do it. now i'm hooked, checking it every ten minutes. i'm one of those 500 million.

it's crazy. >> it's so fascinating. and i think the guy who founded it is so interesting in how regular he is. >> for a 26-year-old billionaire? >> you expect him to be extravagant in some way, he is not at all. definitely an interview you want to see this morning. >> normal guy. good morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm vinita nair. the administration is doing a quick about-face in the face of a fired agriculture department official. shirley sherrod has gotten an apology and the offer of another job. >> the growing controversy over sherrod's forced resignation has ignited another embarrassing firestorm for the white house over race. here's diana alvear. >> reporter: two days after shirley sherrod was forced to resign, she got a public apology and the promise of a new job from her former boss. >> i started off by extending to her my personal and profound apologies for the pain and discomfort that has been caused to her and to her family. >> reporter: agriculture

secretary tom vilsack's about-face followed a white house briefing that revealed the president's perspective. >> that a disservice had been done here and that an injustice had happened. >> this is my decision and it's a decision i regret having made in haste. >> reporter: it all started with this internet video. >> here i was faced with having to help a white person save their land. so, i didn't give him the full force of what i could do. >> reporter: at first it sounded like the usda employee was admitting to racist behavior. it turned out sherrod was talking about her experience working with a white farming family more than 20 years ago. >> working with him made me see that it's really about those who have versus those who don't. you know. and they could be black, they could be white, they could be hispanic. >> reporter: that part of the speech was edited out by the man who posted the video. conservative blogger andrew breitbart. sherrod was caught in the crossfire, a casualty of what

vilsack admitted was a bungled situation. >> a good woman that has gone through a very difficult period. and i'll have to live with that for a long, long time. >> reporter: sherrod told the agriculture secretary she'd need a couple of days to talk it over with her family before she decides on his job offer. vinita, rob? an investigation into the firing of u.s. attorneys has wrapped up with no charges being filed. the case dates back to 2006 when the bush administration dismissed nine of the attorneys. democrats had charged the firings were politically motivated. now prosecutors who looked into the case have found no criminal wrongdoing. president obama has signed into law the sweeping overhaul of the nation's financial industry. now mr. obama must decide who will head the powerful new bureau of consumer protection. elizabeth warren, who is a harvard law professor, is considered a leading candidate for that job. the house is expected to follow the senate and approve a bill today restoring aid for

millions who have been out of work for a while. prhe will quickly sign that legislation. a storm gathering 1,000 miles from the gulf oil leak has already stopped work on those relief wells. today the system will bring high winds and heavy showers to the bahamas and florida. but it could drive oil and disperse it onto the shore if it pushes into the gulf. the fleet of cleanup ships could start moving out today ahead of the storm, abandoning the operation altogether. >> if we had to leave the well capped and unattended right now we'd probably be looking at a gap of three to four days where we would not have surveillance on scene. >> if a hurricane does come by it would probably be safer to release some of the pressure by releasing some of the oil to protect that cap and to protect the wellheads. >> some boat captains hired to help skim the oil have already been sent home as the storm approaches. if operations at the site are halted it could take two weeks to get them running again. a federal judge has ruled competitive cheerleading is not

an official college sport according to the title ix gender equity law. a women's volleyball team at quinnipiac university brought the suit after that team was eliminated and replaced with a cheerleading squad. the judge did say cheerleading may one day qualify but right now it is too underdeveloped and disorganized to count. federal officials are studying the flight data recorder from that united flight that hit severe turbulence over missouri tuesday night. this morning all 21 injured passengers and crew members are back home. clayton sandell has the story. >> reporter: the outside of this boeing 777 shows hardly a scratch. but a look inside shows just what severe turbulence can do. >> it was pretty bad. laptops everywhere. it looked like there was a huge party on the plane, but there wasn't. >> reporter: passengers took these pictures showing tomato juice splashed on the ceiling, oxygen masks shaken loose. one woman was thrown with such force into a wall that it cracked. >> i just heard screaming. i opened my eyes and i turned to

the lady next to me and i saw the oxygen masks had dropped. that's when she grabbed my hand because i think she saw i was panicked and told me, it's okay, we're fine. >> reporter: the flight from washington, d.c. to los angeles had been a smooth one. but 34,000 feet over missouri, the plane suddenly dropped. >> i saw at least two people hit the ceiling. the girl in front of me two rows, saw her hit the ceiling and slam back down. luckily i had my seat belt on. >> reporter: some were not buckled up and 30 people were hurt. injuries ranged from sprains to bruises, even whiplash. paramedics met the plane and took 21 people to area hospitals. this is the third incident of injury-causing turbulence this year. in february, 20 people were injured on a flight from washington to tokyo, and in may, ten people were injured on a flight that hit turbulence over the atlantic. both of those flights, also united. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. china has been hit by some of the deadliest flooding in 50

years, and the heaviest rains are still to come. this year's death toll has now topped 700 with 350 still missing. >> chinese officials say flood waters also caused tens of billions of dollars in damage. soldiers and villagers are still searching for survivors after recent landslides triggered by torrential downpours. here's a look at your thursday forecast. severe storms from the dakotas into the midwest. flash flooding, large hail, and gusty winds at omaha, des moines, chicago, and indianapolis. strong thunderstorms in kentucky and tennessee. rain and flash floods for arizona, western new mexico, and southern colorado. >> 70 in seattle. 90 in boise. 94 in salt lake city. just shy of 80 in minneapolis. 84 in detroit. mostly 90s from new york to miami and along the gulf coast. i kind of like this story. here we go. file this one in the "it seemed like a good idea at the time" file.

this is what police in wisconsin came across after a store clerk reported a stolen motorized shopping cart. >> i'm on this kid's side. i'll just say it right now. >> i agree. >> the 19-year-old driving it had been drinking, no real shocker, and thought he was too wasted to ride his bicycle home. so he propped the bike up on that cart and then he drove it home at half a mile an hour. >> he's not facing driving under the influence charges but he was cited for stealing that cart. at least he recognized, i've had a few too many, i'm going to take this little scooter-like thing -- >> imagine driving by that in the middle of the night. >> who hasn't done that? >> he said he had every intention of returning that cart after he sobered up in the morning. >> he's probably still sobering up. >> conscientious young drunk. we'll be right back with more "world news now."

if you fight to sleep in the middle of the night why go one more round ? you don't need a rematch but a rethink. with lunesta. lunesta is thought to interact with gaba receptors

associated with sleep. lunesta helps you get the restful sleep you need. lunesta has some risk of dependency. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving or engaging in other activities while asleep without remembering it the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. stop fighting with your sleep. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a co-pay as low as zero dollars at lunesta.com discover a restful lunesta night. here would you go next if you had a hoveround power chair? the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible ith a hoveround. tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor rand founder of hoveround. when we say

you're free to see the world, we mean it. call today and get a free overound information kit that includes a video and full color brochure. dennis celorie: "it's by far the best chair i've ever owned." terri: "last year, 9 out of 10 people got their hoveround for "little or no money." jim plunkitt: "no cost. absolutely no cost to me." breaking news...when you call today, we'll include a free hoveround collapsible grabber with the purchase of your power chair. it reaches, it grabs, it's collapsible and it's portable. it goes wherever you go. get it free while supplies last. call the number on your screen to get your free video, brochure and your free hoveround collapsible grabber. call the number on your screen. now back to our top story

this half hour. shirley sherrod's comments on race, we now know what she said was clearly taken out of context. >> the use of race in politics is nothing new and the blame can be placed on both sides. here is dan harris with the viral politics of race. >> here i was faced with having to help a white person -- >> reporter: the shirley sherrod episode is the latest in a string of viral video controversies driven by conservative media. controversies with one central theme -- racism against white people. >> different polling places in philadelphia are checking for voting problems -- >> reporter: there's the new black panther party controversy, given wall-to-wall coverage on fox news, involving black activists in philadelphia haranguing people outside of a polling place. >> the new black panther party -- >> reporter: conservatives are accusing the obama administration of failing to pursue voter harassment charges aggressively. there's supreme court nominee sonia sotomayor saying a wise latina may have advantages over a white judge. conservative commentators say

the mainstream media all too often ignores these stories. glenn beck has called president obama -- >> a racist. >> reporter: rush limbaugh has called liberal policies a form of reparation. there have been plenty of controversies that paint conservatives as racists. senate candidate george allen calling an indian man this name -- >> macaca or whatever his name is. >> and more recently allegations of racial epithets hurled at black members of congress during the health care debate -- >> have been called the "n" word, have been spat on. >> reporter: and allegations of racist signs held aloft during a presidency hailed by many as post-racial has turned out to be anything but. dan harris, abc news. well, it seems one politician is keeping his mouth shut. rod blagojevich declared yesterday he won't testify in his own corruption trial. >> this coming from the man who said from the start that he

would tell his side of the story. but why now the change of heart? barbara pinto has that story from chicago. >> reporter: for more than a year the embattled ex-governor promised to tell his story in court. >> i will fight. i will fight. i will fight. until i take my last breath. >> reporter: to anyone who would listen. but rod blagojevich told the judge it was his idea not to testify. >> the government in their case proved my innocence, they proved i did nothing illegal and that there was nothing further for us to add. >> reporter: the usually outspoken ex-governor's silence on the stand spares him a blistering cross-examination byf1o prosecutors argue a foul-mouthed blagojevich solicited bribes and tried to sell barack obama's senate seat. >> i've got this thing and it's

[ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up [ bleep ] for nothing. >> reporter: the defense argued that was bravado, no money changed hands. but that might not matter. >> the crime was committed if he attempted to do it. the crime was committed if he threatened to do it. >> reporter: blagojevich had parting words for reporters. >> i learned a lot of lessons from this whole experience, and perhaps maybe the biggest lesson i've learned is that i talk too much. >> reporter: starting next week, jurors will decide if the former governor's words could cost him ten years in prison. barbara pinto, abc news, chicago. >> barbara mentioned the word outfoxed. some trial lawyers are now saying this last-minute change of heart to not testify probably forced the defense -- excuse me the prosecution, to change their strategy. they thought they'd have the ability to cross-examine him and

bring up witnesses. >> that's the game he's been talking for months. it's interer oprah: all new -- a governor's secret rendezvous with his lover in argentina -- now, he's saying "this is my soul-mate." his ex-wife, former first lady of south carolina jenny

us here are always looking for ways to save money. how would you like to save big without making big changes? >> one family was looking for tips to get out from under their bills and save a little bit of cash. they turned to our consumer correspondent elisabeth leamy for some help. >> reporter: robin shoblock of new jersey wrote to me out of real need. her husband, gary, had been laid off because of the recession right after she quit her job to get a college degree at last. all this for a family that expanded from four people to seven a few years ago when robin's sister died and the showblocks took in her kids. >> i'm sure if you ask the kids they'll tell you there's been a lot of stress in the house. >> reporter: so i set out to reduce their stress and their bills. first, i shopped around for

cable, phone, internet, and wireless providers and found them $3,448 in savings just by switching. and if you're a new customer, wow, what a deal. you can also shop around for medical procedures. robin's doctor wants her to get a routine colonoscopy. we called ten facilities near her house and found one that was $3,980 less than the rest. >> wow, that's not necessarily good news because i don't want to get it. >> reporter: robin and her daughter jill both just graduated from college. a huge accomplishment and huge debt. but robin plans to become a teacher and didn't realize the government will forgive $17,500 worth of student loans if she works in an underprivileged school. >> there are a lot of challenges and i think a lot of rewards. >> reporter: next, i took the shoblocks to their local credit union. >> the credit union has approved

you to refinance your car loan at 7.5%. >> reporter: most people have never heard of refinancing a car loan. it will save the shoblocks $1,995. >> hi, nice to meet you. >> reporter: time to tackle the shoblocks' credit card debt. first, use their small savings, earning just 1% interest, to pay off the worst credit cards, costing as much as 30% interest. second, open a new low-interest credit card at the credit union and roll the rest of their balances onto that. their savings, a whopping $16,801 in interest. >> you'll get those cards paid off in a grand total of 11 months. >> reporter: with all the turmoil in their lives, the shoblocks' normally solid credit score took a hit. so they couldn't get approved to refinance their house at a big bank. but credit unions go beyond people's scores and look at their situations. we've approved you for refinancing the balance into an

adjustable rate mortgage at 4.75%, zero discount points, zero origination fees -- >> are you kidding? >> i kid you not, the savings is real. >> reporter: adjustable rate mortgages got a bad rap during the bubble years. but they're a wise choice if you know you're going to sell before they adjust. the shoblocks plan to downsize once all the kids go to college. the new mortgage will save them $55,203 over the next 10 years. >> i'm speechless. it's just so hard to come up with ways to thank you guys for your help. >> reporter: how much did we help? >> one, two, three -- >> wow! >> reporter: yes. $108,602 in savings. >> that is amazing. all those little things add up. things you wouldn't think of.

$110,000. >> i want elisabeth leamy to make a house call to my house. >> we'll call her on the commercial break, check it out. finally this half hour, a ed i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare call now to find out how an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan / insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, helps cover some of .the medical expenses... / not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. so you can join the millions of people who have already... / put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insurance. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral o see

a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep p your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare. and best of all, these plans are... the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp. / when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. call the number on your screen now... / and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... and guide to understanding medicare / to help you choose the plan that's right for you. / as with all medicare supplement plans you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare get help paying for what medicare doesn't... / and save up to thousands of dollars.

/ call this toll-free number now. ÷÷oló>hó

z finally this half hour, a social networking milestone. after just six years in existence, facebook, your favorite website, has 500 million users. >> i was just updating my status with reading intro right now live on tv. that means since founder mark zuckerberg started the site, 500 million people have poked, flagged, tagged and friended each other. bill weir has more. >> reporter: it is an engine of human connection. give facebook a few vital facts about yourself and it gives you a direct line to your past present, and future. >> my daughter found her on facebook for me. and the rest is history. we're married. >> reporter: it's where old flames are kindled, medical

advice is swapped -- >> facebook saved my life. >> reporter: and the american teen lives and breathes. >> in a world without facebook, i think i would die. >> reporter: this is why the company has exploded. over the past 15 months facebook has added around eight new users every second. each of those people has around 130 friends and will share 70 different bits of life with them each month. pictures, passions, causes, home movies. so much that facebook is now a virtual sea of information that rivals google in scope. but the growing pains have been sharp. young founder mark zuckerberg has struggled to balance the privacy concerns of his users

with the need to turn all of their information into moo c3 so n ournds1 and those are businesses who want to sell you something. they want to know what's on your mind. >> reporter: zuckerberg has promised to keep his users happy. but when facebook customers were surveyed by the university of michigan they rated the company in the bottom 5%, with the kind of sour marks